As Jeremy Bonderman continues his rehab stint with AAA Toledo this week, the Tigers appear to have a tough decision to make soon. Bonderman's rehab assignment runs out as of June 15, at which time the Tigers must recall the righthander. Bonderman has pitched well enough in the minors so far, but his velocity is still down as he tries to come back from surgery last year to alleviate a clotting problem in his right shoulder.
The loss of velocity has to be concerning to all involved, as Bondo has never been a finesse type pitcher. Prior to his injury, he routinely featured a mid-90's fastball and sharp, hard slider. Unfortunately, he has never been able to gain a feel for his changeup, and has been strictly a two pitch pitcher. If one of his pitches is not there, he could be rendered ineffective. If Bonderman can find his old form, he figures to join an already stacked rotation in Detroit. In order to add him, however, someone must get pushed out.
Obviously Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson aren't going anywhere. The successes that these two have enjoyed so far in 2009 are well documented. Both men are horses that pitch deep into games and have shown the consistent ability to shut down opposing hitters.
Dontrelle Willis has shown so far that he is once again capable of working in the strike zone and getting major league hitters out. Willis has made it back from his anxiety disorder and in his three starts this season has looked like a pitcher with a plan, and looked like a pitcher with the stuff to dominate, even if the results are still a bit inconsistent. The questions about whether or not he can help the Tigers should be put to rest. He can and he is. The Tigers entered this season sans a lefthanded starter, and Willis not only provides that, but he provides a track record of logging innings and getting lefty hitters out. Couple his success with his contract, and you can be sure that his rotation spot is safe for the immediate future.
Armando Galarraga's has been a tale of two pitchers. He began the season by winning three of his first four starts, with a 1.85 ERA. When the calendar turned to May however, Galarraga feel off quite a bit, going 0-4 with an ERA north of 9.00 in his next five starts. His effort last night versus Baltimore showed significant progress. He did allow 10 hits including two homeruns but was much better at limiting damage than he had recently been. It was a huge step in the right direction. His early season performance, coupled with his stellar year in 2008 keep him in the rotation for at least one more turn. If he continues to improve, I can't see the Tigers making a move with him. If not, he has minor league options left and could be send down to work out his problems in Toledo.
That just leaves us with the young Rick Porcello. I'm sure that when Porcello made the club out of spring training this year, the plan was for him to hold down the fort and get some experience until Bonderman and/or Willis were healthy enough to return. The plan was a good one, the kid gets a taste of the big leagues, a pat on the back, and a ticket to Toledo or Erie to get some more seasoning. But the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. All Porcello has done with his opportunity is win his past five starts while sporting an ERA of 1.50 over that span. He had a rough start to his year, but has begun throwing his curveball much more frequently and found success. He works quickly, keeps his pitches and his pitch counts down, and has shown poise beyond his years. Porcello has been compared to Brandon Webb, Carlos Zambrano, and Roy Halladay, and has been putting up numbers like Dwight Gooden. The Tigers are trying to protect his arm and keep his workload down, but they are also trying to win, and shutting down a pitcher who is putting up the kind of numbers that Porcello has been would certainly be adverse to winning. Its a tough tightrope to walk, but the Tigers' brass and Jim Leyland have been doing well so far.
So where, exactly does Bonderman fit? Assuming Galarraga continues to improve, a demotion seems unlikely. Bonderman's lack of an off-speed pitch would suggest he is more suited for relief, but a mid to high-80's fastball doesn't usually miss many bats in the big leagues, unless you also feature good off-speed stuff. As it stands now, barring an injury to a starting pitcher, there is no room for Bonderman. If he cannot regain his old velocity, he becomes just another albatross contract and wasted roster spot, but at least Nate Robertson will have someone to talk to in the bullpen, as they wait for a call that doesn't come.
Usually these problems work themselves out, there could be an injury, or Galarraga could get sent down, or even traded. Maybe Bonderman finds his old form in his next couple starts and willingly works in relief. But time is running out, by June 15th we will have the answer.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Tigers Lack Offense in 5-1 Loss
Well, that was disgusting. Baltimore pitchers handed out seven walks, their defense made two errors, but Detroit managed just five hits, including one in 11 at bats with runners in scoring position, leading to a 5-1 Orioles' victory. Twice the Tigers failed to bring runners home when they had a man on third and less than two outs, popups by Placido Polanco and Curtis Granderson didn't get the job done. You just cannot fail to capitalize when the other team is handing out walks and consistantly putting runners on base and expect to win. Tonight, there was no Zach Greinke to blame, the offense just didn't get it done.
A few things I have noticed: Adam Jones is good, but real cocky. I would love to have him on my team. Baltimore has a very good lineup, which only figures to get better when Matt Wieters makes his debut tomorrow. Luke Scott is the left handed Joe Crede and therefore the anti-christ. He now has seven bombs versus Detroit since last season began.
On the bright side, Magglio Ordonez extended his hitting streak to 14 games, and Armando Galarraga was much, much better tonight, going seven plus innings and allowing just three runs. He gave up ten hits including two home runs, but was able to limit the damage thanks to three double plays, including an absolute gem turned in by Brandon Inge in the sixth. Considering how poorly Galarraga has pitched this month, this outing was a major step in the right direction, even in the loss. His improvement also may allow the team to keep Jeremy Bonderman on his rehab stint just a bit longer to make sure he's ready to go when he gets back. But if Galarraga and the rest of the staff keep mowing down opposing offenses, Jim Leyland will have a difficult choice to make when Bondo does return. Galarraga certainly made strides toward keeping his rotation spot with his effort tonight.
A few things I have noticed: Adam Jones is good, but real cocky. I would love to have him on my team. Baltimore has a very good lineup, which only figures to get better when Matt Wieters makes his debut tomorrow. Luke Scott is the left handed Joe Crede and therefore the anti-christ. He now has seven bombs versus Detroit since last season began.
On the bright side, Magglio Ordonez extended his hitting streak to 14 games, and Armando Galarraga was much, much better tonight, going seven plus innings and allowing just three runs. He gave up ten hits including two home runs, but was able to limit the damage thanks to three double plays, including an absolute gem turned in by Brandon Inge in the sixth. Considering how poorly Galarraga has pitched this month, this outing was a major step in the right direction, even in the loss. His improvement also may allow the team to keep Jeremy Bonderman on his rehab stint just a bit longer to make sure he's ready to go when he gets back. But if Galarraga and the rest of the staff keep mowing down opposing offenses, Jim Leyland will have a difficult choice to make when Bondo does return. Galarraga certainly made strides toward keeping his rotation spot with his effort tonight.
Take the All-Star Vote Away From the Fans
Major League Baseball has announced the early voting totals for the All-Star game starting lineups. Not surprisingly, several undeserving names hover at or near the top of the voting. We all know how the process works by now; the fans cast their ballots for their favorite players, whether or not that player has missed significant time or is having a poor start to the season.
This was all fine and good for several years, before the infamous tie game in 2002. The public fallout from that game lead the commissioner to adopt a new policy stating that the league that wins the all-star game would gain home-field advantage in the world series. This policy places much more significance of the outcome of what was otherwise an exhibition game. I recall watching the late innings of the 2002 game in Milwaukee, seeing the benches and bullpens dwindle of available players, it was exciting. Then Bud Selig literally threw up his hands and called the game a tie, and everyone when home unfulfilled. I am in favor of the home-field rule, as it does make the all-star game an important event. However, the increased importance of the game's outcome must also lead to a refined process of selecting members of the opposing teams. Big names are nice for exhibition games, but when the outcome matters, I want the best players (or at least the players having the best seasons) on my team.
With the release of the early totals for the American League ballots, three names stand out among the leaders, Josh Hamilton(2nd) and Ken Griffey Jr. (4th)in the outfield and Kevin Youkilis(1st) at first base (thankfully there is no DH this year or I'm sure David Ortiz would be there too). The National League vote is even uglier, as Manny Ramirez, currently serving a 50 game suspension, sits fourth among outfielders. J.J. Hardy leads the shortstop balloting, and Bill Hall (2nd) is within reach of grabbing the starting third base job. In actuality, Brewers fans have done a great job voting for all of their players, but are doing a vast disservice to the game itself. Hall is carrying a .223/.289/.377 line this season, Hardy is at least a bit better at .247/.329/.411.
Hamilton, Ramirez and Youkilis have all missed significant time in the first half, but were having good starts to the year prior to missing games. But the possibility of Raul Ibanez not starting for the NL, while Ramirez may still get that chance is a joke. And Carlos Pena, Justin Morneau, and Miguel Cabrera must all be holding their breath, as Youkilis' inclusion would likely mean that at least one of those guys won't even make the trip to St. Louis.
The Griffey situation is one that has been commonplace since the fans got the vote, a formerly great player, well past his prime, that is still dear to the hearts of so many fans getting a boost in the balloting. It is also a perfect example of how the recent emphasis on winning this game should lead to the removal of the fans from the process. For years, aging stars were ceremonially placed on all-star teams, Cal Ripken Jr. started many a game after his numbers fell off. In 1989, Mike Schmidt retired near the end of May after getting off to a terrible start, and was still voted to start the all-star game, which he politely declined.
I understand the sentimental reasons for wanting to see the all-time greats on the big stage again, but if home-field in the world series is on the line, do you want the game to possibly hinge on Ken Griffey Jr? I don't. Give me the guys having big seasons and I'll take my chances. And as a Tiger fan, here's hoping those folks in Milwaukee keep stuffing the ballot boxes.
