Game of the Week: April 7: DET @ KC

[Commissioner Erick]

Detroit Tigers (7-2) @ Kansas City (4-4)


DET: Allen Asbury (0-0, 0.00)
KC: Jeff Payton (0-1, 4.50)


Tigers 3 Key Stats

28: Runs scored by Detroit: Detroit is off to an excellent surprise start this year, with a 7-2 record. It’s an amazing number, considering the team has only scored 28 runs, 3.1 a game, this season, which is dead last in the league. The team is dead last in homers, having just five, greatly sapping the team’s offense. The team has run the bases well, and has six steals, but their offense hasn’t fueled the team’s success.

19: Runs allowed by Detroit: While Detroit’s offense has struggled, the team has allowed only 2.1 runs a game, easily the best in the American League. The team is utilizing a starting rotation that doesn’t pitch deep and is limited to roughly 11 batters, with the club’s bullpen picking up the slack. That strategy has suffocated last year’s AL Central co-champions, as the team has accomplished their success facing exclusively the Royals and Tigers. This will be the second series against Kansas City this year.

4.9: Elijah Cabell 2030 CF Zone Rating: Detroit will have to give today a go without Elijah Cabell. The Center Fielder strained his MCL and will miss a month recovering. Cabell is off to a .364 start this year with a homer, and hit well for Tampa Bay last year, but defense is his calling card. The Tigers will need to find a way to replace him for a month.


Royals 3 Key Stats

2: Home runs hit by players other than Roderick Dalton and Jorge Vargas: Kansas City is getting great offense from their two superstars, but little from the supporting cast. Kansas City isn’t a huge home run hitting team, but getting just two in eight games from the supporting cast is disappointing. Jonathan Bakos has just one, and the replacement for Jesus B. Sanchez, Johnny Bachman, hasn’t homered yet and won’t be expected to hit many. It’s a storyline to watch if the team continues to struggle offensively.

0-3: Record by Kansas City starters aside from Ryan Beyer: Kansas City has faced the Tigers, Mariners, and White Sox in the early going, but the pitching hasn’t been dominant. Ryan Beyer has, but no other starter has a win, and every other starter has an ERA of 4.50 or higher. Jeff Payton has been the best of the supporting cast, with a 4.50 ERA obtained after holding Detroit to two runs on five hits and three walks over 4 innings last week in a losing effort. He’ll look to be more sharp today.

.306: Doug Rothenberg’s average: The Royals are playing former Mariners backup Doug Rothenberg at Second Base for his defense, but he’s hit as well. The 28-year old has a .306 average, and three triples and two doubles have him slugging .500. Those numbers likely won’t continue, but he’s acquainting himself nicely hitting ahead of Dalton and Vargas in the Kansas City lineup.


Questions for the GMs:


For David Boyer, who will take over in Center Field today for Cabell?

With Derrick Heins heading to the IL with a sprained ankle, who will take his spot on the roster?

Your pitching has been great, but your offense has been rough. Will you look to add some more pop to your team going forward, or double down on the run prevention?

For Daniel Kent, Tyler Alexander and Dustin Oakes are healthy but on the IL. When can we expect to see each of them?

Allen Asbury isn’t expected to pitch deep today, and Detroit’s bullpen is largely tired. Does that affect your offensive approach at all?

The Tigers don’t hit for any power? Will you want to play a defensively oriented lineup today, even more than you normally play, to account for that?


TRIVIA: Which pitcher drafted and signed first overall, has the most career WAR?

[debot tigers]

For David Boyer, who will take over in Center Field today for Cabell?



While still a game time decision, it would appear we will shift over Jacob Pearson to CF. He was our CF for about half the year prior and performed admirably and slightly above average. We are calling up Bill Pollard who we acquired from the Mets last year. He will boost our defensive coverage and add some pop to the line up.



With Derrick Heins heading to the IL with a sprained ankle, who will take his spot on the roster?



Our bullpen will see fairly frequent rotation due to our pitching strategy and subsequent fatigue following this approach. We will utilize player options and call ups to its capacity if need be. Players with options will bounce around somewhat; not necessarily due to performance, but do to ensuring fresh bodies and the benefit of the team.



Your pitching has been great, but your offense has been rough. Will you look to add some more pop to your team going forward, or double down on the run prevention?



While we lost Benoit and Johnson, we actually added slightly in our belief more power capacity (Pollard 21 in 83 games last year for Mets, Benitez had 23 HR in 105 AAA games last year, and Cardona, who had 23 HR for Texas in 2029). I also feel the optics around offense are a little early to discern, and to be fair our first 9 games were against two of the top pitching teams last year in KC and Cleveland.

[Commissioner Erick]

Tigers 4 - Royals 0


WP: E. Sereno (1-0)
LP: J. Payton (0-2)


The Detroit Tigers got a strong performance from pitcher Eddie Sereno, who stymied the Kansas City offense en route to a win, 4-0, at Kauffman Stadium. Detroit goes to 8-2.

Detroit used the timely hitting of Jacob Pearson to capture the win. The center fielder socked a 2-run home run in the top of the sixth inning to put the Tigers ahead, 2-0. It was his only hit in 4 at-bats, but it was a big one.

"We'll pop the top on a cold beverage and get back to work tomorrow," Pearson said.


Questions for the GMs:


For David Boyer, Sereno looked wonderful for you. I know you had some injuries and tired arms that necessitated him being called up, but with this performance, will he stay up?

Did you agree with your manager playing the platoon game and pinch hitting John Schwartz for Aaron Benitez in the ninth?

Your infield turned three double plays. How highly are you valuing defense in setting your roster?

For Daniel Kent, your offense aside from Dalton and Vargas has not looked strong early this year, and got shutout today. Are you concerned?

You played Joey Young the start in Right Field today. Why did you give the infielder some time in the outfield?

Front Top, Kyle Sidebottom started for you last week, but moved to the pen for this game, where he pitched 2 effective innings. Why have you tweaked his role?


TRIVIA: Orlando Arcia has won the batting title once in his career. Who did he win it for?

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 1: Luke correctly guessed Jeff Morrison

TRIVIA 2: Ben correctly guessed San Francisco