Monthly Archives: September 2008

2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

Dombrowski says Leyland will be back

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Dave Dombrowski told Lynn Henning and the Detroit News that Jim Leyland will be managing the Tigers next year. Seeing as this wasn’t a sound bite, it’s tough to get a flavor for how ringing the endorsement was given this is the quote that Henning had:

“Yes, oh yeah,” Dombrowski said when asked if Leyland would absolutely return in 2009. “He’s under contract next year.”

No mention of his aptitude or qualifications, simply a statement that Leyland is under contract. Curious?

As for my take, I agree with Leyland in that he stunk this year. I’ve never been a fan of his in game management, but watching the 2006 team made me question my previously held belief that managers couldn’t really make that much of a difference. Maybe a capable leader could motivate professionals making millions of dollars to play better.

But then there was this year. A year when the team came out flat. When the team was making fundamental baserunning, fielding, and pitching mistakes. That’s all on Leyland’s watch. The good of 2006 and the bad of 2008.

Then there is the matter of the August-September swoons. I wasn’t worried the first 2 years, because a sample of two hardly marks a trend. But this year’s limp to the finish line is enough to make me concerned.

In short, I don’t know if I want him back.

2008 Season, Game Post

Game 157: Royals at Tigers

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PREGAME: It’s been a while since the Tigers scored. Tonight they face a pitcher with a 5.96 ERA in Brian Bannister. But said pitcher hasn’t allowed more than 4 runs to the Tigers in his career. The most recent time he did it he also went 8 innings.

The Tigers send out a pitcher with a 6.15 ERA in the shape of Nate Robertson. Nate was good in his last start against a neutered Oakland lineup. Hopefully he can replicate his success against the Royals.

KCR @ DET, Wednesday, September 24, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

2008 Season, Players

Todd Jones retires

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It’s really not all that surprising, but Todd Jones has announced his retirement. This was likely to be Jones last season regardless, but the injury and resulting ineffectiveness likely sealed the deal.

Jones is the Tigers all time saves leader and his 319 career saves places him 14th in the history of the game.

I’m hoping that he joins the team this weekend and that he can be honored in some way. He deserves to go out to cheers instead of the cavalcade of boos he was serenaded with his last time on the mound.

Congrats on a great career Jonesy.

Sporting News Today – September 24, 2008

Uncategorized

Breaking Bad

Welcome to oblivion. Welcome to last place. I don’t care about the payroll and dollars per win or any of that. I care that my team, my emotional and time and financial investment, the way I choose to “enjoy” my summer, is going out with a whimper. A team in last place in a division that is hardly daunting. And it seemed to happen so effortlessly.

At this point in the season, the losses don’t kill me anymore. At least in the individual game sense. The bullpen melt downs which once left me furious just leave me shaking my head. But the way last night’s 5-0 game went down had me seething in my seat. I couched it in that the Tigers had some hard hit balls with runners on that managed to find gloves instead of gaps, but in the end it was another shutout. And everyone seems okay with that, with Jim Leyland tipping his cap to the other pitcher.

The same Jim Leyland who earlier said that he stunk this year, and that “”The days of the babysitting and the milking along, that’s over with.” While that same pitcher who just shut down the Tigers on 4 hits was highly critical of his performance, saying he couldn’t locate at all. It’s pretty much the opposite of what we’ve heard from Tigers starters – even when they get lit up – that they “had great stuff” or were “a couple pitches away from getting out of it.”

Sometime around the 7th inning we moved down to the second row behind home plate. I could see in the dugout and was wondering what was going through the players’ minds. As for my mind? With the Tigers 6 outs away from another shutout, I wanted to stand up and say: “Last place. You guys are 6 outs away from being a last place team. Are you prepared to accept that? You’re too good for this. You have too much pride to let it happen. You’re too good to go out without a fight. You’re breaking your fans’ hearts. The three millionth fan of the year showed up tonight, and that reward is this listless shutout? Please, give me something.” Essentially I was pleading for anything.

I’m but one fan, but if any Tiger happens to read this, you’ve crushed me. You’ve broken my spirit and my heart. I’m mad, sad, frustrated, angry, fed-up, and every other negative feeling. But mostly I’m broken down.