This was all fine and good for several years, before the infamous tie game in 2002. The public fallout from that game lead the commissioner to adopt a new policy stating that the league that wins the all-star game would gain home-field advantage in the world series. This policy places much more significance of the outcome of what was otherwise an exhibition game. I recall watching the late innings of the 2002 game in Milwaukee, seeing the benches and bullpens dwindle of available players, it was exciting. Then Bud Selig literally threw up his hands and called the game a tie, and everyone when home unfulfilled. I am in favor of the home-field rule, as it does make the all-star game an important event. However, the increased importance of the game's outcome must also lead to a refined process of selecting members of the opposing teams. Big names are nice for exhibition games, but when the outcome matters, I want the best players (or at least the players having the best seasons) on my team.
With the release of the early totals for the American League ballots, three names stand out among the leaders, Josh Hamilton(2nd) and Ken Griffey Jr. (4th)in the outfield and Kevin Youkilis(1st) at first base (thankfully there is no DH this year or I'm sure David Ortiz would be there too). The National League vote is even uglier, as Manny Ramirez, currently serving a 50 game suspension, sits fourth among outfielders. J.J. Hardy leads the shortstop balloting, and Bill Hall (2nd) is within reach of grabbing the starting third base job. In actuality, Brewers fans have done a great job voting for all of their players, but are doing a vast disservice to the game itself. Hall is carrying a .223/.289/.377 line this season, Hardy is at least a bit better at .247/.329/.411.
Hamilton, Ramirez and Youkilis have all missed significant time in the first half, but were having good starts to the year prior to missing games. But the possibility of Raul Ibanez not starting for the NL, while Ramirez may still get that chance is a joke. And Carlos Pena, Justin Morneau, and Miguel Cabrera must all be holding their breath, as Youkilis' inclusion would likely mean that at least one of those guys won't even make the trip to St. Louis.
The Griffey situation is one that has been commonplace since the fans got the vote, a formerly great player, well past his prime, that is still dear to the hearts of so many fans getting a boost in the balloting. It is also a perfect example of how the recent emphasis on winning this game should lead to the removal of the fans from the process. For years, aging stars were ceremonially placed on all-star teams, Cal Ripken Jr. started many a game after his numbers fell off. In 1989, Mike Schmidt retired near the end of May after getting off to a terrible start, and was still voted to start the all-star game, which he politely declined.
I understand the sentimental reasons for wanting to see the all-time greats on the big stage again, but if home-field in the world series is on the line, do you want the game to possibly hinge on Ken Griffey Jr? I don't. Give me the guys having big seasons and I'll take my chances. And as a Tiger fan, here's hoping those folks in Milwaukee keep stuffing the ballot boxes.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
This Just In: Zach Greinke is Really Good
For five innings yesterday, Edwin Jackson was up to the task against Kansas City. Jackson knew runs would be at a premium and he did his part to keep the Royals off the board. A throwing error by Jackson and some well placed ground balls through the infield in the sixth gave Kansas City all the runs that Zach Greinke would need, as the Royals bested the Tigers 6-1 to pull within three games of the division lead. For the most part, Jackson pitched well, certainly well enough to win on most nights, but tonight he was facing the only pitcher currently in the discussion for the Cy Young award (apologies to Roy Halladay and Justin Verlander).
How good is Zach Geinke? He hasn't allowed a homerun since last September. He improved his record to 8-1 with yesterday's win, it was his league leading fifth complete game. Greinke has allowed 12 walks this year. Read that last sentence again. 10 starts, eight wins, 12 walks. With his performance yesterday, Greinke watched his ERA rise from 0.82 to 0.84. You know you're having a good year when you allow one run over nine innings and your ERA goes up.
How do you beat this guy? His only loss this season was a 1-0 decision against the Angels' lefty Joe Saunders. For the first five innings it looked like the Tigers planned to follow that blueprint, but once the Royals smelled blood, they went for the kill and turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead by the end of the sixth. They added on in the seventh and eighth, but anyone watching knew the game was probably over when Mitch Maier's groundball got past Placido Polanco to plate the first two Kansas City runs. The Tigers had their chances early, but three double plays lead to their demise, as they were unable to capitalize on the early scoring chances. The Tigers' offense that had pounded out 19 hits in the series opener was held to just six hits versus Greinke, who finished his gem with eight punchouts.
How good is Zach Geinke? He hasn't allowed a homerun since last September. He improved his record to 8-1 with yesterday's win, it was his league leading fifth complete game. Greinke has allowed 12 walks this year. Read that last sentence again. 10 starts, eight wins, 12 walks. With his performance yesterday, Greinke watched his ERA rise from 0.82 to 0.84. You know you're having a good year when you allow one run over nine innings and your ERA goes up.
How do you beat this guy? His only loss this season was a 1-0 decision against the Angels' lefty Joe Saunders. For the first five innings it looked like the Tigers planned to follow that blueprint, but once the Royals smelled blood, they went for the kill and turned a 1-0 deficit into a 3-1 lead by the end of the sixth. They added on in the seventh and eighth, but anyone watching knew the game was probably over when Mitch Maier's groundball got past Placido Polanco to plate the first two Kansas City runs. The Tigers had their chances early, but three double plays lead to their demise, as they were unable to capitalize on the early scoring chances. The Tigers' offense that had pounded out 19 hits in the series opener was held to just six hits versus Greinke, who finished his gem with eight punchouts.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Guillen's Injury a Blessing in Disguise?
Carlos Guillen has been battling injuries for much of his major league career. Even before the former All-Star came to Detroit from Seattle in a deal prior to the 2004 season, Guillen had been considered injury-prone. The past couple of seasons in Detroit have seen him battle through knee problems, hamstring issues, and more recently, Achilles and shoulder injuries. The aches and pains have caused him to lose his regular job at shortstop, and he since has been shifted to first base, then third base, and then left field, though most of his at bats this season have come as the designated hitter. Still the injuries persist. Word came in recently from Jason Beck that Guillen (on the disabled list since May 5) has made very little progress in dealing with his aching shoulder. The team awaits results from tests, but the early outlook is not good. Should his shoulder require surgery, Guillen could be looking at extended rehab, and could possibly miss the remainder of the season.
Without Guillen in the lineup, the Tigers have made a strong push to the top of the standings in the AL Central, currently holding a four game cushion on Kansas City. Guillen's absence has meant a full-time job for Clete Thomas, and increased playing time for Ryan Raburn and Josh Anderson. The results have been a much more flexible lineup, both offensively and defensively. Prior to his DL trip, Guillen has hitting just .200/.267/.244 with no homeruns and just six RBI, and had trouble getting to balls in the outfield. Near the end of last season, Jim Leyland addressed the need for a better defensive team for 2009. The addition of Thomas (and subtraction of Guillen) to the lineup has provided a much better defensive unit, especially when Magglio Ordonez moves to DH and Raburn or Anderson joins Thomas and Curtis Granderson in the outfield.
Leyland has maintained that in order for the Tigers to contend this season, they will need offensive production form Ordonez and Guillen. Ordonez has picked up from a terrible start, and is currently riding an 11 game hitting streak, while Guillen continues to rehab. Guillen's lack of production over the past two seasons however, has been adequately replaced by Thomas, who has posted a .269/.355/.388 line this season. While these aren't the type of numbers you would usually like from a corner outfielder, especially from one who has so frequently hit third in the order, Thomas' energy has done a great job providing the spark the Tigers' offense has needed, and the big seasons from Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge has made up for the lack of power from the Tigers' left fielder.
Guillen's injuries have slowed him down so much defensively that he is no longer a viable option with the glove, and unless his shoulder is healthy enough to hit better than he has, he should not be used as a DH, either. A lengthy stay on the DL could provide the Tigers their best chance to win, as Guillen's absence allows Ordonez and Cabrera to DH more frequently and provides the flexibility of getting more at bats for the talented youngsters, including Jeff Larish. The addition by subtraction theory worked well when releasing Gary Sheffield in the spring, and I don't think the Tigers should rush Guillen back anytime soon. Hopefully the kids can keep up the good work.
Without Guillen in the lineup, the Tigers have made a strong push to the top of the standings in the AL Central, currently holding a four game cushion on Kansas City. Guillen's absence has meant a full-time job for Clete Thomas, and increased playing time for Ryan Raburn and Josh Anderson. The results have been a much more flexible lineup, both offensively and defensively. Prior to his DL trip, Guillen has hitting just .200/.267/.244 with no homeruns and just six RBI, and had trouble getting to balls in the outfield. Near the end of last season, Jim Leyland addressed the need for a better defensive team for 2009. The addition of Thomas (and subtraction of Guillen) to the lineup has provided a much better defensive unit, especially when Magglio Ordonez moves to DH and Raburn or Anderson joins Thomas and Curtis Granderson in the outfield.
Leyland has maintained that in order for the Tigers to contend this season, they will need offensive production form Ordonez and Guillen. Ordonez has picked up from a terrible start, and is currently riding an 11 game hitting streak, while Guillen continues to rehab. Guillen's lack of production over the past two seasons however, has been adequately replaced by Thomas, who has posted a .269/.355/.388 line this season. While these aren't the type of numbers you would usually like from a corner outfielder, especially from one who has so frequently hit third in the order, Thomas' energy has done a great job providing the spark the Tigers' offense has needed, and the big seasons from Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge has made up for the lack of power from the Tigers' left fielder.
