Detroit Tigers: Week 5 Heroes and Zeroes

May 9, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez (19) pitches in the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#4 Zero: Anibal Sanchez

Dave and I talked this morning in the latest MCB Podcast about the Royals’ series and one of the most disappointing aspects of that disappointing series was that the Detroit Tigers could not muster up more of a fight in the middle game on Saturday afternoon.

The matchup favored the Tigers. An improving Anibal Sanchez was facing the Royals, a team he held largely in check a week earlier and they were facing Jeremy Guthrie who is struggling this year and on whom the Tigers’ like to tee off.

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But Sanchez was not up for the task, and this is troubling because he has not been up for the task much this year. With Shane Greene and Alfredo Simon struggling in their recent starts to that point, and David Price getting knocked around the night before, the Tigers really needed a solid outing from Sanchez.

After holding the ball in the park for three straight games, (I jinxed him in the game preview) which had been an unusual problem of Anibal’s early this season, he allowed a leadoff homer to Alcides Escobar and that set the tone early. By the time the Tigers batted in the bottom half of the second inning, they were down 4-0.

This is not a recipe of success for a punchless lineup.

Anibal Sanchez needs to be better. If he can’t find it, the Tigers are in a lot of trouble.

Next: I need a shot of J.ack D.aniels Martinez

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