[Ramoth]

Opening day is upon us and no Tigers thread on the huddle?
Times have changed

Any Tigers fans still on this site?

Verlander is on the mound right now starting off what should be an exciting season for the Tigers.

[Lancer '65]

Born in the Motor City, been a Tiger fan my whole life. Hopefully, this will be a Third World Series victory in my lifetime. !968 and 1984 so far. The 1945 win was I month before I was born. It won't be because the Tigers stood pat in the off season. They certainly have the players (minus Martinez), which is a pretty serious loss, but Prince really strengthens the line-up and makes everyone else a little better.

It will come down to whether the Tiger bull pen and their fifth starter come through and Verlander has another good year. I don't see him matching his amazing season last year, but just a normal Verlander year should do it.


One down and 161 to go for a perfect year!!!

[irish_buffalo]

Watched em in Toledo yesterday and the highlight was seeing Cabrera, Fielder, Boesch, and Young take BP in a foursome. Yesterday had two All-Stars in Peralta and Avila hitting in the 7 and 8 hole which says a lot.

Add the young rising stars like Jackson, Dirks, Worth, Raburn (not so young and look out.

Hopefully pitching holds up.

This is the best Tigers team I've seen on paper in sometime.

[CharlieL]

Jackson has REALLY solved his hitting problems of last year. Read strike outs. He is hitting to all fields and making consistent contact. A really big plus for the Tigers this year.

All the tension is removed from Valverde with his consecutive streak of 49 saves ended.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by irish_buffalo

Hopefully pitching holds up.

Same starting staff as last year except for Penny. Last year, after Justin, it was always a thrill a minute with the remaining four slots. Never knew what we would get. Several outstanding performances by Max and Rick and by the time we got to number five, Penny, it was usually a busy day for the bullpen. Jimmy scrambled successfully to keep the ship afloat.

[Ramoth]

Porcello starts will be interesting with Fielder and Cabrera at the corners.
I would like to see Raburn in the DH spot everyday..................don't let the worst glove in baseball past the batters box.

[freakonaleash]

What has happened to integrity? He's a big tiger fan. Haven't seen him post in awhile?

Would rather see RRayburn in left than 2base. DYoung is average at best in OF, and RR is a little better and covers more ground. I expect DY & RR to split the LF/DH spots against lefties.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by Ramoth

Any Tigers fans still on this site?

Being a vintage aged person, I have been a Tiger fan since '43 growing up in Toledo and listening to Harry Heilmann on Detroit am radio. Hal Newhouser during the war et al. Greenburg just home from service late in '45 just in time for World Series, Al Kaline signed straight out of HS and starting in RF in early 50's when I could watch games on TV with our roof top antenna. Charlie Maxwell from Paw Paw MI, the YANKEE killer on Sundays along with ex Yankee, Charlie Keller in the twilight of his career and always at his best against the Yankees as a spot starter.

On a day of the Inchon landing, Sep 16 1950, my dad took me to see the Tigers play the Yanks in the last of a 3 game series. The Tigers were in the race with the Yanks all the way into September. Unfortunately, it was Dizzy Trout vs Whitey Ford and Dizzy really wasn't that great in the tail end of his career. The bad guys won. We sat behind the left field screen which was my favorite place in years to come. Cheap seats and you could talk to the left fielders that were close by.

From Baseball Almanac, here is the box

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-...d=195009160DET

[assumption]

Charlie

Originally Posted by CharlieL

Being a vintage aged person, I have been a Tiger fan since '43 growing up in Toledo and listening to Harry Heilmann on Detroit am radio. Hal Newhouser during the war et al. Greenburg just home from service late in '45 just in time for World Series, Al Kaline signed straight out of HS and starting in RF in early 50's when I could watch games on TV with our roof top antenna. Charlie Maxwell from Paw Paw MI, the YANKEE killer on Sundays along with ex Yankee, Charlie Keller in the twilight of his career and always at his best against the Yankees as a spot starter.

On a day of the Inchon landing, Sep 16 1950, my dad took me to see the Tigers play the Yanks in the last of a 3 game series. The Tigers were in the race with the Yanks all the way into September. Unfortunately, it was Dizzy Trout vs Whitey Ford and Dizzy really wasn't that great in the tail end of his career. The bad guys won. We sat behind the left field screen which was my favorite place in years to come. Cheap seats and you could talk to the left fielders that were close by.

