Category Archives: Minors

Robbie Weinhardt gets the call

We here at Detroit Tigers Weblog have long been supporters of Robbie Weinhardt, so we’re thrilled to see him get his promotion to the big club. Armando Galarraga was optioned down to make room. The team doesn’t need a 5th starter before the All Star break, but they do need relief help after Andrew Oliver’s short outing on Monday and the extra inning affair Tuesday night.

Weinhardt was one of the last cuts of the camp, and seemed poised to slide into a bullpen slot when one opened up. But a remarkably stable and effective bullpen kept him in Toledo where he only walked 4 batters in 27.1 innings. Unfortunately Weinhardt suffered an arm injury at about the same time the Toledo-Detroit shuttle heated up, delaying his promotion.

Weinhardt was the 10th selection in the 2008 reliever draft. He was selected after Cody Satterwhite, Scott Green, and Brett Jacobson but has outperformed them all. For Lakeland in his first season he fanned 11.2 per 9 while only walking 2.8. He continued to progress up the chain with stellar strike out numbers (9.5/9 for his minor league career) and earned a spot as a Tigers AFL representative where he led the league in strikeouts last fall despite being a reliever. Also worth noting is the fact that Weinhardt has allowed just 3 homers in 135 professional innings.

His promotion at this point in time though is about effective roster utilization and it remains to be seen how long he’ll stick with the club beyond the All Star break. With a big series against the Twins coming up though he certainly has a chance to make an impression.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 6.20.2010

Norfolk 5 Toledo 1
Alfredo Figaro fanned 8 and walked none while scattering 8 hits and allowing 1 run in 7.1 innings. Jon Weber went 3 for 4. Casper Wells and Jeff Frazier homered.

Erie 13 New Hampshire 6
Duane Below allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and a walk in 5.1 innings with 5 K’s. Audy Ciriaco went 2 for 4 and homered for the second straight day. Andy Dirks, Ronnie Bourquin, and Michael Bertram also homered.

Lakeland – DNP

West Michigan 0 Bowling Green 2
Jamie Johnson had 2 hits. Trevor Feeney fanned 5 allowed 2 runs on 4 hits and no walks in 5 innings.

Connecticut 5 Tri-City 3
Matthew Mansilla homered and singled. Matt Perry  went 2 for 3 with a walk. Rayni Guichardo went 7 innings surrendering 1 run on 4 hits, 2 walks, and 3 K’s.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 6.9.2010

Toledo 0 Lehigh Valley 3
Max Leon had 2 hits, and that was about it for the offense. Scott Sizemore made his first error since arriving in Toledo. Alfredo Figaro fanned 4 and walked 2 in 6.2 innings of 1 run ball. Daniel Schlereth battled his control and walked 3, allowing 2 runs in .2 innings.

Portalnd 4 Erie 3
Andrew Oliver went 5 innings and allowed 3 runs on 9 hits with 2 walks and 5 K’s. Andy Bouchie went 2 for 4. In roster news, Wilkin Ramirez left Erie for Toledo and swapped places with Deik Scram.

Fort Myers 1 Lakeland 9
Kody Kaiser went 3 for 5 with 2 doubles. Francisco Martinez went 3 for 4 including his first homer. Daniel Fields singled and doubled. Brayan Villarreal pitched 7 innings and allowed 1 unearned run on 3 hits and 3 walks with 5 K’s.

West Michigan 2 Cedar Rapids 6
Only 5 hits for the Whitecaps on this night. But Jordan Lennerton did draw 3 walks. Jade Todd was lifted with 2 outs in the 3rd inning after allowing 6 runs on 6 hits and 4 walks.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 6.6.2010

Toledo – rained out

Erie – suspended

Fort Myers 2 Lakeland 0
When Alden Carrithers and Kody Kaiser combine to go hitless, you know something is amiss. Josh Workman managed 2 hits. Daniel Fields singled and walked. Luke Putkonen didn’t miss many bats with just 1 strikeout, but held Fort Myers to 5 hits and 2 runs in 7 innings.

Peoria 8 West Michigan 5
Ramon Lebron pitched the 3 innings of pre-suspended baseball and allowed 3 runs on 5 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings. Jacob Turner pitched the last 6 innings after play was resumed and allowed 4 runs on 8 hits, a walk, and 3 strikeouts. Jordan Lennerton went 4 for 5. Avisail Garcia and Hernan Perez each had 2 hits. Ronnie Bourquin (I didn’t even notice he was back) walked twice.

Peoria 2 West Michigan 3
Luis Salas doubled twice. Alexis Espinoza hit a walk off homer. Jared Wesson pitched the first inning and had control issues with 5 walks allowed.  Zach Samuels pitched 5 scoreless innings of relief.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 6.5.2010

Toledo 4 Rochester 8
Billy Buckner was rocked for 8 runs on 14 hits in just 4.1 innings. Scott Sizemore went 4 for 5. Casper Wells had a triple and 2 singles.

