MLB 2022: The Long and Winding Thread

I am far too lazy to look this up to see if it’s the case with these guys, but given the lack of opportunities in the postseason, one bad inning can screw up your World Series ERA for good.

 

Verlander got lit up in his first WS start, Game 1 of the 2006 Series.

Also got knocked around against the Giants in his only 2012 start. Was about average in two WS starts each in 2017 and 2019.

No real lopsided innings in there.

 

Leyland built his reputation on three consecutive NLCS appearances with the Pirates before he led the Marlins to a World Series. Both times, he presided over teams being dismantled due to finances, so he was given a pass for the losing seasons that followed.

He just had the one World Series champion, losing the Series twice with the Tigers. I'm not sure if people feel he made poor decisions to cost the Tigers. He absolutely made some stinkers with the Pirates, especially Game 7 of the 1992 NLCS.

 

The Leyland Colorado experience was a total flop. Magical faerie dust doesn't work when there's not enough oxygen in the air.

And others since have proven you can win there.

 

The 2006 and 2012 Tigers are weird. They both sat around after ALCS sweeps and were ambushed as World Series favorites. David Eckstein and Pablo Sandoval were unlikely WS heroes, while the Detroit offense completely disappeared, hitting .199 against the Cards and .159 vs. the Giants.

 

I remember being surprised he was handed the keys to a talented team in Detroit after that disaster.

 

Welcome to my pain.

First off, Miggy didn't get to Detroit until 2008, and Scherzer in 2010, so they don't factor into the 2006 Series.

Verlander started Game 1 of that series and gave up seven runs (six earned) in five plus innings, while Anthony Reyes, he of the flat-brimmed hat and career record of 13-26, pitched into the ninth inning. Game 2 of that series was the Kenny Rogers Pine Tar (probably) game, though for all the boo-hooing about that, the umps told him to wash it off after the first inning.

Games 3-5 were in St. Louis. Chris Carpenter threw eight shutout innings in Game 3. Game 4, the bullpen got beat in a close game. Game 5, Verlander was pretty good (6 IP, 1 ER) but former Tigers draft pick Jeff Weaver was better and Curtis Granderson slipped in the outfield on a key ball that got over his head.

In the series entire, Detroit hit .199 and if you take out Sean "The Mayor" Casey's 9-for-17 on a bad leg, it was .170.

2012 was a lot of the same. Verlander got bombed in Game 1, particularly by Pablo Sandoval. The Tigers got shut out by Madison Bumgarner in Game 2 and by Ryan Vogelsong and Tim Lincecum in Game 3. Inasmuch as the the series wasn't already over, Game 4 was a coin flip game in which the Giants manufactured a run in the top of the 10th, while Sergio Romo struck out the side in the bottom half of the inning, including Cabrera looking for the sweep.

In the series entire, Detroit hit .159, with the only Tiger to accumulate more than three hits in the four-game stretch being utility infielder Omar Infante, who was 5-for-15. Prince Fielder went 1-for-14.

If you're looking at other seasons, the Tigers made the 2011 ALCS but got beat by a better Rangers team in six games in a series where Nelson Cruz was 8-for-22 with six homers and a slugging percentage of 1.273.

2013 was the David Ortiz grand slam, though it's worth noting that homer was 1. in Game 2 and 2. only prevented Detroit from going home up 2-0 in the series after they won Game 1. Series was 2-2 going to Game 5. Red Sox got to Anibal Sanchez just enough early and held on to win by a run in Game 5 and in Game 6 Leyland left Scherzer in one inning too long, leading to a Shane Victorino grand slam.

By 2014, the bullpen was an abject disaster, which the Orioles exploited to sweep a Division Series.

The common thread between 2006 and 2012 is that the Tigers swept the ALCS both seasons. In 2012, they were idle for six days and in 2006 it was a full week.

Thanks.

 

Plus Anibel Sanchez and Rick Porcello
2013 was their year
Valverde collapsed and Benoit stepped in to give up the Ortiz homer
That did them in

 

It’s 1968 in this Guardians-Rays series.

 

Today is the 50th anniversary of Campy Campaneris throwing the bat at Lerrin LaGrow. I still hate the A's.

 

Cleveland is good. Where was this team all season?

 

Doing the minimum to win baseball’s worst division.