"Gum Time" Nate Robertson Is Back in the Motor City

Few Tigers fans will ever forget the joy of Gum Time.

Nate Robertson started what would become a season-long joy in 2006 by stuffing his mouth a bit too full, hoping to start a late-innings rally.

It worked that game, and throughout the season as that edition of the Tigers earned the nickname “Cardiac Cats” for its ability to come back to win games with only a handful of outs remaining.

Like all good things, Gum Time eventually came to an end, and for awhile it appeared as if the career of the man who started the fun was going to disappear from fans' minds, too.

Bad luck in 2008, coupled with bad pitching in early 2009, seemed to spell the end for Gum Time himself.

With so much money owed this season and next, however, the Tigers tried to let him pitch through it all before finally discovering the source of his troubles in June: The growth of what was termed “masses” in his pitching elbow may have been what rendered his pitches flat, slow, and hittable.

Though fans were afraid he would return to the Tigers amid a pennant race and torpedo the club's chances this season, the organization gave him the opportunity to play his way back onto the team through a rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo.

Wise choice.

Maybe no one had gum in their mouths to help Robertson rally back, but he proved he didn't need it.

Now, it appears as if the left-handed starter the team felt it needed to acquire for the stretch run was a member of the organization all the while.

The addition that grabbed the headlines was Jarrod Washburn. He came to Detroit at the July 31 regular trade deadline from the Mariners with a lot of hype and a little earned run average, stumbled and is scheduled to miss a start with a barking knee. On the other hand, Robertson had been terrific in both of his starting appearances.

Robertson was able to go four innings and 70 pitches while allowing two runs to the potent Tampa Bay lineup on Aug. 29. By forcing 10 ground balls and striking out four, he looked like a player who could contribute yet. He may have taken a loss in the ledger, but it was an improvement over the ailing Armando Galarraga, as well as Washburn.

In his second start on Thursday, Robertson pitched six scoreless innings. He allowed a baserunner to get as far as third just twice. Four timely strikeouts and a pair of double plays helped him escape.

Though manager Jim Leyland refused to speculate if Robertson will start again, the answer appears clear: it would be crazy not to ride the 32-year-old left-hander while he's hot.

Let's be clear here. He's not one of the top three pitchers in the staff. He'll never be confused with being one of the league's top pitchers.

But Robertson is exactly the kind of guy contending teams need. He's a back end of the rotation competitor who before this season had always been respected for his bulldog attitude by fans of the Tigers.

When you hand him the ball, you know you're going to get a tough fight.

On Sunday, the Tigers trailed the Rays 3-1 in the eighth inning, despite a well-pitched game by Detroit's ace, Justin Verlander.

Robertson knew what he had to do.

A wad of gum—sugar free this time, after his dentist found a cavity following the 2006 season—found its way into his mouth.

Clete Thomas doubled to open the inning, and with two outs Curtis Granderson walked.

Never one to be confused with a power hitter, Placido Polanco lofted an offering just inches over the glove of Rays left fielder Carl Crawford and into the bullpen.

Detroit held on to win, 4-3.

It's good to have Gum Time back in Detroit.

In more ways than one.