From Baseball Almanac, here is the box

http://www.baseball-almanac.com/box-...d=195009160DET

I too am of the vintage Tiger fan base. First game 1946 Greenburg hit one in the seats. Do you remember Jerry Witte? His first HR off Fred Hutchinson for the Browns that day was a thrill as Witte was my idol. Now here is a bit of trivia for anyone interested in Tiger history. Name the hall of famers that did telecast or radio broadcasts for Detroit. 5 total.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by assumption

Charlie

Do you remember Jerry Witte? His first HR off Fred Hutchinson for the Browns that day was a thrill as Witte was my idol. Now here is a bit of trivia for anyone interested in Tiger history. Name the hall of famers that did telecast or radio broadcasts for Detroit. 5 total.

I lived in Toledo in the Mud Hen era and attended many games in '46 watching returning service vets such as Jerry Witte , Babe Martin catching and playing left field on occasion, and Dick Kimble the "no hit, no field wonder" (he was better than that probably), also Marty Pavlich who it seemed was never good for more than three innings when the hitters caught up with him etc, etc. I enjoyed the days when the upper deck was opened at Swayne Field, corner of Detroit and Monroe St. as I remember. I remember a game when Martin was in left field and threw out a runner trying to score after the catch with a throw on a low line direct to the catcher (no skip) and I was in awe! And oh, those terrible St Louis Browns farm team years which included a season where Pete Gray, the one armed player, played in the outfield for much of one season ('44 I think).

Tigers came to town in 1950 as the host Major League team. By '52 the franchise had skipped out of town to Charleston WV with Danny Menendez as the WV operator. In 1953 the Boston moved to Milwaukee and the Braves moved their AAA from there to Toledo as the Toledo Sox. The fans responded that year with a then unheard of attendance of 343,000. The private owner of Swayne Field had elected to tear down the very old park and build a shopping center on the site and in '55 the franchise skipped out to Wichita and baseball in Toledo was missing until Detroit returned to a ball field carved out at the Lucas County Fairgrounds in '66 with Jack Tighe as manager and where it was continuously till they built the new Stadium down town. Toledo ('65) and Columbus ('77) are County "owned" franchises.

Hutch was one hard working tough pitcher in his Tigers years but never was known for a sparkling ERA. Virgil Trucks, Hal Newhouser, Dizzy Trout were among the starters in that '50 season.

Hall of Famers...I will not cheat and look it up. Obvious ones Harry Heilmann, George Kell, and guessing Gehringer and I am out of names Fill us in with the missing ones if you will

[assumption]

Originally Posted by CharlieL

I lived in Toledo in the Mud Hen era and attended many games in '46 watching returning service vets such as Jerry Witte , Babe Martin catching and playing left field on occasion, and Dick Kimble the "no hit, no field wonder" (he was better than that probably), also Marty Pavlich who it seemed was never good for more than three innings when the hitters caught up with him etc, etc. I enjoyed the days when the upper deck was opened at Swayne Field, corner of Detroit and Monroe St. as I remember. I remember a game when Martin was in left field and threw out a runner trying to score after the catch with a throw on a low line direct to the catcher (no skip) and I was in awe! And oh, those terrible St Louis Browns farm team years which included a season where Pete Gray, the one armed player, played in the outfield for much of one season ('44 I think).

Tigers came to town in 1950 as the host Major League team. By '52 the franchise had skipped out of town to Charleston WV with Danny Menendez as the WV operator. In 1953 the Boston moved to Milwaukee and the Braves moved their AAA from there to Toledo as the Toledo Sox. The fans responded that year with a then unheard of attendance of 343,000. The private owner of Swayne Field had elected to tear down the very old park and build a shopping center on the site and in '55 the franchise skipped out to Wichita and baseball in Toledo was missing until Detroit returned to a ball field carved out at the Lucas County Fairgrounds in '66 with Jack Tighe as manager and where it was continuously till they built the new Stadium down town. Toledo ('65) and Columbus ('77) are County "owned" franchises.

Hutch was one hard working tough pitcher in his Tigers years but never was known for a sparkling ERA. Virgil Trucks, Hal Newhouser, Dizzy Trout were among the starters in that '50 season.

