The Tigers’ three-game set in Tampa Bay was hardly a clinic in good pitching, good defense, or good hitting. The Tigers got drubbed in two of the three, and then handed away the other game on a game-ending error. Some fans might be wondering, “Is there anything we can take from this series?” It’s still rather early in the season so I don’t advocate attempting to draw meaningful conclusions from a three-game series, no matter how miserable it was.

Tigers drop series. More at 11. Or after this read-more.

It’s too easy to get caught up in the how and and why, and overlook the big picture. The Tigers, for all their miscues and misplays in Tampa, can still put together a .500 roadtrip (they have to sweep the Twins, but it’s not impossible!). They’re also still in first place and will be, regardless of the final score in today’s Cleveland/Minnesota game (there could be a three-way tie in the division at the end of the day).

Things of Note
• José Iglesias is probably going on the 7-day concussion DL after getting kneed in the head on the final play of last night’s game. Joe Jimenez will be recalled for the series in Minnesota.
• James McCann had a base hit on Thursday! He was something like 3-for-34.
• Nicholas Castellanos went 2-for-4 on Thursday, and went 4-for-13 in the series. He’s had a weird season to this point. A lot of hard, solid contact but not much to show for it.
• Miguel Cabrera DH’d in the matinee, while Alex Avila played first. There were adventures on defense. Let’s just leave it at that.
• I find it curious Mikie Mahtook got no playing time at all during this series, considering he knows better than anyone how to play in Tropicana Field.
• Francisco Rodriguez was not very good yesterday, and yet he almost got out of it if not for the walkoff error.
• Kevin Kiermaier, arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game, made an uncharacteristic misplay in last night’s game which allowed three runs to score. Kiermaier appeared to have gotten something in his eye and he completely whiffed on a line drive by Castellanos. It ended up being ruled a triple, as Kiermaier never touched it.
• All three outfielders, plus Ian Kinsler, had problems on defense in this series and a fan in the stands yelling “I GOT IT!” on every fly ball or pop up might have played a role until the Tigers changed their defensive signals.
• Brad Ausmus calls this series the “worst defensive series the Detroit Tigers have played since I’ve been here.” (Via Anthony Fenech)
• Let’s move on, shall we?