Today's the first day for pitchers & catchers...

Leyland announced the tentative Opening Day Lineup...


CF- Granderson
2B- Polanco
RF- Ordonez
1B- Cabrera
LF- Guillen
DH- Sheffield
C- Laird
3B- Inge
SS- Everett

no surprises...

what is the point of even naming a lineup if the season doesn't start for another month and a half???

what is the point of even naming a lineup if the season doesn't start for another month and a half???


IDK, I'm not the manager...

Outlook remains positive at start of Tigers camp
by Steve Kornacki
Wednesday February 18, 2009, 12:30 AM

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Gary Sheffield was asked about his oft-stated belief that he is an outfielder despite being primarily a designated hitter with the Detroit Tigers.

Sheffield began laughing before reaching for a bat in his locker. He turned around, with a wide smile, and proclaimed, "I'm a DH."

Reporters gathered around his locker Tuesday morning before the first full-squad workout for the Tigers and laughed with the usually outspoken slugger with 499 career home runs.

His message was clear: no controversy, boys.

Welcome to Camp Good Feelings, where there has yet to be heard a discouraging word and the skies are not cloudy all day.

Third baseman Brandon Inge, a spare part at this time last year, is a picture of happiness after playing all over the field in 2008 and even spending a few months as the catcher of the future.

"I'm getting to play the game I love at a position I love in a city I love," Inge said. "I get excited by all this."

Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis, knowing only one or perhaps neither of them will emerge as the fifth starter in the rotation, joked with one another and valued their friendship as they compete.

First baseman Miguel Cabrera, who appeared to have little joy during a season in which he led the American League with 37 homers and added 127 RBIs, has become outgoing and vibrant.

"Cabrera's a leader," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "To me a player leads by example. How does he conduct himself?"

Cabrera arrived early at camp, explaining that he now feels comfortable and at home. In the days, weeks and months ahead, the clubhouse could well develop into Cabrera's house. Nobody is under contract to be here longer or expected to do more. Now that he's opened up, he can be a force beyond the field.

Leyland is smiling a lot. He says something almost every day that says he's onto something good:

"I like this team, I really do."

Failure can be a great motivator or destroyer, and the Tigers appear to be taking that 74-88 last-place finish from 2008 and feeding off it.

"We were embarrassed and everybody did all in their power to assure that won't happen again," Leyland said. "We'll see. We're back to being under the radar a bit.

"I like expectations because generally that means you have a good team. But we're not going to be the spring training darlings we were last year."

Panning the publication predictions last year made it evident that only one thing was in doubt about the 2008 Tigers: Would they win the World Series or not? Almost everybody had them in the Fall Classic.

But the pitching ranked 27th out of 30 teams, the defense lagged, the offense sputtered for two months before becoming good, in-season position changes made players uncomfortable, and injuries costing Jeremy Bonderman, Todd Jones, Carlos Guillen, Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya months of playing time could not be overcome.

But now everyone's healthy and ready to go.

Shortstop Adam Everett was signed to form a strong left side of the infield with Inge. Gerald Laird and Matt Treanor form the new 1-2 catching punch with a focus on defense and handling pitchers. Guillen is a defensive upgrade in left.

Edwin Jackson, who won 14 games for the American League champion Tampa Bay Rays, could end up becoming the foundation of the rotation. Free agent closer Brandon Lyon looms as the answer to the most pressing failure of last year's team.

Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski focused on adding players who could become the much-needed glue to a lineup still featuring its share of stars such as Magglio Ordonez, Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco.

Their veteran manager has a look on his face that says the radar could be wrong again this year.

nb;dr

Ryan Perry hit triple digits on the gun yesterday.

His arm might be too good to keep down in the minors come April.

I think you gotta let him get some time in AA though, just to make him earn it.

I think you give him some time in AA just to make sure you don't mess up his development. He's hitting triple digits on the gun, but you've got to make sure all his other pitches are where they should be and that he's not only getting the velocity, but hitting his locations. We rushed Bonderman into the pros because he looked like he was ready and we were going to have a terrible team anyway and now look at him. He's a solid pitcher that never developed that one extra pitch he needed. One more season in the minors and I bet he could have at least developed something halfway decent. In the very least it would be better than that changeup he tries to work on every offseason that's never coming.

First game is tomorrow Vs. the Atlanta Braves.

