The Best team after the All Star break is...

Glad to know "homies" are not limited to the Motor City!

Ed

 

I guess it's kind of funny that every one thinks their own team is unlucky. If you look at the Pythageron numbers, though, the Indians are about 3 games better than what they should be.

Actually, I don't think the Tigers are unlucky. Until the last few weeks, I called them chokers. (How's that for a homer statement?) My complaint against them was all the blown leads and how they could never win a big series against a good team. That was before they swept the Red Sox and the Twins. But they still have a ways to go to prove me wrong. A World Series win will only satisfy me. They choked away a huge lead last year - and they hardly ever won a big series the whole year - maybe 1 against the White Sox. Most of their wins were against the Royals. Their only clutch series was against the Yankees in the playoffs (I don't count the A's since they were weak). The World Series last year was a monumental choke job. So this team needs to prove to me that they are geniunely clutch - something they haven't done very often the last 2 years with all that talent.

Unlucky? No. Chokers? The jury is still out.

 

I'd say a person hitting a homer is not a choker, at least not for that "At Bat."

Ed

 

just givin the facts, man.

 

I know. Despite the injuries and slumps we are right there in the hunt.

 

I give props to the Tribe. What I call "luck" is really more clutch play. They are definitely a clutch team this year. They seem to come back in every game and never really blow a big lead. If the Tigers had the Tribe's heart and clutch play, they would be a .700 team.

 

The 'facts' is "where we be"; the 'homie' is "where we'd be if ...". :laugh: :laugh:

Ed

 

I give props to Eric Wedge. Before this year, I was never a big "Wedgie", but he has them ready to play each game. Prior to this year he would always give excuses when the players made mental errors, slumps, etc. Not this year. If you are stinking up the joint, he lets you know. I guess it's the growing process of being a manager.

 

4His, tell me again that the Tigers are a good team? Good teams do not blow 5-run leads over and over and over again. Last night was probably their 10th blown lead of 5+ runs this year. Good teams don't do that. I realize they have a good record, but they are playing way below their talent. It goes back to my original theory that this team is a bunch of chokers. I still stand by that theory - they have yet to prove me wrong.

 

The Tigers recently went through a stretch of 16 games against winning teams, going 11-5. They beat the likes of Papelbon, Matsuzaka, Sabathia, Nathan and Santana. Not too shabby.

I can't believe I'm actually defending a Detroit team as being good. :laugh: :tonofbricks:

 

With the Tigers' talent, they can accidentally win 90 games. So in one sense, they are a "good" team. But in another sense, they are a bad team, because they are playing well below their talent level. If the Tigers were a clutch team that had chemistry, they would win 105-110 games. But in all likelihood, they will finish 10-20 games below that. That is a bad team in my book.

 

They are good, but as I have said, have a bad bullpen. They are going to have to overcome their bullpen big time. Somehow this team still leads the ALC?

 

They choked another one away yesterday. The Tigers might be the greatest team of all-time for innings 1-6 and the worst team of all-time for innings 7-9. I'm serious. I would love to see all of their stats, run differential, etc. for that split. I bet the differences would be dramatic. It's not even the bullpen all the time - the offense usually scores a bunch of runs in the first 6 innings and then completely stops. What a bunch of chokers.

 

Texas Rangers, Won 23 of their last 37, not bad, not bad at all.

 

If you score 4 or 5 runs a game, I believe you should have pitching that most of the time gets you a W. I'm old school NL, I know, but I just believe that. The Tigers are scoring enough most of the time.

Speaking of bullpens, what will Milwaukee do with Turnbow now that they acquired a new SU for Cordero?

 

4 or 5 runs is not enough in the AL - if you want to be a good team. Yes, the Tigers score plenty, but they also do a lousy job scoring at the right times. They will win one game, 10-4 and then lose 4-3 the next day. Also, they really do tend to score most of their runs early in the game, and then when it is on the line late in the game, they choke. So their problems aren't entirely bullpen related, although I agree the bullpen is their biggest problem (along with awful SS and P defense - everywhere else is solid).

As for Turnbow, you can never have enough in the pen. They will keep him for now.

 

The P defense is a fresh wound right now.

The Tigers remind me of the Reds sometimes. They can score 15 runs when they need 16. Or they can pile up 9 tonight but nothing tomorrow night. I still believe that 5 runs should win you an AL game. "Should" being the operative word.

If the 'pen was doing its job, the 10 runs scored early would hold up.

Turnbow may not be happy being an occasional SU or worse yet, doing mop-up. They may look to deal him next season if Cordero is still pitching well and they need an extra prospect or an extra bat. One rumor had him going to the Reds for Dunn this year. I don't buy it...but you never know

 

I think it's safe to say the Tigers are the worst team since the All-Star break. What a bunch of chokers. Their last two seasons are macro versions of their individual games - do good the first half and then choke it away.

The AL Central is going to fall into Minnesota's lap with them barely lifting a finger. Here is how it will end up:

Twins = 86 wins
Indians = 85 wins
Tigers = 84 wins

The Yankees will get the wild card (as I write this, they have just tied the Tigers for the wild card), and the ALCS will be Red Sox v. Yankees.:sleeping_2:

 

The Tigers sure have struggled!

I love the way the Cubs have played the 2nd half. I am concerned about the loss of Soriano. Yet I still think they have the best team in the NL central.