Bleacher Report - Articles by Austin Drake

Rick Porcello's Case for American League Rookie of the Year

Austin Drake — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:19:48 -0400

The Detroit Tigers' 2007 first round selection surprised many when he made the team directly out of spring training. Jim Leyland, on the other hand, was not. His love of big power arms fit Rick Porcello's game to a tee.

Rick Porcello, a 20-year-old native of Morristown, New Jersey and just two years removed from high school, made an impact on the Detroit Tigers season and it shouldn't go unnoticed by Major League Baseball and its fans.

Just imagine, two years ago Porcello was sitting in a classroom, taking notes of a lecture and getting homework. Now he has a season of professional baseball under his belt and is looking for some serious hardware.

2009 had a rocky start for Porcello, as he went 1-4 with a 6.23 ERA to start his major league career in April. His first career win came against the Seattle Mariners, in which he went seven innings while allowing just one earned on five hits.

The month of May was by far Porcello's best month of the season. The 6'0" righty went 5-0 in five quality starts and dropped his inflated ERA to a very respectable 3.48.

The news had broke, Rick Porcello was the bee's knees in Detroit.

Not only was Porcello dominating his American League opponents he was overpowering the National as well.

In four interleague starts, Porcello went 3-0 by defeating the Pirates and two playoff teams, the Rockies and the Cardinals, giving up no more then two earned runs in any of those starts.

It was around this point in the season where Porcello's main competition for Rookie of the Year would emerge. His name?

Gordon Beckham.

Beckham was born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia and attended the University of Georgia as he was a national standout at shortstop. The Chicago White Sox made him their selection in the first round of the 2008 MLB amateur draft.

The White Sox third baseman was slow out of the gate, but by July we was hitting full stride while Porcello was struggling. Not hitting six innings in six straight starts.

From July 30 until August 5, Beckham was hitting .365 with 16 runs batted in 71 plate appearances.

In head-to-head match ups, Beckham got the best of Porcello. Hitting a solo home run and drawing a walk in two plate appearances.

The season had reached the stretch run and the Tigers were in a battle for first with the Minnesota Twins, Edwin Jackson was becoming more human and Detroit needed Porcello.

He didn't disappoint.

In September and October, Detroit's number 48 went 3-1, dropping his ERA back down 22 points to 3.96. His final game of the season, was also the Tigers last game. He went 5.2 strong innings against the Twins in the American League Central tiebreaker game.

The 5.2 innings led to one earned run on four hits, while he struck out eight. Rick Porcello seriously came to play with the entire baseball world watching.

A.L. Rookie of the Year Candidates
Rick Porcello (DET): 14-9, 3.96 ERA, 89 K, 1.336 WHIP, 11 QS.
Gordon Beckham (CHW): .270, 14 HR, 63 RBI, .808 OPS.
Ricky Romero (TOR): 13-9, 4.30 ERA, 141 K, 1.522 WHIP, 15 QS.

Easier Said, Then Won: Detroit's Breezy Schedule Makes a Minnesota Comeback Hard

Austin Drake — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 11:04:32 -0400

After a split series with Tampa Bay, the Detroit Tigers hold a 3.5 game lead over Minnesota and a six game lead over Chicago in the American League Central Division race.

With the White Sox struggling mightily and seemingly throwing the towel in on the 2009 season, it all comes down to the Tigers and the Twins.

Detroit made their moves a bit earlier in the season, acquiring Jarrod Washburn at the trade deadline and getting Aubrey Huff in a waiver wire deal.

For Minnesota it has been recent moves that have helped them. Stocking up an already solid bullpen with the additions of Ron Mahay and Jon Rauch, and trading for shortstop Orlando Cabrera.

Early September's schedule seems to be an easy stretch for Detroit. As they have three games at home versus Cleveland, three away at Tampa Bay, three away at Kansas City, four at home versus Toronto, and three at home versus Kansas City.

As for Minnesota, the schedule in early September isn't any harder. As they finish up a series at home versus Chicago, the Twins have three games at Cleveland, four games in Toronto, three back home versus Oakland, and then three at home versus the Tribe.

In the time frame, the Tigers need to make a serious run and pull away from the rest of the division. This part of September is crucial, since Detroit will play 13 of its last 19 games versus Minny or Chi-Town.

The next 16 games for the Tigers could make or break this 2009 season. I say if Detroit can win at least 10 of these games, they will be in a great position to win the division.

With Miguel Cabrera a front runner for A.L. MVP, Justin Verlander in the A.L. Cy Young race, Rick Porcello in the A.L. Rookie of the Year race, a chance for Edwin Jackson to win Comeback Player of the Year, and Curtis Granderson, Brandon Inge, Placido Polanco, and Gerald Laird all a solid shot for a Gold Glove, the Tigers have the pieces to win the Central.

Hopefully with an easy schedule and a solid core of players, they can get through the Central Division and make it to the Fall Classic.

Is Nate Robertson a Changed Man? Let's Hope So.

Austin Drake — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:57:53 -0400

The 2009 season got off to a rough start for Nate Robertson. A really rough start.

After being demoted to the bullpen to make room for young stud Rick Porcello, Robertson struggled. In 21 appearances, he posted a 7.71 ERA, allowing 25 hits in 21 innings of work. Not too good, I know.

The Tigers had enough and placed Nate on the 15-Day Disabled List with elbow soreness.

After very minor surgery on the elbow, Robertson returned to the mound with the Tigers Triple-A affiliate, the Toledo Mudhens, for some rehab starts.

In the minors, Nate is doing everything but struggling. He's been top-notch. In five starts, Robertson is 1-1 in 19 innings with a 1.89 ERA, allowing just four walks and ringing up 21 hitters.

His stand-out effort at Triple-A Toledo earned Robertson his way back to the Majors. Detroit sent Armando Galarraga down with elbow inflammation, opening up a slot in the pitching rotation for Nate.

He will get the ball and toe the slab this Saturday vs. Tampa Bay at Comerica Park.

Let's hope, for the Tigers sake, that he has left his past behind him and can keep Detroit in the game long enough for the offense to kick in.

Thad Weber Throws a No-Hitter For Double-A Erie

Austin Drake — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 13:00:36 -0400

The Detroit Tigers may not have had a no hitter thrown since Justin Verlander's 2007 performance, but the Tigers organization chalked one up August 22nd.

Detroit's Double-A affiliate, the Erie Seawolves, had a game versus the Akron Aeros, the affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.

Sure, to the naked eye just looking at the final score, the Seawolves dominated the game, winning 16-0. That's not the half of it.

The 24 year old, Thad Weber took 88 pitches to complete a no hitter against the Aeros.

He struck out 10 Akron hitters, while he faced just two over the minimum.

Weber's chance at perfection ended in the third inning when Danny Worth made an error at second base, allowing Cristo Arnal to reach base.

After striking out two in the ninth inning and completing the historic feat, his teammates mobbed him on the mound and the 3,917 Seawolves fans gave him a standing ovation.

Weber's no hitter was the first since 1995 when Elvin Hernandez accomplished it against Oneonta.

Looking at the box score, the production of 16 runs can't go unmentioned though.

Lead off man, Deik Scram went 4-for-6, falling just a triple shy of the cycle. Michael Bertram hit a home run and drove in four runs for the Seawolves and Jeff Kunkel went 3-for-5 with a double and a homer.

Thad Weber was Detroit's 16th round selection in the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft. He is now 7-3 on the season, with an ERA of 3.95.

A Breakdown Of One Of The More Interesting Detroit Tigers' Lineups In 2009

Austin Drake — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:30:47 -0400

The change in the lineup came in the same wind of Curtis Granderson struggling at the plate.

Since Sunday, August 16th, Granderson went 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts.

As a result, manager Jim Leyland decided to sit Curtis for a game or so, although he is normally an everyday player.

Here is the lineup that the Detroit Tigers will have against the Mariners on Aug. 20:

1. Placido Polanco, 2B

An everyday two-hole hitter gets moved into the leadoff role with the sitting of Granderson. But hey, it's not all that bad. Polanco is .303 lifetime hitter in the leadoff spot.

2. Marcus Thames, DH

A normal, middle-of-the-order guy gets slotted in the two-hole, a spot normally for the best contact hitter in the lineup. In this instince, it looks bad for Detroit...but wait, again, Thames hits .283 in the second spot in the order, well above his career batting average at .242. Huh.

3. Ryan Raburn, LF

Mr. Utility will hit third in the lineup. What? This one dosen't make sense. In Augusts throughout his career, when he's playing left field and hitting third, he only hits .243. Maybe Leyland can explain this one at a later date.

4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

No question here. .334 average, 24 home runs, and 72 runs batted in don't lie.

5. Magglio Ordonez, RF

Another no-brainer. Since struggling earlier in the season, Maggs has really heated up. Last night versus Seattle, he had three of the Tigers' six hits.

6. Brandon Inge, 3B

Inge has really had a rough time at the dish since the All-Star break, including an 0-for-11 slump right now since his walk-off versus the Royals. In the sixth spot, Inge hits .232 lifetime.

7. Clete Thomas, CF

Let's swap Inge and Thomas. Clete hits just .233 in the seventh spot, but in the sixth spot he absolutely rakes, hitting .381 in 21 at bats.

8. Gerald Laird, C

A big dip in offensive production from Alex Avila, but his defensive skills are undeniable. No question this is where he needs to hit.

9. Adam Everett, SS

Again, a bit less of a hitter then Ramon Santiago, but his defense exceeds all others in the infield.

There you have it: The Aug. 20, 2009, Detroit Tigers lineup against the Seattle Mariners. Let's just pray it works, because it's a bit different.

Looking at Detroit's Payroll, Some Tigers Clearly Aren't Earning Their Stripes

Austin Drake — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 02:00:36 -0400

A player who is productive, makes things happen, and comes up big in the clutch deserves to make the big bucks.

But some players just get lucky to not have to do any of that and make a hefty salary, and the Detroit Tigers seem to have a lot of those type of players.

On the other hand, many players can produce and come up big for their teams, but still have yet to find their payday. The Detroit Tigers seem to have a lot of those type of players too.

After getting hyped up about contracts over the past few weeks, I did some research on the best and worst, the good and ugly, of the Detroit Tigers' payroll.

First off, after the additions of Jarrod Washburn and Aubrey Huff this season, the Tigers will cash out with around a $140 million payroll. That ranks them with the fifth-highest checkbook in the Major Leagues.

Here are the worst contracts of the Tigers 2009 payroll:

Magglio Ordonez: $18 million

Ordonez's situation with the Tigers is ugly—really ugly. There is no releasing him, because nobody will pick up his huge salary off of waivers, and there is no way Detroit will pay his contract while he sits in free agency.

Paying a guy $18 million to hit .271 with just seven home runs and 37 runs batted is a bit ridiculous. But when the contract was signed, Maggs was an above .300 hitter with an average of 20 or more home runs and at least 90 runs batted in a year.

If Ordonez reaches 540 plate appearances this season, or his plate appearences from 2008 and 2009 add up to 1,080, the Tigers will have to pay his Vesting Option at $18 million contract next season as well. If he dosen't reach those numbers, Detroit can buy out his contract for $3 million and release him.

So, just don't let him hit, right? Wrong.

Problem No. 1: Ordonez is heating up, and the Tigers are in the middle of the playoff hunt, so they need him. Since the beginning of August, he has raised his average from .258 to .271.

Problem No. 2: If Jim Leyland constantly sits Ordonez, a grievance may be filed against the Tigers. Ordonez's agent, Scott Boras, would probably have a solid case if he continues to sit without being hurt.

But remember, the grievance may cost the Tigers some money, but the chances of it reaching the numer of $18 million are slim.

Dave Dombrowski has some thinking to do on this one.

Gary Sheffield: $13.6 million

This guy isn't even on the team!

After being released in the offseason by Detroit, his $13.6 contract is still being paid by the Tigers, minus the league minimum the New York Mets are paying him, of course.

Sheffield takes up more then 10 percent of the team's salary, and he dosen't even play on the team, in same division, or even the same league.

Just imagine what Detroit could have got at the trade deadline if they had an extra $13 million laying around.

