The Detroit Tigers Are Just Not Fun To Watch

It probably does not come as a shock that I consider myself a Detroit Lions and Detroit Tigers fan first and foremost (I do write a Detroit Tigers blog for MLive.com after all). Don't get me wrong, I love all the Detroit and Michigan sports teams, and choosing between them isn't easy, but if I had to choose, I'd put football and baseball just a bit ahead of hockey and basketball. Just a bit. So I have watched at least 100 Detroit Tigers game a year the past, oh I don't know, the past seven or eight years. It certainly was not a new phenomenon when the Tigers got good three seasons ago. God knows I watched a lot of bad baseball, but throughout high school and undergrad, if I was home, I was watching the Tigers every night during the summer.

This season though, I haven't watched nearly as many games as I have in the past. And it's not because I'm working and am not home and it's not even that I'm watching the Wings and Pistons playoff runs instead (although I am, and certainly I have seen a considerable up-tic in my MSNBC-watching as compared to past years, but with my Slingbox, I could be watching the Tigers at the same time if I really wanted). It's just the Detroit Tigers are not fun to watch, in a way that even the embarrassing and laughable 2004 team did not turn me off as a fan. When the Tigers were the doormat of Major League Baseball, in a strange way, it was okay, because, they weren't even trying. But this season, with expectations high, and excitement palpable because of the trades for Edgar Renteria and Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, for the Tigers to be the worst team in baseball through just over 40 games (or second worse team in baseball to be completely fair) is beyond appalling.

Take tonight's great effort (sarcasm intended) against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Fresh off yet another sweep by the Kansas City Royals, the Tigers started interleague play, and most nights, Dan Haren versus Jeremy Bonderman, I'm in. Instead though, I fell asleep on my couch and made no real effort to make sure I was awake for the 9:40 first pitch. When I did awake from my slumber, I turned on the game. And what did I see almost immediately upon waking up? Carlos Guillen committing yet another costly error at third base, this time throwing what should have been the third out of the seventh inning into the dirt, and allowing what would be the winning run to score. I quickly learned the Detroit Tigers had given up three runs in the seventh, blowing a 3-1 lead (and Jeremy Bonderman's best performance of the year) and they never recovered. Guillen's making a habit of committing game changing errors at third base, a position he was moved to only because he couldn't learn how to play first base, and the Tigers $157 million man, Miguel Cabrera, couldn't play third anymore.

Honestly, the way this season has gone, blowing tonight's game was not a surprise. Every game, you almost just wait for the team to blow it somehow. The team is just not fun to watch. And that's so disappointing given how excited I was and frankly everyone was heading into this season. I don't know what the Tigers can do to turn their season around, but another lineup shakeup is in order. Brandon Inge, almost by default, is going to have be named the everyday third baseman at some point in the near future, and Carlos Guillen is going to have to become the everyday DH. And if Gary Sheffield isn't healthy enough to play the outfield, maybe he needs to sit out. But the Tigers must do something to improve their porous defense. How many games can Jim Leyland let his defense blow while having a potential Gold Glove third baseman sit on his bench? I don't care that Inge can't hit. Neither can most of the other Tigers right now. So at least Inge will provide you a dependable glove at third base.

I wrote over a month ago that the Detroit Tigers slow start wasn't cute anymore. Now, it's simply unacceptable. And while we as Detroit Sports fans can tolerate it for a bit longer because of the great runs the Red Wings and Pistons are on which are taking up most of our attention at the moment, soon the spotlight will be solely on Comerica Park and the Detroit Tigers. And if the Tigers cannot figure out what's wrong with their team, it might just be too bright for some in the Tigers lineup or coaching staff to survive.

At Some Point, This Detroit Tigers Start Stops Being Cute

Okay. Okay. I have refused to panic despite the embarrassing and inexcusable start by the Detroit Tigers to the 2008 Major League Baseball season. Despite the 0-7 start, I wasn't calling for the Tigers to make a major trade or fire Jim Leyland or anything extreme (aside, of course, from believing the Tigers should let phenom Rick Porcello replace Dontrelle Willis for two starts while Willis is on the Disabled List). After all, the Tigers will turn it around because they will start hitting. These players are too good not to hit. And everyone is banged up a bit, from Placido Poloanco's back to Miguel Cabrera's quadriceps, to Gary Sheffield's finger to Dontrelle Willis' knee to Carlos Guillen's hamstring.

But, at some point, this stops being cute. At some point this stops being a slow start, and turns into a lost season. At some point, the Tigers need to, you know, win. I just turned off the Tigers after they have fallen behind 5-0 to Chicago thanks to a third inning grand slam by Paul Konerko. Nothing is going right for the Tigers right now, but who cares that Kenny Rogers just gave up a grand slam because one run is enough to beat the Tigers right now. The team was shut out three times all of last season. They've already met that mark through just 12 games. And let's not get started on the almost 20 double plays the team has already hit into, almost a half dozen of which have been with the bases loaded.

I still don't want to panic. We still have only played 13 games which in a 162-contest season is practically nothing. But what is so worrisome is that the Tigers are showing no signs of breaking out of their so far season-long funk. And if they don't soon, this season will be too far gone for any late season surge to save them.

4:00 Update: So, having turned off the Tigers game to watch The Masters, I missed the second Chicago White Sox grand slam of the game, which now puts them up 11-0 over the Tigers. Two grand slams in three innings. Wow. And the Tigers still don't have a run. And apparently, Miguel Cabrera botched another play at third base, tripping over the umpire while allowing a pop-up to fall into fair territory. I'm almost at a loss for words at this point.

If Willis Moves Onto DL: Tigers Should Call Up Porcello

The Detroit Tigers (who as of this writing are actually winning, 3-2, over the Chicago White Sox) need not panic or make any major moves because of their incredibly horrendous and embarrassing start to the season. Yes, the bullpen may need a tune-up or two, but the offense will come around (eventually).

