Category Archives: 2008 Season

2008 Season, Injuries, Roster Management

Should Detroit option Zumaya to Toledo?

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One of the benefits of growing your own talent is getting 3 years of quality production at or near the league minimum. Joel Zumaya was a bargain in 2006. In 2007 he didn’t cost the team much, but he didn’t contribute a whole lot either due to the exploding finger. In 2008 he figures to again be affordable, but not particularly productive for a big chunk of the season. Therein lies the problem. The Tigers and Zumaya are poised to waste a good portion of his pre-arb years on the DL.

As a general rule, players become arbitration eligible after 3 years of service time. There’s another caveat where the top 17% (based on days of service) of those players with more than 2, but less than 3 years of time are also eligible. These players are called Super 2’s. Last year the cutoff was 2 years and 131 days of service.

I bring this up because Joel Zumaya is a lock to miss at least two months of the season, or at least 60 days. Which means he’s a near lock to not actually be able to contribute enough days to equate to a Super 2. Zumaya still has 3 options left, never having used one. If the Tigers were to option Zumaya to Toledo for the duration of his DL stint they could delay arbitration by a season.

Now last year when the team had a full 40 man roster, it was advantageous to keep Zumaya on big league roster and place him on the 60 day DL freeing up a spot on the 40 man. It’s why Tony Giarratano was placed on the 60 day DL last year. This year the team has several spots open thanks to THE TRADE and it’s not a consideration.

Now the downside of this type of tactic is that it can be perceived as a jerk move by the player. You not only cut into his earnings in the current season, but it also pushes back his big payday a year. Also, the general impression is that the organization tends to take care of its players. Certainly an image worth maintaining when your ace is about to get more expensive and you’re trying to lock up one of the game’s preeminent hitters long term. Still, from an immediate pure dollars and sense standpoint it does warrant some consideration.

2008 Season, Injuries, Roster Management, Spring Training

Roster and injury news

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With less than two weeks to Opening Day, the Tigers are freeing up some room in the clubhouse. They trimmed nine more from the Major League camp today leaving 37 players still officially in camp.

Gone are Virgil Vasquez and outfielder Brent Clevlen to Triple A Toledo. Additionally, the club assigned righthanded pitchers Freddy Dolsi, Chris Lambert and Preston Larrison, catchers Max St. Pierre and Nick Trzesniak and infielders Michael Hollimon and Scott Sizemore to minor league camp.

Hollimon of course was injured yesterday, however the Tigers got good news from the MRI. It appears that no surgery will be required meaning that we’re talking weeks instead of months of rehab time. Add in the fact that it was his non-throwing shoulder and he can still help Toledo and Detroit this year.

As for those 12 superfluous players in camp, the real number is closer to six or seven. Fernando Rodney, Vance Wilson, and Joel Zumaya are all destined for the disabled list. Jordan Tata is headed for the DL, but in all likelihood his will be of the minor league variety. And Francisco Cruceta is kind of in camp, though he’s never actually been in camp.

That leaves Denny Bautista, Yorman Bazardo, Aquilino Lopez, Francis Beltran, Clay Rapada, Mike Hessman, Ryan Raburn, Dane Sardhina, Ramon Santiago, Freddy Guzman, and Timo Perez as candidates for the roster. Rapada is probably just going through the evaluation process most of his bullpen mates went through earlier in the month as he returns from injury. From a roster management stand point I think the team has to take Bautista and Bazardo. Both are legitimate risks to be lost if removed from the 40 man roster. The others bear no such burden to the team.

As for the bench, Hessman is likely the next cut barring a trade of Marcus Thames. Joining Thames and Brandon Inge as subs will likely be Santiago and one of Guzman/Timo.

2008 Season, Injuries

Mike Hollimon lacks luck of the Irish

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credit Roger DeWitt

Mike Hollimon, the official middle-infield-Triple A-ready-for-the-call-later-this-season player of DTW, dove and dislocated his shoulder. Jason Beck says an MRI will be forthcoming tomorrow but early returns aren’t positive and Hollimon could be done for the season.