Verlander's pitching, I believe.


Also, I was at Barnes & Noble and saw all the MLB Preview Magazines from Sporting News, Athalon, Lindy's, etc.

Two of them had us finishing DEAD LAST in the AL Central.
One had us finishing Third, and another had us finishing second.

All of them had Minnesota winning the division and Cleveland either 2nd or 3rd.

st;ww

I'll come back in April.

nt;ww

Well, when the Tigs are 16-5 heading into May, I'll be the least surprised.

Well, when the Tigs are 16-5 heading into May, I'll be the least surprised.

"ballSy"

Tigers phenom Porcello makes his case
By Tim Brown, Yahoo! Sports
Feb 23, 9:48 pm EST

LAKELAND, Fla. – The story, there if Rick Porcello’s arm and mind are able and if the game will have it, is about a 20-year-old pitcher practically straight out of Jersey, and how soon is too soon, and whether his first big-league start should be on the road April 9 or in the Tigers’ home opener April 10.

Rick Knapp, the new pitching coach in Detroit, held up his hands.

“We’re only 10 days into camp,” he protested.

But his eyes shone. And the corners of his mouth couldn’t beat back the grin.

Not an hour earlier, Porcello had thrown another round of what was loosely described as batting practice (the hitters wouldn’t call it that), and if a ball got out of the infield it was limping and barely alive.

Normally, these are lively exercises early in spring training. Hitters howl at their own tender hands and awkward swings, granting these first days to the pitchers and the cool, damp mornings. Coaches lean against the cage and speckle the batters’ box with chatter and laughter.

Not on Monday morning. Coaches caught each other’s eyes. Hitters whispered, “Damn, that’s filthy.” And the only sound was the hiss of the baseball until it found leather.

Porcello throws right-handed and, considering his body can only now be peaking at 6-foot-5, with uncommon ease. His four-seam fastball runs in the mid-90s and reliably to the mitt. In 125 Class A innings over his only professional summer, Porcello commanded four pitches, including the one everyone adores, a heavy two-seamer. He showed up to his second camp pounding both sides of the plate with all of them, drawing sighs from hitters and there-you-go’s from catcher Matt Treanor.

In six weeks, if this is truly who Porcello is, and if last season’s starting rotation is still what it was, the Tigers will have their answer.

“I don’t want to say, ‘No, he doesn’t have a chance,’ ” Knapp said.

In fact, no one has said he doesn’t. Not manager Jim Leyland. Not GM Dave Dombrowski.

“The goal,” said Porcello, having none of it, “is to get ready for the season, wherever they put me.”

In between, there might not be a more interesting camp than the one the Tigers will hold, the one in which they will attempt to rebuild a staff that once was World Series quality with many of the same parts, all under a career minor-league coach.

That means Justin Verlander, who won 18 games in 2007 and lost 17 in 2008. And Jeremy Bonderman, once a 14-game winner and last season limited by injury to 12 starts. And Nate Robertson, whose ERA was more than six.

Armando Gallaraga was a pleasant surprise, but is no sure thing. Dontrelle Willis is in the midst of a career overhaul.

The Tigers’ working list has Verlander, Gallaraga, Bonderman and offseason acquisition Edwin Jackson holding down four spots, with Robertson, Willis, Zach Miner and Porcello pitching for the fifth.

But what they’re doing, you just know it, is looking over the kid not two years out of Seton Hall Prep, this glowing phenom with the World Series bloodlines, and wondering if his time has come, and earlier than most. (His grandfather Sam Dente was a war-time shortstop who got three at-bats for the Indians in the 1954 World Series).

In just two years, they’ve gone from American League champions to last place in the AL Central, a slide that potentially carries the added indignity of clearing out their ballpark. A grim economy is grimmer still in Detroit, and last-place teams don’t generally count as diversions. Beyond that, Leyland is in the final year of his contract, and Dombrowski is overseeing a payroll that tripled in four years and remains among the largest in the game, and that World Series photo looks smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror.

So, they need to win, and just might. The division generally stood still or worsened around them. And, then, well, it can’t all go so wrong again for the Tigers, can it?

“A lot of things kind of went haywire,” said Knapp, new to the organization but showing a grasp of the basic implosion, which took the bullpen with it.