Dontrelle Willis: $10 Million

What an ugly contract this is for the Tigers.

Since joining Detroit, Willis is 1-6 with an ERA around 8.40 while averaging 10 walks per nine innings of work.

The worst thing about this is that Detroit owes D-Train $12 million next season.

His health and control problems have really been a blow to the Tigers team and their checkbook.

Nate Robertson: $7 million

This is likely one of the worst contracts ever done by Dave Dombrowski.

Giving a less-than-average starter or long reliever $7 million anytime is a disgrace. It's even worse when you have to dish out $10 million to him next season.

After allowing 18 earned runs in 21 innings on the mound this season, he was placed on the DL and has spent much time in the minor leagues. After all that, he will get paid $3 million more next season, and that's just not right.

Jeremy Bonderman: $12.5 million

Okay, Bonderman makes more then Robertson, but at least his arm has some hope in it. Also, he isn't getting paid more next season.

His 2010 contract is identical to his 2009 contract, and a comeback is unlikely this season.

Next season, when Jarrod Washburn may be gone to free agency, a return to the rotation may be in order for Bondo.

Now, switching from the bad news to the good news. Here are the best contracts of the Detroit Tigers' 2009 payroll:

Justin Verlander: $3.675 million

Verlander is simply outstanding, and any Tigers fan can vow for that.

Paying this little amount of money for a starting pitcher who leads the American League in strikeouts and is a canidate for Cy Young is downright impressive.

After this 2009 season, Verlander is still under team control for two more seasons, but he is arbitration eligible in both.

To avoid arbitration, look for Dombrowksi to lock him up long-term. It isn't going to be cheap for Detroit, though, as Verlander is now a premier pitcher in the Majors.

Edwin Jackson: $2.2 million

Jackson is an absolute steal from the Tampa Bay Rays—maybe the most lobsided deal of the past few years in Major League Baseball.

To get Edwin Jackson, the Tigers had to give up outfielder Matt Joyce, who has spent most of 2009 in the minor leagues.

Jackson is 9-5 with a 2.85 ERA in 2009. To get those numbers from a player the Tigers are paying $2.2 million for is great for Detroit.

But, just like Verlander, Jackson is arbitration eligible the next two years. His great first season with Detroit makes it seem "E.J." will be around for awhile, so his payday is coming and it's near.

Rick Porcello: $1.2 million

Porcello is a front-runner for American League Rookie of the Year and a solid starter in the rotation.

Porcello started 2009 at age 20, and he didn't waste anytime getting started, as he jumped out to a 6-3 record with a 3.48 ERA.

After a bit of struggling, Porcello has bounced back to a 10-7 record, although he currently suspended because of his role in a bench-clearing frucas at Fenway Park.

Not only is he cheap now, but in his final year of his contract (2012), Porcello will only be making $1.344 million. That sounds good for the long haul.

Curtis Granderson: $3.5 Million

As a 2009 All-Star selection, Granderson is finally getting the recognition he deserves.

Some say he is the best leadoff man in the league, as his rare mix of God-given ability, baseball IQ, and hustle make him a grade-A player on and off the field.

His power numbers resemble many team's three through five hitters. His speed and stolen bases could be close to a Carl Crawford or Willy Taveras if given the chance. His defensive ability in centerfield may top every player in the majors today.

The Tigers notice all of this, and his contract states that. Each season for the next four years, his salary rises. He will get $3.5 million this season and work his way up to $13 million in 2013.

By then, I believe he will be well worth the money, because Granderson will be a perennial gold glove winner.

Miguel Cabrera: $15 Million

You may be saying to yourself; "$15 million is a lot of money, so how is this a good contract?"

This may be one of the best contracts in all of baseball. He signed the biggest deal in Tigers history at eight years and $152 million before he even tried on his Detroit uniform.

In his first season with Detroit, he led the American League in home runs with 37. That's exactly what you expect from a middle-of-the-order guy that is getting paid that much.

This season, while still only getting paid $15 million, he has one of the best batting averages in the MLB at .330. He also leads the Tigers in home runs with 24 and RBIs with 70.

Let's hope that he can stay healthy and produce the way he is now in 2015.

Before I go, here are some other Tiger contracts for your own personal knowledge:

Marcus Thames: $2.275 million

Carlos Guillen: $10 million

Brandon Lyon: $4.25 million

Aubrey Huff: $8 million

Jarrod Washburn: $3.6 million

Fernando Rodney: $2.7 million

As you can see, there are many flaws in the Tigers' payroll. If they could somehow get some of these players like Robertson, Willis, and Ordonez off of their wallet, Detroit could do something real big this offseason.

We'll have to wait and see.

Detroit Tigers Acquire Aubrey Huff from Baltimore Orioles for Minor Leaguer

Austin Drake — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:54:29 -0400

The Detroit Tigers have been eyeing a left-handed bat for quite some time now.

Finally, on Monday, they accomplished that mission.

On Aug. 17, the Tigers completed a waiver wire deal with the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for Aubrey Huff. Detroit sent minor-league pitcher Brett Jacobson to the O's.

In Aubrey Huff's 10 seasons with three different teams, he has hit .284 with 201 career home runs and a .818 OPS.

His power from the left side adds great versatility in the Tigers lineup now.

Huff, mainly a first baseman or designated hitter, will most likely be an everyday player in the middle of the Detroit lineup.

Now, the question becomes, where do they play Aubrey Huff?

The plans are to move Carlos Guillen out of the designated hitter role and place him in left field, most likely sending Ryan Raburn or Clete Thomas back down to Triple-A Toledo.

Aubrey Huff would be the Tigers everyday DH, and when Miguel Cabrera needs a break at first, he could fill in.

On the other end of the deal, Brett Jacobson was ranked as the Tigers 10th best prospect. At the Single-A level, Jacobson went 1-3 this season with a 3.74 ERA in over 55 innings of work.

Detroit paid a very cheap price to get a player of Huff's nature.

The Tigers will pick up the rest of Aubrey Huff's $8 million contract to finish off 2009, and he will be able to play in the postseason if necessary. At the end of the season, Huff will become a free agent.

The Future of The Detroit Tigers Catching Position Looks Bright

Austin Drake — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 20:22:50 -0400

A month back, a main topic of conversation around the Detroit Tigers was the stability at the catcher position. They had Gerald Laird, but who else?

At first it was Matt Treanor, an offseason free agent addition. At age 33, he didn't get a single hit in 13 at-bats before he went to the 60-Day DL with a torn labrum.

Next, the Tigers turned to the other Flyin' Hawaiian, Dane Sardinha. Dane is 30 years old, and hit .097 in 31 at-bats with 16 strikeouts.

Things obviously weren't on the up-and-up for the backup catcher position.

The Tigers took a chance with Dusty Ryan, a young catcher who played a little bit in the 2008 season. Ryan was the best of the three backup catchers Detroit tried out. But, that wasn't saying much. Dusty hit .160 in 25 at-bats. In 78 innings behind the dish, he did have a 1.000 fielding percentage and threw out 33 percent of runners.

Dusty Ryan was solid, but Detroit was looking for a little pop in a inconsistent offensive lineup.

Enter Alex Avila.

At Double-A Erie, Avila hit only .264, but he had hit 12 home runs with 50+ runs batted in. Not only could Alex hit, he had a .993 fielding percentage behind the plate and gunned down 44 percent of runners stealing.

Avila was selected in the fifth round of the 2008 MLB Amateur Draft in June. He was called up to the Major Leagues on August 5th of 2009. Quick minor league stint, eh?

Since being called up, Avila is making a name for himself. Hitting .471 through 19 plate apperances, also slapping two home runs and four doubles.

Not only has he crushed the ball, he has the eye of a 10-year veteran. He takes pitches that most young players would swing freely at. Alex watches the pitches at the letters and the low and outside fastball go by for balls.

In his 15 plate apperances with runners in scoring position, Avila has five runs batted in. The average MLB player with 15 plate apperances with runners in scoring position has only a single run batted.

In four of the five games he has appeared in, he has had multiple-hit games.

He also has been pretty solid behind the plate. Still with a perfect fielding percentage in his 43 innings of work, and also throwing out 33 percent of runners.

The Tigers did a great job selecting a player already apart of the family, as Alex's father, Al, is the assistant general manager of the team.

The future is looking good behind the plate for Detroit. With Gerald Laird being great defensively and Avila already having the offensive ability, Alex could mix his God-given ability with a little learning to become the next Major League stand out catcher.

Watch out Joe Mauer, you may not be the only dominant catcher in the A.L. Central anymore.

Tigers Take Down Royals 1-0: Inge Hits Walk-Off; Washburn Lights Out

Austin Drake — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 21:53:21 -0400

First off, I'd like to say this is my 100th article and I'd like to thank Bleacher Report in general for giving me (and other) sports fans the ability to write and share with other fans.

The Tigers came back to Comerica Park tonight after a rough series in Boston.

Detroit lost three of four to the Red Sox, but coming home is always good news for this Tigers team. At the start of tonight's game against Kansas City, Detroit was 36-18 at CoPa.

The game started and finished as a pitcher's duel between starters Zack Greinke and Jarrod Washburn.

Washburn pitched his best game yet as a Tiger. He performed eight innings of work, along with taking a no-hitter into the fifth, allowing only three hits and no runs.

Greinke did his job to keep the Royals in the game. He struck out the side in the first inning and finished with six strikeouts on the night over seven innings of scoreless baseball.

For the Royals, no hitter reached base twice in the game. On the other hand, the Tigers had Curtis Granderson reach three times and Carlos Guillen reaching twice.

Relief pitching for both teams was solid for the most part. Detroit's Brandon Lyon threw a one-two-three ninth inning. For the Royals, former Tiger Roman Colon pitched a perfect eighth inning, but gave up a walk-off home run in the ninth.

The home run was Brandon Inge's fourth walk-off of his career. It was his 23rd home run of the year, but just his second since the All-Star break.

The Tigers have thrown back-to-back shutouts and Detroit's pitching staff has delivered 23 scoreless innings in a row.

Detroit is back at it again tomorrow night against Kansas City in the second game o of the three-game series. Edwin Jackson will pitch against Luke Hochevar at 7:05 p.m. ET.

Detroit Tigers: Top Five Tigers Who Haven't Made It Big...Yet

Austin Drake — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:05:54 -0400

Yeah, the Detroit Tigers have Miguel Cabrera, Curtis Granderson, Justin Verlander and many, many more stand out players. But, if you're just the casual Tigers fan, you aren't aware of the talent that the team has waiting for a chance in the minor leagues. So I decided to help the casual fans and the rest of the baseball world by introducing some of the next Detroit Tigers and possibly MLB Stars.

Begin Slideshow

Detroit Tigers Make a Deadline Deal: Jarrod Washburn by the Numbers

Austin Drake — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 16:52:22 -0400

The Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone.

For the Detroit Tigers, it was highlighted by a single trade.

They sent rookie spot starter Luke French and prospect Mauricio Robles for Seattle's Jarrod Washburn.

Jarrod Washburn was drafted by the California Angels in the second round of the 1995 amateur draft.

He has spent his entire career in the AL West, spanning eight seasons with the California/Anaheim/Los Angeles Angels and playing three full seasons with Seattle.

The addition of Washburn will allow the Tigers to put him in between Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson in order to make a right-left-right combination.

Detroit knew they needed to pick up another strong arm with rookie Rick Porcello struggling of late and last year's hero, Armando Galarraga, doing the same.

This season for the Mariners, Washburn was 8-6 with a 2.64 ERA (third in the AL) and a 1.007 WHIP (tied for first in AL), and he boasted a 2.39 K/BB.

He made one start versus Detroit this season, picking up a win in seven scoreless innings of work. Although, lifetime against Detroit, Washburn is 5-8 with a 5.08 ERA.

Now his home has moved from the Angel Stadium of Anaheim to Safeco Field, now to Comerica Park in downtown Detroit.

Jarrod Washburn career stats at Comerica: 4-3, 5.33 ERA, 49.0 IP, 1.306 WHIP, 6.2 K/9, and 2.43 K/BB.

