Saturday, July 30, 2011

Phil Coke Shows Jacob Turner How Not To Pitch in His Debut

In a late night announcement the Detroit Tigers called up super prospect Jacob Turner to take the hill against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. This pushed Saturday's probable starter Duane Below into the Tigers bullpen and brought intense excitement to Detroit about Turner's MLB debut.

Turner was impressive in his debut, dueling with Dan Haren through 5+ innings of work. He threw 5.1 innings on Saturday surrendering only three hits and giving up just two runs on the day. His second earned run came around to score when Phil Coke hit a batter to drive him in.

In all, Turner was impressive; he showed that he still has to work on pitch location, as his pitch count was what drove him from the game, but he proved that he is everything that Tigers fans have been told about him. It may also has been due to jitters about starting in the show for the first time, but Turner struggled holding runners on the day, allowing four stolen bases behind him. With six strikeouts in his favor and the Angels hitting just .158 against him, Turner appears to be well on his way to the big club on a regular basis.

The Tigers played good defense behind Turner on Saturday, running down several long fly balls that he allowed and throwing out runners attempting to stretch singles to doubles. With any run support Turner may have won his debut, but he drew the short straw and had to attempt to out duel Haren. When he left the game in the 6th inning, Detroit was still tied with the Angels. The problem came when Manager Jim Leyland pulled Turner to bring in Phil Coke.

Coke entered the game and promptly allowed a double to Erik Aybar, pushing Howie Kendrick, Turner's runner, to third base before intentionally walking Mark Trumbo to load the bases. The walk of Trumbo was made to set up a possible double play to get the Tigers out of the inning; however, Coke hit Peter Bourjos driving in Kendrick to give Turner two earned runs on the day.

Jeff Mathis was then able to get a sacrifice fly off Coke to drive in another run, pushing the score to 3-1 in the Angels favor. With first base open and two outs Coke hit the very next batter to load the bases again for Torii Hunter, who flied out to right.

The Tigers were able to get runners on base against Haren but poor base running cost them at least one run in the later innings. In the 7th inning, Detroit was able to get runners on first and third with no outs before Victor Martinez grounded into a double play that could have been avoided. Magglio Ordonez was not coming home on contact and once Trumbo threw to second base to get Miguel Cabrera out Ordonez was tagged out at home plate. 

In the next inning Coke continued his struggles by surrendering two more runs before Leyland finally relieved him for Daniel Schlereth. Schlereth was able to keep the Angels from scoring any more, but the damage had already been done. The Angels lead 5-1 and that's all Haren needed.

Haren finished out the game on 113 pitches to get the win and spoil Turner's MLB debut. Coke has struggled in recent games and today was no different; he may be the one to benefit the most from the Tigers trade for Doug Fister and David Pauley. Pauley may be a right-handed reliever but his addition to the bull pen should allow Leyland more options in the later innings. Coke will benefit by not being counted on as often to come into situations with the game on the line, some time off may be just what he needs.

In all, Turner's debut was successful and Tigers fans should be very encouraged by his performance. With the addition of Fister to Detroit's rotation the Tigers pitching future is quite bright. Look for a rotation of Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Fister and Turner in 2012 and beyond.

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Baseball Needs Replay...Now

Tuesday night's Pirates vs. Braves game was a long one to say the least, the game went on for more than six hours, but it was the last few minutes that everyone will be talking about.

On a fly-out the Braves sent the runner from third base to try to score and break the tie in the bottom of the 19th inning; the throw from Pirates third baseman Pedro Alvarez was strong and on target, beating the runner home by a wide margin and the tag was made...or was it?

Home plate umpire Jerry Meals called the runner safe, saying that he believed that Julio Lugo was able to avoid the swipe tag by Pirate catcher Michael McKenry.

“I saw the tag, but he looked like he oléd him and I called him safe for that.  I looked at the replays and it appeared he might have got him on the shin area.  I’m guessing he might have got him, but when I was out there when it happened I didn’t see a tag.

“I just saw the glove sweep up. I didn’t see the glove hit his leg.”

Pirates manager Clint Hurdle exploded from the dugout and immediate started berating Meals for his call. From several replays from different angles it appears that Hurdle had an argument; the throw clearly beats Lugo to the plate and it appears as though McKenry is able to swipe Lugo's leg well before he reaches the plate. 

Lugo tells the story differently however, saying simply, "I didn't feel a tag." Despite his comments after the game his reaction immediately following the play show that he assumed he was out, but Lugo has been around long enough to know that you back the umpire when he makes a call in your favor.

ESPN's Buster Olney tweeted after the play, "If there was ever an argument for five-man umpiring crews--with one in the booth, overseeing replay to correct mistakes-- it was just made."

Olney has a point, with all the cameras that are scattered around the ball park this call would have been easy to take to the replay booth and make sure that they got it right, but baseball refuses to take the step into the 21st century.

It wouldn't take much to have a fifth umpire in a replay booth in the press box reviewing all close plays in order to assure everyone involved that the calls that were being made on the field were the correct calls. Having the extra umpire would eliminate delays that are common now when the umpires have to review home run calls, because he would have it streaming in front of him and would be able to call down to the field and quickly change a call.

