Over the last few weeks of spring training, I
Monthly Archives: March 2006
Keep an Eye on: Productive At-bats
Over the last few weeks of spring training, I
Last cut is German
Danny Knobler reports that Franklyn German is on the waiver list.. German stands a pretty good chance to make it through waivers because any team that picked him up would have to retain him on their 25 man roster (or try to clear him on waivers). Fortunately for the Tigers there probably isn’t much of a market for relievers who average 9 walks per nine innings. According to the radio broadcast yesterday, German has made some mechanical changes which he is still getting used to. Whether or not it helps improve his control remains to be seen.
The end result is that Bobby Seay is 25th man and the big league roster is complete barring any last minute deals.
By my count the Tigers will also have two spots available on the 40 man roster. Seay and Santiago will require spots, but those should come from Carlos Pena and Franklyn German. The two spots will open up when Craig Dingman and advance scout Troy Percival are placed on the 60 day DL.
A heaping helping of Zumaya
There were several Detroit Tiger mentions over the last two days, and many of them included references to
The Free Press had a piece on Zumaya’s new curveball/slider.
“My curve can be a slider,” he said. “If I throw it from over the top, it’s a curve with a 12-to-6 break. If I lower my arm angle, it has more of a slider movement. You’ll see me do that when the count is 0-2.”
His secondary pitch combined with the fastball has Buster Olney making Zumaya his Rookie of the Year pick. (Insider link)
Joel Zumaya has added a curve to his repertoire. I’m picking him to win AL Rookie of the Year. Based on what scouts are seeing in him, he won’t be in the Tigers’ bullpen for long.
Tigers acquire Rob Bowen
And in yet another transaction today, the Tigers claimed Twins catcher Rob Bowen off of waivers. He is out of options, so I don’t anticipate him staying with the team long. The Tigers will most likely try to get him through waivers and have him join Brian Peterson and Max St. Pierre in Toledo.
Seay or German?
According to the broadcast of today’s game, Roman Colon has been optioned to Toledo. That leaves Bobby Seay and Franklyn German to compete for the last spot in the bullpen.
Related: Tigers Cut Six
Tigers cut six
The Tigers have trimmed six more players. Optioned to Toledo are Nook Logan, Don Kelly, and Mark Woodyard. Assigned to minor league camp are Hector Mercado, Alexis Gomez, and Mike Hessman.
That leaves 29 players “in camp” but two of those are technically Troy Percival and Craig Dingman who are destined for the 60 day DL.
This means that the Tiger position players are set and the bench will consist of Ramon Santiago, Omar Infante, Vance Wilson, and Marcus Thames. I never thought I’d be thrilled to see Thames make the team, but given the way things were shaping up I am definitely happy.
The Tigers needed a viable bat on the bench, and Thames will provide that. Also, he was out of options so that if he didn’t make the 25 man roster his Tiger career would have been over. On the other hand, Nook Logan had an option left so he could be sent to Toledo.
I still think that Santiago and Infante are redundant. I understand the need for Santiago if Infante’s shoulder precludes him from playing in the infield, but in that case maybe Infante needs to be on the DL. The fact they were testing him at first is definitely a concern, especially because the Tigers just cut a player that could play first.
As for the last bullpen spot, it apparently is down to Bobby Seay, Roman Colon, Franklyn German, and possibly Jason Grilli. I still think that Grilli makes the team because like Thames, he is out of options. I also think German is still in camp only because the Tigers are still trying to deal him. German is also out of options, but hasn’t really shown much in the last several years or this spring.
My feeling is that the Tigers will keep Bobby Seay to provide the second lefty. This will also allow for Roman Colon, who still has an option, to work as a starter at Toledo. The Tigers have a log jam of potential starters/long relievers and I don’t see the need to have Colon given that Grilli and Zumaya will be filling similar roles.
Tiger Linkfest
Roster Issues
I’ve said pretty much all I have to say about the Carlos Pena release in that I don’t like how the roster sets up. Knobler’s blog today didn’t make me feel any better
Leyland raved again after the game about Ramon Santiago. Santiago is very likely to make the opening day roster, in part because they need a backup shortstop and Omar Infante’s right shoulder tendinitis makes it hard to consider him for that spot. Infante is on the team, though. In fact, they had Infante and Alexis Gomez work out today at first base. They need someone else able to play first, in case they pinch-run for Shelton in a game where Dmitri is the DH. Pretty good indication that Gomez has a very good chance to be on the team as the extra outfielder, too.