I'll leave you with one final stat. in Jarrod Washburn's career, he is exactly a .500 pitcher: 106-106 record.

Detroit Tigers Slug Their Way to a 13-5 Win: Just What the Doctor Ordered

Austin Drake — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:47:50 -0400

The game started with a leadoff home run by Curtis Granderson, and ended with Detroit recording 18 of its 27 outs via strikeout.

The leadoff home run was Grandy's 20th of his career; his third leadoff homer of the season and second in the series.

Not only did Granderson hit a home run to start things off, in his next at bat, in the second inning, he reached the bleachers again. This time it was with one on and one out, when he homered into the right field grandstands.

Miguel Cabrera, who has struggled as of late, to drive in some RBI, went 4-for-6, with a home run and a double with four runs batted. He could have had a six-hit night, easily, if not for a less-then-routine diving play in center by Marlon Byrd, and a backhand-jumping, Jeter-esque play by veteran, Omar Vizquel.

Marcus Thames went 2-for-3, with a home run and a double and then was removed from the game. Clete Thomas was his replacement and he had a single and made a few solid plays in right field.

The hitting was definitely there, Ryan Raburn had three singles and Placido Polanco had two doubles.

Not only did the Tigers bring the lumber to the Ballpark in Arlington, they brought some pitching too. But, what else do you expect with Justin Verlander on the mound?

This start for Verlander has to catapult him into Cy Young talks, especially if Roy Halladay is traded at some point.

Justin pitched seven strong innings, throwing 115 pitches, 80 for strikes. He struck out a career-high 13 batters and picked up his 15th quality start of the season.

His 13 strikeouts, moved his total on the season to 172, which leads the American League. It also places him second in the Majors, just 13 behind Tim Lincecum of the San Francisco Giants.

When Verlander left, many Tigers fans trembled looking to the bullpen, but that's not a new feeling in Detroit.

Brandon Lyon came in and walked David Murphy on four pitches, he had struck out three times versus Verlander, and the nightmares came back for many Detroit fans.

Lyon then settled down, got the next three hitters out, striking out two.

The ninth inning rolled around and rookie, Casey Fien, took the mound. Fien made his Major League debut versus the Chicago White Sox last Sunday, with the bases loaded and Paul Konerko standing in the batters box. He worked out of it like a veteran.

Fien had no problem with the Rangers hitters in the ninth, striking out all three batters with fastballs, while trying to develop his slider in a eight run lead.

The Tigers won, they slugged their way to 13 runs, peppered the ball to the way of 19 hits, and in all of that...kept their slim distance in the American League Central Division.

BOX SCORE

MLB Trade Deadline: Five Names the Tigers Still Have an Eye on

Austin Drake — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 21:11:06 -0400

The July 31 trade deadline is less then five days away, and rumors are heating up around the league.

For the Detroit Tigers, the mid-season "addition" of Carlos Guillen from the disabled list has given the offense a much-needed boost. After being swept by the Yankees and losing two of three to the Mariners, they took three of four games from their divisional foe, the White Sox, with Guillen in the lineup.

The trade attention may have moved away from adding a bat to adding an arm. But, if a good offer comes Dave Dombrowski's way, trust me, he will pull the trigger.

Most of the news this trading season has been about pitcher, Roy Halladay. The Tigers have reportably shown some interest but not much. Nevertheless, Halladay is always in the back of Detroit's mind, so we will start off with him.

Roy Halladay, SP (Toronto Blue Jays)

The Phillies are chasing after Halladay, but if they can't get a deal done soon, expect other teams to jump at the chance of having a Cy Young winner on their team.

The Tigers could be one of those teams. The problem is, to get Halladay, you have to give up much in return. To reel him in, Detroit would most like have to give up a major league-ready starting pitcher and multiple minor league prospects.

With the amount of money that comes with Halladay, Detroit would most likely ask Toronto to eat some of Halladay's contract, which I'm not sure they'll want to do.

The Trade:

Roy Halladay and Marco Scutaro for Nate Robertson, Cale Iorg, Wilkin Ramirez, and Cody Satterwhite.

Adam Dunn, OF/DH (Washington Nationals)

Dunn is a power hitter who would love to be a designated hitter every night. In the National League his entire career, he has been forced to play the field, a place where he isn't exactly a gazelle.

At the plate, Dunn is having his best season. He is hitting at a .275 clip; his previous best batting average was .266. His 71 RBI ranks him ninth in the majors this season.

Along with Miguel Cabrera, Marcus Thames, and Curtis Granderson, Dunn could contribute to a scary lineup.

The Trade:

Adam Dunn and cash for Alfredo Figaro and Ryan Raburn.

Luke Scott, OF (Baltimore Orioles)

Although Scott is normally an everyday outfielder for the Orioles, with the Tigers, he would have to platoon with players like Marcus Thames, Magglio Ordonez, Ryan Raburn, and Clete Thomas.

Scott may get plenty of at bats, though, as, unlike Thames, Ordonez, and Raburn, he swings from the left side of the plate.

This may be the most unlikely of the five names to come to Detroit, since their isn't much need for his services, other than the left-handed bat. But, if the Tigers can also add to the bullpen, this deal may get done.

The Trade:

Luke Scott and George Sherrill for Brent Clevlen, Casper Wells, and Freddy Dolsi.

Freddy Sanchez, 2B and Zach Duke, SP (Pittsburgh Pirates)

The Tigers have been scouting the Pirates lately, and Detroit is looking for a middle infielder and pitcher.

Freddy Sanchez would share time with Placido Polanco for the rest of the season. In 2010, he could become the main man, since Polanco is a free agent after this season.

Sanchez would be another solid contact hitter to an already good contact lineup. He isn't to shabby of a fielder either.

Zach Duke is a career below average pitcher, but 2009 has been a different story. Duke has showed promise at 9-9 with his 3.42 ERA and a 2.18 K/BB ratio. Those numbers made him a 2009 NL All-Star.

Duke also leads the National League with three complete games in 2009. As a result, he can help save the Tiger relievers' arms.

The Trade:

Freddy Sanchez and Zach Duke for Scott Sizemore, Zach Simons, and Jeff Larish.

Detroit Tigers 2009 Mid-Season Awards: Let's Ask the Panel

Austin Drake — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 14:52:00 -0400

The 2009 season has been an eventful one thus far for the Detroit Tigers. A season full of ups and downs, injuries and breakthroughs has been the way of life in the Old English D uniform. As of now, the Tigers lead the A.L. Central by a slim 2 1/2 games, but the Chicago White Sox are playing phenomenal baseball and the Minnesota Twins are as pesky as ever. Due to injuries and disappointing starts, many players have had to step up and make a difference this season. Players like Carlos Guillen, Jeremy Bonderman and Dontrelle Willis have all sat out most of the season on the DL. It's almost that time, the time for the Mid-Summer Classic, the 2009 All-Star festivities. The Tigers have four All-Stars this season; Curtis Granderson, Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson and the winner of the American League Final Vote, Brandon Inge. Since it's halfway through the season, I decided to link up with many Detroit Tigers writers and see what they had to say about the team so far, and to get their take on who would win some hardware if it was given out today. The Panel: John Parent (JP), Conrad Guest (CG), Austin Drake (Me, AD) Matt Snyder (MS), Greg Eno (GE), John Manzo (JM) and Johnny Lawrence (JL).

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2009 Detroit Tigers: In Case You've Been Asleep...

Austin Drake — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 12:54:53 -0400

Well, maybe you've somehow been sleeping all of this 2009 season. Or maybe, you decided to forget about the Tigers this season after an abysmal 2008. Could it be a little of both?

If it's any of those reasons, or for any other excuse you just have missed out on the action of 2009 so far, I'll catch you up. You're in for a suprise.

Brandon Inge isn't just defense.

Remember Brandon Inge? Remember how he was only mentioned as a great glove? Remember how he struggled to keep his average above .200? Well, you can just scratch all that.

Yes, you are catching on correctly! Brandon Inge can hit. Knock on wood.

Through July 4, 2008, Brandon Inge was hitting a whopping .215 with five home runs and 21 runs batted. Through July 4, this year, he is just raking. How's .275 with 18 home runs and 52 runs batted for you?

A simple slight change in his batting stance and constant work with hitting coach, Lloyd McClendan, has changed everybody's outlook on Inge

This new Jackson guy is pretty good.

So, do you remember Matt Joyce? You know, the rookie last season who played pretty well in the outfield. Well, the Tigers decided to trade him to Tampa Bay in the offseason. I know, it stinks!

But wait, "Who'd we get in return?", you're asking.

Calm down, I was getting to that. We got Edwin Jackson for Joyce. Yes, that is the same guy that couldn't find a way to win a game early in his career. Yes, it's the same guy who has never lived up to the hype.

Okay, again, scratch all that nonsense. Edwin Jackson, since acquired, has pitched better than most pitchers in not just the American League, but the entire Major Leagues. Jackson is 6-4, with a 2.49 ERA (fifth best in MLB) and nearly a 3:1 K:BB ratio.

Magglio forgot how to hit.

I'm not sure where the old Magglio went, if you find him, let Dave Dombrowski know. Because this guy is on the block in Detroit. I know, your suprised, "What happened?", you ask?

Magglio is no longer that .363 batting champ like 2006 or that 20-30 home run guy. He has become the .261, three home runs and 25 runs batted guy... oh, and that's half way through the season!

It seems Ordonez has gotten old, fast. He is slumping so bad that he cut his wig, back to the way it was back when he was a White Sox. I know! He finally cut his hair! But, it hasn't helped, so don't get too excited.

This massive slump, also has Maggs riding the pine on most nights, as he has almost become the fourth outfielder.

We have an AL Rookie of the Year canidate.

No, I'm not making a 2006 reference to Justin Verlander, but it is similar. Rick Porcello, a 2007 first-round draft pick, has gotten a chance in the rotation this season and has lived up to the hype.

He is 8-5 with a 3.90 ERA through his first 15 career starts. He certainly isn't as good as Verlander was a few years back in his rookie year, but he's close behind.

Porcello hasn't only wow'd Detroit fans. He has been noticed around the country and is getting some consideration for the American League All-Star team.

If Rick keeps pitching the way he is, he will win the A.L. Rookie of the Year award, other potential winners are Elvis Andrus and Matt Wieters.

Did I suprise you? I told you I would. So to avoid more shock in the future, stay tuned into the Tigers the rest of the 2009 season.

Detroit Pistons Sign Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva: What Now?

Austin Drake — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 02:07:31 -0400

The Cavaliers traded for Shaq. The Magic traded for Vince Carter. The Celtics are looking to sign Rasheed Wallace and will get Kevin Garnett back. The Detroit Pistons...have some work to do.

So, the first day of Free Agency came upon us, and the Pistons wasted no time making a splash in the market, signing Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva, both to five-year contracts. Gordon will make between $50 and $60 million and Villanueva $40 million.

This past week, Detroit also fired head coach Michael Curry after only one year with the team. Front-runners for the job look to be Avery Johnson and Doug Collins.

Whoever the new coach may be, the two deals make a big mess of the starting lineup for the Pistons. To my imagination, it will turn out like PG Rodney Stuckey, SG Rip Hamilton, SF Tayshaun Prince, PF Antonio McDyess and C Charlie Villanueva.

With that lineup, Gordon becomes the sixth man and the team is without any solid presence in the paint.

So, now what?

The Pistons need a big man. It's that simple, and with an excess of guards, the players on the block are Hamilton and Prince.

I can't see the Pistons dealing away Prince as of now, since he is arguably the best player on the team and brings the complete package to the game. Shooting, defense, speed, effort, and athleticism. He is an all-around star.

With Rip being in the middle of a three-year, $34 million contract and Ben Gordon now able to fill his shoes, I see the main man Joe Dumars shopping around.

So, if Dumars is looking to trade, Amar'e Stoudemire is first on everybody's mind. Although he had some problems last two season's with eye injuries, he is still one of the best big men in the game today.

It may be a very difficult trade to get done, but Phoenix is definitely listening to offers. The Pistons would have to give up Hamilton, another solid player, and maybe a future draft pick to haul in Amare.

