Jon Heyman: Yankees Sign Marcus Thames
(via MLB Trade Rumors)
FS Detroit to carry 4 spring training games, 157 regular season games
Via Jason Beck's Twitter. No details yet, except the one game that might not get broadcast is April 7th against KC. Presumably the other games not covered on FS Detroit will be Saturday games on big Fox.
What's your Detroit Tigers' 2010 roster look like right now?
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 7, 2010 10:56 PM EST
in Morning Lede
56 comments
Pitchers and catchers don't open their workouts for another 11 days or so. But we've been having a lot of discussions about what moves are left for the Tigers to make before the season opens in April. So now might be as good a time as any to look at your 25-man roster if the season opened today, as well as the opening-day lineup.
The reason I say "today" and not "what do you think it will look like in April" is because it helps to identify holes and surpluses. (Although at this point in the season I think we've all done a great job on that.) Also, it's really hard to predict moves. Who would have thought Josh Anderson would be a Detroit Tiger at this point last season.
Let me say up front I generally don't like to play this game until midway through spring training, but there's no reason we can't do another round in about five or six weeks. We'll all have better ideas of what to expect then and make better selections. Also note, this isn't my ideal roster and lineup. Just what I think the Tigers would do.
Without further adieu, I'll show you mine after the jump, but you have to show me yours. I've given some added information on why I think things shake out like this, and what moves I think it would be wise for the team to make. But you don't have to.
56 comments | 0 recs |
Saints-Colts: Super Bowl XLIV Open Thread - SB Nation
There's an open super bowl thread at SBNation.com if you're interested.
1 day ago
Kurt Mensching
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Big Cat Galarraga to help Li'l Miguel Cabrera this spring?
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 6, 2010 10:34 AM EST
in News
17 comments
"Big Cat" Andres Galarraga may be best known for his chase for a .400 batting average he had in Colorado in 1993, a highlight among the 19 seasons of his career. More recently, he could also be known for coaching the Venezuelan national baseball team.
Now, among Tigers fans, he might the opportunity to be known for another reason: mentoring Miguel Cabrera, or "Miguelito," his term of endearment for the Tigers' slugger.
MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez reported Friday Galarraga will likely attend the Tigers' spring training in Lakeland, which begins later this month, to help Cabrera through his personal battles. Galarraga is willing to work for Cabrera for six weeks in Florida, but would prefer not to spend the entire eight-month season away from home.
Galarraga said:
"Maybe it's one of those things that Miguel is interested in me continuing to help him," Galarraga said. "It seems [general manager] Dave Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland think it's a good idea."
"Miguelito is preparing himself. After the rehabilitation, he's coming in the best condition," he said. "Miguelito has been a superstar since he started and now he's prepared mentally and physically. I believe he's going to have an explosive year."
17 comments | 0 recs |
What's next? Tigers need more offense, GM Dave Dombrowski hints
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 4, 2010 9:53 PM EST
in News
78 comments
OK, so it's not as if Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski is making the exact claim, "We need to add some more runs to our lineup." But he may as well be saying that.
Quoted by the Free Press today, Dombrowski said:
"I always bite my tongue when I say this, because you never feel comfortable about, really, anything," he said. "But we’re not looking to add pitching at this point. We have what we think are four starters that are pretty well established and a battle for the fifth spot. Our bullpen’s pretty well set at this point, from the left side and the right side.
"Most of our positional spots are set, in the sense that if you had to open the season, I’d feel comfortable in that regard. But if there was an area we’re going to address, it would be an offensive perspective. I don’t know if anything will happen or not."
At this point, this truly feels like the kind of slow burn we typically get when the Tigers make a rather telegraphed move. Denials, non-denials, hint-dropping, etc.
So at this point, I will say I pretty much expect Johnny Damon will be a Tiger. I could be wrong, but ... it just has the feel. Not that it has to be Damon. It could still be Felipe Lopez. But I just feel like it will be Damon, honestly.
78 comments | 0 recs |
Updated: Verlander, Tigers make it official
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 4, 2010 9:30 PM EST
in News
24 comments
The Tigers held a press conference at 3 p.m. today to announce Justin Verlander has signed a five-year deal worth $80 million.
We will have more on this later when some quotes begin to come out. So far, all we have is a tweet from the official Twitter feed.
It's official, Justin Verlander signs for five more years with the Tigers. Verlander said he knows the Tigers are committed to winning.
Update 5 p.m.:
We have some salary figures. Responding to a question from Brian Packey, who comments here, MLB.com's Jason Beck reported on Twitter Verlander will earn:
- $6.75m in 2010
- $12.75m in 2011
- $20m in 2012
- $20m in 2013
- $20m in 2014
Update 9:30 p.m.
OK, now we've got a few stories and quotes from the press conference to share.
Dave Dombrowski:
"It's a very happy moment for the organization," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "To me, he's one of the best pitchers in the game of baseball, and somebody that can anchor our staff here over the next five years with some other quality young pitchers. He puts us in position to trot out one of the best starting staffs in the game."
Justin Verlander:
"You know, when it comes down to it, I feel like I've grown up in this city," Verlander said. "I've made a name for myself here, and I love the old English 'D'. The fans have always supported me since Day 1. I think that means a lot. I feel at home here."
*snip*
"I certainly don't plan on my career being over in five years, so I hope to be around here a lot longer."
Links:
Lynn Henning and Tom Gage of the Detroit News
Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press
Matthew Carruth of Fangraphs.com
10:45 update
Fox Sports Detroit has the press conference video.
24 comments | 0 recs |
Saber 101: Fielding Independent Pitching
by Mike Rogers on Feb 4, 2010 6:51 PM EST
in Saber 101
30 comments
Nearly a decade ago Voros McCracken shook the sabermetric landscape with the simple theory that much of what we thought of pitching is actually more about the defenders behind him than the pitcher itself. The seminal piece on Baseball Prospectus can be boiled down to one, oft-quoted line:
There is little if any difference among major-league pitchers in their ability to prevent hits on balls hit in the field of play.
Basically, McCracken found that pitchers really only control a few key things like strikeouts, walks, and home runs. If you just think about it, it does make sense. Should Justin Verlander be rewarded because Adam Everett is a vacuum at shortstop? Should Verlander be punished because Carlos Guillen was manning that spot behind him back in 2006? No, he shouldn't.
After the jump, I'll give you all the reasons you need to to not use ERA as a stick against which to measure pitchers again...
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