Tag Archives: carlos guillen

Roster Management, Trade Rumors, Trades, Winter Meetings

Winter Meetings Day 3

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As Tigers fans let us just hope that today is relatively boring. The Tigers will remain active and the roster will continue to change but hopefully we’re done with franchise-type players leaving. In the meantime here’s a recap of what happened yesterday – including some late notes – as well as a look at what may happen today.

Trade Rumors, Winter Meetings

Tigers interested in George Sherrill?

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For all the talk of the Tigers being broke, the Dodgers might be in a tougher situation. They didn’t offer any of their players arbitration and now they are looking to move players, including reliever George Sherrill.

Matthew Pouilot notes that the Tigers might be a fit for a deal where Sherrill and a prospect head to Detroit in exchange for Edwin Jackson. Pouilot also mentions the Rangers, Rays, and Phillies as potential suitors.

The lefty reliever made $2.75 million last year and in 2010 he enters his last year of arbitration eligibility his last 2 years of arbitration eligibility before becoming a free agent. Sherrill keep his strikeout rate above 9 and he generally keeps his walks a touch over 3 except for 2 outlier years in 2006 and 2008. While his FIP projection is similar to Bobby Seay’s, Sherrill did it as a general reliever and not a LOOGY like Seay did making his numbers more impressive.

Continue reading Tigers interested in George Sherrill? →

2009 Season

Much ado about Carlos Guillen

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Jason Beck caught up with Carlos Guillen late last week and a maelstrom was the result. Guillen wasn’t happy with the way Jim Leyland handled things at the end of the year. Leyland explained his side. The two talked. Leyland says everything is fine. Guillen isn’t saying much else. Guillen was wrong to go public with this. He’s wrong about his own abilities. But he’s far from a selfish teammate.

Guillen was displeased with a couple aspects down the stretch. He was upset that as a left fielder he didn’t get regular playing time and he was upset about the shuffling of the lineups.

Continue reading Much ado about Carlos Guillen →

2009 Season, Injuries, Pitching, Statistics

Infirmary report and other thoughts

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Aside from Joel Zumaya’s season ending surgery, the news is actually pretty good on the injury front. So much so that the only wound licking to take place should be residual pain of a 2-4 road trip.

  • Carlos Guillen, already swinging a productive stick from the left side, could be playing in left field by the end of the week. Now Guillen in left isn’t necessarily good news from a defensive perspective but it also means he isn’t locked into the DH role. Beck’s Blog: Guillen close to playing in field
  • Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson had good reports the day following their simulated game and head out on rehab assignment. Both will be in Toledo starting Tuesday (so the Mud Hens should eat well) with the goal to stretch Robertson out as a starter while Bonderman will be pitching out of the pen. I wouldn’t expect Robertson back before September 1st when the rosters expand. Tigers Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson to pitch in Toledo on Tuesday | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press
  • After Saturday’s effort I’m in no hurry to bump Porcello from the rotation, but the addition of either pitcher, or someone else after September 1st could help to curtail Porcello’s workload down the stretch. With a bigger roster to work with Leyland could do some split starts with Porcello if need be.
  • Brandon Inge’s balky knees have bothered him less of late due to a change in his treatment regimen, and the fact he’s been working with a specialist on a way to put the pain out of his mind.
  • Gerald Laird has been the Tigers best baserunner. Who knew? Tiger Tales: A Detroit Tigers Blog: Gerald Laird Leads Tigers in Base Running
  • Speaking of Gerald Laird, i was wondering if he might have any soft of advantage working with Jarrod Washburn since they spent several years in the AL West together. Turns out Laird only has 16 plate appearances against him. And in case you were wondering, Luke Scott is only 1 for 3 off of Washburn lifetime. 
  • Finally, a look at Rick Porcello’s awesome outing through the lens of pitch f/x. Fire Jim Leyland: Rick Porcello’s Start Through PITCHf/x
2009 Season, Injuries, Trade Rumors

Frustration

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When things start to get really dire for the Tigers, I usually use this space to try and provide some perspective. This isn’t only for you the reader, but for me the Tigers fan as well. I’m really having to scrounge for perspective right now as the team has tanked since the All Star Break and have surrendered sole possession of 1st place.

