There is nothing more intimidating for a hitter than being stared down by a power pitcher who can blow a fastball right by them. Fans also get excited as these pitchers light up the radar gun and rack up the strikeouts.
The rankings on this list will be determined by a combination of the pitchers’ talents, stats and their ability to bring the heat.
One of the orchestrators of the biggest deal of both the 2007 and 2009 winter meetings, many were shocked not to hear from Dave Dombrowski and the Detroit Tigers at the meetings this past week.
The reason they were quiet is simple: even with spring training more than two months away, they’ve already accomplished quite a bit thus far this offseason. Brandon Inge and Jhonny Peralta were brought back to secure the left side of the infield, and Joaquin Benoit was signed to set up for Jose Valverde (albeit at an absurd price tag).
Undoubtedly though, the prize of the team’s offseason thus far is Victor Martinez. A lifetime .300 hitter and four-time All-Star, Martinez should be a major upgrade over both Johnny Damon (who got on base but hit for virtually no power) in the DH spot, and Gerald Laird (who brought literally nothing to the table offensively) as the backup catcher.
It’s been a productive offseason so far for Dombrowski and the Tigers. Does that mean they’re done for the winter? Not if they expect to improve on their third-place finish from 2010.
If the Tigers are going to win the AL Central next season, they still need a right fielder who can hit in the middle of the order and a quality starting pitcher.
As far as right field goes, the solution is right in front of Dombrowski’s eyes. Finding another starter is far more complicated.
As a proven RBI guy who can burn opposing teams for pitching around Cabrera and a switch-hitter who can balance the lineup, it makes the most sense for Victor Martinez to hit fifth in Detroit’s order. As such, they still need an all-around hitter who can hit third. Looking at the team’s depth chart, it makes the most sense for that player to be a right fielder.
Some writers and fans have wondered if the team will forgo adding another outfielder, and give the job to Brennan Boesch or Casper Wells. If this happens, I’m going to automatically pencil the Tigers in for another third-place finish in 2011.
Call me harsh but it’s my belief that Boesch was so awful after the All-Star break (.163 AVG, two HR, .459 OPS in 221 AB), there’s no way he should even be in the conversation as far as right field is concerned. Growing pains are one thing; looking absolutely hopeless at the plate for nearly three months is something else.
Nothing in Boesch’s minor-league track record (.753 OPS in 453 minor league games) suggests he can be counted on to regain his pre-All-Star break form next season and maintain it over the course of a full season. All things considered, I think it’s far more likely the first half of Boesch’s 2010 was the fluke, not the second half. The Tigers are in serious trouble if they’re expecting him to be their everyday right fielder in 2011.
I’m a far bigger fan of Wells, and I think he should be ready to at least be the team’s fourth outfielder. He impressed in limited playing time in 2010 and unlike Boesch, is an asset in the field and capable of playing all three outfield spots. There’s a lot to like about his game.
Bottom line: While a better option than Boesch, Wells is an unproven commodity. The Tigers lineup is already littered with question marks. How much will Austin Jackson regress? Will Alex Avila keep making strides? Is Scott Sizemore or Will Rhymes a viable Major League second baseman? What, if anything, can be expected of Carlos Guillen?
As of right now, aside from Boesch and Wells, the Tigers’ best options to accompany Cabrera and Martinez in the 3-4-5 hole are Guillen (who hasn’t played a full season since 2007) and Ryan Raburn (who would be best utilized hitting either second or sixth in the order).
The Tigers are counting on enough young players as is. They cannot entrust both right field and a spot in the middle of the order to two players with fewer than 600 career AB between them.
Fortunately, the solution here couldn’t be more obvious: re-sign Magglio Ordonez.
After the Martinez signing, some wondered if the Tigers still had room for Ordonez. Not only do they still have room for him, they need him.
It’s really a shame his 2010 season was cut short by an ankle fracture, because it really looked as though Ordonez had rediscovered his 2006-2008 form after a rough season in 2009. In 323 AB, Ordonez posted a .303/.378/.474 batting line with 12 HR and 59 RBI.