A winter of healing later, they’ve tried to sort through the various messes, they got everybody up and throwing early, and then they threw open the doors of competition, which was right about the time Porcello strolled in with all his composure and feel for the game and borderline unhittable stuff.

“What I hope it’ll be is that we have tough decisions to make,” Knapp said. “Jim Leyland will pick who’s on his team. The only thing I can say is we hope we have tough decisions.”

Here’s the one everybody gets to thinking about: Let’s say Willis still can’t throw enough strikes but isn’t terrible (he has thrown reasonably well so far) and Robertson still looks kind of like the guy with the big ERA and Porcello is clearly the best pitcher. The Tigers owe Willis and Robertson a combined $39 million over the next two seasons. That’s a big nut for a couple long guys. You see the potential dilemma.

Of course we’re a long way from the home opener. Presumably Porcello has plenty to learn. But Knapp knows development; it’s what he did for 20 years before getting to Detroit. And Porcello can pitch.

Treanor came out of the cage Monday morning talking about Porcello’s maturity, and the way he feels himself from one pitch to the next. He’d seen plenty of good arms in nine years with the Florida Marlins, he said. He wouldn’t hold him up next to anyone, he said, shaking his head, because it wasn’t the right thing to do, wasn’t fair to the kid, and then he blurted, “Josh Beckett.”

“He’s on the fast track to the big leagues, I think,” Treanor said.

How fast would now be the question.

Porcello and Knapp will concentrate now on Porcello’s curveball and slider. They are too similar, Knapp said, in velocity and rotation. So, they’ll further separate the breaking balls or turn them into one pitch. Other than that, well, the spring games will come and the hitters will tell everyone who’s in and who’s out, whether soon is too soon.

A nice kid who can’t believe he passes by Al Kaline’s locker every day, who thrills to Willie Horton asking him how his day’s goin’, is going to leave camp at that.

“I’m just going to go out there and throw as well as I can,” he said. “I try not to worry about it. Whatever happens, happens.”

Tigers ready for Grapefruit League opener
by Steve Kornacki
Wednesday February 25, 2009, 10:00 AM
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The grass is freshly cut, the Opening Day banners are flapping in the wind and the palm trees beyond the outfield walls are targets awaiting batting practice shots by Miguel Cabrera, Marcus Thames and Curtis Granderson.

It's time for baseball, and this afternoon the Detroit Tigers open the Grapefruit League season with the Atlanta Braves. But this morning, the ushers are busily wiping down seats while outfielders make cutoff throws and infielders are taking it around the horn.

Watching Granderson uncork a throw from center while quickly regaining balance, and seeing Brandon Inge take a grounder at third before making a crisp throw to Placido Polanco at second is a reminder for Michiganders that spring and the robins can't be far behind.

Manager Jim Leyland is working with baserunning coach Andy Van Slyke in running the team through drills. Cabrera is rounding first one minute, and the next minute Magglio Ordonez, hair flapping on his shoulders, is digging for home.

You can catch the game on the Tigers Radio Network beginning at 1:05 p.m., and your next chance to hear Dan Dickerson and Jim Price will be 1:05 p.m. Saturday, when the New York Mets visit and Jeremy Bonderman gets his much-awaited first start since June.

Looking forward to the season with PisDONES season ending.

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm301/ceser2008/detroit-6.jpg

I'm listening! But only because I have nothing else to do, not that I actually made time for it.

A good sign is that no one has started a 'Fire Leyland' thread yet.

Fire Dave D!

It is VERY important that the Tigers do well in exhibition.....these games are key to a successful year

Lyon is not the key to the season. Rough day today for Brandon. (Lyon only, Inge was the shizz.)

Lyon gave up 3 runs, but all of them were unearned.

His defense let him down.

How about Fu-Te Ni? He actually got the win tossing a scoreless inning.

Rule 5 guy Kyle Bloom got the save 1 IP, 2 K.

Nice start

It's the first day of Spring Training. None of this pitching means anything. At all. Period. Period. Period.

It's the first day of Spring Training. None of this pitching means anything. At all. Period. Period. Period.


True, but for some players, especially the unknown commodities like Bloom & Ni, it's the only sample size your going to get to determine whether or not they'll make the team.

Edwin Jackson 2 IP, 3 K
Nate Robertson 2 IP, 2 Hits, 1 ER, walk
Joel Zumaya 1 IP, 1 walk
Rick Porcello 1 IP, 2 Hits, 1 ER, 2 K (Loss)


2-1 Loss to the Nationals. Many of the starting positional players didn't play.