Another trade that could work would be for Utah's Carlos Boozer, who exercised his option to stay with the Jazz for the 2010 season. Utah would be willing to deal Boozer, since they also have Mehmet Okur and re-signed Paul Millsap.

If free agency is the way to go, Brandon Bass may be the answer for Detroit. A four-year veteran of the league has always been the backup. But, over the past two seasons he has really stepped up his game with the Mavericks, averaging 8.4 points/game, 4.5 Rebounds/game, and 0.7 Blocks/game.

He may not be the most dominant big man in the game or the most recognized, but Bass' big 6'8", 203-pound frame makes him a lot to handle in the key.

One more option in free agency is a big man with range, Hedo Turkoglu. He's not your average 6'10" basketball player. He dosen't call for the ball in the paint, block shots, and snatch rebounds. This guy wants to shoot, and why not let him? He shoots 39 percent career from beyond the three-point line.

Don't get me wrong, he does do everything well. In his career, he averages 4.2 rebounds/game and 2.7 assists/game

There are four options for Dumars to pick from to add a much needed paint presence to a team who is looking to get back to Championship contention. It'll be tough to beat the LeBron-Shaq's, Superman-Carter's and Pierce-Garnett's in 2009-2010.

Can Detroit do it? We'll see.

The Detroit Tigers Need a Bat: Five Options at the Deadline

Austin Drake — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 17:50:14 -0400

As the 2009, Non-waiver trade deadline quickly approaches many teams scurry around to find that extra player or two that can put their team over the edge and on pace to play in October. That July 31st deadline has brought in Kyle Farnsworth and Sean Casey over the past few season for the Detroit Tigers. This season, the Tigers look to add a solid bat to the middle or bottom third of an already pretty stacked lineup. With Magglio Ordonez in the biggest slump of his life and Carlos Guillen on the Disabled List, the Tigers corner outfield is depleted. The premier option is to add a corner outfielder, but any other position hitter could work to, as they could place them at Designated Hitter and keep the corners looking like Ordonez and Marcus Thames. The Tigers need a bat, expecsially from the left-handed side of the plate, here are five canidates that could call Detroit their home soon... (All stats as of 7/1/09)

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Detroit Tigers' Pitching: No Longer a Question Mark

Austin Drake — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 01:35:34 -0400

During the 2006 World Series run, the Detroit Tigers led the league in ERA with a 3.84 as a team. Since that season, the Tigers have placed 18th in 2007 (4.57) and 27th in 2008 (4.90).

The past two seasons have been a struggle for Tigers pitching.

Especially the starting rotation. Other then Justin Verlander's dominant 2007, with a 18-6 record, Detroit's pitching has been an area of concern.

Over the past two seasons the Tigers starting pitching has had an ERA of 5.15, easily one of the worst in that time span in the Majors.

Since the Tigers only had two complete games over the past two years, one in 2007 and one in 2008, both by Verlander, the Detroit bullpen took a hit as well.

In 2007, the Tigers were a horrible 44-for-65 in save opportunities and in 2008 they didn't get any better going 34-for-62.

So far in 2009, the Tigers have been singing a different tune. Their new play list contains quality starts, lots of strikeouts, power arms and solid relief pitching; and it's music to ears of all Detroit fans.

They have been called the "Three-Headed Monster," as well as the "Best Three Pitchers in the American League."

It's the Justin Verlander—Edwin Jackson—Rick Porcello trio that is striking terror into opponents thus far.

Those three alone post a 22-11 record to go along with 241 strikeouts in their 223 innings of combined work.

Not only has those starters shined, but in his Major League debut, Alfredo Figaro pitched five innings and allowed only two earned runs while he rung up seven Milwaukee hitters to earn the win.

The three complete games already tops the last two season's combined total, and has helped the bullpen which features some big time power arms; a trend lately in the Motor City.

Joel Zumaya reached 104 MPH in a game versus the Chicago Cubs and leads the Major Leagues in pitches 100+ MPH, by a margin over 30. His arm to go along with rookie, Ryan Perry, who can hit upper-90's on a regular basis, and Fernando Rodney, who can do the same, has baffled many hitters so far this season.

Not only can Rodney hit upper-90's with his heater, he also has one of the most devastating change pieces in the MLB, behind of course, Johan Santana. Along with his 3.90 ERA he is 15-for-15 in save opportunities.

Power arms are a normality in Detroit now and in the future.

With six players on the roster now who can hit 100 MPH, the Tigers may have the hardest throwing pitching staff in the big leagues.

Not only has pitching thrived in the majors this season, all through the Detroit Tigers organization the pitching has improved.

Here are a few of the prospects who are producing in the minors:

Toledo Mudhens (AAA): Casey Fien (2-1, 4.21 ERA, six saves)
                                  Lucas French (4-4, 3.01 ERA, 64:18 K:BB)
Erie Seawolves (AA): Alfredo Figaro (5-2, 4.10 ERA, 1.07 WHIP)
                                Cody Satterwhite (eight saves, 33 K, 29.1 IP)
                                Brooks Brown (5-0, 2.21 ERA, six starts)
Lakeland Tigers (A): L.J. Gagnier (5-5, 3.71 ERA, 77:20 K:BB)
                              Robbie Weinhardt (1-1, 0.61 ERA, four holds, 29.2 IP)
West Michigan Whitecaps (A): Casey Crosby (5-2, 3.68 ERA)
                                             Tyler Stohr (2-1, 1.91 ERA, 13 Saves, 27:5 K:BB)
                                             Matt Hoffman (5-0, 1.12 ERA, 0.79 WHIP)

As you can see, the dominant pitching isn't just in the big leagues with the Tigers. Dave Dombrowski has done a phenomenal job of stock-piling solid, power arms throughout the organization. Dombrowski went the same direction just recently by selecting 2009 first-round pick, 6'5" Jacob Turner, who throws mid-high 90's.

It's about time that Detroit got back to 2006 form. Many players have even said that this season felt like 2006 did. Let's just hope it turns out that our Tigers will be playing into October, except this time, we're winning that Fall Classic!

If it does indeed happen, it'll most certainly be because of the pitching once again.

The Five Questions The Detroit Tigers Will Have To Face In 2009

Austin Drake — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 12:42:03 -0400

The Tigers are 64 games into their 2009 season and are in control of the AL Central, with a slim two game lead over the Minnesota Twins. While Detroit has played good baseball this season, they seem to let the other teams in the division sit in striking distance.

Through the first 2 1/2 months of the season, many questions have arose. From difficulties at the back end of the rotation, injuries, solid catchers and many, many more.

I took the chance to catch up with some of the biggest Tigers' fans on Bleacher Report recently, to see how they saw the 2009 season playing out, along with my answers as well.

Our Detroit fans consist of; Dave Hampton, Johnny Lawrence, Kurt Mensching and John Parent, all who do nearly exclusive work with the Tigers.

1.What will Detroit do to sure up the backup catching situation?.... Dusty Ryan? Stick with Sardinha? Somebody else? Trade?

DH:No one can deny the presence Gerald Laird has provided behind the plate, but going into today he was hitting a pathetic .219 and has been a major hole in the lineup. As badly as the 4th and 5th starters have been, of their own accord, how badly do we really need Laird behind the plate right now? Perhaps not on an everyday basis right now. The Tigers could demote Dane Sardinha in favor of Dusty Ryan and give him the bulk of the playing time, allowing Laird to be the backup. The problem with this is his defensive inefficiencies.

What I do know is this: Dane Sardinha is not the answer and is a career minor leaguer at best. One of my biggest criticisms of him, beyond his bat, is how he tips pitches when he sets up. I can always tell when a breaking ball is on the way versus a fastball or changeup, and I am sure opposing offenses have caught on to this as well.

If the Tigers decide to go outside of the organization to get a backstop, there could be plenty of good backup catcher talent on the market. This of course assumes we are still contending in another five weeks. If we are, then I say we will go out and get someone. With the call up of Matt Wieters in Baltimore, Gregg Zaun could be had and would be a good fit. Henry Blanco could probably be plucked from San Diego, or if the Braves fall out of it, David Ross.

JL: I don't see the Tigers making any catching moves within the organization anytime soon. Simply put, Sardinha is more than adequate defensively, which appears to be the new focus of the Tigers. And to be honest, I can't really argue with a philosophy that has left the Tigers sitting in first-place for so long.

He handles the pitching staff very well. Although his stick is invisible, he will keep Detroit in more games than Dusty Ryan and at this point, and I see Ryan as the only other viable option at the moment. Ryan showed some nice things at the plate last year, but over a larger sample size, I don't think he's ready to bring much more to the table. Like I've said before, he has a serious passed balls/wild pitches issue. I doubt we'll see Ryan until August or September.

Cancel this perspective, however, if the Tigers were go after a free agent, like Corky Miller, or make a trade for a perennial backup backstop. I haven't heard any rumors about Detroit making a move, so I just assume Dombrowski is planting Sardinha into the roster until September call-ups.

KM:Backup catcher nothing, you have to admit that the starting catcher is not really doing a great job either right about now. Gerald Laird batted .178 in May and he's batting .179 in June, and this isn't a case of batting average saying one thing while the OPS looks good. In the .550-.575 range, the OPS for both months looks bad, too! So if that's the starting catcher, you can only imagine how bad backup Dane Sardinha is.

I'm all for bringing Dusty Ryan up from Toledo and cutting down on the number of days a week Laird catches. Laird is wearing down already and has the batting stats to show for it. You don't expect much from your catchers, but this is pitiful.

JP: I would love to see Dusty Ryan called up to replace Sardinha, I'm just not sure that's going to happen soon. The Tigers' staff seems to really like the way Sardinha handles the pitchers and calls a game. His offense is amazingly bad however, so you would think a move needs to be made. I would guess that if something were to happen to Laird, that Ryan would be recalled and take over the starting role, but it seems that the Tigers are comfortable with Sardinha as the backup. I wouldn't expect a trade since they have Ryan seemingly ready to come up.

AD: As of right now, I think Dane Sardinha is doing a solid job with controlling the pitchers and playing a defensive game. But as the season goes along, the Tigers are looking for offense, so it might come to calling up Dusty Ryan once again.

If they do not turn to their minor league teams for a catcher, a trade may be in order. As I've said all season, either of Philadelphia's catchers; Carlos Ruiz or Chris Coste, other fits could be David Ross from Atlanta who can hit left-handed pitching decently.

2. What will happen with Dontrelle Willis by the end of the 2009 season?

DH: I think he will be earning Tiger paychecks to go pitch for someone else for the major league minimum.

JL: With eight free passes against Pittsburgh, Willis sealed his fate. It's apparent his impressive debut was a mirage, an abnormality. I'd be surprised if he's on the roster by Aug. 1, let alone season's end. It's clear cut with Willis; he doesn't throw enough strikes to give Detroit a chance to win. That sent Sheffield away and provided instant results. Willis has much less of a track record and will be released with far less afterthought.

KM:By the end of the week, I expect he's released or asked to accept a minor league assignment. I hope he takes it. He just needs so much work, he cannot continue to start for the Tigers or they may as well just give up on any postseason plans right now. He's terrible, and consistently terrible at that.

JP: Boy, Dontrelle just looks like he might never find it again. I can't imagine they keep handing him the ball every fifth day. At this point, I'd be shocked to hear he was getting even one more start. I actually expect Robertson or Miner to make the next turn through the rotation. Willis' future appears to be in the bullpen, maybe they can hide him there.

AD: This kid is simply terrible, and I don't even think he knows it! After walking eight batters an being yanked early in the Pittsburgh start; he gave the ball to Leyland, slapped him on the butt, jogged into the dugout... while hopping over the foul line.

I just don't think he understands how much he has fallen off. I would love to see him released so Detroit dosen't have to deal with him anymore, but the fact that the Tigers would eat that salary dosen't sound good either. So, I say he is demoted into the minor leagues for the rest of the season to try and fix all this.