Guillen's injuries have slowed him down so much defensively that he is no longer a viable option with the glove, and unless his shoulder is healthy enough to hit better than he has, he should not be used as a DH, either. A lengthy stay on the DL could provide the Tigers their best chance to win, as Guillen's absence allows Ordonez and Cabrera to DH more frequently and provides the flexibility of getting more at bats for the talented youngsters, including Jeff Larish. The addition by subtraction theory worked well when releasing Gary Sheffield in the spring, and I don't think the Tigers should rush Guillen back anytime soon. Hopefully the kids can keep up the good work.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Willis Key to Divisional Race
Dontrelle Willis left today's contest after 6.2 innings allowing 7 hits and 3 runs, he walked a season high four batters. Willis (1-1, 3.57ERA) was good enough today. He was good enough to be a major league pitcher, he was good enough to keep his spot in the rotation, and although he didn't match the outing he had versus Texas, he was good enough to beat the Rockies. Unfortunately for Willis, the offense managed just six hits and one run against Jason Hammel, and the Tigers fell 3-1. But today, Dontrelle Willis showed again that he is ready to resume a once-promising major league career. The addition of Willis to the Tigers' already formidable rotation should help secure Detroit's place as the favorite to win the AL Central. The division is littered with tough left handed hitters, Mike Jacobs and Alex Gordon in Kansas City, Jim Thome in Chicago, Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Jason Kubel in Minnesota and Grady Sizemore in Cleveland. Willis provides the Tigers with a lefty starter they otherwise lack. His success could make the difference in what figures to be a season long race for the playoffs.
The rest of the rotation stacks up well versus the Central division contenders, and the impending return of Jeremy Bonderman figures to give them another boost. Justin Verlander (4-2, 3.99 ERA) leads the AL in strikeouts and has been dominant for most of the season. Even through his first few starts, when his ERA sat at 9.00, his stuff was there, and his outings were marred by one bad inning. Verlander has since eliminated the bad inning and has shown a return to the form that saw him win 35 games in his first two seasons. Verlander will oppose Gil Meche (2-4, 4.42 ERA) in tomorrow's series opener in Kansas City.
Edwin Jackson has finally fulfilled his vast potential. Jackson won 14 games for the surprise AL Champion Rays last season, but was left out of the post-season rotation. Tampa traded him to the Tigers in the off season for outfielder Matt Joyce. Jackson (4-2, 2.55 ERA) leads the staff in innings pitched and has shown the will of an ace in his last two starts, returning after an hour long rain delay to throw three more innings against Oakland on May 15, followed by a 132 pitch effort against Texas on Thursday. He has been the staff's most consistent starter this season.
Rick Porcello has been an absolute revelation for the 2009 edition of the Tigers in much the same way that Verlander was to the '06 version. The 20 year old rookie had never pitched above A-ball when he made the big club out of spring training. The first few starts were bit rough, but he has settled in nicely, not having allowed a home run this month, after allowing six long balls in April. Porcello (5-3, 3.55 ERA) leads the team in wins and seemingly gets better with each start.
Armando Galarraga has struggled mightily in the month of May, after roaring to a 3-0 start to the season. The second year righthander had a slightly improved effort Saturday against Colorado, but may only get one more start before Bonderman returns from injury and pushes someone out of the rotation. Right now, the smart money is on a Galarraga (3-4, 5.74ERA) trip to AAA Toledo to try to work out his problems in the minor leagues. Galarraga was easily the best of the staff in 2008, finishing 13-7 as a rookie, but something as been amiss in his past several starts and he needs to get right if the Tigers are to use him in a major league role.
Despite consecutive losses to the Rockies over the weekend, the Detroit Tigers head into Memorial Day in first place in the AL Central, three games better than the Kansas City Royals. Detroit travels to Kansas City for a three game series starting tomorrow afternoon. The Tigers finished 2008 in last place in the division, one game worse than the perennial cellar-dwelling Royals. The main reason for the early season success for both teams has been the performance of their starting rotation. Kansas City, lead by Cy Young candidate Zach Grienke, leads the American League with a team ERA of 3.87, while Detroit ranks third with a 3.96. The Tigers, meanwhile rank second in the league in opponents batting average at .247, with the Royals on spot behind them at .256 (stats ESPN.com). The Tigers offense, currently ranked in the bottom half of the American League, will need continued strong performances from Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge, but will also need to see a return to form from Magglio Ordonez and injured DH Carlos Guillen to keep the pressure off the starting rotation, and to keep the pressure on the rest of the division, as the Tigers attempt to pull away.
The rest of the rotation stacks up well versus the Central division contenders, and the impending return of Jeremy Bonderman figures to give them another boost. Justin Verlander (4-2, 3.99 ERA) leads the AL in strikeouts and has been dominant for most of the season. Even through his first few starts, when his ERA sat at 9.00, his stuff was there, and his outings were marred by one bad inning. Verlander has since eliminated the bad inning and has shown a return to the form that saw him win 35 games in his first two seasons. Verlander will oppose Gil Meche (2-4, 4.42 ERA) in tomorrow's series opener in Kansas City.
Edwin Jackson has finally fulfilled his vast potential. Jackson won 14 games for the surprise AL Champion Rays last season, but was left out of the post-season rotation. Tampa traded him to the Tigers in the off season for outfielder Matt Joyce. Jackson (4-2, 2.55 ERA) leads the staff in innings pitched and has shown the will of an ace in his last two starts, returning after an hour long rain delay to throw three more innings against Oakland on May 15, followed by a 132 pitch effort against Texas on Thursday. He has been the staff's most consistent starter this season.
Rick Porcello has been an absolute revelation for the 2009 edition of the Tigers in much the same way that Verlander was to the '06 version. The 20 year old rookie had never pitched above A-ball when he made the big club out of spring training. The first few starts were bit rough, but he has settled in nicely, not having allowed a home run this month, after allowing six long balls in April. Porcello (5-3, 3.55 ERA) leads the team in wins and seemingly gets better with each start.
Armando Galarraga has struggled mightily in the month of May, after roaring to a 3-0 start to the season. The second year righthander had a slightly improved effort Saturday against Colorado, but may only get one more start before Bonderman returns from injury and pushes someone out of the rotation. Right now, the smart money is on a Galarraga (3-4, 5.74ERA) trip to AAA Toledo to try to work out his problems in the minor leagues. Galarraga was easily the best of the staff in 2008, finishing 13-7 as a rookie, but something as been amiss in his past several starts and he needs to get right if the Tigers are to use him in a major league role.
Despite consecutive losses to the Rockies over the weekend, the Detroit Tigers head into Memorial Day in first place in the AL Central, three games better than the Kansas City Royals. Detroit travels to Kansas City for a three game series starting tomorrow afternoon. The Tigers finished 2008 in last place in the division, one game worse than the perennial cellar-dwelling Royals. The main reason for the early season success for both teams has been the performance of their starting rotation. Kansas City, lead by Cy Young candidate Zach Grienke, leads the American League with a team ERA of 3.87, while Detroit ranks third with a 3.96. The Tigers, meanwhile rank second in the league in opponents batting average at .247, with the Royals on spot behind them at .256 (stats ESPN.com). The Tigers offense, currently ranked in the bottom half of the American League, will need continued strong performances from Miguel Cabrera and Brandon Inge, but will also need to see a return to form from Magglio Ordonez and injured DH Carlos Guillen to keep the pressure off the starting rotation, and to keep the pressure on the rest of the division, as the Tigers attempt to pull away.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
Brandon Inge Fullfilling All-Star Potential
Brandon Inge spent most of season last year changing positions and waiting for a trade. Following the blockbuster deal that brought Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis to Detroit after the 2007 season, and the move to bring Edgar Renteria to Detroit, the 2008 Tigers infield was set. Carlos Guillen was shifting from shortstop to firstbase, Cabrera was to be the everyday third baseman. That left the slick-fielding Inge, who had been the team's third baseman, as a man without a position.
Inge, a converted catcher, had become the regular third baseman in 2005 and during the next three seasons, the Tigers watched his defense grow, and his offense become respectable. He had a banner season in 2006, when he hit 27 home runs, mainly from the ninth spot in the order. But his offense lagged in 2007, and the Tigers' brass felt an offensive upgrade was necessary headed into 2008. Speculation of a trade that would send him to a team where he could start ran rampant throughout the off-season and spring training, but nothing materialized, leaving an unhappy Inge back in the utility role he held in 2004.
2008 was a forgettable season in Motown, as the Tigers, picked by many as a team primed to win the world series, stumbled to an 0-7 start and never really contended in the Central, finishing dead last. A spring training injury to Curtis Granderson meant Inge would begin the season as the center fielder. But when Granderson returned to the lineup, Inge returned to the bench. With the Tigers' season slipping away, the team traded catcher Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees at the deadline and installed Inge as the new starting catcher, a role he had held before Rodriguez had arrived in Detroit. Still, Inge yearned to play third, and as had been the case in his first stint as the Tigers' backstop, his offense struggled. Near the end of the season, manager Jim Leyland announced plans to change the look of the team for '09: In an effort to emphasize defense, Carlos Guillen would be moved to left field, and Brandon Inge would be going home to third base. Everyday. The only question was could Inge hit well enough to keep the position?
Inge, who was the Tigers' second round draft pick in 1998, came into 2009 like a man on a mission. Armed with the confidence of a full-time job and a new stance at the plate, his offensive numbers have surged this season. Through 40 games, he is carrying a .279 AVG, with a team high 12 HR and 31RBI to go along with a .965 OPS (baseball-reference). His defensive play has also been nothing short of spectacular. Inge leads the majors in the unofficial stat of "web gems", as tracked by ESPN.com. His play in the field has greatly contributed to the turn around of the Tigers' pitching staff, as he turns doubles in to outs on a seemingly nightly basis. He simply makes plays that no other third baseman can make. His range and athleticism allows him to get to balls that even the best at the position just cannot. His play at the dish has more than made up for the poor starts of would-be run producers Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, and has helped vault the Motor City Kitties into first-place in the Central.