There are cliches that I can always employ, about it being a long season and what not. It rings a little bit hollow today though. But…it is a long season. Losing 4 out of 5 games 2-1 is freakishly consistently bad. So freakishly and consistently bad it is hard to sustain – which could be the good news. As is usually the case, when the team is playing bad it is easy to assume things will stay bad or get worse. Just like when things are going well, people can’t imagine the team tanking.

It’s hard to believe that the offense will get better given what has been on display lately, but it will. Everything is going wrong when the Tigers are at the dish, everything won’t continue to go wrong. The team will score more runs and it is probably not best to make rash decisions based on 6 games. Of course this isn’t just a 6 game thing. The offense has been bad for a month and isn’t showing signs of getting better.

I’d like to see the Tigers add a bat as much as anyone, but the bulk of the improvement will need to come from the current roster. I don’t know what Clete Thomas will provide, or Ryan Raburn, or Marcus Thames. But I still believe that Curtis Granderson, Placido Polanco, and Miguel Cabrera will produce more than they have been. Beyond that where can the Tigers find help?

Carlos Guillen

I don’t think the Tigers are putting all their eggs in the Carlos Guillen basket, but it’s worth checking out the Guillen basket before surrendering limited resources for another basket. Guillen is close to coming back, I think he’ll be back for Saturday’s game and the Tigers sent scout Dick Egan to see Guillen’s 3 hit night tonight. He doesn’t have the extra base hits yet, but he’s been on base in half of his plate appearances.

The problem with Guillen though is that he is likely limited to DH duties as he hasn’t played the field on his rehab assignment. That means the at-bats would come from some combination of Raburn and Thames, two of the hitters that have been producing somewhat. It could also mean the end of Josh Anderson.

Trade

The non-waiver trade deadline is fast approaching, but I think the deadline isn’t that critical. I’d anticipate that a number of players would clear waivers and be movable until August 31st. Of course the trade deadline is the MLB sanctioned portion of a deadline. The Tigers may feel the need to accelerate the timeline if they continue to struggle. Matt Holliday has been a hot rumor, and the Tigers have expressed interest, but it doesn’t seem that the Tigers are willing to meet the A’s price. And for a farm system that isn’t exactly flush, the Tigers probably shouldn’t wipe it out. At least not for this team.

I don’t think this is a World Series team, but they are a team that is strong enough to compete and make the playoffs. I don’t think that Holliday would push them into the WS team category either.

But the Tigers do need to remain competitive. The Tigers have a ton of payroll, and will next year as well. The best thing for business would be a sustained pennant race and not a firesale (which I’ve heard people calling for already). They are going to be limited in terms of cost cutting, but they do have a chance for a nice revenue bump. Attendance is down 10K, but that is off a record setting year. Attendance is still quite good relative to the AL and the Tigers own history.

The Inge Factor

And then there are Inge’s knees. They are in bad shape, though there seems to be a little confusion on the actual injury. Inge said one was 75% torn, but I don’t know that is accurate. Kevin Rand said there were significant microtears, which is different than the condition that Inge was describing which would be more of a ruptured tendon. In any case, he’s not moving well and the Tigers don’t have great options to take his place either in the field or the lineup. The situation either makes getting a bat more important, or perhaps it changes the focus of what they are looking for.

Uncategorized

Tigers Minor League Wrap 7/23/09

Syracuse 1 Toledo 18
It took the Mud Hens 7 innings to out produce the Tigers post All Star break run total. Carlos Guillen went 3 for 4. Brent Clevlen homered 3 times. Lot’s of people got lots of hits. Check out the boxscore. And Chris Lambert went 8 innings and allowed just 1 run with no walks and 6 K’s.

Akron 4 Erie 3
Brennan Boesch homered. Deik Scram doubled. Pat Stanley went the 4 innings before this was suspended and allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, no walks, and 1 strike out. Jared Gayhart walked 2 in one inning. Brett Jensen got the blown save when he allowed 2 runs on 3 hits in 1 inning of work.

Akron 5 Erie 6 11 innings
Brennan boesch homered, singled, and walked. Andy Dirks also singled and homered. Jonah Nickerson fanned 4 and walked none allowing 5 runs on 7 hits in 5 innings. Cody Satterwhite pitched 2 innings and fanned 2.

