Bless You Boys

2009 SBN Baseball Awards: AL Manager of the Year

2009-11-09T17:00:42Z

This week, we'll be posting the results for each of Major League Baseball's regular season awards, as voted upon by the SB Nation baseball bloggers. Today's announcement is for the 2009 Manager of the Year balloting.

Each SB Nation blog was given two ballots to fill out, voting for awards in the particular league their team belongs to. Those with only one primary writer, such as BYB, were allowed to invite another team-specific blogger to submit the other ballot. Voting with me for the American League awards was Kurt Mensching from Mack Avenue Tigers.

You can see how each of the SB Nation baseball bloggers voted at their respective sites, as we'll all be sharing our ballots. The remaining SBN Baseball Awards will be announced in succession throughout the week. Rookie of the Year winners will be posted tomorrow, with Cy Young winners to follow on Wednesday, and we'll conclude with the winners of the Most Valuable Player awards on Thursday.

Here are the 2009 vote totals for American League Manager of the Year:

Rk	Manager	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
1	Mike Scioscia	Los Angeles Angels	9	8	3	72
2	Ron Gardenhire	Minnesota Twins	9	5	1	61
3	Don Wakamatsu	Seattle Mariners	6	3	8	47
4	Joe Girardi	New York Yankees	2	4	2	24
5	Ron Washington	Texas Rangers	1	4	4	21
6	Terry Francona	Boston Red Sox	1	1	3	11
7	Jim Leyland	Detroit Tigers	-	2	4	10
8	Joe Maddon	Tampa Bay Rays	-	1	1	4
9	Ozzie Guillen	Chicago White Sox	-	-	1	1
10	Trey Hillman	Kansas City Royals	-	-	1	1

On my ballot, Don Wakamatsu got the first-place vote, with Mike Scioscia second, and Jim Leyland third. Scioscia deserved strong consideration, given all that his team had to go through this year, but ultimately, I felt no other manager got better results from a less talented roster (though they had great talent on defense) than Wakamatsu did. And I'm not sure anyone had to deal with more underperformers (especially in his lineup) than Leyland.

How would you have voted?

The National League ballot is after the jump:

Rk	Manager	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	Pts
1	Jim Tracy	Colorado Rockies	24	1	2	125
2	Tony LaRussa	St. Louis Cardinals	3	7	10	46
3	Fredi Gonzalez	Florida Marlins	2	6	5	33
4	Joe Torre	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	9	2	29
5	Charlie Manuel	Philadelphia Phillies	-	3	5	14
6	Bruce Bochy	San Francisco Giants	1	1	1	9
7	Bobby Cox	Atlanta Braves	-	1	4	7
8	Bud Black	San Diego Padres	-	1	1	4
9	John Russell	Pittsburgh Pirates	-	1	-	3

Morning Prowl: Arbitration Dilemmas, Free Agent Predictions, and Gibby's Managerial Aspirations

2009-11-09T13:00:54Z

The Tigers face quite a dilemma with their free agents, in regards to offering arbitration. Kurt Mensching tries to predict what decisions the team will make on Placido Polanco, Adam Everett, Fernando Rodney, and Brandon Lyon at Mack Avenue Tigers.

MLB Trade Rumors listed their Top 50 Free Agents for 2010, and Tim Dierkes forecasts where each of them will end up. He sees the Tigers being in on a couple of guys (you'll have to scroll down the list), and he has an interesting destination for Placido Polanco. (And if his Yankees predictions come true, I might just be disgusted.)

Will Detroit's effort to fill its shortstop vacancy be made more difficult by the Red Sox now also cruising the market after declining Alex Gonzalez's option for next year? Might they be interested in Adam Everett, or do they want more offense at that position? (Boston tried to get J.J. Hardy before the trade deadline, as well.)

The Freep's John Lowe exchanged e-mails with Brewers general manager Doug Melvin, who said he never contacted the Tigers about Hardy because they didn't have what he was looking for in return.

At The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Bill Ferris takes a look through The Bill James Handbook and lets us know how the Tigers stacked up in a variety of categories and stats.

More from Lowe: Did we know Kirk Gibson interviewed for the Cleveland Indians' manager job? I don't recall reading that anywhere else, but apparently he did. Gibby wants to be a major league manager, and feels his six years working as a bench coach (between the Tigers and Diamondbacks) have taught him plenty that he'd use in that role.

How did the two Tigers prospects do in Saturday night's Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Showcase? Casper Wells went 0-for-3, and Andrew Oliver allowed three baserunners in one inning of work, but didn't give up a run. (Here's the boxscore.)

Staying in Arizona for one more item, Lynn Henning reviews the performance of four Tigers prospects playing out there, including the aforementioned Wells and Oliver. (Cue your sad trombone for Cale Iorg.)

The Oakland Press' Pat Caputo thinks that Comerica Park (or its field) should not be named after Ernie Harwell.

Oh, the bonds that develop between baseball players and the beat reporters who cover them. MLB.com's White Sox beat writer Scott Merkin laments Chris Getz getting traded to the Royals, depriving him of someone to discuss University of Michigan football and basketball with. You can e-mail me, Scott.

Former future Tigers superstar-in-the-making Cameron Maybin is having shoulder surgery this offseason. Maybin has a partially torn labrum in his left shoulder. ("Always a Tiger," as Old English D says.)

And this is self-indulgent, but in our farewell post to Marcus Thames, rook34 mentioned his favorite Thames moment. It's one of my favorite memories of 2006, as well, and here's what I wrote about it in my pre-BYB days.

The Quest For Relief Revisits J.J. Putz

2009-11-08T14:00:24Z

by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Would J.J. Putz be happier (and healthier) playing for his hometown Detroit Tigers than he was with the New York Mets?

