Sorry for the late notice, but the Arizona Fall Leauge Rising Stars All Star game is tonight and is being televised. You can catch it on the MLB Network. If you don’t have the MLB Network the game is being streamed online. The Tigers are being represented by Casper Wells and Andrew Oliver and manager Kevin Bradshaw. (Game Notes & Gameday)
Category Archives: Minors
Sizemore leaves AFL game with injury
Latest Update: Sizemore has a fractured tibia and is on his way to Detroit
Scott Sizemore, the heir apparent at second base left today’s game in the first inning due to an injury. He was trying to turn a double play when a hard slide by Danny Espinosa caused both players to exit. What we know right now is that Sizemore’s injury is to his left leg but I hope to know more shortly.
Mark Anderson’s sources say it is an ankle with no confirmation on severity
On a brighter note Casper Wells hit a 2-2 Stephen Strasburg curve ball out to left center for a grand slam.
Desert Update: Sizemore Shines
The Tigers representatives in the Arizona Fall League now have a week under their belts. Since the opener most have handled the challenge quite well so far with your likely 2010 second baseman Scott Sizemore leading the way.
Scott Sizemore
All he’s done is homer 3 times, double twice, and walk twice in 18 plate appearances. That’s good enough for a 375/400/1.063 slash line and prompting Kevin Goldstein to say “there isn’t really a glaring weakness in his game.”
Casper Wells
Mark Anderson of TigsTown thinks that a big fall could put Wells in the mix for the outfield rotation in 2010. So far he has a 444/450/889 line in 19 plate appearances. He has fanned 8 times though so it appears he’s either hitting the ball hard or not at all.
Cale Iorg
So far Iorg seems to be picking up his AFL season where his Erie season ended, and that’s not necessarily a good thing. He has a 182/182/250 line so far but I guess the good news would be that he’s only fanned 4 times. In Kevin Goldstein’s BP 10 Pack he listed this scout’s comment on Iorg:
I like the tools and what he does with the glove… but he just can’t hit.
Andrew Oliver
After getting knocked around a little bit in his first outing he bounced back nicely fanning 3 and walking 1 in his next outing which lasted 2 innings. He followed that up with a 1 inning stint that saw him allow 2 hits, but no damage while notching another strikeout.
Robbie Weinhardt
Weinhardt also improved with his second outing, but that was really the only way for him to go. But he still allowed 2 runs in 1.1 innings. Weinhardt has allowed 7 runs in 3 AFL innings on 9 hits and 3 walks. For someone who allowed just 8 earned runs in 30 AA innings this year this is certainly uncharacteristic.
Scot Drucker
Drucker isn’t really viewed as a prospect, but he has done well with this opportunity so far. He’s allowed just 1 run on 2 hits in 5 innings despite just striking out 2.
AFL Season kicks off
The Arizona Fall League started today. The Tigers had quite a few representatives in today’s effort, a game that saw the opposition hang 17 runs on the board.
I guess the bad news first, the Tigers had 3 pitchers in today’s game. Scot Drucker started and allowed a run in 2 innings. It was downhill from there. Andy Oliver drew a tough assignment for his first professional action and he was tagged for 4 runs due to 2 hits, including a homer, and 2 walks in his inning of work. Robbie Weinhardt got knocked around for 5 runs on 6 hits, a walk, a wild pitch, and a hit by pitch in 1.2 innings.
Offensively things were a little better. Scott Sizemore had an 0 for 4, but Casper Wells doubled and singled and Cale Iorg went 1 for 3.
Winter Leagues: Arizona Fall League: Statistics | MLB.com: Events
UPDATE: Take 75 North weighs in on the game and Fire Jim Leyland looks at Oliver’s pitch f/x data.
Tigers Minors News
Just because the regular minor league seasons are over doesn’t mean there isn’t news coming out about the Tigers prospects. The instructional league is in full swing, the Arizona Fall League is starting, and post season awards are being handed out.
Instructional League
The IL games are underway. Mark Anderson of TigsTown is on site and filing daily reports. The first one was free, but the subsequent ones are premium content. Based on the 2 reports so far Audy Ciriaco has been a star.
The IL is also a chance to see many of the Tigers 2009 draftees in Tigers uniform for the first time. Lakeland resident Roger DeWitt has been hanging around the fields and posting his pictures on Flickr. As has been the case the last few years, Roger was the first to get shots of the Tigers first round picks in action and he has Jacob Turner throwing on one of the practice mounds.