The American League has several worthy contenders for a spot as a third baseman on the All-Star team this season, and Rays' manager Joe Maddon will have a tough time picking his reserves. Evan Longoria leads the AL in RBI, Alex Rodriguez has returned from injury and should garner the votes needed to start the game, and Micheal Young is having another strong season in Texas. But in a season where the Tigers figure to have at least a few all-stars, Brandon Inge should not be overlooked. He won't get the fans' vote to start the game, but Maddon should make sure Inge makes the team. This is the season that he has finally put it all together. He changes games on defense, and this season, he changes games on offense as well.
Inge, a converted catcher, had become the regular third baseman in 2005 and during the next three seasons, the Tigers watched his defense grow, and his offense become respectable. He had a banner season in 2006, when he hit 27 home runs, mainly from the ninth spot in the order. But his offense lagged in 2007, and the Tigers' brass felt an offensive upgrade was necessary headed into 2008. Speculation of a trade that would send him to a team where he could start ran rampant throughout the off-season and spring training, but nothing materialized, leaving an unhappy Inge back in the utility role he held in 2004.
2008 was a forgettable season in Motown, as the Tigers, picked by many as a team primed to win the world series, stumbled to an 0-7 start and never really contended in the Central, finishing dead last. A spring training injury to Curtis Granderson meant Inge would begin the season as the center fielder. But when Granderson returned to the lineup, Inge returned to the bench. With the Tigers' season slipping away, the team traded catcher Ivan Rodriguez to the Yankees at the deadline and installed Inge as the new starting catcher, a role he had held before Rodriguez had arrived in Detroit. Still, Inge yearned to play third, and as had been the case in his first stint as the Tigers' backstop, his offense struggled. Near the end of the season, manager Jim Leyland announced plans to change the look of the team for '09: In an effort to emphasize defense, Carlos Guillen would be moved to left field, and Brandon Inge would be going home to third base. Everyday. The only question was could Inge hit well enough to keep the position?
Inge, who was the Tigers' second round draft pick in 1998, came into 2009 like a man on a mission. Armed with the confidence of a full-time job and a new stance at the plate, his offensive numbers have surged this season. Through 40 games, he is carrying a .279 AVG, with a team high 12 HR and 31RBI to go along with a .965 OPS (baseball-reference). His defensive play has also been nothing short of spectacular. Inge leads the majors in the unofficial stat of "web gems", as tracked by ESPN.com. His play in the field has greatly contributed to the turn around of the Tigers' pitching staff, as he turns doubles in to outs on a seemingly nightly basis. He simply makes plays that no other third baseman can make. His range and athleticism allows him to get to balls that even the best at the position just cannot. His play at the dish has more than made up for the poor starts of would-be run producers Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, and has helped vault the Motor City Kitties into first-place in the Central.
The American League has several worthy contenders for a spot as a third baseman on the All-Star team this season, and Rays' manager Joe Maddon will have a tough time picking his reserves. Evan Longoria leads the AL in RBI, Alex Rodriguez has returned from injury and should garner the votes needed to start the game, and Micheal Young is having another strong season in Texas. But in a season where the Tigers figure to have at least a few all-stars, Brandon Inge should not be overlooked. He won't get the fans' vote to start the game, but Maddon should make sure Inge makes the team. This is the season that he has finally put it all together. He changes games on defense, and this season, he changes games on offense as well.
Friday, May 22, 2009
132 pitches, but who's counting?
In yesterday afternoon's 4-3 Tiger victory over the formerly hot Texas Rangers, Edwin Jackson pitched 8 full innings and left after his 132nd pitch of the game. Jackson had begun the eighth with a 3-1 lead and after a walk to David Murphy on his 110th pitch, Jim Leyland strode to the mound, chatted with his starter, and then headed back to the dugout without making a pitching change. It would be another 22 pitches from Jackson before the eighth inning came to a close, with the game now tied at 3-3, thanks to a 2 run double from Nelson Cruz.
There was some serious second guessing during the game in the live game thread at BYB, and several posts written about Leyland's decision since. Billfer gave his take, so did Ian. I however, will choose to respectfully disagree with both gentlemen. I'm not trying to be one of those who will tell you that pitch counts don't mean anything, but I don't think they mean as much as most people seem to think. People seem to get caught up in a pitcher throwing 100 pitches and then having to come out. Why? Because 100 is a nice round number? Isn't that the same reason the Cubs were supposed to have won the world series last season? I guess someone forgot to tell the Dodgers that it had been 100 years, and it was now time for the Cubs to win. The emphasis on pitch counts has been put into effect for many reasons; the evolution of the closer (don't get me started on what the save has done to managers), the expansion of the bullpen, and the fact that those middle relievers get paid too, so you might as well pitch them, but most will cite the possible injury to the guy doing all that pitching. Dusty Baker has long been blamed for "abusing" young starters and driving their careers into the abyss. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood have seen their share of injuries since their early years pitching for Baker, but you won't hear either of them doing the blaming. The simple fact is that some pitchers are going to get hurt every year, throwing a baseball overhanded is not a natural motion and does put considerable strain on the shoulder and elbow. Some pitchers get hurt, some seemingly don't. Jack Morris, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, Dwight Gooden, Jaime Moyer, Randy Johnson, and Al Leiter all pitched very long careers, much of their careers before pitch counts "mattered", and never had serious arm injuries. I do agree with Billfer when he said that an individual pitcher must be looked at case by case, and previous injuries should be considered. I'm not here telling you that Rick Porcello should be throwing 140 pitches tonight, his arm has not been stretched out yet to accommodate that type of work load. And I'm not arguing that Jackson was still effective in the eighth, but I will tell you that a successful team must have starting pitchers that can pitch deep into games. The mentality of the starting pitcher used to be that if he got the ball it was his game to finish, it is that mentality that Leyland is trying to instill in Jackson and Justin Verlander. Recently, that mentality has eroded across the majors. Now if a starter goes 6 innings and gives up 3 runs, it's called a "quality start". I would call that a #5 starter with an ERA of 4.50. Nolan Ryan would call that a poor performance. In a recent article for ESPN.com, Rick Sutcliffe noted the success of the Rangers staff this season and credits Ryan, along with the philosophies of Mike Maddux, for de-emphasising pitch counts as part of the improvement.
I applaud Leyland for not always adhering to conventional wisdom and pushing some of his starters deeper. Jackson and Verlander will need to be counted on as guys that can work deep into games. They will need to do what they have been doing in order to protect the workload of the young Porcello. If Dontrelle Willis continues to make strides with his performances, I would bet you'll see him pitching deep as well. And the Tigers will be a better team because of it. Injuries can happen to any pitcher at any time, but if Jackson comes up with a bad shoulder sometime soon, you won't hear me blaming Leyland, or the 132 pitches that Jackson threw yesterday.
There was some serious second guessing during the game in the live game thread at BYB, and several posts written about Leyland's decision since. Billfer gave his take, so did Ian. I however, will choose to respectfully disagree with both gentlemen. I'm not trying to be one of those who will tell you that pitch counts don't mean anything, but I don't think they mean as much as most people seem to think. People seem to get caught up in a pitcher throwing 100 pitches and then having to come out. Why? Because 100 is a nice round number? Isn't that the same reason the Cubs were supposed to have won the world series last season? I guess someone forgot to tell the Dodgers that it had been 100 years, and it was now time for the Cubs to win. The emphasis on pitch counts has been put into effect for many reasons; the evolution of the closer (don't get me started on what the save has done to managers), the expansion of the bullpen, and the fact that those middle relievers get paid too, so you might as well pitch them, but most will cite the possible injury to the guy doing all that pitching. Dusty Baker has long been blamed for "abusing" young starters and driving their careers into the abyss. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood have seen their share of injuries since their early years pitching for Baker, but you won't hear either of them doing the blaming. The simple fact is that some pitchers are going to get hurt every year, throwing a baseball overhanded is not a natural motion and does put considerable strain on the shoulder and elbow. Some pitchers get hurt, some seemingly don't. Jack Morris, Nolan Ryan, Greg Maddux, Curt Schilling, Dwight Gooden, Jaime Moyer, Randy Johnson, and Al Leiter all pitched very long careers, much of their careers before pitch counts "mattered", and never had serious arm injuries. I do agree with Billfer when he said that an individual pitcher must be looked at case by case, and previous injuries should be considered. I'm not here telling you that Rick Porcello should be throwing 140 pitches tonight, his arm has not been stretched out yet to accommodate that type of work load. And I'm not arguing that Jackson was still effective in the eighth, but I will tell you that a successful team must have starting pitchers that can pitch deep into games. The mentality of the starting pitcher used to be that if he got the ball it was his game to finish, it is that mentality that Leyland is trying to instill in Jackson and Justin Verlander. Recently, that mentality has eroded across the majors. Now if a starter goes 6 innings and gives up 3 runs, it's called a "quality start". I would call that a #5 starter with an ERA of 4.50. Nolan Ryan would call that a poor performance. In a recent article for ESPN.com, Rick Sutcliffe noted the success of the Rangers staff this season and credits Ryan, along with the philosophies of Mike Maddux, for de-emphasising pitch counts as part of the improvement.
I applaud Leyland for not always adhering to conventional wisdom and pushing some of his starters deeper. Jackson and Verlander will need to be counted on as guys that can work deep into games. They will need to do what they have been doing in order to protect the workload of the young Porcello. If Dontrelle Willis continues to make strides with his performances, I would bet you'll see him pitching deep as well. And the Tigers will be a better team because of it. Injuries can happen to any pitcher at any time, but if Jackson comes up with a bad shoulder sometime soon, you won't hear me blaming Leyland, or the 132 pitches that Jackson threw yesterday.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Don't Hate on the D-Train
This is what we have been waiting for. The triumphant return of the D-Train. 6.1 Innings, 2 walks, 0 runs, 5 strikeouts, one hit. Willis retired 17 consecutive batters before walking Andruw Jones on his final pitch of his remarkable effort, the longest such stretch of any Tigers pitcher this year. He left to a standing ovation. Dontrelle Willis pitched with purpose all night, he featured a biting slider and spotted his fastball on both sides of the plate. His motion was free and easy, and he reminded all who were watching of a young lefty that used to pitch for the Marlins.
