Morning Prowl: Edwin Jackson Q&A, End of Season Awards, Milton Bradley, and Goodbye Metrodome
by Ian Casselberry on Oct 13, 2009 9:05 AM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
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Edwin Jackson talked to David Laurila in a Q&A for Baseball Prospectus. Topics discussed include Jackson's transition from outfielder to pitcher early in his professional career, changes he made in his game from 2008 to 2009, and his own expectations.
Unfortunately, the interview was conducted back in August, when the Tigers played in Boston. So there's no reflection on the way the season ended, Jackson's problems with his slider, or his September struggles. But it's a reminder of how good Jackson's overall performance was, and how improbable it all seemed back in December when he was acquired.
At Minor League Ball, John Sickels is doing some rookie reviews. On Friday, he reviewed Alex Avila's 2009 season. What initially looked like a desperate move to some (myself included) ended up working out pretty well for the Tigers, though Jim Leyland rode his veteran players hard down the stretch, which kept Avila on the bench for long stretches.
What's interesting is that Avila hit for more power in his brief major league stint than he did in the minors, but that could change next year if pitchers throw him fewer fastballs. Avila also maintains rookie eligibility for next season, as he only got 61 at-bats. (130 is the cutoff.)
DesigNate Robertson has its 2009 End of Season Awards ready for you. Rogo's choice for AL Cy Young was an interesting one, though he makes a good case. And I especially enjoyed his pick for Most Improved Tiger. His choice for Tiger Blog of the Year also gets a ringing endorsement.
(And on a serious note to Rogo: Thank you for the kind words and your support throughout the season.)
Since demondeaconsbaseball took a lot of crap for suggesting Milton Bradley be a part of the 2010 Detroit Tigers (and not just on this blog), I thought it was worth pointing out that Patrick Hayes had a similar idea at It's Just Sports. The differences in each suggestion are who would be traded to get Bradley, and which position Bradley would play.
Following up on that point, Fire Jim Leyland also likes the idea of getting Bradley and crunches the numbers on what his value would be to the Tigers next season (assuming he can stay healthy and is due for a rebound in his offensive numbers).
"Squander!" was a popular outcry in BYB GameThreads this season. But did the 2009 Tigers score as many runs as they were supposed to? Tiger Tales applies a formula called "weighted runs created" to Detroit's offensive output this past season, and the results might surprise you.
At The Spot Starters, Blake gives Ryan Raburn his due. If the Tigers' roster looks much the same next season, should Raburn be the favorite for the left field job?
With Dave Dombrowski seeming to imply that Scott Sizemore will be Detroit's second baseman next season, the Freep's John Lowe looks at Sizemore's career in the Tigers' organization thus far.
Also handing out postseason awards are Tigers Tracks and Mack Avenue Tigers. John named a winner for major award in both leagues, while Kurt kept his picks to the American League for now.
(SB Nation will announce their bloggers' picks for the major awards after the conclusion of the World Series, I believe.)
While Tigers fans (and baseball fans) likely won't join the Star-Tribune's Joe Christensen in saying a sentimental goodbye to the Metrodome, this photo posted on Big League Stew could warm a few hearts in this chilly autumn weather.
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the fact that when I google image searched for a squander image...
and I ended up right back to this site tells of the amount of squanderage going on.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
I'm on board with a Milton Bradley deal
if it means getting rid of Bonderman or Guillen, especially if the Cubs are desperate enough to absorb some of Bradley’s contract. It would save us some money and give the potential for a much better lineup. Given how small a contribution we’ve gotten from Bondo and Guillen over the past two years, I think this could be a reasonably low-risk situation. Worst case scenario is that Milton gets injured or starts acting up and we have to cut him. If the Cubs take one of our bad contracts and pay one of Milton’s years, then I don’t think Tigers fans should be too worried about this trade.
