Category Archives: 2009 Season

2009 Season, Statistics

The Seventh Inning – 2009 edition

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Long time readers of this site remember a feature called the Inning Report. Reader Sam Hoff would break down the season into 18 game segments or “innings.” Why 18 game? Because there are 9 18 game segments in a season. Wednesday’s game against the Angels completed the seventh inning. Sam is still putting these together, but he’s posting them on his site this season. So click through to read The 7th Inning is Over with games through Wednesday.

The Tigers played .500 ball in this most recent 18 game stretch. What really stands out to me this season is the consistency on the run prevention side of things. In 5 of the 7 18 game segments so far the the Tigers have allowed between 84 and 86 runs.

The Tigers overall slash line was 250/321/423 despite having 5 guys with OPS’s north of .900. Unfortunately, Clete Thomas, Brandon Inge, Aubrey Huff, and Gerald Laird are OPSing on the wrong side of .500 and are really, really dragging things down.

Still, the team managed to lengthen it’s division lead despite playing even ball so thanks to the struggles of the White Sox and Twins the Tigers are in a better place than they were 18 games ago.

2009 Season, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap 8/27/09

Indianapolis 5 Toledo 3
Scott Sizemore doubled twice and walked. Don Kelly singled, tripled and walked. Nate bump went 6 innings and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 1 strike out. Freddy Dolsi allowed 2 runs on 3 hits, a homer, and a walk in 1.2 innings.

Erie 6 Reading 6 12th Inning – still in progress at blog-time

Lakeland 5 Daytona 8
Joe Tucker doubled. Audy Ciriaco and Jeramy Laster homered. Josh Workman went 2 for 3 with a walk. Charlie Furbush allowed 7 runs (only 4 were earned) in 5 innings on 8 hits and 2 walks with 4 K’s.

West Michigan 1 Lansing 3
Avisail Garcia doubled twice. Anthony Shawler fanned 5 and walked 2 in 6 innings allowing 1 unearned run. Brandon Hamilton’s struggles have followed him to the bullpen, tonight he allowed 2 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks in 1.2 innings.

Brooklyn 4 Oneonta 3
Wade Gaynor homered and singled. Eric Roof, Carmelo Jaime and Chris Sedon each had 2 hits. Jose Siso fanned 6 and walked 2 allowing 1 run in 6 innings.

GCL Tigers 2 GCL Pirates 3
Chao-Ting Tang struggled in his first US season but with a double, single, and walk he has bumped his line to 302/380/413 this go around. Jared Wesson allowed 3 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, and 7 K’s in 4 innings. Ramon Lebron pitched 4 innings of relief and allowed just 1 walk and 1 run.

2009 Season, Interviews, Minors

Get to know James Robbins

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On the deadline to sign this year’s draft picks, the Tigers got a lot of attention for signing Jacob Turner, Andrew Oliver, and Daniel Fields. That same day they also inked their 30th round pick, lefty hitting first baseman James Robbins from Shorecrest High School in Washington. The signing flew a little under the radar, but Robbins is the first of the 4 to see game action and he homered in his first 2 games for the GCL Tigers and his pro career is off to a great start. Robbins was kind enough to answer some questions for DTW.

DTW: You signed pretty much at the deadline. Can you tell us a little about the negotiations, were you in continual contact with the Tigers or did things pick up quickly at the end?
JR: I never really had continual contact with the Tigers. Negotiations picked up the last few days right before the deadline. So it ended up being last minute.
DTW: You had a commitment to WSU. What was the biggest factor in your decision to sign with the Tigers and was Miguel Cabrera’s long term deal and the fact he plays first base a factor at all, or do the Tigers have plans for other positions for you?
JR: I can’t say it had a major factor in my decision other than I just wanted to play baseball. It’s been a dream of mine and I wanted to pursue it. Cabrera’s deal didn’t play into my choice at all. And as far as other positions I have thrown a few bullpens but not sure what will come from it.
DTW: You’re on the opposite corner of the country from your home, what’s that adjustment been like?
JR: The adjustment for me has been fairly easy. The first few days were a big change for me but after that everything has gone smoothly. Everyone has been great to me and its making for an easy transition.
DTW: You’ve gotten off to a very quick start for the GCL Tigers including homers in your first 2 games. Can you take us through your first professional homer? What was the situation, what was the pitch, and did you know it was gone off the bat?
JR: My first home run was exciting for me. Right off the bat I didn’t think it was gone. There were two guys on, second and third, and I was just trying to find a way to get them in. The pitcher threw me a fastball, and when I hit it I thought it going to be a sac fly, but ended up going out.
DTW: Has the organization set an offseason training regimen for you, I’m assuming that you’ll stick around for the Instructional League but what’s after that?
JR: As far as the offseason I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. They haven’t given me anything yet as far as a training regimen. But I will be back for Instructional League.
DTW: What are your first impressions of the Tiger Town complex in Lakeland?
JR: My first impressions have been great, I’m really enjoying myself. All the facilities are nice and its just a great complex to play at.
DTW: Now for some light stuff. What’s your favorite band/tv show/movie? And in terms of uniforms, do you prefer high socks or the pants pulled down to the ankles? A straight bill on the cap or curved?
JR: I can’t say that I have a favorite band, tv show or movie. But I listen to a variety of music, watch anything sports on tv and for a movie, the hockey movie Miracle. As far as the uniform I’m old school, I like the high socks and stirrups they have us wear for the Tigers. And I like my hat to have a little curve to it.

