Category Archives: Pitching

2006 Season, Pitching, Roster Management

Bullpen shake-up, Ledezma gets the call

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Bobby Seay was designated for assignment and Wil Ledezma will get his spot in the bulllpen. Ledezma has been outstanding for Toledo with a 2.52 ERA and 66 strikeouts against 23 walks in 71 innings. It appears that this was less of a case of Seay earning a demotion, and more a case of Ledezma earning a promtion.

The other part of this move is that the Tigers are in a long stretch of games without a day off. Jim Leyland has hinted about using a 6th starter on occasion to spell the rotation. Ledezma could easily be that guy, where Seay never could.

As for Todd Jones, Leyland addressed it in his comments as reported by Danny Knobler:

“(Jones) didn’t really have much to do with the game, in my opinion (because the Tigers scored only 1 run in 12 innings). … If you just pitch Todd Jones in save situations, it’s different. I think if he’d have had a one run lead in the ninth, he’d have saved the game. … I think we’re talking too much about Todd Jones and not enough about one run in 12 innings.”

I would have been frustrated had Jones given up a run in extra innings, but I could have at least tolerated it. Somebody on one of the teams was going to give up a run at some point. It was the fact that he allowed the D-Rays to put the game out of reach with 4 runs. It isn’t the little blown save, it is the huge innings he’s allowing that are most troublesome.

2006 Season, Defense, Pitching, Trade Rumors

Links and stuff

27 Comments

Between anniversaries, and attending Tiger games, and work, I’ve got a pile of links to power through:

  • The Baseball Crank took a look at the Tigers pitching. He found that through the 29th, the Tigers were in some rare company. In terms of the Tigers ratio of ERA to league average ERA they stood as the 6th best of all time.
  • The Sporting Brews has taken a very indepth and thoughtful look at the Tigers pitchers success, and how much is impacted by defense. It is well worth the read. The whole seperation of pitching and defense is always fascinating to me. As has been well documented, for the season the Tigers have played excellent defense. Some say it is luck, some say it is skill. In any case the pitchers benefit. But the big mystery is whether the defense has just been better on its own, or are the pitchers throwing more fieldable balls and whether or not this is even a skill.
  • Things are going so well for the Tigers this year, the national media even saying don’t worry about a couple of tough games. Tom Verducci says the Tigers are still for real, and they even get a mention on the cover of today’s Sports Illustrated.
  • Buster Olney has really been pushing the idea of Barry Bonds as a Tiger. He’s listed Detroit and the Yankees as the top two likely destinations for Barry next year. Now he’s speculating that an in season trade may make sense for both parties. I just really don’t see it. Now if the Giants would let him go as just a massive salary dump, looking for minimal stuff in return…I’d think about it. Of course it’s not my money. It would be a left handed bat, with no long term commitment. As for signing him next year? I’d be very disappointed if Bonds was their target.
2006 Season, Pitching, Roster Management

Zach Miner up, Hannahan down

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So I was a little right about the Tigers looking to the minors for arm help. I just didn’t quite nail the execution of it. Zach Miner’s contract was purchased from Toledo and Jack Hannahan was optioned to the Mud Hens.

Miner has pitched very well for the Hens with a 2.82 ERA in 9 starts. He’s thrown 51 innings and fanned 40 while walking 21.

Leyland must be confident that he can shorten the bench, at least for the time being. Marcus Thames recent play has certainly made him worthy of being the everyday DH.

2006 Season, Pitching, Roster Management

Looking for help

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After being spectators for the first 50 games of the season, the Tigers long relief has been busy. Mike Maroth lasted only 1/3 of an inning on Thursday. After a reprieve with strong outings from Nate Robertson and Justin Verlander, they were again pressed into action on Sunday. Tonight, with Mike Maroth unavailable Roman Colon started but couldn’t make it out of the third inning. Bobby Seay came on and couldn’t make it out of the 5th. As the Tigers continue to face tough offenses for the forseeable future they may need to find help beyond their current bullpen.
Continue reading Looking for help →

2006 Season, Injuries, Pitching, Roster Management

Mike Maroth to the DL

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So I guess that elbow thing is pretty serious. Mike Maroth has been placed on the 15 day DL and Chris Spurling has been recalled. Presumably Roman Colon or possibly Jason Grilli will become the 5th starter for the next couple weeks, with Spurling back-filling the bullpen.

There aren’t many details yet, but Maroth had been scheduled to visit with a doctor today. Presumably the news wasn’t good.

This is disappointing, and not from a “can the Tigers get by” perspective. Mike Maroth endured quite a bit during that 2003 season, and personally I really wanted him to continue his early season success. I was hoping this would be his redemption year.

As for Spurling, after a couple rough outings initially in Toledo he has been lights out.