3. Who, if any, players will be traded at the 2009 Trade Deadline? If any, who/what position will they be traded for?

DH: Marcus Thames could be on his way out of town to another contender in return for a marginal relief pitcher, but I think David Dombrowski will keep him. If the Tigers fall out of contention the Red Sox might want Adam Everett in return for one of their bevy of RPs. Someone might call about Zach Miner to be a swing man. The main thing is that the AL Central is weak and the powers that be probably will feel like they can win it, so Dombrowski might be buying at the deadline, in return for the young talent that is thin in the farm system.

Oh, and I'd love to see Magglio go, so that the Tigers don't have to pay him $15-$18 million next year to hit singles and strand runners. He has gotten old in a hurry, so if they do sell him, probably wouldn't be able to get much, maybe a decent RP.

JL:I believe Raburn will be traded, but I believe I'm going to include this point in my next Detroit Tigers Dissector. There's slight possibility of a Maggs trade, but we may have to eat another contract in return. I can't speculate any further in this area, I haven't heard enough about it. I would think they'd be in the market for a veteran reliever.

KM:If the Tigers make a trade, you have to figure some combination of Clete Thomas, Ryan Raburn or Jeff Larish has a pretty decent chance of being involved. I wouldn't have thought Matt Joyce had a lot of trade value last year, but someone was a taker for him and Edwin Jackson came back in return. Probably some minor league pitchers will be involved, too. Maybe Zach Simons or Alfredo Figaro, or even Casey Fien, despite his slow start to the season.

I feel like the Tigers need a starting pitcher or a slugger, like a corner outfielder. They really have problems scoring runs and the fourth/fifth starter thing is abysmal.

JP: I would expect that one or two moves would be made. I can see a spare starter being dealt, maybe Miner or Galarraga. I almost expect that Jeff Larish would be moved in any trade, maybe Ryan Raburn or Josh Anderson could have value as well. They must bring in a LH hitter. Someone like Nick Johnson would be ideal, though I doubt it would be him. Until the Rockies just stopped losing, I would have said Brad Hawpe. The name that seems like the best fit right now is Eric Hinske in Pittsburgh. He can play first, third and the corner outfield, and has good power. He would be a cheaper version of an Aubrey Huff type player. I think they could get him fairly cheap.

AD: With the excess of starting pitching with the Tigers here in 2009, I wouldn't be surprised to see them deal a Galarraga, Robertson, Miner or Bonderman away. Trading one or two of those players could bring in a good backup catcher, like we mentioned before, a big stick to the lineup or even a good relief arm.

I'd love to see the Tigers go after a player like Juan Cruz from Kansas City to add the bullpen or a bat like Eric Hinske, since he would add such versatility as he plays four positions decently.

4. Will Detroit win the AL Central? Wild Card? AL Pennant? World Series?

DH:The Central is our only chance, the East is loaded again to send two to the playoffs. The Central has looked startlingly mediocre this year, so I say the Tigers probably win the division and exit out of the playoffs in the Division round.

JL:Detroit has a 33 percent chance at grabbing the AL Central crown, but they must begin receiving more production from their big guns on offense. Magglio's power reduction (two homers) doesn't warrant an $18 million contract. Polanco is hanging around .250 and wasting opportunity after opportunity in the two-hole. And Graderson is not getting on base as often as he did last year; it appears his focus has shifted to hitting home runs. Few reach base enough to get knocked in.

The Tigers must see their rotation success continue if they even want to sniff the playoffs. I've never seen Jackson or Porcello experience success for the duration of a full-season, and Verlander has a career 4.90 ERA in the second half. Paper says Detroit needs a much bigger lead before the All-Star break, but with so many new faces, the Tigers' luck may change.

Remember this, however. Porcello will either be shut down at some point this year, or fall off his impressive early numbers. He's never thrown this many innings before. Combine the Twins and White Sox recent successes with all of Detroit's uncertainties, and you have quite an interesting division race lined up.

KM: The Tigers can win the AL Central if they settle the fourth and fifth starter question and pick up a little more consistent scoring. Certainly I think it's possible, and no team is really trying to take over the division. The Twins are the chief competition.

If they get that far, I think the team is built for postseason success. It might have the best top three starters in the American League (or beyond) and certainly has one of the top defenses. Those pay off in the postseason. But there's some luck factor and it's unpredictable what would happen then.

JP:There is a lot of season left obviously, and I like being in first place. That being said, with the team as currently constructed, I can't see them holding off Minnesota. The wild card really isn't a possibility with all those good teams in the East. IF Detroit can make a couple of good roster moves, pick up a LH outfielder, find a backup catcher, find someone, anyone to pitch after Verlander, Jackson, and Porcello, and get just a little more offensive production, they can be right there at the end. It is asking a lot, but the Twins would have to make some improvements as well. Minnesota and Detroit are the only real contenders to the divisional crown at this point. The Tigers have a couple of glaring flaws, but if they can be fixed, they can make it to October, if not, they'll be watching from home. Now, if they get to the post season, watch out. If you are running Verlander and Jackson out there four times in a seven game series, you have a real good chance to win. The top two in the rotation can win you a series or two in the playoffs, and I'll take the Tigers two aces versus any in baseball.

AD: I definitely see Detroit winning the AL Central. It all depends on pitching when it gets into late September and October. If Verlander, Jackson and Porcello can carry this team another 100 or so games, the Tigers may have a chance against the Red Sox and Yankees in late postseason play.

5. What, if any, players win awards (Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, etc)?

DH: Verlander will challenge for the Cy Young, but fall short. Porcello will also challenge for the ROY but will have his innings limited and probably get beaten out by a position player. I think Placido Polanco wins a Gold Glove, as well as Curtis Granderson. I think Curtis Granderson might also win a Silver Slugger.

JL: I've been saying this since Verlander shut down the Indians May 3rd: Verlander will win the AL Cy Young.

I've never seen a Detroit pitcher so dominant, so locked in. His determination and focus reappeared suddenly; no one can touch his stuff. Halladay is an excellent pitcher, but often times gets overlooked because his strikeout totals aren't as high as some others. Though Halladay, Greinke, Weaver, and Verlander appear to be the only serious candidates (I'll mention why I didn't suggest Edwin Jackson later) I believe Verlander has the best chance at maintaining his success through season's end.

Weaver will back off his hot pace, Greinke won't be able to pick up many wins pitching for one of the few teams with a worse offense than Detroit, and Halladay has injury concerns that may cause him to miss starts here and there. I believe Verlander will be left standing in the end.

Edwin Jackson more than deserves to be included in this conversation, but I feel he falls under the same category as Greinke. His team simply refuses to score for him. In five of his starts, Jackson has allowed three earned runs or less and still hasn't earned a victory. Detroit batters get pumped up for Verlander on the mound, but they can't seem to put much together when the best off-season acquisition is on the mound.

KM:I think Rick Porcello will win the AL Rookie of the Year. Elvis Andrus will give him a run but I think he'll take it. Justin Verlander has a great shot at Cy Young, especially if he keeps pitching like the last couple of weeks

JP: With roughly 100 games left in the season, there are still three Tigers probably in the running for major awards. If things continue the way they have you could make a case for Porcello to win the Rookie of the Year, so far the only real competition is Elvis Andrus in Texas, though Matt Wieters is probably still expected to win the award. Certainly I think if the voting were today that Porcello would have the edge. Verlander could win the Cy Young if he continues his dominance it would be hard to argue unless your name is Halladay or Greinke. I'd expect a top three finish for him anyway. Miguel Cabrera could also be in line for an MVP. His numbers aren't as gaudy as some other players, but he is still sporting a great batting average, and by the time the year ends he'll have 30-35 HR and 125 RBI. If the team plays well around him, he should at least be in the conversation.

AD: I think Rick Porcello will win AL Rookie of the Year, as long as he can fend off Elvis Andrus from the Rangers. Other possible awards are Edwin Jackson for comeback player of the year, as he has finally lived up to the hype he brought with him to the big leagues.

I don't see Verlander winning the Cy Young, however. Roy Halladay is just too much to handle, and I don't think Justin can keep up with the 'Doc" all season long.

There you have it. Five big questions the Tigers need to answer, answered by five Tiger fans. Any answers from the readers?

Rick Porcello, Rookie of the Year Material? Let's See

Austin Drake — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 19:34:51 -0400

(All stats are as of 6/13/09)

The Detroit Tigers found a late-first round gem in 2007. With the 27th pick of the First-Year Player draft, the Tigers selected right-handed pitcher, Fredrick Alfredo Porcello, from Seton Hall Prep. in New Jersey.

Now called, "Rick" Porcello, he started his major league career in Lakeland, Florida with Detroit's advanced Single-A club, the Flying Tigers. In the 2008 season Rick went 8-6 with a killer 2.66 ERA in 125.0 innings of work and a 2.18:1 K:BB ratio.

The 2008 season was a solid start to his career in baseball. He was ranked by Baseball America as the best prospect in the Tiger's organization, and one of the top in the entire nation. Detroit knew this, and wasted no time giving him a fair shot at the big leagues when Spring Training 2009 rolled around.

As Detroit gave Porcello his chance, he came through with a great Spring, along with other young arm, Ryan Perry, a 2008 First-Year Player draft first-rounder.

The fantastic Spring led to a roster spot for Rick Porcello, as he started Opening Day 2009 as the fourth starter in the Tigers' rotation. Since then, Porcello has been everything Detroit has hoped and prayed for, and may be the front runner for American League Rookie of the Year, so far.

Porcello has pitched better then most Rookies over the past few years. So, we'll see how he matches up against the four most recent Rookie of the Year pitchers through their first 12 starts of their Rookie season.

MATCHING PORCELLO UP AGAINST FORMER ROOKIE OF THE YEAR WINNERS
**Stats below are through 12 starts of player's rookie season**

Rick Porcello
W/L: 7-4     IP: 68.0     ERA: 3.71
WHIP: 1.265     K: 38     BB: 21

Hideo Nomo
(1995 NL Rookie of the Year)
W/L: 6-1     IP: 83.1     ERA: 2.05
WHIP: 1.083     K: 109     BB: 41

Jason Jennings
(2002 NL Rookie of the Year)
W/L: 7-2     IP: 69.0     ERA: 4.63
WHIP: 1.362     K: 53     BB: 19

Dontrelle Willis
(2003 NL Rookie of the Year)
W/L: 8-1     IP: 77.1     ERA: 1.98
WHIP: 1.154     K: 75     BB: 23

Justin Verlander
(2006 AL Rookie of the Year)
W/L: 7-4     IP: 78.0     ERA: 3.35
WHIP: 1.128     K: 47     BB: 22

As you can see by these stats, Porcello ranks near the top in some categories, but also ranks near the bottom at others. While he may have tied for the worst record of these guys, he also has the second least walks allowed and also one of the best WHIP numbers.

Current teammate to Porcello, Justin Verlander has the closest numbers to him. They both posted a 7-4 record through 12 starts. Verlander also only had one more walk then Porcello and they both have an ERA in the mid-3.00s.

The best of these five players, is undoubtably Hideo Nomo, a product of Osaka, Japan. With sick WHIP and K:BB numbers, this guy has had a solid career with seven different Major League teams, most of his years with the Los Angeles Dodgers.

MATCHING PORCELLO UP AGAINST A.L. ROOKIE PITCHERS COMPETITION
**Stats below are through 6/13/09**

Rick Porcello
W/L: 7-4 IP: 68.0 ERA: 3.71
WHIP: 1.265 K: 38 BB: 21

Matt Palmer, Los Angeles Angels
W/L: 6-0 IP: 50.1 ERA: 4.11
WHIP: 1.270 K: 30 BB: 20

Andrew Bailey, Oakland Athletics
W/L: 4.1 IP: 38.1 ERA: 2.58
WHIP: 1.020 K: 45 BB: 16

Trevor Cahill, Oakland Athletics
W/L: 3-5 IP: 73.1 ERA: 4.17
WHIP: 1.395 K: 34 BB: 28

At the beginning of the 2009 season, most people would have predicted David Price to be on this list of best A.L. Rookie Pitchers. Price hasn't had much time this season in the bigs, through 19.0 innings he is 1-0 with a 2.37 ERA.

Rick Porcello has his competition easily beat out so far this season.