Arizona Fall League
The Tigers have had to make some adjustments to their AFL roster due to the arm problems of Cody Satterwhite and the lingering wrist problem of Ryan Strieby. In a surprise move (at least I was surprised), 2nd round pick Andrew Oliver will take Satterwhite’s spot.
What isn’t known is if Oliver is going because he has really impressed so far and the Tigers want to see what he does against advanced competition in preparation for an aggressive assignment next year, or if he is going by default.
Casper Wells will take Strieby’s spot, but that isn’t so much of a surprise.
Player of the Year Honors
Congratulations to Scott Sizemore and Casey Crosby who took home organizational Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year honors. (As predicted by Take 75 North).
Both had outstanding seasons. Crosby was kept on the 75 pitch limit which did hold down his innings but he still managed 117 strike outs in 104.1 innings. I’d imagine he’d start out in Lakeland next year with an 85-90 pitch limit but he could very well end up at Erie before the year is out.
Sizemore just raked the ball all season. He hit in Erie and continued hitting as he spent the 2nd half of the year in Toledo and he may be pushing Placido Polanco out the door.
Tigers Minor League Wrap 9/1/09
Toledo 0 Indianpolis 3
Mike Hessman, Max Leon, and Audy Ciriaco each had hits. Yes, Ciriaco and Leon – it’s late season call-up time throughout the organization. Hessman added 2 walks. Brooks Brown allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and 5 walks with 3 K’s in 7 innings.
Erie 7 Harrisburg 8
Casper Wells homered in a 3 for 4, 1 walk night. Santo De Leon homered. Deik Scram doubled and singled. Jonah Nickerson was knocked around for 7 runs on 9 hits, 2 walks, and 3 K’s in 5.1 innings.
Lakeland – suspended
West Michigan – DNP
Hudson Valley 10 Oneonta 0
Rawley Bishop tirpled and singled. Clemente Mendoza was roughed for 6 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 3 innings.
Tigers Minor League Wrap 8/29/09
Indianpolis 12 Toledo 0
Brent Dlugach doubled. Don Kelly and Jeff Frazier had the other 2 hits. Ruddy Lugo allowed 5 runs on 7 hits in 4 innings. Matt Rusch allowed 6 runs in 2 innings. Dane Sardhina pitched the last inning and was the only Hens pitcher to hold the Indians scoreless.
Altoona 6 Erie 3
Danny Worth doubled and walked. Andy Dirks had 2 hits. Cale Iorg doubled and walked. Jon Kibler allowed 5 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks in 7.1 innings.
Lakeland 3 Dunedin 4
Josh Workman, Joe Tucker, and Hernan Perez all had 2 hits. Trevor Feeney went 5 innings and allowed 2 runs on 5 hits, 1 walk, and 1 K.
West Michigan – PPD
Oneonta PPD
GCL Phillies 0 GCL Tigers 4
Luis Castillo and Chao-Ting Tang each had 2 hits. Giovany Soto pitched 7 shut out innings lowering his ERA to 1.18
Tigers Minor League Wrap 8/28/09
Indianapolis 6 Toledo 7
Mike Hessman went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. Scott Sizemore and Wil Rhymes each had 2 hits. Eddie Bonine allowed 5 runs on 10 hits in 5.2 innings. Jeremy Bonderman fanned 2 and allowed 2 hits in 1 inning.
Altoona 9 Erie 6
Santo De Leon had 2 doubles. Deik Scram walked twice and singled. Brennan Boesch homerd and walked. Ramon Garcia allowed 5 runs in 4.2 innings on 7 hits, 4 walks, and 3 K’s.
Lakeland 2 Dunedin 3
Jeramy Laster homered. Justin Henry tripled. Ryan Ketchner went 6 innings and he allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk with 6 K’s. Austin Wood allowed 2 hits but no runs in 2 innings.
Fort Wayne 5 West Michigan 8
Gustavo Nunez needed a homer for the cycle. Ben Guez had 3 hits including 2 doubles and has pushed his season line to 278/323/487. Adam Wilk continues to pitch well with 5 K’s, no walks and just 1 run on 4 hits in 4.2 innings.
Oneonta PPD
GCL Pirates 0 GCL Tigers 3
James Robbins and Elvis Soto each had 3 hits including a homer for Soto. Edwin Gomez and Chao-Ting Tang each had 2 hits. Zach Samuels pitched 7 shut out innings with 4 K’s, 1 walk, and 6 hits.
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.
Get to know James Robbins
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.
Tigers Minor League Wrap 8/27/09
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.
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.