Brandon Noppe | May 14, 2012
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Mid-May Allstars

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Strike one! “and were underway for the 2012 Detroit tigers campaign”, that first pitch occurred a month and a half ago, and with allstar voting taking place I figured I would give my opinion on who should be going to Kaufman Staduium this July.

Let’s start on the Pitching side of things, to start let’s cut right to the chase and pronounce that JV deserves his 5th all-star appearance. Last years MVP and CY young award winner appears to have left off right were he ended last year. So far JV has racked up 4 wins with a ERA of 2.47. The second Tigers pitcher I would send to Kansas City is Rookie Drew Smyly, despite only pitching 127 minor league innings Drew has shown so far that he’s not afraid to pitch at the major league level. So far Smyly has posted a 1.59 ERA and is sitting in 1st place in the AL and 3rd in MLB. As of now those are my All-star Pitchers, realizing that Doug Fister is capable of a great month of May he may also join the group once he has a few more starts under his belt this season.

 

 

Next let’s talk about the offensive side of things, well I know it’s not pretty but there are some Tigers who have been putting up some good numbers all year. The Tigers O all runs off the man at the top, and that would be Mr.Jackson who at the moment is batting a cool .320 and has scored 26 times.  As of now thiers is only one other Tigers who I belive should go to the Allstar game and that’s 3B man Migueal Cabera, this cat has been consistent, now batting .294 with 7 big flys a starting shot maybe coming this year. As for the hot hitting Dirks, well if he keeps it up threw the month of May then let em play. and for Fielder I’m going to need to see a little more production before I pencil the prince in at first.

The Tigers Have the chance to have 7 allstars this year as of right now they have 4 going to Kanas City.

Category: Tigers | Tags: , ,
Brandon Noppe | January 31, 2012
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Power Cats

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“The Tigers and Prince Fielder have agreed to terms on a 9
year 216 million dollar deal”, now pinch yourself it’s not a dream.  Even those closest to the tigers had no idea
what was going on, between Dave, Mike and Scott many had thought the tigers
were finished with their offseason shopping; and even those believing that the injured
Victor Martinez needed to be replaced had no idea of the big splash the tigers
were going to make. Now that we are a couple of weeks removed from the shock
and awe of the Fielder signing it’s time to have some fun. Now I could write
about how horrible the defense is going to be and I will but let’s just have
some fun.

The question is how dangerous are these tigers well In my
opinion it could be one of the best offensive seasons we’ve seen in a long
time. In this article were going to simply look at the number of HR’s are team
will hit this year and I believe that the sweet sound of “Crack” will be heard loud
and often. Let’s start with AJ (Jackson) Austin has said in interviews this
year that he has been working on his overall power this year, last year he
ended with 10 HR , this year with one more year of experience and a focus on
power I see AJ jacking out 15 long balls. Next in the starting lineup we have
Boesch a power lefty with a enact to reach the seats in right. Having injured himself
late last season Brennan was on pace for about 20 HR’s, with a big threat
behind and Jackson on base more I’ll predict 22 for Boesch. Next we have the
big fella or big fella # 1, Miguel Cabera has made a living on torching
starting pitchers having hit 30 HR’s last year expect a slight jump this year,
with the protection of fielder look for Cabby to have 35 long balls this
season. Right after Miggy we have a Prince who last year smashed 35 long balls.
This year I expect nothing less from Fielder with my final prediction being 40.
Look for a fun HR Race between the big fellas. After the big guys the power let’s
off a little but does not go away, Delmon Young was once the # 1 overall pick
in the country and was a very nice pick up by DD I’m looking for Delmon to hit
about 14 HR’s this season.  In the 6th
hole will be Double A or better known as Alex Avila had a breakout season last
year and I believe will have continued successes, look for AA to hit about 20
Homeruns this year. Mr. Peralta last season hit 21 home runs, I’m actually not
keen on his numbers being that good this year but I still believe 16 HR’s is
very doable. The 8th spot in the lineup is reserved for the LF at
this time and the Tigers have not decided on one, I just throw out 12 to make
life easy.  Lastly in JL’s Line up is
Ryan Raburn who I believe will have a breakout year I’m going to predict 20 HR’s
for Ryan.  That leaves the bench who I believe
will hit a combined 28 HR’s. That my friend is a lot of HR’s, adding it all up
we come to 223 long balls from the Tigers. Now the record is 264 by the M’s in
1997. I don’t think we reach those numbers but it should be fun to watch. What
are your predictions for HR’s this season tell us below.