Edwin Jackson 2 IP, 3 K
Nate Robertson 2 IP, 2 Hits, 1 ER, walk
Joel Zumaya 1 IP, 1 walk
Rick Porcello 1 IP, 2 Hits, 1 ER, 2 K (Loss)


2-1 Loss to the Nationals. Many of the starting positional players didn't play.

Cabrera, Magglio, Guillen played. We had 2 hits. One came from Everett. All this talk about Everett and Inge being offensive liabilities and they're hitting circles around the heart of the order.

^^LOL. 2 days and we're already bitching.

Did you guys miss the "periods"? Really, none of this means ANYTHING. ANYTHING! Not, "But he did so well, and this is his only chance to prove himself so, for him it does mean something!" Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Nothing. Trust me, I used to think it meant something too, I used to make all the same arguments....but NOTHING!

About two weeks in you can start thinking a little bit, but nothing too serious. Now? It's pitchers stretching their arms out, usually against A-Ball hitters. It's hitters trying to get their timing back. NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING. Remember when Pudge hit like 11 homers in Spring training a couple years ago? You're welcome.

But it must mean something

Sure, if by something you mean nothing.

.00000000000000000000000000000001 ????

Rounded to nothing. Baseball operates on three digits.

.001 then.

Nope.

It means something for the World Baseball Classic, which means everything, therefore it must mean something.

Who cares who wins the World Series? It's not really the World Series. It's the US (with an eligible team from little step-brother to the north) Series.

So recap this for me: What do the first two games mean?

I'm really getting down on this team based on the season so far.

DONE.

It means a lot.

Briefly...

The take the wins in Spring Training and give it a multiplier based on how many runs you scored with projected starters, bench players, etc, then subtract out losses, add in fan attendance, factoring out empty seats based stadium size and how many hot dogs you sold relative to beer sales, minus cotton candy.

Porcello tonight.

I think he has a good shot at making the rotation, especially with a good showing tonight.

Verlander
Bonderman
Galarraga
Porcello
?

And don't give me Nate or 'Trelle.

That guy we got in that one trade - I don't remember his name or who we gave up to get him, but I remember he looks like me.

Edwin Jackson was supposedly a lock coming into Spring, we'll see....I don't think Porcello makes it right off, maybe in May if neither Willis or Robertson has shown anything....

Leyland will be tempted, but there's no way Porcello starts in the bigs April 1st.

Verlander
Galarraga
Bonderman
Jackson
Robertson/Willis/Miner

It's possible we could use a 4 man rotation to start the season since we have a few off days in April

Do DD and Leyland really have the time (and job security) to wait on Porcello?

Do DD and Leyland really have the time (and job security) to wait on Porcello?

I think so.

Our record on May 1 will tell alot about who will and won't be on the roster for the rest of the season.

Guys like Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis, and Gary Sheffield are going to be on shortleashes.

They won't hesitate to bring up Porcello if we have injury problems to the rotation, but they if both Nate & Dontrelle falter, then they're going to give the 5th rotation spot to Zach Miner before Porcello.

Also, the bullpen has been decent this year so far in spring. Juan Rincon has been lights out so he's a good bet to make the team.

Lyon's had no help from his defense (4 unearned runs this spring). Rodney has been great, and so have Bobby Seay & Zumaya.

We're probably looking at Dontrelle starting the season in the minors, and carrying the usual 12 pitchers when spring breaks.

SP- Verlander
SP- Bonderman
SP- Galarraga
SP- Jackson
SP- Robertson

RP- Miner
RP- Rincon
RP- Seay
RP- Zumaya
RP- Rodney
RP- Dolsi/Bloom

CP- Lyon

The whole concept of unearned runs is a crock. The good pitchers all fight through that.

The whole concept of unearned runs is a crock. The good pitchers all fight through that.

I don't know about that. When you have to pitch to another teams clean-up hitter with one out and two guys on base all because your SS botched a double play ball, that's not fair to the pitcher.

It's just part of the game.

The best fielding teams in the league (Twins, Angels) all win with pitching and good defense, not with potent lineups.

THe better pitchers fight through it, the schmucks like Lyon don't. It's as simple as that. There have been about a dozen studies on the matter. Better pitchers with the same defense give up less unearned runs.