2006 Season, Pitching, Statistics

PECOTA said this might happen

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Now that we are at the 40 game mark, people are starting to really try and determine which surprises are real. The Tigers have received a lot of attention, what with the best record in baseball and all. Most has been positive, but there are dissenters, and they have just cause. The Tigers, particularly the pitching staff, are playing at levels that are by and large, well above what their careers would indicate. But back before the season started, PECOTA thought this might happen. Continue reading PECOTA said this might happen →

2006 Season, Managing & Strategy, Pitching

Leyland’s Tender Loving Care

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As I documented here several times, the part of the Jim Leyland hire that made me most apprehensive was his handling of starters. A couple times earlier this season those fears were reinforced. There was the time he said didn’t believe in pitch counts, and he left it up to the opposing hitters to let him know when his starter had tired. And then there was the game in Oakland when he left Justin Verlander in for 121 pitches. However I’ve been happily wrong for the most part.
Continue reading Leyland’s Tender Loving Care →

2006 Season, Injuries, Pitching

Tigers Rain Delay Linking

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Stuff of note from the last few days:

  • Dmitri Young’s return seems close. He’s heading to Erie for a rehab assignment. To keep track of Young’s progress, make sure to check the minor league reports.
  • Remember when TV play-by-play man Mario Impemba was blogging on MLBlogs? That blog was kind of abandoned this winter. Well, I just found out he’s been blogging for Fox Sports. This incarnation looks to have launched during spring training and is kept up to date.
  • It also looks like Mario fancies himself a webmaster. He maintains a site about baseball broadcasting called the Sound of Baseball
  • I also happened across a couple of Tiger blogs. Mack Avenue and The Daily Fungo.
  • Much of the Tigers pitching staff success this year is being attributed to meetings that Chuck Hernandez holds with the staff and catchers. In the meetings they discuss how to approach the coming series. According to Vance Wilson this level of preparation is new

    We’re getting good scouting reports. We’re getting together as a group and talking about their lineup and getting good feedback. Chuck’s been awesome. I don’t think we’ve had this kind of preparation in a long time here in Detroit.”.

    Now I always thought that Bob Cluck was a decent pitching coach, and I guess I just assumed this was taking place in the past. Hmmmm

  • In other pitching news it appears that Justin Verlander is battling a blister problem. It sounds like it only causes problems for his curveball.
  • Chris Shelton and Kenny Rogers were named Tigers player and pitcher of the month for April
  • And last but not least, the Tigers are certainly not last nor least. On Baseball Prospectus’ Hit List the Tigers hold the number one spot.
Pitching, Players, Statistics

Breaking down Bonderman

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A Tiger season wouldn’t be a Tiger season without doubt about Jeremy Bonderman. In 2003 when he struggled out of the gate, there was much speculation that he was brought to the majors to quickly (which he may have been). He then shutdown Oakland. In 2004 after a particularly rough spell, there was talk of demoting Bonderman from the rotation or even sending him to Toledo. He then went out and struckout 14 White Sox. In 2005 he faltered down the stretch, was hit by a line drive, and people wondered if he was injured…and he was.

So when Bonderman dropped his second and third games, and struggled in the first inning of his fourth, there was a right to be concerned that the previous year’s injury was still around. Or perhaps we think to highly of Jeremy and he’ll never be the stud we thought he could be. Or he was rushed and never had a chance to develop that third pitch.

Even after bouncing back against the Angels, Bonderman’s ERA stands at 5.04 which is worst among the Tiger starters. But with a closer look at the stats, one could argue that he has pitched the best, or at least question why he hasn’t had better results. Continue reading Breaking down Bonderman →

2006 Season, Managing & Strategy, Pitching

Verlander throws 121

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Justin Verlander was throwing heat last night, but 121 is the number of pitches he threw – not his top speed. I’m a disappointed, but not surprised that Jim Leyland would leave him out there.

I’m not going to blame the loss on Leyland’s handling of Verlander. Yes Verlander allowed the home run to Nick Swisher leading off the 7th, but then he quietly retired the side afterwards. I don’t think that Verlander’s pitch count had anything to do with the home run, and by all accounts it sounded like Verlander wasn’t fatigued. On the last pitch of the 6th inning he hit 101mph.

My issue is that it was completely unnecessary for Verlander to throw that 7th inning. This is a prized young arm making his 5th big league start. He wasn’t working on a complete game and it wasn’t part of a pennant race. This was a tie game in the 7th inning in mid April.

Pitchers are all different, and there is nothing magical about the 100 pitch mark. It’s very possible that Verlander is and will be fine, and this outing won’t have any negative impact on his arm. I just don’t see why he even took the chance.

Related: Ken Arneson of Catfish Stew was in attendance and likes what he saw from Verlander.

2006 Season, Injuries, Minors, Pitching

Maroth hurting

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Mike Maroth will miss his scheduled start on Thursday. The elbow tenderness he experienced during spring training has apparently flared up again.

The Tigers aren’t overly concerned, but I am. Maroth’s start on Friday was his first long outing of the year because he was limited in spring training. My guess is that it didn’t feel right the next day, and the pain hasn’t subsided. If there is any good news in this, it is that Maroth appears to be taking the cautious route instead of trying to pitch through it. Continue reading Maroth hurting →