One move the Tigers may be forced to make though, is to call up a pitcher from the minor leagues to replace Dontrelle Willis, who left to tonight's game with a hyper-extended knee. And even though they probably won't, the Detroit Tigers should call up phenom Rick Porcello to take his place.

With all of the moves the Tigers have made the past two years (trades for Gary Sheffield, Edgar Renteria, Miguel Cabrera, and Willis) no part of the Tigers farm system has suffered more than the starting pitching depth. Humberto Sanchez, Jair Jurrjens, Andrew Miller, Dallas Trahern, Burke Badenhop, others, are all gone. As

As for current Tigers who may be able to replace Willis, Jordan Tata himself is on the Disabled List after struggling this spring and taking his frustrations out on a steel door. The only real option in either AAA or AA is Virgil Vasquez, and while Vasquez is decent, and has started a few games for Detroit before, he's very bland. And if there's something the Tigers need right now to snap them out of think funk they have started the season in, it won't be found with Virgil Vasquez.

But it may be found in the phenom Rick Porcello, who many believe, despite not yet turning 20, could be a successful major league pitcher. In two starts in Class A Lakeland, Porcello has yet to surrender an earned run (he gave up four unearned runs in his last start) and has struck out 7 in 10 innings while walking only two. And this would be very much unlike the call up of Andrew Miller a few seasons back. Porcello would know, no matter how well he pitched, he was going back to Class A as soon as Willis was healthy. This would allow him to gain some invaluable experience without any real pressure.

And who knows, maybe he can provide the Tigers a spark. And besides all of that, he may, honestly, be the Tigers best minor league pitcher right now. The most capable of being successful in the major leagues. And while that may not be a great sign for the Tigers farm system at the moment, it should not be ignored by Jim Leyland when he considers whether Porcello or Vasquez should get the call should Willis be placed on the Disabled List.

The Lighting Round: 21, Detroit Tigers, and More

So you start a new job, in the real world, after four years of undergrad followed immediately by three years of law school, and suddenly you lose track of your blog. Well, let's not make that a habit. So let's catch up on what I've missed.

* 21: The Movie - Good but not great * Last weekend I went and checked out the new movie, 21 based on the great and best selling book Bringing Down The House. For those unfamiliar, the movie, based largely on the book, follows a group of MIT whizkids who, with some help from one of their professors, put together a very successful card-counting operation which make them hundreds of thousands of dollars before the Vegas establishment catches on. The movie, staring Kevin Spacey as the morally suspect ringleader/professor, was good, and exciting, but could not hold up to the greatness of the book. And maybe I have been spoiled by NBC's great Las Vegas so casino-themed movies have a hard time measuring up. Las Vegas did such a great job of capturing the casino and Vegas atmosphere, I almost walked out of 21 thinking that had the TV show done a mini-movie with the same storyline, it would have been much better. That said, it was still a good movie, maybe a bit long, and yet with some storylines not fully fleshed out as they could have been (which probably tells you there's a bit of dead time in the movie which could have been better spent elsewhere) but in the end, worth seeing.

* Detroit Tigers start 2008 season 0-4 * Well, at least Jason Grilli is in mid-season form, giving up three straight hits in the seventh inning of yesterday's game against the Chicago White Sox including the game winning three-run home-run dropping the Tigers to 0-4. Obviously, this is not how the Tigers, who have the second highest payroll in baseball, and who have expectations through the roof, wanted to start the year. I refuse to panic though. Even though Nate Robertson struggled yesterday, for the most part, the problem has been the offense, and the slow start Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Gary Shef...Well, everyone has gotten off to except for Clete Thomas, the kid who never played above AA before Curtis Granderson got hurt. The offense is too good to not turn around. So, let's not panic and get concerned. We'll turn it around. A month from now, if we are 5, 6, 7 games under .500, then we can talk, otherwise...

* NFL Draft Coming Up * I had a dream the other night (I wish I weren't kidding) that I missed the NFL Draft (which would never happen in real life) and as I was struggling with my cell phone to find out who the Lions drafted, I found out they traded up to the #2 pick in the draft to take some running back I had never heard of. I remember being so furious. Then I woke up, thankfully. The Draft is less than a month away, and I keep hoping the Lions don't waste their first round pick on another offensive skill player. Yes, we need a running back. But we need linebackers and defensive lineman and offensive lineman much more. I'm getting very nervous though it's going to be offense, offense, offense again.

* NHL and NBA Playoffs on the horizon * I haven't written much (if anything) about the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Pistons in a long time, but now that the meaningless regular seasons are nearing their end-point, and the playoffs get ready to start, I'm excited to start really paying attention again and blogging again. Both teams have had great regular seasons, and the Pistons have really seen growth in their young stars, which has allowed them to rebuild without anybody noticing. It's amazing. But no matter how great the regular seasons were, if they don't win the playoffs, it won't matter at all.

And with that, time to see if the Tigers can win a game. Eventually we do, right?

You Have to Love Opening Day

Opening Day 2008, and aside from NFL Draft Day, possibly my favorite day of the year. Everything is new and exciting and especially this year with the Detroit Tigers, with expectations so high and the ability to see such an incredible lineup with Miguel Cabrera, Edgar Renteria, and a healthy Gary Sheffield.

So long as it doesn't rain of course. See, I will be at Comerica Park this afternoon for Opening Day but I can't afford a rainout because I start work tomorrow, and skipping out on my first day to catch a rescheduled Opening Day probably wouldn't go over very well.

