Tigers stealing lots of bases?

[RichG]

I was glancing through the boxscores and noticed the Tigers have been stealing a lot of bases this Spring, Higginson already has five.

They'll still have problem reaching base but whether it's successful or not it should make them more interesting to watch this year. I still think they should never have moved in the fences -- They can't hit homers home or on the road so they might as well make it tough for the visitors.

Wired Tiger or Tigeress: Has Trammell mentioned anything about trying to steal a lot of bases?

[WiredTiger]

He keeps mentioning being agressive on the base paths and he has been calling for lots of hit and runs. He also has talked about starting Dmitri Young at third sometimes with Kingsale and Andres Torres being in the OF. Those guys along with Infante who looks like is going to be a starter would have a ton of speed. If they were going to go this way they probably should have left the fence where it was.

[hmrsf]

How is attendance?

That maybe a factor.

I would love to see that stadium. Do you like the new one WT?

Movement on the basepaths changes the dynamic of the game. Johnny D at the top of the order was a factor in the 11 extra wins from 01 to 02.

Maybe the Tigers having a fast start will help them from having that in hole start. Keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[Max Power]

Running a lot makes sense - given that you you need a rocket launcher to get a HR in their home park - - -

- -- plus, is there a catcher in the AL now that's a lock to shut down a running game?

[KCBOOMER]

I guess the Tigers have to do something, but they really don't have enough hitting to make a running game effective.

[SmedIndy]

You can't steal first base - it won't amount to diddly....

[gyb13]

Originally posted by Max Power
- -- plus, is there a catcher in the AL now that's a lock to shut down a running game? geronimo gil, maybe... then again, he can't catch the ball - he had something ridiculous like 18 passed balls....also ramon hernandez and toby hall

[sweaver]

18 PB is a lot for a team that doesn't have a knuckleballer. Could Gil be described as a "don't catch and throw" guy?

While SBs are no substitute for an offense, they may at least liven things up in Detroit this year.

[Ytown Tribe fan]

Wouldn't it be great for a team such as the Tigers to ave a good amount of success with this approach? It worked for Herzog's Cardinals, but didn't catch on to other teams. In fact, it seems that Whitey's Cardinals success coincided with the latest great power explosion. Coincidence, I suppose.

The Tribe is doing the same. With only one proven power hitter (although there is certainly a lot of power "potential"), and with tons of youth, Wedge is going to be very aggressive on the basepaths as well.

The Royals could learn from this as well, what with their exodus of talent and experience.

Hell -- the whole division (save perhaps the White Sox) could be full of young hustlers running rampant on the basepaths with only the occasional longball.

Ty Cobb would be proud.

[Craig S.]

Going to a speed game might make them slightly more entertaining, but I wouldn't count it helping the Tigers' record. They'll still be hanging around the cellar.

Any improvement they can make in speed, even defensively, would at least help them in Comerica. That's a big park.

[WiredTiger]

I watched the Yankees-Tigers game last night and it looks like they may be stocking their lineup with more speed than they had last year. Kingsale is very fast and so is Torres. I wouldn't expect both of those guys to play at the same time but it is one of the options. Team speed will also be improved with Easley out and Infante/Santiago in at 2b/ss. I think part of the reason you are starting to see some speed guys come up to the Tigers is that Randy Smith emphasized drafting fast players in anticipation of moving to Comerica Park.

The former configuration of Comerica almost required you to have two CF type OF. With the moving of the fences in LF I don't think that is as true anymore. Centerfield is still huge but left won't be as large as it was.

hmrsf... Comerica is nice but I think they had one shot at greatness and they didn't quite do it. Tiger Stadium was very intimate. You sat almost on top of the action. At Comerica everything is very spread out and you aren't as close to the action. I now find myself wishing that they had rebuilt Tiger Stadium like they are do with Fenway.

[Rajah]

Comerica, with the original configuration, was the biggest park in the league, wasn't it? I think KC and St. Louis, at the time, were like the biggest parks in their leagues, and thats why Whiteyball worked in those parks. Earl Weaver said that the style of play used in KC works in KC, but nowhere else. Weaver said that the O's style of play worked in Baltimore, and everywhere but KC.

Maybe it would work to bring Whiteyball to Detroit. If nothin else, it'd be fun to watch the runnin tigercats :)

[gyb13]

they'll have to do a lot of great running to come back from all the leads that rotation is gonna give up in the first few innings...