Oh, there were some hard hit balls, this is, after all a major league team he was facing. The defense made some very good plays behind him, as is the case in any well pitched game, by any pitcher. Let us not hold Dontrelle Willis to a higher standard than Justin Verlander. It seems the critics are not yet ready to embrace Dontrelle, and I can sort of see that line of thinking, having been burned a few too many times last season, but if Verlander shuts down an opposing offense people give him the credit for pitching well, and mention that the defense played well, also. Last night's performance by Willis should garner the same reaction, but sadly, it hasn't. The critics will tell you that the defense made a few great plays on some very hard hit balls that bailed Willis out of an otherwise okay effort. They will say that a couple of long outs would have been homeruns in another park. But what happened, what actually happened was that Willis pitched very well, and the defense made plays behind him. Just the same as it would have been reported had last night's game been pitched by Edwin Jackson. Dontrelle's recent history should not allow him to be held to a lower standard than any other major league pitcher, but it also should not result in him being held to a higher one. Willis wasn't any more "lucky" last night than any other big league starter, but he was better than most, even if just for a night.
If you haven't read it yet, check out J. Ellet Lambie's take on Dontrelle, it's definately worth a read.
Oh, there were some hard hit balls, this is, after all a major league team he was facing. The defense made some very good plays behind him, as is the case in any well pitched game, by any pitcher. Let us not hold Dontrelle Willis to a higher standard than Justin Verlander. It seems the critics are not yet ready to embrace Dontrelle, and I can sort of see that line of thinking, having been burned a few too many times last season, but if Verlander shuts down an opposing offense people give him the credit for pitching well, and mention that the defense played well, also. Last night's performance by Willis should garner the same reaction, but sadly, it hasn't. The critics will tell you that the defense made a few great plays on some very hard hit balls that bailed Willis out of an otherwise okay effort. They will say that a couple of long outs would have been homeruns in another park. But what happened, what actually happened was that Willis pitched very well, and the defense made plays behind him. Just the same as it would have been reported had last night's game been pitched by Edwin Jackson. Dontrelle's recent history should not allow him to be held to a lower standard than any other major league pitcher, but it also should not result in him being held to a higher one. Willis wasn't any more "lucky" last night than any other big league starter, but he was better than most, even if just for a night.
If you haven't read it yet, check out J. Ellet Lambie's take on Dontrelle, it's definately worth a read.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Dontrelle to Face a Tougher Test
When the Texas Rangers last came to Detroit, they were in first place in the AL West, and had yet to taste defeat in the 2009 season. How'd that work out for them? A three game sweep at the hands of the Tigers lead many to expect the same kind of season that has been the Rangers calling card over the past several years; a ton of hitting, but no pitching. The Tigers outscored Texas 25-9 in those three games to jump-start Detroit to a 20-16 record so far. Once again tonight, Texas begins a three game set in Detroit as a first place team, this time backed by a seven game winning streak. But the Tigers have not lost to Texas at Comerica Park since September 11, 2007, having ripped off nine straight against them since. Dontrelle Willis will try to do his part to continue the recent dominance when he makes his 2009 home debut tonight, opposite Brandon McCarthy.
The D-Train pitched well enough against the Twins last week to earn himself a second look in the rotation. While he was frequently unable to put Twins' hitters away, he had little trouble getting ahead of them. Willis tossed 4.2 innings, yielding 8 hits, 2 walks, and 4 earned runs in his first start, but considering where he has come from, I thought it was a pretty good effort, and a fine place to start. He battled a tight strike zone, both of his walks came on 3-2 counts and could have been easily called third strikes. He battled his way out of jams by getting double play balls, and he kept his poise after a long homerun by Justin Morneau. And he kept battling through two terrible defensive plays by Miguel Cabrera. In a word, it was encouraging. Dontrelle will try to build on that effort tonight against a team that he had marginal success against last year. In a September start versus Texas, Willis held the Rangers to just 2 hits over five innings, but he walked 4 and allowed 3 runs, throwing only 47 of his 89 pitches for strikes. Remarkably, it was one of his better appearances as Tiger to date.
The Tigers have had strong pitching for most of the season, and for them to continue to contend in the Central, they cannot afford a let down. Willis is capable of becoming a solid starting pitcher again, and with the recent struggles of Armando Galarraga, the team needs a solid effort from Willis tonight and every fifth day thereafter. Facing McCarthy, the offense should be able to put up some runs, even minus the suddenly hot Magglio Ordonez, and hopefully Willis can find a groove and improve upon his last outing. First game jitters should be out of the way for Willis, this is the start that should show everyone what kind of pitcher he can be. It's a big test, against a very good and balanced lineup, but it's a test he can pass, I think.
I have tried to remain as level-headed about Willis as I could, but Tiger-fan or not, if you can't root for this guy to get back to good, who can you root for?
The D-Train pitched well enough against the Twins last week to earn himself a second look in the rotation. While he was frequently unable to put Twins' hitters away, he had little trouble getting ahead of them. Willis tossed 4.2 innings, yielding 8 hits, 2 walks, and 4 earned runs in his first start, but considering where he has come from, I thought it was a pretty good effort, and a fine place to start. He battled a tight strike zone, both of his walks came on 3-2 counts and could have been easily called third strikes. He battled his way out of jams by getting double play balls, and he kept his poise after a long homerun by Justin Morneau. And he kept battling through two terrible defensive plays by Miguel Cabrera. In a word, it was encouraging. Dontrelle will try to build on that effort tonight against a team that he had marginal success against last year. In a September start versus Texas, Willis held the Rangers to just 2 hits over five innings, but he walked 4 and allowed 3 runs, throwing only 47 of his 89 pitches for strikes. Remarkably, it was one of his better appearances as Tiger to date.
The Tigers have had strong pitching for most of the season, and for them to continue to contend in the Central, they cannot afford a let down. Willis is capable of becoming a solid starting pitcher again, and with the recent struggles of Armando Galarraga, the team needs a solid effort from Willis tonight and every fifth day thereafter. Facing McCarthy, the offense should be able to put up some runs, even minus the suddenly hot Magglio Ordonez, and hopefully Willis can find a groove and improve upon his last outing. First game jitters should be out of the way for Willis, this is the start that should show everyone what kind of pitcher he can be. It's a big test, against a very good and balanced lineup, but it's a test he can pass, I think.
I have tried to remain as level-headed about Willis as I could, but Tiger-fan or not, if you can't root for this guy to get back to good, who can you root for?
Monday, May 18, 2009
The Curious Case of Armando Galarraga
Just when you would think the Tigers are about to be overflowing with starting pitchers, the floor falls out from under last year's most dependable starter. Armando Galarraga began the year in Cy Young form, blistering the AL to the tune of 3-0 with a 1.85 ERA in his first four starts. When Justin Verlander was allowing an earned run per inning to begin this year, it was Galarraga and Edwin Jackson that held the rotation together. Now that Verlander has gone all Bob Gibson on us, and with Jackson continuing to provide Ace-like efforts, Galarraga has proven himself as the current weakest link. Rick Porcello has been very good of late, with four consecutive quality starts, and the return of Dontrelle Willis has moved former weakest link Zach Miner back to the 'pen. This was to be the rotation that allowed Detroit to take their time bringing back Jeremy Bonderman from his rehab assignment. All of a sudden, with a string of increasingly poor starts, Galarraga is threatening to surrender his spot in that rotation. Kurt recently chronicled the woes of Galarraga, but came up with same questions that most of us have; What's wrong with him and how much longer does he have to figure it out?
Bonderman is on his way back to the big leagues, he pitched well in his first rehab start for West Michigan and will have at least one more with Toledo. Bonderman says that's all he will need and expects to be making his season debut within 10 days. That probably means one more start for Galarraga to right his ship. If he can't, what do the Tigers do then? Ian wonders the same thing (as do many others), is he headed for the bullpen? I have been unable to come up with any information about his minor league options, but I believe he is without any, meaning the team would have to place him on waivers (where he would almost certainly be claimed) to send him down. The only other course of action would be a trip to the disabled list, but with the recent national scrutiny over the Tigers use of the DL with Willis, I would wonder how closely MLB would monitor the teams use of the DL with another strange ailment, such as a "tired arm". This could potentially lead to either a logjam in the major league bullpen, or the loss of Galarraga to another organization very shortly.
All eyes are on you, Armando. Time to step it up.
Bonderman is on his way back to the big leagues, he pitched well in his first rehab start for West Michigan and will have at least one more with Toledo. Bonderman says that's all he will need and expects to be making his season debut within 10 days. That probably means one more start for Galarraga to right his ship. If he can't, what do the Tigers do then? Ian wonders the same thing (as do many others), is he headed for the bullpen? I have been unable to come up with any information about his minor league options, but I believe he is without any, meaning the team would have to place him on waivers (where he would almost certainly be claimed) to send him down. The only other course of action would be a trip to the disabled list, but with the recent national scrutiny over the Tigers use of the DL with Willis, I would wonder how closely MLB would monitor the teams use of the DL with another strange ailment, such as a "tired arm". This could potentially lead to either a logjam in the major league bullpen, or the loss of Galarraga to another organization very shortly.
All eyes are on you, Armando. Time to step it up.
