How is Jeff Weaver just 4-5 this season? His 2 SHO lead the league, he’s 7th in ERA at 2.92, his K/BB ratio is 2.2 and he has yet to give up a homer in 71 innings, but he plays for Detroit
All posts by billfer
Look, I appreciate the desire to improve, and I appreciate the desire to switch between one catching prospect and another when you have two of them, and I appreciate the perceived virtue of carrying an old backup catcher to show one of the younger catchers the ropes (theoretically, and assuming he’s a good egg). But Inge has never been much of a hitting prospect, and he’s had more of an opportunity to not be the next Brad Ausmus than Rivera has gotten to show he’s not the next Lance Parrish. Rivera has been dumped after less than 100 plate appearances, and that’s not enough to tell anybody anything.
I generally like Chris Kahrl’s Transaction Analysis columns, and I agree with his point here about 100 ABs not being enough to judge a player. However, Rivera was just atrocious behind the plate, and as a result it seemed like the pitching staff had lost faith in him (notice that Walbeck has caught Weaver’s last 3 starts). Unfortunately this team has way too many DH’s to slip Rivera in the order that way. I totally support this move because it will allow both Inge and Rivera an opportunity to play every day to improve (Inge at the plate, and Rivera behind it).
However, in Dave Dombrowski’s favor, if Nate Cornejo hadn’t pitched his way off of the team, you can argue pretty convincingly that Adam Bernero has pitched his way onto it. In nine starts as a Mudhen, Bernero has pitched 57 IP with a 1.58 ERA, allowing only 46 hits and 13 walks, racking up 49 strikeouts, and giving up only a pair of homeruns. He’s a command-and-control right hander who can throw four pitches for strikes, and it looks like he’s entirely recovered from last year’s setbacks. Now that we have a Tigers rotation that features Jeff Weaver and Steve Sparks doing their usual yeoman service, Mark Redman rounding into form, and Seth Greisinger bouncing back nicely, in a month’s time we might be arguing about whether or not the Tigers have the best rotation in the AL Central. Not that I think that’s enough to elevate them to competitiveness with the Twins and White Sox, but the Indians might need to worry.
SportingNews.com – Baseball : Detroit Tigers
The party line is that the offense’s high double-play total is because of a lack of speed, but that’s only one factor. One cause is a lack of plate discipline.
Shane Halter, Young, Simon and Craig Paquette — all with a history of low on-base percentages — are among the team leaders in double plays. Sometimes they get pull-happy on outside pitches, resulting in grounders.
Shane Halter, Young, Simon and Craig Paquette — all with a history of low on-base percentages — are among the team leaders in double plays. Sometimes they get pull-happy on outside pitches, resulting in grounders.
True, but at the same time none of those guys have a lot of speed either.
Thanks to Weaver, momentum changing for Tigers
Seth Greisinger, Detroit’s starting pitcher in Saturday night’s game, believes Weaver is the catalyst to the recent mini-resurgence. “Right now, he’s carrying this team on his back,” Greisinger said. “He’s doing a great job. I really hopes he stays here.”
May 22, 2002 – Transaction Analysis
There’s good news here, which is a surprise. First off, the Tigers made a move towards fielding a baseball team instead of a third-rate softball squad. Now they’ll have a real third baseman (Chris Truby), a real shortstop (Ramon Santiago), and…well, they’re still short a real center fielder, but Rome wasn’t built in a day. Truby will hit every bit as well as Craig Paquette to boot.
Roster notes:
Matt Anderson is back on the disabled list, probably for at least two months. Also, Oscar Salazar was sent down to make room for right-hander Kris Keller. And, in a bit of a surprise move, Nate Cornejo was sent to Toledo and Adam Bernero was called up. Bernero has been pitching well for Toledo, and I’m thinking the Tigers may be putting him on display for a possible trade.
Tigers win 6th in a row-Weaver takes no-hit bid into 8th
I know that the Tigers are still the Tigers, but Weaver’s no-hit attempt was exciting. I was at class in a computer lab watching each pitch on the internet. I can’t remember the last time I was on the edge of my seat for each pitch during a Tiger game. Good stuff.
Tigers leave fans frustrated but need to get more experience – 05/21/02
This is just a really dumb column by Joe Falls.
Sorry about the recent lack of postings. As you probably know the Tigers have won 4 straight, which makes them 4-7 in their last 11 games. Ramon Santiago has been a breath of fresh air, even though Halter is pissed about being replaced by a guy who was the DH on a Double-A club a year ago. Matt Anderson has rejoined the team and looked shaky in his debut, luckily Juan Acevedo is still getting the job done. Dmitri Young seems to have found his stroke and his ripping the ball all over the place. Brandon Inge has begun his rehab assignment at Toledo, Danny Patterson threw batting practice yesterday, Brian Mohler has been throwing in Florida, and Damion Easley is expected to start his rehab soon. That’s about all that has happened lately. I’ll try to be more diligent in posting, but Tiger apathy has set in early this year. This can be evidenced not only by my lack of posts, but traffic here has decreased as well. Hopefully the Tigers can pull of some trades to at least make the season interesting.
The Tigers have called up Ramon Santiago from Toledo and sent down Oscar Salazar. Santiago was just recently called up to Toledo to fill in for Omar Infante at shortstop while Infante’s on the DL. In 9 games with the Mud Hens, Salazar was hitting .429 with two home runs. Two years ago Baseball America had him ranked as the top prospect in the Tigers organization. Last year he DH’d the whole year due to a shoulder problem.