When he, Cabrera and Boesch were producing this summer, the Tigers looked like legitimate contenders in the AL Central. With Martinez taking the place of Boesch, the Tigers could post a very potent middle of the order in 2011 if Ordonez is retained.
A great pure hitter with decent power who doesn’t strike out often, Ordonez is a prototypical No. 3 hitter. Making the match even more logical is that Ordonez himself has stated his first choice is to stay in Detroit, and it’s easy to see why. He’s comfortable there, the fans adore him and four fellow Venezuelans (Cabrera, Martinez, Guillen, Armando Galarraga) are on the team’s roster.
The biggest roadblock to a reunion between the Tigers and Ordonez is his agent, Scott Boras. Quick negotiations are hardly Boras’ cup of tea, and it is said he is seeking at least a two-year, $20M contract for Ordonez.
If Boras is expecting much more than that, he’s delusional. Two years at $20M might be too much given Ordonez’ recent ankle injury and the fact that he turns 37 in less than a month. On the other hand, perhaps the two-year demand is a good thing for the Tigers; other teams less familiar with Ordonez might be more hesitant to offer a second year.
Bottom line: The Tigers can’t afford to split hairs as far as salary goes. Even if they signed Ordonez at an annual rate of $10M, the 2011 Opening Day payroll would still fall short of $100M.
A reunion between Ordonez and the Tigers is too good a fit for all sides to not eventually happen. No team needs him more than Detroit and as such, no team should be more willing to give him what he wants salary-wise. In the end, I do eventually see him re-signing with the Tigers for something in the neighborhood of two years and $20M.
Assuming Ordonez is re-signed, I don’t expect the Tigers to have much trouble scoring runs next year.
Preventing runs? That’s another story.
I could be in the minority on this but I believe that after right field, the team’s most pressing need is a quality mid-rotation starter.
In Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the Tigers have a dynamite one-two punch, the best in the AL Central I’d argue. Some have argued they have the best front three in the division, which I think is ludicrous.
Why the difference in opinion? The answer is the amount of faith I have in Rick Porcello.
While I shake my head and laugh at those foolish enough to think the Tigers ruined him in bringing him to the majors so soon, I’m taking an “I’ll believe it when I see it” approach with Porcello. Others are convinced he’ll improve in 2011. He struggled too mightily in 2010 (4.92 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, .288 BAA) for me to assume as much.
Even if Porcello gets back to his 2009 form, when he was the team’s third starter and they nearly won the division, uncertainty still surrounds the back end of the team’s rotation.
I think moving Phil Coke (he of one major-league start) from the bullpen (where he was very solid in 2010) to the rotation and expecting him to be the fourth starter is, as far as competing in 2011 goes, incredibly risky.
If Dombrowski and Jim Leyland have seen enough to believe said transition will be smooth and Coke will be a dependable starter, fine. I as a fan have no choice but to take an “I’ll believe it when I see it” approach here as well. Coke has good stuff and mound presence but without a track record as a major-league starter, I just cannot assume that will equal success.
As for the fifth spot in the rotation, the Tigers are content to allow Armando Galarraga and Andy Oliver to duke it out for that spot, which I have no problem with. As a Tiger fan, I’d simply feel a lot more comfortable if Coke was a part of that competition, rather than being given a spot outright.
While I’m not comfortable with what the Tigers have in the rotation beyond the top two, I understand the Tigers’ desire to solve this dilemma from within. There is no clear answer to this problem either on the free-agent market or the trade market.
Before you ask, Cliff Lee is not an option, as Dombrowski has said. He is a risk they cannot afford to take. The only justification for giving a pitcher a contract that pays him over $20M in his late 30s is if you win a World Series. I’m not comfortable tying the success of an $140-160M contract to whether or not the team wins a World Series.
Furthermore, the Tigers don’t need Cliff Lee. They already have an ace (Verlander), another pitcher who has all the makings of one (Scherzer), and yet another pitcher described as having ace-potential who is still young enough to fulfill that potential (Porcello).
I’m not too keen on giving Carl Pavano a three-year contract and forking over a draft pick to the Twins (something that has second-guessing written all over it) either. After Lee and Pavano, the free-agent market thins out pretty quickly as far as dependable starters go. The two pitchers I thought were the best fit for the Tigers prior to the offseason, Ted Lilly and Jorge De La Rosa, are off the market.