Friday, May 15, 2009
The Hatred of Joe Crede
I have never heard anything about Joe Crede as a person. I don't know him, he may be a really nice guy. Somehow I doubt it, though. I don't want to know Joe Crede. I do not like him at all. I don't like his name, I don't like his face, I don't like the way that he is considered by some to be a better defender than Brandon Inge. I don't know if he is married or has kids, nor do I want to know. I hate Joe Crede. I may even hate him more than A.J. Pierzynski. I am a firm believer than Crede signed with the Twins instead of the Giants for the simple reason of being able to stick it to the Tigers at least 18 more times. That he did it just to spite us fans. Decent people would never make a decision based on spite. Obviously, Mr. Crede is not a decent person. Ian agrees, as I'm sure many, many other Tiger fans do.
Crede is a Tiger killer, and the numbers back it up. In his career entering yesterday's matinee, he had played 90 games vs. the Tigers and had a batting average of .276 (shockingly low, I would have guessed that to be closer to .895) against them, with 24 HR 68 RBI and a .897 OPS. Conversely, if you look at his career numbers against every other team in the major leagues, he carries only a .254 average with a .736 OPS. He has hit more homeruns vs Detroit than any other opponent as well. But don't think the Tigers' staff hasn't been trying to extract their revenge, they have beaned Crede 6 times (also shockingly low), more than any other opponent has. Perhaps they have only made him angry.
I hate Joe Crede, Joe Effing Crede.
Crede is a Tiger killer, and the numbers back it up. In his career entering yesterday's matinee, he had played 90 games vs. the Tigers and had a batting average of .276 (shockingly low, I would have guessed that to be closer to .895) against them, with 24 HR 68 RBI and a .897 OPS. Conversely, if you look at his career numbers against every other team in the major leagues, he carries only a .254 average with a .736 OPS. He has hit more homeruns vs Detroit than any other opponent as well. But don't think the Tigers' staff hasn't been trying to extract their revenge, they have beaned Crede 6 times (also shockingly low), more than any other opponent has. Perhaps they have only made him angry.
I hate Joe Crede, Joe Effing Crede.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
D-Train Back on Track
Welcome back, Dontrelle! Willis didn't look great during his 4.2 inning start against the Twins Wednesday, in his first start of the season, but he did look like he belonged. After walking Denard Span to start the game on some very close pitches, he settled in fairly well. He pitched like he had a plan and a purpose. He wasn't trying to throw strikes, he was trying to pitch. And for the most part, looked pretty good. He had little trouble getting ahead of hitters and his velocity was very good, 89-91 with the two seamer and 93-95 with the four seamer. He didn't dominate, but he looked like he could have. The stuff was there. The command was off just a bit a few too many times. Willis left a fastball in the middle of the plate to Justin Morneau, who did what MVP's do and hit it out. Willis was unable to strikeout a batter in his outing, struggling to find the command of his slider. And the defense (Miguel Cabrera) didn't necessarily help as much as it could. I was wondering to myself during the game, if I was giving him too much credit for his efforts, but considering where he has come from, I will take that performance from Willis. Everyone was talking about him having to pitch in the dome against the Twins in his first start and how tough that was going to be. All things considered, I am very pleased with what I saw from him. He has some room for improvement, but hopefully a little fine tuning and he will help the Tigers. Again, people, he doesn't need to win the Cy Young, he just needs to pitch like a capable #4 or 5 starter. Last night showed me that he still has the ability to do that. Harold Reynolds agrees.
In other news, where oh where is Nate Robertson? Billfer passed along a rumor that he may be hurt, and Lucas French is being called up to replace him. Again, this is not confirmed, but I would wonder why a guy who hasn't pitched since May 5th, would just now be getting put on the DL? That is the only logical explanation as to why he never even got up last night, while Zumaya and Lyon were extended to three innings, but I have yet to find any confirmation of this.
UPDATE (9:14am): Robertson placed on DL, Lucas French is the player on his way from Toledo, and will be available for today's game.
Oh yeah, and I hate Joe Crede.
In other news, where oh where is Nate Robertson? Billfer passed along a rumor that he may be hurt, and Lucas French is being called up to replace him. Again, this is not confirmed, but I would wonder why a guy who hasn't pitched since May 5th, would just now be getting put on the DL? That is the only logical explanation as to why he never even got up last night, while Zumaya and Lyon were extended to three innings, but I have yet to find any confirmation of this.
UPDATE (9:14am): Robertson placed on DL, Lucas French is the player on his way from Toledo, and will be available for today's game.
Oh yeah, and I hate Joe Crede.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
New role for Perry?
Following the Tigers utterly disappointing loss to the Twins on Tuesday, the team made the roster move needed to activate Dontrelle Willis in time for his start today. Kurt passed along a "tweet" from Jason Beck stating that Juan Rincon is on his way out. He has three days to accept a demotion to Toledo or elect free agency. As an aside, I don't tweet, I have never even been to this twitter site. I am but a simple caveman, and your high-tech world of tweets frightens me. I guess I should probably get with the program, though. I'll put it on my to do list. Anyhow, Beck also mentioned Jim Leyland's use of Ryan Perry. Specifically, that Leyland's plan is to extend Perry up to 40 pitches per outing. Obviously, Perry has not been used in late inning short relief much since the return of Joel Zumaya, so evidently, Leyland planned to use him in more of a long relief role. My only question is.... uhh, why? The bullpen has a glut of long relievers right now, recently displaced starter Zach Miner is already stretched out, and former actual living member of the pitching staff Nate Robertson is, in fact, still on the active roster, and could presumably pitch in that role as well. Leyland said he felt it was a good way to "break (Perry) in", and while I'll agree that the more live batters he faces, the faster he will develop, how many long men does one team need?
Perhaps Leyland is taking the glass half full approach; If his starter falters early, he could set it up to bring Perry in early, to try to hold the other offense down. Not many teams have a guy that can dominate in the long role, as guys that can do that, (and Perry can) are usually either starters or late inning guys. He obviously feels quite comfortable with Brandon Lyon and Bobby Seay in middle relief, followed by Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. I can't say as I blame Leyland for that line of thinking. But again, the reason that pitchers with the kind of stuff that Perry can feature don't pitch in long relief, is that they are typically much more useful in the other roles. And I would guess that Leyland eventually plans to return Perry to short relief. In the meantime, however, what will the roles of Miner and Robertson be?
Perhaps Leyland is taking the glass half full approach; If his starter falters early, he could set it up to bring Perry in early, to try to hold the other offense down. Not many teams have a guy that can dominate in the long role, as guys that can do that, (and Perry can) are usually either starters or late inning guys. He obviously feels quite comfortable with Brandon Lyon and Bobby Seay in middle relief, followed by Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. I can't say as I blame Leyland for that line of thinking. But again, the reason that pitchers with the kind of stuff that Perry can feature don't pitch in long relief, is that they are typically much more useful in the other roles. And I would guess that Leyland eventually plans to return Perry to short relief. In the meantime, however, what will the roles of Miner and Robertson be?
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Decision Looming for Tigers
With the Tigers in Minnesota to take on the Twins over the next three days, the big draw for me is the return of Dontrelle Willis to the Tigers' rotation. He will make his season debut on Wednesday, opposing lefty Glen Perkins. Willis will take over the rotation spot previously held by Zach Miner, who has posted an unimpressive 14:11 K/BB ratio and 1.76 WHIP this season. In order to clear space for Willis on the active roster, the Tigers will have to send someone out. Barring an injury in tonight's game, or a surprise trade, that move will likely be to either option a player to Toledo, or to release someone altogether. I would assume that since Carlos Guillen and Marcus Thames are currently still on the DL, that player will be a pitcher. So, let's look at the candidates:
Ryan Perry: the 22 year old fireballer has been impressive, if a bit wild this season. 10 K's in 12.1 IP, but also 11 walks. Of all the possibilties, I think this one is the most likely. Joel Zumaya's return has limited the late inning appearances for Perry, he has minor league options left, and could use some seasoning in the minors while he attempts to gain better command of his pitches. But the sky is the limit on his potential, and he has been able to wiggle out of jams consistently, even if those jams are of his own making.
Juan Rincon: Rincon made the team as a non-roster invitee in Lakeland this spring by dominating the grapefruit league. His role in the 'pen has diminished since the start of the year, due mainly to a few poor performances. He is still striking out a batter per inning, but has allowed 12 hits and six walks in 10.1 innings of work, and Jim Leyland has been reluctant to use him in tight games. Rincon has no minor league options and could be released.
Brandon Lyon: Lyon was signed in the off-season to compete for the closer's job, one he lost last season in Arizona. He had a rough spring and lost the competition to Fernando Rodney this year. Lyon has shown signs of being a capable pitcher in Motown, just so long as Leyland doesn't send him out there for a second inning. The return of Zumaya has affected Leyland's use of Lyon as well, as he is no longer the primary set-up man. The balance of his $4MM salary would have to be eaten by the team if he were to be designated for assignment, but they may be able to bring back a low to mid level prospect in a trade.
Nate Robertson: Isn't this the whole point of Rogo's blog? Robertson's fall from grace has been well documented. He failed to crack the rotation out of spring training, then talked openly about his future possibly being with another organization. He has the credentials to pitch in long relief, but Leyland has been hesitant to use him in that role, or much at all recently. Robertson has not been effective for much of the season and he would seem the obvious choice to be DFA'd. Of course there's the small matter of the balance of his contract, that pays him $7MM this season and $10MM next year. After the Tigers ate the $13.6MM on Gary Sheffield's deal this spring, I doubt Mr. Illitch is too keen on swallowing that much more, and that may be the only reason Robertson's still around.