On Wednesday the Pittsburgh Pirates president Frank Coonelly issued a statement regarding the call made by Meals.

"The Pittsburh Pirate organization is extremely disappointed by the way its 19-inning game against the Atlanta Braves ended earlier this morning. The game of baseball and this game in particular, filled with superlative performances by players on both clubs, deserved much better.

"While we cannot begin to understand how umpire Jerry Meals did not see the tag made by Michael McKenry three feet in front of home plate, we do not question the integrity of Mr. Meals. Instead, we know that Mr. Meals' intention was to get the call right. Jerry Meals has been umpiring Major League games for 14 years and has always done so with integrity and professionalism. He got this one wrong."

The Pirates needed this game against the Braves as they are in the hunt for the playoffs for the first time in 19 years and they need every win they can get in the closely fought National League Central where they are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals. The last thing that Pittsburgh needed was to lose a close game in extra innings, let alone on a blown call. 

After the Pirates filed their complaint with Major League Baseball, Joe Torre the executive vice president of baseball operations for the MLB released a statement on the call and its subsequent impact.

"Unfortunately, it appears that the call was missed, as Jerry Meals acknowledged after the game. Many swipe tags are not applied to the runner with solid contact, but the tag was applied and the game should have remained tied. I have spoken with Jerry, who is a hard-working, respected umpire, and no one feels worse than him. We know that this is not a product of a lack of effort.

"Having been the beneficiary of calls like this and having been on the other end in my experience as a player and as a manager, I have felt that this has always been a part of our game. As a member of the Commissioner's Special Committee for On-Field Matters, I have heard many discussions on umpiring and technology over the past two years, including both the pros and the cons of expanding replay. However, most in the game recognize that the human element always will be part of baseball and instant replay can never replace all judgment calls by umpires. Obviously, a play like this is going to spark a lot of conversation, and we will continue to consider all viewpoints in our ongoing discussions regarding officiating in baseball."

Although many may agree with Torre on replay, some will continue to call for replay on all plays, but the human element does indeed have a place in baseball. While the addition of a fifth umpire to the officiating crews to handle replays would greatly benefit the game, he should not make a call on every play in the field. While he may review each play made a change should only be made if a manager issues a challenge of an umpire's call.

Similar to the NFL the challenge system in the MLB should be limited to prevent abuse by the managers, limiting each team to only one challenge a game should help to clean up any mistakes made in the field while maintaining the feel of the game. That being said, something does need to change and baseball does need to embrace replay for the improvement of the game.

Monday, July 25, 2011

It's Time To Send Purcey Packing

The David Purcey Experiment for the Tigers has more than run it's course. General Manager Dave Dombrowski told fans that he had been trying to acquire the pitcher for some time before finally being able to secure him in a trade that cost the Tigers Scott Sizemore. He might want to back away from that statement any time now, because Purcey is garbage.

In his first several outings he struck out eight of nine batters he faced, but since then Purcey has demonstrated exactly why he is on his third team this season.

In a recent outing against the Oakland Athletics the Tigers put Purcey on the mound with a lead and he went on to promptly walk the bases loaded and hand the ball off to someone else to deal with the mess he had just made. All three of those walked batters came around to score, meaning that Purcey's line looked like this; 0 IP, 0 H, 3 BB, 3 ER and an undefined ERA.

And it wasn't just a one time thing either, in his last nine appearances Purcey has a 12.46 ERA. His outings have broken down like this; 15 H, 12 BB, 12 ER. Now is this the arm that Dombrowski said he had been trying to get for a few years? Let's hope not.

Many Tigers fans remember each outing by former closer Todd Jones as a mix of excitement and sheer terror, lending Jones the nickname "Roller Coaster Jones." It seemed as though he wanted to make each one of his appearances exciting and would walk several batters and allow a hit or two before closing out the game.

If Jones was "Roller Coaster Jones," then Purcey is on a whole new level, possibly "Hindenburg Purcey." He comes out and gives the appearance of being capable and may even start his appearance going well but regardless of how it starts he always manages to go down in flames. 

Dombrowski has made it abundantly clear that he is trying to win now, possibly to save his own job, but if that's the case then why is Purcey still on the 40-man roster? These kind of numbers have sent others to the minors before, they should send Purcey down as well. Although Mud Hens fans may not want him either.

With the recent move to send Lester Oliveros back to Toledo in order to bring up Chance Ruffin, it brings up the question; What exactly do you have to do to be sent down around here? It took an eternity to send Brandon Inge to Toledo and now the clock is ticking on Purcey. Oliveros by no means has had an outstanding few weeks in Detroit, but he has performed much better than Purcey.

Granted Purcey is left-handed, but that shouldn't factor into an evaluation of his performance. He is not performing and needs to be sent somewhere where he won't hurt this club any more. Either send him to Toledo or tape a twenty to his forehead and try to trade him for a bucket of baseballs.

