Monthly Archives: June 2006

2006 Season, Game Post

Game 68: Tigers at Cubs

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PREGAME: The Tigers travel to Wrigley Field to take on the Cubs. It’s the occasional match-up like this that makes me actually like interleague play.

On a personal note, I made the trip to Chicago in 2000 to see the Tigers take on the Cubs. My wife and I took in two games. What made it even more memorable is that the morning we left we found out we were pregnant with my son.

But on to the game itself…Nate Robertson will be taking on Glendon Rusch. Rusch has been pretty awful and has allowed 14 homers in his 31 innings as a starter this season. He’s been particularly ineffective at Wrigley allowing a .387 BAA and 10 homers in 13 1/3 innings. Rusch is also the 4th lefty starter the Tigers have faced in the last 5 games.

POSTGAME: That game ended up a lot closer than it felt like it would be early on. I happened to be at home today, so I was able to see the game. While the Tigers only posted 5 runs, they hit the ball hard up and down the order (well except for Guillen). Pudge and Thames both had balls caught at the wall and Shelton and Granderson both had line drives that Jacque Jones made nice plays on. Even Nate Robertson had a hit taken away on a nice diving play by Juan Pierre.

Robertson was dominant, I think he only had one 1-2-3 inning, but he also was never really in trouble.

Marcus Thames homer was to the opposite field, which is a rarity. I mentioned his flyout to the wall which was also to right-center.

Todd Jones pitched an uneventful 1-2-3 inning. And it may be hard to believe, but that was the 3rd 1-2-3 inning he’s pitched this week. It’s just that one of them was followed by a disastorous 4 run inning.

And finally, the most encouraging item may have been Chris Shelton. Yesterday he doubled and walked twice. Today he doubled down the right field line and sent another line drive to the warning track. He also drew another walk today. And even when he struck out his last time up, he didn’t take the monster swing, he looked like he was trying to flilp it to right again. I’m not saying his slump is over, or that he’s even breaking out. But Chris Shelton today looked a lot more like the Chris Shelton of last year.

Tiger History

Tiger Stadium to get wrecking ball

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Finally, something is going to happen with Tiger Stadium. It is going to be demolished this fall. There don’t appear to be a ton of details, but the macro idea is to replace it with retail shops and housing. The area that comprises the playing field will be preserved, along with the dugouts, and used as a little league diamond and park.

I think this is all pretty good news if it comes to fruition. The city loses one more vacant building, and the field area itself will be preserved in some fashion. Also, the people in the Corktown community were invovled in the planning and are on board.

Of course there are plans to auction off anything that people will pay for.

What I really hope they’ll do is allow fans one more time to be inside the stadium. I know there are safety concerns, but people were allowed onto the field for the Super Bowl party. I’d be satisfied with that, and would even pay a nomial fee for the opportunity. It would be a chance for one last glimpse. I would be a chance to show my son where I became a Tiger fan.

2006 Season, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap – June 15th

Toledo 7, Syracuse 3
Ryan Ludwick was 2 for 4 with a homer. Josh Phelps and Brian Peterson each added two hits as well. Jordan Tata scattered 10 hits over 8 innings for only 3 runs. He fanned 7 and walked 1.

Erie 5, Reading 4
Brent Clevlen was 2 for 3 with a double. Virgil Vasquez pitched 7 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits with 6 K’s.

Lakeland 10, Tampa 2
Clete Thomas had two hits and Jeff Larish drew 3 walks. Chris Robinson was 3 for 4 and is now hitting 263. Jon Connolly, who you may remember was part of the Tigers organization and traded for Felix Sanchez, returned and made the start. He pitched 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 2 walks and 3 hits without any strike outs.

Fort Wayne 8, West Michigan 0
West Michigan was 3 hits so there isn’t any offense to report. Sendy Vasquez was knocked around for 6 runs in 3 1/3 innings.