Of course, all this could be for naught if the team decides that someone like Jeff Larish needs regular AB's in Toledo and they go forward with a 13 man pitching staff. To me, however, that would only enable them to continue to carry the dead-weight contracts of Rincon and Robertson. Let's just hope that Willis can become a solid contributor to the team, and pitch his way into the good graces of Tiger fans worldwide. I'm not counting on a return to his days of Marlins glory, but I'm hopeful, and somewhat confident, that he can be a solid #4 starter for this team. He doesn't need to win the Cy Young award to be a success, just be a servicable pitcher again.
Ryan Perry: the 22 year old fireballer has been impressive, if a bit wild this season. 10 K's in 12.1 IP, but also 11 walks. Of all the possibilties, I think this one is the most likely. Joel Zumaya's return has limited the late inning appearances for Perry, he has minor league options left, and could use some seasoning in the minors while he attempts to gain better command of his pitches. But the sky is the limit on his potential, and he has been able to wiggle out of jams consistently, even if those jams are of his own making.
Juan Rincon: Rincon made the team as a non-roster invitee in Lakeland this spring by dominating the grapefruit league. His role in the 'pen has diminished since the start of the year, due mainly to a few poor performances. He is still striking out a batter per inning, but has allowed 12 hits and six walks in 10.1 innings of work, and Jim Leyland has been reluctant to use him in tight games. Rincon has no minor league options and could be released.
Brandon Lyon: Lyon was signed in the off-season to compete for the closer's job, one he lost last season in Arizona. He had a rough spring and lost the competition to Fernando Rodney this year. Lyon has shown signs of being a capable pitcher in Motown, just so long as Leyland doesn't send him out there for a second inning. The return of Zumaya has affected Leyland's use of Lyon as well, as he is no longer the primary set-up man. The balance of his $4MM salary would have to be eaten by the team if he were to be designated for assignment, but they may be able to bring back a low to mid level prospect in a trade.
Nate Robertson: Isn't this the whole point of Rogo's blog? Robertson's fall from grace has been well documented. He failed to crack the rotation out of spring training, then talked openly about his future possibly being with another organization. He has the credentials to pitch in long relief, but Leyland has been hesitant to use him in that role, or much at all recently. Robertson has not been effective for much of the season and he would seem the obvious choice to be DFA'd. Of course there's the small matter of the balance of his contract, that pays him $7MM this season and $10MM next year. After the Tigers ate the $13.6MM on Gary Sheffield's deal this spring, I doubt Mr. Illitch is too keen on swallowing that much more, and that may be the only reason Robertson's still around.
Of course, all this could be for naught if the team decides that someone like Jeff Larish needs regular AB's in Toledo and they go forward with a 13 man pitching staff. To me, however, that would only enable them to continue to carry the dead-weight contracts of Rincon and Robertson. Let's just hope that Willis can become a solid contributor to the team, and pitch his way into the good graces of Tiger fans worldwide. I'm not counting on a return to his days of Marlins glory, but I'm hopeful, and somewhat confident, that he can be a solid #4 starter for this team. He doesn't need to win the Cy Young award to be a success, just be a servicable pitcher again.
Monday, May 11, 2009
The Cougar, Cabby, and the First-Place Detroit Tigers
Some disturbing trends have begun in Motown recently regarding nicknames for our beloved Tigers. Rogo over at DesigNateRobertson recently took a look at it, and the party that is the Bless You Boys community has been tackling the Miguel Cabrera (or "Cabby" as Rod Allen has referred to him on waaay too many occasions) situation with gusto. But just recently, a new, much more revolting nickname has appeared, via ESPN.com's Alex Loeb. Loeb does the short video highlights included in the game recaps for the website, and Ian from BYB recently noticed that Loeb referred to Curtis Granderson as "the Cougar". It was my hope that this was an attempt to make an analogy about Grandy's leaping catch to rob the game from the Indians on Friday night, but alas, he did it again here. This cannot stand, people! Don't get me wrong, I'm all for players having colorful nicknames, but the cougar? I would hope we could do better. And who is this Loeb guy to be attaching nicknames at his whim? What kind of a world are we living in where people are allowed to say or write anything they want about a baseball team without any repercussions? In that world, some no-name from Delphos, Ohio could seemingly write his own blog and have it published for all the world to see, without having any credentials (aside from several years studying English at Bowling Green State University). Oh wait... I guess I'm glad that's the world we live in, and it gives me something to write about on the off day, thanks, Alex.
Anyway, after completing the three game sweep in Cleveland, Detroit now sits atop the AL Central standings, in a virtual tie with Kansas City. After not spending a single day in first last season, it sure is sweet this year. And as my boss pointed out this morning, if the team keeps pitching this way for the next 150 games, they'll win the world series. Dare to dream. Next up is a trip to the Metrodome to take on the Twins.
Anyway, after completing the three game sweep in Cleveland, Detroit now sits atop the AL Central standings, in a virtual tie with Kansas City. After not spending a single day in first last season, it sure is sweet this year. And as my boss pointed out this morning, if the team keeps pitching this way for the next 150 games, they'll win the world series. Dare to dream. Next up is a trip to the Metrodome to take on the Twins.
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Another Day, Another Shutout
Tigers 4 Indians 0
Another brilliant performance from Edwin Jackson, just as many of his efforts have been this season. Once again, he entered the seventh without allowing a run, and once again, he got himself in trouble in short order. But disaster was averted with a David Delucci liner that found the glove of Brandon Inge who quickly flipped the ball to second to double off Shin Soo Choo and effectively end the threat. More small ball from the Tigers had gotten the scoring started in the top of the inning, with RBI's from Gerald Laird on a ground ball out and Ramon Santiago on a clutch 2-out single through the middle. After that, and the double play by Delucci, The Tigers tacked on 2 more in the eighth, with Zumaya and Rodney finishing off the Tribe for the second shutout victory is as many days.
For Once, I get to second-guess the other teams manager
Now that Curtis Granderson occasionally hits in the middle of the order, I can more completely turn my attention to Eric Wedge and his out and out refusal to move Grady Sizemore from the leadoff spot. Much as with the Granderson situation, Sizemore was hitting leadoff because the Tribe really didn't have another great option there and the had very productive middle of the order hitters. Also, like Granderson's situation in the Tigers order, however, has been the dwindling production from former mainstays at the "run-producing" spots in the order. The disappearance of Travis Hafner and the lack of production from Jhonny Peralta has left the Tribe with exactly one bat, Victor Martinez, in the middle of the order that should scare anybody. Choo and Mark DeRosa are nice players, but they don't frighten me with runners on base. But Sizemore sure does. Everyday the Indians lose a game, I thank Eric Wedge for not dropping Sizemore in the order, they have a talented team, but as long as Wedge continues his stubborn misuse of the pieces he has been given, the Tigers, and the rest of the Central, should have little problem keeping them in the rear view mirror.
And Furthermore:
What's up with the Indians conceding the run in the top of the seventh? Do they not realize that they hadn't scored a run in 16 innings to that point, and the way Jackson was pitching, they couldn't have expected to hang two runs of the board quick. It shocked me and I'm sure it shocked the Tigers. I mean when Inge drops the bunt to set the table for Laird, who was one for his last twenty-freaking-four, by the way, that's a roll of the dice that Laird is going to come through. So when Rod Allen points out that the Indians are playing back up the middle, I'm dancing in the streets, as was Laird, who quickly fisted a soft ground ball to short scoring the tigers first run. That was all they would need.
A sweep of the Indians would be awfully sweet, wouldn't it? Couple that with the games being in Cleveland and it makes it a little better. Probably asking too much, but how about a shutout sweep? That's what Rick Porcello will try to get done for the Tigers when the teams finish a three game set at Progressive Field today at 1:05pm. Anthony Reyes goes for the Tribe, sporting an 8.51ERA at home this season. Maybe the Tigers can break out a little offense today.
Another brilliant performance from Edwin Jackson, just as many of his efforts have been this season. Once again, he entered the seventh without allowing a run, and once again, he got himself in trouble in short order. But disaster was averted with a David Delucci liner that found the glove of Brandon Inge who quickly flipped the ball to second to double off Shin Soo Choo and effectively end the threat. More small ball from the Tigers had gotten the scoring started in the top of the inning, with RBI's from Gerald Laird on a ground ball out and Ramon Santiago on a clutch 2-out single through the middle. After that, and the double play by Delucci, The Tigers tacked on 2 more in the eighth, with Zumaya and Rodney finishing off the Tribe for the second shutout victory is as many days.
For Once, I get to second-guess the other teams manager
Now that Curtis Granderson occasionally hits in the middle of the order, I can more completely turn my attention to Eric Wedge and his out and out refusal to move Grady Sizemore from the leadoff spot. Much as with the Granderson situation, Sizemore was hitting leadoff because the Tribe really didn't have another great option there and the had very productive middle of the order hitters. Also, like Granderson's situation in the Tigers order, however, has been the dwindling production from former mainstays at the "run-producing" spots in the order. The disappearance of Travis Hafner and the lack of production from Jhonny Peralta has left the Tribe with exactly one bat, Victor Martinez, in the middle of the order that should scare anybody. Choo and Mark DeRosa are nice players, but they don't frighten me with runners on base. But Sizemore sure does. Everyday the Indians lose a game, I thank Eric Wedge for not dropping Sizemore in the order, they have a talented team, but as long as Wedge continues his stubborn misuse of the pieces he has been given, the Tigers, and the rest of the Central, should have little problem keeping them in the rear view mirror.
And Furthermore:
What's up with the Indians conceding the run in the top of the seventh? Do they not realize that they hadn't scored a run in 16 innings to that point, and the way Jackson was pitching, they couldn't have expected to hang two runs of the board quick. It shocked me and I'm sure it shocked the Tigers. I mean when Inge drops the bunt to set the table for Laird, who was one for his last twenty-freaking-four, by the way, that's a roll of the dice that Laird is going to come through. So when Rod Allen points out that the Indians are playing back up the middle, I'm dancing in the streets, as was Laird, who quickly fisted a soft ground ball to short scoring the tigers first run. That was all they would need.