Matt Palmer is a 30-year old rookie, at 6-0 he has had a solid season, but his 4.11 ERA dosen't help his cause.

Andrew Bailey and Trevor Cahill are the dominant rookie duo in Oakland, but Bailey is a relief pitcher, and will really have to keep up his fantastic work to keep up with Porcello. While Cahill has pitched decently and has ate up a ton of innings for the A's, his record and ERA dosen't even compare to Rick Porcello.

So, my predictions are in. If Rick Porcello can keep pitching the way he is now, I see him with a 18-12 record at the end of the season. That dominance will win he American League Rookie of the Year, and he can join the company of Justin Verlander and Dontrelle Willis, both teammates of his, to get that award.

Detroit Tigers around the Way: Week of June 7, 2009

Austin Drake — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 16:44:44 -0400

The Tigers have been busy as of late, and are currently on a 11-game, 11-day road trip. Detroit's current series has them battling their AL Central foes, the Chicago White Sox.

Breaking news, rumors, and other notes are always being released from all Major League teams, and so—like planned—here are some recent news, rumors, and other things you should know about the Detroit Tigers for this week of June 7, 2009.

Detroit looking for pitching in 2009 MLB Rookie Draft on Tuesday

Detroit loves pitchers. They look to make that obvious once again, as reportedly they will search for solid arms in this year's Rookie Draft.

In the last few seasons, the Tigers have selected pitchers like Justin Verlander, Kyle Sleeth, Cody Satterwhite, Ryan Perry, and Rick Porcello.

Some choices for the Tigers on the mound are high schooler's Tyler Matzek, Jacob Turner, Shelby Miller, and Matthew Purke.

Ryan Perry optioned to Triple-A Toledo

The Tigers needed to make room for Jeremy Bonderman somehow, and Ryan Perry got the short end of the stick.

The Tigers 2008 First Round selection in the Rookie draft went 0-1 with a 3.13 ERA in 23 innings of work so far this season. Perry struggled as of late, giving up four hits and two earned runs in his last 4.2 innings of work.

Ryan Perry made the Tigers team, although before Opening Day this season he had no experience past Single-A ball. Jim Leyland wasn't especially happy with the move that they had to make to send him down, but he knows it had to be done.

Miguel Cabrera still behind All-Star voting leaders

Is .340, 10 HR, and 38 RBI not enough? I guess not. As of now, Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera is in fourth place at his position in the American League.

His 649,955 votes rank him behind Mark Teixeira, Kevin Youkilis, and Justin Morneau. Teixeira is understandable with his 18 home runs and 51 RBI. This year's company at first in the AL is very tight, all four of these guys deserve to get into the 2009 All-Star game.

But, I do believe the fans need a lesser say in who plays in the Mid-Summer Classic, but hey, that's my opinion.

Interleague action continues in Pittsburgh

If you would have told me this a week ago I would have said an easy sweep for the Tigers. But since the Pirates traded away All-Star center fielder Nate McClouth, Pittsburgh has really come alive, especially rookie Andrew McCutchen.

Since June 4, McCutchen is hitting .400 with 5 RBI and two triples (those being in one game). Oh yeah, and an OPS of 1.023.

The Tigers will continue the interleague play against the McCutchen led Buccos, after they lost two of three to the Rockies in late May. Matchups look to be Porcello-Snell, Galarraga-Duke, and Bonderman-Ohlendorf.

There you have it, a quick rundown of some Detroit Tiger headlines from this week past and upcoming. Detroit will finish their series with the White Sox this week, then will head to Pittsburgh for a weekend series with the Buccos.

2009 MLB Mock Draft: Picks 1-10

Austin Drake — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 13:57:13 -0400

1. Washington Nationals: Stephen Strasburg, RHP

San Diego State University

Height: 6-5 Weight: 220 Age: 20 Bats: R Throws: R

Washington’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Aaron Crow, P, 2007- Ross Detwiler, P, 2006- Chris Marrero, 3B, Colten Williams, P, Bryan Morris, P, 2005- Ryan Zimmermann, 3B

Fastball – Speed: Mid-High 90s, can reach triple digits

Command: Has better control then command, can leave some pitches high

Movement: Normally a true pitch, not much direction change at all.

Grade: A+

Slider - Speed: Low-Mid 80s

Command: Excellent command over this pitch

Movement: Almost a slurve or at sometimes a 12-6 curve, tight spin.
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: Low 80s

Command: Not as good of command as the slider, but still solid

Movement: Under-developed, not needed necessarily
Grade: C+

Stephen Strasburg is the consensus top pick in this year’s draft and has been for awhile now. The hype surrounding this college junior is amazing.

A dominating fastball mixed in with an excellent power “slurve” makes Strasburg nearly unhittable. Coaches all praise Stephen and his work ethic to become a better pitcher and to work on his pitches. A pitch he needs help with his is changeup, as he rarely needs to use it in games, because of the success of his other two pitches.

This past summer, Strasburg pitched with the U.S.A. Olympic team and won a Bronze Medal in Beijing, China. He threw 11 innings of work and struck out 16 batters, while posting a 2.45 ERA against the world’s best.

So far in 2009, through 54.1 innings of work, he has 107 strikeouts, that’s nearly two strikeouts every three outs he pitches. Simply lights out!

2. Seattle Mariners: Dustin Ackley, 1B/OF
North Carolina University
Height: 6-1 Weight: 184 Age: 21 Bats: L Throws: R

Seattle’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Joshua Fields, P, 2007- Phillippe Aumont, P, 2006- Brandon Morrow, P, 2005- Jeff Clement, C

Hitting – Power: Much less than what you would expect from a first baseman

Contact: Simply a pure hitter that can use all fields

Approach: Great bat control and speed, best all-around hitter in the draft

Grade: A

Running - Speed: Deceptive speed for a guy who can play first

Base running: Maybe the best base runner in the country

Smarts: Uses his easy stride and surprises speed to swipe some bases
Grade: A

Fielding – Arm Strength: Recovering from Tommy John, it’s okay at the moment

Arm Accuracy: Doesn’t need this at First, but if he plays CF it’s pretty good

Glove: He’ll definitely catch the ball for you, but nothing flashy
Grade: C+

Undoubtedly the best college position player available in this year’s Rookie Draft. Dustin Ackley is recovery Elbow Ligament Replacement surgery (Tommy John) and is working on regaining some arm strength by draft day.

Calling him a pure hitter is the best way to put it. He consistently hits the ball to all fields and shows glimpses of power at times. Since his power is a little weak for a first basemen, he might move to center field to relieve some pressure from his bat.

Not only can he hit, he may be the best runner in America. You name me a first basemen that can consistently steal bases for you. Can you think of somebody? I didn’t think so. North Carolina didn’t pick this guy to play with them for no reason, you know.

3. San Diego Padres: Aaron Crow, RHP
Forth Worth Cats
Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 Age: 23 Bats: R Throws: R

San Diego’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Allan Dykstra, 1B, 2007- Nick Schmidt, P, 2006- Matt Antonelli, 3B, 2005- Cesar Carrillo, P

Fastball – Speed: Can reach mid-90s, normally will average low-90s

Command: When he just throws it’s good, when he aims, not so much

Movement: When this pitch is working, Crow gets some sinking action

Grade: B+

Slider - Speed: Mid 80s

Command: Nearly mastered this pitch, it is his best offering

Movement: An average slider movement, but with more bite
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: Low 80s

Command: Still struggles here and there, but has gotten better

Movement: After work it could pan out to be a great Major League pitch
Grade: B

Crow was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 2008 Rookie Draft, but walked away from the contract offer and decided to play a year in the American Association for the Fort Worth Cats as a relief pitcher.

Crow will be a hard selection to make for any team, because of his high contract demands, but his slider also makes him hard to pass up. His fastball has good movement and his changeup is coming along.

He graduated from the University of Missouri in 2008, but has played for Fort Worth since. The Padres need pitching, so Aaron Crow could be headed to Southern California pretty quick.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates: Tanner Scheppers, RHP
Fresno State University
Height: 6-4 Weight: 200 Age: 22 Bats: R Throws: R

Pittsburgh’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Pedro Alvarez, 3B, 2007- Daniel Moskos, P, 2006- Brad Lincoln, P, 2005- Andrew McCutchen, CF

Fastball – Speed: Mid-90s

Command: Solid control, won’t miss the plate often

Movement: Decent amount of tailing action, almost like a slight cutter

Grade: A-

Curveball - Speed: Low-80s

Command: A little hesitant to snap one off at times, his command shows that

Movement: More of a power curve, that has great upside potential
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: High-80s

Command: Average command, shows easy motion when throwing

Movement: Throws a little hard; he may need to take some off in the future
Grade: B

A kid who created a lot of buzz on the west coast last season at Fresno State, but had a shoulder injury last season that dropped him down on many draft boards. Scheppers is pitching well for the Independent League’s, St. Paul Saints, and if he continues, his stock will continue to rise.

Scheppers put on some weight to his already athletic physical domineer which makes him look visibily stronger. His fastball is electric thanks to great arm strength, and his power curve shows a lot of promise.

Tanner could go as high as this pick to the Pirates, but he could fall anywhere in the top 15 without a second thought.

5. Baltimore Orioles: Tyler Matzek, LHP
Capistrano Valley High School
Height: 6-3 Weight: 185 Age: 18 Bats: L Throws: L

Baltimore’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Brian Matusz, P, 2007- Matt Weiters, C, 2006- Bill Rowell, 3B, 2005- Brandon Snyder, C

Fastball – Speed: Low-90s from the windup, high-80s from the stretch

Command: Nearly pinpoint command

Movement: Moves in on righties

Grade: B+

Curveball - Speed: Mid-high 80s

Command: Drops command on purpose with this pitch to get batters chasing

Movement: Tight spin
Grade: A-

Slider - Speed: Low-Mid 80s

Command: Not as good command as the fastball, but not bad

Movement: Hard bite if he gets out in front it
Grade: B

Changeup – Speed: High 70s

Command: Still struggling and getting a feel for this pitch

Movement: He throws the change piece a bit weak, so no movement
Grade: C-

Tyler Matzek is the best high school pitcher in this year’s draft class, hands down. As a high school senior he has taken the baseball world by storm with his way above average repertoire.

He has four solid pitches, unlike most any other people entering the 2009 Rookie Draft. His fastball lives in the low-90s and from the left side, that’s dominant. Matzek has a curveball that he will get a little wild with, on purpose though, to get hitters chasing in the dirt.

He has the best command in all of the draft class, as he can place the ball anywhere, effortlessly. He has some risk, as does any pitcher out of high school, but he has the potential to be a No. 2 starter in the big leagues some day.

6. San Francisco Giants: Donovan Tate, CF
Cartersville High School
Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 Age: 18 Bats: R Throws: R

San Francisco’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Buster Posey, C, 2007- Madison Bumgarner, P, Tim Alderson, P, Wendel Fairley, CF, 2006- Tim Lincecum, P, 2005- No Selection

Hitting – Power: He has solid pop off his bat, could be an average HR hitter

Contact: His bat speed lets him hit the ball wherever he wants

Approach: He wants to take over the game with every at bat

Grade: A-

Running - Speed: Dead blazing speed

Base running: At this point in time, he’s okay on the paths

Smarts: May abuse his speed at times and make poor decisions
Grade: B-

Fielding – Arm Strength: A very solid arm from the outfield

Arm Accuracy: His range cuts down the need for this to be great

Glove: Above average
Grade: B+

Donovan Tate is the best all-around athlete in the draft this season, without a shadow of a doubt. He is the definition of a Five-Tool Athlete. At 18-years old, this may be the future of the Major Leagues.

Tate has simply blazing speed, he has been clocked in at 6.34 seconds in the 60-yard dash, that’s like running from home plate to second base. He has pop in his bat to all fields and can hit the gaps like no other high school hitter.

Not only can he hit, he can throw. Tate’s arm has been clocked at 95 MPH, so obviously, he has quite an arm from center field. He is represented by Scott Boras so expect a big signing bonus for him, but if he falls out of the top 15, he will play for North Carolina next season.