At least the baseballs would be useful.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Trading For Shields Will Only Weaken Tigers



It's no secret that the Tigers are in the hunt for pitching at the trade deadline this season; and reports have them looking for a left-handed starting pitcher to help back up Justin Verlander.

Despite those reports Detroit has been rumored to be very interested in Tampa Bay Rays' right-handed pitcher James Shields. Last Thursday the Tigers had two scouts at Tropicana Field to watch Shields take on CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees. Shields outdueled Sabathia on that night and may have increased his trade value in the process.

His value is obvious; he is a top of the rotation guy who has several years left on his contract. This season he is 9-8 with a 2.53 ERA, 7 CG and a 1.01 WHIP. Those kind of numbers are staggering, if the Tigers were to add a player of his caliber to their rotation they would run away with the American League Central.

If Shields were to join the Tigers he would fit into the second spot in the rotation behind Verlander. The rotation that Detroit would throw out would be one of the best in the American League. It would allow Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello to drop to third and fourth in the rotation and move Brad Penny to the fifth spot to continue his successful season.

The only problem with a possible addition of James Shields would be that the Tigers would have an entirely right-handed rotation and would strip Detroit of either a heavy portion of their prospects or of a producing outfielder currently on the 40-man roster.

Reports have the Rays looking for several prospects in return for Shields, but seeing as the Tigers have a dearth of talent in the minor leagues the cost of adding the hurler might be rising star Brennan Boesch.

The 26-year old Boesch is in his second season with the Detroit Tigers and has made a good impression on the club. He got out to a scorching start in his rookie season last year before slowing down in the second half, but this season he has calmed his swing down a bit and has become much more consistent. In addition to giving Detroit a consistent two-hitter in the line-up, Boesch has given them something that they have long been searching for at the deadline anyway; a power-hitting left-hander.

Boesch has 14 home runs this season with 24 doubles, 48 RBI and a batting average that hovers around the .300 mark. Standing 6'4" and 235 lbs he is an intimidating figure in the batters box; in addition, he has also calmed his swing a bit and has reduced his strikeouts. He gives the Tigers a fearsome bat that will only continue to grow into a better player as the years go on.

While the addition of Shields is a tempting one, the cost that it be to the Tigers would be one that would only weaken them in the long run. The pitching staff would drastically improve, yes, but the outfield would suffer for it. By trading away Boesch it would force the Tigers to play either Andy Dirks, Casper Wells, Don Kelly or God-forbid Ryan Raburn in his place. While most of those names, not Raburn, are quality players, they are not as good as Boesch.

While Boesch is often lifted in the later innings for Andy Dirks or Casper Wells as defensive replacements, none of his potential replacements can measure up to his offensive abilities. Not to mention, the Rays are already sporting a former Tigers outfielder, rising star Matt Joyce. As much as Tigers fans may want to add Shields to their team, having to give up Boesch to get him only makes the team weaker as a whole.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Tigers Roster Moves Put Team In Risky Position

Following Tuesday night's game against the Oakland Athletics the Detroit Tigers made several roster moves, sending down Andy Wilk and Casper Wells to Toledo and recalling Charlie Furbush and Duane Below.

Below will be making his major league debut on Wednesday, in the place of Justin Verlander. He has a 9-4 record with a 3.13 ERA this season in Toledo. With the Tigers looking to find a fifth starter, if Below impresses enough people he could be that man.

Optioning Wilk to the MudHens for Below isn't the problem; Wilk needed to be able to pitch, he hadn't pitched in nine games with the Tigers and Detroit needed to explore more young pitching talent. The problem lies with the demotion of Casper Wells to AAA.

Charlie Furbush is a good pitcher, no one is knocking him, in fact the Tigers are a better team with him on the ball club. But with Wells being sent down, Detroit is now put in a position late in games that could cost them games.

Instead of sending down Ryan Raburn, who according to reports still has an option left on his contract, the Tigers cut short a rising outfielder. Detroit has plenty of infield help; with Carlos Guillen being handed the starting second base role and Ramon Santiago being more than able to handle the utility role.

Late in games several defensive changes frequently take place; Don Kelly comes into the game to play third base, Andy Dirks replaces Magglio Ordonez in right field and Wells replaces Brennan Boesch in left field. These replacements boost the Tigers defensive abilities and ultimately help the Tigers save runs and games.

Now that Wells has been sent to Toledo, Detroit finds itself in a position late in games that isn't the best. Finding themselves down an outfielder the Tigers will now have to place Kelly in left field late in games to replace Boesch, keeping Brandon Inge at third base. While Kelly isn't a terrible outfielder, he has proved this season that he is a good infielder and should be utilized as such.

With the trade for Wilson Betemit from the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers may have found a solution to this problem. Detroit traded two Class-A prospects for Betemit, neither of which were ranked in Baseball America's Top 30 Prospects for the Tigers at the beginning of the season.

Adding Betemit should buoy Detroit defensively, allowing them to jettison Bradon Inge from the team. In an interview with Bob Wojnowski, Dombrowski was asked, "Will Inge be on the roster?" 

Dombrowski replied, "I am not talking about the roster."