View full size photo »

One year after losing out on trading for reliever J.J. Putz, could the Detroit Tigers get another chance to add him to their bullpen?

After the New York Post reported on Thursday night that the Mets planned to buy Putz out of his contract option for 2010, the team made it official yesterday. Though Putz hasn't yet officially filed for free agency, he's expected to do so. (Re-signing with the Mets hasn't been ruled out, and they have exclusive negotiating rights with him until November 20.)

Putz is still recovering from surgery in early June, which removed a bone spur from his pitching elbow. Working in a set-up role, he was able to pitch in only 29 games for the Mets this season, finishing with a 1-4 record, 5.22 ERA, 19 strikeouts, and 19 walks in 29.1 innings.

Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski sounds as if he'd prefer a veteran closer for next season. Re-signing Brandon Lyon or Fernando Rodney is a possibility, but the free agent market could end up pricing both of them out of the Tigers' range. (Rodney has already said he's hoping for a three-to-four-year deal.) If that's the case, Detroit will have to look elsewhere, so we're dusting off The Quest For Relief for yet another offseason.

And The Quest could begin with Putz. At his best, he was a dominating closer. Between 2006 and 2007, Putz racked up 76 saves in 85 opportunities, with 186 strikeouts and 16 walks in 150 innings. But he's struggled with elbow and rib cage injuries the past two seasons, limiting him to 76 games. (And his elbow gave him problems in prior seasons, as well.) This is what compelled the Mets to decline Putz's 2010 option.

The Tigers went after him hard last winter, but backed off when the Mariners wanted both Matt Joyce and Jeff Larish. As it turns out, Detroit needed a third team involved to give Seattle the centerfielder they wanted. When the Mets were able to get the Indians to give up Franklin Gutierrez, they swooped in and got Putz.

But the Tigers ended up salvaging a deal for Edwin Jackson out of those negotiations, which was an excellent consolation prize. (Especially when Putz was done by June.)

So is this a possibility the Tigers should pursue? (Most of the team's beat writers seem to think so, as does MLB Trade Rumors.) Putz presumably wouldn't cost much, as teams wouldn't want to spend big money on an injury risk. He'd probably be willing to sign a one-year deal (maybe with an option) to prove he can make it through a full season healthy. (The Tigers being his hometown team might not hurt, either.) And if he stays healthy, the Tigers might have themselves a closer.

To me, Putz seems far too risky to be Detroit's only option for that role. If a team doesn't know who the guy is in the ninth inning, it can screw with their confidence. Look at each of the eight playoff teams; their closers were established for the stretch run. (Though the Cardinals and Rockies took a while to settle on a guy.)

Would the Tigers be able to sign Putz and Lyon? Or are they confident enough in Ryan Perry or Joel Zumaya to take over if Putz's elbow fails him again? Which direction would make you feel most comfortable?

"I knew when I didn't play in that last game against Minnesota. I knew I was out of there."

2009-11-07T16:59:07Z

"I knew when I didn't play in that last game against Minnesota. I knew I was out of there."

Marcus Thames, talking to the Detroit News' Lynn Henning about being released by the Tigers yesterday

The Marcus Thames Era Has Ended in Detroit

2009-11-06T23:00:41Z

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP

Marcus Thames was removed from the Detroit Tigers' 40-man roster, making him a free agent and likely ending his six-year career with the team.

Browse more photos »

And so goes the Slugger Thames.

With the offseason officially under way, the Detroit Tigers needed to make some decisions to create room on their 40-man roster. That process has begun, according to Jason Beck. Outfielder Marcus Thames and catcher Matt Treanor were removed from the roster. Both players are now free agents and can sign with any other team.

Those moves free up space on the 40-man roster for Joel Zumaya and Jeff Larish, both of whom had to be reinstated from the 60-day disabled list. Infielder Michael Hollimon was also taken off the 60-day DL, but was sent to Triple-A Toledo.

This season, Thames batted .252/.323/.453 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs, the lowest totals of his six-year stint with Detroit. He was out from mid-April to early June, due to a pulled rib cage muscle.

But even when Thames returned to the lineup, he never provided the power that the Tigers needed. May through July was usually when Thames could be counted on to bring the thunder, only to disappear once August began. But this year, he was never able to put together that sustained hot streak. As a result (along with Ryan Raburn's emergence), Thames really only got off the bench when the lineup needed a DH against left-handed pitching.

Thames's Tigers career ends with a .245/.307/.501 batting line, 99 home runs, and 255 RBIs in 485 games played.

I know a lot of Tigers fans thought Thames could be a 35-to-40-homer guy if he'd gotten 500 at-bats, but that just never developed. My feeling always was that if Thames was capable of being Detroit's full-time left fielder, Jim Leyland would've had him in there. But he did provide some memorable home runs during his time here, and sometimes seemed like the only power threat in the lineup.

Thames made $2.3 million this season (a $1 million raise), and was eligible for arbitration. I could be wrong on this, but pay cuts don't usually occur in that situation, which is why he was non-tendered.

Treanor was signed last December, with the hopes that he could back up Gerald Laird and still give the Tigers good defense behind the plate. But he could never fully recover from the hernia surgery he had after the 2008 season, and by late April, was done for the year. (Alas, we never did get those gratuitious shots of Misty May-Treanor watching from her seats and cheering on her husband.) Had he been available, perhaps Laird wouldn't have worn down the way he did late in the season.

J.J. Hardy Traded to Twins for Carlos Gomez

2009-11-06T17:35:04Z

J.J. Hardy Traded to Twins for Carlos Gomez

This is already being discussed in the comments of today's Morning Prowl, but if the Tigers were looking at acquiring shortstop J.J. Hardy from the Brewers, the Twins beat them to it.