Category: Tigers | Tags: , ,
Brandon Noppe | December 5, 2011
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Are you serious? BC$ and really sparty?

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The 10-2 Michigan Wolverines are headed back to a major bowl in the first year of coach Brady Hoke and I’m very excited about that. What I’m not excited about is the fact that they will be fact we will be facing # 13 Virgina Tech, note that this Va Tech team has 0 wins inside the current top twenty five and the only games they even played were against Clemson who beat them down on both occasions. The selection of VA Tech instead of Kansas State or Boise State is why the BC$ continues to be criticized, yes there selection of BAMA vs LSU was debatable but this my friends had no debate at all. I believe that Michigan was a stretch in this game but are you freaking kidding me with VA Tech?

 

Really Sparty? Fans of Michigan state contiue to complian that they did not get to play in a BC$ bowl despite having beatin the Wolvierines during the fall campain. They would have a point but they don’t. The fact of the matter is State had there shot at the Rose Bowl and blew it, don’t go off and complain and say the system is unfair. The only thing that is unfair is the fact that you lost a chance at a BC$ game with a horrid call from your incompoment coach.

Category: Michigan, Michigan State |
Brandon Noppe | October 26, 2011
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Is throwing a curveball dangerous for our young baseball players?

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While thinking of ideas to write about in this blog one of the first one’s I came up with was are throwing curveballs dangerous for kids?

We as Detroit fans have been privallged to see the great Justin Verlander baffle his opponents with his twelve to six curve ball and as well as rookie pitcher Al Albquerce lead all rookie reliefers in ERA with his dynamic curve.

The question though is when should kids start throwing the curve?

Now there have been several studies done on kids throwing curve balls that have argued that it’s either safe or dangerous. In one study performed by the American Sports Medical Institution they had 29 youth basaeball players throw 5 curveballs, 5 fastballs and 5 changeups all at maxim effort. The results “For elbow varus torque, shoulder internal rotation torque, elbow proximal force, and shoulder proximal force, the fastball produced the greatest values, followed by the curveball and then the change-up. The fastball also produced the greatest elbow flexion torque. Shoulder horizontal adduction torque and shoulder adduction torque were the least for the change-up. Several differences in body segment position, velocity, and timing were also found”. This study has also been completed by the National Center for Childhood Development.

On the contrary, several other studies have been completed to show the long-term effect of throwing the curveball at a young age. A study completed by American Sports Medicine concluded that throwing curveballs and sliders may in the long run be dangerous to a young player.

“Pitchers in this age group should be cautioned about throwing breaking pitches (curveballs and sliders) because of the increased risk of elbow and shoulder pain. Limitations on pitches thrown in a game and in a season can also reduce the risk of pain. Further evaluation of pain and pitching mechanics is necessary”

The main point I wanted to make is that throwing curveballs is not dangerous to children but that it should not be the main focus while trying to develop young talent. My views are that if you ever want to succeed in pro baseball you have to be able to locate a fastball. Dr Andrews who is famous for completing the first ever Tommy John Surgery says ”

“It may do more harm than good — quote me on that,” Andrews said during an interview in his Birmingham clinic. He fears that parents and coaches may interpret the findings improperly, as a license to teach kids to throw too many curves or begin when they are too young. “There are still some unknown questions.”

Bottom Line- Wait to drop in the hook

Article Citation

Am J Sports Med. 2009 Aug;37(8):1492-8. Epub 2009 May 15.
Am J Sports Med. 2002 Jul-Aug;30(4):463-8.
Category: Tigers | Tags: , , , , ,
Brandon Noppe | September 30, 2011
38 comments

This is what they play for…Tigers playoff preview

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On Friday August the 16th the Tigers cliched the American League Central Division for the first time; it had been since 1987 that the Tigers had won the east. Now Besides a magical ride in 2006 this would be the Tigers first playoff appearance since 1987. This season has been one heck of a roller coaster from 7 games out to 15 games up.

