With about one month left in the season, the Tigers will continue to evaluate the current roster with an eye toward 2009.  Quite a few of the minor leaguers in the system have had an opportunity to show they belong in Detroit.   Several of them have shown promise.  Clete Thomas showed some spark and energy while Freddy Dolsi displayed good stuff but needs more seasoning.  Jeff Larish has displayed some versatility defensively and should hit for power at the major league level.  But, the one player that has stood out like a 420 foot homerun, is Matt Joyce.

Joyce came out of nowhere this season to stake his claim in left field  He was ranked as the 7th best propect for the Tigers entering 2008, yet he is a great example of a player getting an opportunity and not flinching.  Orginally called up in early May, Joyce had the reputation of being a terrific defensive player. However,  it was his bat, more specifically his power, that opened eyes initially.  Joyce quickly hit five homeruns in his first thirteen games.

Here we are on the doorstep of September and Joyce continues to hit and play outstanding defense.  A much coveted left handed bat, the youngster has made the necessary adjustments that new players must make.  He is also improving in an area that needed work:  hitting the breaking ball.  Joyce will play winterball in Mexico this off season to work on hitting the curve.  It won't leave much down time before spring training 2009, but Joyce understands it is necessary for him to take the next step.

Aside from Armando Galarraga, Joyce has been the biggest rookie surprise of the year.  I can't wait to see what he looks like next spring.

The frustration of last night's game boiled over in the 9th inning when Placido Polanco was ejected after his relay throw to first base hit the runner's hand and killed a potential double play.  The whole sequence was a snapshot of this entire year.  Polanco argued, was tossed and it was all downhill from there.  Just when you think you have seen it all with the 2008 Tigers, we witness another strange sequence.

Nine and a half games back in Mid August with two teams to jump is pretty daunting.  Realistically, post season play is not in the offing this year.  Does that mean the Tigers should blow this team up?  No.  The White Sox are a great example of how some off season tweaking to a solid core can change your fortunes.  There is some luck involved.  The White Sox struck gold with Alexei Ramirez and Carlos Quentin.  I'd like to see the Tigers add a little more speed to the lineup next season.  The top five five or six in the line-up are still very impressive, but I can't help but to notice how the Twins and Angels are winning games.  Pressuring the defense and playing good defense of their own.  One thing is for certain, the Tigers will have to pitch better.  Verlander should rebound and hopefully Bonderman will be better and healthy.  Galarraga has been a surprise and hopefully he can be as good next season.   How the Tigers fill out the rest of the rotation will be interesting to follow.

On another topic, how about Curtis Granderson's numbers against lefties?  He is hitting .290 against southpaws this year and has proven he should be in the line-up regardless of who is pitching for the other team.  I still think eventually he will be hitting lower in the line-up and driving in runs.

Those that grew up in Detroit listening to Tigers great George Kell remember him yelling, "LOOK OUT" anytime a foul ball screamed into the stands.  Well, these days foul balls seem to be the least of our problems.  It's amazing to me how many bats shatter on any given night at the ballpark.  We look at players, coaches and fans darting out of the way of these missiles yet, major league baseball is just now starting to do something about it.  Bud Selig is currently studying ways to fix this dangerous problem.  But, I can't believe it has taken this long. 

When Mike Coolbaugh was tragically killed after being struck in the neck by a foul ball while coaching at first base in a minor league game last July, MLB took steps to keep the base coaches safe by making helmets mandatory.  However, in my mind, it is more likely that someone (player, coach or fan) will be impaled by a flying piece of shattered lumber.

Here is a sampling of some instances where shattered bats have already caused severe damage.  Two fans, on in New York and one in Colorado, were struck in the face by a broken bat.  Both required major surgery.  Pirates hitting coach Don Long suffered facial nerve damage when he was hit by a chunk of a broken bat in a game in Los Angeles. 

The culprit:  maple bats.  Maple is a harder wood, but when it shatters,  it can do a lot of damage.  Apparently there is a new product on the horizon.  There is a company now making bats made of birch.  Rangers outfielder David Murphy switched to birch because it doesn't break as often.  Perhaps more players will begin to use them.  However, most players that I have spoke to like the feel of maple the best, so it may be a slow change.  Hopefully the problem will be address soon before someone is hurt permanently.

