With the Tigers home for the first time since before the All Star break, there are a bevy of injury updates as the team gets reacquainted with the walking wounded who have stayed behind to work on getting better.
Carlos Guillen
Tigers fans, media, and bloggers alike got a little tutorial on roster designations yesterday when the team announced that Guillen was being recalled from his rehabilitation assignment. Being recalled as we found out is very different than being activated. A recall of a rehab assignment is kind of like suspending the rehab assignment as opposed to a player having their contract recalled after being optioned out to a minor league club. Got it? Doesn’t matter.
Guillen was recalled to have his shoulder examined after experiencing soreness. But it checked out and he’s heading to Toledo for more at-bats.
My guess is he gets activated between Friday night’s game and Saturday’s game. The Tigers will be calling up a pitcher from Toledo to pitch game 2 of the double header (Eddie Bonine would be a good guess). So the Tigers will need to clear a player to make room for the mystery starter, and presumably the mystery starter would then be optioned back to Toledo after the game opening a roster spot for Guillen. As for who gets moved out in the first place? I’m guessing Josh Anderson.
Nate Robertson
Robertson has resumed throwing activity following his elbow surgery. Robertson is interested in stretching out to 5 or 6 inning, 100 pitch type work levels. This might not be a bad idea as there are questions about the back end of the Tigers rotation, and it also would likely mean a longer DL stint which would serve the Tigers well. With Ni and Seay pitching well, a lefty pen arm isn’t a pressing concern. Whether the surgery helps with the shallow slider remains to be seen.
Jeremy Bonderman
Bonderman is throwing again, but not pitching yet. No return is imminent.
Joel Zumaya
Further tests failed to reveal additional damage to Zumaya’s shoulder so the diagnosis remains “soreness” and his prognosis remains ambiguous.
I think it’s Josh Anderson also. Farewell to the whipping boys!!
Inge is hurt also but it is only affecting his play on the field, not the roster. He looks like he could use a few days off.
Incredible that the 4 guys listed above were all critical components of our ’07 WS run. They have not contributed at all this year (heck, they may have a combined negative WARP), and we are in first place. If we can get average production out of Bonderman, Zumaya or Guillen, or above-average production out of Robertson for the second 1/2, that will be just as good as a late season trade. Thanks for the update Billfer. Honestly, I had forgotten about Bonderman. (sigh)
billfer,
Are you GUESSING Josh Anderson, or HOPING Josh Anderson? 😉 Both, perhaps?
Also, are there any other options besides Eddie Bonine to pitch Friday night? That’s not really an exciting option, and I can’t stand losing to the White Sox…
I am also not at all excited about Bonine being the spot starter. I’d rather see Figaro, at least he’s got a chance of missing some bats. Bonine tricked people for a start or two last year and then teams teed off on his soft tossing arsenal. I don’t have a lot of confidence in Lambert either, but whatever. We have our three best starters going in the other two games and we should miss Buerhle.
I’d rather see Bonderman, but like Figaro he is on the DL and not so much available.
Sorry….was not aware he landed on the DL. In that case, I guess go with whoever. Bonine and Lambert are equally bland. Hopefully the Chisox being unfamiliar with both works to our advantage and we steal that one.
I’m pretty sure Lambert is the mystery starter…He has given up 1 earned run or less is 7 of his last 10 starts and has given up more than 2 earned runs in only 1 of his last 10 starts…he will pitch nite game ( his stats for nite games are better than day games, and Verlander will pitch day game, as his stats are better in day than nite games)
Anderson might seem like the best bet to be moved in the short term to accommodate Guillen’s presumed call-up, but I’m wondering if Maggs still ends up getting released.
I was as happy as anyone when he went yard with the sacks loaded, but with the laundry list of bloated contracts to players who, at best, are 50/50 bets to contribute…how do the Tigers risk Magg’s options kicking in?
If the options don’t kick in, but Maggs shows signs of improvement to the point that the Tigers want him around next year, what are the Tiger’s options? Are they able to buy out his two option years for $3 mil and then negotiate a new contract?
At the risk of answering my own question, I don’t see Maggs suddenly providing enough offense to tempt the Tigers into carrying both him and Guillen (who’s under contract next year) and playing one of them in the OF.
What is the status of Willis?
