Category Archives: Injuries

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.

2009 Season, Injuries, Roster Management

Let’s talk rehab

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There was quite a bit of Tigers injury related news today with fresh info from Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, and Marcus Thames. And on a related roster note, Magglio Ordonez will be back for Friday’s game (the surgery went well) and Wilkin Ramirez can tell his Mud Hens teammates what it was like to drive one deep into big league bushes.

Jeremy Bonderman

Bonderman made his second rehab start, this time for Toledo. Things were going swimingly for Bonderman through 5 innings as he was pitching a 2 hit shut out. Things kind of fell apart though in the 6th inning as it went: Walk – Sac Bunt – Double – Ground Out – Homer – Error – Stolen Base – Double – Double – Strike Out. The error certainly didn’t help and 2 of the 5 runs were unearned, but there were still 4 extra base hits that inning.

His final line was 6 innings, 6 hits, 5 runs, 2 walks, 4 K’s 1 homer, 98 pitches, 62 strikes.

Marcus Thames

Thames will begin a rehab assignment for the Mud Hens next week. Jim Leyland would like to get him 30 or so at-bats.

Nate Robertson

So this isn’t particularly fresh, but Robertson was activated from the DL after Wednesday night’s game. Luke French filled in nicely for Robertson, but he is back with the Mud Hens now.

2009 Season, Injuries

Bonderman, Maggs, and Guillen updates

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A big chunk of the Tigers payroll was making some noise today for a variety of reasons. Let’s recap it:

Jeremy Bonderman

Jeremy Bonderman made his first rehab start for the West Michigan Whitecaps tonight. He lasted 7 innings and 94 pitches and posted an encouraging line (4 K’s, 1 walk, 6 hits, 2 runs). Bonderman thought before the game that he’d only need 1 or 2 starts to get ready. I think the Tigers would prefer at least 2 to give them more time to figure out who is leaving the rotation to make room.

Whether 1 or 2 starts is reasonable though is up for some debate. He’s still building velocity and arm strength. If this report is accurate though, it may take a little longer if his velocity was truly in the low to mid 80’s.

Magglio Ordonez

Magglio Ordonez just started to hit the ball with some authority and now it appears that he’ll miss a couple games this week. He will be away from the team Tuesday and Wednesday and the Thursday afternoon game appears up in the air as well. This is being called a personal matter and it is probably safe to assume this is related to Jim Leyland’s recent comments about Magglio having some things on this mind.

Carlos Guillen

It sounds like there is some progress in Carlos Guillen’s recuperation from a shoulder injury. He started hitting off a tee and was in the dugout carrying a bat around Saturday night.

2009 Season, Injuries

Willis is back in the rotation

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Dontrelle Willis has a start scheduled for next Wednesday against the Twins. This will end his stint on the DL due to anxiety disorder. I don’t really know what to expect from Willis, but as Jim Leyland said:

“I think that’s good. I think it’s time to find out. The report is that he’s throwing pretty much around the plate all the time, 89-93 (mph) with his fastball, throwing some breaking balls, some change-ups, using all his pitches.

“I think it’s a huge thing for us, definitely. I’m all for finding out. I’m hoping he’s really good. Having a left-hander in the rotation would be really good for us.

“Regardless, it’s time to find out.”

Indeed it is.

Zach Miner is the one getting bumped from the rotation and he will be in the bullpen. No announcement has been made on who will head off the 25 man roster, and that decision likely won’t come until closer to the start.

Dontrelle Willis to start for Tigers on Wednesday | detnews.com | The Detroit News

Also, Dylan pointed me to this Fire Brand of the American League article about Dontrelle’s rehab start in Pawtucket.

2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Dontrelle & Minor League Wrap – 5/6/09

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Toledo 1 Pawtucket 2
Dontrelle Willis pitched deep into this game going 7.2 innings and allowing 2 runs on 5 hits and 4 walks with 4 K’s. He threw 118 pitches, 74 for strikes. In his other rehab starts he was getting numerous groundball outs, but this time he had 11 air outs versus 8 ground outs. Willis can remain on a rehab assignment until May 20th. Brent Clevlen and Ryan Roberson doubled for the Hens offense.

Erie – PPD, 3 days in a row.

Dunedin 6 Lakeland 4 (10 inn)
Andy Dirks went 3 for 3 with a double and a walk. Kody Kaiser was 2 for 4 with a homer and a walk. Lauren Gagnier fanned 6 and walked 1 allowing 4 runs on 5 hits in 6.1 innings. Robbie Weinhardt allowed his first runs of the season, giving up 2 on 4 hits in 1.1 innings taking the loss.

Beloit 0 West Michigan 3
Ben Guez doubled and walked. Gustavo Nunez had 2 hits. Matt Hoffman fanned 6, walked 2, and allowed 4 hits in 7 shut out innings.

2009 Season, Injuries, Roster Management

Clete Thomas called up

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UPDATE: Per Jason Beck on Twitter Guillen hits the DL with shoulder inflammation. Also Jeff Larish is called up and Clay Rapada heads down.

The Tigers have called up Clete Thomas. A corresponding roster move hasn’t been announced, but with Carlos Guillen’s struggles and general injury-ness (achilles and shoulder pain) it is likely he is heading to the DL.