The Betemit trade is a set in the right direction, but unless Below stuns the A's tonight the Tigers next roster move should be to recall Wells from Toledo and keep him on the roster for good. He deserves it.

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Inge Tells Fans He Doesn't Care What They Think

Following his 0-3, 2K performance against the Chicago White Sox on Sunday Detroit Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge voiced his feelings on being booed by the fans at Comerica Park.

"If they boo me, they're not true fans, and if they boo me then I don't care what they think," Inge said.

The remark was completely unlike what Tigers fans had come to expect from Inge, who had been a fan favorite for years. He had always been the fun, easy to talk to guy in the clubhouse who was willing to go out of his way to help the new guys.

After the game on Sunday Inge's batting average sits at .183 with a .249 OBP. Advanced sabermetrics paint an even bleaker picture of Inge's struggles, he has a -16 Rbat and a -9 oRAR. Meaning that he produces 16 less runs a season than the average third baseman and nine less runs a season than his replacement.

The one area of Inge's game that had consistently found him the starting role was his defensive ability; but that too has waned this year. As of July 17, Inge had a -15 Rdrs/yr, meaning that he surrenders 15 more runs a season defensively than the average third baseman.

These stats give an accurate image of the struggles that Inge has had all season long, and now Tigers fans have begun to turn on him. Manager Jim Leyland had previously said that Tigers fans at Comerica were the hardest fans to get to boo their own players. He went on to say that Detroit fans are some of the most well versed of all baseball fans and that if they boo you at home, then you're really not doing well. At the time he was talking about the Bronx cheer that Ryan Raburn was getting, but he now could easily say the same about Inge.

Tigers fans have picked up on his struggles and for a long time have given him some slack to regain his footing, but it appears that they have had enough. In Sunday's game Inge went 0-3, striking out twice, one of which he was K'ed up when he swung at a pitch that would have been ball four.

Inge is stumbling through his season and adding the boo's to it, must have been too much for him. When he lashed out at fans he may have just burned his last bridge. Fans watch the games every day, and know the game well and as such have every right to boo the players that they see are hurting their team.

They can keep booing him at Comerica and hope that every lineup card published doesn't have his name on it, but just remember, Inge doesn't care what you think because anyone who doesn't like him isn't a true fan.

Thursday, July 14, 2011

Don't Expect Big Moves From Tigers at Deadline

After the All-Star break the focus in baseball shifts to the next biggest mark on the calendar; the trade deadline. It's at this point when a fan can tell whether their team is calling it quits for the season or if there is a legitimate chance at going to the post season.

The Detroit Tigers aren't any different than most baseball teams; they are in the hunt and are looking to be buyers at the deadline.

Fans have suggested all sorts of trades, none of which show much knowledge of the game. Trades such as the Tigers trading Ryan Raburn and Brandon Inge for any number of players, including; Jose Reyes, Hunter Pence, David Price, Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw.

First of all, none of those players will be heading to Detroit. They cost too much and the Tigers have one of the weakest farm systems in the majors. The Mets are clearing salaries in order to make a play for Reyes in the off season, they won't trade him because he's their shortstop of the future. Pence has burst onto the scene in recent seasons, but seeing as he is one of the only bright spots in Houston they will be unlikely to trade their franchise player away for a handful of prospects.

David Price is one of the most ludicrous proposals suggested; he is arguably the best pitcher in the Tampa Bay rotation and they're just supposed to trade him away? Not a chance, this guy nearly won the Cy Young and will only continue to dominate batters in the future. Matt Kemp and Clayton Kershaw have the unfortunate luck of having to play for the Dodgers, despite their financial troubles it's unlikely that Los Angeles would have a fire sale when they're trying to become competitive again. A losing team isn't as appealing to potential buyers as one that has a chance at winning.

The Tigers have several holes to fill at the deadline, but it remains to be seen whether they will address those via trades or by promoting from within. They will have to look at either second or third base and look to find a fourth or fifth starter around the deadline in order to remain in the hunt for the post season.

One of the most glaring holes in the Tigers is at third base, Brandon Inge is currently the starter but is on the verge of being relieved of that role. He is batting .182 at the All-Star break and was threatened by Manager Jim Leyland to either step up his production or be ready not to play. Detroit can either promote Don Kelly to the full time third base position or they can go out and make a deal for a third baseman who would also be able to fill in at second base to help the struggling Ryan Raburn.

Infield Targets;

Adam Kennedy, 2B, Seattle Mariners
-- 242 AB, .259 BA, .308 OBP, 30 RBI

Kennedy can provide a solid defensive presence at either third or second for the Tigers in the stretch run, and with him having already been ousted from his role by a rookie in Seattle he will be available for relatively cheap. His bat isn't the best, but it is nearly .08 points higher than Inge and is more consistent all around than Raburn.

Jack Wilson, 2B, Seattle Mariners
-- 124 AB, .226 BA, .252 OBP, 6 RBI

While Wilson doesn't have the same type of numbers as Kennedy does, he may be available for an even cheaper price. He too, brings an increased fielding ability to the infield and has proven to be more consistent than Raburn. Given his relatively few at bats this season it is hard to get an accurate picture of his abilities with the bat, but he has to be better than Inge.

