It’s going to be feast or famine for me writing the next few weeks because I’m knee deep into my busy work season.  Fortunately I’m past one big deadline and the next one isn’t for a month so I have a little bit of breathing room.  I’ve watched/listened to some games, but haven’t followed the team as much as I like so in looking at the numbers and from what I’ve picked up from the games I’ve watched, here’s some of the highlights so far this spring.

1)  The Tigers aren’t much closer to picking a fifth starter and who’s going to pitch in the fourth spot is a little less clear then this time a month ago. Jeremy Bonderman was labeled the fourth starter but he’s been roughed up so far.  He has some time to redeem himself but both Nate Robertson (who’s pitching as I write this) and Dontrelle Willis (???) have had a decent spring so far.  Armando Galarraga, who I probably would have predicted as the fifth starter, has also had a rought time.  It’s still early and it’s the spring so things could still swing one way or the other but the Tigers could have some tough decisions to make.

2)  Austin Jackson looks a lot better then I thought he would at this point.  I though Jackson would struggle and start the season in the minors for the first month or two but he’s forcing his way into the leadoff spot on opening day with a .433/.528/.700 line so far this spring.  He also has two triples and two steals and it’ll be interesting how he fills out Curtis Granderson’s shoes.

3)  All three pitchers that the Tigers got in the Granderson/Jackson trade have struggled.  The most important is Max Scherzer, who’s given up eleven hits and four walks in 6 1/3 innings. He does have seven strikeouts but his ERA looks pretty ugly right now.  Dan Schlereth and Phil Coke have also had bad outings for the team.

4)  I’m cautiously optimistic about Scott Sizemore now.  His numbers aren’t great, but he’s playing after that broken leg.  He hit his first home run on Monday during the telecast.

5)  Magglio Ordonez is driving the ball.  He has two home runs and a double along with six singles for a .615 slugging percentage.  Having a 35 double/20 home run Magglio would be huge this season.

6)  One of the biggest question marks is who’s going to be the backup catcher.  Al Avila has been solid, but you wonder if they’ll want him at Toledo so he can play everyday.  Robinzon Diaz has been okay at the plate so he could end up being the backup to start the season but he’ll be kept on a short leash with Avila in the wings.

There’s still almost three weeks left of spring ball though so a lot can happen.  Stay tuned.

The Tigers first spring telecast is today.  Fortunately I’ll be home most of the day so I should be able to catch most of the game.  Even better, there’s four night games (including two 10 pm games) on MLB.TV so hypothetically, you could start watching the Tigers at one pm and watch pretty much non-stop baseball until 1 am or so.  The internet is wonderful thing.

The Tigers are MLB.TV for the first time this year and I’m not at home to watch it.  The big news was Stephen Strasburg and at least for this one game, he lived up to the hype.  He put the Tigers out in order in the first, then the Tigers got a pair of hits in the second but couldn’t put a run across.  Strassburg struck out Miguel Cabrera and Brent Dlugach in the inning.

I thought the Tigers might be on television tomorrow going up against the Yankees but it’s not listed.  I’ll have to wait until 3 pm to watch any game but I’ll get a choice of four (leaning towards Reds/Angels).  The Phillies and Braves play an evening game tonight so I might catch some of that (again, while working).

Just about everyone got in on the action yesterday as the Tigers took care of the Astros 17-7.  Fourteen Tigers accounted for 16 hits and eleven walks that resulted in 17 runs.  Seventeen Tigers reached base and Ryan Rabun led the way with a single, three walks and three runs. Don Kelly went two for two with a home run, two RBI and a run while Carlos Guillen doubled twice, drove in one and scored one.

Unfortunately four different Tigers gave up runs while on the mound.  Eddie Bonine got the start and he gave up a run on three hits in two innings.  Joel Zumaya had a rough outing and he was tagged for three runs in two frame while Fu-Te Ni gave up a pair of runs in his inning of work.

Justin Verlander gets the nod this afternoon in his first spring start.  Brad Thomas, Ryan Perry and Jay Sborz are also expected to get some innings in.  Even better, WXYT is making their second radio broadcast so whether you’re in the car or at home you should be able to check out the game.  There’s also a couple of Cactus League games on MLB.TV as well as a night radio broadcast so I’m hoping to get my fill of baseball while I work on some tax returns.