The Detroit Tigers are in an interesting position heading into the 2008 season. In 2006, nothing was expected, and Tigers fans were rewarded with a trip to the World Series. In 2007, a repeat was expected, but injuries to Kenny Rogers, Joel Zumaya, and Gary Sheffield derailed the Tigers season and the team finished second in the American League Central and missed the post-season. Now, though, with the additions of Cabrera, Renteria, Jacque Jones, and Dontrelle Willis, expectations are higher than at any point since the mid 1980s. It is not going to be match what everyone expects, especially when the Tigers bullpen is so questionable (Zumaya and Fernando Rodney are starting the season on the Disabled List; and Yorman Bazardo and Aquilino Lopez are starting the season in the 'pen, which is all you really need to know). But with an offense which should put up historic numbers, and hopefully a healthy bullpen later in the season, when it will really matter, this has all the makings of a legendary season for the team which dons the 'Old English D.' And if any manager will be able to keep a lid on the team's own, internal expectations, and keep the team full of superstars and Hall of Famers in line, it's Jim Leyland.

I'm happy it's Opening Day for another reason, because it will bring me back to blogging about sports here again. Since early December I have been writing so much about the 2008 political nomination battles, I really haven't spent time writing about the Pistons or Red Wings, or Tigers spring training. With the Major League Baseball season starting though, the NBA and NHL playoffs around the corner, and the NFL Draft only a month away, sports will take back some airtime in the blog. Let's just hope Detroit teams are a little more like Barack Obama and a little less like Hillary Clinton, and their successes out number their failures (what -- You thought I'd abandon politics completely? Not yet.)

Why I Already Like Dontrelle Willis

There's a lot to like about the newest member of the Detroit Tigers starting rotation Dontrelle Willis. He's young, energetic, personable, and he has s strong arm (and not a bad bat either, so watch out during interleague play). Yesterday the Tigers announced that have signed Willis to a three-year contract extension, keeping the young lefty in the Tigers organization through at least the 2010 season. Now all that Tigers President and General Manager Dave Dombrowski needs to do is lockup Willis' Marlins teammate Miguel Cabrera to a long-term deal and the Tigers will be set for well into the next decade. While some may scoff at giving $29 million to a pitcher who had an ERA over 5.00 in the National League in 2007, Willis is a much better pitcher than his numbers indicated, and without the pressure of being the steward on a sinking ship and with a solid offense and defense behind him, Willis should return to form. Will he have a sub-three ERA and win over 20 games as he did in 2003? Probably not, but for the deal to be a win for the Tigers he doesn't have to. Carlos Silva $12 million a year deal and Willis, at least to me, has a lot more upside than Silva.

But there's another reason why I like the deal, and it has nothing to do with on-the-field performance. As my MLive.com colleague Danny Knobler wrote about yesterday, Willis was already in Detroit yesterday when the deal was agreed to. Why was the Florida-resident trudging around snowbound Detroit in the middle of December? To give Christmas presents to children in need.

Willis was going to be in Detroit today, anyway, because he had arranged to give out 450 Christmas gifts to children in need at the Methodist Children's Home Society. The Children's Home has always been a favorite charity for Willis, because when he was growing up in Oakland, he had a homeless friend who got help there. So as soon as Willis became a Tiger, he told his agent he wanted to help the Children's Home in Detroit.

Here's a guy who has been a member of the Detroit Tigers organization for all of thirty seconds and he's already becoming a community leader and already is giving back. We always hear the negative stories about athletes. Arrests. Drug use, both on and off the field. Holdouts. Sometimes we forget that there are a lot of athletes, like Willis, who give back to the community too. And Willis has not lived a perfect life (he was arrested for DUI in 2006), but it says a lot when somebody jumps with both feet into the local community. Something tells me Willis is going to become a huge fan favorite in Detroit, and we'll look back on this contract signing as the first step in what will be a long and prosperous relationship between Willis and not just the Tigers, but the city of Detroit and the greater metro-Detroit community.

Thoughts on the Tigers-Marlins Blockbuster Trade

Wow. As I'm sure many of you already know by now, The Detroit Tigers stunned the baseball world Tuesday by trading for both Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, and trading away their two top prospects (Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin, widely considered two of the top prospects in all of baseball) along with catcher Mike Rabelo and minor league pitchers Burke Badenhop, Eulogio de la Cruz and Dallas Trahern. It's a trade which changes the Tigers present, and their future, and one that instantly makes them the favorites in the American League Central and perhaps in all of baseball to win the World Series.

I will miss watching Cameron Maybin "grow up" in Detroit and blossom into the top major league player I believe he will become, but the trade was a no-brainer for the Tigers. Miguel Cabrera, at this point in his career, has put up numbers virtually identical to those of Alex Rodriguez at the same point in his career. In four full major league seasons, he has never hit lower than .294 (years of .294, .323, .339, and .320), never had fewer than 112 RBI (112, 116, 114, 119) and never hit less than 26 home runs (33, 33, 26, 34). And he's only 24. 24. Which means he hasn't even entered the prime of his career yet. He's only going to get better, especially when he is protected in what will be the best lineup in all of baseball. And Willis? While he struggled last season (10-15, 5.17 ERA) he was beaten down by the Marlins losing seasons, and the poor play behind him. Just two years ago, he won 22 games (22-10, 2.63 ERA) and with the Tigers offense and defense behind him, in pitcher-friendly Comerica Park, he could become dominant again. Plus, he's only 25, so he, like Cabrera, is just entering the prime of his career. And in Detroit, unlike Florida, who won't have the pressure of being the #1 and only guy in the rotation. With Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander, and Kenny Rogers (not to mention Nate Robertson) Willis can just go out and pitch.

While the Tigers did give up a lot, because they were not only getting back All Star players in return, but All Stars in the mid-20's who, should they sign long term contracts, can be cornerstones of the Tigers for at least the next decade, parting with Miller, Maybin, and the rest was a no-brainer. Even with all the upside Cameron Maybin has, at the end of the day, him having a better start to his career, or a better career at all than Miguel Cabrera is going to be very, very tough. And if he does the trade still isn't a mistake because it gives Detroit the best chance of any team to win a World Series in the next two seasons. Detroit Tigers owner Mike Ilitch, who didn't blink an eye today when he increased his payroll by almost $20 million, and he deserves a lot of credit for allowing Dave Dombrowski to do practically anything it takes to get the Tigers a World Series ring. Last season, the Tigers fans showed Ilitch they would show up in record numbers if he put a winning product on the field, and ticket sales should be even brisker this season which should help the Tigers defer what may be a $200 million payday for Cabrera in 2009.

