Yearly Archives: 2006

2007 Season, Minors

BA’s Top 10 Tiger Prospects for 2007

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Baseball America announced the Tigers top prospect list today. The top of the top 10 certainly looks promising, but the bottom half is full of question marks. Part of the thinning came from the promotions of Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya while the Gary Sheffield trade pruned away 2 other top 10 prospects in Humberto Sanchez and Kevin Whelan.

Now most of this is premium content, but I will share the top 10. To get scouting reports and commentary you’ll need to subscribe.

1. Cameron Maybin, of
2. Andrew Miller, lhp
3. Brent Clevlen, of
4. Jair Jurrjens, rhp
5. Jordan Tata, rhp
6. Eulogio de la Cruz, rhp
7. Gorkys Hernandez, of
8. Dallas Trahern, rhp
9. Jeff Larish, 1b
10. Scott Sizemore, ss/2b

The problem with the list, and it isn’t so much the list but the players on it, is that there isn’t much in terms of immediate help. Only Jordan Tata, Jair Jurrjens, and Eulogio de la Cruz have had success above A ball. Brent Clevlen had a nice run of 39 at-bats at the Major League Level, but posted only a 670 OPS for Erie. He did show good on base skills drawing 18 walks in the AFL, but still fanned 35 times in 92 at-bats and only slugged 326.

I’d have ranked Larish higher, and de la Cruz lower (if at all) but otherwise the list is close to what I’d expect.

Gorkys Hernandez is a centerfielder who had a very strong season in the GCL at the age of 19. Scott Sizemore was a 2006 draftee who put together a nice season for Oneonta.

Defense, Offense, Players, Statistics

The problem with Sean Casey

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When Sean Casey was resgined I indicated I didn’t like the deal, but never really elaborated. My issue is that as nice a guy as Sean Casey is, he just isn’t very good.

Offensively Casey is at best an average hitter. His OPS+ since 2002 looks like this (OPS+ indexes a players OPS against the league average. 100 means the player is average, values above 100 mean above average)

Year	OPS+
2002	78
2003	98
2004	142
2005	104
2006	87

Over the last 5 seasons Casey has had 1 good year, 2 average years, and 2 bad years. Even if Casey can regain his earlier form, that merely means he is an average offensive player at a position where considerable offense is expected.

So for the sake of argument let’s assume that Casey gets back to be a league average hitter. That puts him slightly below average at his position. But what about defense? Continue reading The problem with Sean Casey →

2007 Season, Roster Management

Roster Finalized

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The Tigers turned in their finalized roster to MLB with one final addition. Virgil Vasquez, who pitched 28 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings in the AFL, had his contract purchased today. The streak is particularly impressive given the hitter friendly nature of the league.

The roster is set at 39 which means the team will be able to participate in the Rule 5 draft at the upcoming winter meetings. If they choose to participate I’d guess they would be looking for a lefty reliever. Of course if are going that route, they could have just added one of their own lefty relievers, Cory Hamman. Continue reading Roster Finalized →

Contracts, Minors, Statistics, Tiger History

The week in links

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I’m way behind here, and some of this hardly qualifies as newsworthy anymore. But in the interest of completeness…

  • Gary Sheffield will wear Alan Trammell’s #3, and Trammell is okay with it. I have mixed feelings on this. First it is only a number and too much shouldn’t be made of it. But on the other hand it will be weird, to say the least, to see someone else sporting that number. Trammell is too classy to make a stink of it, but I can’t figure why Sheffield would even ask for it. It is sure to not endear him to Tiger fans, but that never seems to be an issue for him anyways. Even with 10 and 11 not available (and if 11 isn’t available is this to mean that Sparky’s # will be officially retired?), there were lots of other numbers to choose from. It almost seems intentional and calculated.
  • Lee has started doing a Runs Created analysis for the Tigers. It is a series of posts, here is the first. I love the runs created stat because it boils offensive production down to a value that all baseball fans can relate to.
  • This is actually 2 weeks old, but Beyond the Boxscores takes a look at former Tiger first round pick Scott Moore who is flourishing with the Cubs.
  • The Lakeland Tigers are no more. They are now the Lakeland Flying Tigers. This will be helpful for me when I write up my minor league wraps next year because I was never a fan of L-Tigers. More importantly, it will help the organization tie in the aviation aspect of the Tigers facilities in Lakeland. The complex is on an old aviation school.
  • This is a new link, but Alfonso Soriano is going to the Cubs for a mere 8 years and $136 million.

Gary Sheffield, Alan Trammell, Lakeland, Detroit Tigers

Minors

Tigers Ink Seven Minor League Free Agents

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The Tigers signed 7 players to minor league contracts. They are righthanded pitcher Craig Dingman, lefthanded pitchers Tim Byrdak and Vic Darensbourg, catcher Steve Torrealba, infielders Mike Hessman and Kevin Hooper and outfielder Jackson Melian.