7. Atlanta Braves: Shelby Miller, RHP
Brownwood High School
Height: 6-3 Weight: 195 Age: 18 Bats: R Throws: R

Atlanta’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- No Selection, 2007- Jason Heyward, OF, 2006- Cody Johnson, 1B, 2005- Joey Devine, P

Fastball – Speed: Mid-high 90s

Command: Great command and control of this, smooth delivery

Movement: Average movement, it’s a heavy ball that gets on hitters fast

Grade: A

Curveball - Speed: Mid-70s

Command: Has trouble with inconsistently on this one

Movement: Two seam and four seam spin
Grade: B-

Miller bursted on the scene in 2008, his junior season, when he threw three consecutive no-hitters against his high school opponents. The hard throwing righty, is said to be a very “down to earth” player and isn’t a fan of all the attention he is getting.

He has just two pitches to speak of, a changeup is non-existent if he even has one. But, the speed of fastball will get most batters. It’s not only clocked in the upper-90s on a regular basis, it’s a “heavy” fastball that gets on hitters quick and almost pushes the bat back.

The Atlanta Braves did not make a selection in the 2008 First Round, so they are going to make extra sure that this is the guy for them. If Miller isn’t selected here, expect it to be Kyle Gibson.

8. Cincinnati Reds: Grant Green, SS
University of Southern California
Height: 6-3 Weight: 180 Age: 22 Bats: R Throws: R

Cincinnati’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Yonder Alonso, 1B, 2007- Devin Mesoraco, C, 2006- Drew Stubbs, OF, 2005- Jay Bruce, OF

Hitting – Power: Not much to speak of, unless he gets an inside fastball

Contact: Needs to cut down the K’s, but has solid contact

Approach: Has a great inside-out swing that is very beneficial

Grade: A-

Running - Speed: His acceleration is down, but when he gets going he can fly

Base running: Not very aggressive, likes to go one base at a time

Smarts: A very cautious runner
Grade: B+

Fielding – Arm Strength: Can make a solid throw from the shortstop hole to first base

Arm Accuracy: Accuracy comes second nature to this kid

Glove: He can make the hard plays, but the routine plays are tricky at times
Grade: B+

Grant Green has gone up and down the position player draft board, and was recently ranked higher then Dustin Ackley until his 2009 season. Green does have Five-Tool potential, most scouts say.

He has started for USC since his Freshman season and played in the Cape Cod league in his time off from college ball. For that league, he was named top prospect by Baseball America.

Green has had an inconsistent glove throughout his years at Southern California. The uncharacteristic errors have nipped him a few times, but he does have a very strong arm to make up for a lot of bobbles and misjudgments.

9. Detroit Tigers: Jacob Turner, RHP
Westminster Christian High School
Height: 6-5 Weight: 210 Age: 18 Bats: R Throws: R

Detroit’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Ryan Perry, P, 2007- Rick Porcello, P, 2006- Andrew Miller, P, 2005- Cameron Maybin

Fastball – Speed: Low-90s

Command: His command is normally there, other times, not so much

Movement: Minimal movement, high in the zone

Grade: B+

Slider - Speed: Mid 70s

Command: Can miss high with this a lot, affects his pitch very much

Movement: A normal slider movement, if down in the zone it can be dominant
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: High 70s

Command: Has average command over this, like most high schoolers

Movement: Near average movement
Grade: B

Jacob Turner measures in as one of the biggest pitchers in the draft, and that makes Detroit Tigers GM, Dave Dombrowski, drool, as that has been their forte of his first-rounders over the years. Turner’s big frame makes scouts think he could throw mid-90s consistently one day.

Because his fastball is a little slow, he turns to his slider down in the zone, since he misses with the heater up in the zone a lot. The changeup needs work and has very little movement.

He is committed to North Carolina for next season, and could probably use the college ball to ready his arm for professional ball. Turner needs to improve his velocity, he could definitely do that at N.C.

10. Washington Nationals: Alex White, RHP
North Carolina University
Height: 6-3 Weight: 200 Age: 20 Bats: R Throws: R

Washington’s Recent First Round Selections: 2008- Aaron Crow, P, 2007- Ross Detwiler, P, 2006- Chris Marrero, 3B, Colten Williams, P, Bryan Morris, P, 2005- Ryan Zimmermann, 3B

Fastball – Speed: High-80s – Low-90s

Command: Nothing to brag about, but this is his best commanded pitch

Movement: Tailing action

Grade: B-

Curveball - Speed: Low-80s

Command: Minimal command over the curve, just tries to get it over the plate

Movement: Average curveball ‘curve’
Grade: C+

Slider - Speed: Low-Mid 80s

Command: Plus command

Movement: Slips away from righties, most promising pitch from him
Grade: A-

Changeup – Speed: High 70s

Command: This needs work on this pitch

Movement: When he throws one, its average, at best
Grade: C

The only other pitcher to have four pitches to show in this draft is Alex White, a junior at North Carolina. White was named the 2008 ACC Player of the Year from his successes last season in the Baby Blue uniform.

White has the ideal pitcher’s body. He was a two sport athlete in high school, as he also dominated the hard wood for the basketball team.

His arsenal of pitches are fantastic. A fastball that can hit 94 MPH with a slider that has a ton of potential. The changeup does need to improve though, especially the movement. He struggled early on in the 2009 season until he shut down the University of Miami in mid-April, now he’s back on track.

Others to watch: Kyle Gibson, Zach Wheeler and Mychal Givens.

2009 MLB Draft: Five Pitchers the Detroit Tigers Will Look At

Austin Drake — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:26:53 -0400

The 2009 MLB season is well underway, at time has fast approached onto the MLB Rookie Draft. With the first overall pick, the Nationals are all but set on pitching phenom, Steven Strasburg out of San Diego State University. But, questions remain throughout the league on who will be selected where and what teams need to fill certain voids in their organizations. The Detroit Tigers have the ninth overall pick in this year's draft, will Detroit find a Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello or a Cameron Maybin this year? Or will they slip up and take another Kyle Sleeth like in 2003? All we know is since Dave Dombrowski has been General Manager for the Tigers, he has found some solid players in the Rookie Draft, so fans are wondering, who might Detroit select this season?

Begin Slideshow

Rick Knapp Coaching Tigers Pitchers Back to 1984 Form

Austin Drake — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 11:15:37 -0400

Detroit baseball fans haven't seen this kind of outstanding pitching since the 1984 World Championship season. That season, Jack Morris (19-11), Dan Petry (18-8), and Milt Wilcox (17-8) combined for 54 victories, over half of the team's 104 wins on the season.

Not only did starting pitching dominate opponents, the bullpen was lights out as well. At the back end of the bullpen, closer Willie Hernandez converted 32 of 33 save opportunities and posted a 1.92 ERA to slam the door shut in the ninth inning.

Hernandez wasn't the only pitcher who performed well, Aurelio Lopez went 10-1 with a 2.91 ERA and saved 14 games of his own.

Since that 1984 season, the Tigers haven't had the great pitching they once did.

In 2008, the Tigers' pitching staff struggled as a whole, posting a team ERA of 4.90 that ranked 27th in the entire Major Leagues. There was no real bright spot for pitching in Detroit. They had 67 quality starts (26th in MLB), 857 earned runs against (26th in MLB), and 644 walks allowed (26th in MLB).

The rotation was a mess, other than rookie Armando Galarraga. Former American League Rookie of the Year, Justin Verlander, fell apart yet again in 2008. Verlander went 11-17 and gave up 195 hits in 201 innings of work.

Tigers' fans begged and pleaded for a starting pitcher as the trade deadline quickly approached. Their prayers weren't answered.

The bullpen was in shambles, expescially the back end. Detroit simply couldn't shut the door on opponents. The closer role was a mess, the Tigers had closer by committee and it didn't pan out at all.

Todd Jones, Joel Zumaya, Fernando Rodney, Kyle Farnsworth, and Freddy Dolsi all had a shot to finish out games for Detroit, and none of those players stepped up and made a mark. Fernando Rodney got the ball most of the time in the ninth inning, but went 0-6 with a 4.91 ERA and blew six saves.

The Tigers needed a change, desperately. Exit Chuck Hernandez, enter Rick Knapp.

Rick Knapp played five seasons of minor league ball with the Texas Rangers organization. He was selected in the 41st round of the 1983 draft out of Virginia Tech. He then spent 20 years in the minor leagues with the Minnesota Twins and the Rangers as a pitching coach and coordinator.

His coaching career began in 1988 with the Single-A Gastonia Rangers and then moved to the Gulf Coast League Rangers from 1989-1992. After a few great seasons there, Knapp was promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City for the 1993 and '94 seasons.

In 1996, Rick Knapp started his twelve-year career with the Minnesota Twins as the pitching coordinator. In his time with the Twins, he worked with pitchers like; Johan Santana, Francisco Liriano, Matt Garza, Brad Radke, Kyle Loshe, Scott Baker, Kevin Slowey, and Kenny Rogers.

In his first chance as a Major League pitching coach, Knapp has delivered thus far for the Tigers and their young pitchers. Opponents batting average against the Tigers from .274 in 2008 to .249 this season. He has the pitching staff firing on all cylinders thus far in 2009, their 3.87 ERA is first in the American League and fourth in MLB.

Justin Verlander had a rocky, 0-2 start to the season, but has found his stride as of late, winning six of his last seven starts. He's improved to 6-2, and has struck out 90 batters this season, which is best in the majors. Verlander also has one complete game-shutout in 2009 so far, that's one more than 2008.

Another pitcher that has thrived under Rick Knapp is former top prospect Edwin Jackson. After posting a 19-26 record in two seasons with Tampa Bay, the Tigers made a deal to get Jackson into an Olde English 'D' jersey.

In his first season with Detroit, he is 5-3, with an ERA that ranks one of the best in the American League, 2.30. His fastball has gained about four to five MPH and his split-finger fastball has opponents off-balance.

Maybe the most important thing Rick Knapp has accomplished so far with Detroit is the development of rookie arms in Rick Porcello and Ryan Perry. Porcello, who is the third starter in Detroit's rotation, has pitched phenomenally. His 6-3 record gives him the most victories for any rookie pitcher thus far in 2009; he also has a 3.48 ERA and a 2:1 K/BB ratio.

Not only has the starting rotation performed well this season, the bullpen has nearly been flawless. Now, the solidified closer, Fernando Rodney, is 10 for 10 in save opportunities.

Hard throwing Joel Zumaya has returned to old form with a fastball in the upper-90s. That increase in velocity has helped him strike out 15 batters this season, while he only has walked two.

This is the first season in quite awhile where Detroit fans aren't hoping for a pitcher at the trade deadline. Acquiring a new starting pitcher may be the last thing on fan's minds this season as their team is playing great baseball and sitting pretty on top of the AL Central.

With the way they are playing now, we could see a repeat of 2006, as they have a good chance playing through October. This time we just hope it ends a little better.

Edwin Jackson: Thanks for Saving the Detroit Tigers

Austin Drake — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:20:17 -0400

Less than seven months ago, Detroit Tigers fans and the rest of the baseball world knew what the problem was in Detroit. Pitching.

The Tigers' pitching staff was one of the worst in the league, let alone just the American League. No Detroit pitcher had an ERA under 3.29 in 2008 and fans screamed for help and rumors began to swirl near the trade deadline.

At the deadline in 2008, Detroit dealt hall-of-fame catcher, Ivan Rodriguez to the New York Yankees in exchange for hard throwing reliever, Kyle Farnsworth. Fans were anything but happy.

In 16 appearances with Detroit, Farnsworth posted a 6.75 ERA, and gave up 15 hits per nine innings pitched. The fans had a sense of 'told you so', and at the end of the season Farnsworth was gone, not even a thought of resigning.

The 2008-2009 offseason came on quickly, as the Tigers sat at home and watched a similar team like them, the Tampa Bay Rays, make it to the World Series, almost in exact fashion as they did in 2006.

The Rays were led by young, overpowering pitching and solid bats up and down the lineup. Detroit needed pitching, so why not see who was expendable from Tampa's roster. They landed upon Edwin Jackson, the Rays fourth or fifth starter, behind Scott Kazmir, James Shields, Matt Garza and Andy Sonnanstine.

