tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-179077762012-05-31T22:59:16.562-04:00Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.comBlogger1706110tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-11446343040987272442012-05-31T22:59:00.000-04:002012-05-31T22:59:16.568-04:002012-05-31T22:59:16.568-04:00

The Tigers continued to look like a sloppy team with no direction this week, but they did manage to go 4-3.  The week started with a three-game sweep of the Twins in Minnesota and ended with a lackluster 1-3 series at Fenway.  The Bengals have now dropped into third place five games behind the White Sox. The story line has remained the same for much of the season.  The pitching has been pretty

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/week-8-report-still-sloppy-but-winning.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-46547883142038405872012-05-30T00:00:00.002-04:002012-05-30T00:16:34.165-04:002012-05-30T00:16:34.165-04:00

The Tigers announced tonight that second baseman/ outfielder Ryan Raburn has been optioned to Triple-A Toledo.  The streaky Raburn batted a meager .146/.209/.211 for Detroit over the first two months of the season as manager Jim Leyland gave him every opportunity to heat up.  Monday's game where he batted second and struck out three times looking versus the Red Sox was apparently the last straw.

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/ryan-raburn-optioned-to-toledo.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-71858086172810052582012-05-27T12:55:00.000-04:002012-05-27T12:57:21.874-04:002012-05-27T12:57:21.874-04:00

In a recent post, I used the RE24 statistic to measure batting contribution including situational hitting.  The statistic is appealing because it gives batters more credit for hits with runners on base than for hits with the bases empty.  This concept can also be applied to pitchers, relievers in particular. Statistical evaluation of relievers is difficult for a couple of reasons: They pitch

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/using-re24-to-evaluate-relievers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-21839869833039246182012-05-25T15:14:00.002-04:002012-05-25T15:14:43.956-04:002012-05-25T15:14:43.956-04:00

After getting swept by the Indians this week, the Tigers have reached the low point of their campaign.  They have gone 11-21 since the second week of the season and have fallen to third place, six games behind  first-place Cleveland.   If they do not get going pretty soon, the team which was supposed to run away with the division may find themselves double-digit games behind before summer

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/week-7-report-tigers-offense.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-89938255982062293252012-05-20T20:46:00.000-04:002012-05-20T21:00:50.744-04:002012-05-20T21:00:50.744-04:00

Many fans complain that statistics like on base percentage, slugging average and OPS don't address situational hitting.  For example, if Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera singles with a runner on third base to drive in a run, he gets the same credit as he would for a single with the bases empty.  Some will argue that this is not fair because he contributes more to his team in the former scenario

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/using-re24-to-account-for-situational.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-62240450721611074342012-05-18T22:19:00.003-04:002012-05-19T03:31:41.277-04:002012-05-19T03:31:41.277-04:00

When Justin Verlander no hit the Brewers in 2007, fans were asking when he would pitch his next one.  My response was that he probably would never pitcher another one because no hitters involve a lot of luck.  In fact, only 26 pitchers in MLB history have multiple no hitters and many of the all-time greats have never pitched even one. When the Tigers ace right hander pitched his second no

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/verlander-one-hits-pirates.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-79824441582403804602012-05-17T19:22:00.002-04:002012-05-17T22:21:43.546-04:002012-05-17T22:21:43.546-04:00

The Sixth week of the season may have been the most frustrating week yet for Tigers fans.  They went 3-5 versus the Athletics, White Sox and Twins and are now 18-20 for the season.  The recent two-game sweep at home at the hands of the lowly Twins is probably the low point of the season and they have now dropped four games behind the first-place Indians. The fact that the Tigers started last

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/week-6-report-tigers-continue-to.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-67025437289040405582012-05-15T14:19:00.002-04:002012-05-15T14:19:25.370-04:002012-05-15T14:19:25.370-04:00

Kurt Mensching, editor of Bless You Boys, made his Detroit News debut today with an article about Tigers slumping second baseman/ outfielder Ryan Raburn.  Rather than taking the popular view that Raburn is a bum who needs to be released or sent to Toledo, Kurt explains why it's the right move to keep playing him.  You may not agree with his rather controversial conclusion, but his article is well

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/kurt-mensching-makes-his-detroit-news.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-29301323319698306832012-05-12T19:27:00.002-04:002012-05-12T19:27:32.330-04:002012-05-12T19:27:32.330-04:00

To follow-up on my previous post on wOBA, Base Runs and WERC, I have done the calculations for Tigers pitchers.  The statistics in the Table 1 below are:  Weighted On-Base Average (wOBAA)  Base Runs Above Average (RAA) or number of runs saved compared to an average pitcher. Weighted Component ERA (WERC) tells us what a pitcher's ERA should be based on base runners, total bases and home runs

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/whats-wercing-for-tigers.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17907776.post-45414698337828593772012-05-12T15:05:00.001-04:002012-05-12T15:07:34.806-04:002012-05-12T15:07:34.806-04:00

Most readers of this blog are aware of the limitations of ERA in evaluating pitcher performance.  Two of the biggest issues are: (1) ERA gives pitchers full credit/blame for results of batted balls in play despite the fact that they share that responsibility with fielders.  For example, a pitcher with a strong defense behind him will tend to give up fewer hits (and thus fewer runs) than if

Lee Panashttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17148118898954670307noreply@blogger.com0http://www.detroittigertales.com/2012/05/verlander-and-smyly-among-early.html