Detroit will also need to address the pitching problems on their team, the bullpen is in a state of flux right now, but with Phil Coke being in the pen and Joaquin Benoit appearing to be getting back on track. With Al Alburquerque on the mend, the bullpen will only improve as the season continues. What the Tigers need is a fifth starter, they can't keep going with the "Phil Coke/Charlie Furbush Experiment," and expecting anything good.

If the Tigers make a move to improve the infield they may want to keep the pitching improvements in house and look to the minors for help.

In-House Talent;

Thad Weber, RHP, Toledo MudHens
-- 4-6 record, 18 G, 5.68 ERA, 1.51 WHIP

While Weber's ERA stands out as being a bit high,but he has showed that he can handle nearly big league talent. His 1.51 WHIP is the number that should really stand out to Tigers fans, it means that he gives up only 1.5 hits or walks each inning that he pitches. And he currently ranked fifth on the organizational depth chart for the Tigers organization.

Jacob Turner, RHP, Erie SeaWolves
-- 3-3 record, 15 G, 3.49 ERA, 1.16 WHIP

Turner's name has been tossed around all season as being on the fast track to the big leagues; much has been made about General Manager Dave Dombrowski's affinity for advancing players from the minors rapidly. Turner's numbers indicate that he may be capable of holding his own in the majors, but facing the Minnesota Twins is much different than facing a AA opponent. His numbers may be tantalizing, but should also come with caution, he could end up performing like Furbush. It's better to take things slow and move him to Toledo before bringing him to Detroit.

Should the Tigers choose to go the trade route to fix their pitching staff, there are a few candidates that they could consider. Most of the pitchers that Detroit will target will not be high profile and will be more rent-a-player's than anything else.

Pitching Trade Targets;

Aaron Harang, RHP, San Diego Padres
-- 7-2 record, 14 G, 3.45 ERA, 1.28 WHIP

Harang's name has begun to surface in trade speculations with the Tigers, although it is unclear whether or not the Tigers have contacted the Padres the thought of Harang to Detroit is a good one. He has one year left on his contract and will not be very expensive to pry away from San Diego. His ERA is in decent shape for a pitcher playing in front of the Padres defense and his WHIP is in excellent condition going into the second half of the year. He would fit well into the third or fourth slot in the Tigers rotation.

Hiroki Kuroda, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
-- 6-10 record, 18 G, 3.06 ERA, 1.19 WHIP

The Dodgers are embroiled in both divorce proceedings and bankruptcy proceedings, not to mention the MLB is sitting just to one side waiting to jump in and take control of the team. Meaning, they will be looking to make some deals that could shed some salary while bringing in a bit of talent for the future. Kuroda has been rumored to be frequently talked about by the Tigers front office, and for good reasons. While posting a losing record, Kuroda has maintained an almost 2-ERA and a WHIP that is flirting with 1.0. He is a skilled pitcher who could become a solid spot in the rotation for the Tigers.

It remains to be seen just what exactly the Tigers will do at the deadline but they do need to do something. Being only ahead of the Indians by 0.5 games and with the White Sox only going to improve, Detroit needs to shore up some holes and make the push to the post season.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Can Detroit Win the AL Central?

Now that the MLB All-Star Game is in the past the focus squarely lands on the remainder of the season and the prospect of October baseball. The question in Detroit is; can the Tigers win the American League Central?

Short answer; yes.

The long and rather nerdy answer is much more revealing. This answer is a little less definitive. Can the Tigers win the American League Central? Maybe.

Despite a few rough patches over the course of the first 92 games of this season the Tigers find themselves in first place over the Cleveland Indians by 0.5 games. Sabermetrics show that if the Tigers continue on the exact same pace as they have had for the first 92 games, they will win the AL Central by 0.884 games.

Those same sabermetrics show that Detroit is on pace to win 86.282 games this season, which is physically impossible but given the nature of baseball can't be put out of the question. They are also on pace to lose 75.71 games this year. 

So, statistically speaking, the Tigers can indeed win the American League Central, albeit by only 0.884 games. But just making it to the postseason isn't good enough, do the Tigers have a shot at advancing in the playoffs?

Although nothing is impossible, the fact of the matter is that the Tigers may win the Central but they would be the weakest team in the postseason. At the All-Star break the Tigers would be in third place in the American League West, trailing the Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In the AL East, Detroit would be sitting in fourth place a whole seven games behind the Boston Red Sox.

The Tigers can win the AL Central, simply because it's the weakest division in the American League. But don't expect too much from Detroit should the statistics prove to be true. They're the sixth best team in the American League for a reason.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Assessing the Tigers at the All-Star Break

The Detroit Tigers are in first place in the American League Central at the All-Star break, but just how good is this team?

After 92 games the Tigers are 49-43, above .500 but nothing to write home about. Their series against the Kansas City Royals was their first series win in quite some time. At the break, the Tigers aren't playing badly but they're not looking like World Series Champions either.