Let’s take a moment to look back on how we earned the right to play October Baseball. In the offseason GM Dave Dombrowski and his staff put together a roster that would take the field on opening day. His team went out and signed DH Victor Martinez and setup man Joaquin Beniot. In addition they resigned shortstop Jhonny Peralta and inked a one year deal with Magglio Ordonez. Also included in the signings were Brad Penny and Al Albuquerque who may have been the surprise of the year. During the first month of the season things seemed to be going let’s say OK. It didn’t feel as if the Tigers were the worst team in the division, then again it definitely didn’t feel as if they were the best.

As April turned to May this team went through their dark period in which Leyland was fired at least 10 times by the fans.

After the May dark period the Tigers really went back to the way they were playing in April for a long while and could never really take charge of the division. It was not until a 3 game series against the Indians and a stretch of 21 in a row vs the central that the Tigers were able to take this division over. After that stretch they had claimed the division and were well on there way to playing meaningful games in October.

Now let’s talk about the playoff’s!

Even though the Tigers may have clinched early it was not until the 162nd game of the year that the team knew who their opponent was going to be. Eventually the Tigers got matched up with the New York Yankees, a rematch of the 2006 ALDS which hopefully we get some repeat results.

Here is how I think things will shape out. In game one the Tigers will send ace Justin Verlander to the mound with the Yanks sending C.C. Sabathia. This game will shape the series because a win here means that our game 2 starter (Fister) is under a lot less pressure. I also believe it is to our benifit with the setup of the home and away games for the Tigers.

I’ll take the Tigers in 4 with the team winning game 1 and 2 in NY. If they can’t put it away in 4, I’ll trust JV in game 5

After the Yankees series it’s all speculation and I’ll post an edit later. Anyhow on the other side of the bracket the red hot rays will be facing the bashing Rangers. I see this series going the distance and possibly being the best match up to watch besides the Tigers. I’ll take the Rays to win in 5.

So finally how do I see this postseason working out? Good if JV and the Fist man can come through. I believe our depth can lead us back to the World Series.

Now I would love to say that the Tigers are going to win it all but they may still come up short to the mighty Phillies.

PS. A Diamondback vs. Tigers or a Brewers vs. Tigers World Series would be awesome.

Category: Tigers, Uncategorized | Tags: , , ,
Brandon Noppe | September 22, 2011
8 comments

Lions and Tigers and Wings OH MY!!!

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It was 2006 when both the Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red wings were both in the playoffs. However in the history of Detroit sports here as never been a year were three Detroit teams made the playoffs. Now I’m not going to guarantee that this will happen this year but I can make a fairly strong case as to why.

Let’s start with the Detroit Tigers seeing that they’ve already clinched a playoff berth. This season for the Tigers has been one of their best in recent years. Their strong second half has shot them over 90 wins for the first time in 5 years and with the arms of Justin Verlander and Doug Fister and the bats of the new M&M Boys Miggy and Martinez it’s not hard to say they’re great!

So with the Tigers already in the playoffs I guess the next team to talk about is the Detroit Red Wings. Twenty years in a row the Wings have made the playoffs and they don’t look to be slowing down anytime soon. In fact the Wings have been such a staple in the playoff picture that the thought of them not being there is like thinking a drumstick is no longer the best ice cream treat in the world. With some of the best players in the NHL residing right here in Motown this is poised to be another dominating season.

Last but not least is the Detroit Lions. Now I had the hardest time figuring out if I wanted to right this article or not because of the Lions. But after seeing the Lions play for 2 weeks I went ahead with it. The Lions are lead by QB Matthew Stafford and DT Ndamukong Suh who have both led the team to a big turnaround. With the coaching of the Schwartz and a staff hungry to win I believe the Lions give us a chance of seeing three Detroit playoff teams.

Having 3 playoff teams would be wonderful for a city that has been dismayed by poverty and great job loss. Hopefully these teams can bring some peace to a direr situation.

PS. I would of included the Pistons on this list but the doors are locked right now.