Erie 2 Bowie 4
Wilkin Ramirez doubled, tripled, and walked. Cesar Nicolas went 2 for 3 with a walk. Jon Kibler allowed 3 runs on 4 hits. 2 walks, and 4 K’s.

Fort Myers 3 Lakeland 8
Kody Kaiser went 3 for 5 with 2 doubles. Francisco Martinez also had 3 hits. Alden Carrithers, Ben Guez, and Gustavo Nunez each had 2 hits. All that offense was more than enough for Charlie Furbush who only recorded 8 K’s in 6.2 innings.

West Michigan – suspended

Tigers Minor League Wrap 6.4.2010

Toledo 5 Rochester 3
Ryan Ketchner pitched 6 shut out innings. Brendan Wise was knocked around for 3 runs on 3 hits and a walk while only recording 1 out. Daniel Schlereth pitched well fanning 2 in 1.2 innings. Ryan Strieby went 4 for 5. Jeff Larish, Danny Worth, and Jeff Kunkel all had 2 hits.

Erie 6 Bowie 3
Andy Dirks was a triple short of the cycle on a 4 for 5 night. Audy Ciriaco went 3 for 5 with a double. Andy Bouchie doubled and homered. Thad Weber struck out 5 and despite allowing 3 homers, only allowed 3 runs in 7 innings. Zach Simons finished the game with 2 scoreless innings.

Bradenton 0 Lakeland 3
Alden Carrithers had 2 hits, as did Daniel Fields and Julio Rodriguez. Kody Kaiser tripled and walked. Adam Wilk went 6 innings and allowed only 2 hits and no walks while K’ing 5. Cory Hamilton and Lester Oliveros finished off the shut out.

Peoria 4 West Michigan 9
Michael Rockett was a double short of the cycle. Chris Sedon homered and added 2 singles. Avisail Garcia singled twice and doubled. Giovany Soto only lasted 4.2 innings as he scattered 7 hits and 3 walks and allowed 2 runs. Victor Larez did the heavy lifting in relief going 3.1 innings and striking out 3.

Roster Moves

There were a bevy of roster moves the last few days as things got shuffled around. Toledo welcomed in Billy Buckner and they activated Jeff Larish from the disabled list. That marked the end of Ben Guez’s stay in Toledo and he returned to Lakeland. Lakeland made room for Guez by sending Chao Ting Tang to the GCL Tigers.

Jeff Kunkel went from Erie to Toledo because Max St. Pierre hit the DL. Angel Flores was the other part of the cascade moving from Lakeland to Erie. And Luis Sanz was called up from EST to Lakeland.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 6.1.2010

Lehigh Valley 3 Toledo 5
Ruddy Lugo went 5.1 innings and allowed 3 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks. Scott Sizemore homered and doubled. Brent Dlugach singled and homered.

Lehigh Valley 0 Toledo 3
Scott Sizemore added 2 singles in the other half of the double header. Ben Guez homered. LJ Gagnier pitched 5 shut out innings fanning 6 and walking 1. Daniel Schlereth and Jay Sborz each pitched an inning to finish off the shut out.

Erie 3 Arkon 5
Andy Dirks went 2 for 4. Wilkin Ramirez homered and walked. Brooks Brown allowed 4 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks in 6 innings.

Lakeland 8 Bradenton 3
Rawley Bishop homered, singled, and added 2 walks. Billy Nowlin homered and walked. Alden Carrithers, Kody Kaiser, Angel Flores, and Francisco Martinez all had 2 hit games. Luke Putkonen went 6 innings scattering 3 walks and 7 hits allowing just 2 runs while fanning 4.

Burlington 8 West Michigan 4
Jacob Turner pitched 5 shutout innings before running into trouble in the 6th. His final line reads 5.1 IP, 6 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned run, no walks, and 5 K’s. Jamie Johnson had 2 hits. Jordan Lennerton doubled, walked, and singled.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 5.31.2010

There’s only one game to cover with Toledo and West Michigan getting washed out and Lakeland having a normal day off.

Harrisburg 9 Toledo 11
Audy Ciriaco continues to hit well since his return from the disabled list picking up a homer, a single, and a walk. Cale Iorg went 3 for 3 with 2 doubles. Wilkin Ramirez had 2 doubles. Jon Kibler allowed 4 runs on 7 hits and 3 walks in 7 innings. Luis Marte allowed a run on 2 hits and a walk while striking out the side. Anthony Shawler made this a close game by allowing 4 runs in his inning of work.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 5.30.2010

Toledo 8 Buffalo 7
Jeff Frazier and Brent Dlugach each singled and homered. Casper Wells added his 8th homer of the season. Scott Sizemore went 2 for 3 with 2 walks. And to check in on infield alignment, Danny Worth was playing shortstop, Sizemore at second, and Dlugach at third. Ryan Ketchner allowed 3 runs in 4.2 innings on 6 hits, a walk, and 3 K’s. Casey Fien got the save with a scoreless 9th after Brendan Wise went 2.2 innings of relief to get the win.