Dingman missed all of last year with a blood clot in his shoulder. Mike Hessman and Kevin Hooper were members of the Toledo team and Jackson Melian played for Erie.

Vic Darensbourg returns to the organization. Barring a trade or signing of a lefty reliever, he may be given the chance to claim Jamie Walker’s role from last year.

Free Agents

Sean Casey signed?

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The Tigers scheduled a conference call today with Sean Casey. I’m guessing that means they signed him. If so, I’m not a big fan of the deal. I’ll have more later tonight.

UPDATE: Jason Beck says it’s a 1 year deal. At least it is short, but the fact the Tigers are content with Casey as the first sacker/left handed bat they need is disappointing.

UPDATE 2: Sean Casey is here to be the starter. That was made very clear by Dave Dombrowski who indicated that Chris Shelton would need to earn his way on to the team in spring training and would otherwise be optioned to Toledo.

Dombrowski also said that the starters appear to be set and he isn’t looking to make any more deals for starting players.

As for Casey, he is thrilled to be back and said Detroit was his first choice.

Free Agents, Pitching

What to do about…Jamie Walker?

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UPDATE: Walker is now an Oriole pending a physical. The deal is $11.5 million over 3 years. Congrats Jamie and best of luck with the O’s.

Jamie Walker is the Tiger free agent who I’d most like to see back. The lefty reliever is coming off his best season where he posted an ERA of 2.81 over 56 appearances. He fanned 6.9/9IP which is pretty respectable for a finesse pitcher. The real strength of Walker comes in his control. For his career he only walks 2.2/9 but in 2006 he only allowed 8 walks in 48 innings (1.5BB/9). Continue reading What to do about…Jamie Walker? →

Trades

Tigers acquire Gary Sheffield

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The Tigers have traded Humberto Sanchez, Kevin Whelan, and Anthony Claggett to the Yankees for Gary Sheffield. The Tigers and Sheffield have also agreed on a 2 year contract extension.

Humberto Sanchez was probably the 3rd best prospect in the Tigers system behind Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller. Last year he put together his most complete season between Erie and Toledo, but once again it was sidetracked by injury. He fanned almost 3 hitters for every walk and allowed only 4 homers in 123 innings.

Kevin Whelan was drafted in 2005 with thoughts of becoming the Tigers future closer. He was pretty successful last year at Lakeland saving 27 games and fanning 69 in 54 innings. With Joel Zumaya moving to the bullpen for looks like forever, Whelan didn’t look to be counted on as a piece of the puzzle.

Anthony Claggett was very good for the West Michigan Whitecaps last year with a 0.91 ERA while striking out a batter an inning and only allowing 35 hits.

Meanwhile, the Tigers get perennial All Star outfielder Gary Sheffield. Sheffield will be 38 and is a career 297/398/525 hitter. He definitely fits the bill as the big bat the Tigers were looking for, except for the right handed part. The Tigers lineup is instantly better and with the 2 year extension, Ilitch and Dombrowski look to be making an effort to make the most of this 2-3 year window with Ordonez/Pudge/Guillen.

So the Yankees get a major league ready prospect and a couple other guys who look to have value. The Tigers get the big bat they needed while keeping their team intact. It is a little more than I would have liked to see the Tigers give up for Sheffield given his age, but it isn’t unreasonable. Given the fact that Sheffield got the contract extension he wanted it should help to keep him a happy camper.

Last year the Tigers got 258/309/460 production from the DH spot which was middle of the pack. It produced 81 RC. Sheffield’s RC the last 4 years are: 145/119/112/24. So the upgrade is pretty clear and dramatic. This is a good move for the Tigers in that it helps them in the short term without killing them long term. While I don’t know the details of the contract, I know it only extends out 3 years. If it helps the team maintain its status as a playoff team, the dollars will easily take care of themselves. The attitude issues are out there, but Sheffield sounds thrilled to be coming to Detroit. The fact that All Stars are ecstatic to be coming to Detroit speaks volumes about how far the Tigers have come.

Some nuggets from the conference call:

Jim Leyland – “I can’t tell you how happy we are.” … “I’m thrilled to death. It’s a great acquisition for us”

Gary Sheffield – “I’m more than happy to be united with guys I’m familiar with.” Sheffield also said he was ecstatic to be back with Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski.

According to Leyland, and he spoke with Sheffield prior to the deal, he will be mainly a DH with some playing time in right field. Leyland also said there are no plans to play him at first base.

The names involved in the trade were agreed to on Tuesday and they had 72 hours to work out the contract extension. There was a verbal agreement Thursday night and the deal was formalized after a physical Friday morning.

On being a DH Sheffield said: “I’m all for that. I thank Mr Leyland because he prolonged my career even moreso. I’m more than willing to do it, especially with a team that has been in the World Series.”

Dombrowski on other needs: He said this was the big bat they were looking for, but they are still looking for a first baseman.