West Michigan 5, Fort Wayne 5 (in progress 8th inning)
Michael Hollimon singled and walked. Cameron Maybin was 0 for 2 with 2 walks. Erik Averill allowed 5 runs (4 earned) in 4 innings.

2006 Season, Game Post

Game 67: Devil Rays at Tigers

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PREGAME The Tigers will try and recover from last night’s extra-inning loss to take the series. Zach Miner will make his 3rd start and we’d all be happy if he could repeat his performance from Toronto. Casey Fossum will pitch for the Devil Rays.

And in case anyone noticed, the Tigers no longer have the best record in baseball. The Tigers and Mets are both 18 games over .500, but the Mets edge the Tig’s by .005 in winning percentage.

POSTGAME: So if I were to say one Tiger would go 0 for 5 with 3 stikeouts, you might guess it was Chris Shelton. And if I told you one Tiger doubled and walked twice, you might guess Curtis Granderson. Well, it was role reversal day. I’m not at all worried about Granderson, but I am hopeful about Shelton. Last night he only K’d once and was at least putting the ball in play. Today he drew a couple walks and had a bloop drop in. Maybe he’s turning it around?

I don’t think we could ask anymore from Zach Miner in his first 3 starts. Today he didn’t allow an earned run. Early on he was far from efficient, but managed to get through 7 innings on 100 pitches. Wil Ledezma also got his first action and had a walk and 2 strikeouts.

And in an oddity, the Tigers didn’t homer in the 4 game series.

2006 Season, Pitching, Roster Management

Bullpen shake-up, Ledezma gets the call

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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.

2006 Season, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap – June 14th

Syracuse 4, Toledo 2
Tike Redman was 2 for 4 with a double and Josh Phelps hit his 7th homer. Mike Hessman chipped in with his 13th homer. Colby Lewis went 6 innings allowing 3 runs on 8 hits while fanning 4.

Reading 4, Erie 3 (10 innings)
Nate Bumstead started and allowed 3 runs on 3 walks and 7 hits in 6 innings. Eulogio De La Cruz pitched two scoreless innings of relief. Kody Kirkland had two doubles and Brent Clevlen was 2 for 4.

Lakeland 4, Tampa 1
Jeff Larish homered (12) and singled while Jeff Frazier also picked up 2 hits. Jeremy Johnson went 7 2/3 innings allowing 1 run on 5 hits with a BB/K ratio of 2/3. Kevin Whelan allowed a walk but fanned two in a scoreless 9th inning.

West Michigan – DNP

2006 Season, Game Post

Game 66: Devil Rays at Tigers

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PREGAME: After a strong outing by Kenny Rogers, the Tigers bullpen is back at full strength. Hopefully they won’t be needed as Jeremy Bonderman will take the mound for the Tigers. Lifetime against the D-Rays Bonderman is 3-1 with a 2.20 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 28 2/3 innings.

He’ll be opposed by lefty Mark Hendrickson who sports a better ERA than Bonderman at 4.11, but has mustered only a 3-7 record.

I’m off to the game!

POSTGAME: It’s not just Todd Jones giving up runs in crucial situations. It’s the fact that for the 3rd time in 2 weeks he’s turned a close game into a blowout. Ergh! Awesome outing by both starting pitchers. Bonderman of course deserved better. Ergh!

2006 Season, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap – June 13th

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Toledo 1, Syracuse 0
Humberto Sanchez was the story with 7 innings of 3 hit ball, one walk, and 7 K’s. Not bad for his second start at AAA and has continued the success he saw in the Arizona Fall League. Chris Spurling pitched a scoreless inning of relief. Nook Logan singled and walked and Ryan Ludwick added two singles and a walk.

Reading 15, Erie 3 (9th inning in progress)
Mike Rabelo was 3 for 3 with a walk and Kurt Airoso homered. Erie’s lineup tonight had one hitter, Rabelo, who was hitting over .250. Brian Jones was tagged for 7 runs, but only one was earned, in 4 2/3 innings. He walked 4 and fanned 2. Brent Clevlen made and error (his 3rd) and Kody Kirkland added two (his 13th and 14th).