Hopefully Willis is done. He is such as waste of roster space. I really think Clete would be a could replacement for Maggs. When Guillen does come back, they are going to have to send someone down. I really hope it’s Raburn. Also, Anderson might have speed, but his outfield playing skills are nothing to write home about.
Yeah, lets get Rayburn’s .832 OPS (4th on team) out of here. We don’t need the kind of player who drives in runs at a faster rate than Inge or Cabrera anyhow.
Yes, I would rather have Clete on the team over Raburn. Overall, I think Clete is a better player. His batting stats are almost if not better than Raburn and he has an arm like a rocket. Clete has staying power.
No need to have one over the other, they’re both currently on the team. The question is who do you want to send down when Guillen comes back (assuming he’s ok after rehabbing)? Of the potential OF candidates to move: Maggs, Clete, Raburn, or Anderson — I think that Raburn is at least top two overall.
Liking Clete better is fine, I’m just confused as to why you “really hope it’s Raburn” that gets sent down, he’s been pretty good so far.
To answer your first question, Maggs would never be sent down. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t hate Raburn, I just think Clete is just overall a better player. I look at the overall aspect of the game and I feel that Clete has been consistent. I just see a more promising future from Clete.
Besides, if you want to talk about batting, we need more lefties.
Joel Zumaya is toast for 2009 and ever at having a shot of being an effective pitcher in his career.
“Inge said he has been dealing with pain in both of his knees for at the last couple months, starting with soreness early in the season. Recently, he said, the pain has been “excruciating,” and he has felt it in his swing as well as in the field. He said he has a series of tears that amount to a substantial tear of his left patella tendon, and smaller ones, more like microtears, in the right.”
I just managed to partially tear my Achilles tendon and I can’t even imagine trying to play on two knees with this kind of pain.
Inge has a 75% torn tendon in his left knee and is said has had this for a few weeks. He doesn’t want to go on the DL, but might have no choice especially if this serious injury isn’t taken care of it could cause further damage.
todays freep http://www.freep.com/article/20090722/SPORTS02/90722088/1050/Tigers–Brandon-Inge-has–75–torn–left-knee-tendon
If he has surgery to repair the torn tendons he is gone for the rest of 2009. Considering how run-challenged our offense is we simply cannot afford that at this juncture. Who would play third if Inge went on the DL? Raburn? Santiago? Or would they call up Hessman (even though he is having a horrible year at the plate)?
Or would this solve the “where to put Guillen” dilemma?
Either way the Tigers could be doomed with an Inge-jured second half…
And yet if he stays in the lineup he could become Sheffield ’09…not good…
Larish can play 3B
Off topic: The A’s are CRUSHING the Twinkies and it makes me happy.
Hopefully the Tigers will post a win tonight.
I was at the game and left early, in the 7th, which I almost never do. The Twins didn’t appear exactly poised to mount a comeback, although it seems I missed some 9th inning Zumaya um I mean Gonzalez excitement where he walked 3 in a row (with a 15 run lead!), and went 3-2 on the next hitter before he lined into a double-play. I guess that’s why he’s pitching in the 16-1 games.
I have some mixed feelings though. I hope the Magical Misery Tour continues in Anaheim, yet I think it may be to our advantage if the Twins snap out of it in time for the following series against the White Sox…
Meanwhile the Twins Magical Misery Tour continues, as they get whacked 16-1 by the A’s, bringing the series total to 17-32, with the lone win taking 10 innings.
That’s almost 11 runs per game. To the A’s
(The A’s highlights after the 1st game featured a fake John Facenda voice and referred to the teams as the Vikings vs Raiders…although 14 for the Raiders might be a bit of a reach…)
It’s good to see Mauer cool off a little. His batting average has dropped 32 points in the last 10 games.
If Ordonez got released, the impact on the Tigers team morale would be incredibly negative. They’d feel so betrayed that they’d probably go into a tail spin and fall into last place. The Tigers would be done. I’d quit being a Tiger fan. I’d root for whatever team that picks up Magglio, even if it’s Minnesota. I would then hope he’d get the AB’s that he needs and the Tigers would still have to pay for his contract option years.
The chances of this happening are about 0 percent.
Just curious, but do reflect before making a post, or does it come right off the top of your head?
Is emotion too hard for you to comprehend?
It was an innocent question concerning writing style. No need to get upset.