06-15-12--DETROIT VS COLORADO--7:05 PM

[pyrotigers]

I don't really understand why the middle infield was playing in in that situation at all to be honest

[Yoda]

I'll agree with that. Should have been standard DP depth.

[tiger337]

I never go up and down after every game in baseball, but I would say I've been on a consistent downside for most of the season. Not down in the sense that they are out of it. I remain hopeful because they have great high-end talent and play in a crappy division. However, they have been incredibly sloppy all year and their batters have given no indication as of yet that they are good enough to overcome that. Even a lot of their wins have been sloppy and unconvincing. It has not been an enjoyable team to watch.

[sagnam]

I'll agree with that. Should have been standard DP depth.

I thought the same thing as I said above but on the drive home I hear Leyand said, and I agree after hearing him say it, that you have to play in there in case the ball isn't hit hard enough to turn two so you can still get the guy at home.

Either way, the ball was hit right two him but it took a higher bounce than he expected and the rest is history.

[john doe]

I never go up and down after every game in baseball, but I would say I've been on a consistent downside for most of the season. Not down in the sense that they are out of it. I remain hopeful because they have great high-end talent and play in a crappy division. However, they have been incredibly sloppy all year and their batters have given no indication as of yet that they are good enough to overcome that. Even a lot of their wins have been sloppy and unconvincing. It has not been an enjoyable team to watch.

SPOT ON and well said.

[Oblong]

The Tigers have Fielder and Cabrera at the corners. The dirt around home plate is very hard to prevent people from constantly dropping bunts down on them.

On that particular play, the Tigers badly needed a double play. The batter drove the ball in the dirt and Peralta charged, exactly what he's supposed to do on that play. He had no idea the ball was going to bounce 20 feet into the air. It was a crappy play, and very much a fluke. He's had a lot of trouble throwing this year but he has no problems fielding the ball. To bash him for that play is pretty ridiculous.

No, it's not ridiculous at all to bash a SS for misplaying ball he should have had. That whole inning was the result of sloppy infield defense. Valverde screwed up the bunt, he didn't throw to the right base, made a bad throw, and Fielder mishandled the throw.

But hey, let's all be happy. They are only 4 games under .500 in the middle of June. No criticism allowed. That would be a ridiculous thing to do. They're almost average after all.

[Yoda]

At no point did I say no criticism is allowed or that everyone should just be happy. But if it makes you feel better to put words in my mouth, go right on ahead.

You saw it as a play he should have had. I saw it as a play where he did the right thing but charging but got a ridiculous bounce. Agree to disagree. I also don't agree with Leyland that the middle IFers should have been playing in.

[Yoda]

I thought the same thing as I said above but on the drive home I hear Leyand said, and I agree after hearing him say it, that you have to play in there in case the ball isn't hit hard enough to turn two so you can still get the guy at home.

Either way, the ball was hit right two him but it took a higher bounce than he expected and the rest is history.

And that's a reasonable argument on his part. But I have to ask... with the middle infielders playing half way, how often is a ball really hit too slow to turn a DP on? Does it happen enough to warrant playing them in and increasing the chance of a batted ball getting by them? I don't think so. I thought it was a bit of over-managing on his part, but I can see both sides.

[tiger337]

But I have to ask... with the middle infielders playing half way, how often is a ball really hit too slow to turn a DP on?

The Tigers infielders or infielders in general?

[Yoda]

Well-played.

[T&P_Fan]

At no point did I say no criticism is allowed or that everyone should just be happy. But if it makes you feel better to put words in my mouth, go right on ahead.

You saw it as a play he should have had. I saw it as a play where he did the right thing but charging but got a ridiculous bounce. Agree to disagree. I also don't agree with Leyland that the middle IFers should have been playing in.

I tend to get up and down with each game, nothing wrong with that. Last night was just another example of a sloppy team playing sloppy baseball, people should be upset. There aren't many positive things right now, it is just a bad baseball team currently.