Early Thoughts on the Tigers

The Tigers have now completed 12 games, and stand more or less on top of the A.L. Central at 7-5 (.583).  Other A.L. teams have played from 14 to 16 games; but the Tigers had 2 travel days to the west coast and back, and 2 weather delays at home - the 1st due to rain, and the 2nd due to snow and cold.

Over that span, they've scored 4.08 runs per game, while giving up 3.92.  This kind of performance is not a recipe for success, unless you're the 2012 Baltimore Orioles. [93 W, 39L, while scoring 712 runs and giving up 705.]  In my first post last year, I said the Tigers' play was erratic.  That is centrally true so far again this year.

Here is scoring per inning per game.  Last year I had it per inning per month, but with different numbers of games per month, normalizing per game is more sensible.  Inning 10 represents all extra innings.

Looks like the second time through the order is when the Tigers are most productive.  Tigers are still not particularly potent after inning 6, scoring only 13 of their 49 runs, or 26.5%.   Ninth inning only has produced 4 runs, or 8.2% of the total.

Here is opponent's scoring by inning.

Tiger starters are not having good first innings, and closers have been awful.  Middle relief had done mostly OK.  Of 47 runs given up, 20, or 42.6% have been after the 6th inning. Opponents have scored 12 runs, 25.5% of their total in the 9th inning alone.

It's a bit early to be looking at individual stats, but I want to establish a base line, and see how things develop over the season.  I wish I would have done this last year, to track how Victor Martinez brought his b.a. up as the season progressed.  This year, we might want to watch Miggy.  He receives about $45,000 per plate appearance.  [by this reckoning, his play in the field is free.]   Last season, he fell off at the end due to injuries.  This season, he's off to a slow start.  I'm hoping he can pull a Victor and improve right though September and into the post season.

Batting Stats. [Alphabetical]

Pitching Stats.  [By innings pitched]

The Tigers took advantage of the holes in their schedule to use only the top four pitchers in their rotation, and use Smyly in long relief.  He's been strong in his 2 appearances totaling 6 innings.  The Halos are in town to start a three game series tonight, and Smyly is on the mound.  Hope he does well, and gets some run support.

Individual Data Source