Game of the Week: August 7: DET @ PIT

[Commissioner Erick]

Detroit Tigers (48-48) @ Pittsburgh Pirates (64-46)


DET: Jordan Zimmermann (7-9, 4.17)
PIT: Casey Sadler (7-3, 4.67)



The Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates are unlikely contenders for their division crowns, making this interleague contest a nice test for each to try to pass.

Detroit has a perfectly average record at 45-45. After trading away some good young pitching early, their pitching is actually hanging in fine. The Tigers are third in starters' ERA, and fifth in runs allowed. Pitchers like Jordan Zimmermann have helped. Zimmermann's 4.17 ERA is basically league average. His FIP has been higher though, as Zimmermann has only struck out 4.8 batters per nine innings.

He's survived by inducing a ton of ground balls. Among qualified starters, Zimmermann's 63% ground ball percentage trails only Ubaldo Jimenez as the highest mark. This is a good thing, because the Tigers have the second highest zone rating and the fewest errors in the American League. Miguel Cabrera has been excellent at first base, Ian Kinsler had been terrific at second base, and Jose Iglesias has been the best AL shortstop outside of Francisco Lindor.

That defense would have the Tigers in first place already, if not for some rough days from their bullpen recently. Detroit has the 11th best bullpen ERA in the American League, which isn't good.

Bruce Rondon had been having a fine season, but he allowed a walkoff two-run shot to Chris Davis on Saturday which lost the Tigers a one-run game. He followed that up by watching Shane Greene blow a lead in the eighth inning, before he blew a lead in the ninth inning, and looked on as Alex Wilson gave up a walkoff home run to Chris Davis to blow a tie game in a dispiriting 8-7 Sunday loss.

Rondon will likely get the game off to recharge his batteries and psyche.

The Pirates continue to win games, despite seeing injuries to the fringes of their roster. Ivan Nova is due off the DL, but may need a rehab assignment, but Chad Kuhl is going to miss two weeks, and Antonio Bastardo will miss a week with an injury of his own.

The biggest loss is Franceso Cervelli, as he tore his labrum and will miss the rest of the season. Elias Diaz is serviceable, but only has fewer than 50 plate appearances in the majors this year. The other catcher, Chris Stewart, was designated for assignment.

All the injuries to the pitching staff mean more starts for Quad-A types. We saw Clay Holmes a few weeks ago, this time, Casey Sadler takes the hill. Sadler is 27 years old, so he isn't a prospect, and he only throws 88. He's gotten enough out of that two-seamer, curveball, changeup combination to strike out 60 batters in 69.1 innings. He fanned a far smaller ratio pitching in Indianapolis this year, however, only striking out 6.0 batters per nine. He's limited the walks, but many believe an easy schedule has helped mask Sadler's lack of stuff.

At least if the game is close, the Pirates can count on having a light's out closer. Felipe Rivero has the most saves in the National League, converting 33 of 34 save chances. He has 73 strikeouts in 56 innings, and has limited right-handers to a .303 slugging percentage, which is remarkable. That will be important as Detroit's core of their lineup consists of Miguel Cabrera, J.D. Martinez, and Justin Upton who have combined for 77 home runs thus far this year and all bat right handed.


Questions for the GMs:


For Steve Meyers, you recently fired Gene Lamont, replacing him with Jorge Gorrell. What was the rationale for the move?

Luis Valdez is making a mark with his defense as the player replacing Ian Kinsler. However, he has a .550 OPS in roughly 100 plate appearances. Can you survive with him as a starting player at this point?

There was chatter that you wanted to trade Miguel Cabrera earlier in the season. He's putting up another masterful offensive campaign, and has also played his way into an excellent defensive player. With your team a fringe contender, do you reassess Cabrera's worth to your team?

For Mike McAvoy, you have so many fringy starting pitchers having successful seasons. Sadler just throws 88, yet is 7-3. How is he doing it?

Jung-ho Kang is hitting .147 this year. Why has he struggled so mightily?