Lakeland 6 Jupiter 14
Joe Tucker went 3 for 5 with a triple. Christopher White went 2 for 4. Charlie Furbush struck out 6 in 4 innings, but he also allowed 2 homers. Lester Oliveros was rocked for 5 runs and only recorded 1 out.

West Michigan 6 Quad Cities 2
Mark Sorensen allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits, 2 walks, and 5 K’s in 8 innings. Bryan Pounds doubled and homered. Ben Guez and Billy Nowlin each had 2 hits. Hernan Perez went 3 for 4.

Oneonta 13 Tri-City 2
Michael Rockett went 3 for 6. Rawley Bishop doubled and tripled. John Murrian doubled twice. Luis Palacios went 3 for 5. Andy Wilk fanned 8 and allowe no runs or walks and only 3 hits in 7 innings.

GCL Pirates 10 GCL Tigers 4
Eddie Rush went 3 for 4. Luis Castillo had 2 hits. Ramon Lebron struck out 7 and allowed 4 runs on 3 hits and 4 walks in 4 innings.

2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap 7/19/09

Toledo 0 Buffalo 1
Don Kelly and Brent Dlugach had the only hits for Toledo. Chris Lambert allowed just 1 run on 4 hits and a walk with 3 K’s in 6 innings.

Toledo 0 Buffalo 2
Don Kelly and Max St. Pierre went 2 for 3. Scott Sizemore doubled. Scot Drucker allowed 2 runs on 4 hits with 2 K’s and no walks in 5 innings.

Erie 2 Binghamton 4
Brennan Boesch went 2 for 4. Santo De Leon homered. Jonah Nickerson went 7 innings and allowed 4 runs on 9 hits, 2 of which were homers.

Charlotte 12 Lakeland 11
Michael Bertram hit for the cycle. Carlos Guillen was 1 for 1 with 2 walks. Jordan Newton, Jeramy Laster, and Devin Thomas each had 2 hits. Charlier Furbush fanned 4 in 4.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 6 hits and a walk. Scott Green allowed 4 runs, none of which were earned and recorded just 1 out. Jared Gayhart fanned 3 in 1.1 innings.

Kane County 1 West Michigan 7
Billy Nowlin, Joe Bowen, and Hernan Perez each had 2 hits. Mark Sorensen pitched 8 shut out innings allowing just 2 hits and a walk while fanning 6.

Oneonta 2 Mahoning Valley 3
Eric Roof homered. Rawley Bishop doubled. Andy Wilk allowed a run on a walk and 4 hits in 5 innings.

GCL Tigers 3 GCL Yankees 2
Gustavo Nunez and Francisco Martinez each had 2 hits. Jacob Cruz tripled. Zach Samuels fanned 5 in 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks.

2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap 7/17/09

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Erie 7 Binghamton 8
Casper Wells homered and went 3 for 5. Alex Avila had 2 hits. Santo De Leon homered and walked. Pat Stanley was rocked for 8 runs on 5 walks and 7 hits in 3.1 innings. Robbie Weinhardt fanned 4 and allowed just 1 hit in 2.2 innings.

Dunedin 8 Lakeland 11
Carlos Guillen went 1 for 3 with a walk, but there are reports he’s sore. Joe Ducker doubled and tripled and Audy Ciriaco went 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk. Devin Thomas had 2 singles and 2 walks. Lauren Gagnier allwoed 4 runs on 2 homers in 5.2 innings. Ryan Ketchner allowed runs on 4 hits in .2 innings.

Peoria 0 West Michigan 9
Brayan Villarreal fanned 6, walked 1 and allowed 6 hits in 5 shut out innings. Mike Gosse went 4 for 4. Ben Guez had 3 hits. Avasail Garcia doubled and singled.

Oneonta 8 Mahoning Valley 10
Shawn Roof and Carmelo Jaime each had 3 hits. Michael Rockett went 2 for 3 with a walk. Jeff Gerbe didn’t make it out of the first inning before allowing 3 runs.

GCL Braves 7 GCL Tigers 4
Edwin Gomez doubled and walked. Jose Siso allowed 2 runs on 4 hits, a walk, and a strikeout in 5 innings.

