Re: tOfficial 2015 Detroit Tigers thread

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-25, 23:07

Sooooo, anybody still think Nick Castellnos is still untouchable?

His fielding makes me think no one would touch him with a 10 foot pole. He was never be more than a less than average fielder and an average hitter at best.

Asmus should start Marte at 3rd for the rest of the season just to get more MLB experience.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** 2015-09-25, 23:12

GRR Spartan wrote:Sooooo, anybody still think Nick Castellnos is still untouchable?

His fielding makes me think no one would touch him with a 10 foot pole. He was never be more than a less than average fielder and an average hitter at best.

Asmus should start Marte at 3rd for the rest of the season just to get more MLB experience.

I disagree somewhat.

I don't think I've ever personally claimed he was "untouchable" but I think you're way off base if you don't think he's going to be a very productive hitter and run producer in MLB for a lot of years. He has a very natural ability to go oppo field and an inside out swing, yet he can also turn on inside pitches. Nick is going to hit 30 bombs and have a BA around .280 for the prime of his career.

Where he fits in the field is anyone's guess. He improved quite a bit at 3B this year but not sure if he can continue to improve there. He's going to be a great bat to have at the 6 or 7 slot in your lineup next year and going forward but unless they think they can make him into a viable LF I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that they move him to a team that has more positional flexibility (i.e. a need for guys who can hit and play 1B/DH)

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-25, 23:26

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:
GRR Spartan wrote:Sooooo, anybody still think Nick Castellnos is still untouchable?

His fielding makes me think no one would touch him with a 10 foot pole. He was never be more than a less than average fielder and an average hitter at best.

Asmus should start Marte at 3rd for the rest of the season just to get more MLB experience.

I disagree somewhat.

I don't think I've ever personally claimed he was "untouchable" but I think you're way off base if you don't think he's going to be a very productive hitter and run producer in MLB for a lot of years. He has a very natural ability to go oppo field and an inside out swing, yet he can also turn on inside pitches. Nick is going to hit 30 bombs and have a BA around .280 for the prime of his career.

Where he fits in the field is anyone's guess. He improved quite a bit at 3B this year but not sure if he can continue to improve there. He's going to be a great bat to have at the 6 or 7 slot in your lineup next year and going forward but unless they think they can make him into a viable LF I don't think it's beyond the realm of possibility that they move him to a team that has more positional flexibility (i.e. a need for guys who can hit and play 1B/DH)

Agree.

Also, nick c is probably at the bottom of the list of things to fix on this team.

Pitching is the #1 area that needs to be fixed. I've watched enough mets games now to see suspect play in their infield. Big whoop, their pitching is so good it more than makes up for the few plays they screw up.

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-26, 03:05

Castellanos is a poor fielding, marginal hitting 3rd baseman. The only two regular 3rd basemen with worse OBP's than Nick's .306 are Oakland's Lawrie at .304 and Sandoval in Boston at .293. All three are on last place teams in their American League divisions.

The Tigers can't do much worse. He strikes out every 3.5 trips to the plate and is a liability in the field. If you think he should stay and "develop" at MLB level then get ready for time warp Tiger baseball like played from 1946-1966.

by Triple Sparty 2015-09-26, 05:10

If Castellanos bats .280 or higher for more than a single season, I will buy Whiteboy a captain n diet. He's a .260/20 guy but his fielding has definitely improved, although I haven't watched a full tigers game in about a month or so.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 08:58

GRR Spartan wrote:Castellanos is a poor fielding, marginal hitting 3rd baseman. The only two regular 3rd basemen with worse OBP's than Nick's .306 are Oakland's Lawrie at .304 and Sandoval in Boston at .293. All three are on last place teams in their American League divisions.

The Tigers can't do much worse. He strikes out every 3.5 trips to the plate and is a liability in the field. If you think he should stay and "develop" at MLB level then get ready for time warp Tiger baseball like played from 1946-1966.

If our focus this off season is replacing nick Castellanos over pitching I bet our record improves by maybe a win or two.

Don't forget Sandoval has three ws rings. Great Pitching trumps poor d and mediocre hitting.