As for Brandon Inge, if the Tigers do trade him, and Cabrera plays third base as anticipated, I would miss him, despite his horrendous plate appearances. Brandon suffered through the losing seasons, the 100-loss seasons, and seeing him redeem himself with a trip to the World Series was gratifying. And he has turned into one of the best defensive third baseman in baseball. The Tigers should be able to get a decent return for him, and shed some of his $6.5 million salary at the same time, so it's logical for him to go, but I would really think seriously if I were the Tigers about keeping Inge the everyday third baseman and moving Cabrera to left-field. Inge is a Gold Glove talent, and with the batting lineup stacked, they can afford his .250 average at #9. Cabrera has played left-field before and he's no defensive wiz in the infield -- He committed the most errors of any NL third baseman last season. It's not likely, but something to think about.

My last reflection is to think of all the prospects the Tigers have traded away the past two seasons in an effort to get back to the World Series. Humberto Sanchez, Anthony Clagett, and Kevin Whalen for Gary Sheffield. Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez for Edgar Reteria. Now Maybin, Miller, Rabelo, De La Cruz, Badenhop, and Trahern to Florida. That's 11 prospects, many top of the line. And yet, the Tigers still have plenty of talent. Pitcher Rick Porcello is compared to Josh Beckett, and with position players, the Tigers have a number of interesting prospects (Danny Worth and Scott Sizemore among them). Just shows you what an amazing job of amassing talent Dave Dombrowski has done.

Detroit Tigers Complete Trade For Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis

The Detroit Tigers have completed the Major League Baseball trade of the year, and perhaps of the decade, trading two of the best prospects in all of baseball, Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller, and four other players (Catcher Mike Rabelo and three other prospects) to the Florida Marlins for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. I wrote earlier in the afternoon about how I thought this a great trade for Detroit and I'll write more later tonight about just why that is, but for now, here's ESPN.com's Steve Phillips concurring that this is a great trade for the Tigers.

ESPN's Tim Kurkjian was interviewed on ESPNews and he said that while the Marlins may be happiest in the long term because of the overwhelming potential of Miller and Maybin, he believes the Tigers will be thrilled in the short-term, as Cabrera makes the Tigers lineup the best in the American League and Willis should re-find his 2003 form in spacious Comerica Park.

Tigers, Marlins Discussing Blockbuster Maybin, Miller, Cabrera, Willis Trade

Filtering over one of my MLive.com Cutoff Man blog entries FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal is reporting the Detroit Tigers and Florida Marlins are working on a potential blockbuster trade which would net the Tigers 24-year-old stud third baseman Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis in exchange for a package of prospects which likely includes the top two prospects in the Tigers organization, Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin.

The Marlins, stalled in their attempts to trade third baseman Miguel Cabrera, could be laying the groundwork for an even bigger deal.

The Marlins and Tigers are engaged in preliminary talks about a blockbuster that would send Cabrera and left-hander Dontrelle Willis to Detroit for a package of young players, according to major-league sources.

Outfielder Cameron Maybin and left-hander Andrew Miller likely are among the Marlins' targets. The Tigers already feature two veteran left-handed starters, Kenny Rogers and Nate Robertson, possibly making Miller available in a deal for Willis.

Some quick thoughts, even though the Tigers would likely have to give up more than just Miller and Maybin, I'd make the trade is a heartbeat. Yes, Miller has the potential to be a phenomenal pitcher at the major league level, and Cameron Maybin has all the talent in the world (and if he's not a consistent All Star in five, six years, then every single Major League scout that has ever seen him play would have to be wrong) but you'd be trading for two sure-things in exchange for two maybes (even if those maybes have a very very high likelihood of turning into top big league players). Cabrera is only 24-years-old, hit .320 last year with 34 home runs and 119 RBI on a poor Marlins team, and would be a cornerstone at third base for the next decade. Willis, while struggling since his 22-10 season of 2005, is still only 25, and with a team like the Tigers, and a park like Comerica, he could be an elite pitcher. With Bonderman, Verlander, and Willis, and young Rick Porcello to join in a few years, that's the making of an incredible pitching staff.

And most importantly, Willis and Cabrera would be parts of the Tigers future for the next decade (I can't emphasize that enough -- You are trading young players, but you are getting young players in return) and they make it much, much more likely you can win a World Series right now.

Detroit Tigers Acquire Outfielder Jacque Jones

The Detroit Tigers continued to fill their off-season needs on Monday, trading for outfielder Jacque Jones of the Chicago Cubs in exchange for utility infielder Omar Infante. The trade (first reported by The Detroit Free Press and later confirmed by my MLive.com colleague Danny Knobler) gives the Tigers a much needed left-handed bat, a veteran outfielder who can play all three outfield positions, and somebody who is solid defensively. And all they gave away was a utility infielder manager Jim Leyland did not like very much anyway.

Now, I think Omar Infante will be a solid major league player as his career develops. He had his ups and downs in Detroit, and even though he's been in Detroit since 2002, we forget he's only 25-years-old. His best baseball is in front of him, but even with that said, he likely never was going to develop the way he needed to in Detroit, especially with Leyland always looking for his replacement (have it be Neifi Perez, Ramon Santiago, or Ryan Raburn).