I’d like to thank James for taking the time to talk with DTW and wish him continued success in his pro career.

2009 Season, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap 8/27/09

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Toledo – PPD

Erie 4 Reading 6
Brennan Boesch and Casper Wells each had 2 hits. Jonah Nickerson allowed 10 hits and 6 runs in 5 innings. Robbie Weinhardt allowed 2 hits and 2 walks with 3 K’s in 2 innings.

Lakeland 7 Daytona 1
Audy Ciriaco went 4 for 5. Hernan Perez and Luis Grullon each had 2 hits. Mark Sorenseen picked up his first Lakeland win throwing 7 shut out innings and only allowing 3 hits. Lester Oliveros fanned 3 in 2 innings of relief.

West Michigan 8 Lansing 3
Ronnie Bourquin, Jordan Lennerton, Luis Salas, and Joe Bowen each had 2 hits. Alden Carrithers doubled and walked twice. Gustavo Nunez stole his 43rd base. Brayan Villarreal fanned 8 and allowed 3 runs on 3 walks and 4 hits in 5 innings.

Oneonta 0 Staten Island 1
Alexis Espinoza had the lone hit. Clemente Mendoza allowed 1 run on 4 hits and a walk with 5 K’s in 7 innings.

GCL Tigers – Cancelled

Minors Notes

The Tigers announced their Instructional League roster. TigsTown breaks it all down.

2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.126: Tigers at Angels

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PREGAME: It’s Joe Saunders and Edwin Jackson today. The Tigers try for a sweep, which is always fun to write. A guaranteed .500 road trip is certainly acceptable, but a 4-2 mark would be immensely satisfying.

The Tigers have faced Saunders twice this year and have plated 9 runs in 11 innings. He’s making his first start since coming off the DL.

Jackson has faced the Angels twice this year. The Angels worked him over pretty good running his pitch count up to 104 in just 5 innings. In Detroit he pitched a complete game and struck out the side in the 9th.

Detroit vs. LA Angels – August 26, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: A loss is a lot easier to take after a couple of good wins. The Tigers just came up short in so many facets of the game today. Granderson came up just short of robbing a homer (I’m not dogging him for this, just saying it was close). Rallies came up just short. Gerald Laird’s throws on the numerous stolen base attempts just missed getting runners. And Edwin Jackson just missed the strike zone too often today. It happens.

  • Jackson had 4 walks today and that is certainly a concern. It’s been a pattern in the 2nd half of the season and something that he has had to pitch around.
  • The Angels stole 5 bases which is pretty much unheard of with Laird behind the dish
  • Adam Everett last homered in the last road series the Tigers won. I don’t mean to imply anything by this expect to point out an interesting coincidence.
  • Everett hitting in the 9th is a fairly curious move, but with the lefty starter Leyland had deployed all his right handed hitting weapons. Even with a platoon disadvantage an option like Guillen was probably safer bet.
  • Too bad Inge moved out of the way of the ball that was about to hit him or the bases could have been loaded with 1 out for Everett.
  • Ryan Perry turned in another impressive performance and showed no ill effects from his Sunday shellacking.
2009 Season, Injuries

Nate Robertson to start Saturday

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Armando Galarraga hits the DL is optioned to Toledo with elbow inflammation per Jason Beck. Rick Porcello gets moved up to Friday and Nate Robertson will make the start on Saturday.

Robertson has been pitching in the rotation for Toledo on his rehab assignment and he’s had some sparkling results as of late especially his last start, a 6.2 inning shut out performance with 9 K’s, 3 hits, and 2 walks on all of 68 pitches.