Even given that the Royals have said they will not trade Zack Greinke within the AL Central, the trade market offers some intriguing possibilities, none more so than Tampa Bay‘s Matt Garza. The Tigers got a first-hand look at his ability back in July when he no-hit them. With a front three of Verlander, Garza and Scherzer, it would be hard not to like the Tigers’ chances going into 2011.
The drawback is what it would take to acquire him, as the Rays need relievers and would be in a position to require Ryan Perry or Daniel Schlereth as part of the return package. The Tigers would fill a spot in the rotation, but simply create another hole in the bullpen.
Florida‘s Ricky Nolasco is another option, as he is due a raise through arbitration and the Marlins seldom hesitate to move a player when he’s about to get more expensive. He wouldn’t come cheap either though, and many believe he and the Marlins will eventually come to an agreement on a new contract.
In a perfect world, the Tigers would add a pitcher who profiles at least as a No. 3 starter. Finding a pitcher of that caliber might just be so hard that they’ll have to count on Rick Porcello to step up. That said, even if it’s not a headline-grabbing move, they must at least add a pitcher who can compete with Galarraga and Oliver for a spot in the rotation.
The only pitcher the Tigers have been linked to thus far this offseason, Chicago’s Tom Gorzelanny, fits that bill. A 28-year-old lefty who’s had some success with the Pirates and Cubs, Gorzelanny wouldn’t be a sexy pick, but Dombrowski could certainly do worse. In the event that Coke and Galarraga locked down spots in the rotation, he could be moved to a long relief role (a role suddenly vacated with Eddie Bonine and Zach Miner both gone).
Bottom line: The Tigers seriously lack rotation depth at the moment. Whether they trade for Gorzelanny, someone else or sign a free agent, it’s an issue that must be addressed by Opening Day.
There is a sense among Tigers fans that after a few disappointing seasons, things may finally come together in 2011 and the team can win its first division title since 1987. That hope is not unfounded; there are many reasons to feel good about the team heading into next season.
For that hope to be realized though, the Tigers still must add a right fielder who can hit in the middle of the order and a starter who at least improves the club’s pitching depth. Whereas bringing back Magglio Ordonez is the obvious answer in right field, there is no clear-cut solution to the rotation issue.
Dave Dombrowski still has plenty of time to figure it all out. With a couple shrewd moves, 2011 might just be a special year in Motown.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
Neftali Feliz is expected to be named the 2010 American League Rookie of the Year tomorrow, beating out Baltimore Orioles starter Brian Matusz and Detroit Tigers center fielder Austin Jackson.
The Texas Rangers’ electric closer set a rookie record by saving 40 games, and helped lead his team to their first ever World Series appearance. That’s quite a debut.
But where do his achievements rank among other past Rookies of the Year? Here’s a look back at the AL’s last 10 ROY award winners and their accomplishments in their rookie seasons.
It’s been awhile since the last article in this series. I’ve been busy lately, but I’m dead set on finishing it up, and I only have this and one more to go.
One thing that seemed to spark some confusion was the subject of the last article. I had a few people asking why I didn’t include certain players.
Well, throughout each of my articles, I’ve been trying to cover any player who might have a chance at the Hall of Fame by position; with pitchers, though, there were too many to compress into one article.
I needed to split it up, and, when I divided it into three articles, based on division, it worked out fairly well. The first article was comprised of pitchers in the AL and NL East; this one is the AL and NL Central; the last will be the AL and NL West.
And so, the Hall candidates from the Central Divisions.
Imagine you are responsible to select an all-time starting rotation for the Detroit Tigers. The pitchers you pick will form the Tigers all-time team and compete against the best of their competition.
Who would you select? To whom would you give the ball to face off against Walter Johnson, Lefty Grove, Whitey Ford, Jim Palmer, and Roger Clemens? Who would be your backup pitchers and relievers as well?
The guidelines are simple: You may select pitchers from any era since the inception of the team in 1901. Starting pitchers must have reached 1,000 innings for the Tigers, and relievers must have appeared in 250 games to be eligible for your team.
