Especially since we ALREADY HAVE the pitchers we need in the minors, as the vast majority of relievers are just converted starters anyway. Eulogio’s probably a good first step in making the transition.

It’s the same here in Atlanta. I’m looking forward to seeing how many Tiger fans are at Turner field this weekend.

It was more like an away game for the Braves last night with Boston in town.

Tigers Good.

Jones Baaaad.

Ba-bye Jonesy.

(wishful thinking)

Is Leyland sticking with the current rotation with Verlander on Saturday and Maroth on Sunday?

I’m fired-up I’ll be at both games on Saturday and Sunday bot on national TV!

You just dont trade a top 10 toolsy OF prospect for a bullpen arm.

We are also not trading De La Cruz for a bullpen arm. More likely he will be a big part of the pen from here on out. I really think he and Bazardo will.

Who we may trade for bullpen help:
Tata, Vazquez, Trahern, Jurrjens, Sizemore or Kirkland
If anyone is interested: Shelton also

It was a Hot and muggy night – at the close of the game the temp was 87 degrees, and muggy.

My thoughts on the game:
1) Without the benefit of instant replay the Sac Fly in the second looked like an out at home. The Nats Fans actually booed. That got the Home fans really into the game.

2) I told my wife that Maroth leading off in the 6th would be a guaranteed out, and what does he do but hit a double. That opened a can of worms for the nats. I certainly looked like Maroth was stealing signs from his vantage point. Relaying that info into a hitting strategy seemd to be an issue. Never seen the 3rd base coach confir with the Hitter twice between pitches. Paid off though . . .

3) de la Cruz was amazing. (Gave up one hit and retired the side with 12 pitches) Watching his pitches break from behind home plate was pretty awesome. For the life of me, I never understand why you don’t keep a guy like that into the 9th. Warm Todd Jones up, but let Cruz (who is on a roll) keep going (play the hot hand). If he falters fine, Bring Jones in, but why bench a guy who “Cruzed” through an inning with only 12 pitches.

4) As for Jones . . .I told everyone around me that the game wasn’t over when he came in, Jones would give up 3 runs and put a man on 3rd before deciding to be a closer and putting the game away. And that is exactly what he did.

Now I can get bitchy about it, but frankly – being in the stands – it made for great theater. Every one was standing cheering. The “Lets go tigers” were rivilng the “Let’s go Nats”. Every one had their rally caps on. So – for personal reasons -I’m gald the Nats made it close, and exciting.

Over all – fun game, beautiful night, and my Tigs won another game that I attended.

BTW – Bilfer – One suggestion. You may want to add a thread or link for Tigers Fans at Away Games. Sort of message board for Fans to see who else is going to an away game and meet up.

2003 Detroit Tigers Team Leaders

Batting Average: Young, .297
On-base %: Young, .372
Slugging %: Young, .537
OPS: Young, .909
Games: Young, 155
Plate Appearances: Young, 635
Runs: Young, 78
Hits: Young, 167
Total Bases: Young, 302
Doubles: Young, 34
Triples: Young, 7
Home Runs: Young, 29
RBI: Young, 85
Hit By Pitch: Young, 11

And you don’t trade away your prospects in an area you’re weak in. And we’re weak in position players in the farm system. We have a dearth of live, young arms that project well. That is what you trade, not Cameron Maybin.

Kevin in Austin: You really want to give up Cameron Maybin for Eric Gagne who’s got a 1 year deal, Akinori Otsuka and Mark Teixeira who we’d only have for a year and a half? I don’t. Again, it’s not like we’ve got a great system of position players stocked like, say, the Angels do. We deal away some of our minor league strengths, which is young, live arms. Not to mention the fact that Teixeira will command a $90+ million dollar long-term contract AND said he’d love to play in Baltimore and essentially that they’ll be the front runners. So then you’re out one reliever if you can’t resign gagne, out your 1st baseman and left with the same problem we just had this passed off-season, and you have a 36 year old ‘closer’ in Otsuka left to show for your top prospect in your system. Might as well throw in Andrew Miller and have a fire sale.

To me, Nate Robertson and Craig Monroe (especially when he heats up in July/August and hits his peak value for the season) is what will bring us the biggest return. This is speaking to only trading our MLB players. Throw in an arm like an Eulogio De La Cruz or Dallas Trahern if we have to, and that’s a pretty attractive offer for, say, Brad Lidge and an Astros team that needs offense (especially from their corner outfield positions).

Even so, I don’t see Leyland or DD making any moves to go after Gagne or somebody like him. I figure they give Jones a lot more rope to hang himself with… by the time that happens, these discussions may be mute; we may be talking about 2008 by then

Yes, we are only 1 game out. But what some fail to understand is that this team should be 6 games up right now — easily — and that’s a conservative estimate, even factoring in a few decisions the other way, given a solid bullpen.

I’m not sure what the answer is. Trading Maybin isn’t it, but there are a lot of players we should be willing to trade, if we could get a good middle reliever, e.g. Monroe, Maroth, Robertson, Rodney, Grilli, etc. Another option is to take one of the starters out of the rotation and convert to a solid middle reliever, al la Papelbon. Couple that with a closer like Eric Gagne, and we got ourselves a bullpen that won’t continually blow games.

The problem is with as many teams out there needing bullpen help getting any sort of “name” reliever out there is gonna cost us more than it should. I think Dombrowski is smart enough to see that and won’t succumb to it.

This is why organizational depth is so important. We should look from within for bullpen help or trade some starters. DLC didn’t look bad today. Trade Tata, Trahern, etc. We don’t need to go for Joe Nathan.

You guys want a bullpen that goes shutout 7-8-9 everyday. That’s not easy to get.

Aquiring good players for now while keeping the minors good for the future is hard. I have faith Dombrowski will figure this out.

We don’t need an AJ for Nathan/Liriano type trade right now.