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-26, 15:46

Sandavol was batting 30 points higher with 25-30 point higher OPS in his WS years.

Tigers have a long shopping list and getting a new 3rd baseman via free agency isn't at the top of the list but its on the list the same way getting a new catcher was going to be on th list when McCann emerged.

They need to find at least 2 maybe 3 starters because Sanchez has had to take time off for shoulder issues and I have no confidence that will change. They also need a couple of middle relievers so the starters don't rack up innings and a reliever.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** 2015-09-26, 15:49

Ausmus is coming back per Henning, per Avila

by Guest 2015-09-26, 16:04

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Ausmus is coming back per hemming Henning, per Avila

That sucks.....especially if we don't get new base coaches. Our baserunning has been terrible this year.

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-26, 16:52

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Ausmus is coming back per hemming Henning, per Avila

In the words of Dr. Sam Beckett, "Oh Boy"

tOfficial 2015 Detroit Tigers thread - Page 6 Quantum-Leap-Sam-Beckett--dressed-in-drag

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 17:02

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:Ausmus is coming back per Henning, per Avila

Pretty stunned. I have to say I don't think this years disaster of a season is on him, but it seems like a change would be the right move for the team.

Honestly at this point, the worst news that we could hear in the off season is that the Tigers are going to stick with the failed Dombrowski strategy for 'improving' the bull pen which is to do nothing and hope that your pitchers improve in the off season.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** 2015-09-26, 17:04

I'm just happy local sports talk might talk about something other than the Lions for a few hours next week.

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-26, 17:09

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I'm just happy local sports talk might talk about something other than the Lions for a few hours next week.

I won't be tuning in for anything except Dan Patrick.
After this weekend the airwaves will be filled with Walvervines claiming their back and angry Lion fans who still can't figure out Bill Ford can't bring himself to fire his buddies Lewand and Mayhew who drafted Stafford and then don't draft OLine to protect their QB.

However Al Avila said a factor in Ausmus returning was the was he handled younger players.

"Avila cited the development of its young core of players, including catcher James McCann, third baseman Nick Castellanos and centerfielder Anthony Gose as a big reason for his return."

If they are impressed with Castellanos I guess the bar is lower than I thought.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2015/09/26/detroit-tigers-avila-ausmus-returning/72887658/

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 19:36

Mets clinch. I'm rooting for the NL this year. Would be content if either the pirates or the mets won it all.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 19:44

[quote="GRR Spartan"]

WhiteBoyHatcher wrote:I'm just happy local sports talk might talk about something other than the Lions for a few hours next week.

I won't be tuning in for anything except Dan Patrick.
After this weekend the airwaves will be filled with Walvervines claiming their back and angry Lion fans who still can't figure out Bill Ford can't bring himself to fire his buddies Lewand and Mayhew who drafted Stafford and then don't draft OLine to protect their QB.

However Al Avila said a factor in Ausmus returning was the was he handled younger players.

"Avila cited the development of its young core of players, including catcher James McCann, third baseman Nick Castellanos and centerfielder Anthony Gose as a big reason for his return."

If they are impressed with Castellanos I guess the bar is lower than I thought.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2015/09/26/detroit-tigers-avila-ausmus-returning/72887658/

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Now it's time for brad to develop some pitchers.

by **WhiteBoyHatcher** 2015-09-26, 19:49

I don't understand the Castellanos hate. It's absurd. I mean I get that he sucks defensively but jesus christ he's just finishing up his 2nd season! He's fucking 23 years old! If the offensive trend doesn't continue upward for the next season or two LIKE IT HAS THIS YEAR then maybe it will be time for some angst. Until then you are being ridiculous.

by Guest 2015-09-26, 19:56

Other than his shitty handling of an already bad bullpen and hiring a terrible 3rd base coach I have few complaints about Ausmus.

I agree with WBH that we need to give Casty another year or two to develop, after all he's not at Inge levels of sucktude.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:36

Hoping the tigers can tie this one up. Fuck the twins.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:38

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:39

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:41

If I'm the twins I challenge. New York could give it to them.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:47

Golden opportunity for Castellanos to show up gr spartan.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:51

Put up the nets for fucks sake. That fan stood no chance. Camera picked it up going into the front row.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:54

Fuck u Castellanos!