There are many success stories on this Tigers team, but it looks more like the haves and the have nots for Detroit. Detroit sports five, almost six, All Stars on their roster but beyond that there isn't much there. The Tigers have one of the best hitting first basemen in the league in Miguel Cabrera. And with the protection he is getting in the lineup from Victor Martinez they very well could be the best 4-5 hitters in the league.

It's difficult to put an exact value on just how important Justin Verlander is to this team, aside from being the clear ace of this staff he is often times needed to be the stopper as well. In his last nine starts Verlander has gone 7+ innings and surrendered two runs or less. He leads the league with a 0.87 WHIP and trails only CC Sabathia in wins going into the break (12). Verlander is also tied for the league lead in strikeouts with Clayton Kershaw at 147.

Short stop Jhonny Peralta is having a career season, and was honored by being named to the All-Star team after Derek Jeter pulled out of the occasion. He joins Jose Valverde in Arizona after Valverde completed 24 of 24 save opportunities before the break.

While there are multiple bright spots on this Tigers team, there are many more holes that continue to hamper Detroit's success. Mainly Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn.

Since returning from a bout with mononucleosis Inge has not lived up to expectations, not that he had before his illness. At the break Inge is batting .184 with 1 HR and 17 RBI, leading even him to call his performance so far "embarrassing." Manager Jim Leyland has stated that unless Inge can improve his numbers he will have to make adjustments.

This threat on his part is backed up by the surprising play at third base by Don Kelly. Kelly had been utilized more as an outfielder prior to Inge's ailment but was placed at third base during his absence. He has shown that he is not a stranger to outstanding fielding at the hot corner, handling his new position quite well.

While most days he puts on his third baseman's glove he has shown that he can literally do anything asked of him playing; all of the outfield positions, third base, second base, catcher and pitcher this season. In his career Kelly has played at all nine positions on the field, showing his outstanding versatility.

Raburn is another thorn in the side of the Detroit Tigers, while he has shown some flickers of being an average player he has struggled mightily this season. After beginning the season in the outfield Raburn was moved to second base when the Tigers traded Scott Sizemore to Oakland. This move was supposed to help improve the infield defensively and provide more offense than Sizemore did. With Raburn struggling to stay over the Mendoza Line this season, it hardly seems to be working.

The solution that the Tigers seems to be mulling to fill the hole at second base is to bring Carlos Guillen back as a second baseman. Guillen has been bothered by knee problems this season having spend the overwhelming majority of it on the DL or in the minors.

In nine games with the Toledo Mud Hens Guillen is batting .281 with 1 HR and 7 RBI. Adding in his four games with the Lakeland Flying Tigers his minor league batting average is .255 with 1 HR and 9 RBI. He was sent to the Erie SeaWolves to continue getting games in while both the Mud Hens and the Tigers are on All-Star breaks.

While Guillen may seem to be an easy fit for the second base spot, his lack of mobility and offensive struggles will not help this team in the playoff push. He was relieved of his short stop duties because of the wear and tear on his knees, then when he was moved to the outfield he again encountered knee troubles. It seems as though it is not the positions at which Guillen plays that is the problem, but Guillen himself. His body is deteriorating and with it, his value.

But the major problem facing this team is starting pitching, beyond Verlander the Tigers rotation is streaky. Brad Penny consistently gives a heroic effort but consistently gets very little in the way of run support. He is more of a fourth or fifth starter as opposed to the second man in the rotation.

Max Scherzer began the season on a tear, but his WHIP caught up to him stalling him at nine wins at the break. Scherzer frequently provides the Tigers with quality starts and then finds himself unable to find the plate, but he is a good fit for the third spot in the rotation. Rick Porcello shows flashes of what he could be, but can't consistently give Detroit the quality starts it needs. Porcello is a contact pitcher and does get many ground balls, but the Tigers inept defense frequently allows these to find the outfield. He could be a second starter in the future but for the time being, he is well suited for the fourth spot.

The fifth starter is more of a problem for the Tigers, with Leyland demoting Phil Coke back to the bullpen Detroit is left to find a starter from within. Their latest attempt was with Charlie Furbush, a pitcher who nearly made the club out of spring training. He had been clutch out of the bullpen for the Tigers and gave an admirable performance in his first major league start. In his second, however, he was hammered in 2 2/3 innings and subsequently sent down to Toledo to get more work.

Detroit will be buyers at the trade deadline, but don't expect any big names to be donning the Olde English D, the Tigers don't have the farm system to facilitate such a trade. General Manager Dave Dombrowski will need to make a decision on which aspect of the team to attempt to fix, should he choose to fix the second base position his options are limited. The most likely targets would be players who have been ousted on their teams by upcoming rookies, such as Adam Kennedy or Jack Wilson.

Should pitching be the area that Dombrowski choose to work on the Tigers could go after Wandy Rodriguez, Jason Vargas, Erik Bedard or Jeremy Guthrie. Rumors also have Detroit attempting to secure a trade with the Dodgers for Hiroki Kuroda. If the Tigers would rather stay in house to attempt to fix their pitching woes they may choose to call up Jacob Turner from AA-Erie.