I recently trumpeted Hollimon as a player to watch in the Baseball Digest Daily round table. I argued for him as the utility infielder. While I’d since given up that hope in the midst of Leyland announcing he’d figured out all but one spot on his roster, I’m still disappointed for him.

He may have suffered an injury that could substantially hinder his pro prospects. For Hollimon, who is already 25, a missed year of development is a major set back.

Here’s hoping it’s not as bad as it seems.

In a coincidental posting, Baseball Prospectus ran their team health report for the Tigers. The position players rate favorably but the rotation is full of questions. Kind of a running theme huh?

2008 Season, Defense, Links, Spring Training, Statistics

Junkballing: Baserunning, blocking, projections

Some of my Tiger blogging brethren have clever names for their link round up posts, like Bless You Boys “Like Stripes on the fur coat of a Tiger” or Mack Avenue Tigers “Bunt Singles” or Roar of the Tigers “Pug Marks.” Here’s my foray and we’ll call it Junkballing: Continue reading Junkballing: Baserunning, blocking, projections →

2008 Season, Trade Rumors

Inge trade not likely

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Dave Dombrowski told the Lakeland Ledger that he doesn’t expect Brandon Inge to be traded before the season opens. While there is still speculation that the Giants or Dodgers might have interest it appears that the teams aren’t really close to a trade.

It doesn’t make a lot of sense for the Dodgers to take on a player who would block Andy LaRoche. Meanwhile the Giants have only been offering players that they plan on releasing to try and get Joe Crede from the White Sox.

Dombrowski reiterated to the Ledger that while they’d continue to try and accommodate Inge’s wishes but said they were “not going to give him away.”

Meanwhile Inge had his start at shortstop cut short due to rain last night. Leyland was complimentary of Inge’s approach at the plate this season and it sounds like Inge finally got the message that the team was trying to deliver last season:

“I think he locked himself in during this winter,” said Leyland, “and figured out what a lot of people were telling him was right.”

Inge Likely to Open With Tigers | TheLedger.com

2008 Season, Previews

Baseball America is kinda excited about the Tigers

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Baseball America published their MLB previews and predictions today. Unfortunately most of it is premium content. But I will let you know that they have Detroit winning it all, Miguel Cabrera taking home MVP honors, and Justin Verlander finishing as Cy Young runner up.

In other preview news, the Baseball Crank is running his Established Win Shares series again this year and started with the AL Central. The system likes the Tigers to take the division over the Indians. The first line of his analysis very succinctly sums up the Tigers outlook this year:

The Tigers are loaded with prime and veteran talent, but also have more question marks than the Riddler.

2008 Season, Injuries, Roster Management

And then there was one, or maybe two

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Todd Jones 3-13-08
Todd Jones pitches a 1-2-3 inning against the Braves
Credit Roger DeWitt

That would be spots available in the seven man bullpen. Jim Leyland ended some of the speculation today by announcing that Todd Jones, Bobby Seay, Tim Byrdak, Jason Grilli, and Zach Miner were locks. The ambiguity now surrounds Fernando Rodney and his health. A healthy Rodney would of course be a part of the plan, but that seems unlikely at this point.

Of the aforementioned locks, the first 3 weren’t a mystery in the least. Grilli was also fairly assured of a spot because he’s a Leyland favorite. But Zach Miner wasn’t a given in my mind. Not that Miner isn’t deserving, but that his option status afforded the team some flexibility that Denny Bautista, Yorman Bazardo, and Francisco Cruceta couldn’t. And while it would really be a blow for Miner to go to Toledo, there’s a very strong likelihood that injury or ineffectiveness would lead to a call-up at some point.

Given that Cruceta hasn’t even made it into the country yet, he of course has to be considered a very long shot at this point. However, his visa struggles could play to the Tigers advantage in that he could probably clear waivers while MIA.