The Tigers opened up Joker Marchant stadium yesterday to a packed house and while they came back from an early 3-0 deficit, they eventually blew a 6-3 lead later in the game and lost 9-7.  Rick Porcello and Dontrelle Willis looked good while Max Scherzer, Zach Miner and Armando Galarraga were all roughed up.  Brent Dlugach went yard for the second straight day and Austin Jackson singled and drew two walks in three plate appearances.  Today, the Tigers play a split squad game with the Astros.  Jacob Turner gets the nod in the B game at 10 am and fellow 2009 draft choice Andy Oliver will also get some work.  Eddie Bonine will start the A game at 1 pm.  I won’t get to listen to the Astros radio broadcast because I’ll be with my son.

In lieu of a Hardball Times Season Preview, the website is now offering THT Forecasts.  This not only includes what you would have gotten in the old Preview, but you also get regular updates to the forecasts.  We’re also going with a new projections system.  You also get a deal when you buy this year because you’ll also be locking in your price for next year.  I wrote the Tigers section for the fourth straight year and this year I’m fairly certain I didn’t include any players on the Tigers roster.

Also, the Mets experts at Amazin Avenue have put out the Amazin Avenue Annual.  I went outside my comfort zone a little and I did a year in review from the business side of things for the book.  These guys put a ton of work into this and of course you can’t ask for a better price so be sure to check it out.

I have the Yankees/Pirates game on and it’s so weird seeing Curtis in a Yankee uniform.  He grounded out to short and they had him hitting second behind Derek Jeter.  Granderson is in center and Gardner is playing in left.

***UPDATE***

It’s the eighth inning and they’re interviewing Curtis.  Now I’m starting to miss him.

Ryan Strieby hit a two run home run and Don Kelly is two for two with a run as the Tigers have a 5-0 lead through three innings against Florida Southern.  Phil Coke struck out three in two scoreless innings and Eddie Bonine threw a perfect third inning.  Baseball is here folks.

The Tigers kick off their spring season today with their annual exhibition game against Florida Southern.  Phil Coke gets the nod.  I’ll be running around meeting with clients but I’m hoping to catch at least some of this game on the feed.  Speaking of which, I have to renew my MLB.TV subscription.

John Wagner’s latest at Baseball America is a nice piece on Avisail Garcia. one of the Tigers younger prospects to keep an eye on.  Garcia made his debut with the Whitecaps last year but he’s still only 17 so I agree some more time at Low-A will do this kid some good.  Talk about a wild card.  He made 10 errors but had 13 outfield assists in just 80 games last season.  Looks like he could use some patience at the plate as well. Still, it’ll be nice seeing how he develops.

It’s official.  The Tigers are going to have a press conference at 2 pm to announce the Johnny Damon signing.  I’m a lot more excited about the Tigers now then I was back in December when the team dealt Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson.

After a couple of weeks of speculation, the Tigers finally inked Johnny Damon to a one year, $8 million deal.  That’ll make Damon the everyday left fielder with Ryan Raburn spelling him now and then.  What makes this move interesting is how the domino effect.  Raburn is going to lose out on some time because he would have gotten more play in left if it were just Carlos Guillen.  And now Carlos Guillen doesn’t have a spot outside of designated hitter unless Leyland shuffles Guillen and Damon between left field and DH.  It also means a player like Austin Jackson, who was probably on the fringe of making the team, falls off of the roster and at least starts the season in Toledo.

Damon should bat either first or second in the lineup and my guess is begins the season leading off so that problem is solved too.  My guess is Damon’s home runs come way down (most of his home runs were hit in hitter friendly Yankee Stadium) but his doubles should go up.  Still, he’s most likely an upgrade over what we have out in left prior to the signing.

I’m going to write a offseason summary now that it looks like most of the moves are done so look for that tomorrow or Tuesday.  I actually think the Tigers are a better team in 2010 then in 2009 (if you just look at the short term implications) but I need to think through it by writing it all down.

Baseball Prospectus recently unveiled their AL Central preview and talk about some interesting results.  The good news is, they have the Tigers tied for first place.  The bad news is, they’re tied with the Twins and White Sox and all three teams have a projected record of 80-82.  That’s right, nobody is projected to have a winning record.

Christina Karhl does provide us with the caveat that even a lot could happen between now and the first game of the season.  There’s some good thing to say about the bullpen but some cautious comments on Rick Porcello.

This is some good news.  Lynn Henning’s latest talks about the Tigers who are on the mend and he reports the Scott Sizemore should be fully healed from the broken leg  he suffered in the Arizona Fall League.  It’s also nice to see Brandon Inge has been working hard and he’s been in Lakeland for a while working on his rehab.  There’s some good reports on Joel Zumaya and Jeremy Bonderman as well.  Having all four of those guys ready to go will go a long way towards the Tigers making a push in 2010.