A sweep of the Indians would be awfully sweet, wouldn't it? Couple that with the games being in Cleveland and it makes it a little better. Probably asking too much, but how about a shutout sweep? That's what Rick Porcello will try to get done for the Tigers when the teams finish a three game set at Progressive Field today at 1:05pm. Anthony Reyes goes for the Tribe, sporting an 8.51ERA at home this season. Maybe the Tigers can break out a little offense today.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Game 28, Tigers 1 Indians 0
So that was fun, huh? So many headlines, where to begin? How about the catch? I love that it's the Indians feed, too. While Rod and Mario going crazy on FSN was fun, it was great to hear the shock coming from the STO team. This was the kind of game that makes you fall in love with baseball. This is why we watch. Most games are gone from the memory as soon as next one starts, but some games will stay with you for a long, long time, defined by the moments within. Typically, those game occur in the fall, with everything on the line. Kirk Gibson provided two of those games in the world series, first in '84, then again in '88. The Red Sox/Angels ALCS game six in 1986 (the Donnie Moore game). This game was just another Tigers/Indians game in May, with nothing but this game on the line, but it will stay with me just as long as the others have.
I got just the game I was hoping for. Justin Verlander dominated. Cliff Lee, for the second time in a week, proved a worthy adversary. Lee was very good again last night as he held the Tigers to just seven singles over eight innings, allowing one run, walking two and striking out five. That is a line that wins games almost every time. Not this time. I don't know if Verlander was better today than I've seen him in the past, his last start against Cleveland was great, too. He might have been more dominant when he tossed his no-hitter against the Brewers, but not much more. Verlander navigated through the Indians lineup with seemingly little effort for most of the game. After a yielding a single to Asdrubal Cabrera in the first, he didn't allow another hit until a 1-out double to Victor Martinez in the seventh. Along the way, Verlander fanned 11, including Cabrera to end the game with the tying run on base. How often can you watch a complete game 2-hitter against a pitcher who pitched as well as Cliff Lee did and yet the pitching seems to get buried in your memory of the game? Not often I'd guess. But, seemingly, that just wasn't the story. The catch was.
Bottom of the Ninth, runner at first, one out, Grady Sizemore at the plate. As soon as he hit it, it was trouble, Curtis Granderson drifted back. I said to my wife, more hopeful than anything, "He's got room", but then he didn't. It was gone, game over. I was going to have to watch another gut-punching loss, and what's worse, living in Ohio, I was going to have to hear about it and how great Sizemore is, from all the F'n Indians fans. ...And then he caught it. He caught it! OH MY GOD, HE CAUGHT IT!!!!
And how about the diving catch turned double play by Adam Everett in the seventh to keep the Indians off the board? This is the glove we heard about! There has been a ton of chirping about starting Santiago everyday at short, and as good defensively as he is, I'm not sure he makes that play, and I know he doesn't get to some of the leaping catches Everett has made over the past week. I'll take Everett everyday, thank you, if just for his glove. After that, the Tigers had to get a run somehow, they just couldn't let Verlander lose that game, could they? The answer came the next inning when Granderson walked with one out, stole second on a botched hit-and-run, (thanks to a high throw from Kelly Shoppach), and moved to third on a ground ball from Polanco. But then Clete Thomas hits a routine ground ball to second that should have ended the inning. Should have only because Thomas busted his ass all the way down the line and surprised the Indians rookie second baseman into double clutching his throw, allowing Thomas to beat it out and the Tigers to take the lead they would never give back. Thanks to the catch.
I got just the game I was hoping for. Justin Verlander dominated. Cliff Lee, for the second time in a week, proved a worthy adversary. Lee was very good again last night as he held the Tigers to just seven singles over eight innings, allowing one run, walking two and striking out five. That is a line that wins games almost every time. Not this time. I don't know if Verlander was better today than I've seen him in the past, his last start against Cleveland was great, too. He might have been more dominant when he tossed his no-hitter against the Brewers, but not much more. Verlander navigated through the Indians lineup with seemingly little effort for most of the game. After a yielding a single to Asdrubal Cabrera in the first, he didn't allow another hit until a 1-out double to Victor Martinez in the seventh. Along the way, Verlander fanned 11, including Cabrera to end the game with the tying run on base. How often can you watch a complete game 2-hitter against a pitcher who pitched as well as Cliff Lee did and yet the pitching seems to get buried in your memory of the game? Not often I'd guess. But, seemingly, that just wasn't the story. The catch was.
Bottom of the Ninth, runner at first, one out, Grady Sizemore at the plate. As soon as he hit it, it was trouble, Curtis Granderson drifted back. I said to my wife, more hopeful than anything, "He's got room", but then he didn't. It was gone, game over. I was going to have to watch another gut-punching loss, and what's worse, living in Ohio, I was going to have to hear about it and how great Sizemore is, from all the F'n Indians fans. ...And then he caught it. He caught it! OH MY GOD, HE CAUGHT IT!!!!
And how about the diving catch turned double play by Adam Everett in the seventh to keep the Indians off the board? This is the glove we heard about! There has been a ton of chirping about starting Santiago everyday at short, and as good defensively as he is, I'm not sure he makes that play, and I know he doesn't get to some of the leaping catches Everett has made over the past week. I'll take Everett everyday, thank you, if just for his glove. After that, the Tigers had to get a run somehow, they just couldn't let Verlander lose that game, could they? The answer came the next inning when Granderson walked with one out, stole second on a botched hit-and-run, (thanks to a high throw from Kelly Shoppach), and moved to third on a ground ball from Polanco. But then Clete Thomas hits a routine ground ball to second that should have ended the inning. Should have only because Thomas busted his ass all the way down the line and surprised the Indians rookie second baseman into double clutching his throw, allowing Thomas to beat it out and the Tigers to take the lead they would never give back. Thanks to the catch.
Friday, May 8, 2009
Back Away from the Ledge
Mark Buerhle was so excited about my new blog that he almost threw a perfect game to celebrate! Thanks, Mark, but, uh, you do realize this is a Tigers blog, right? I appreciate the thought, though. Next time, maybe just a fruit basket or something.
One thing I am hearing way too much of is fans lamenting the woeful offense. Settle down. It's going to be okay. No, the club is not putting up 6 or 7 runs every night, but they are averaging better than 5 runs per game. Great pitching performances happen. Sometimes you run into a buzz saw like Buerhle, who has been considered one of the top lefties in baseball for several years, and you catch them at the wrong time. See also the games against Zack Greinke and Cliff Lee. Sometimes you catch a young pitcher with great talent on the wrong night (Phil Hughes), and sometimes you can just blame the offense. This was not a night to blame the offense. As much as I hate the White Sox, I couldn't turn off the game last night because of the way Buerhle was pitching. I would personally rather watch a great pitching performance than a 10-8 game any day, and while I would have preferred it be Armando Galarraga tossing the gem, it was still something to behold, the way Buerhle mixed his pitches and kept the hitters off balance. It would have been a great game to watch if he were pitching against any other team, but what can you do?
That's the beauty of baseball, though, now we look ahead to tonight's game at Cleveland and what should be a great match up between Lee and Justin Verlander. Can JV keep up his string of dominant performances? Can the team as a whole manage more than 5 hits? If the first one happens, the second one might not matter.
One thing I am hearing way too much of is fans lamenting the woeful offense. Settle down. It's going to be okay. No, the club is not putting up 6 or 7 runs every night, but they are averaging better than 5 runs per game. Great pitching performances happen. Sometimes you run into a buzz saw like Buerhle, who has been considered one of the top lefties in baseball for several years, and you catch them at the wrong time. See also the games against Zack Greinke and Cliff Lee. Sometimes you catch a young pitcher with great talent on the wrong night (Phil Hughes), and sometimes you can just blame the offense. This was not a night to blame the offense. As much as I hate the White Sox, I couldn't turn off the game last night because of the way Buerhle was pitching. I would personally rather watch a great pitching performance than a 10-8 game any day, and while I would have preferred it be Armando Galarraga tossing the gem, it was still something to behold, the way Buerhle mixed his pitches and kept the hitters off balance. It would have been a great game to watch if he were pitching against any other team, but what can you do?
That's the beauty of baseball, though, now we look ahead to tonight's game at Cleveland and what should be a great match up between Lee and Justin Verlander. Can JV keep up his string of dominant performances? Can the team as a whole manage more than 5 hits? If the first one happens, the second one might not matter.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Everyone Else is Doing it, Why Can't I?
Let this serve as my official welcome to any and all of you that (hopefully) stumble across this blog. I have been an avid sports fan my whole life and am particularly passionate about the Detroit Tigers. My wife is a very patient woman with me and she does her best to pretend to care about my Tiger-related ramblings, which I appreciate very much. However, there are so many more opinions I want to voice and arguments I want to start/end involving those in the Old English D, that I felt this blog was necessary, there's just not many folks in Delphos, Ohio that care about what I have to say about baseball in general or the Tigers in particular. Hopefully, some of you will care enough to read and reply. I'm not sure what the main content will be as far as game recaps or just my thoughts on Tigers baseball, but I plan on having fun with this. Once I figure everything out, I'll post links to my favorite baseball (and maybe a few others) blogs, and we'll see where that takes us. I haven't been this excited since 2003... oh, wait, my bad. Early thank yous to to Ian at blessyouboys, Kurt at mackavenuetigers, and the folks at the now dark firejoemorgan.com for serving as my inspiration, go check them out.
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