The Early Years: 1901-1945
The Tigers were one of eight charter teams in the American League. Detroit had baseball before the Tigers got their start. The Detroit Wolverines were a part of the National League from 1881-1888. They won the pennant in ’87, but were soon contracted for lack of attendance after the ’88 season.
In 1894, the Western League, a minor league with big ambitions, established a team in Detroit. Owner George Vanderbeck built Bennett Park in 1895 for the new team.
When the league changed their name to the American League in 1900, the team wrote to and got permission to use the name of a local military light guard unit with a heroic reputation, called the Tigers.
By the time the American League declared itself a major league in 1901, the team had the Tigers as its official name.
That first decade witnessed early success for the new team.
In 1905 the Tigers acquired Ty Cobb, who joined a talented team including Sam Crawford, Hughie Jennings, and pitchers Bill Donovan and George Mullin.
By 1907, they were the team to beat in the AL, winning the first of three consecutive pennants. Their best pitchers were George Mullin, who won 20 games five times; Bill Donovan, who went 25-4 in 1907; and Ed Killian, who won 20 games twice in his short career.
This pitching staff allowed the team to hold their American League competition at bay, while the offense took care of business. But when it came time for the Tigers to face their National League opponents, it was a different story.
The 1907 and 1908 World Series pitted the Tigers’ prolific offense against the Cubs dominant pitching.
The Cubs came out on top both times, featuring one of the most dominant pitching trios in baseball history in Mordecai Brown, Ed Reulbach, and Orvall Overall. The Cubs trio shut down the Tigers offense both years and took home the titles.
The Tigers again brought their game in 1909, armed with new pitching stars Ed Willett and Ed Summers, who combined for 40 wins in the regular season, joining Mullin (29 wins) and mainstays Donovan and Killian.
The Tigers handled Lefty Leifield, Deacon Phillippe, and eventual Hall of Fame pitcher Vic Willis at various points in the series. It was Pittsburgh control artist, rookie Babe Adams, who stole the show, winning three complete games, including a shutout in Game Seven.
So, Ty Cobb remained thwarted of baseball’s biggest prize, a World Series title. In 1907 and 1908, it was the dominant pitching of the Cubs, and in 1909, it was Honus Wagner and a sensational rookie pitcher.
The Tigers never again appeared in a World Series during Cobb’s considerable career as a player and manager through 1928. They twice finished second in 1915 and in 1923.
The next resurgence of Tigers greatness came in the mid- and late 1930s.
Going into 1934 the team made two moves: They brought in veteran (and future Hall of Fame) catcher Mickey Cochrane and future Hall of Fame outfielder Goose Goslin. They teamed up with Hank Greenburg, Charlie Gehringer, and third baseman Marv Owen to make one of the greatest offensive juggernauts the sport has ever seen.
Fronting the team on the mound were developing stars Tommy Bridges and Schoolboy Rowe. Over the next three years, the duo won 128 games and pitched 25 shutouts. They are one of the great pitching duos is baseball history.
Schoolboy Rowe was a strapping, naturally gifted athlete. He became a fan favorite for his good looks and devotion to his high school sweetheart, Edna.
Eddie Cantor picked up on Rowe’s quotation of, “How am I doing, Edna?” The phrase caught on through radio broadcasts and was chanted at games. Rowe featured excellent command, leading the league in K/BB ratio in both ’34 and ’35.
Tommy Bridges stood 5’10” and weighed 155 pounds, dripping wet. Despite his slight frame, he possessed some of the best stuff in the league, leading in strikeouts in both 1935 and ’36. It was his drop-off-the-table curve that opponents held in wonder.
In 1935, the Tigers finally won their first World Series title. They beat the Cubs in the Series. Bridges won two games.
Despite Rowe being given the attention and lead starting roles in the World Series, it was Bridges who beat Dizzy Dean in the ’34 Series, and came away with a career record of 4-1 in the Tigers’ three World Series battles, including a win in the 1940 series against the Reds.
Bridges remained a leading pitcher in the league until he left for the war after the ’43 season.
Just two seasons later, the Tigers were in a youth movement. They featured young star hurlers Dizzy Trout, Hal Newhouser, and Virgil Trucks.
What a difference two years makes.
In ’43, Newhouser went 8-17. But the following year, he flipped the switch, and became the dominant pitcher in the American League, winning 80 games over the next three years while winning two MVP awards. He led the Tigers to a pennant and World Series title in ’45.
The Tigers showed little patience toward former hero Tommy Bridges waiting for him to come back to form after he returned from the war. The team basically sent him packing, telling him he was washed up. But Bridges had some gas left in his tank, pitching a perfect game in ’47 and winning the ERA title in the Pacific Coast league.
With a bit of patience, the Tigers might have had a second Hall of Fame pitcher to go along with Hal Newhouser, as Bridges’s career total wins ended at 194, just short of the 200 opening the door for HOF consideration. Newhouser ended with 207 wins.
Giving support to the efforts of Newhouser was Tigers workhorse Dizzy Trout.
Not being able to enlist because of a hearing impairment, Trout was one of the top AL pitchers during the war, winning 27 games in 1944. He was instrumental in the Tigers second World Series title in ’45.
The Early Years Rotation
1. Hal Newhouser, 1939-53: 200 W, 33 SHO, ERA-plus 130
2. Tommy Bridges, 1930-46: 194 W, 33 SHO, ERA-plus 126
3. Dizzy Trout, 1939-52: 161 W, 28 SHO, ERA-plus 125
4. George Mullin, 1902-13: 209 W, 34 SHO, ERA-plus 102
T5. Bill Donovan, 1903-18—140 W, 29 SHO, ERA-plus 109
T5. Schoolboy Rowe, 1933-42: 105 W, 16 SHO, ERA-plus 114
Spot Starters: Hooks Dauss (223 W, ERA-plus 102), Virgil Trucks (114 W, ERA-plus 114), Fred Hutchinson (95 W, ERA-plus 113)
The Modern Era: 1960s to present.
Toward the end of the 1940s, Newhouser’s arm was shot, and the Tigers drifted into mediocrity over the next decade until the 1960s.
As the ’60s began, the team was blessed with some fine position players like Al Kaline, Bill Freehan, ’61 batting champion Norm Cash, and later, Willie Horton. The team also featured dependable starters Frank Lary and Jim Bunning.
Bunning’s career really took off after he left the Tigers and put up some great years for the Phillies.
But it was not until the next generation of pitching started to emerge that the Tigers surged to the top of the league standings, winning the pennant in ’68 after narrowly missing the year before.
It was flamboyant Denny McLain who stole the show in 1968, winning 31 games, the Cy Young Award, and the MVP Award. Even during his peak, McLain burned the candle at both ends, playing organ in a musical group which appeared at night clubs.
If it was Denny McLain who got the Tigers to the World Series, it was blue collar, lunch pail-carrying Mickey Lolich who brought home the title in the World Series. Lolich was fearless, shutting down a great St. Louis team with his darting fastball and poise on the mound.
When Game Seven came around, it was Lolich against the great Bob Gibson, who had already set the single game strikeout record (17) against the Tigers in Game One. In one of the greatest series ever played, Lolich brought home the MVP award by winning his third game.
It was the Tigers’ third World Series title.
Denny McLain soon self-destructed, getting involved in gambling and the wrong ilk. It wasn’t long before he was out of the game. One could only wonder what could have been if McLain could have controlled his problems.
The Tigers remained a good team for several years, making the postseason in ’72 with a rag tag group of older veterans including their core, pinch-hitter Gates Brown, super sub Tony Taylor, and late-season acquisition Frank Howard.
Their playoff series against the eventual World Series champion A’s was one of the most hotly contested playoff series in history. It took every bit of greatness available to the three-time World Champion A’s to turn back the Tigers in this playoff series.
Twice Mickey Lolich pitched nine innings of one-run ball without coming away with a win.
In Game Four, down two games to one in a best-of-five series, the A’s scored twice in the top of the 10th inning after Lolich left the game. The series was theirs until the Tigers clawed back to score three runs in the bottom of the inning to send it to a fifth game.
Most of these Tigers players knew this was their last chance at postseason success, and they didn’t go down without a fight. Game Five came down to the last at bat for the Tigers, down 2-1 and facing a dominant Vida Blue sent in as a reliever.
However, this time there was no miracle come-from-behind win, and on to the World Series went Catfish Hunter, Vida Blue, Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, and the rest of the legendary A’s. They went on to win three titles in a row.
Mickey Lolich won 25 and 22 games in ‘71 and ’72, but narrowly missed winning a Cy Young award. He came as close as any pitcher has to 3,000 strikeouts (2,832) without passing the milestone. His 41 shutouts, World Series heroics, and career resume give him a strong case for the HOF.
After the old guard retired, the Tigers needed to rebuild.
They brought in Sparky Anderson, manager of the team of the decade in the ’70s—the Big Red Machine—to lead them onward. Beginning in 1980, the Tigers began to surge, winning two division titles in ’84 and ’87 and finishing second in ’83, ’88, and ’91.
The magical year for the Tigers proved to be 1984. They broke out of the gate at a record pace, going 35-5 to open the season. The team never looked back and won the World Series.
The formula again was the convergence of strong position players with strong pitching.
Catcher Lance Parrish led an offense that included Allan Trammell, Lou Whittaker, Chet Lemon, Kirk Gibson, and Darrell Evans. They featured plenty of power and some great infield defense.
Leading the pitching staff was workhorse and ace Jack Morris, accompanied by Dan Petry and Milt Wilcox.
However, any mention of the ’84 Tigers would be remiss if it didn’t give ample credit to “Captain Hook’s” go-to guys, Willie Hernandez and Aurelio Lopez. They combined to pitch in 151 games and 278 innings, giving up only 205 hits while saving 46 games between them. They were truly amazing.
Jack Morris was consistent and strong throughout the ’80s for the Tigers. But it was after he travelled on to the Twins and Blue Jays that he won two more championship rings and dazzled a generation of fans with his 10-inning, shutout performance in Game Seven of the ’91 series.
The Tigers, after winning only 43 games in ’03, built their way back to being competitive. In their first year with Jim Leyland as manager in ‘06, they made it to the World Series.
Poor weather hindered the play of the Series. Several costly errors by the Tigers pitchers also spelled the team’s doom, as they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in an anti-climactic Series.
The leader of the Tigers staff today is Justin Verlander. Verlander won Rookie of the Year award in ’06, and has generally turned in strong performances on his way to a significant career. Other young Tiger pitchers have shown promise but not the ability to sustain success to this point.
The Modern Rotation
1. Mickey Lolich, 1963-75: 207 W, 39 SHO, ERA-plus 105
2. Jack Morris, 1977-90: 200 W, 24 SHO, ERA-plus 108
3. Frank Lary, 1954-64: 123 W, 20 SHO, ERA-plus 116
4. Jim Bunning, 1955-63: 118 W, 16 SHO, ERA-plus 116
5. Denny McLain, 1963-70: 117 W, 26 SHO, ERA-plus 110
Spot Starters: Milt Wilcox (1977-85), Justin Verlander (2005-10)
The Relievers
There are four relievers to mention when looking to name an all-time Tigers team.
Todd Jones leads the Tigers in saves with 235, but has a rather pedestrian ERA-plus of 114 for a reliever. Mike Henneman has 154 saves and a very respectable ERA-plus of 136.
Both of these closers have inflated WHIP marks of 1.456 and 1.305. This relates to having runners on base.
The two I am selecting for the team are John Hiller, who pitched in 545 games, had 125 saves, and an ERA-plus of 134 with a 1.268 WHIP, and Willie Hernandez, who appeared in 358 games, had 120 saves, and had an ERA-plus of 135.
There is certainly room for interpretation here in the choice, but I feel confident with the latter two, Hiller and Hernandez.
The All-time Rotation and staff
1. Hal Newhouser
2. Tommy Bridges
3. Mickey Lolich
4. Jack Morris
5. Dizzy Trout
Spot Starters: George Mullin, Bill Donovan, Schoolboy Rowe, Denny McLain
Relievers: Willie Hernandez, John Hiller
In Conclusion
If you’re a fan of Virgil Trucks, Jim Bunning, or Frank Lary, they could certainly go in the spot starter group in place of those listed. The team is deep at this level of pitching.
Throughout the team history, success has depended on the combination of strong position players and sturdy pitching. When the two came together, the team surged to success.
With a couple of breaks here and there, this rotation could be touting four of its pitchers as members of the Hall of Fame. Bridges and Lolich have strong cases, and Jack Morris is still up for election.
The Tigers have a full-flavor history. The pitchers are no exception. Each one of these starters has a great story behind them.
It is my wish that Tiger fans understand and embrace their team history and the formula for future success that is so clearly laid down in their history.
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com
Last Thursday, Justin Verlander said he didn’t feel he was snubbed from the All-Star Game.
But due to outings by All-Star starters like New York’s CC Sabathia, Verlander was given the nod to represent Mo-Town in the midsummer classic.
Verlander’s numbers are comparable to those voted in, but during the process, his numbers weren’t up to par, he said. Verlander had an 8-5 record, and a 3.85 ERA. He explained how peers and managers select pitchers—position players are placed by fan-vote.
“I didn’t vote for myself, and I told everyone else not to,” Verlander said Thursday in Davison, Mich. “I didn’t feel like I was deserving…I did not feel like I was snubbed. There are other guys with better numbers than me that deserve to go.”
With a 7-3 win Friday over division-rival Minnesota, Verlander improved to 11-5 with a 3.82 ERA. He has won 10 of his last 13 decisions, and is a vital key to the Tigers’ AL Central title hopes. The White Sox leapfrogged the Tigers on Sunday, and lead the Central by a half-game.
Although the All-Star voting is designed with the fan in mind, Verlander said on multiple occasions that he thinks it could use reconfiguration.
“Obviously, you want the fans to be involved, it’s for the fans,” he said. “Now, it’s meaningful. It’s home-field advantage in the World Series. It’s huge. I think the Yankees will tell you that.
“For fans to have that much influence, and for it to mean that much, it’s something that needs to be addressed. For the most part, I think fans are pretty knowledgeable and right. But every now and again, they get something a little bit wrong.”
Verlander told the Detroit News he was happy to be honored, but being a replacement wasn’t what he had in mind.
“It’s obviously kind of a flawed system, in my opinion,” he said. “There are probably better ways to do it. This is the first year that they’ve done it this way, so I think there will probably be some adjustments made because it’s not easy for anybody who has a chance.
“You really don’t know what to prepare for.
“But the All-Star Game’s the All-Star Game no matter how you get there. Like I said earlier, when the time came for voting and stuff, I didn’t feel like I (deserved to) go. But I feel like since then I’ve thrown the ball pretty well. I wouldn’t be out of place there.
“It’s always an honor to have an opportunity to go and represent your team and represent this city so I’d definitely be excited.”
While Tigers fans debate on whether or not it would be wise for Verlander to pitch against the National League’s elite if he gets the chance, most applaud his nomination.
Verlander will join teammates Miguel Cabrera and Jose Valverde for the contest Tuesday night in Anaheim, Calif.
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It seems that there is always a lot of complaining about the All Star rosters, no matter who makes the team.
Fans not only complain about the process of selecting the players, but they will often heavily criticize the manager’s selections as well.
However, the fact remains that this year’s American League roster is loaded with talent, and there are very good reasons for each player being on the team who was selected.
Despite this, there are still many position players and pitchers out there who also have a very strong argument for being on the roster as well.
Here are the top 10 players who were left off of this year’s American league roster.
Miguel Cabrera and Jose Valverde will represent the Detroit Tigers in the 2010 Midsummer Classic.
Cabrera narrowly lost out to for the starting position at first base to Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins. Through Saturday night’s game against the Mariners, Cabrera had a .338 batting average, 20 HR and 68 RBIs.
Cabrera is most likely the last remaining hitter with a chance at the American League triple crown this season. He ranks in the top five in batting average, runs batted in and home runs.
Valverde, the Tigers’ dominant closer, will join Mariano Rivera of the Yankees and Joakim Soria of the Royals as the closers in the AL bullpen.
Valverde has collected 18 saves so far while posting a league-best 0.51 ERA. Valverde has been nearly perfect this season.
The Tigers’ closer has only given up two earned runs in 35 innings pitched this year. Valverde will hopefully be given an opportunity to display his talent and creative antics on the mound in Anaheim.
Despite the Tigers landing two players in this year’s game, they could have easily had two more in the forms of Justin Verlander and Brennan Boesch.
Boesch has taken MLB by storm ever since he was called up in late April when Carlos Guillen was sent to the disabled list. Through Saturday, Boesch has hit .342, 12 HR and 46 RBI. However, he has only 219 at-bats, which is roughly 100 less than most position players who have been playing the entire season.
Boesch could certainly make a strong case to have a roster spot over other AL outfielders such as Vernon Wells or Jose Bautista of the Toronto Blue Jays. Wells is currently sporting a .274 BA to go along with 19 HR and 48 RBIs. Bautista has hit 21 HR and 52 RBI, but he only has a .230 average so far.
Boesch’s ability to hit left-handed pitching just as well as right-handers could have also proved useful in the All-Star game. The left handed hitting Boesch is hitting .453 versus lefties as opposed to .307 against right handers.
Verlander is off to another strong season in 2010. Verlander picked up his 10th win of the season versus the Mariners on Saturday night. He has 103 strikeouts to go along with a 3.85 ERA.
The hard throwing Verlander is arguably one of the best starting pitchers in the AL today. It would have been hard to find an argument against him being on the team if he was selected.
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On Tuesday night I sat down and turned on the beginning of the New York Mets vs Detroit Tigers game.
I did have some vesting interest in the game since I have Ike Davis and Brennan Boesch on my fantasy team, but I also had interest in the game due to the fact that Justin Verlander was on the mound for the Tigers.
I have always enjoyed watching Verlander pitch, mainly because he is one of the few pitchers in baseball who can throw a 100 mph fastball and also snap off a knee-buckling curve ball.
Verlander is having a good season so far with an 8-5 record and a 3.94 ERA; however, he might be having a better season if it weren’t for the first inning.
Verlander really struggles in the first inning and Tuesday night was no exception.
Verlander allowed two runs in the first inning against the Mets and now has an ERA of 9.00 in the first inning of games this year. That’s 15 runs in 15 innings for those of you scoring at home.
Hitters have a .333/.391/.567 hitting line with three home runs in the first inning off Verlander. Compare that to a .230/.291/.321 hitting for innings two to nine and you can see the difference.
So what is the reason for Verlander’s first inning struggles?
I have two answers. One scientific, the other—not so much.
The scientific answer is that hitters have a .386 BAbip (Batting Average on Ball in Play) off of Verlander in the first inning, which I don’t think is sustainable throughout the course of a 35-start season. That average is bound to go down, which in turn, will make Verlander more effective in the first.
The non-scientific answer is that Verlander is too jacked up coming out of the gate.
If you watched that game last night against the Mets, the majority of pitches to Jose Reyes, Angel Pagan, and David Wright were up in the zone. Usually when a pitcher consistently misses up in the zone early in the game, it means that there is too much adrenaline pumping and he is overthrowing.
Verlander’s struggles in the first are nothing new. Last year, Verlander had a 5.14 ERA in the first. I am surprised a pitcher of his caliber hasn’t been able to pinpoint the issue yet.
Perhaps Verlander will get better by simulating the first inning in his bullpen session before the game. What ever the reason for Verlander’s struggles in the first, one thing is clear — if his opponent doesn’t get to him early, then they might never get to him at all.
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The Tigers head into this 2010 season with championship aspirations and a talented roster, but they have also relied heavily on the support of a few Tigers.
The club has recently floundered offensively, allowing more runs than they have scored. Most recently, the Tigers were shut out by the subpar Chicago White Sox.
In terms of pitching, the only bright spot has been the Tiger bullpen. The starting pitching has been the definition of mediocre.
Here are four Tigers that need to continue to carry the team on their backs if they hope to be successful this season.