Hardy was traded to Minnesota today for outfielder Carlos Gomez.

Check out what Twinkie Town and Brew Crew Ball are saying about the deal.

Morning Prowl: Tom Brookens, Clete's Jersey Retired, Rising Stars, and Yesterday's Trades

2009-11-06T13:00:31Z

Double-A Erie manager (and former Tigers third baseman) Tom Brookens says he'd be interested in a major league coaching job if one was offered. Will the Tigers offer him the first base coach position vacated by Andy Van Slyke?

Clete Thomas had his high school jersey retired on Wednesday. Thomas wore No. 3 at Mosley High School in Lynn Haven, FL. (I'm sure Gary Sheffield would've given that up willingly.) It's the first baseball number the school's ever retired. (You can see a list of his prep achievements here.)

Here's more on the ceremony, including video, from a local news station. (via 1baseball34 on Twitter)

If you want to get a look at prospects Casper Wells and Andrew Oliver, MLB Network is broadcasting the Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Showcase Saturday night at 8:15 p.m. ET. (via MLive.com)

On his blog, Jason Beck shared some projections from the Bill James Handbook. And they look pretty kindly on Ryan Raburn next season. (Curtis Granderson and Magglio Ordonez are also viewed favorably, which would make a huge difference for next year's lineup.)

More minors: At Fangraphs, Marc Hulet looks at five Tigers minor leaguers (current or former) who are worthy of mention, but probably won't be listed among the team's top 10 prospects.

Jarrod Washburn says he'd "be surprised" if the Tigers offered him a contract for next season. Washburn sounds like a smart guy. If they were interested, Detroit has exclusive negotiating rights with Washburn, who says his knee feels better after surgery, until November 20.

If you'd like to look at who will join Washburn in free agency, here's a complete list of free agents for 2010 from MLB Daily Dish.

Anybody else look at the deal for Jeremy Hermida the Red Sox made with the Marlins, and wonder if the Tigers could've (or should've) gotten in on that action? Or would that have just added to a logjam in Detroit? (Over the Monster is a bit baffled by the trade, wondering where Hermida will play in Boston.)

Meanwhile, Mark Teahen had reportedly been traded to the White Sox for Chris Getz and Josh Fields. Or was he? As of last night, Teahen was still a Kansas City Royal.

The Big Lead has three ideas to improve the MLB playoffs. Mostly, we're linking to this because the writer called the Tigers-Twins tiebreaker "the most exciting baseball moment this season."

Those who believe the Tigers should pursue a trade with the Brewers for shortstop J.J. Hardy (unless he's non-tendered) will likely enjoy this Fangraphs article about Hardy's defense.

Have some time to kill at work today? Check out this optical illusion based on the break of a curveball. No wonder Wilkin Ramirez can't hit that thing. (I probably shouldn't have said that.)

Five Detroit Tigers File For Free Agency

2009-11-06T03:25:17Z

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Placido Polanco was one of five Detroit Tigers to file for free agency on Thursday, the first day eligible players could do so.

Browse more photos »

With the conclusion of the World Series, players can now file for free agency. Placido Polanco, Adam Everett, Fernando Rodney, Aubrey Huff, and Jarrod Washburn did so Thursday. The only player eligible for free agency who didn't file right away was Brandon Lyon, but according to Jason Beck, there's apparently nothing to read into that.

The Tigers can negotiate exclusively with their free agents until November 20.

One more note from Beck's post on the Tigers' free agents: Polanco qualified as a Type A free agent, meaning if Detroit offers him arbitration and he signs with another team, they'll receive two draft picks. One would be from the team that signs Polanco (possibly a first-round pick, unless the team has one of the top 15 selections in the first round, which are protected), along with a supplemental pick between the first and second rounds.

Rodney and Lyon are Type B free agents, which would yield a supplemental draft pick if they're offered arbitration.

(Here's an explanation of the free agent compensation rules from ESPN.com's Keith Law. It's an Insider article, however. MLB Trade Rumors also explains the process.)

No Surprise: Rick Porcello is the Tigers Rookie of the Year

2009-11-06T01:40:11Z

More photos » by Ben Margot - AP

Don't look so surprised, Rick Porcello. You're the Detroit Tigers Rookie of the Year.

Browse more photos »

In what might be the least surprising development of the offseason (which is either now a month old or a day old, depending on when you consider baseball season to have ended), Rick Porcello was named the Tigers Rookie of the Year by the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association today.

But saying there was really no other choice for the award doesn't mean Porcello wasn't hugely deserving of the honor.

Kid Rick went 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in 31 starts for the Tigers this season. He had the second-highest win total on the team's pitching staff and the third-lowest ERA among the starting rotation. By the end of the season, Porcello was the Tigers' second-most dependable starting pitcher. In September, he went 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA.

If the Tigers couldn't start Justin Verlander in that AL Central tiebreaker on October 6, Porcello was the pitcher who gave them the best chance to win the division. For a 20-year-old who seemed ticketed for Double-A before the season, yet surprised everyone by being the team's best pitcher in Spring Training, that's probably the best indicator of just how successful his rookie season was.

Though Porcello was outstanding at times - he was 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA in May - it wasn't a smooth ride all the way through for Kid Rick. Midway through the season, he looked every bit the rookie. Think about how bad he looked in an ESPN Sunday Night Baseball start against the White Sox. That was in July, when Porcello went 1-2 with an 8.79 ERA. And that was with the Tigers giving him a two-week rest around the All-Star break to help keep his innings down.