2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap & More 8/25/09

Louisville 3 Toledo 2
Wilkin Ramirez and Wil Rhymes each had 2 hits. Nate Robertson started and went 6.2 innings, he allowed 3 hits, no runs, 2 walks, and he fanned 9 – and it only took him 68 pitches to do it. Jeremy Bonderman didn’t fare as well allowing 2 runs on 2 hits and a walk in 1 inning.

Erie 5 Reading 8
Michael Bertram was a single short of the cycle. Casper Wells had 3 hits including 2 doubles. Jared Gayhart got another start and lasted 4 innings with 5 K’s, 2 walks, 4 hits, and 1 run.

Lakeland 4 Daytona 6
Devin Thomas and Jeramy Laster each had 2 doubles. Lauren Gagnier allowed 2 homers and 4 runs on 8 hits, 2 walks, and 5 K’s in 5 innings. Austin Wood pitched a scoreless inning with a strike out.

West Michigan 3 Lansing 4
Billy Nowlin homered for 1 of his 3 hits. Ben Guez and Luis Salas each had 2 hits, and Salas added 2 walks. Luke Putkonen fanned 8 in 6 shutout innings allowing 2 walks and 4 hits. Jade Todd was lit up for 4 runs in 2.1 innings.

Oneonta 1 Staten Island 4
Jamie Johnson doubled and walked. Alexis Espinoza doubled an singled. Mark Newman pitched 4 shutout innings with 4 hits, no walks and 2 K’s.

GCL Tigers 1 GCL Blue Jays 4
Brett Anderson went 2 for 4. Rayni Guichardo pitched 6 shutout innings and fanned 5 against 3 walks and 3 hits. Melvin Mercedes picked up his 15th save with a scoreless inning.

Minors Notes

The Tigers preliminary Arizona Fall League roster was announced. Robbie Weinhardt, Cody Satterwhite, Thad Weber, Ryan Strieby, Cale Iorg, and Scott Sizemore will represent the Tigers. Take 75 North breaks down the selections.

Also of note, Jeff Larish is done for the year as his wrist required surgery. Larish did pretty much nothing at the plate the latter part of the year and at least with an injury there is some explanation.

2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.125: Tigers at Angels

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PREGAME: The optimist in me looks at last night’s win and thinks “hey, the Tigers have 2 more chances to win this series,” while the pessimist in me thinks “hey, at least they won’t get swept.” It’s not such a bad deal when the pessimist can even look on the bright side right?

Jarrod Washburn will try to stifle his fondness for giving up long balls as he has mistaken the Old English D to stand for “Deep.” Washburn is familiar with the Angels. That isn’t necessarily good. He has faced them 3 times this year and in 2 of the outings he allowed 6 runs and didn’t complete 6 innings in those starts.

John Lackey is on the bump for the Angels. He hasn’t started against Detroit since 2007. His last time out the Indians got to him for 6 runs in 5.1 innings. Aubrey Huff is 2 for 30 lifetime against Lackey. Gerald Laird is 3 for 30 lifetime. Ordonez is 4 for 11 with 2 homers. There’s no way that Huff and Laird can start tonight is there?

POSTGAME: At least those who stayed up until the wee hours (after staying up to the really wee hours the night before) were thoroughly rewarded. It wasn’t just that it was a win, it was that it was a terrifically entertaining game, punctuated by some key hits and even key-er defense.

Washburn was hard to watch the first 3 innings. The pattern was unpleasantly similar for almost everyone that came to the plate. Fall behind 2-0 or 3-1 by missing badly to both sides of the plate, then see the ball hit hard somewhere. Curtis Granderson saved a double in the first and Brandon Inge started a diving double play in the same frame. Washburn was bailed out of what would have been a crooked number inning without both of those plays occurring.  Fortunately after slogging through 2 more innings of struggles and allowing a 3 run bomb, Washburn settled in and somehow made it through 6 innings.

On the other side the Tigers continued to hit and threaten and they got enough big hits (and by big I mean extra base big) to post 5 runs on the board. The Polanco-Ordonez-Cabrera trifecta resulted in a run in the first. Solo shots by Grandy and Miggy tied the score. And a damn near homer turned triple (more on this in a minute) by Granderson set up what turned out to be the first of back-to-back triples punctuated by an Ordonez sacrifice fly.