Against a guy like Zimmermann, can we expect to see some hit-and-run from your team today?

[Commissioner Erick]

Pirates 7 - Tigers 3


WP: C. Sadler (8-3)
LP: J. Zimmermann (7-10)



The Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers are both contenders for their division crowns. The Pirates showed that they hold that distinction because they're good, not because their division is weak.

John Jason had two doubles, Drew Hutchison had three strong innings in relief, and the Pittsburgh Pirates smoked the Detroit Tigers 7-3.

Jordan Zimmermann didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning, but it all unraveled quickly for him. He gave up a single to Josh Harrison, a single to Josh Bell, and a run-scoring hit to Andrew McCutchen. Gregory Polanco struck out, but John Jason doubled in two and came around to score on an Elias Diaz single to make it 4-2 Pittsburgh in the fourth.

Casey Sadler had a rough start to the game, allowing a leadoff home run to Jim Adduci. He settled in for the most part after that. He allowed a homer to Miguel Cabrera in the fourth, but with runners on the corners and one out, Alex Avilla hit into a double play to change the tenor of the game. It kept the score 2-0 Detroit, and allowed the Pirates to come back in the bottom half of the inning.

Sadler came back out for the fifth, and retired the side, striking out Luis Alberto Valdez and Adduci to end his day. He worked 5 innings allowing the two runs on two home runs, allowing five hits, walking none, and striking out five.

Sadler was replaced by Hutchison for the sixth and he allowed a single to Cabrera and a double to J.D. Martinez, setting up one of the more important at bats of the game. He beat Justin Upton with a fastball though, popping him up, then struck out Nicholas Castellanos to strand the runners in scoring position.

Zimmermann walked McCutchen leading off the bottom of the sixth, then gave up a triple to Polanco and a sacrifice fly to Jaso before getting the hook. He didn't pitch exceptionally poorly, but the Pirates do so well on balls in play, really punishing pitch-to-contact guys. They tagged Zimmermann for six runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings, walking a pair and fanning four.

Avila homered off Hutchison in the seventh to make the score 6-3. John Jaso doubled in McCutchen in the eighth to cap the scoring at 7-3.


Questions for the GMs:


For Steve Myers, Justin Upton came up four times with runners on and went 0-4. You have to be disappointed in his effort, don't you?

Dixon Machado hit into two double plays. Luis Alberto Valdez struck out twice. Did you think of pinch-hitting for them when your team was trailing?

Your squad hit into four double plays, and failed to take an extra base once. Do you feel like your team needs better baserunners or are you often conservative on the bases?

For Mike McAvoy, Andrew McCutchen has had a slow season, but he scored three times for you. How did he look to you out there?

What did you see from Sadler that allowed him to tame the Tigers?

Drew Hutchison did a nice job for you. He's been strong all season, but this was just his second hold. Was this an indicator that he will be pitching in higher leverage spots?

[tigersgm_Steve]

For Steve Meyers, you recently fired Gene Lamont, replacing him with Jorge Gorrell. What was the rationale for the move?


ANS:  Lamont was old school not in sync with the teams new direction.  With Jorge we believe his more modern and statistically based approach will resonate better with the players and ultimately translate into a few more W's.  


Luis Valdez is making a mark with his defense as the player replacing Ian Kinsler. However, he has a .550 OPS in roughly 100 plate appearances. Can you survive with him as a starting player at this point?


ANS:  I doubt that we could survive with Rogers Hornsby playing second base.  


There was chatter that you wanted to trade Miguel Cabrera earlier in the season. He's putting up another masterful offensive campaign, and has also played his way into an excellent defensive player. With your team a fringe contender, do you reassess Cabrera's worth to your team?


ANS:  No player is worth that amount of money for that amount of years unless you are on the cusp of winning big.  Given the fact that no one claimed him indicates that all the GM's agree with me or that some of them are not paying attention.  Either way, he is likely to stay a Tiger for a long time.  And, that's fine, I live having Miggy in the line-up because he can and will punish the opposition.