Detroit Tigers: Week 10 Heroes and Zeroes (VIDEOS)

Jun 9, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers catcher James McCann (34) hits a double in the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

# 5 Zero: James McCann

Tigers’ fans were hopeful that the catcher position would take a step up with the addition of James McCann. Seemingly a better hitter than last year’s catching duo of Alex Avila and Bryan Holaday, McCann has experienced mixed results in his rookie campaign.

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Last week was tough for him, notching just two hits in 13 at-bats, good for a .154 average and .538 OPS.

McCann was solid behind the plate, though Holaday has been equally good defensively and threw out a runner in the 8-1 win over the Indians on Sunday afternoon.

Unlike last year, Holaday is making the most of his sporadic outings offensively, hitting .269 with a homer and eight RBIs in eight games this season. Last week he hit .333 and helped to put the dagger in Cleveland with a double to score two runs to make the score 8-0 on Sunday.

Despite the tough week, McCann is still hitting a respectable .264 with an OPS just shy of .700 for the season.

Avila’s return could be on the horizon soon, and it is not like the Tigers will keep Holaday over McCann, but it would be wise of McCann to avoid these types of stumbles in the road to show his worth as the now and future starting catcher for the Detroit Tigers.

Next: Nick CastellaOHNOs

Jun 2, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos (9) hits a two RBI single in the fourth inning against the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#4 Zero: Nick Castellanos

Man, Nick Castellanos is having a very rough stretch. Hopes of “taking the next step” that so many of us had for him in his sophomore season have yet to materialize.

Casty has actually brought up his game defensively at third base. His .978 fielding percentage is better than it was last year (.950) and has just three errors this year closing in on the halfway point (15 all of last year). He actually boasts a better fielding percentage than his usual late innings defensive replacement, Andrew Romine (.941).

Despite this improvement, he has regressed at the plate, swinging through too many pitches, striking out a ton, not walking and not hitting. His woeful slash line thus far is .223/.272./.336. For someone who supposedly carries a power bat, that slugging percentage is abysmal.

Last week saw Castellanos notch just two hits in 15 at-bats and he struck out six times, averaging more than one K per game.

The Detroit Tigers showed that they will not back down from sending a more established guy to Toledo for fine-tuning as they did with Shane Greene, so perhaps the team should follow a similar course with Castellanos.

One of the few “can’t miss” prospects to come out of the Tigers’ farm system in recent years, the team has to do what they can to get this guy right and productive.

Next: J.D. Heart

Jun 14, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers right fielder J.D. Martinez (28) celebrates after he hits a three run home run in the sixth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#3 Hero: J.D. Martinez

The Detroit Tigers need J.D. Martinez‘s bat if they want to make a legitimate run at another playoff spot, but they have not received it consistently this year.

Martinez has not come close to his productivity of a year ago, but is starting to show signs of emerging from a prolonged slump. For the first time in a while, he saw dividends on the field last week.

J.D. Mart hit two homers (not including the one he hit last night) and notched six RBIs as part of a .375 week. He went all Miguel Cabrera with a monstrous homer to deep center field at Comerica Park on Saturday, pulling the Tigers one-run closer in the near comeback. The next day, after a lengthy rain delay meant the fate of the game rested in the bullpen’s hands–a shaky prospect lately, he hit a clutch three-run shot to break open a 2-0 game.

Martinez still does baffling things, like continuously swing on the first pitch. He did this with two on, one out, trailing by a run in the bottom of the ninth Saturday. He hit into a double-play, which is hardly a unique problem to Martinez as the Tigers have hit into a million of them, but he ran probably harder than he has all season and was just a step away from beating it out.

That’s a sure sign of J.D. Martinez. He may have experienced struggles throughout this season, but you can always expect him to give his full effort every day. The guy has tremendous heart and will get things right long-term.

Next: Price Hot Now=Price-y future

May 21, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers starting pitcher David Price (14) pitches in the first inning against the Houston Astros at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#2 Hero: David Price

A few weeks back, the Detroit Tigers needed their ace to end their lengthy losing skid. With the offensive struggling, they really needed a complete game out of David Price and they got one to end the skid.

Betsided

They received yet another one in Price’s one start this week, but he kicked it up a notch, pitching a complete game shutout instead of allowing just one run.

Price was masterful against Cleveland on Friday and, after an uneven start, the lefty really appears to be hitting his groove. In his last five outings, he has not allowed more than two runs.

Not only was it a good personal performance for Price, the team seems to play better for him. The Tigers improved to 11-2 in his 13 appearances this season. That is precisely what you want your ace to give you. Personal pitching wins are great, sure, but if he puts you in a position to win games, that’s exactly what you need.

The only downside, of course, is that Price’s free agent value is ballooning. At this point you have to assume he will receive Max Scherzer-money, but if he continues to play at this level that could go even higher, not to mention the premium of very good left-handed pitchers, it might be hard for the Tigers to retain his services beyond this year.

So I guess we enjoy it while it lasts and hope for the best.

Next: #VoteMiggy

Jun 14, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (24) runs the bases after he hits a home run in the fourth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

#1 Hero: Miguel Cabrera

If only the Detroit Tigers and Miguel Cabrera could play the Cleveland Indians every day. While he is great against every other team, he is unworldly against arguably the Tigers’ chief rivals.

Including the three Cleveland games and the two Chicago games this week, Miggy reached base 13 times. That’s incredible. He notched 10 hits for a .588 batting average, hit two mammoth homers to go with a 1.000 slugging percentage, and boasted a 1.650 OPS.

The fact that Miguel Cabrera is not leading the All-Star Game at first base is astonishing. So much so that players have started to take notice. David Price mentioned it last week and Justin Verlander tweeted about it during Sunday’s rain delay.

Players are starting to take notice, so hopefully fans will as well. If the All-Star Game is supposed to feature the best players in the world, than Cabrera deserves the majority of the time at first base as perhaps THE best player in the game right now.

This is all you need to see to sway your vote.

Friday:

Sunday:

#VoteMiggy!

Next: MCB TigerTalk Podcast: Hot Miggy, improving Tigers