It Won’t Get Easier For The Tigers Offense

Two games in, and the Tigers have dug themselves a hole. And while Justin Verlander didn’t turn in a very good start in game one, Doug Fister certainly pitched winnable baseball in the second game. The Tigers offense did absolutely nothing in the first two games, and it isn’t going to get any easier for them when they return home to the friendly confines of Comerica Park. The Tigers dropped those first two games to the two lesser starters of the Giants playoff rotation in Barry Zito and Madison Bumgarner.

Failing to come home with a split in the first two games is putting the pressure on the Tigers big time, and it’s their offense that is going to have to make an appearance if the Tigers are going to get back into the series. As much as we would like to blame the usual suspects at the bottom of the order, it’s the top of the order that has stunk up the joint. If the Tigers offense is going to produce, their big guys at the top and middle of the order are going to have to earn their salaries. I’m looking at you Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Cabrera is one for five in the World Series, and Prince is just one for six. Jackson has a pair of hits, but he has gone back to the old Jackson and struck out four times in his seven at-bats.

Oct 25, 2012; San Francisco, CA, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Prince Fielder (28) cannot get to a foul ball against the San Francisco Giants during the fourth inning of game two of the 2012 World Series at AT

This of course isn’t the type of production you expect from these guys, and the Tigers certainly can’t afford it going forward.

Game three starter for the Giants is Ryan Voglesong. Voglesong has been the Giants best starter in the post-season thus far, posting 19 innings, striking out 18, while only allowing three runs for an ERA of 1.42. He did this against two potent offenses as well don’t forget in the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals.

Game four starter is Matt Cain and he isn’t a chump by any stretch. In four post-season starts, Cain has an ERA of 3.52, but has rescued the Giants from elimination twice. He is at his best in big games it appears, and if the Giants are up 3-0 on the Tigers come Sunday, I wouldn’t hold out a lot of hope for the Tigers at that point.

Game three is of tremendous importance. The Tigers bats need to get going…and fast. Otherwise, we might be talking of the off-season a lot faster than we wanted to around here.