2007 Season, Minors, Offense, Pitching

Lloyd McClendon to be hitting coach

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Jim Leyland has decided to move Lloyd McClendon in to the hitting coach vacancy that was created when Don Slaught resigned. McClendon of course served as bullpen coach last year and spent 4 years as the Pirates hitting coach.

Jeff Jones will be promoted from Toledo to assume the role of bullpen coach. Jones had considerable success working with Wil Ledezma and Zach Miner last year. This will be his 5th stint as Tigers bullpen coach.

Britt Burns will be promoted from A Lakeland to take Jones spot in Toledo and former Tiger Joe Coleman will assume pitching coach duties in Lakeland.

Statistics

Offseason Goodness

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There are very few good things about the end of the baseball season. One of those things is The Bill James Handbook (aff link). This is my third year getting the book, and this appears to be the best of the group.

If you’ve picked up the book in the past, you’ll find many of the same elements including:

  • Player stats
  • Manger record – Jim Leyland used 120 different lineups and pitched out 9 times.
  • Baserunning stats – did you know that Pudge was on first base 6 times when a double was hit, and he scored all 6 times? (Curtis Granderson was 6 for 7)
  • Park effects –

The new stuff for this year includes the Fielding Bible Awards and the +/- leaders from the methodology used in last year’s Fielding Bible. There is also a section on Manufactured Runs (the Tigers were dead last).

The new sections I’ve only skimmed because the first thing I do when I tear open the book is head to the leader boards where you find stuff that doesn’t show up in the Sunday paper. Here are just a couple of Tiger tidbits:

  • The Tigers had 4 of the top 10 pitchers in the AL in left handers batting average against – and Jamie Walker wasn’t one of them. Nate Robertson and Joel Zumaya ranked 1-2 while Kenny Rogers was 8th and Fernando Rodney was 10th
  • Carlos Guillen was 2nd among shortstops on the pivot and Placido Polanco was 5th amongst second basemen. Given that it shouldn’t be a surprise that Nate Robertson and Kenny Rogers ranked 4th and 5th in the AL in GIDPs induced.
  • Joel Zumaya led the AL with 233 pitches clocked over 100mph. Kyle Farnsworth was 2nd…with 26. What’s even more impressive is that he threw 884 pitches faster than 95mph which is 4th behind starters Josh Beckett, Justin Verlander, and Felix Hernandez.
  • Craig Monroe and Magglio Ordonez ranked 5th and 6th in terms of highest percentage of first pitches swung at (just under 39%).

There’s a ton more statistical goodness which will be blog fodder for the rest of the offseason. But really, if you want something to get your baseball juices flowing I can’t recommend this book enough.

Front Office, Minors

Tigers announce minor league staffs

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Here we are only a week and a half into the offseason, and already the team has generated 3 news items – and we haven’t even gotten to trade season or tendering contracts yet. Today, the Tigers announced their minor league staff assignments and things are all shook up.

Toledo

So things at Toledo are pretty stable. Larry Parrish is back at the helm. Jeff Jones is pitching coach, and Leon Durham remains as hitting coach. With the departure of Don Slaught, Toledo could still lose a member of their staff.

Erie

Erie’s entire staff from last year was let go. Matt Walbeck was promoted from West Michigan to lead the Seawolves. He brings along pitching coach A.J. Sager who filled the same role with the Whitecaps last year. Hitting coach Glenn Adams spent the last 6 years as the Mariners minor league hitting coordinator before being let go in August.

Lakeland

Larry Herndon returns as hitting coach, and Britt Burns is pack as pitching coach. But Mike Rojas, the manager for the last 2 years, is now the organizational catching coordinator. Kevin Bradshaw, who was the GCL Tiger manager last year, assumes the same role for the L-Tigers.

West Michigan

Another former Tiger earns a promotion as Tom Brookens jumps from Oneonta to the Whitecaps. Ray Burris was a first year pitching coach for Oneonta last year, and will move with Brookens. Benny Distefano was promoted for the GCL Tigers to become the hitting coach.

The Tigers also announced new staffs at Oneonta (Man-Andy Barkett, Pit-Mark Johnson), the GCL Tigers (Man-Benny Castillo, Pit-Greg Sabat, Hit-Basilio Cabrera) and the VSL (Man-Josman Robles, Pit-JorgeCordova,Hit-Jesus Laya) and DSL (Man-Andres Thomas, Pit-Marcos Aquasvivas, Hit-Francisco Cabrera) teams.

Given some of the desire to change the Tigers approach at the plate, it was little surprise that on the top 5 teams, only 2 hitting coaches returned (Durham and Herndon). Toby Harrah will return as hitting coordinator, and he certainly had a track record of patience as a player. (for more on Harrah’s philosophies check out this article)

And a scout

The Tigers also announced that they hired Murray Cook as East Coast Crosschecker. Cook is a former colleague of David Chadd and spent the last 5 years with the Red Sox scouting department. Prior to that he was a colleague of Dave Dombrowski spending 10 years with the Marlins scouting department.