ESPN Researcher Mark Simon recently wrote that the Detroit Tigers are back on track. They swept the LA Dodgers over the weekend, giving them six straight wins and moving them within six games of the AL Central division leading Chicago White Sox. Simon writes “quite simply, the Tigers are now hitting the ball as they expected -- as everyone expected -– coming into the season.”
The Tigers are getting consistent hitting during this win streak (.345 team BA, 8 HRs, 5.8 avg. runs/g), however there’s another more important factor to their recent turnaround. Detroit is finally getting good efforts from the mound.
Looking at numbers from their last seven games (which includes a disastrous start from Dontrelle Willis) the Tigers pitching staff improved in nearly statistical category expect strikeouts. We’re talking team ERA, batting average against and walks. The most important being walks.
Detroit’s pitchers issued the third fewest number of base on balls during the past seven games, subtract Willis’ five walk effort and the Tigers have only given up seven walks in six games. If Detroit can keep up this kind of effort from the pitching rubber, they will make a run in AL Central.
1 comment:
I think you hit the nail on the head with your analysis of the pitching situation in Detroit. As anyone who knows baseball has to know, relying on hitting to win is like playing the lotto to get rich. Yeah, every 1 in a million chance might make you some real money, but if you rely on that to make your mortgage payment you're going to end up homeless in a heartbeat. Finally the Tigers pitching staff is living up to its billing. I don't want to get too excited about the Tigers, but if their progress continues they'll easily be among the top 2 or 3 teams in baseball at season's end.
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