What about when the bases are loaded and an outfielder makes a spectacular catch? The catch saves 3 runs or something and the pitcher isn't charged with any runs.

It seems like it would all balance out.

Exactly.

I'm home with the kids today, never thought I'd be so glad that a spring training game is televised.

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/images/2009/03/15/APeiYj5a.jpg


Aw, hell yeah.

Leyland isn't sure when Zumaya will be ready (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-tigers-zumaya&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Bodog's over/under on wins for the Tigs is 81.5

Not a good sign.

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/mlb/news;_ylt=AiOcSyyiZNgsZ.0cJem_8T25bZ8u?slug=ms-bythenumbers_031809

By the Numbers: The next Cliff Lee

By Michael Salfino, SNY.tv (Special to Yahoo!) Mar 18, 11:26 pm EDT

You can find more from Michael Salfino at SNY.tv (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=Ap0vlwCPnMl_nCYNd3q8lTEyNbgF/SIG=1107f4c58/**http%3A//web.sny.tv/index.jsp)
Us numbers guys can be an insufferably smug lot. So when I saw the headline, “Edwin Jackson Drawing Comparisons to Bob Gibson (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=ArMyIWv6Bzoceu09HmJBzgYyNbgF/SIG=13j6qk6im/**http%3A//www.freep.com/article/20090308/SPORTS02/903080493/1050/SPORTS/Tiger%2Bsets%2Bsights%2Bon%2BMt.%2BGibson)” on the Baseball Think Factory newsblog (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=Asr21le0GMAlxX8RnyaVz98yNbgF/SIG=13tqmllcv/**http%3A//www.baseballthinkfactory.org/files/newsstand/discussion/freepcom_edwin_jackson_drawing_comparisons_to_bob_ gibson/) , I reflexively snickered.
But then I remembered reading something about a famous pitcher’s second year in colleague Gene McCaffrey’s great “Wise Guy Baseball (http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/mlb/www.wiseguybaseball.com;_ylt=Amf7MHlBRB3LGa96lm6FW uMyNbgF)” annual and suddenly it didn’t seem so funny. Two immutable facts of baseball are too rarely brought into sharp relief: (1) all of these pros are so enormously talented that greatness is always within their grasp and (2) the competition is so fierce that even the gifted among the gifted can struggle mightily for considerable stretches of time.
Tell me which of these 24-year-old pitchers is more likely to have a great career:

Pitcher A: 183.3 innings, 77 walks, 108 Ks, 101 ERA+
Pitcher B: 86.7 innings, 48 walks, 69 Ks, 73 ERA+
(ERA+ adjusts a pitcher’s ERA to his ballpark and league season so that players from different seasons and even eras can be more reasonably compared.)
By now you’ve probably guessed that Pitcher A is the 24-year-old Jackson (his 2008 stats) and Pitcher B is the 24-year-old Gibson (1960 stats).
I am not projecting that Jackson is going to be Bob Gibson, who is one of the top 10 righties in baseball history. But you cannot discount the possibility so completely that Jackson will end up great – not even for a career let alone for a season.
In fact, Jackson is exactly the kind of pitcher who we should buy into at the first sign of breakout. He was a heralded prospect who had an incredibly good season for a 19-year-old in Double A (http://us.lrd.yahoo.com/_ylt=AmA0WW5Dz991DHYa04s5gYAyNbgF/SIG=1210q3pcd/**http%3A//www.thebaseballcube.com/Players/J/Edwin-Jackson.shtml). While his major league stat line is disappointing, he was rushed and, thus, victimized by the precociousness he showed in the minors. Skills? Here are the only starters with a faster average fastball last year than Jackson’s 93.9 MPH (in order of velocity):
Ubaldo Jimenez (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7900/;_ylt=AvAIQ8ZEMwH7jA7EP9ZTbx8yNbgF), Felix Hernandez (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7487/;_ylt=AnGLBN_FmHjsCeH2Qcjsp9MyNbgF), Ervin Santana (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7547/;_ylt=AgrFe7xp.M.rDTAquihBczoyNbgF), Josh Beckett (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6403/;_ylt=Ap4P1N3OnhryfzOGBicJJ2AyNbgF), A.J. Burnett (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/6314/;_ylt=Am0OJO0XAto_uAZTVmmvhbIyNbgF) and Tim Lincecum (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7981/;_ylt=Amhx.yMgneV5mAGmIoxzL.kyNbgF).
So if Jackson takes to his new surroundings in pitcher-friendly Detroit and posts three of four high-quality, early starts, many smart guys will forecast it’s a random bump. But I’m going to be buying and so should you. Someone is likely going to come out of relative obscurity to post that Esteban Loaiza (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5368/;_ylt=AqwP8R92IKOqaiHLqSN3_VcyNbgF) 2003 or Cliff Lee (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7026/;_ylt=Ar6JXCN.gQQl2D8cdvTZZB4yNbgF) 2008 season.
Guessing who is going to emerge from relative obscurity is likely a fool’s errand. But so is reflexively discounting early-season evidence of dominance from unexpected sources. No one in the field is more likely than Jackson.
However, once you’ve made that long climb, the most likely next move is down. Most players have seasons that don’t seem to make sense in light of their career stats, but only a handful are able to sustain that level of performance year after year. Muscle memory and the peak-performance zone fade during the long offseason. That’s why I’m more bearish than most on defending AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee even though I was bullish early in 2008.

