Bobby Seay was designated for assignment and Wil Ledezma will get his spot in the bulllpen. Ledezma has been outstanding for Toledo with a 2.52 ERA and 66 strikeouts against 23 walks in 71 innings. It appears that this was less of a case of Seay earning a demotion, and more a case of Ledezma earning a promtion.
The other part of this move is that the Tigers are in a long stretch of games without a day off. Jim Leyland has hinted about using a 6th starter on occasion to spell the rotation. Ledezma could easily be that guy, where Seay never could.
As for Todd Jones, Leyland addressed it in his comments as reported by Danny Knobler:
“(Jones) didn’t really have much to do with the game, in my opinion (because the Tigers scored only 1 run in 12 innings). … If you just pitch Todd Jones in save situations, it’s different. I think if he’d have had a one run lead in the ninth, he’d have saved the game. … I think we’re talking too much about Todd Jones and not enough about one run in 12 innings.”
I would have been frustrated had Jones given up a run in extra innings, but I could have at least tolerated it. Somebody on one of the teams was going to give up a run at some point. It was the fact that he allowed the D-Rays to put the game out of reach with 4 runs. It isn’t the little blown save, it is the huge innings he’s allowing that are most troublesome.
I agree that 1 run in 12 innings is a problem. Jones’ streak of blowing games wide open is a bigger problem. Yet, Leyland can’t blast Jones in public. I just hope, like most of us, that he makes some role changes.
I wonder if Ledezma is being brought up to showcase for a possible trade…just wondering.
“I know it was you Fredo. You broke my heart. You broke my heart”
Hopefully we can swap Fredo for a left handed bat!
if we’re gonna trade somebody, let’s trade Jones. Of course, at this point, there’s probably nobody out there stupid enough to take him off our hands…….
Leyland might not blast Jones publicly for falling apart, as he did last night. But I think he has been critical, such as questioning a pitch he threw in a particular situation, or his approach when he comes into the game.
Todd Jones should be slowly dipped in a large pot of boiling water.