Hall of Famers...I will not cheat and look it up. Obvious ones Harry Heilmann, George Kell, and guessing Gehringer and I am out of names Fill us in with the missing ones if you will

Kell,Heilman are 2. The other 3 ; Harwell, Kaline and Mel Ott. 3 of baseball fans from Fulton county attended the last game at Swayne field. Danny Murtaugh managed Charlston and Luke Easter was his 1st baseman. The 3 of us pretty well fortified with suds razed big Luke late in the game. Well, he hit an 11th inning homer. We were in the box seats close to the visitors dugout and he yelled to us to meet him under the stands for one last brew at our ballpark. We did and it was a blast. A big teddybear. I missed the Glass Sox championship ( in Korea). All that suffering from the early 40s and no fun when they won it all. My Mom sent me Blade articles on the Sox. Ballpark in Maumee not very baseball-like. My opinion. Swayne Field was all about the game. So many great memorys. Nice talkin to you Charlie.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by assumption

Kell,Heilman are 2. The other 3 ; Harwell, Kaline and Mel Ott. 3 of baseball fans from Fulton county attended the last game at Swayne field. Danny Murtaugh managed Charlston and Luke Easter was his 1st baseman. The 3 of us pretty well fortified with suds razed big Luke late in the game. Well, he hit an 11th inning homer. We were in the box seats close to the visitors dugout and he yelled to us to meet him under the stands for one last brew at our ballpark. We did and it was a blast. A big teddybear. I missed the Glass Sox championship ( in Korea). All that suffering from the early 40s and no fun when they won it all. My Mom sent me Blade articles on the Sox. Ballpark in Maumee not very baseball-like. My opinion. Swayne Field was all about the game. So many great memorys. Nice talkin to you Charlie.

Hi Tiger Fan,

I assume your screen name denotes the town of your interest in Fulton Co.

We must be similarly ancient. I was a commuting student at the U of Toledo living with my parents in West Toledo in 53. Those home games you missed in '53 were very emotional when the visitor was Charleston. Fully packed to overflow with crowd noise just unbelievable. Just incredible is the only way I could described those games and how good it felt when we beat them. They were called "Glass Sox" for only a few weeks when it was changed to Sox before the season even started. You can imagine why. I was still living in Toledo area in the late '60s and really enjoyed taking my two young boys to see the annual Tiger exhibition game with the Hens at LCRC. Not a good baseball atmosphere I agree. For any that may be reading this it should be said that you referred to Fulton County, OH, Toledo's gateway western OH and beyond.

[CharlieL]

Originally Posted by assumption

The 3 of us pretty well fortified with suds razed big Luke late in the game. Well, he hit an 11th inning homer. We were in the box seats close to the visitors dugout and he yelled to us to meet him under the stands for one last brew at our ballpark. We did and it was a blast. A big teddybear.

Yes, in those days you could look right down the steps to the dugout from the concourse and players had to cross the concourse to get to their clubhouse. Beers with Luke is just awesome!

[Pudge]

Hopefully they can produce like we all think they can. We are heading up on Sunday to catch game 3 of the Red Sox series. I love going to Comerica, but am especially amped to see Prince and Miggy on the same field.

Schertzer vs. Buckholz.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cloU58N0YVI

Just wish Ernie was still here.

[defdog22]

Today was fun.

Can't wait for my first game of the summer April 21st, then again the 26th.

[nilesdragon]

Who do you think is going to have a better year for Detroit, Austin Jackson or Brennan Boesch? I believe Jackson is going to be the most productive between the two. He toned down his swing which should cut down on strikeouts. Austin can also give you stolen bases and should score a lot of runs when he gets on. I feel that a lot of players go through a "sophomore slump", which he did last year. Jackson should still get around 10 hr's even though that's not needed for his part of the batting order.

[freakonaleash]

I'll say 20 stolen bases would be high for Jackson. Leyland will not give away outs with the hitters behind Jackson.

[Ramoth]

Jackson scored 90 runs despite his batting average being down and the ridiculous amount of whiffs.
He cuts down on the k's and raises his OBP he'll crossing home well over 100 times.

[defdog22]

If Boesch stays healthy he should be able to hit 20 homers and drive in 80 with the protection he's got behind him. If both step up with a good year the offense will be almost impossible to stop.

[defdog22]

That game just.....I have no words. Literally speechless. We can't be giving up 12 regularly and expect to be good. Scherzer needs to be better. Fister's injury could be a major problem. But no lead for our opponents is safe with this offense.

Time will tell whether we live up to the expectations and get to and then have a long run in October. But it's going to be a fun summer no matter what.