From the category archives:

Managing & Strategy

The Ordonez Kerfuffle

by billfer on June 20, 2009 · 9 comments

in 2009 Season, Managing & Strategy

The Magglio Ordonez benching/non-benching is the story that just keeps on giving. At this point I think everybody except Barack Obama has had their say. Let’s put it all together and see what we can come up with:
Thursday
Jim Leyland announces that Ordonez wouldn’t be starting that night in St. Louis and that he would be [...]

{ 9 comments }

Tigers extend Jim Leyland

by billfer on June 19, 2009 · 45 comments

in 2009 Season, Managing & Strategy

The Tigers today announced the extension of Jim Leyland’s contract through the 2011 season.
“We are happy to announce a two-year contract extension for Jim Leyland today,” Tigers President, Chief Executive Officer and General Manager David Dombrowski said. “Jim is an outstanding manager and he has done a great job for the Tigers.  We look forward [...]

{ 45 comments }

Edwin Jackson’s 132 pitches

by billfer on May 21, 2009 · 26 comments

in 2009 Season, Managing & Strategy, Pitching

Edwin Jackson threw 132 pitches to help the Tigers complete a sweep of the Texas Rangers. Pitch counts and the hubbub around them are fodder for controversy. I tend to favor caution in these scenarios but am willing to consider each game on an individual basis. Who was the pitcher? What was the game state? Is there an off day coming up? How much rest is he pitching on? What is the pitcher’s injury history? And on and on. I don’t think there is a simple answer to the right number of pitches, but today Jim Leyland left Edwin Jackson in too long. I worry if this is going to be a pattern in 2009.

{ 26 comments }

Rotation shuffle

by billfer on April 14, 2009 · 6 comments

in 2009 Season, Managing & Strategy, Pitching

With today’s rain out, the Tigers have changed their rotation, or have they demoted Zach Miner to the bullpen?
The two different stories have a different feel to be sure. First though, the upcoming pitchers are: Galarraga, Verlander, Jackson, Porcello. That’s what we know for sure. The Tigers are effectively skipping Rick Porcello this turn through [...]

{ 6 comments }

The one about the bullpen last night

by billfer on April 8, 2009 · 13 comments

in 2009 Season, Managing & Strategy

Gut wrenching losses are good fodder for second guessing (and page views). My thoughts and perspective on what happened last night (some of these may sound like a defense of decisions made or not made, that’s not necessarily the intent).
1. Why take out Edwin Jackson, he was pitching awesome? Edwin Jackson had been pitching [...]

{ 13 comments }

Oh those intentional base on balls

by billfer on January 29, 2009 · 13 comments

in 2008 Season, Managing & Strategy, Pitching

The Tigers struggled with walks in 2008. This is well documented and fairly obvious with the Tigers issuing more walks than every team other than Texas. It resulted in Chuck Hernandez losing his job and the Tigers bringing in a coach who built his reputation on pounding the strike zone. But a significant chunk of [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Tigers name Rick Knapp pitching coach

by billfer on October 17, 2008 · 71 comments

in Managing & Strategy, Pitching

The Tigers found their pitching coach, and they poached him from the Twins. He is Rick Knapp and he’s served as the minor league pitching coordinator for the last 12 years in the Minnesota organization.
I really like this move. The Twins have a tradition of producing striking throwing machines on a regular basis, [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Either Jim Leyland forgot to pack his razor…

by billfer on October 16, 2008 · 9 comments

in Managing & Strategy

…when he left for Lakeland. Or he’s going with a new look. A beard and no cigarette.credit Roger DeWitt
(Yeah, it’s been a long week and I don’t have any analysis to post yet).

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

More candid talk from the top, Leyland speaks

by billfer on October 1, 2008 · 56 comments

in 2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

Manager Jim Leyland was on Mitch Albom’s show and the Free Press has the transcript in 3 parts. The links to all follow, but here are some highlights and my comments.
If I was looking at the two major culprits and without pointing fingers and necessarily individuals, the two major culprits were the pitching and [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Position roulette, Inge and Guillen edition

by billfer on September 28, 2008 · 41 comments

in 2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

I was hoping to have a chance to run some numbers, but until I do I figured it was worth posting that Inge will play third and Guillen left field next season. I won’t completely pass judgment until I can do the math on this, but for the moment I’m thinking this doesn’t actually [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

Dombrowski says Leyland will be back

by billfer on September 24, 2008 · 57 comments

in 2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

Dave Dombrowski told Lynn Henning and the Detroit News that Jim Leyland will be managing the Tigers next year. Seeing as this wasn’t a sound bite, it’s tough to get a flavor for how ringing the endorsement was given this is the quote that Henning had:
“Yes, oh yeah,” Dombrowski said when asked if Leyland would [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

This new lineup isn’t a temporary thing

by billfer on August 14, 2008 · 28 comments

in 2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

The last 2 games have featured Magglio Ordonez hitting 3rd and Miguel Cabrera hitting clean-up. That’s going to last awhile, like into next season.
I don’t think lineups make a huge difference, but it never felt right having a hitter like Cabrera batting below the clean-up spot. And with Leyland not liking to shuffle [...]

{ Comments on this entry are closed }

← Previous Entries