Dunedin 3, Lakeland 0
Clete Thomas doubled twice to collect half of Lakeland’s hits. Andrew Kown pitched 6 innings and allowed 3 runs on 4 hits, 4 walks, and 5 K’s.

Dunedin 6, Lakeland 0
Yes, the Lakeland Tigers were shut out in both ends of a double header. Jeff Larish managed a double for one of the 4 hits. Kevin Ardoin was chased after 3 innings and 6 runs on 6 hits.

Dayton 5, West Michigan 2
Justin Justice had two hits and Cameron Maybin was 1 for 3 with a walk. Maybin also picked up his 8th steal. Michael Hollimon fanned 3 times and walked once. Ramon Garcia went six innings and allowed 4 runs (3 earned) on 6 hits.

2006 Season, Game Post

Game 65: Devil Rays at Tigers

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PREGAME: The Tigers look to extend their winning streak to 4 tonight against the Devil Rays. The Tigers are back at the top of the rotation with Kenny Rogers who goes for win 199. He’ll be opposed by Seth McClung.

McClung has given up 4 or more runs in each of his last 4 starts and has walked 13 and only fanned 4 over that span.

Pudge will be in the lineup tonight despite last night’s overtime duty. Carlos Guillen will man first for the slumping Shelton. I guess the good news is that Shelton’s slump corresponds with Carlos Guillen’s various aches so that both get a break.

POSTGAME: We (the fans) really needed a game like that. The Tigers jump on top early, and then blow it open. After weeks of nail biters and coming from behind it was nice to have an “easy one.”

It’s stating the obvious, but Kenny Rogers was brilliant. Some 0’s turned into 1’s in the 8th inning, but 9 K’s and 8 innings of work on a night when the bullpen was depleted are spectacular. Oh yeah, and he made the defensive play of the night laying out and flipping a ball with his glove after deflecting it in the first place.

Offensively everyone chipped in. Curtis Granderson continued to set the table by reaching base 3 times and adding a sacrifice fly and a diving catch in the outfield.

And on bark-in-the-park night the Tigers drew almost 21,000. I’ll be doing my part tomorrow and taking in the game.

2006 Season, Minors

Tigers sign 18 from 2006 draft

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The Tigers announced today that they have signed 18 of the players the team drafted this year. The highest picked Tiger draftee to sign is 8th round pick Chris Cody.

The complete list is available below:

Rd	Player	Position		Age	School	Hometown
8	Chris Cody	LHP	22	Manhattan College	Brewster, NY
11	Hayden Parrott	2B	18	Desert Mountain HS	West Bloomfield, MI
12	Joe Bowen	C	18	Vanguard HS	Ocala, FL
13	Angel Castro	RHP	23	Western Oklahoma St.	Dominican Republic
14	Brett Jensen	RHP	22	U. of Nebraska	Eagle Grove, IA
16	Jeff Gerbe	RHP	21	Michigan State U.	Detroit, MI
18	Deik Scram	CF	20	Oklahoma State U.	Arkansas City, KS
19	Duane Below	LHP	20	Lake Michigan College	Tecumseh, MI
22	Chris Krawczyk	RHP	22	Missouri State U.	Independence, MO
24	Joe Tucker	CF	22	Kent State U.	Canton, OH
28	Derek Witt	RHP	22	Ohio U.	Davenport, IA
29	Christopher Carlson		22	U. of New Mexico	Topeka, KS
31	Michael Sullivan		22	Ball State U.	Munster, IN
32	Rudy Darrow	RHP	22	Nicholls State U.	Stillwater, OK
35	Paul Hammond	LHP	23	U. of Michigan	Shelby, OH
38	Dana Arrowood	RHP	23	Old Dominion U.	Woodbridge, VA
39	Michael Bertram	3B	22	U. of Kentucky	Lexington, KY
47	Alec Shepherd	RHP	20	South Mountain CC	Wilmar, MN