That break also gave Porcello a chance to retool his pitching repertoire a bit, reportedly ditching his curveball in favor of a slider that he'd stopped throwing in the minors. While he didn't become a strikeout pitcher after that, that change gave batters a different look, allowing Porcello to get more strikeouts and pop-ups, rather than solely depending on groundball outs.

How will Porcello do in his sophomore season, after making a jump from 125 innings last year in the minors to 170 in his first major league go-round? As Jason Beck points out on his blog, the Bill James Handbook predicts a bit of a regression, projecting a 10-11 record and 4.25 ERA in 195 innings. But that's just one opinion. What do you expect from Kid Rick next year?

Brandon Inge's Knee Surgery Successful

2009-11-05T03:45:18Z

More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP

Detroit Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge underwent successful surgery to correct patellar tendonitis in both of his knees on Tuesday. He's expected to recover in time for Spring Training.

Browse more photos »

Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge underwent surgery on both of his injured knees yesterday at the Detroit Medical Center, as scheduled. And according to the team, the procedures to correct his patellar tendinitis were successful.

Dr. Stephen Lemos of the DMC performed the surgery, which involved the debridement and repair of Inge's left and right patellar tendons. Inge won't be able to put any weight on his knees for six weeks. After that, if all goes according to plan, he should be able to begin a strengthening and rehabiliation program. And from there, Inge should be ready for the beginning of Spring Training in February.

(I don't know about you, but I had to look up what "debridement" was. It sounds like what might happen to Don Draper on Mad Men, but it actually refers to the removal of dead or damaged tissue. Thank you, Lynn Henning, for being the one reporter who bothered to explain this for readers.)

As John Lowe pointed out in today's Freep, Inge started 157 games at third base this season, more than any other third baseman. He also took over as a defensive replacement in four other games. Only two other players in the American League played in 161 games.

I know some people think Inge actually hurt the Tigers at times by trying to tough it out when his knees clearly prohibited him (most especially when batting). And others believe Inge gets too much unwarranted praise from Tigers fans. Regardless, it's pretty amazing that the guy played in that many games, dealing with that kind of physical difficulty.

This Week's Poll: Name Comerica Park After Ernie Harwell?

2009-11-04T20:15:18Z

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

about 1 month ago: Former Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell walks onto the field at Comerica Park during a tribute in his honor in the third inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2009, in Detroit. The 91-year-old recently announced he has inoperable cancer. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

Browse more photos »

In today's Detroit Free Press, Rochelle Riley writes about a grass-roots campaign to add Ernie Harwell's name to Comerica Park. The effort was started online (via Facebook) by a Michigan firefighter.

The website makes it sound as if the campaign is to get Comerica Park's name changed to Ernie Harwell Field. But the man behind the movement, Kevin McNutt, says he'd actually prefer the Tigers to name the field after Harwell, making it Ernie Harwell Field at Comerica Park.

(The Detroit Pistons did something simliar last week, naming the basketball court at The Palace of Auburn Hills after their late owner, Bill Davidson.)

Showing his typical modesty, Harwell thinks this might be a bit too much. The Tigers told McNutt that the ballpark's media center is already named after the legendary broadcaster.

But is there anybody who would actually be against such an idea? It would be a wonderful tribute to Harwell. (Though I suppose you could argue that Harwell is already memorialized at Comerica Park, with his photo atop the main entrance and a statue just inside the gate.)

If you'd like to join the cause, here's the link.

So that's the topic for this week's poll question:

Should the Tigers name their field after Ernie Harwell?

You can find the poll on the right sidebar below the FanPosts block. Or you can vote here. Please add your thoughts in the comments. And if you have suggestions for future poll questions, shoot me an e-mail.

How did our last poll go?

The people love a good nickname. But maybe "Kid Rick" for Rick Porcello has a short shelf life.

When should the "Kid Rick" nickname for Rick Porcello be retired?

32% It's done - He's no longer a rookie

22% When he's old enough to drink

8% When he's old enough to rent a car

37% Never! It's just too catchy!

Thanks to everyone who voted in the poll.

Morning Prowl: 40-Man Roster Decisions, Placido Polanco's Market Value, and Van Slyke's Replacement

2009-11-04T15:50:11Z

At The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Bill Ferris looks at the team's 40-man roster, which currently has 44 players on it (due to some being protected on the disabled list). So the Tigers have some decisions to make, especially as some minor leaguers will need to be protected. Bill speculates who the first cuts will likely be.

The San Francisco Giants re-signing second baseman Freddy Sanchez last week seemed like a harmless enough transaction. But Tiger Geist immediately pounced on how that could affect the Tigers. Will Sanchez's deal determine Placido Polanco's price on the free agent market? Could Polanco be worth more?

Lynn Henning talked to Jim Leyland about retaining Lloyd McClendon as hitting coach. Leyland called it "a legitimate question" but doesn't think McClendon is the reason for the Tigers' offensive struggles this season.

Tigers Tracks responds to Steve Kornacki's report that the Tigers have three candidates to take over Andy Van Slyke's vacancy on the coaching staff. The three finalists are minor league coordinators Gene Roof and Mike Rojas, and Double-A Erie manager Tom Brookens.

Jason Beck has re-opened his inbox (mailbag) for the offseason and addresses two key questions on fans' minds: Will the team pursue a veteran closer in free agency and could Brent Dlugach be a suitable replacement for Adam Everett at shortstop?

Aaron Gleeman lists five second basemen the Minnesota Twins should look at signing for next season. Guess who the top choice is.

If you've often thought that Leyland must issue more intentional walks than any other manager, you're right. In each of the past two seasons, Leyland called for the most intentional walks in the majors, according to John Dewan.