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 21:59

Lobstein in the BP I like it!

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 22:02

Well he looked good for two batters. Now he looks like a tigers BP pitcher.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-26, 22:12

Booh!!!!

by Guest 2015-09-27, 07:04

Column: With managerial decision behind him, much tougher task looms for Al Avila

DETROIT -- Many Detroit Tigers fans reacted on social media with dismay Saturday after hearing the news that Brad Ausmus will return as manager in 2016. But if those fans felt that Al Avila is force-feeding them a manager, Avila had a very different opinion about what led to a rough 2015 season for the Tigers.
Avila feels that the Tigers, due to injuries and other issues, have been force-feeding Ausmus players, that he and the Tigers have been limited by their roster this year.
In short, Avila feels that the deck has been stacked against Ausmus and that he deserves another shot.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-27, 11:39

Saw this nugget from Albom article today:

"Then Justin Verlander began the year on the DL. He didn't pitch until June, and clearly wasn't the same force he'd once been. Scherzer and Verlander had 33 wins and 426 innings between them last year. This year, if he's lucky, Verlander might have six wins and 136 innings.

That's a heck of a drop-off.

Last season — Ausmus' first —Miguel Cabrera missed a total of three games. This year he's already missed 39."

Here's the tale of the tape:

Pitching: RA/G 5.02 ERA 4.69 R 773 ER 723 HR 187

Dead last in the AL at all those categories.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-27, 11:43

Also, you know who should be fired? Anthony Fenech. His reporting is horrible and a huge drop off from John Lowe.

A few weeks back he published several articles late at night that Ausmus was on the hot seat. Det News couldn't find any sources and didn't run with the story. It obviously wasn't true, or it came from a terrible source. Fenech turned the Freep baseball section into a gossip column and the level of analysis is on par with the blogosphere.

I'm convinced I could do a 100x better job than that turd.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-27, 11:47

Also, you know who should be on the hot seat? Francona. Has one of the best pitching rotations in the baseball and is barely above .500. Team had the pieces to get to the playoffs and finished behind the twins.

Went 7 for 11 vs the lowly Tigers and 9 for 10 vs the Sox and 6 for 9 vs. the Twins.

Amazingly they went 9 for 9 vs the Royals.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-27, 15:27

6-1 twins. Avillas last day in Detroit catching as a tiger. All reports indicate he won't be back next year.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-27, 15:41

BP just gave up a hr to a rookie.

Looks like wolf pitched 1.2 innings and gave up 6 runs.

Brutal start.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-27, 16:07

Avilla last at bat a bb. Well done.

by Guest 2015-09-27, 16:31

steveschneider wrote:Avilla last at bat a bb. Well done.

Right before his Dad has to tell him he's getting a low salary or moving on.

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-28, 19:48

Not a hater, just sayin Nick Castellanos development to be a good MLB 3rd baseman might be more of a project than the Tigers want to undertake. Others are noticing the same thing.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/kurt-mensching/2015/09/28/mensching-add-third-base-tigers-fix-list/72978866/

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-28, 21:29

Verlander is in deep shit this inning.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-28, 21:39

GRR Spartan wrote:Not a hater, just sayin Nick Castellanos development to be a good MLB 3rd baseman might be more of a project than the Tigers want to undertake. Others are noticing the same thing.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/opinion/columnists/kurt-mensching/2015/09/28/mensching-add-third-base-tigers-fix-list/72978866/

Look, I agree Castellanos is below average but 100% of the focus should be pitching. I've seen teams with poor defensive infielders make it to the post season. The panda had a lot of errors the other year. More than Castellanos. Murphy for the mets makes a lot of errors.

Overall the batting for the tigers is fine and I'm optimistic that they'll produce even more runs next season.

Pitching should be the priority.

by **steveschneider** 2015-09-28, 23:35

I hate our bullpen.

by **GRR Spartan** 2015-09-28, 23:37

What bullpen?

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