Thomas is only hitting 236/349/371, but he should provide solid defense. An outfield of Thomas/Granderson/Anderson with Ordonez DH’ing would provide some solid defense.

Tigers call up Clete Thomas | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

2009 Season, Injuries

Treanor is out for the season

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P1130039Matt Treanor’s Tiger career may have come to a fairly abrupt end. Treanor’s hip spur surgery turned out to be more extensive than originally anticipated and he is likely out for the season. Being on a one year contract, there is a pretty good chance the Tigers won’t re-up which could mean that Treanor ends his Tigers career hitless.

Though Treanor’s days in Tiger-stripes were short, I do have one Treanor story. We were at the game where Rick Porcello was making his first start. Treanor of course caught him that day and was doing his stretching in the outfield. A group of about 15 kids kept yelling for him to throw them a ball. This went on the entire time he was stretching and while he was warming up with Porcello in the outfield.

When it was time for Treanor and Porcello to retreat to the bullpen, Treanor turned around and flipped the ball to my son. This stirred up a ton of “hey, what’re ya doin’” and other complaints.

Treanor looked at them, smiled at them and said, “Not one of you said, please.” And he took off for the pen.

2009 Season, Injuries, Minors

Tigers Minor Leauge & Dontrelle Wrap: 4/26/09

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Louisville 10 Toledo 3
Clete Thomas went 2 for 4 with a walk. Dusty Ryan homered and walked. Scott Drucker allwoed 7 runs on 10 hits including 3 homers in 4 innings. Fu Te Ni walked 2, but also struck out 2 in 2 innings. Clay Rapada allowed 2 runs on 3 hits with 2 K’s in his inning of work. Casey Fien allowed 2 hits and a walk in his inning.

Harrisburg 4 Erie 8
Dontrelle Willis was the high profile starter in this one. Willis struck out 6 and walked 3 in his 6 innings with 2 runs on 3 hits. Overall, it was another encouraging outing. Willis did an interview prior to the game (h/t Kurt) and you can’t help but pulling for him. Cody Satterwhite fanned 4 in 2.2 innings but also walked 3 and allowed 2 hits. Brennan Boesch had 2 doubles and a homer. Ryan Strieby also homered.

Lakeland 3 Daytona 5
Mike Bertram and Andy Dirks both doubled and singled. Lauren Gagnier allowed 5 runs on 7 hits in 6 innings due in large part to 2 homers.

Lansing 1 West Michigan 3
Bryan Pounds homered and doubled. Jordan Lennerton went 3 for 3. Casey Crosby fanned 3 and walked 2 in 5 shut out innings.

Lansing 2 West Michigan 4
Bryan Pounds and Jordan Lennerton had the 2 multi hit games. Matt Hoffman went 6 innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits, no walks, and 6 K’s.

2009 Season, Injuries

Is Miguel Cabrera injured?

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Something is amiss with Miguel Cabrera’s left wrist. He hasn’t swung the bat well this week, and there may be a injury related explanation. After a poor at-bat Fox Sports Detroit camera’s zoomed into the dugout and saw Cabrera inspecting and massaging the wrist after removing the tape. He ended up with another at-bat in the game that saw Kevin Rand come out and visit. The at-bat culminated when Cabrera grounded out to short (it was a nifty play by Tony Pena Jr.) and it appeared the didn’t follow through in the way he typically does. Jeff Larish came into the blow-out to play defense in the 9th.

An injured Cabrera would be a tremendous hole in the middle of the lineup. He played through a hamstring injury the early part of last year, but it seems that if he is hurting it would be prudent to give him a couple days to rest up.

2009 Season, Injuries, Roster Management

Bonine out, Zuamaya in

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This doesn’t come as a surprise at all because a)we knew that Joel Zumaya was coming back and b)Bonine hasn’t pitched well and he’s the candidate with options. Really, the only question now is how does Zumaya fit into the bullpen? Ryan Perry and Bobby Seay have combined to be the primary set-up men. Does Zumaya bump one (probably Perry the other right hander) or does he just get mixed in?

The other question is does Bonine head down to be a starter or does he continue to work from the pen?

Eddie Bonine demoted to make room for Joel Zumaya | detnews.com | The Detroit News

2009 Season, Injuries

Thames injury deemed major

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From the “What’s a guy gotta do to keep a starting job” department, Marcus Thames has been sidelined with a fairly “major” injury. That rib problem that landed him on the DL yesterday is a grade three intercostal muscle and cartilage strain with bleeding involve.

For the first time in his career, it looked like Thames would get the majority of at-bats at a position when the Tigers released Gary Sheffield and named Thames the primary DH. Now he’s going to be on strict rest for at least 2 to 4 weeks before he can even begin to think about rehabbing.

Josh Anderson and Jeff Larish stand to be the primary beneficiaries of this news (and Ryan Raburn who took his place on the roster). To make this even more knife twisting coincidental, Thames would have been starting tonight against Joe Saunders who he took deep twice in a game last year in LA. Poor guy.

Tigers’ DH Marcus Thames out with “major injury” to rib cage area – Detroit Tigers Baseball: News, Blogs, Photos, Audio, Schedule & Stats – MLive.com