At the break, the Tigers are in first place, and that is a good thing, but they are far from being playoff bound. This team has many holes that need filling and is consistently under performing on the field. However, with the American League Central being as weak as it is this season should a few key players step up or the Tigers make a few moves at the deadline this club could find itself as AL Central Champions.

Saturday, July 9, 2011

Which Is More Impressive; 600 Home Runs or 3000 Hits?

The New York Yankees Derek Jeter secured his 3,000th hit today, putting a topper on an already Hall of Fame career. With his solo home run in the third inning Jeter became the 28th member of the 3000 hits club, only the second to do so by home run (Wade Boggs). With all of the media attention on Jeter and his hunt for 3000 another attempt at a stellar accomplishment has gone all but unnoticed, Jim Thome's assault on the 600 home run club.

Much of this can be attributed to the star power of Jeter and the allure of the New York Yankees, but one has to ask; is 3000 hits more important than 600 home runs?

The 3000 Hit Club is studded with legendary names; Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, Roberto Clemente and Hank Aaron and has long been considered the "greatest measure of superior bat handling," and a virtual lock to make the Hall of Fame. Only two members of this club are not in the Hall of Fame, Jeter excluded, Rafael Palmeiro and Pete Rose.

The numbers of a 3000 hit career are simply astounding; even if a player averaged 200 hits a season he would have to continue that for 15 years in order to make the club. Most players careers don't last anywhere close to 15 seasons, let alone average 200 hits a year during it. Which makes being a member of this club awe inspiring.

However impressive reaching the 3000 hit mark is, it may not make for as much as a Hall of Fame lock as some say it is. The next member of this club to become eligible to make the Hall of Fame is Craig Biggio, while he has passed the 3000 hit plateau it may be a stretch to say that he is a lock to go to Cooperstown. Biggio has 3060 career hits, good for 20th all-time, and a .281 BA but he may not be a first ballot Hall of Famer.

Jeter, without question, will make the Hall of Fame on his first ballot, he would have done so even if he hadn't had reached the 3000 hit plateau. So does having 3000 hits really mean as much as it's made out to be? The players who are in the club were all fantastic players who would have probably made it to the Hall even if they hadn't have reached the 3000 hit milestone.

There is another player in baseball who is chasing a milestone and he has been overshadowed by Jeter's shot at 3000; Jim Thome. Thome, who is battling through injuries, is making a run at 600 home runs, rarefied air for MLB sluggers. 

The 600 Home Run Club, is much more exclusive than the 3000 Hit Club; with only seven current members. The members of this club are; Barry Bonds (762), Hank Aaron (755), Babe Ruth (714), Willie Mays (660), Ken Griffey Jr. (630), Alex Rodriguez (626) and Sammy Sosa (609).

Currently, Thome sits at 595 homers and is playing through a sprained big toe. Despite him nearing a much more exclusive mark than Jeter, no one seems to be talking about it. Perhaps it is because he has been oft-injured this season and is only batting .228 with 6 home runs, but one would think his attempt would be garnering some kind of fanfare.

While both milestones are steeped in baseball lore, it may be more about where you set the mark rather than which mark you set. Jeter has played his entire career in front of the New York market and has been exposed to the national audience time and time again whereas Thome has amassed his homers in cities like Cleveland and Minneapolis. How much more attention would Thome be getting if he was wearing pin-stripes as opposed to a "Twin Cities" hat? 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Fans Have Proved That They Should Not Vote for All Star Game

It's long been known that the All Star Game isn't so much a game for the best players in the league as it is a game for the most popular. Just like those high school class president votes; popularity matters and not much else.

Frequently deserving players are left off the All Star rosters in favor of more high profile candidates; be they deserving of the nomination or not. A look at any of the past American League All Star rosters shows one thing for certain; either the Yankees and Red Sox have every all star on their teams or the fans don't have a clue what they're doing.

This year's AL starters feature only three players who don't wear the pinstripes or the Boston "B." And Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila needed a last minute campaign by teammates Justin Verlander and Brad Penny to draw attention to his stats. Despite putting up much more impressive numbers than New York Yankees catcher Russell Martin he trailed by 400,000 votes in the final week of voting. It was only with Verlander and Penny pushing people to actually look at the numbers that people finally saw that Avila was the true all star.

While Avila benefited from having teammates who could rally enough people to check the stats and vote the right guy in, Cleveland Indians shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera didn't have the same luck. He was a victim of fans blindly voting for Yankees players. Unfortunately Cabrera happens to play the same position as Derek Jeter; and despite Jeter's unremarkable season so far, plus a stint on the DL, he was voted a starter simply because he is Jeter.

Through July 6, Cabrera was second among all American League shortstops for batting average with a .292 while knocking in 49 and stealing 12 bases. Jeter was ranked eighth on the list of shortstops with a .257 average, 22 RBI and 7 steals. The only player rated higher than Cabrera was Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta who is boasting a .314 average and 49 RBI. Cabrera is performing at a much level than Jeter and deserves to make the starting lineup. A case could also be made for Peralta who was entirely snubbed by being left off the All Star reserve list.