It seems as if both Casey Fien & Juan Rincon have just about earned themselves bullpen spots.

Both have been lights out this spring.

Rincon was a dominant setup man not too long ago with the Twins, so he could end up being this year's Aquilino Lopez.

Solid job by the Tiger Bats today... On two different occasions, they almost had a hit...

I would rather this quote be in your av, TW:

I am a Train Wreck fan.

Just an FYI.

Never mind on Casey Fien. He was optioned down today.

He was tearing it up in spring though.

Ryan Perry could be going north.

I think they'll give Perry some time as the Hens closer first.

RHP MINER RULED OUT AS NO. 5 (10:36 a.m. ET)

:howdidwegetminer:

Manager Jim Leyland said right-hander Zach Miner has been ruled out for the Tigers' fifth spot in the rotation, leaving Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis and rookie Rick Porcello as candidates to fill the role.

"I think I took [the news] probably better than I would've imagined," said Miner, who has struggled this spring with a 9.69 ERA. "It's kind of like, 'All right, I'll get ready to do something else.' It shouldn't change how you go about your business."

The Tigers said Sunday they optioned the contract of right-handed pitcher Freddy Dolsi to their Triple A Toledo affiliate and assigned right-hander Casey Fien and left-hander Fu-Te Ni to minor league camp.

Information from The Associated Press

POR-CEL-LO

POR-CEL-LO

HE'S ONLY 19

But the rest of the team is old and can't wait. Neither can DD or Jimmy.

^^MTLJR

NID

and "didn't is spelt "dident"

OK

^^MTLJR

Montreal Jim Rome?

I can't believe we threw all that money away to Lyon. There were so many better deals available.

Miner not an option, huh?

That's too bad. I've been a fan ever since we got him for....

...I'm drawing a blank....

Who did we give up?

By the way, I'm happy we get everyone back now and the WBC is essentially over.

I can't wait til I can see some games. It looks like that will be opening day.

The Tigs first game is a Night game in Toronto.

I don't think I can ever remember the first game of the season being at night.

That belongs in the weird news thread.

Adam Everett and Nate Robertson were both injured today.

In news that matters, Adam Everett was injured today....

How bad?

I believe that Robertson pulled his hymen.

It looks like Everett just twisted his ankle bad - could be back for the opener, if not sooner.

I believe that Robertson pulled his hymen.

http://www.threadbombing.com/data/media/20/clinton_laughing.jpg

http://sports.yahoo.com/fantasy/mlb/news;_ylt=AiOcSyyiZNgsZ.0cJem_8T25bZ8u?slug=ms-bythenumbers_031809

Looking forward to seeing him pitch here.

D Willis to DL. Some sort of aniety disorder or something. Not sure if it has been posted.

Tigers place Willis, Zumaya on DL (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=ArNS81S8vrXiE7mFjd5b9DsRvLYF?slug=ap-tigersmoves&prov=ap&type=lgns)

Welcome to the club, Dontrelle.

So it appears the final 25 man roster will shape out like this...

POSITION PLAYERS

C- Gerald Laird *has had a fantastic spring .417/.450/.611 in 36 AB*

1B- Miguel Cabrera *best player in the AL Central*

2B- Placido Polanco *contract year, leads team in RBI's this spring*

SS- Adam Everett *defensive purposes only, he's hit .268 in 41 AB's so far this spring, if he can hit .240 we should be very thankful*

3B- Brandon Inge *he got what he wanted, he's back at 3B, hopefully this puts an end to his bitching and helps him regain his power, we don't need Inge to hit .300, all we need is his power back, .260, 20 HR and 70 RBI should be the minimum now that hes back to playing full time, he'll probably hit 8th while Everett hits 9th*

LF- Carlos Guillen *hopefully he can stay healthy, is he going to be torii hunter out in left field? no, but he'll be fine, he has the arm to make relay throws*

CF- Curtis Granderson *he improves every part of his game every year, last year he faired much better against lefties and cut down on K's, this year he said he plans to steal more bags, i wouldn't doubt him*

RF- Magglio Ordonez *still our best pure hitter, mark him down for .310+, 20 HR, 110 RBI*

DH- Gary Sheffield *he's going to be better than last year, .260 with 25 HR is obtainable w/ the lineup protection he's going to have*


BENCH

C- Matt Treanor *Laird will see a vast majority of time, I'm sure we'll see Treanor in Leyland's "I don't give a fuck" day game after night game lineups...

INF- Ramon Santiago *is going to get a TON of playing time since Everett is a weak hitter*

OF/1B- Marcus Thames *can always be counted on for a 2 week HR tirade around June/July*

OF/INF- Ryan Raburn *utility, won't play much*



ROTATION

RHP- Justin Verlander *has had a solid spring (2.30 ERA in 27 IP), his strikeout numbers still aren't where they should be, but he's not the one to rack up 200 K's in a season anyway, high pitch counts are his omen*

RHP- Armando Galarraga *hopefully last year wasn't a fluke, the Tigs are going to need him to eat some innings and improve*

RHP- Edwin Jackson *7 IP, 0 ER, 0 walks, 4 K his last outing*

LHP- Nate Robertson *has had a pretty good spring, ERA sub 3.50*

RHP- Jeremy Bonderman *likely will miss first start, but avoid DL*

BULLPEN

RHP- Zach Miner *will probably take Bondo's first start, then go back to long relief*

RHP- Juan Rincon **keep an eye on this guy, before 2007 Rincon was one of the most dominant set-up men in the game, perhaps now that he's back working with Rick Knapp, his former pitching instructor, he may have re-discovered his form, he has yet to allow a run in Spring Training while striking out a batter/inning**

RHP- Ryan Perry**it appears he's made the team thanks to Zoom going on the DL, this kid throws darts and can throw three big league pitches unlike Zoom who only has two, closer of the future without doubt, he will be fun to watch*

LHP- Bobby Seay *lefty-specialist, nothing more, he's yet to fill the jamie walker void*

RHP- Fernando Rodney *has had an inconsistent spring thus far, he's looked dominant at times and has looked awful at times, if he can find the consistent middle-ground, he'll be fine*

RHP- Clay Rapada *it seems he's made the team due to shear lack of options, he's pitched well enough to earn a spot (2-0, 11 IP, 1.64 ERA, 10 K, 1 walk), he'll be keeping Zoom's seat warm*

RHP- Brandon Lyon *likely to be the closer, he's had some rough spots this spring (giving up 4 consecutive HR's to Boston last week), but he's suited for the role, he's got great command and doesn't walk batters, he's not going to light the world on fire, and he's going to blow his share of saves, but for the most part he's going to be an improvement from Jonesy, and a solid closer, not to mention he's been the vicitim of a horrid defense this spring (11 runs, only 6 earned)*


DISABLED LIST

RHP- Joel Zumaya *hard to believe its been over 2 full seasons since he's really been healthy...*

LHP- Dontrelle Willis *Even though he's a shell of his old self, I'd still make that trade 100 times out of 100, Miguel Cabrera is worth Dontrelle's misery


DESIGNATED FOR ASSIGNMENT

OF- Brent Clevlen *he's had a solid spring and he's a gold-glove caliber defensive outfielder, but I think they're going to keep Raburn since he's a bit more versatile, they wont want to cut Clevlen, and he'll certainly get claimed, but I have a feeling its going to happen*

3B- Mike Hessman *has a sweet power stroke, but lacks the consistency to play on our roster, he could re-sign and play in Toledo like he did last year, or seek a bench role on an NL team*


FIRST TO BE CALLED UP

1B/3B/LF- Jeff Larish
RHP- Rick Porcello
RHP- Casey Fien
C- Dusty Ryan
RHP- Freddy Dolsi
OF- Clete Thomas

Asterisks are ghey.
jk good stuff

man the bottom of our lineup is going to be putrid...

I like perry a lot but I don't want to throw him into the fire...

Also, aren't we out of options with Clevlen? And what exactly does that mean? lol

Also, aren't we out of options with Clevlen? And what exactly does that mean? lol

Yeah, since Clevlen is on the 40 man roster and out of options (he can't be sent down), so we have to designate him for assignment where all other 30 teams will have a chance to claim him and put him on their active man roster...

if he's not claimed, he can be sent outright to Toledo where we can then call him up when we want

Raburn is also out of options, but I think we'll keep him.

Hessman is on the 40 man roster, and he's been out of options for several years now, so he'll certainly be DFA'ed (he probably won't be claimed since he's like 31 yrs old)

I like perry a lot but I don't want to throw him into the fire...


I don't really want to either.

Blame Zumaya.

I'd rather keep Clevlen, he's got a lot more talent than Raburn to me.

Nice rundown, Wil.

I'd rather keep Clevlen, he's got a lot more talent than Raburn to me.

I know, me too.

They tried to trade Raburn to the Mets for reliever Brian Stokes, but the deal fell through. That trade would've allowed them to keep Clevlen.

I wouldn't be surprised if they try and trade Thames by next week so they can keep him.

Clevlen's been in the organization for a long time, it would be a shame to have to see him play elsewhere.

The reason they'd keep Raburn is because he can play outfield (RF, LF) and infield (3B, 2B). Although, Santiago is capable of playing 2B, SS, and 3B and Everett can play all 3 as well.

CG in left will be fun this year.

I could see this developing into some fun.

fun times at WTF.

When I say fun, I mean fun, as in not fun.

Humorous, yes, but laughing at...not...nvm

Oh baby this could be good.

CG in left. Can't wait.

You screwed me up there, Tahoe, with your use of initials. I saw CG and frantically searched through the thread to see why Curtis Granderson was playing left field this year.

Good rundown, Wil. I didn't read it, but I bet it was a good rundown nonetheless. (okay I did read it)

I'm excited and nervous to see Porcello brought up this year - hopefully he's not too young.

And after Dusty Ryan hits .900 in the minors, expect him up by May 1st, right? I heard Dusty Ryan was once bit by a cobra. After five days of excruciating pain and suffering, the cobra died.

My bad Bro.

RHP- Brandon Lyon *likely to be the closer, he's had some rough spots this spring (giving up 4 consecutive HR's to Boston last week), but he's suited for the role, he's got great command and doesn't walk batters, he's not going to light the world on fire, and he's going to blow his share of saves, but for the most part he's going to be an improvement from Jonesy, and a solid closer, not to mention he's been the vicitim of a horrid defense this spring (11 runs, only 6 earned)*


Lyon looks like a disaster out there. What a waste of money, especially with guys like Juan Cruz going so much cheaper. Come on DD, you're better than this.

INF- Ramon Santiago *is going to get a TON of playing time since Everett is a weak hitter*
Ramon Santiago is a career .238/.310/.325 hitter. He may indeed get a lot of playing time, but because Everett is hurt, not because he's some big offensive upgrade.

^ I like that little shit though. He seems to get hits at clutch times.

Ramon Santiago is a career .238/.310/.325 hitter. He may indeed get a lot of playing time, but because Everett is hurt, not because he's some big offensive upgrade.


He hit over .300 last year and is a switch hitter.

My guess is he'll play in over 80 games this year. Especially now that we made the trade for Anderson, he's our backup 3B, SS, and 2B.

Contrary to what Leyland had previously said, Bonderman WAS placed on the DL today and will probably only miss 1 start.

Eddie Bonine seems to have made the team, according to MLive.

He's had a pretty good spring (ERA under 1.00), and he'll probably get DFA once Bondo comes back since he's out of options.

Porcello had a nice day today:

5.0 IP
2 H
1 R
0 ER
1 BB
2 SO

ERA:2.63