Boatnerd Discussion Forum

Don't have the tv on much right now so I did not know this very sad indeed. I know I will always remember "Gibby" as a Tiger even called in to work so I could go to a Playoff game in 84. My thoughts and prayers are with the Gibson family.

Sad day today for die hard Tiger fans. If you did not hear it already on the news and sports reports today, former Tigers star player Kirk Gibson was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. This is the same type of disease that has effected many famous people some the likes of actor Michael J. Fox and at one time Pope John Paul II as well. Gibby managed the Arizona Diamondbacks baseball team but, I don't recall when but his final year as their manager was last year in 2014. He lead the D-Backs to the playoffs in his first year as their manager. Many will remember Gibby as a Tiger and also for a dramatic homerun he hit in the 1984 WS against San Diego and also as an L.A. Dodger in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series as well. My heart, thought and prayers go out to Kirk Gibson along with his family as well. He was an all around great guy and player and was hired by Fox Sports Detroit just this year to do some of the Tigers games. Now he will have to postpone that while he deals with the Parkinson's Disease. God Bless you Gibby and your family!

Well their loss last night was short-lived as so far so good they are winning today last checked 4-1 in the 8th inning. Granted they can't win every game this season and be perfect I realize that one. However, it is very puzzling that they lose badly last night 13-1 to the Tribe and then today they bounce back and beat them and look good. I just don't see how they can give up a ton of runs in last night's game and yet today they look and do better? I am guessing it is two issues, the hitting and the bullpen pitchers. Many have said that the bullpen pitchers this year is going to make or break the Tigers as they always seem to do. Time will tell for this team this year and season. Go Tigers!

Well the Tigers dropped another one to the Tribe last night at home and Comerica Park. I think the final score and don't quote me on it was like 13-1 maybe? All I know is they lost bad to the Tribe and heard just this morning on the Sports that they have now lost at least four straight games! Not a good way to start the first month of the season that's for sure. Fortunately it is a long season to go yet and they are not a cold weather team that is for sure! Let's just hope that they can somehow pull it together and start putting up some wins and winning streaks soon as well. From what I heard this morning, it sounds like the bullpen is their Achilles heel as usual and the hitters need to start finding ways of connecting and hitting the ball somehow and scoring runs. Time will tell I guess!

I hope my post didn't sound like I was glad Nathan was injured, I'm not. I just think in the general scheme of things Nathan there or not there isn't going to make or break the season for the Tigers. I know the Tigers have given up a lot of prospects over the last couple years to bring in players, but Dave Dombrowski has a knack of finding help from within the organization and outside of it.

You don't want to see anyone injured like Nathan but I think the closer job already belonged to Soria. The Tigers problem right now is a lack of consistent hitting to many 10 run followed by 1 run games. It's still early in the year and the Tigers are a warm weather team so we will be fine. I'll give credit to the Wings for hanging in there but I don't see them going any farther in the Playoffs. Go Tigers and Go Flames.

with the hockey playoffs in full swing - it's time to watch don cherry and the red wings. go wings !

I don't think Nathan is that big of a loss. All the baseball experts say he's one of the all-time great relievers, but he earned a lot of those saves with the Twins when the Twins were good and the rest of the Central Division was bad. I've watched the Twins a lot this year and I don't think they're going to threaten. The Tigers needed a better home showing against the Yankees. It's a long season, so here's hoping the Tigers can put it together.

Okay Tiger fans what do you do now? Joe Nathan is now out for the season and will have to have "Tommy John surgery done on his arm, shoulder or whatever it may be?" So, I would think the Tigers are in desperate need of a good closer right now but, I don't know how good Nathan was in the first place? Correct me if I am wrong but, I believe also that last season he had some issues with the fans and this year he has also had a few issues with them as well. My brother told me I think that "The Tigers are going with a four man rotation right now rather than the usual five man with JV on the injured list." I don't believe he has pitched yet for them so far this season. Here we are almost the end of April and the first month of the season and the wheels are starting to fall off of the Tigers car already! JV on the injured list on Nathan their closer lost for the season and they've lost a few games badly this past week by both the White Sox and the Yanks. It could be a long hard season this year for the "Boys of Summer!" Oh well, at least there is the Red Wings for now at least and before long, Football will be back before we know it. Just be patient and hang in there fans!