Tonight in Baltimore the second half of the season begins for the Tigers.  In my opinion, it is one of the more critical second halves in recent Tigers history.  This past off season, the Tigers gave up a good portion of their future to win now and to win for the foreseeable future.  The first half results have been disappointing.

While injuries to Jeremy Bonderman, Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez and the tough-to-figure-out Dontrelle Willis situation have had an effect on the the first half of the season, there is still enough talent and time to challenge the Sox and Twins.  But it has to start now. The club has done well to find a way back to .500, but now it's time to stick this thing into overdrive.  The line-up remains one of the most feared on paper and the young players have helped tremendously.  But, for me the division will be won or lost based on the starting pitching.  The Tigers will need big second halves from the entire rotation.  Unfortunately that rotation does not include Bonderman or Willis at this time.  Major setbacks to be sure, but the current rotation has the ability to get it done.

Verlander is the horse and must continue to pitch the way he has the last month.  Galarraga needs to duplicate his first half.  Robertson must find consistency.  Kenny will give you everything his has left on a nightly basis and the fifth spot (whoever that is going forward) must pitch in like Zack Miner did in 2006 following the Maroth injury.

I still think this will be a fun stretch run.  But there is no more time to tread water.

Driving to the park today, one of the subjects on one of the sports talk stations was Pudge's at bat in the 9th inning.  Some callers were criticizing Pudge for not purposely getting hit by a pitch with the base loaded to win the game.

Most of the callers I heard had enough common sense to realize that asking a player to step into a 95mph fastball from Joe Nathan that was shoulder/neck- high was ridiculous.  Some however disagreed, saying Pudge should have taken one for the team.  Umm No.

It's impossible for anyone who has not been put in that situation to say that they would have moved into that pitch and purposely gotten hit.  Most, if not all of us, have no perspective as to what that would be like.  Pudge has played the game professionally for 20 years.  All of his personal experience and instinct told him to get out of the way.  To think that he could do anything else in that spot is not realistic.

Had it been a breaking ball or thrown at his legs or feet, that is different story.  In addition, if he dives into a pitch on purpose, the umpire will rule that he purposely did not try to get out of the way.

I realized there will be a lot of weekend warriors who will scream, "In my day I would have actually stuck my face in the way if it meant winning a game.  I would have left a trail of blood all the way down to first base if I had to."  That's fine, but most of those people have no idea what 95mph really is.  Especially when it's cutting a path to your chin.

Back in spring training during our last telecast, Clete Thomas strolled to the plate for an at bat late in a game. Rod mentioned that there was a buzz around camp that Clete Thomas was going to make the team with Curtis Granderson sidelined with a hand injury. I laughed it off and mentioned that I thought is was highly unlikely that Thomas would break camp with the Tigers. Next pitch, Clete hit a long home run over the right field wall. It was as if he was telling me, "Stuff that in your pipe and smoke it, announcer boy." Clete Thomas made the team out of camp.

Now that we have seen what Clete can do at this level, I think he has shown that he could be a fine major leaguer, if not a very good one. The two bases loaded walks he drew against the Cardinals showed a great deal of maturity. Just as he showed calm on the field in a tight spot, Thomas has also showed that same body language in the clubhouse. Now Clete will get a chance to replace Ordonez for a while. The injury to Magglio is a blow to the offense, but not a crippling one. In fact, some of the Tigers major injuries this year have given us a glimpse of the future. And, the young players that have been given a chance, are showing that they can play. Thomas, Larish, Bonine, Joyce, and Galarraga have run with their opportunities. This is a deep team. They have weathered the storm of significant injuries so far. Bonderman, Willis, Sheffield and now Magglio.

How they continue to weather the storm will decided how far they go.

I must admit I wasn't a big fan of the Carlos Guillen/ Miquel Cabrera position switch when it was first announced.  I could see that Cabrera had to be moved but I thought it weakened two positons at once.  Ooops. 

Guillen now plays third like he has done it his whole life.  There certainly was an adjustment period though.  Carlos didn't play the position with a whole lot of confidence in the beginning, but now he is as smooth as silk at the hot corner.  Meanwhile, Tigers coaches could tell right away that Cabrera had to be moved.  In the end, first base will turn out to be his best position.  He is a big target that is starting to get more and more comfortable with the nuances of first base.  Leyland often talks about Albert Pujols making the switch in St. Louis.  He became a good first baseman because he worked at it.  Cabrera is doing the same.  He is using the backhand to scoop balls out of the dirt with regularity.

As Leyalnd says, "This ain't no fly-by-night operation.  We've been around the block a few times."  That much is true.  They certainly know what they are doing.

One of my favorite sitcoms growing up was The Jeffersons.  So much so, that I once had a cat named Wheezie.  What does that have to do with anything?  I don't know, but the Tigers' climb up the standings this past week reminds me of The Jeffersons theme song, "Movin' on Up."

It is amazing how different the clubhouse feels these days.  Nobody will say it, but everyone seems more relaxed and confident.   It's almost as if the ball club just realized how good it truly is.  I must admit, after the Tigers were swept on the last swing out west in Oakland, I was starting to have doubts that this team could or would ever get it going.

With the win over San Francisco today and Cleveland's loss to Colorado, the Tigers have hopped over the Indians in the standings.  Next stop, Minnesota.  the Tigers are starting to resemble the team that we have grown to love the last couple of years.  A club that will punish average pitching and find a way to beat good pitching.

The Tigers catch a break the next three days.  No Jake Peavy.  The Tigers should take two out of three.  That's if they don't get too sun burned tomorrow at the beach.

One of my partner Rod Allen's favorite sayings when he sees a sharp dressed person is, "He's cleaner than the board of health."  Well, the same can be said for the way the Tigers played the just completed three game series against the White Sox.

Three clean, well pitched, well defended games have given Tigers fans some hope.  This is how most  expected the Tigers to play all year.  An important stretch is on the horizon as well.  The Tigers will face five teams (LA, SF, SD, STL and Col) the rest of the month that are a combined 20 games under .500.  They just need to concentrate on winning every series.  If they do that, they will be 10-5 in that stretch and will have a chance to move forward.

The three game sweep is a start, especially when you consider the White Sox mastery over the Tigers the last two years.

Good sign last night seeing Curtis Granderson chip in with three hits. I've always believed (like most fans do) that the Tigers offense needs Granderson to really click. Getting him on base is vital for the offense. The one thing that concerns me is that the Tigers continue to go long stretches without scoring add on runs. Fortunately the bullpen was nails last night.

What do you think about Guillen in left? I was tipped off that it might happen a couple of weeks ago, but didn't believe it would be considered. I was wrong. I don't know what to think of the possibility. It seems like so many guys are playing out of position already. I do believe that Inge has to play third on nights that he doesn't catch, so if this gets him in the line-up, I think it's worth a look. Meanwhile Carlos remains open to playing positions that are not natural for him. He's a great team guy.

By the way, check out this article on Rick Porcello.  Pretty interesting.

After the Cabrera/Wllis deal this past off-season, the popular thing to do was to pull out a piece of paper and pencil and fill out your own personal Tigers line-up card. It was loaded, and it was fun to move the parts around. Jim Leyland cautioned however, that rarely does a line-up stay intact, regardless of how good it looks in spring training.

Well, here we are, heading toward June and the roster has had its share of moves. How many of you thought names like Joyce, Thomas, Galarraga and Dolsi would actually contribute? Some in a major way. Thomas provided energy, Joyce flashed power, Dolsi has shown promise and Galarraga has been the team's most consistent pitcher. In fact, he pitched the best game of the year last night.

Now, Jeff Larish will get his chance and Clete Thomas is returning. Contrary to popular belief, the farm system was not totally pillaged in the off-season. While the Tigers may not have nearly as many top-flight prospects as they did several months ago, they have plenty of people that can help. Just goes to show how long the baseball season is and how change is a constant part of the game.

We just arrived in Anaheim and the start of a long road trip is here.  The next ten days will give us all a really good feel for where this team stands.  While a 4-2 home stand was nice, it could have been terrific with a win on Sunday.  Everyone seems to be a little on edge these days.  From the fans, to the media to anyone associated with the club.  Expectations were high coming in and obviously we are nowhere close to meeting those expectations.

I think we all can agree that the Tigers are showing signs of getting better.  Verlander's performance on Sunday was yet another in a line of good outings from the starting staff.  The overall performance of the offense on the home stand makes you think it is about to get rolling.  Cleveland continues to stumble and no one is taking control of the division.  I'm not sure there is a fan base in the Central that is happy right now.  However, no team coming into the season had bigger expectations that the Tigers.  This trip is critical.  Traveling out west is no picnic, but the Tigers need to find a way to win some games over the next week and a half.  If they don't, a 6 1/2 game deficit could mushroom.

Deep down, I still feel there is no way this team will continue to struggle to find consistency as much as they have.  I hope they prove me right.  Otherwise I may have to beat the stuffings out of a Rally ####.

The Tigers have made their decision and it appears, for the time being, that Armando Galarraga will stay in the rotation and Dontrelle Willis will head to the bullpen.  Leyland announced today that Willis will be activated in a day or two and that he will head to the bullpen.  It was an interesting and tough decision.  Willis is making a lot of money, but Galarraga is pitching so well.  Leyland had this to say about the decision:  "Galarraga's mound presence is as good and any pitcher we have.  He shows no frustration or ever gets flustered."

It was a difficult decision to make in one sense because Willis is handsomely paid.  However, until he works out his control problems, it would have been unfair to remove Galarraga.  "I can't in any way justify taking him (Galarraga) out of the rotation," Leyland said. 

And that pretty much sums it up.

Well, the Red Sox showed us who's boss.  For now at least.  After dropping three of four to the defending champs, the Tigers will try to regroup against a Yankees team that is hindered by injuries right now.  The Tigers will also miss Wang and Mussina in the Yankees rotation,  which has me feeling like this could be a good three days in Detroit.

However, one stat has me worried concerning the Tigers start.  They are 0-18 when scoring four runs or less.  0-18.  That's unbelievable to me.  The offense has taken it's share of bullets because of inconsistency, however, that one stat indicates the the Tigers need to start pitching better.  We have already seen proof that there will be nights that the offense will be quiet, regardless of how many all-stars you have stacked up.  That applies to any team, not just the Tigers.  The staff has an A.L. high 5.10 ERA and has allowed 199 runs, more than any other A.L. team.  When the Tigers begin to pitch better, they can start to make the climb to .500 and beyond.  Until then, they will rely on an offense that at times has been feast or famine.

 

I'm not sure there is anything more satisfying than rolling into Yankee Stadium and sweeping the Yankees.  Before yesterday's series ending win, Jim Leyland mentioned that he was very pleased with the way the Tigers are playing the game.  Last night there were some great examples of how tough this club will be to beat.

Four times in the series, the Tigers either fell behind or gave up the lead. Each time they responded in the very next inning with some runs.  That to me is the mark o####reat club.  I can't remember seeing a Yankees club that seemed to display so little confidence.  I understand they are ####ed up, but the Tigers haven't exactly been the picture of health either.

Some observations:  Placido Polanco is back.  You can tell it in the way he walks around the clubhouse and by his demeanor, he feels good physically....Nate Robertson was still taking grief on the flight to Minny last night for his belly-flop on the field...Ramon Santiago is a much better player than he is given credit for.  When used as Leyland is using him, he gives you a great effort every time out.  Miguel Cabrera seems happy-go-lucky on the field, but he is a MAN...Magglio Ordonez continues to be a quite force in the league.  He's not flashy and loud, just good.

Funny story.  Last night on the flight to Minneapolis, Francisco Cruceta took a seat on the plane next to Nate Robertson.  Nate went on to explain to Crucetta that everyone that has sat next to him is no longer with the team.  First it was Gary Knotts.  Gone.  Then it was Chris Shelton.  Gone.  Then Sean Casey.  Gone.  Ryan Raburn sat next to Nate for the first few flights and then decided not to test fate, so he moved.  What did Crucetta do?  He go outta Dodge and took a seat in the next row next to Denny Bautista.