Jackson had been drafted by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the sixth round of the 2001 amateur draft and struggled mightily in the script "Dodgers" uniform. He then was moved to the Devil Rays (at the time) and pitched in 23 games in 2006 and didn't even pick up a decision.

The following year, 2007, Edwin was moved to the rotation and again struggled, a 5-15 season on a bad team, nothing was going right.

2008 was another story for Jackson and the newly named, Rays. The team changed their look style of play for the '08 season and took Major League Baseball and it's fans by storm.

Edwin Jackson improved to a 14-11 record and a 4.42 ERA on his new look, winning team. The Tigers saw this and needed to add him to the staff.

By no means were the Rays just going to give up Jackson, the Tigers needed to make a solid offer to receive his solid arm in return. So, to the dismay of Detroit fan's, once again, GM Dave Dombrowski traded away talented young outfielder, Matt Joyce, to Tampa.

In his rookie season with Detroit, Joyce slapped 12 home runs and 33 RBI, as he added pop from the left side of the plate, something that was rare on the Tigers roster. The 23 year old also had phenomenal fielding skills, as he put up a .972 fielding percentage in 570.1 innings in the outfield for Detroit in 2008.

The Tigers needed more help with pitching then they did in the outfield, so the deal was done. Detroit receives Edwin Jackson, Tampa gets Matt Joyce, an official trade on December 10, 2008.

Since that day, it has been all up-hill for Edwin Jackson and the Tigers. Thus far in 2009, Jackson may be pitching the best baseball of his career, 5-3 with a 2.30 ERA and three times as many strikeouts (57) to walks (18).

For the Rays and Matt Joyce, it's a different story. Joyce has a .231 average with just two home runs and two RBIs in minimal Major League plate appearances this season.

The Tigers are sitting in first place in the AL Central at the moment, behind great pitching and defense. It is the first season in a long time where Tigers fans aren't begging for a pitcher come the trade deadline.

So, thanks Edwin Jackson, for starting to right the ship in Detroit, and saving the pitching staff.

Ramon Santiago: A Hall of Fame Backup in Detroit

Austin Drake — Wed, 27 May 2009 12:27:24 -0400

The end of the 2008 season came along with the end of a contract for starting shortstop Edgar Renteria. With the Tigers having no intentions of resigning Renteria, the starting job was all but given to the long-time professional backup, Ramon Santiago.

Santiago grew up in the early 1980s, in the little town of Las Matas de Farfan, Dominican Republic.

As a backup in 2008, Santiago knocked in 18 runners in 124 plate appearances, while posting an average of .282. His defense has always been there, too, with a career .973 fielding percentage, making just three errors in 118 total chances.

Santiago had waited for this moment—his seven-year career, five with Detroit, was finally going to pay off. He would be a starter on a major-league team again.

Then, December 28th rolled around, and Detroit signed free agent Adam Everett to a one-year, $1 million contract. Santiago saw himself slip back into the second slot on the depth chart once again.

Then, the 2009 regular season came knocking.

With Adam Everett a defensive shortstop and the Tigers lacking offensive fire power, manager Jim Leyland made a move to put Ramon as the starter for a few games, and it sure did pay off.

In a start on April 13th versus the White Sox, Santiago went 3-5 with a home run and three RBI. Later in the month, Santiago got the nod against his former team, Seattle, and he went 2-3 with a double and five RBI.

Now into May, Santiago has begun to play, on average, two or three games a week and has his coaches, teammates, and fans praising that decision. In the month of May, through May 25th, he is hitting a whopping .441, with six extra-base hits and nine RBI.

Not only has Ramon's bat sizzled so far this season, his leather isn't too bad either. Thus far this season at second base, Santiago has yet to make and error, and at shortstop has made a mere two.

Coming from a die-hard Tigers fan like myself, this guy may be one of the most important pieces to the puzzle in Detroit. His mix of speed, defense, and hitting ability off the bench adds another dimension to the Tigers squad.

Ramon Santiago is a Hall of Fame backup, and a key to Detroit's success.

Welcome to the Bigs, Wilkin Ramirez

Austin Drake — Thu, 21 May 2009 09:19:33 -0400

In the Tigers 5-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night, Wilkin Ramirez made his major league debut, if he wasn't already in shock of where he was, it didn't help when he hit a home run in the bottom of the sixth.

Ramirez has been a touted prospect in the Tigers organization for a few years now and was invited to attend "Tiger Fest" this past season, to get fans a chance to know him a little better.

He was hitting .316 so far this season at Triple-A Toledo, to go along with five home runs and 14 stolen bases. So when outfielder, Magglio Ordonez, was placed on the bereavement list in order to help his wife through surgery, Wilkin got the call.

He may only be up with Detroit for a few games, but he has already made an impact. His sixth inning home run stretched a massive 433 feet to the left-center shrubs at Comerica Park in Detroit. The shot put the Tigers ahead for good in the tight game.

His first two at bats against Texas pitcher, Matt Harrison, both resulted in strikeouts. In his first plate appearance, he fouled off two fastballs and on his full count pitch, Harrison blew a 96 MPH fastball past the young Ramirez. His second appearance didn't last as long, as Harrison mixed speeds and fooled him with a change up.

Wilkin then led off the sixth inning, Matt Harrison, looking for his third strikeout of Ramirez in the day, threw a 95 MPH heater down the middle.

"I put a good swing on it, the ball was gone," Ramirez said of the pitch from the Rangers righty.

Even Comerica Park's colossal outfield and big gaps couldn't hold the ball in, it was headed right towards the left-center flag pole.

Ramirez was living his dream rounding the bases, when asked about it; "It's awesome. Best feeling ever, man".

We may not see Wilkin Ramirez in the majors much longer, but expect him to be a part of the Tigers roster at some other point in the 2009 season. Remember the name, because Wilks has real talent.

Detroit Tigers Vs. Texas Rangers: Series Preview

Austin Drake — Tue, 19 May 2009 13:08:26 -0400

Texas Rangers (23-14) vs. Detroit Tigers (20-16)
Tuesday, May 19 - Thursday, May 21
Comerica Park - Detroit, MI

Game One

TEX: Brandon McCarthy (3-1, 5.92 ERA) vs. DET: Dontrelle Willis (0-0, 7.71 ERA)
Weather: 70s - Sunny - Zero Percent Chance of Precipitation

Willis: This game is another step, hopefully in the right direction, for Dontrelle Willis. Since being traded to the Tigers in 2007, Willis has yet to pick up a victory for his team. In his first start of the season against the Twins, he went four-and-two-thirds innings while allowing four earned on eight hits.

McCarthy: Brandon McCarthy has struggled on the road this season, 1-1 with a 8.40 ERA and opponents rocking a .355 average against. He has done a great job shutting down right handed hitters this season, they have a .219 average against him, but lefties are slugging their way to a .315 average.

Key Player: Curtis Granderson, OF Tigers.

Expect to see: quite a few lefties in the lineup for Jim Leyland, Texas come out swinging hard versus Willis to get him rattled, a high scoring game

Prediction: RANGERS WIN

Game Two

TEX: Matt Harrison (4-2, 4.23 ERA) vs. DET: Justin Verlander 3-2, 4.29 ERA)
Weather: 80s - Sunny - Zero Percent Chance of Precipitation

Verlander: Verlander is back on track, or so it seems. JV has thrown three straight games of double-digit strikeouts, first time that has happened for a Tiger in 28 years. Justin has nearly owned Texas in his career too, posting a 4-1 record with a 2.23 ERA in six starts.

Harrison: Harrison has been simply shutting down opposing hitters lately. He has thrown two straight complete games and has four straight wins coming into this game. In his last 28 innings, he has allowed two earned runs.

Against Detroit earlier in the season, he allowed four in five-and-two-thirds innings of work and picked up a loss.

Key Player: Miguel Cabrera, 1B Tigers and Ian Kinsler, 2B Rangers.

Expect to see: a very low scoring game

Prediction: TIGERS WIN

Game Three

TEX: Kevin Millwood (4-3, 2.93 ERA) vs. DET: Edwin Jackson (3-2, 2.42 ERA)
Weather: 80s - Partly Sunny - Zero Percent Chance of Precipitation

Jackson: Edwin has thrown back-to-back games of seven innings or more, while only giving up one run in that time period. In his last start, he endured a long rain delay to pick up a win. His 2.42 ERA ranks the best on the Tigers staff this season.

Millwood: He wants to avenge his no-decision against Detroit from earlier this season. In his first start against the Tigers this season, he threw seven scoreless innings before the bullpen let Detroit rally for six runs in the eighth inning. Comerica Park is a pitchers ballpark and Kevin likes throwing there, in four career starts he is 2-1 with a 2.33 ERA.

Key Player: Rangers bullpen

Expect to see: a well pitched game from both sides, small ball

Prediction: TIGERS WIN

Josh Anderson: The Silent Assassin

Austin Drake — Mon, 18 May 2009 14:08:56 -0400

If you are a Detroit Tigers' fan, you had most likely never heard of Josh Anderson before April 10th, when he started in left field on Opening Day against the Rangers.

Anderson was acquired by Detroit on March 30th, just 11 days before his first start with his new team. The Tigers gave up minor league pitcher Rudy Darrow to the Braves in return for the outfielder.

This is Josh Anderson's third team in three years, but by the way he is playing right now, it looks like he may have found his home.

His first major league season came with the Houston Astros, where he hit .358 in 67 at bats. In his second season, this time with the Braves, Anderson hit a decent .294 in 136 at bats and stroked three home runs. He also showed off his speed, successfully stealing 10 of 11 bases.

So far this season with Detroit, Anderson is hitting .297 in 64 at bats as he started the season as the fourth or fifth outfielder on the roster, behind Curtis Granderson, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Marcus Thames. He has stolen six of seven bases so far and has caused many problems for opposing pitchers and catchers.

As for Rudy Darrow, the other side of the trade, hasn't pitched as well as the Double-A Mississippi Braves hoped for. He has posted a 1-0 record, but his ERA of 9.64 is a showcase of his 10 earned runs and 10 walks in 9 2/3 innings.

For some reason, Dave Dombrowski keeps finding diamonds in the rough. Nearly weeks before Opening Day last season, Dombrowski traded for Armando Galarraga, and we know how that turned out. This season it was Anderson, and so far, he has produced and has become the Tigers' "Silent Assassin" at the plate, on the basepaths, and in the outfield.

If The Season Ended Today...Armando Galarraga for AL Cy Young

Austin Drake — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 13:46:15 -0400

Alright, I know this sounds crazy. You were expecting the Halladay’s, the Sabathia’s, or even the Beckett’s to be mentioned here.

But no; if the season ended today, I would say Detroit’s Armando Galarraga has been the most dominant pitcher in the AL thus far.

The Tigers traded for formerly undrafted-free agent Armando Galarraga in the offseason before the 2008 season with the Texas Rangers. He made a huge impact the entire year and was a key reason the Tigers even hung around in the AL Central.

Galarraga went 13-7 for the Tigers in 2008, while posting a 3.73 ERA and striking out over double of the amount of hitters he walked.

That solid performance made an impression on the Tigers' organization and the Tigers' faithful, as he was praised all offseason as the only Tiger, other then Justin Verlander, that had a sure spot in the rotation.

So far this season Armando has answered the call. He has chalked up a 2-0 record in his 18 innings of work. He has only allowed four earned runs this season, and his ERA reflects it—a staggering 1.96.

When compared to other top pitchers in the American League, Cliff Lee, CC Sabathia, Roy Halladay, and Josh Beckett, his numbers stand out. His ERA is nearly a full point and a half better than the next best in that group, Halladay, whose ERA is 3.72. He has given up four fewer runs than any other of those pitchers and has not hit a single batter, like most of the other ones in that elite group.

So as you see, Galarraga would earn the AL Cy Young if the season ended today. Watch out for him the rest of the season, as he could get an All-Star birth, along with a shot at more prestigious awards.

If Galarraga and his partner Edwin Jackson can keep up the great pitching, and if Justin Verlander can pick it up, this Tigers rotation could be better than what most expected.