The list of American League first basemen that are performing to all star levels is cluttered, but again there is an obvious snub by voters. While Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is well deserving of his starting role, the fans again need to work harder at voting in deserving players. The top two first basemen are indeed included on the All Star roster, in Gonzalez and Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera, but Chicago White Sox fans may not be seeing Paul Konerko in Arizona.

Konerko is included in the "Final Man" voting for the last spot on the AL squad and he deserves to make it to Glendale later this month. With stats like a .319 BA, 64 RBI and a .961 OPS he has "all star" written all over him. The good news is that after much talk about him being snubbed on shows like ESPN's "Baseball Tonight," the fans have taken to voting for him and he is leading in the "Final Man" voting.

These kind of snubs show a general lack of knowledge on the part of the average baseball fan, they simply vote for the players that they have heard of, mainly Yankees and Red Sox thanks to oversaturation by ESPN, instead of the players that are actually deserving of a trip to the All Star Game.

This problem could easily be remedied by taking the vote away from the fans and giving to the Baseball Writers Association, if they are trusted enough to vote on the Baseball Hall of Fame they are the people who would be able to select the players that were most deserving. Fans could still be involved if they were given the opportunity to vote for the "Final Man," of the five players who drew the lowest number of votes from the writers. It would allow fan involvement while still insuring that the best players made it to the All Star Game.

Monday, July 4, 2011

Is There Something More to the Rick Knapp Firing Than Meets the Eye?

Following their win over the defending champion San Francisco Giants on Sunday, the Detroit Tigers relieved pitching coach Rick Knapp of his duties. Tigers pitching had been under siege during the last two series with the New York Mets hanging more than 30 runs on Detroit pitching and the Giants running the Tigers for 22.

Confidence in Knapp had been dwindling as the Tigers ERA continued to rise; the only bright spot being ace Justin Verlander. In an interview with MLB Network after his firing Knapp defended his record saying that Verlander had thrown two no-hitters and Armando Galarraga nearly threw a perfect game. But he continued on to say that in hindsight being lit up by the Mets and Giants couldn't have helped his cause.

General Manager Dave Dombrowski and Manager Jim Leyland got together following the game on Sunday and agreed that something needed to be done about the pitching situation. With the Tigers team ERA at 4.39 the agreement was made that they were not pitching up to their capabilities and Knapp would need to go. Bullpen coach Jeff Jones was promoted to fill Knapp's vacancy, he has served with the Tigers for three seasons.

While this move stunned many, including Knapp who said that he "was a little shell shocked," it should not have come as a surprise. The Tigers, despite competing for first place, are not living up to expectations and have not had a post season berth since they went to the World Series in 2006. Owner Mike Illich wants to win and with both Dombrowski and Leyland in the final year of their contracts, the Knapp firing may be more about them than it was about him.

It has been said that when a team under performs, you can't fire the team so you do the only thing possible, you fire the coach. But with few coaching candidates available mid-season and general distrust of Gene Lamont the firing of Leyland wasn't an option. The pitching staff was indeed, not living up to its potential, but Knapp was a casualty of a much bigger battle.

Goodwill between fans, and possibly ownership, and Leyland and Dombrowski has steadily decreased over the years and is at an all time low. Even while the Tigers held sole ownership of first place there were still frequent overtures by fans to have Leyland removed. Illich more than likely will not remove his skipper mid-season but the removal of Knapp stands as a warning; perform or else.

Sunday, July 3, 2011

Boesch Becoming Invaluable to Tigers

While Miguel Cabrera is without question the Detroit Tigers best hitter, he needs protection in the lineup in order to produce the kind of numbers that lead him to be an All-Star. That protection comes in the form of Brennan Boesch.

Prior to the return of Magglio Ordonez to the Tigers lineup, Boesch was consistently batting third in the order, providing direct protection to Cabrera and frequently giving him a runner in scoring position. 

In his rookie season last year Boesch had a tremendous first half, he could do no wrong and was hitting the ball around the yard. But the second half of the season wasn't as friendly to Boesch, his numbers dropped dramatically. In the off season Boesch worked on his swing and tried to return to his first half form, and for the most part he has.

For the 2010 season Boesch didn't have very stellar numbers; he finished the season with a .256 BA, a .320 OBP and a -1 rBAT (number of runs better or worse than average hitter). This season he has turned those numbers around, through July 2nd he has a .307 BA, .365 OBP and a 16 rBAT. Boesch has improved in every significant category and has turned himself into a force on this team.

Currently Manager Jim Leyland has Boesch batting second in the order, which means that pitchers now have to face a power bat right out of the gates. With Ordoneze behind him, Boesch is providing a bit help to Austin Jackson in the lineup. When Jackson can get on base Boesch is frequently able to move him up on the base paths and into scoring position for Ordonez or Cabrera to drive him in.

Although Boesch isn't incapable of driving in runs on his own, through July 2nd he has 11 home runs and 39 RBI while scoring 55 runs. Boesch has managed to become a well balanced hitter who is able to provide home run power early in the lineup while still remaining patient enough to draw a walk or simply take a single.

If Boesch can continue to develop the way he has recently, the Tigers may have found a great addition to their ball club.