Oh well, poor Justin always has Kate Upton to take care of the pain:)

i'm afraid JV's best pitching days are behind him. after his arm operation, his skills went down hill. max carried the pitching for the Tigers last season but, now max has left for greener pastures. the bull-pen is a question mark. the Tigers will be VERY lucky to make the playoffs this year. good pitching always is greater than good hitting. don't think i'll even turn on the TV next Monday.

Just heard on the news yesterday that Justin Verlander will be on the 15 day disabled list for the Tigers at the start of the 2015 baseball season! Sorry to sound so negative but, anyone care to stick a fork in the Tigers and their season now? One poster earlier had stated "The first month of the Tigers season might and could tell us fans what this team will be like in 2015!" Well with JV out for at least 15 days, I guess that pretty much takes in about the first month of the season wouldn't you say? Also the weather will not be the greatest either for opening day 2015. Overcast and cold with the high about 49-50 degrees with rain chances as well for the home opener. I'd rather watch it on TV then sit with 40,000 fans for three hours and freeze my tail off and be sick for a month later!

A few more ideas to add to this thread regarding ways to change and speed up Baseball. How about the amount of times a player fouls a ball off? I can't tell you how many times you could watch on TV or in person at a live game and see a player foul off pitch after pitch before he finally makes an out. What about when you have fights and bench clearing brawls? I say anytime that arguments start up among coaches and players or there are fights then the players and coaches should be ejected immediately! Yeah I know that some of these rules exist already in the game. However, I say you give each team one warning only as far as arguments or the calls like balls or strikes and any fights or bench clearing brawls. That is just my thoughts and opinions only and a few more ideas. What does anyone else think of these ideas as far making it faster?

Agreed on the NHL Brian. I grew up playing mostly Baseball and thought I might have a shot at going some where. Then like so many others before and after me I discovered cars and girls. As far as the Tigers go I think the first month of the season will tell us a lot. Fingers crossed as usual and Go Tigers.

I grew up playing hockey and still love playing but if I'm watching sports I prefer baseball. Gary Bettman has pretty much ruined the NHL. I'm a Tigers fan through and through. I was at 10-4-1987 (day after my 8th birthday) game Vs the Blue Jays where Jimmy Key faced Frank Tanana and we clinched. I was also at game 4 of the 2006 ALCS and saw Magglio put us in the series. The Tigers have a solid team on paper, I wish we still had Doug Fister, and the bullpen scares me. We also have big bats but they're all coming of injury. I'd also like to see if Verlander can regain his pre Yoko Upton ability. I think the Tigers biggest problem is no fire, and no heart. This was the same under Jim Leyland as Brad Ausmus. I was never a huge Kirk Gibson fan but I think they need a coach like him who 4vrcwill kick their millionaire butts when they only manage 3 hits to support a pitcher who went 7 scoreless innings.

I grew up in the thumb of Michigan but moved to the southwest US in 2003. I am still a very loyal Detroit sports fan. I have a great landlord with season tickets to the D-Backs(Boo!!) but he gives me free game tickets all the time...12 rows back from first base. I was lucky to see the Tigers last year for free(parking pass included).
Ive went to several spring training games out here and its a lot of fun.

What about cutting down on the amount of pitches that a pitcher throws to first when a runner is on? I think that they should have a limit to how many times a pitcher can throw to first in trying to pick off a runner. Also, I think another way to speed up the game is when they have a pitching change, limit the amount of pitches that they have during warm-ups before the game resumes. If a pitcher is warming up in the bullpen, then why then does he have to throw extra pitches? In my opinion anyway, these are just a few of the things they can do to speed up the game. Anyone agree?

Another way to speed up the game would be to eliminate all the antics from the closers before every pitch in the 9th. That alone would cut a 1/2 hour from many games.

- Don

I personally would like to see Baseball left alone. It has always been a slow game and is that way by design. You only need look at all of the changes made to the NHL or "no hitting league" to see the damage done to the original game. I don't want to see MLB altered in any way. Ok with that said as far as the Cubs go I am also one who would love to see them win a World Series but I fear I will need another lifetime in order to see it. I feel your pain Denny on the Tigers current state I do not trust this teams ability even with all of the talent but as usual I will cheer for them none the less. If anyone has never seen the Ken Burns Baseball Documentary I highly suggest watching it. It has a lot of the reasons the game is the way it is.

TV ruined baseball and in fact all sports -
To my mind the best way to speed up baseball is cut down on the ads between innings etc - At a game you get to watch the players standing around while the ads are being shown on TV or inserted into a radio broadcast -