Harrisburg 8 Erie 6
Wilkin Ramirez hit his 14th homer, but left after 3 at-bats. Audy Ciriaco doubled and homered. Thad Weber gave up 8 runs, but only 3 were earned, in 5 innings.

Lakeland 4 Palm Beach 5
The Charlie Furbush freak show continues with 10 K’s and 1 walk in 6 innings. He did surrendered 3 runs on 5 hits this time. Furbush was the subject of a Lynn Henning feature article today and is now sporting a 90K/11BB ratio in 62 innings. Alden Carrithers got 3 more hits. including his first home run.

Dayton 4 West Michigan 7
Jered Wesson pitched 6 shutout innings with only 3 hits and 2 walks allowed against 4 K’s. Mark Newman struggled and allowed 4 runs on 5 hits and a walk in 1.1 innings. Nolan Moody fanned 3 in his 1.2 inning save. Jamie Johnson homered and doubled. Avisail Garcia went 3 for 4. Chris Sedon drew 2 walks and singled.

Roster Moves

I’m way behind in covering this, but the Tigers made a bushel of roster moves this week. Some were a cascade effect from the Robbie Weinhardt DL assignment (the injury doesn’t appear to be too serious). Others at West Michigan were more performance based. Take 75 North has them all covered.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 5.28.2010

Toledo 7 Buffalo 3
Alfredo Figaro was roughed up for 5 runs on 10 hits and 4 walks in 4.1 innings. Ryan Strieby and Casper Wells each homered. Scott Sizemore doubled and singled.

Harrisburg 4 Erie 7
Andy Oliver fanned 6 and walked none, limiting Harrisburg to 1 run in 7 innings. Matt Hoffman struggled in relief allowing 3 runs while only recording 2 outs. Audy Ciriaco hit a 3 run homer and Josh Burrus had 2 hits.

Lakeland 7 Palm Beach 2
Kody Kaiser continues his hot hitting with 3 more hits including a double. Billy Nowlin also had 3 hits including his 2nd homer. Alden Carrithers walked twice and singled. Brayan Villarreal went 7 innings with 9 strikeouts and a walk and 2 runs allowed.

Dayton 5 West Michigan 4
Jamie Johnson tripled and singled. Jordan Lennerton had 2 hits and a walk and has reached base 20 times in his last 8 games including 5 doubles. Jade Todd went 8 innings and allowed 3 runs on 7 hits, 1 walk, and 4 K’s. Kevin  Faulk blew the save and took the loss.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 5.27.2010

Toledo 6 Buffalo 7
Mike Hessman did in the Mud Hens with 2 homers. Ruddy Lugo allowed 4 runs on 5 hits on a day he didn’t strike out or walk anyone. Daniel Schlereth allowed 2 runs on 2 hits in .2 innings. Jeff Frazier his a 3 run homer. Ryan Strieby had 2 hits and a walk. Ben Guez doubled twice.

Erie – Suspended

Lakeland 4 Palm Beach 5
Alden Carrithers had 2 doubles. Kody Kaiser and Francisco Martinez each doubled and singled. Billy Nowlin homered. Mark Sorensen allowed 5 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks in 7 innings.

West Michigan 4 Lansing 2
Avisail Garcia went 2 for 3 with a walk. Jacob Turner allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks, and he fanned 5 in 5.1 innings. Jose Ortega pitched 2.1 innings of relief and he walked 3 but struck out 5.

Tigers Minor League Wrap 5.26.2010

Toledo: It was an off day for the Mud Hens. But for those interested MILB.tv will have their Thursday game on at 10:35 this morning.

Trenton 7 Erie 6
Wilkin Ramirez seemed to enjoy himself immensely with a 3 homer day, bringing his season total to 13. Cesar Nicolas also had 3 hits but he was hitting behind Ramirez meaning the bases were mostly empty. Cale Iorg picked up 2 hits. Jon Kibler walked 4 and was knocked around for 8 hits and 5 runs in 5 innings. Luis Marte blew the save allowing 2 runs and a homer.

Lakeland 7 Tampa 2
Kody Kaiser notched 3 more hits and is hitting 476/531/667 over his last 10 games. For May his OPS is 1.011. Alden Carrithers and Gustavo Nunez each had 2 hits. Luke Putkonen went 7 innings and allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, 2 walks, and 4 strikeouts.

West Michigan 5 Lansing 9
Jordan Lennerton went 2 for 4 with a double and a walk making it 4 straight multi-hit games for the first baseman. Michael Rockett, Wade Gaynor, and Mike Gosse all had 2 hits.  Ramon Lebron was rocked for 8 runs in just 2.1 innings.