More from Dewan: He's compiled his Fielding Bible Awards for 2009. Unfortunately, no Tiger made the cut. You can read an explanation of what determines the awards at the Fielding Bible website.

On ESPN.com's Arizona Fall League blog, Jason Grey writes about former Tiger Andrew Miller's efforts to revamp his delivery. The big change is to try and stop throwing across his body, which is what the Marlins believe affected his control.

In light of the weekend's Milton Bradley-for-Vernon Wells trade rumors (that have since been shot down), Buster Olney lists 10 bad contracts teams are carrying that could be a match for Bradley. One of them is a Detroit Tigers pitcher.

(And since the article is ESPN Insider content, I'll say that the player in question wasn't on the Tigers' active roster at the end of the season.)

Speaking of Olney, Mack Avenue Tigers responds to his weekend post that discussed some players who might not be offered contracts by their current teams (or non-tendered, since they're under club control). One of the guys Olney mentions, which could interest Tigers fans greatly, is Brewers shortstop J.J. Hardy.

I'm guessing that not too many Tigers fans would be excited about Jarrod Washburn returning to Detroit next season. It appears that's not going to be an issue, however, as Washburn sounds like he wants to go back to Seattle. (That sounded like a strong possibility back in July, when the Tigers acquired him.)

Clerical Issues: New Design and Community Civility

2009-11-03T17:35:04Z

Some of you may have noticed that the site looks a bit different today. Hopefully, the new format creates a cleaner look, especially in regards to the sidebar boxes. But I understand that people aren't always crazy about change, and might not like some aspects of this re-design.

(There are some things I don't like, such as the size of the headlines, and the lack of double-spacing in comments. The comments thing is being addressed.)

So if you have any thoughts on the matter, this is the place to post them. It would help SBN and its individual bloggers to get some input on what you might or might not like. Any opinions or suggestions you have to offer would be appreciated.

One More Thing:

This applies to a very small slice of the BYB community, but I think it's worth posting here for all to see. It's been brought to my attention that a commenter was sent an insulting e-mail in regards to an argument that may have gotten out of hand in one of the previous threads.

I can't believe that this needs to be said, but apparently, it does to some people. This is extremely troubling. There is not a single discussion taking place on this site that should be taken so seriously as to send a personal attack through e-mail. And if you do take yourself that seriously, you should consider doing something else.

I hope this is a very isolated incident, but if I find out that more of this type of stuff is going on and discover who's responsible, the banhammer is coming down swiftly. It won't matter what your standing is in this community and what you've contributed.

Obviously, disagreements are going to take place. Plenty of us have strong opinions about a variety of subjects, and are passionate about them. Opposing arguments aren't personal attacks. Learn to play nice with others. It's not like we're discussing a public option for health care here; we're talking baseball.

I'm sorry I had to bother you with this today, but I felt it needed to be addressed. If anyone has any questions or concerns, e-mail me at ian.byb@gmail.com. Thank you, and carry on with your day.

Bad Gift Ideas For Your Favorite Tigers Fan

2009-11-03T14:30:24Z

What would be a worse gift idea for a Detroit Tigers fan this holiday season? An Edgar Renteria bobblehead or a Gary Sheffield bobblehead?

(I'm kind of impressed by the Sheff bobblehead's likeness. Usually, these things look nothing like the actual person.)

What, no Todd Jones bobblehead? Maybe a Jacque Jones model on super-clearance?

These are among the offerings available through MLB.com "Gift Finder."

I don't mean to poke too much fun, however, because if you play around a bit, it could actually a pretty clever tool to come up with Tigers-related gifts for different people you know.

But you can never go wrong with an authentic jersey or cap. I'm just sayin'.

Johnny Damon's Ninth Inning At-Bat: Which Tigers Hitter Could've Done That?

2009-11-02T19:10:04Z

More photos » by Eric Gay - AP

Johnny Damon turned Game 4 of the World Series in the Yankees' favor with his disciplined hitting and smart baserunning. Could a Detroit Tigers batter have influenced a game's outcome in similar fashion?

Browse more photos »

Here's a question for you, Tigers fans: If you were watching Game 4 of the World Series last night, and were still tuned in for the ninth inning and Johnny Damon's pivotal at-bat against Brad Lidge, did you find yourself wondering if anyone in Detroit's current lineup would've (or could've) pulled off a battle like that?

The Yankees were down to their last out of the inning, with the score tied 4-4. And Damon apparently knew he couldn't handle Lidge's slider, because each time he saw it, he fouled it off. For three straight pitches, to be exact.

So Lidge knew he wouldn't get Damon out with the slider, and began throwing his fastball. The first two were way out of the strike zone, trying to get Damon to chase, but he wouldn't go for it.

With the count 3-2, Lidge had to come in with a strike - and probably knew he wouldn't get one with his slider - so he stayed with the fastball. Damon fouled those off, too. Then he finally got the pitch he could do something with, a fastball out over the plate. Damon slapped it to left for a single.

But that nine-pitch at-bat wasn't the end of Damon's contribution. With the Phillies' infield on a shift against Mark Teixeira (batting left-handed), Damon took off for second, knowing third baseman Pedro Feliz would have to cover the base. But when the catcher's throw pulled Feliz off the bag, toward right field, Damon saw a chance to make a dash for third, as well. Suddenly, Lidge has a runner on third, and probably can't risk throwing a slider in the dirt while facing Teixeira (or Alex Rodriguez or Jorge Posada, to follow).

As it turns out, Lidge melted down and ended up allowing three runs. But Damon scored the go-ahead run, and turned the game around with his at-bat and baserunning.