Improved draft status or not, last place is too much to bear. I did that for too many years. I can’t go back.

Last place, with a whimper. Could there be any other way?

*Analysis with numbers and some objectivity will begin to flow in the coming days. This post is the “fan” portion of fanalyst.

2008 Season

Back breakers

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Tigers radio announcer Dan Dickerson has experienced the misery of this season up close. Probably to up close. What makes him a professional is that when the Tigers surrender a late inning homer to blow a lead, or a game, he doesn’t get to swear like the rest of us do. I bring this up because Dan passed along some research he did about the Tigers proclivity for allowing especially demoralizing homers late in the game. Ten time in fact. Since the All Star Break.

Tigers opponents have hit 10 HR in the 8th inning or later that either tied the game, broke a tie, or changed the lead (turned Tigers’ lead into opponent’s lead). Those HRs came in 8 games, and the Tigers are 1-7 in those 8 games. You might want to double-check to see if I missed any, but the 10 HR I found were: July 19th (2), July 25th, July 30th, August 3rd, 5th (2), 25th, September 14th and 19th.

Relievers have been equal opportunity givers: Farnsworth has given up 3 of the 10 HR, Zumaya 2, Seay, Dolsi, Jones, Glover and Fossum have all given up 1.

I was actually surprised it was only 10, but I came up with the same numbers as Dan. In that August 5th game Aquilino Lopez allowed a homer with 2 outs in the 7th that tied the game, so you can almost count that as 11.

What makes it a little more painful (like we need more pain) is that 6 of those 8 games were against the White Sox and Indians.

2008 Season, Game Post

Game 155: Royals at Tigers

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PREGAME: The battle for last place is underway. The Tigers have a 2 game lead, that could evaporate if they keep playing their current brand of baseball.

The Tigers send out Zach Miner, who can thank the Royals for being a large part of his success as a starter. In 3 starts Miner has allowed 1 run over 19 innings.

The Royals will go with Gil Meche who has 4 consecutive quality starts against the Tigers.

KCR @ DET, Monday, September 22, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

2008 Season, Injuries

Hollimon has torn labrum

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Michael Hollimon, who saw his numbers evaporate after returning to Toledo from his MLB stint, underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a torn labrum. He’ll miss 6 to 9 months.

A couple quotes from the article:

“In such a young player, with a nice future ahead of him, we want to take time and make sure it’s done right,” Rand said Saturday.

The thing is Hollimon isn’t a young player. He’s 26. He’s going to be missing a chunk of his prime production rehabbing. That hurts.

“At times during the season, he felt a little weakness in the shoulder,” Rand said. “He felt that the shoulder wasn’t stable. He was worried that, going down the road, he’d have an issue at some point that would have to be fixed. So, he opted to have the surgery at this time.”

This doesn’t sound good. I fully admit to not being a clinician and not having access to information. But once again, from what is being reported to the public, this sounds curious from a medical management standpoint.

Hollimon undergoes surgery, likely to miss first half of next season | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

2008 Season, Game Post

Game 153: Tigers at Indians

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PREGAME: Pregame is kind of a misnomer, since the Tigers just finished the top half of the first with a 1 run lead. Sorry for the tardiness. It’s the first time this season. Fine me, bench me, do what you have to do.

Jeremy Sowers and Justin Verlander. Let’s get it on. And guess the bullpen member to allow the crucial homer.

DET @ CLE, Saturday, September 20, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

2008 Season

It’s dress up time

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You see, when you’re a rookie in MLB there is a certain hazing process. The junior member of the bullpen is responsible for bringing out the snacks. The snacks usually reside in a Dora the Explorer backpack or something similar. But if you’re fortunate enough to be on a roster for the last roadtrip of the season, you get to wear something fancy. Curtis Granderson is kind enough to share the lineup.

Freddy Dolsi — French maid
Armando Galarraga — Cha Cha girl
Chris Lambert — Bridezilla
Clay Rapada — Female cop
Dusty Ryan — Caveman with a club
Dane Sardinha — Hercules
Jeff Larrish — She-devil
Matt Joyce — Neverland fairy

Now if only he’ll be kind enough to share photos.

By the way, Fossum isn’t a rookie, but he should be forced to dress up in something as well.