1 Game Playoff: Tigers @ Twins

[ajaX82]

Tuesday, 5 pm i believe

Didnt think it would come to this. Not looking forward to watching it.

[TSE]

The Tiger's payroll this year was 115 million dollars to 65 for the Twins (I think those are opening day figures). The Twins DESERVE the playoff spot, because they played smart baseball all year and really put in a strong physical AND mental effort to put themselves in this position. It would be a terrible injustice for a team like the Tigers to win and take the spot away from them. I'm still rooting for the Tigers obviously but an unbiased and honest assessment points to the Twins in being the deserving team to move on, so I give credit where credit is due. They would probably do a better job of not squandering the low chance of beating the Yankees, due to the rampant mismanagement of the Tigers organization.

Gardenhire should also be awarded title of Manger of the Year in the AL.

But GO TIGERS!

[ElectricMayhem]

One game for all the marbles - should be fun.

Do the Tigers even want marbles? Tune in!

[Snakebites]

Very disappointing that it came to this.

I'd have to say the odds are stacked against us, but I'll definitely be tuning in to see how it plays out.

[m23uza1hem36]

Beat me to the thread

As for the game, as long as Porcello can take the heat, I think we'll come out winners. Hopefully Miguel isn't to outta of it, we need his bat, and hopefully Magglio continues to show up.

[TSE]

Porcello strikes me as the type of guy that will have little issues with the heat and the pressure. He seems like a bonafide gamer to me, I wouldn't bet against him in that regard.

Key stat though:

Rick Porcello
81 Ks to 50 BBs this season

Scott Baker
161 Ks to 46 BBs this season

Baker's numbers don't favor a team like the Tigers that lacks plate discipline and intelligent batting strategy/instruction. This could fit really well into Baker's performance standards and possibly hinder us from scoring effectively if Baker is on his game. Leyland is also pretty weak at designing batting order lineups which will also likely count against us. That doesn't mean we are doomed, it just means that we have an uphill battle to climb before the game even starts, so we will have to get statistically lucky in order to pull this one off, or be fortunate enough that Porcello is amazing tomorrow, unless of course Leyland comes up with some brilliant tactics and instructions all of a sudden.

Just cross your fingers that Porcello has a great day and Baker has an awful day, otherwise we will be a statistically significant underdog. This will pretty much be the game to game theme against the Yankees or any other high level teams if we make it through.

[TSE]

How wonderful. Laird being placed 1 spot too high in the batting order has already cost us a good scoring opportunity. There is no logic to having the weakest hitter in the lineup to hit before a better hitter, also with a slightly higher chance of him getting 1 extra AB in the game over a better hitter as well. Damn it Jim.

[TSE]

It's a good sign to see Granderson running, we need to be aggressive on the basepaths today. Mauer has had a little trouble throwing the ball this year compared to his career average. We need to take our chances and put runners in motion a few times to apply some strategic pressure.

Oh and while typing this Miggy just hit a HR! Well done buddy, I was expecting you to bounce back and deliver after everybody was putting you down. Hopefully that will help to ward off the haters.

[m23uza1hem36]

3-0 Tiggs

[m23uza1hem36]

WTF

[TSE]

Another tactical failure by Leyland. Laird with 1 out should be bunting the runner over to scoring position. It's mathematically the smart play to try and secure an important insurance run, not to mention that Laird is the best bunter on the team as is. Anytime you can get a good bunting situation for Laird is just a beautiful and lucky thing and we desperately NEED to maximize those chances to take the bat out of his hand and get the huge value of his bunting prowess.

It's just smart baseball, please don't ever do that again Jim.

[m23uza1hem36]

Wtf? why take him out let him finish up the inning.

[m23uza1hem36]

**** you Leyland

[TSE]

Not a big fan of that pitching move either. You always expose yourself to some risk when you bring a new pitcher into the game, because there's always that chance that he is just "off" or "rattled". Porcello had pretty much proved that he wasn't in those categories and he was still fresh. To me there is no doubt that Porcello is a much more talented pitcher than a guy like Miner. In a game like this, you need to err on the side of caution and let your best player pitch, especially with the moxie that Porcello already showed in this game. I don't have any major problem with going to a relief pitcher, but it was just a tad early to yank out Porcello at that moment imo.

[TSE]

Ok, we have a man on and Laird is up. NOW BUNT PLEASE!... Great, the first time Laird has ever screwed up a bunt happens to be today, oh well.

[m23uza1hem36]

**** you leyland, **** you.

[ajaX82]

i hate Zach Minor so much

[Liqourish]

**** YOU ZACK MINER!!!

[TSE]

After the disaster last inning that almost creamed us and the disaster this inning on multiple batters, now he lets him pitch to Mauer?

We have so many statistically strong pitchers on the bench that have much lower ERAs and much higher rates of generating outs for us this year than Miner, why aren't we using our BEST pitchers if we are gong to yank Porcello? Ugggggggggghhhhhhh.

[m23uza1hem36]

Forgot my **** you for Minor, so Zach Minor, **** you ass hole.