But then there was the bullpen. Leyland has decided that Zach Miner has earned himself a more prominent role in the pen following his outing last Thursday. It didn’t turn out well on Saturday and I can’t really say it turned out well Tuesday either. Miner, staked with a 2 run lead walked the bases loaded before escaping due to an inning ending wild pitch 2-1 out at the plate. And then he came back out for the 8th inning. My guess is that Leyland wants Miner to have some confidence in his stuff and his abilities and to coax him out of his habit of nibbling that leads to walks – even after he’s ahead in the count. Decent intentions, but it ain’t working so much.

Bobby Seay entered with a man on and 2 outs in the 8th and gave up a long drive that Clete Thomas snared with a leaping grab at the fence. Not a home run robbing play, but it was definitely a “keep the run from scoring and keep the tying run out of scoring position play” that also ended the inning.

Rodney got the save.

  • I’ve been frustrated and critical of many of Granderson’s at-bats lately, but one thing about Grandy is he never takes a moment off. The fact that he busted it all the way to third on the near triple is a testament to hustle and doing things the right way. Big applause for Curtis.
  • Miguel Cabrera has 5 extra base hits and 8 RBI as he makes a play for AL Player of the Week. And it’s Tuesday. The tear he is on is incredible and it even has people whispering about MVP. Now Mauer is so ultra deserving that others aren’t reall close. But if people are going to make a case for Mark Teixeira, I don’t know how Cabrera doesn’t get factored in.
  • The thing with both Cabrera and Ordonez right now is that they seem so in control of the situation when they are at the plate. They are willing to take strikes down the middle early in the count because it wasn’t the strike they wanted. And when they get what they want they are hitting it hard. Ordonez only had 1 double to show for last night, but he also hit a bullet at first and his sac fly was a rope to centerfield.
  • Aubrey Huff is pretty much the opposite. He K’d 3 times last night, 2 on check swings. To his credit he saw a lot of pitches and worked the count full in each at-bat, but he has looked awful whenever presented with RBI opps, and he’s had a ton.
  • For a change it was the other team stranding guys all over the place. The Angels had runners on base every time you turned around, but the only 3 that scored came on the big fly from Howie Kendrick. Bad luck, good defense, and bad execution kept the Tigers on the right side of this game.
2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap 8/24/09

Louisville 5 Toledo 0
Scott Sizemore doubled and walked. Brooks Brown left after 3 innings, and 3 runs. Freddy Dolsi and Zach Simons each pitched perfect innings.

Akron 3 Erie 1
Deik Scram went 2 for 4. Danny Worth walked 3 times. Jon Kibler allowed just 1 hit in 6 innings to go with 7 k’s an d4 walks. Alfredo Figaro pitched 1 inning of relief with a walk and 2 K’s. Cody Satterwhite took the loss allowing 3 runs in his inning of work.

Lakeland DNP

West Michigan 5 Lansing 4
Jordan Lennerton and Joe Bowen each had a double and a single. Robert Waite pitched 6 shut-out innings allowing just 4 hits and a walk while fanning 2. Brandon Hamilton coughed up the lead with 3 runs on 4 hits (including a homer) in 1 inning.

Staten Island 6 Oneonta 7 (11 innings)
Alexis Espinoza had 3 hits including 2 doubles. Rawley Bishop walked 3 times and doubled. Jose Siso allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks with 4 K’s in 5 innings.

Oneonta 1 Staten Island 2
Rawley Bishop singled and walked. Luis Angel Sanz walked 5 but allowed just 1 run in 5 innings.

GCL Tigers 10 GCL Yankees 0
Chao-Ting Tang homered, singled, and walked twice. James Robbins, Francisco Martinez, and Londell Taylor all had multi-hit games. Giovany Soto pitched 5 shut-out innings on 4 hits, 1 walk, and 4 K’s. Marcos Nunez went the other 4 innings and he also allowed 4 hits and fanned 4.

2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.124: Tigers at Angels

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PREGAME: How many times are the Tigers going to lean on Justin Verlander to right the ship? This time it would be stopping a losing streak from expanding to 3 (and possibly beyond). He’ll go up against Jered Weaver meaning we have ourselves a dandy of a pitching match-up.

Verlander faced the Angels twice this year. Once when he and the Angels were struggling and they managed to run his pitch count up high by fouling off a ton of pitchs and with the help of some horrendous defense from Ryan Raburn. The other time Verlander schooled them and pitched 8 innings of shut out ball.

Weaver picked up a no decision when he faced the Tigers in April. The Tigers beat him up pretty good the first 2 times they faced him, but Weaver has spun quality starts in the last 2 outings.