Jones is a perfect one-year stop gap, with an acceptable salary ($5.5 million, of which the Cubs will pay a portion) who will form a nice platoon with Marcus Thames in left-field. While Jones had not hit less than 14 home runs in any season since his first (where he only played in 95 games), hit only 5 last season (after blasting 27 in 2006, tying his career high). He's a career .285 batter, and should fit in nicely in the #7 or #8 spot in the Tigers batting order. Essentially, he's Craig Monroe, but left-handed and with a higher batting average. Certainly will be fine until Cameron Maybin is ready to take over in 2009.

Now the attention of the Tigers turns to the bullpen, as re-signing Todd Jones, and perhaps acquiring another reliever take center stage. Should the Tigers do that, even with the injury to Joel Zumaya, things are looking up for the Tigers heading into the 2008 season.

Detroit Tigers Lose Joel Zumaya Until At Least Midway Through 2008 Season

Just days after the Detroit Tigers made a big step toward returning to the World Series trading for All Star shortstop Edgar Renteria the Tigers organization announced a significant setback Thursday as potential new closer Joel Zumaya underwent joint reconstructive surgery on his shoulder and is expected to miss at least the first half of the 2008 season. As my MLive.com colleague Danny Knobler reported, Zumaya injured his shoulder helping his family move personal items as a result of the San Diego wildfires:

Zumaya was moving personal items after the wildfires that affected areas near his San Diego home, and suffered an injury that required AC joint reconstruction. The surgery was performed Wednesday, and was announced by the Tigers today.

The Tigers said that Zumaya will have to rest his shoulder for the next six weeks, and will begin a throwing program in approximately four months. That would be during spring training, and the Tigers say they're hopeful Zumaya would be ready to pitch sometime during the 2008 season.

This is just the latest in a series of freak injuries to the Tigers young phenom, who electrifies Comerica Park crowds by regularly topping 100 miles-per-hour on the radar gun. In the Tigers World series run in 2004, Zumaya famously (or infamously) missed time because of wrist inflammation allegedly caused by playing too much of the video game Guitar Hero. Then last season, Zumaya missed over half the season after dislocating a finger on his pitching hand. Now, he'll miss almost half the season after moving items due to the wildfires in San Diego.

This injury puts even more pressure on the Tigers to re-sign veteran closer Todd Jones, who may consider signing with his hometown Atlanta Braves rather then return to his beloved Tigers. Zumaya likely would have assumed the closers role in Jones' absence, but with Zumaya out, should Jones leave, the closing duties will fall to Fernando Rodney (unless, of course, the Tigers sign Mariano Rivera or former Tiger Francisco Cordero). The problem with moving Rodney to closer, though, is that with Zumaya out, the Tigers would be void of set-up men.

Re-signing Jones just became an immediate priority, and now that the need for a shortstop is taken care of, General Manager Dave Dombrowski will have to get to work rebuilding the Tigers bullpen, because without Zumaya, and potentially without Jones, no matter how many All Star offensive players the Tigers sign or trade for, they won't return to the post-season without solidifying their now very shaky bullpen.

Detroit Tigers Trade for Edgar Renteria

The Detroit Tigers aren't messing around. They want to win now and they aren't afraid to mortgage some of their future in order to help themselves today. Last season, right around this time, they traded one of their top pitching prospects (Humberto Sanchez) and two other young pitching prospects (Kevin Whelan and Anthony Claggett) for Gary Sheffield. Today, the Tigers traded two of their arguably top-five prospects (pitcher Jair Jurrjens and outfielder Gorkys Hernandez) for multiple-time All Star and Gold Glove shortstop Edgar Renteria.

On first blush, the Tigers gave up a lot for the 32-year-old shortstop. Jurrjens went 3-1 after being called up to the Tigers last season, and he looked very impressive late in the season. With Andrew Miller ticketed to start off next season in AA Erie, Jurrjens was the odds-on-favorite to win the fifth starting spot in the rotation for next season. Now, the Tigers will either have to bring up Miller (again faster then they really wanted to) or give the fifth spot to someone like Chad Durbin or Yorman Bazardo. And this assumes veteran Kenny Rogers will return, which is no sure bet.

Hernandez is also a very bright prospect. He hit .293 in Class A West Michigan with 58 steals, and had mouths watering over a potential Maybin-Hernandez-Granderson outfield of the future for the Tigers. But he just turned 20-years-old and he's at least three years away from the major leagues. Success at Class A West Michigan is a long way from success at Comerica Park, but Herandez has a ton of potential.

But the Tigers needed a shortstop now, not an outfielder three years from now, and there's no question, with Miller, and the drafting of Rick Porcello, outfield and pitching are positions of strength for the Tigers. And Renteria is one of the best available options for shortstop, certainly better than Jack Wilson, and better than any free agent the Tigers could have acquired. He can lead-off, allowing Curtis Granderson to move down in the lineup if the Tigers want (that's where manager Jim Leyland sees Granderson's future anyway), and he is a better defender than Carlos Guillen. He's also very familiar with Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski (having played for the World Series winning Florida Marlins team) and the Tigers have instantly become a better team today.

It's tough giving up so much, especially because Jurrjens looked so good last season, but shortstop was the Tigers biggest need, and the Tigers filled it with one of the best available options (and probably the best, A-Rod excluded). There's no question the Tigers, trading for Renteria, picking up Pudge's option, and trying to re-sign both Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones believe they have a short window to win a championship. They can be a great team for a long time with their young pitching and young talent, but they can be an elite team for the next two or three seasons, and the addition of Renteria certainly fits that strategy.

Detroit Tigers Exercise $13 Million Option For Pudge Rodriguez

The Detroit Tigers announced today that they have exercised a $13 million option to bring catcher Pudge Rodriguez back to the team for a fifth season. General Manager Dave Dombroski made clear today he sees Pudge as a key part of the Tigers going forward.

Dave Dombrowski, the club president/general manager, said in a statement that Rodriguez “has done a tremendous amount for our franchise in his four seasons in Detroit.”

“Pudge remains a quality major league catcher and we expect him to be a key player for our club in 2008,” Dombrowski said.