There are many, many differences between this year's New York Yankees and Detroit Tigers. But with the calls for Lloyd McClendon's job from the fanbase, and Dave Dombrowski's edict that hitters throughout the organization improve their plate discipline next season (and in seasons to come), it seems worth asking if any Tigers hitter could've pulled off what Damon did in that ninth inning.

And we're not just talking about fighting out a nine-pitch at-bat. What about the baserunning?

Could anyone in the Tigers' expected 2010 lineup influence a game in similar fashion? Who do you think might have been able to make those plays with his bat and his legs?

Tigers Top 20 Prospects

2009-10-30T19:55:57Z

[Editor's Note: Promoted from the FanPosts, for some good ol' offseason discussion. We've already had some good comments and conversation on this post, so let's open it up to the front page. -- Ian]

Yeah, I know; everyone is doing this right now. But with a dearth of interesting, baseball-related news right now (at least for those of us still too heart-broken to care about the World Series), I needed something to occupy my time.

Admittedly, I'm not a prospect expert like John Sickels (those of you who pay attention to his site may recognize the format of my list). Therefore, I am sure that I have left some deserving players off the list or made vast over- or under-estimations of others. So what do you think? (And don't forget to take the poll!)

1. Casey Crosby, LHP, Grade B+

Anyone surprised? Didn’t think so. Despite concerns after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Crosby blew hitters away at West Michigan. He had one rough stretch around June/July, but was stellar for the rest of the year. He’s only 21 years old and will almost certainly start next season at Lakeland or Erie. Don’t expect big-league impact until 2011, at the earliest.

2. Jacob Turner, RHP, Grade B+

The Tigers first round pick from 2009 has yet to pitch in professional ball, but from all reports, this kid has a boat-load of potential. Don’t be surprised if he moves to the A-list after next season, but absent any professional data, I think a high B is a good grade for him right now.

3. Scott Sizemore, 2B, Grade B

I went back and forth between B and B+. Sizemore appears to be the heir apparent to Placido Polanco in 2010, depending on how his ankle heals. From all reports, his fielding is roughly average, but his bat should be above average for the position. He shows good on-base skills and has developed some extra-base and home run pop, as well. 2010 prediction: Sizemore finishes no worse than third in the Rookie of the Year vote.

4. Alex Avila, C, Grade B

In 2009, Lord Avila blew away any expectations Tigers fans and prospect watchers had for him. He reminded Tigers fans what it’s like to have a catcher who can actually hit (see Laird, Gerald; Treanor, Matt; and Sardhina, Dane). Expect him and Laird to split time behind the plate as Avila continues to improve his defense. If his defense continues to develop well, we can probably look forward to him as a full-time starter in 2011.

5. Ryan Strieby, 1B, Grade B-

Strieby has improved every year that he’s been in the minors. His AVG, OBP, and SLG have gone up every year despite moving up one level each year. Last season at AA Erie, Strieby posted a .991 OPS, 19 HR, and a .303 AVG before he went down with a wrist injury. Those are monstrous numbers. So why is he only a B-? He’s 24 years old, he has a history of wrist injuries, and he’s blocked at 1B by Miguel Cabrera. If his wrist doesn’t fall off and if he can become a serviceable left fielder, he could give the Tigers’ offense a boost really soon.

6. Andrew Oliver, LHP, Grade B-

He has a good fastball and change, but needs to develop an effective breaking pitch. He might be able to make it as a starter, but will more likely end up in the bullpen. After a rough first outing in the AFL, Oliver has settled down a bit. He's getting plenty of strikeouts, but has walked almost one batter per inning. Small sample size caveats apply, of course.

7. Wilkin Ramirez, OF, Grade C+

He’s got great speed and power, but poor plate discipline. If he can learn to control the strike zone, he could become an impact player. I just don’t see that happening any time soon.

8. Daniel Fields, SS, Grade C+

Word is that this kid has mad skills, but I need to see some professional numbers before I could rate him any higher. I have far more hope for him than I have for Cale Iorg, however.

9. Robbie Weinhardt, RHP, Grade C+

He dominated the Florida State League before he was promoted to AA Erie. At Erie, his strikeout-to-walk ratio declined from 4.0 to 2.0. He’s gotten pounded in the AFL.

10. Cody Satterwhite, RHP, Grade C+

Another good bullpen arm from the 2008 draft. Some concerns about command, but he’s got great stuff and should help the big club by 2011.

11. Scott Green, RHP, Grade C+

Another good bullpen arm from the 2008 draft. He doesn’t get the kind of strikeouts that Weinhardt and Satterwhite have gotten, but he’s still getting almost 1 per inning, and he doesn’t walk as many as they do. However, he’s also pitching at a lower level.

12. Casper Wells, OF, Grade C+

Wells is tearing it up in the AFL for the second straight year. Don’t be surprised if the Tigers give him a chance this year, especially if Guillen remains perpetually injured or Clete stops hitting again. And for an added bonus, he could spell Granderson in center field.

13. Casey Fien, RHP, Grade C+

He’s been great in the minors, but has struggled in his limited time in the majors. I still have hope for him.

14. Cale Iorg, SS, Grade C+

Great defense, can’t hit worth crap. Sound like anyone we know? Best case scenario: he becomes the next Adam Everett.

15. Jeff Larish, 1B, Grade C

Does he even count any more?

16. Adam Wilk, LHP, Grade C

Had an ungodly strikeout-to-walk ratio at West Michigan (16.50), but as Matt Wallace points out, West Michigan tends to make soft-tossing lefties look better than they actually are.

17. Tyler Stohr, RHP, Grade C

The closer for West Michigan had a pretty good year. We’ll see how it goes in 2010.

18. Alfredo Figaro, RHP, Grade C

We saw him for a while in Detroit, but he’s probably nothing more than an occasional spot starter.

19. Wade Gaynor, 3B, Grade C

The 2009 draftee had a very forgettable professional debut in the GCL. Hopefully it works out better for him in 2010.

20. Zach Simons, RHP, Grade C

The best thing about Zach Simons? We got him from Colorado for Jason Grilli, yet he actually has value! Suckers.

Close, but not quite: Dusty Ryan, Luis Marte, Will Rhymes, Brent Dlugach, Brennan Boesch, Michael Bertram, Deik Scram, Kody Kaiser

All things considered, I think the Tigers’ farm system looks much better than it did last year. In fact, I think it’s better than most prospect watchers realize. We don’t have many players that are talked about on the national stage, but our 3-5 guys are all on the cusp of making serious major league contributions. Our top two prospects could both be front-of-the-rotation starters. We have a lot of bullpen depth. We have some high-ceiling talent, and some that will make acceptable role players.

So why do things look better this year, despite Porcello’s and Perry’s graduation to the big club? An infusion of new talent helps (Turner, Oliver, and Fields), but we also saw better-than-expected development among many players already in the system (Crosby, Sizemore, Avila) and continued positive development from others (Strieby, Satterwhite, Weinhardt, Wells). There were also very few complete busts. Cale Iorg has been a disappointment, and Wilkin Ramirez didn’t progress as much as we would have liked, but they are both still in the conversation. Overall, I think the future of the organization looks pretty decent.

Poll

How strong is the Tigers farm system?

Will Adam Everett Be the Tigers' Shortstop Again?

2009-10-30T13:20:34Z

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Will Adam Everett be the Detroit Tigers' shortstop again next season? Or might the market take him out of their price range?

Browse more photos »

At the end of his latest blog entry for the Detroit News, Tom Gage wonders if the Tigers' payroll for 2010 will allow them to re-sign shortstop Adam Everett:

One more thing: No, I'm not even sure the Tigers will be able to keep Adam Everett. They'll try, and he'll be willing to return, but other teams will be looking for a bargain shortstop as well.

I said back in June that I believed the Tigers would bring back Everett next season, if for no other reason than they didn't have anyone ready to take over at that position. Detroit doesn't believe Ramon Santiago is a full-time shortstop. Cale Iorg isn't ready (especially with the bat). And though Brent Dlugach hit well this season in Toledo (.294/.349/.446), earning a September call-up, he's probably a fringe prospect at best.

Plus, if you look at the free agent list of shortstops, it doesn't include many standouts. (Tigers Tracks tried to come up with an alternative to Everett, but I don't know if it was all that convincing.) There are a couple names that would provide a definite upgrade on offense (Orlando Cabrera, for example), but would that be worth losing the defense that Everett brings?

For all of his offensive faults (a .238/.288/.325 average), Everett gave the Tigers exactly the defense they wanted and expected when they signed him last December. And he was good with the glove this season. Going by UZR, Everett was still one of the best defensive shortstops in the league, despite some untimely errors (especially early in the year).

But how much will Everett cost next season? The $1 million contract they signed him for last year was an injury discount, as Everett was recovering from an injured shoulder that restricted him to 48 games in 2008. (There was also probably something of a hometown discount, with much of his wife's family in the area.) However, Everett's now made it through a full season healthy, a few teams have a shortstop opening (Red Sox, Blue Jays, Twins, and Astros come to mind), and there seems to be a growing emphasis on defense over offense throughout baseball.

Do you expect Everett to be back with the Tigers next season? (Most likely in another time-share arrangement with Santiago?) How high should Detroit be willing to go to keep him? And if you'd prefer they look for another shortstop, what direction would you like to see them take?

There is Some Joy in Mudville

2009-10-29T12:50:54Z

A few years ago, I got to write a magazine article about the clubhouse assistant whose job it was to rub the baseballs down with mud for the Detroit Tigers. Some people don't know that mud is used to take some of the sheen off the baseballs and make them easier to grip. This used to be the umpires' job, but they hated doing it, so teams began having their own guys get their hands (and the baseballs) dirty.

It's not just any old mud that's used to rub down the baseballs, either. It's a special sort of mud that comes in a jar, called Delaware Mud. Or to be even more specific, Lena Blackburne Rubbing Mud.

Why do I bring this up? Because CNN ran a story on the man who harvests this mud, shovels a bunch of it into barrels, strains and cures it, puts it into jars, and ships it off to every team. Each team requires only two 32 oz. jars per season. Very little goes on each ball. Maybe about a dime-sized dot. But it's plenty to give the baseball a grip. And you can definitely tell the difference.

There's definitely a technique to rubbing the baseballs down, as you'll see in the video. And when you have to go through five or six-dozen balls, you get fast at it, taking off the gloss in about two or three turns. (At least four players or coaches passed by while we were in the hallway and said, "Ask him about rubbing my balls," "Yeah, he rubs those balls real good," or some variation of the two.)

I was allowed to try it a couple of times (which a certain $18 million right fielder eyed suspiciously) and didn't get it right. I got too much mud on the ball, especially on the seams. "Yeah, the pitcher would definitely toss that one back," I was told.

Okay, enough about me. Here's the video:

(via Motown Sports)

And what the heck, I'll include the article I wrote, after the jump. (Along with the bad photo I took.) The publication in question no longer exists (folding more than two years ago), so I'm sure there's no issue with reprinting it now.

The old adage "It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it" doesn't quite apply to Scott Konczal. One of his jobs is, in fact, dirty, but he's more than willing to do it. Before a major league baseball game, the new balls have to be rubbed down with mud to take off the sheen that makes them slick and slippery. Such a task used to be handled by the umpires, but has since been passed along to team employees. That's where Konczal and his jar of Lena Blackburne Baseball Rubbing Mud come in.

From his seat outside the Tigers' clubhouse, Konczal takes approximately an hour to rub down 72 baseballs. And when he opens the new box of balls, you see why this job is necessary. The baseballs are too white and shiny, too pristine to be played with. They slip right out of your fingers. They need to be broken in.

The rubbing mud is thin, smooth, almost creamy in its consistency. Is it really from the Delaware River, as the jar claims? Konczal says yes. How does he know?

"Because Ernie Harwell said so."

All that's necessary to get the ball game-ready is a dip into the jar. Not too much, just a half-dollar-sized dollop on the ball. Roll it around on your palms and fingers, coating the surface evenly, making sure there's not any excess or grit in the seams. Seconds later, the sphere in your hand looks more familiar. Ever so slightly dinged with brown, and much easier to grip. Play ball.

The instructions on the jar call for a slightly different rubbing (or "massaging") method. "If I did it their way," Konczal says, "I'd be here for hours." Considering he's been doing this for 10 years, it's safe to say his way works just fine.

"Scott does a great job," says Tigers pitcher Jeremy Bonderman. "He's a good guy."

The Tigers wouldn't have anyone else performing this crucial task. Another pair of hands rubbing down their baseballs is eyed with extreme suspicion. You know how ballplayers are with their superstitions.

The Latest on Sizemore's Ankle: Four-Month Recovery

2009-10-27T23:31:39Z

As expected, Tigers second base prospect Scott Sizemore underwent surgery on his injured left ankle today in Detroit. Screws were inserted into the ankle to keep the joint stable while the fractured tibia and torn tendons heal.

The plan, as reported by Steve Kornacki and Jason Beck, is for Sizemore to wear a splint for two weeks. After the splint is removed, Sizemore's ankle will be placed into a Cam boot to keep his foot immobilized. If all goes according to schedule, the screws will be removed from the ankle in January.

Once Sizemore can begin putting weight on the foot, he can resume baseball activities. That timetable should allow him to be ready for Spring Training in mid-February.

Lunchtime Prowl: Sizemore's Ankle, Guillen for Pierre, the Second Base Dilemma, and Trading Closers

2009-10-27T16:20:16Z

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

There may be no bigger question for the Detroit Tigers this offseason than whether or not to re-sign Placido Polanco.

Browse more photos »

The Detroit Tigers Weblog talked to Will Carroll of Baseball Prospectus, the industry's resident injury expert, about Scott Sizemore's ankle injury. Carroll said Sizemore should be ready for Spring Training. However, he's never seen a second baseman with the sort of tendon injury that Sizemore suffered, so "it's tough to judge."

On his blog, the Detroit News' Tom Gage addresses speculation that the Tigers might pursue outfielder Juan Pierre this winter. But with Pierre owed $18.5 million on the remaining two years of his contract with the Dodgers, Gage thinks the only way Detroit could take on that kind of money is if they shipped a big salary of their own to L.A. For instance, the two years and $26 million they still owe Carlos Guillen.

Pierre batted .308/.365/.392 with 30 stolen bases in 42 attempts this season for the Dodgers.

At Mack Avenue Tigers, Kurt Mensching looks at the choices the Tigers face at second base next season. Do they let Placido Polanco go entirely or do they offer him arbitration? One key point Kurt brings up - and this is worth considering when reading Gage's article, as well - is that we don't know exactly what the Tigers' budget will be.

Speaking of second base, Fire Jim Leyland looks at Polanco's total value to the Tigers this season. How much did Polanco contribute to the Tigers with his bat? How much value did he provide with his glove? And how does Polanco compare with other second basemen in baseball?

Lynn Henning wonders how the Tigers can make their offense more potent next season. Are they mostly relegated to hoping most every batter on the roster just puts up better numbers in 2010? Henning says he expects Dave Dombrowski to add "a bat or two" this winter. But seriously, where would you put them?

How did the Tigers rate defensively this season? Lee Panas looks at each player's Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR), and finds that Detroit was above-average in the field. Will that continue next season? Or might the Tigers have to sacrifice some defense for offense? (Lee also rates Detroit's offense in another post.)

If you missed it over the weekend (I posted it to the front page late on Friday), John Kmiecik filed his latest review for the 2009 Tigers. This time out, he takes a look at Carlos Guillen's season.

Over at The Daily Fungo, Mike McClary lists five reasons why he won't be watching the World Series. I think he could be missing out on a good one, though I generally agree with most of the reasons he listed. (Though I find the Phillies an intriguing team.)

Aaron Gleeman wonders if this might be the right time for the Minnesota Twins to consider trading Joe Nathan. (Just to clarify, he's not saying they should.) Nathan, by the way, just had surgery to remove bone chips from his pitching elbow.

This might be a theme. Sam Mellinger thinks the Kansas City Royals should look into trading their closer, Joakim Soria. As he puts it, "What good is that fine scotch if you don't drink it?"

With the news that Tony La Russa might hire Mark McGwire as the St. Louis Cardinals' hitting coach, Lookout Landing imagines how a coaching session with McGwire might go.

The Dugout has a funny take on the story, too. It took me a while to figure out who the "SonOfJorEl" nickname was for. Maybe I need another cup of coffee.

I know some fans aren't thrilled that the World Series is an all-East Coast affair. But regardless of convenience, I think it's pretty cool that the Phillies traveled to New York by train, rolling into Penn Station last night. Maybe not so cool for commuters and Amtrak employees, though.