Category: Lions, Red Wings, Tigers | Tags: , , ,
Brandon Noppe | September 6, 2011
3 comments

Restoring The Roar (Lions Season Preview)

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At the end of the 2008 season Lions fans were hanging there heads in discernment of the recent 0-16 season. After that year the Lions drafted Georgia QB Matthew Stafford in hopes of a turnaround, unforgettably Stafford’s Injuries and the teams lack of depth at several positions have made the road to recovery slower then the economic turnaround. However this year players like Suh, Young and Fairly have brought the young Lions the potential to be strong.

Weeks 1-4 

During the first 4 weeks of the season the Lions are on the Road to face Tampa Bay, Minnsota and Dallas. They will also have their home opener against the Chiefs and looking at the schedule as a whole the first 4 weeks could be a test to see how far the Lions are going to go. I would predict the Lions to split their first 4 games winning in weeks 2 and 3 while losing in weeks 1 and 4.

Weeks  5-8

During the next 4 weeks the Lions will have three straight home games including the MNF game vs. Chicago. They will also face the 49ers and Falcons and home and Denver on the road. To me these 4 weeks are the most important on the schedule because life gets harder down the road. I’m Looking for 3/4 in this stint with the loss coming against Atlanta.

Weeks 9-12

These 4 weeks of the season are what I consider the grind out days which come right after the bye. From here the Lions will face at home the Packers and Panthers and on on road the Saints and Bears. These four weeks are really going to show us what the Lions are made of but I only see one win and that’s against the Panthers

Weeks 13-16

For the final four weeks of the season will the Lions be fighting for a playoff spot or for a high draft pick? At home they will face the Vikings and Chargers and on the road the Raiders and Packers. During the last 4 weeks I see the Lions splitting winning at home vs. the Vikings and on the road against the Raiders.

Final Predictions 

This season I believe the Lions are ready to come alive, however until Stafford can prove that he can survive the 16 weeks of pain I can only place an 8-8 record up. I hope I’m wrong and they win 10-12 and make the playoffs, but in my opinion they still need to let the Millen wounds heal one more year.

Category: Lions | Tags: , ,
Brandon Noppe | August 30, 2011
29 comments

Could The Tigers Win 90?

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On May 1st, 2011 the Detroit Tigers were 7.5 games behind the first place Cleveland Indians and with there 12-16 record climbing to .500 would have been an achievement. In the following months the Tigers continued to struggle but were able to begin to climb the standings do to a long winning streak and a rough stretch by the tribe.

In the last month the Tigers seem to be a different ball club. In addition to the dominance of Justin Verlander who went 6-0 in the month he was supported by decent outings by Scherzer and Fister. And with the recent second coming of Phil Coke the bullpen seems to have stabilized.

The question now is could the Tigers win 90 games? The fact is the Tigers would need to go 17-11 the rest of the way and they would need Justin Verlander to be flawless in the month. Furthermore they would also need Porcello and Penny to step up and win some games. The Tigers also have one of the easiest schedules in the MLB the rest of the way with the AL Central cellar teams and AL West cellar teams dominating most of the schedule, which should help their bid for a division title.

Most Fans on the Detroit Tigers Message boards believe that it will be close “I think 87 wins the Central. But 90 would be nice, since it gives us a chance to get home field adv. over whoever wins the west. I’m expecting 88 wins, but rooting for 91″ says(Tinner22) another fan says “the Tigers are on pace to win 88 games and they have played better since they acquired Young and Fister , so yes the tigers could win 90 games. I predict that they will”(bongoman)

So Will it happen? Comment below with your prediction.

Next Week (Lions season preview)

Category: Tigers |
Brandon Noppe | August 28, 2011
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Welcome to the Weekly Motown Throwdown

Hello Everyone and thank you for stopping by to read my weekly blog the Weekly Motown Throwdown. This blog will be an interactive blog in which I will be going to different fan forums and bringing you some of the best from the fans regarding the week in Detroit sports. additionally there will be weekly write ups on various topics in the Detroit sports world. I look forward to reading your reactions and comments. The blog will be published on Tuesdays expect in special cases

next week preview (Can the Tigers win 90?)

Category: Uncategorized |