With Rodney likely to start the year on the DL, it will give the Tigers a chance to take an extended look at Bautista and Bazardo. Neither could be sent to the minors without clearing waivers. Officially Preston Larrison and Aquilino Lopez are still in the mix, as is Freddy Dolsi. But it wouldn’t make practical sense to take them at the expense of risking the loss of some valuable bullpen depth.

Other stuff

2008 Season, Players, Spring Training

Can you teach an old catcher new tricks?

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Pudge Rodriguez’s power surge has been a pleasant surprise this spring. With two more homers today, he now has a MLB leading six for the spring. But as Jason Beck notes, Pudge is focusing less on the homers, and more on being patient. This is a guy after all, that is one of only 4 players since 2003 to have more than 500 plate appearances in a season and fewer than 15 walks. And he did it twice!

Still, Pudge sez:

“No, I don’t think I’ve had a Spring Training like that as far as home runs. But I don’t look for that. It’s good, yes. I have six home runs in Spring Training. The main thing about it is I’m just doing what I want to do and just be more selective at the plate, try to hit some strikes and take the balls. I’m just trying to see 4-5 pitches per at-bat. That’s what I’m trying to do. And so far, that’s what I’m doing. I’m feeling pretty good about that.”

Keep in mind here that Pudge’s pitch selection in 2007 wasn’t just poor, it was horrendous. Using pitch f/x data from last year we saw that a typical big leaguer would offer at 29% of pitchers out of the strike zone. Rodriguez was around 50%.

As for the 4-5 pitches per PA, that would be quite a jump. Beck noted that Rodriguez ranked near the bottom in terms of pitchers per PA last year when he averaged 3.51. But that was actually the most pitches he’s seen since becoming a Tigers with rates of 3.44, 3.33, and 3.39. In fact the 3.51 was the 2nd highest mark of his career.

Rodriguez’s ability to carry this over into the regular season would seem to be far fetched. Still, this is a contract year which may provide some extra motivation to be a more complete hitter. Secondly, he’s had some early success this spring which should provide some positive reinforcement that the approach is working. Third, he’ll be in a great lineup. Okay, that last one doesn’t make a lot of sense but it is a popular refrain for why players will do really well for the Tigers this year.

2008 Season, Spring Training

Rick Porcello to Lakeland and other cuts

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The Tigers trimmed the first 12 players from big league camp today. As expected Rick Porcello was among those sent out. What wasn’t a given was his destination. But now we know his contract was optioned to Lakeland.

The other players to be set to inor league camp are: Armando Galarraga, Macay McBride, Jeff Gerbe, Joe Bowen, Dusty Ryan, James Skelton,Jeff Larish, Danny Worth, Matt Joyce, Wilkin Ramirez, and Clete Thomas.

Those earning a longer look include infielders Mike Hollimon and Scott Sizemore.

2008 Season, Injuries, Pitching, Spring Training

Good news for Tigers pen?

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Given the rash of bad news with injuries, shellackings, and visa problems hitting the Tigers bullpen, today was a nice change.

  • Denny Bautista continued to pitch well. He went 2 scoreless innings with 4 K’s and is going to be hard to leave behind when the team heads North.
  • Jordan Tata, who wasn’t a strong candidate for the pen but would be counted on for depth, received news that he should be able to start throwing again in 3 weeks.
  • Yorman Bazardo and Jason Grilli also turned in strong performances today. Granted it was one day, but it’s better than a kick in the teeth.
  • Clay Rapada, another long shot arm for the pen but also a depth guy, threw a bullpen session. It was the first time on a mound since the 2nd week of camp.

The less good news had to do with Todd Jones. While no one seems worried, a lack of arm strength is pretty troubling. It sounds like he’s confident he can build up the strength, but what if he can’t?

I’ll leave you with a happy thought though. Rick Porcello looked very good, save for one breaking ball that floated over everyone’s heads. He got into the proverbial kitchen of a few guys in his 2 innings of work and nothing was hit hard against him. It’s the first time I’ve seen him on the mound save for still shots, and he doesn’t look like a guy fresh out of high school.