After watching the last week of Tigers baseball, I am really amazed at the amount of walks we are seeing American League pitchers give up. In the last seven games the Tigers have played, a total of 76 walks have been issued by both the Tigers and their opponents combined. The just completed three game series between the Rangers and Tigers featured the two pitching staffs that have allowed the most walks in the American League. However, walks league-wide are on the rise.
Through games of April 23 last season, A.L. clubs issued a total of 870 walks. Through the same span this season, the total jumped to 1044 base on balls. Walks are responsible for higher pitch counts, less hair on the heads of pitching coaches and inflated time-of-game totals. It makes you really appreciate strike throwers....
Curtis Granderson wasted little time in showing what he brings to the table. Now that the Tigers lead-off man is back in the line-up, his combination of speed, power and presence gives the Tigers an an extra dimension. What's amazing is that it took Curtis no time at all to find his stroke. Three hits, including his first home run and four runs scored have made for an impressive debut....
The Tigers bullpen deserves some much needed credit. After hearing how terrible they were as a group coming out of spring training, the pen has given the Tigers a huge lift. The numbers they posted in the Toronto and Texas series' were flat out awesome. Hats off to the pen.
Love the play by play, you guys do a great job and seem to have a lot of fun doing what you guys do, but i really would like to see more on air utilization of the fsn tracer on some questionable pitches, would add more dimension to your on air image of the tiger games, like the unsaid networks use of the K-Zone technololgy, this would really be appreciated.
Hey Mario, way to jinx the Tigers from scoring their 20th run of the game the other day. Were you just trying to get Rod's prediction from coming true the day after he said it, or what? LOL.
also the game is focused more on offense, smaller strike zones, cant pitch inside, etc. pitchers have to be careful where they pitch and for those who dont have control=more walks
The bullpen has been a very bright spot indeed. Ever since Leyland paid Minor a mound visit 4-5 appearances ago he has been outstanding. Even Grilli is throwing strikes. When he does that he is also a good pitcher. As you pointed out, Clete Thomas did a good job, but Granderson is like you and Rod, he makes a tough job look easy. Robertson has good stuff. So why is he a five and diver? He taxes the bullpen every time he pitches. Again, it looks like the skipper was right. We are going to sink or swim with the starters. The 90s Indians teams proved no amount of offensive fire power can overcome bad pitching.
Mario Impemba is in his seventh season as play-by-play announcer on FSN Detroit’s Emmy-winning Tigers coverage.
In addition to Tigers duties, he has done play-by-play on FSN's coverage of MHSAA football and basketball championship games, as well as CCHA hockey and college basketball. In the off-season, he is the radio and television voice of Oakland University Golden Grizzlies basketball.
Before joining the FSN broadcast team, he spent the previous seven seasons as the radio voice of the then-Anaheim Angels and served as a fill-in TV play-by-play announcer during his final three years in Anaheim.
Check out more about the craft of baseball broadcasting at his website, thesoundofbas eball.com.