2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Minor League Wrap 7/13/09, Guillen’s rehab

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Toledo – DNP

Akron 5 Erie 7
Deik Scram hit his 12th homer. Jeff Kunkel also homered. Andy Dirks, Cale Iorg, and Santo De Leon each had 2 hits. Thad Weber allowed 9 hits and 4 runs in 6.1 innings.

West Michigan 7 Beloit 3
Ben Guez doubled, singled, and walked. Luke Putkonen allowed just 1 run on 7 hits, 1 walk, and 6 K’s in 7 innings.

Lakeland 0 Brevard County 7
Carlos Guillen DH’d and led off and went 0 for 3 before he was pinch hit for. Joe Tucker and Christoper White had the only hits. Matt Hoffman fanned 5 in 5.1 innings and allowed 4 runs on 4 walks and 8 hits.

Oneonta DNP

GCL Pirates 3 GCL Tigers 2
Julio Rodriguez homered. Zach Samuels fanned 4 and walked none in 4 innings.

2009 Season, Awards, Injuries, Pitching

Junk Balling – All Star break edition

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A pile of links on the eve of the All Star break…

If you find yourself a little bored with the Tigers game today, you can always flip over to ESPN and catch Scott Sizemore, the lone Tigers representative in the All Star Future’s game. With Polanco on the last year of his contract and Sizemore hitting a combined 300/392/508 line between Erie and Toledo it’s reasonable that he may be the Tigers second baseman next year. But Keith Law doesn’t seem to be that high or low on him.

With Brandon Inge making the All Star team he will earn a $25,000 bonus. Really. Given Inge’s career can you imagine that as a negotiating point? Granderson will also get $25K. There’s no mention of what happens if Inge wins the home run derby but the consensus seems to be it doesn’t mess up your swing.

Galarraga carries the bag - screen grab from Sports Center

Before Armando Galarraga got knocked around on Saturday night, I was ready to explore a theory about the good luck charm that is the High School Musical backpack. It’s the backpack that the relievers carry out to the bullpen full of treats and snacks and such and it is the responsibility of the least tenured rookie. Well, Fu-Te Ni has had the bag and he’s pitched well, and then in the 16 inning game Armando Galarraga was the only man in the pen and had to carry it back, and followed it up with his best start. But Ni had a run charged to him last night and Galarraga had 4 so there goes that theory.

The interesting thing about Fu-Te Ni is that he seems to move around on the rubber when he faces righties as opposed to lefties. I’ve wondered why more pitchers wouldn’t do this.

Carlos Guillen is set to begin a rehab assignment. He could equate to a mid season trade if he can return and be productive. I’d hope the Tigers aren’t pinning al their hopes on Guillen, but it does make sense to take a look before giving up too much for a bat.

Rick Porcello won’t pitch in the Yankees series after the All Star game. Luke French, Justin Verlander, and Edwin Jackson will start in the Bronx. Porcello’s next start hasn’t been announced. But he is blogging now.

2009 Season, Injuries

Staging Bonderman, Thames Rehab, Guillen’s MRI

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Once again it is time to wrap-up some injury news.

Jeremy Bonderman

Bonderman is set to make another rehab start for the Mud Hens on Tuesday night. It seems clear that while he has some things working, he is still building up arm strength. He was quite good for 5 innings before faltering his last time out, and his velocity is still a couple ticks away. Fortunately the Tigers starters have been dependable and Detroit doesn’t need to rush his return.

Which makes me think that the team may be setting him up to return on June 8th, the day of a doubleheader that falls in the middle of a stretch of 13 days without an offday. The Tigers would be forced to add a starter or force someone to go on short rest.

After Tuesday there would be time for Bonderman to make one more start prior to that June 8th date. Things don’t line up exactly for his return, but this might make sense.

Marcus Thames

Thames will be picking up the post game meals for Toledo for the next week of so. He made his first rehab start today (1 for 4 with a walk and strikeout) and the plan is that he will alternate between the outfield and DH as he accumulates 30 or so plate appearances.

Carlos Guillen

Things aren’t progressing well for Guillen and his injured shoulder. He had an MRI done and the Tigers are awaiting the results.