As I last month when word came out the Tigers may not bring Pudge back I think this absolutely was the right decision, and a decision the Tigers had to make. Is Pudge Rodriguez worth $13 million for one season? No. Not when considered in isolation. But when you look at the other options, and the stability that Pudge brings to the team, and add in the fact that $3 million was gone regardless (because of a $3 buyout the Tigers would have had to pay had they chosen not to exercise their team option), I am convinced this was the right move.

Could the Tigers have wrestled Jorge Posada away from the New York Yankees? Maybe. But that's not a risk I'm willing to take when the other options are Jason Kendall and Paul Lo Duca, neither of whom is any better than Pudge at this point in their careers. And while defensively, Pudge does not throw out runners like he used to, he still has a strong reputation which prevents teams from running on him like they do most other catchers in the league.

The Detroit Tigers have a small window to win now. With the core of Bonderman, Verlander, Zumaya, Miller, Maybin, and Granderson, the team should be a contender for years to come, but they have a chance to be an elite team for the next one or two years if they stick with the players they currently have. The best chance for them to win a World Series is to bring the core back for another season. That included Pudge, and includes Kenny Rogers and Todd Jones (though I don't think anybody will complain if the Tigers go after Mariano Riveria, who ESPN.com reports will test the free agent market. In two years, Rogers and Jones will be retired, Gary Sheffield likely will be too, and Pudge may be gone as well. But by bringing the band back together, a process started today with the exercising of the option for Pudge Rodriguez, the Tigers have given themselves a chance to win the World Series in 2008, an opportunity, no matter how few walks Pudge takes, or how much his skills have declined since the Tigers signed him four years ago, which is more likely to occur with Pudge than without him.

And the Detroit Tigers Had a Good Day Too; Plus: Pudge Done?

While a lot of the attention around Detroit is on the Detroit Lions victory over the Chicago bears, and the attention around baseball is focused on the historic collapse of the New York Mets (sorry Willy, Seth, and Alan, but congrats to Ben Wanger's Philadelphia Phillies) the Detroit Tigers finished their 2007 season today and despite not making the playoffs, and suffering through both a second-half slump and a rash of injuries, the season ended on a very positive note. Not only did the Tigers win their final game of the season (13-3 over the Chicago White Sox) but it was a banner day for a few individuals on the Tigers team.

Magglio Ordonez capped an incredible and MVP-worthy season by going 3 for 4 and winning the American League batting championship with a .363 average. It beats Norm Cash's amazing .361 season in 1961, and there isn't enough you can say about the season Magglio had. Neither can Curtis Granderson's season be properly praised. He finished his season with a 3-4 day, moving his batting average for the season over .300 (.302 to be exact) which is the holy line of demarcation in baseball, separating the men from the boys. He also added three more steals, giving him not only a .302 average, but 38 doubles, 23 home runs, 23 triples, 26 stolen bases, and 122 runs (3rd in the American League). He also knocked in 74 runs from the leadoff spot and played Gold Glove caliber centerfield. It will get completely overlooked, but it is not an exaggeration to say Granderson's year was one of the best all-around seasons in baseball history.

A few other Tigers hit milestones too, as Placido Polanco pushed his average above .340 (.341) and knocked through his 200th hit of the season. And Carlos Guillen had his 100th RBI of the season.

With such great individual seasons, it's really a shame the team's season has ended. But, the Tigers have a lot to be proud of this season. They fought through a lot of adversity, and individually, had some incredible seasons. Next year, though, it will be the team that hopefully is celebrating in October.

9:30 Update: Reading Kurt's great wrap-up of the Tigers season at Mack Avenue Tigers he noticed that Danny Knobler is reporting that Pudge Rodriguez has likely played his last game as a Tiger as the team is not expected to pick up his $13 million option for 2008. This stuns me, and I'll have more thoughts when it becomes official, but I think it's a big mistake. Yes, $13 million is overpaying Pudge, significantly. But there are no other options, no other good catchers available (at least not without a trade). And it's really only $10 million, because Pudge gets a $3 million buy-out regardless. Is Pudge the player he used to be? No. But he's still solid, he's great defensively (and still scares opposing runners even if he doesn't have a great arm anymore), and he's the best option the Tigers have. Especially when they have a huge void at shortstop, left-field, perhaps two spots in the starting pitching rotation, and perhaps closer to fill. Now we have to add catcher to the list. That's one too many holes for a team that's this close to being an elite team and making it back to the World Series. Maybe GM Dave Dombrowski will surprise me and acquire a solid replacement for Pudge, but at least right now, considering the other spots we have to fix on our roster, Pudge may not have been a superstar, but he was solid, which is a lot more than we can say about the position right now.

Jeremy Bonderman Done For The Year? Maybe.

Detroit Tigers starting pitcher, and ace of their pitching staff (though, Justin Verlander may have assumed that mantle with his performances this season), Jeremy Bonderman may be done for the season with elbow pain, another blow to a Detroit Tigers team that could ill-afford to lose Bonderman at such a critical point in the season. The Detroit Free Press reports Bonderman is feeling a "sharp pain" in his elbow and he says it reminds him of a similar, 2005 injury, which ended his season.

Bonderman allowed six earned runs and left with one out in the second inning of Detroit’s football-esque 14-7 loss. He admitted afterward that he is feeling a “sharp pain” on the outside of his elbow, and Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Bonderman would “probably” be shut down indefinitely.

“I’m done for awhile,” Bonderman said. “I know that.”

“It makes me sick,” he said.

Bonderman believes the injury is similar to the lateral elbow soreness that limited him to only two September starts in 2005. He did not pitch after Sept. 19 that year, rehabilitated the injury without surgery, and led the team with 34 starts in 2006.