If there’s one guy the Tigers regret giving away in the short term, it’s Jair Jurrjens.  He’s had a couple of solid seasons for the Braves and had he replicated his feats in a Tigers uniform, he could have been enough to help the Tigers make the playoffs last year.  Even worse, we ultimately got nothing for him because Edgar Renteria came and went.

Now Jurrjens has some pain in his throwing shoulder and he’s going to have an MRI. He’s has some discomfort in the shoulder while throwing at the Braves spring training facility and the hope is that there’s no structural damage.  He finished strong last year so you wonder if it’s just him getting back into his normal routine.  This is probably a question for the experts but you wonder how many flukish injuries that you see in April and May actually have their roots in the first couple weeks of spring training.

Ken Rosenthal is the latest to provide us with the soap opera that is Johnny Damon.  Based on this, it looks like the Tigers are close money wise but this could still drag out if Damon wants to fish for a better deal.  It also looks like the Braves might be out of the running and the White Sox fabricated interest in Damon could be what’s keeping this going.

It looks like Curtis Granderson roaming centerfield at Yankee Stadium isn’t a foregone conclusion.  The Yankees have Brett Gardner and with a hold in left field, Granderson is keeping himself open to manning the corner outfield spot.  When Granderson came up through the minors, many thought centerfield was over his head (one of many things people were wrong about) and that he’d eventually end up as a corner outfielder.  Now it looks like he could be pushed in that direction depending on what happens with Garnder.

I’m waiting to write some substantial until the Tigers actually sign Johnny Damon.  In the meantime, here’s the latest mailbag with Jason Beck.  First and foremost is why Damon is taking so long to sign but he also touches on why the Tigers might sign Damon when the dealt Granderson as well as why there’s so much hype surrounding Damon.  His answer to the Year of the Tiger question is pretty funny as well.

With pitchers and catchers set to report this week, Lynn Henning thinks the Tigers are going to be lucky to hit the .500 mark  in 2010.  He said 75 is more realistic with 80 being a stretch and that’s even with Damon in the fold.  I personally think their hitting won’t be that much worse then in 2009 but their pitching should actually be a little better.  I think Jose Valverde and Max Scherzer are upgrades over their 2009 counterparts.  Keep in mind, Alfredo Figaro started game number 161 so the rotation can’t be much worse then it was at the end of last year (not that I’m down on Figaro, I just think they put him in over his head).

One thing I don’t agree with about this piece is where he says Casper Wells is the most pivotal player reporting this week.  The Tigers have plenty of options out in centerfield, and while none of them will be as desirable in April as Curtis Granderson would have been, what happens in spring training doesn’t neccesarily portend what’ll happen the rest of the season.  I think Austin Jackson starts at Toledo (having Jackson and Sizemore starting at the same time might too much for Leyland to stomach).  I bet they go with a placeholder (Clete Thomas, Casper Wells  or Ryan Raburn) in center until they think Austin Jackson is ready.

It looks like the price to keep Edwin Jackson would have been pretty high because he signed a two year, $13.35 million deal to buy out Edwin Jackson’s final two years of arbitration.  It’ll be interesting to see how Jackson does in Arizona in 2010.  He’s coming off of a career high 214 innings and that’s after throwing nearly 190 innings in 2008 (including the postseason). 

Keep in mind, it was Justin Verlander who had a tough time in this third season after throwing back to back career highs in innings.  Jackson also had a rough second half in which he saw his strikeout to walk ratio dip severely.  Chase Field is also still a hitters park, although he’ll have the benefit of throwing to the pitcher now that he’s back in the National League.  My bet is, Jackson takes a step back before he takes his next step forward and I like the idea of having Max Scherzer in the rotation more then I do having Jackson.

It looks like the Tigers are going to sign Johnny Damon and while they play different positions in the field, Damon will fill at lead off and all but try to fill in for the Tigers exciting former centerfielder.  It’s also interesting because the Yankees have effectively made the swap but in the other direction.  That’s why Troy Patterson’s latest is about the Yankees basically getting a younger Johnny Damon in Curtis Granderson.

What’s also interesting is if the Tigers sign Damon to the rumored $7 million, they’ll actually paying more for Damon to fill in for a year then they would have paid Granderson ($5.5 million) in 2010.  Of course with that cheap year out of the way, Granderson might be tougher to trade after the 2010 season.  Bottom line is, it’s been an interesting offseason for the Tigers.  Let’s just hope the front office knows what they’re doing.

Powered by
WordPress

*** *** *** *** *** Click to advertise