If Infante can’t be the back-up infielder because of his arm, maybe he needs to go on the DL. I’ve got nothing against Infante, and I think he’ll probably do okay this year, at least along the lines of his 2004 season. However, if he is your best pinch hitting option and he can’t play the left side of the infield there will be problems. I have a bad feeling that this bench is going to scare me more than opponents.
Continue reading Tiger Linkfest
Carlos Pena Released
The Tigers have unconditionally released Carlos Pena, thus ending his career as a Tiger. By releasing him now, the Tigers only have to pay 45 days of Pena’s $2.8 million salary, thus saving $2.1 million.
While the move isn’t surprising, I can’t help but be disappointed. I’m sure every effort was made to trade Pena, but there probably weren’t takers. While Pena has been frustratingly erratic, he still provides a powerful left handed bat, as well as plate discipline. While the Tigers weren’t lacking for first basemen, they are still lacking in those areas. And even despite Pena’s horrible first half, he still managed an 802 OPS in 2005.
This move definitely weakens the Tiger bench. While there isn’t a need for a first baseman/DH right now, one of the players that Detroit it relying on to man those positions is Dmitri Young who’s played one full season in his Tiger career. Omar Infante and Vance Wilson will occupy two of the 4 bench spots. A third spot will go to a backup outfielder who can probably play center – so Nook Logan or Alexis Gomez. That leaves one additional spot.
If the last spot is used to keep Marcus Thames in the organization, it will temper my disappointment somewhat. I don’t want to see the spot go to a light hitting infielder such as Ramon Santiago, or an error prone infielder such as Don Kelly.
Meanwhile, somebody will get a 28 year old power bat for cheap. Maybe Pena will never be an everyday player, and he may not be worth $2.8 million. However, he’d be a heck of a platoon option on the right team.
Leyland settles on a lineup
According to Danny Knobler, Jim Leyland has settled on a lineup.
Granderson, cf
Polanco, 2b
Rodriguez, c
Ordonez, rf
Young, dh
Monroe, lf
Guillen, ss
Shelton, 1b
Inge, 3b
Now if your reaction was similar to mine, you’re probably thinking “Guillen and Shelton at 7 and 8 while Pudge is hitting third?!?” Yes, the lineup is unorthodox, and one I probably wouldn’t advocate. However, I’m not sure how much of a difference it would actually make.
Continue reading Leyland settles on a lineup
Zumaya reactions
I liked reading this quote from Leyland in today’s Freep
“Our 13 position players — and this is a big factor — would look at me like I was nuts if I didn’t take those two guys,” Leyland said. “I think I would lose some credibility. They’d look at me and say, ‘What are these guys doing? What are they looking at?’ “
Alan Trammell made a mistake last spring by taking Bobby Higginson instead of Marcus Thames. Higginson was clearly on his last legs while Thames tore up spring training. In the process it seems like he lost some other members of the team. Leyland seems very aware of the situation and didn’t want to make the same mistake.
However, I didn’t like reading this quote, also from the Freep
Leyland doesn’t rule out that Zumaya will someday return to starting. But he doesn’t plan to insert him in the rotation if a starter gets hurt soon.
“We’ve got him programmed,” Leyland said of the relief role.
Zumaya being typecast into a relief role is my only qualm about him moving to the bullpen. While that may ultimately be his best role, he has way too much potential at age 21 to not be given the opportunity to start.
Verlander and Zumaya Are In
It appears that the rotation is set. Leyland hasn’t announced the 5th starter, but the common belief is that the job is Justin Verlander’s. Verlander was the favorite going into spring training, and after a couple shaky outings, has pitched very effectively. Today he only pitched two innings due to the rain, but in those two innings were 19 strikes on 26 pitches as all 6 hitters were retired.
Knobler also indicated that it appears that Joel Zumaya has made the team via the bullpen. Again, there isn’t an official announcement but given the way Zumaya has pitched, it would be hard not to take him. He also pitched two scoreless innings allowing only a bunt single.
A bullpen role may have some definite benefits for Zumaya. First, it might prove an effective way to break him into the Majors. Second, at age 21 there could definitely be some long term benefit to his arm only accumulating 100 innings or so.
My only concern is that Zumaya becomes pigeonholed as a reliever. While many believe this will be his best option long term, I want to see him given a chance as a starter. Given his performances at the higher levels of the minors as a 20 year old, I want to see what he can do in the rotation.
Continue reading Verlander and Zumaya Are In