The Tigers have never seemed to have everyone healthy at the same time this season. Kenny Rogers missed most of the first half of the season, then a significant part of the second. The bullpen, as has been talked about continuously, just recently got back to full strength, as the losses of Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney really hurt. Nate Robertson, Jair Jurrjens, and Andrew Miller have all spent time on the disabled list. The offense has faired better, but losing Gary Sheffield for the past few weeks coincided with the Tigers second-half swoon. Now, just as everyone seems to be back healthy, Bonderman goes down.

Just doesn't seem like 2007 is destined to be the Detroit Tigers year, does it?

Weekend Sports Update

Busy sports day on Saturday with the Detroit Tigers battling the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium followed by pre-season game #2 for the Detroit Lions, as they march towards quarterback Jon Kitna's predicted ten victories.

It was a mixed-bag, as the Tigers lost, again, falling 1.5 games back of the Cleveland Indians in the American League Central, but the Lions, needing only eight games now to match Kitna's prediction (he may not have been counting pre-season victories, but to get to 10 wins, he's going to have to) moved to 2-0 with some impressive and inspired play.

The Tigers first, because, they played first. As the day on the whole was mixed, so was the Tigers performance. Rookie phenom Cameron Maybin had some at-bats he'll remember forever and some plays in the field he would soon like to forget. At the plate, not only did Maybin pick up his first big league hit off of legendary Roger Clemens, but he his first first home run, to deep center field (410+ feet) off of the Rocket as well. No wonder he went 0-4 in his first game. He was just waiting to feast off of Clemens. In the field, though, Maybin, playing his second game in left field, still looked lost. He dropped a ball after calling off Brandon Inge early in the game, then despite a renowned arm, had an awful throw home which allowed Alex Rodriguez to score with ease. Overall though, Maybin had a good second game, and he should continue to get better (especially defensively as he becomes more comfortable in left-field, a position he had never played before).

Now, only if the Tigers could win a few games, that would be nice. They cannot afford to continue to fall behind Cleveland. Next week's series at Comerica Park is going to be crucial, especially if the Tigers do not win today. Winning three of the four games would allow the Tigers to pick up 2 games in the standings and perhaps take back first place.

As for the Lions, yes it is only pre-season, and yes the team was missing some of their key starters on offense (Roy Williams, Mike Furey, Kevin Jones) and Defense (Dewayne White, Kalimba Edwards) but when the starters were in, the team looked much improved from last week's effort. The first string defense forced two turnovers (the team had three in total) and the offense looked crisp. The running game was still hit or miss, but it looked better, and TJ Duckett, after fumbling last week, looked strong and tough in the second half.

The team still is a work in progress, and the offensive and defensive lines looked porous at times, but overall it was a strong effort. Now, how much of that was how awful Cleveland is and how much of that was how good Detroit is, that's a fair question. We'll know a lot more this time next week after the Lions starters play for a full half (or maybe more) against the defending Super Bowl champions, the Indianapolis Colts.

Cameron Maybin Struggles in Detroit Tigers Debut

And the Cameron Maybin era has begun. And it started in a blowout loss at Yankees stadium where Maybin did not look like the next Babe Ruth or Reggie Jackson or even the next Bobby Higginson (c'mon, Maybin's wearing Higgy's old #4, so you had to know that reference was coming). But, that's okay. There will be brighter days ahead for this ultra-talented 20-year-old.

Maybin, batting second and starting in left field, went 0-4 with two strikeouts, and struggled in the field. Essentially, he looked like a 20-year-old. Does this make the Tigers move to bring him to the major league a mistake? Of course not. A lot of Tigers looked silly against the dominant Andy Pettitte, and Maybin has not played a position other than centerfield since Spring Training. Add in a rainstorm which prevented Maybin from getting any pre-game work in the outfield, and learning a new position may take some time. And despite the 0-4 night, Maybin did show plate discipline at times, and seemed to look more and more comfortable after each at-bat.

Tomorrow won't get any easier, with Maybin scheduled to start again opposite Roger Clemens, but this is the big leagues, so there won't be a long grace or adjustment period. Despite the somewhat inauspicious beginning though, Cameron Maybin is likely to have a lot of success in the majors for a long time to come.

Detroit Tigers Call Up Cameron Maybin; Designate Craig Monroe for Assignment

After saying earlier this month that the team had no plans to call up phenom outfielder Cameron Maybin from the minor leagues when rosters expanded in September, the Detroit Tigers changed course Friday, calling up the 20-year-old center-fielder to the major leagues where he will be in uniform for tonight's game against the New York Yankees.

The Tigers have not announced whom Maybin in replacing on the 25-man major league roster, but the likely candidates are Craig Monroe (trade) or Marcus Thames (Disabled List) (Update: It's Monroe...See below) But with Maybin now on the big league club, you have to think he is here to play. While a number of the Detroit Tigers players are currently fighting the flu, and Thames may have re-injured his hamstring last night, Maybin is not here for depth purposes. Or he shouldn't be. Everyday at-bats are too valuable for a young player like Maybin and there are plenty of players in Toledo, like Timo Perez and Brent Clevlen, who could fill a depth role.

Maybin, on the other hand, needs to see as many at-bats as possible, and it looks as if those will now come at the major league level. Maybin, since being promoted to AA Erie earlier this month, has hit .400 with four home runs in five games. Not bad numbers for a 20-year-old. And while Maybin was not expected to join the major league club until mid-2008 at the earliest, perhaps now is the time for that experience to come. The Arizona Diamondbacks, for example, recently called up their hot-shot 19-year-old outfield prospect Justin Upton, and he produced immediate dividends at the major league level despite his young age. Maybin may be able to make a similar impact, especially with his speed.

Now, if Maybin is just here to sit on the bench, and play in spot roles due to illness or injury, calling him up is a mistake. He needs to continue to see pitching, at any level, major or minor leagues, every day. But, if he is here to play, he may just be here to stay, because with the talent and potential he has, there is no time like the present, and no place like Yankee Stadium, to show it off.