Your, “I dare you to bring in a lefty to face Huff-Guillen back to back because I’ll pinch hit Raburn and Thames” lineup:

  1. Granderson, CF
  2. Polanco, 2B
  3. Ordonez, RF
  4. Cabrera, 1B
  5. Huff, DH
  6. Guillen, LF
  7. Inge, 3B
  8. Laird, C
  9. Santiago, SS

Detroit vs. LA Angels – August 24, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: Loved the Tigers offensive explosion, scoring more runs in the 6th than they did the whole Oakland series. Hated a dominant Verlander becoming unhinged in the subsequent inning and not making it out of the 6th. Loved Fernando Rodney’s 4 out save with 2 K’s and getting out of a runners at the corner situation. Hated the combined evening of the Seay Lyon and the Tigers burned up the top 3 arms in their pen in what was a 10-0 game in the 6th. Loved Miguel Cabrera and Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez and Venezuelan power. Hated seeing Aubrey Huff twice fail in 2nd/3rd 1 out situations. Loved the final outcome. Hated the ending time of the game. Yawn.

2009 Season

Treading water

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Once again the Tigers turn in a decidedly uninspiring performance away from Comerica Park. Once again the offense doesn’t do nearly enough. Once again the White Sox drop a couple games so nothing really changes in division. Once again the Tigers are treading water. They aren’t making progress but they aren’t drowning either. However, until they start making progress either towards shore or someone comes by to rescue them, fans are left wondering how long the team can stay afloat.

Friday night the Tigers manage to score just enough to squeak by the A’s and set-up what could have been a rewarding weekend. That managing involved to solo homers from Ryan Raburn and an RBI single from Clete Thomas. Hardly a juggernaut.

Saturday was one of the worst offensive efforts of the year and the type of performance that one could use to point to Lloyd McClendon’s struggles this year as a hitting coach. Trevor Cahill’s numbers are thoroughly unimpressive and yet the Tigers made things easy after plating a run in the first. Through the first 3 innings the Tigers took 4 called strikes. I don’t mind an aggressive approach, but there is a difference between aggression and impatience. In the first 4 innings the Tigers swung at 9 pitches out of the strike zone. Either it was a flawed game plan or flawed execution. This wasn’t a “tip your cap” game, it was a failure.

Sunday the Tigers couldn’t muster much, but the 4 runs was an offensive explosion and actually reassuring that the Tigers fought to get it to a 1 run game before an uncharacteristic bullpen implosion turned the Tigers best offensive outing of the series into a blow out the wrong way. And the Tigers lost another series.

A series that was the very definition of winnable. But sloppy play and bad luck and questionable decision making combined to put the Tigers in a 1-2 hole as they head into a much tougher series. Outfield errors, baserunning blunders, strange pitching decisions, running to stay out of the double play only to have line drives hit instead of ground balls, it was damn near a disaster.

Other thoughts on the state of the team:

  • The Alex Avila statue may have to wait a little bit. He posted 0’fers in his last 2 games. Certainly excusable, but for those clamoring for him to play everyday a reminder he isn’t an All Star yet. And really, with the Angels and their eagerness on the basepaths coming up I wouldn’t mind seeing Laird getting 2 of the 3 starts this series
  • Aubrey Huff has looked like the second coming of Sean Casey with his “ground ball to second” tendencies so far. I guess that means he’ll come up huge in the World Series right?
  • The addition of Huff and the key hits from Raburn and Thomas have kept the bullpen at only 6 pitchers meaning that Jim Leyland has an extra bat on the bench and better L-R balance. The good news is he’s shown a willingness to mix and match late in the game.
  • Ryan Perry looked awesome on Saturday night turning in a “wow” type performance. The type of performance you want to see from your top draft pick. Sunday…not so much.
  • The Ordonez vesting countdown is at 67 plate appearances.
2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.123: Tigers at A’s

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PREGAME: The Tigers have a chance at a road series win. If they succeed, it would be their first since they took 3 of 5 from the White Sox in early June.

The Tigers will send out Rick Porcello who has been quite solid as of late. Over his last 4 starts the opposition is OPSing just .486 against him.

The A’s send out Brett Tomko who is making just his 2nd start of the season. His first time out he shut out the Yankees for 5 innings on 5 hits, no walks, and no strikeouts. The Tigers don’t have a lot of history against Tomko, but Adam Everett has taken him deep so make of that what you please.

Detroit vs. Oakland – August 23, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday