So what do you MLB elite expect from Bonderman and Willis this year? Anything above average? We know they are overpaid, but can they at least contribute?

So what do you MLB elite expect from Bonderman and Willis this year? Anything above average? We know they are overpaid, but can they at least contribute?

I think Bonderman will contribute considerably this yr. If he's healthy, he should be good for 200 IP and at least 10 wins. That's more than we got out of our 4th rotation spot last yr.

As far as Willis, I'm not expecting much. I don't think they'll bother hanging onto him if he doesn't make the team out of spring (like Sheffield last yr).

Fortunately, the D-Train had a strong outing today (2 IP, 0 R, 2 K) while Galarraga got shelled (4 ER).

If camp broke today, after 2 ST games, he'd probably be the 5th starter.

Nate Robertson struggled in spring opener.

Shocking!

That new guy with the weird name that has two homers already is MY TIGER.

^ brent dlugach

MAH TAHGER

A-Jax has been owning so far.

Don Kelly too, it will be very hard for Leyland to not take Kelly north once camp breaks if he keeps up the hot bat.

Suposablee... Willis, Bondy and Robertson will all pitch Saturday.

It's going to be a good year to live near Fifth Third Field (where the Mud Hens play). Some good talent is going to end up in AAA.

Suposablee... Willis, Bondy and Robertson will all pitch Saturday.

All the major guys did great today...

Scherzer - 4 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 5 K

Willis - 3 IP, 1 H, 1 ER (1.29 ERA this spring in 3 outings)

Robertson - 2 IP, 0 ER, 3 K

Bonderman - 3 IP, 1 ER, 3 K

Some tough decisions are ahead for the rotation.

Other bits...

Johnny Damon hit his first HR

Laird went 2-3 (hitting .353 this spring)

Raburn 4-4 (hitting .500 this spring)

Sizemore has been struggling (.167)

Can we trade Robertson...PLEASE!

And thanks for the update Wilfredo.

Can we trade Robertson...PLEASE!

ha ha ha, what team do you think would be dumb enough to take on his salary? I don't think we could even get a team to legitamtely pay half of it.

D-Train was outstanding yet again today...

3 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 K

Galarraga got optioned to AAA by the way. So he will not be on the 25 man roster Opening Day.

The good thing about Armando...he's making pennies compared to Nate & D-Train, he's got options left, and the stuff is still there for him to be an adequate player.

Hopefully starting in Toledo will be humbling for him

Zach Miner has an elbow.

Henning thinks Willis will be cut and that the Tigers didn't spend much money in order to absorb the hit by cutting one (him or Bonderman)

I know nothing about the MLB CBA. What happens when you cut a player? Do you only pay their salary that year? Going forward?

Tigers | Willis gains velocity
[/URL] [URL="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http://www.kffl.com/gnews.php?id=634227"] (http://twitter.com/?status=Per KFFL.com: Tigers | Willis gains velocity - http://www.kffl.com/gnews.php?id=634227)Tue, 23 Mar 2010 06:09:18 -0700
The Detroit News' Tom Gage reports Detroit Tigers SP Dontrelle Willis threw every pitch at least 90 mph in his one-inning relief stint Monday, March 22. After the bridge outing, his ERA sits at 0.82. He'll start Thursday, March 25.

maybe he's better as a one inning guy (obviously way overpaid, but that is a given either way)

Doubt they'd be wasting time/innings on him now if they were planning on cutting him.

If he can provide anything of value worthy of a roster spot, they'd be stupid not to keep him.

MLB contracts are 100% guaranteed. You cut him, you pay it all.

So what gain is there to cut him? Roster spot?

What happens if he signs somewhere else? Do we still owe his salary going forward?

Can you do a buyout to save money (supposing he'd be open to it at all)?

He has no reason to do a buyout unless they say they're going to put him in a-ball or something and he really wants a chance to make someone's big league team.

It seems highly unlikely that they would pay him 20 million the last two years for absolutely nothing and then, just when it looks like they're finally going to get something for their investment, cut him loose for no reason.

Henning might have some top secret info or something here but I doubt it. He tends to have no clue what he's talking about.

http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/five-questions-detroit-tigers5/
Five questions: Detroit Tigers

by Brian Borawski
March 24, 2010

2009 was both a pleasant surprise and a disappointment for Tigers’ fans. It was a nice surprise because after the train wreck that was 2008, the Tigers spent most of the season at the top of the standings in the American League Central. Of course it was a disappointment because one of the days they weren’t in first just happened to be the last, as the Tigers fell apart in the final days of the season and lost the division in historic fashion.

Then there was the Jekyll and Hyde offseason. The Tigers went into the Winter Meetings looking like big time sellers but they ended up pulling off an interesting trade to bring Austin Jackson (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=paJ05026&position=OF) and Max Scherzer (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3137&position=P) (as well as Phil Coke (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5535&position=P) and Dan Schlereth). Of course it was at the expense of hometown favorite Curtis Granderson (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4747&position=OF) as well as Edwin Jackson (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1841&position=P). Then the Tigers turned around and signed closer Jose Valverde (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1726&position=P) and left fielder Johnny Damon (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=185&position=OF) to put them back into the role of buyers. Still, heading into the season, the Tigers have plenty of question marks and here’s the big five.

Which Pitchers Will Round Out the Back End of the Tigers’ Rotation?


The Tigers top three spots in the rotation are pretty much set. Barring an injury, Justin Verlander (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=8700&position=P), Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=2717&position=P) will be in the rotation when spring training breaks. Of course three arms does not a rotation make and the Tigers have plenty of options to fill in the final two spots.

Jeremy Bonderman (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1667&position=P), who’s been plagued with injuries, was pegged early for the fourth spot but he’s struggled this spring. He’s given up 15 hits in 8 2/3 innings so far and he’s walked four and hit two batters. The only bright spot is that he’s struck out eight. The good news is, with two weeks left, Bonderman has plenty of time to tune up and unless he flops even further, his spot in the rotation is probably safe.

Armando Galarraga (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=4222&position=P), who was probably the favorite to secure the fifth spot in the rotation, has had an equally bad spring and he was optioned to the Tigers Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mud Hens. That leaves two 2009 rotation outcasts, Nate Robertson (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1620&position=P) and Dontrelle Willis (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1703&position=P), vying for that fifth spot. Willis has been horrible ever since the Tigers traded for him but he’s been nothing short of phenomenal so far this spring. He’s given up just one run on seven hits and five walks in 11 spring innings.

Robertson has had a solid spring as well. He leads all Tigers with 14 strikeouts and he’s given up six runs on 13 hits and six walks in 14 2/3 innings. Another dark horse candidate is Eddie Bonine (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5890&position=P), who’s gotten time as a Tiger starter the last couple of years but has also spent a bunch of time in the minors as well.

Of course whoever secures those final two spots in the rotation will be kept on a short leash. My bet is Bonderman and Willis start the season as the fourth or fifth starters but if they show any signs of weakness, you’ll see someone like Robertson or one of the Tigers Triple-A hurlers coming up to fill in pretty quickly.

Does Scott Sizemore (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=paF06013&position=2B) Have What It Takes to be the Tigers Everyday Second Baseman?


Out of all of the things the Tigers did during the offseason, I still think the most befuddling decision was not to offer Placido Polanco (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1176&position=2B) arbitration. I know the Tigers were looking to move on, but worst case would be to have his reliable bat and glove in a Tigers uniform for one more year at an above market value price. Of course if he chose to leave for greener pastures, the Tigers would have at least gotten a couple of draft picks out of it. Instead, the Tigers declined to offer arbitration and Polanco signed a nice deal with the Philadelphia Phillies to be their everyday third baseman and the Tigers got nothing out of it.

That leaves the starting second base job to Tigers top prospect Scott Sizemore. The Tigers 2006 fifth round pick put himself on the map with a big year that was split between Double-A and Triple-A and he was equally successful at both levels. What’s interesting is he still hasn’t stepped up to the plate in a big league game so we’ll see how Sizemore starts his career in a Tigers’ uniform. Sizemore had a breakout power year, which is somewhat odd because up until his 17 home runs in 2009, he had never hit more then four home runs in a year in his three prior minor league seasons.

Sizemore is also coming off of a broken ankle that he suffered in the Arizona Fall League. Sizemore has struggled this spring (.194/.278/.341 in 36 at bats) which doesn’t bode well. The Tigers do have a backup plan in career utility infielder Ramon Santiago (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1417&position=2B/SS) so when it comes down to it, Sizemore's playing time will depend on his performance.

Can Rookie Austin Jackson Fill Curtis Granderson’s Shoes?


Curtis Granderson was a favorite in Detroit and that made the deal that sent him to the New York Yankees that much tougher. It was easy to like Granderson because he was such an exciting player to watch. He was aggressive on the bases (which resulted in all of those triples) and he also made some Web Gem quality catches in the outfield. Still, 2009 showed some chinks in Granderson’s armor. While his home runs were up, his OPS dipped below .800 for the first time since his first full season in 2006. In addition, by a few different metrics, his defense wasn’t as strong either.

Then he was traded. Mostly because the Tigers locked him up to some long term money, Granderson was sent to the New York Yankees in the big Winter Meetings deal. That left a big void in center field that the Tigers are hoping rookie Austin Jackson can fill. My initial thoughts were that Jackson would start in the season in Triple-A and the Tigers would go with the more experienced Clete Thomas (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3373&position=OF), but a .341 spring batting average has all but locked Jackson in as the Tigers Opening Day centerfielder. Even more interesting is that the speedy Jackson will be hitting as the team’s leadoff man. Jackson strikes out a lot but he also gets his share of walks (.356 minor league career OBP) so he isn't a poor choice at leadoff.

Like Sizemore, my guess is that the Tigers will keep Jackson on a short leash. He’ll get his time if he’s getting the job done but the Tigers might be quick to go to one of their alternatives (like Thomas or Casper Wells (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=paF05031&position=OF)) if Jackson struggles out of the gate.

Can Magglio Ordonez (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=248&position=OF) Find His Power?


Magglio Ordonez had been relatively healthy from 2006 through 2008. During that time he drove in at least 103 runs every season and he won the batting title in 2007 in what could have been an MVP season had it not been for Alex Rodriguez (http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=1274&position=3B/SS). Then in 2009, Ordonez fell off of a cliff and his .428 slugging percentage was the worst of his career since his first full season way back in 1998. Ordonez’ 30 home run power was most likely left in Chicago, but nobody expected him to rack up 518 plate appearances and pick up just 35 extra base hits like he did in 2009

Of course a lot was made out of his second half .375 batting average as an indication that he was back. This turned out to be a double edged sword because it forced the Tigers’ hand by playing him and letting his 2009 option vest. Now the Tigers are paying Ordonez $18 million in 2010 for what looks like nothing more then a solid table setter unless Ordonez finds the pop in his bat.

One point against Ordonez was that his second half batting average on balls in play was an unsustainable .400. Ordonez’s batted ball numbers are mixed. He did have an above average 21% line drive percentage in 2009 which means some of the pop is still there but he also had an above average 51% ground ball percentage. Without a lot of speed, Ordonez isn’t going to be legging out many ground ball singles and the lack of speed also means that some of those line drives are just nicely hit singles instead of doubles. Finally, Ordonez has had a solid spring. He’s hitting .333 with two home runs and two doubles.

If we take a look at THT Forecasts (http://www.hardballtimes.com/forecasts/), Oliver has Ordonez hitting 17 home runs and posting an .862 OPS but that’s based on 623 plate appearances. If Ordonez plays too much, he’ll have his final option year vest. My bet is Ordonez falls short of both of those marks and while he’ll contribute to the team’s success, he won’t come anywhere near his 2008 numbers and 15 home runs will be a good bench mark for him to strive for.

Do the Tigers Have Enough to Compete In What Should be a Weak American League Central?


The short answer is yes. I think the Tigers are a slightly better team then they were in 2009 and the other two teams that should contend in the American League Central, the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins, aren’t noticeably better then they were last year either. A solid start will go a long way towards the Tigers making some noise but a strong finish will be equally necessary. Still, there’s also the chance that if the Tigers struggle early, that guys like Ordonez and some of their arms like Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis are shipped off in trades. Still, I see the Tigers winning between 80-90 games and being in the mix for the 2010 season.

Can we trade Robertson...PLEASE!


ha ha ha, what team do you think would be dumb enough to take on his salary? I don't think we could even get a team to legitamtely pay half of it.

To be fair, I don't think we got them to pay half of it.

We didn't. But thought it was apropos or something.

Guillen with a hammy.

ALFRICKENREADY?

He's one of 'my Tigers' but damn, dudes gotta stay healthy a lil bit.

^ With Polanco gone, I'm going to have to figure out who MY (new) Tiger is.

He was just talking about how he's in the best shape he's been in a while. Hopefully this is just a temporary spring training type injury and not a hint at things to come. It'd be big to have his bat healthy this season.