12:30 Update: My MLive.com colleague Danny Knobler is now reporting that Maybin is replacing Craig Monroe on the roster. Monroe has been designated for assignment, giving the Tigers 10 days to trade him or offer him his unconditional release. While Monroe has struggled all season, few figured his Tigers career would end like this. But, with how well Marcus Thames has played, and Maybin's upside, this was likely Monroe's final season in Detroit regardless. The Tigers also sent down Omar Infante, in a bit of a surprise move, recalling shortstop Ramon Santiago. Santiago can't match Infante's bat, but he is a much better defensive shortstop, and you can't blame the Tigers for wanting to keep Ryan Raburn around as opposed to Infante.

Tigers Sign Porcello; Are the Tigers the New Yankees?

The Detroit Tigers, nearing a Wednesday deadline to sign their draft picks before losing them forever to college (or next year's draft), are spending big to sign their top talent. Rick Porcello, who was considered the best right-handed pitching prospect in the draft, and a top five overall prospect, slid to the Tigers first-round spot in the late first round because of concerns about how much it would cost to sign him, if a team could come to an agreement with him and agent Scott Boras at all. The Detroit Tigers were unafraid, and Tuesday, they reportedly agreed to a deal with Porcello for either $7.3 million or $7.7 million guaranteed. Either way, it's a record breaking contract, the most money paid to a prep prospect ever (surpassing Josh Beckett's $7.0 million deal in 1999). Not only that, but the Tigers might also shell out seven-figure deals to both fifth round pick (pitcher) Casey Crosby and sixth-round pick (shortstop) Cale lorg.

Which leads to the question: Are the Detroit Tigers the new New York Yankees? Looks like it doesn't it? Justin Verlander, Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, and now Porcello each received near-record breaking (or in Porcello's case, record-breaking) contracts, and each likely will make up the backbone of the Tigers future. Add that to the money spent on the likes of Pudge Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, and Gary Sheffield, and suddenly, the Tigers look like Major League Baseball's biggest spenders.

And whether they are the new Yankees or not, owner Mike Ilitch deserves praise for spending so much money on unproven talent. Justin Verlander has obviously paid off in spades, and Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin both look like they were well worth the money too. It's obviously too early to say about Porcello, but from everything everyone says about Porcello he's just as talented, and just as gifted.

Mike Ilitch got a lot of heat during the 1990s and the start of this decade when he was not spending money, and the Tigers were the laughing stock of baseball. But, now, with a winning team, a dedicated fan base, and a general manager (Dave Dombrowski) who knows how to spend money wisely (when he gives a high school pitcher $7.5 million, you can bet he knows the guy brings the goods), Ilitch has been unafraid to spend big bucks. And thanks to that willingness to spend, the Tigers look to be in prime position to contend well into the next decade.

Now only if Porcello could come up tomorrow and replace Jason Grilli in the bullpen, we'd be all set.

"We're in a bit of chaos right now" - Detroit Tigers Manager Jim Leyland

"We're in a bit of chaos right now." That's the lead from MLive.com's Danny Knobler who reports this afternoon that Andrew Miller has been placed on the 15-day Disabled List with a bum hamstring, making him the third Detroit Tigers starter to hit the DL this year. The vaunted Fernando Rodney will return to a still-in-flux Tigers bullpen, even though the Tigers would have preferred he continue to fine-tune his delivery at AAA Toledo for just a bit longer.

At the start of the 2007 season, the big question surrounding the Tigers was whether they would become this season's version of the Chicago White Sox. In 2006, the White Sox, fresh off of a World Series win, were primed for a repeat (especially considering how weak the AL Central was -- remember, this was before the Tigers turnaround). The long 2005 season, though, came back to haunt the White Sox. Especially their pitching staff which led them to the World Series but never seemed to recover in time for a 2006 pennant run.

When the Detroit Tigers started off 2007 as hot as they played in 2006, the White Sox comparison seemed like nothing more than a foolish warning from the ultimate pessimist. Even midway through the season, the Tigers had so many pitchers they didn't know what to do with them all, and they eventually traded Mike Maroth and Wil Ledemza (both of whom have starting experience).

Today, though, mired in an almost month long slump, placing yet another starting pitcher on the DL, the 2006 White Sox comparison doesn't seem so far fetched. All of Detroit's starting pitchers, except for Justin Verlander, have at least missed multiple starts, and only Verlander has not spent time on the Disabled List (reading Kurt's similar thoughts over at Mack Avenue Tigers reminded me that even Jeremy Bondman was placed on the DL back in May with blister problems. I thought he had just missed a few starts). As has Zach Miner, who was a key member of the Tigers starting rotation last season. And the bullpen? Those woes have been well documented, with seemingly everyone, from Miner, to Fernando Rodney (two trips), Joel Zumaya, and Tim Byrdak missing time.

Now, the White Sox comparison isn't entirely accurate. Miller did not pitch significantly last year. Bonderman's problem was a blister, and Rogers blood clot likely had nothing to do with how many innings he threw in 2006. Same with Joel Zumaya's freak finger injury. But, the bottom line is, the injuries keep coming. And now, the Tigers batters (like Marcus Thames and Gary Sheffield) are out too.

This has been a rough stretch, obviously, for the Tigers. Chaos, as Jim Leyland described it, is a good word to use. But, you get the feeling that the light may be visible at the end of the tunnel. Fernando Rodney, shaky as he may be, is back, and is said to be 100%. Joel Zumaya should return before the end of the month. Marcus Thames as well. And Sheffield's injured shoulder is feeling better. So maybe, just maybe, two or three weeks from now, this stretch will be nothing more than a memory.

And there's always the possibility of a trade. Though, if the Tigers are serious about moving Carlos Guillen to first base next year (not the worst idea in the world), Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson is not the answer. But, a former shortstop (current third baseman) who hit a historic 500th home run today will be a free agent at the end of the year. But, that's a post for another day.