This kind of reminds me of last year
When all sorts of people were advocating (if not expecting) for the Tigers to send Nate/Dontrelle/both to Boston for Julio Lugo. I was less-than-enthusiastic about that. In any case, the Tigers have more pressing issues to deal with. Plus, if everyone wants to get rid of Bonderman and Guillen, surely DD can manipulate some GM into giving him someone with more upside than Bradley.
by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 13, 2009 11:17 AM EDT via mobile reply actions
Milton Bradley brings a lot more to the table than Julio Lugo. The two really aren’t close in their production.
And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!
+1
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Oct 13, 2009 6:17 PM EDT up reply actions
Fine by me.
And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!
by Mike Rogers on Oct 14, 2009 12:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Hooray!
I’m universally despised!
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
Sigh
I had a big, long reply about how I don’t hate you; I just disagree with you, but the wifi flakes out and the post was lost.
By the way, I have a dumb question for you later, since you seem to be the resident expert on prospects.
by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 13, 2009 11:50 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Shoot
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Oct 13, 2009 2:25 PM EDT up reply actions
I just despise Milton Bradley...
Their board games are just so annoying. :)
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
Parker Bros representing up in this piece
Fo sho
http://www.fromthecopa.blogspot.com
by rock n rye on Oct 13, 2009 2:20 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
The only thing preventing me from compltely disregarding MB
is that high OBP. It’s very damn tempting, although his contract numbers are not.
by StringTheory on Oct 13, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
I think picking up Bradley would be a brilliant idea!
And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!
this debate feels like a rerun
Essentially, it becomes a debate where you compare numbers that shows a player has the potential to contribute a lot, to a past history that shows the player has the potential to make a gigantic mess because of issues outside the playing field.
You essentially are betting whether or not you can calm the problem child.
In Bradley’s case, I don’t think that Detroit projects as the nurturing environment he says he needs. Lord knows the Tigers fans like to boo their own players as soon as things go wrong (Jason Grilli, Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Gary Sheffield, Brandon Lyon a week into the season, etc, etc.)
by Kurt Mensching on Oct 13, 2009 3:34 PM EDT up reply actions
But were the teams bad because Milton Bradley destroyed them? I’m not willing to jump to that conclusion at all. Outside of last year, he’s been very productive the last few seasons.
And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!
by Mike Rogers on Oct 14, 2009 12:57 AM EDT up reply actions
I think he's too old to be a "problem child" anymore
He’s graduated to full-blown team cancer.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
I'm mostly worried about the fact that he's injury-prone and is coming off a poor offensive season
We’ve already done enough gambling that players will stay healthy and bounce back (and we’re in the position of trying to make that happen with most of our guys already). I just think there has to be a less risky alternative somewhere.
by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 14, 2009 6:38 AM EDT up reply actions
Bradley is a cancer
as someone who lives in the Chicago area, I can tell you that he made zero positive impact on the team, he whined and cried all year, but if the Cubs are on the hook for most of his salary and they take some wasteful salary in return, he has the talent you take a shot with…
I’m just not sure if Detroit is the best place for him
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Oct 13, 2009 4:16 PM EDT reply actions
I just can’t believe there’s no culpability for the poor hitting this year. Lloyd McClendon is actually returning. It’s kind of amazing that anyone could have claimed to have “coached” this years Tigers in their batting and be allowed to return next year.
Tigers’ batting got noticeably worse as the season progressed. A coach is supposed to improve things, and their impact should be particularly noticeable down the stretch where conditioning, form, technique… you know, BATTING, keeps players going strong through 160+ games.
so its his fault when the team doesnt hit
Does he get credit for Magglio’s 2nd half?
http://www.fromthecopa.blogspot.com
by rock n rye on Oct 13, 2009 5:43 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Or Inge fixing his swing (see John.Kmiecik's post for the monthly splits)?
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Oct 13, 2009 6:18 PM EDT up reply actions
From Driveline Mechanics for the saber folks (then again they probably all read it already!), an interesting article about catcher defense and how good Laird really is
Hmm
Alex Avila is still a gain defensively, but he’d have to do some work with the bat to make up for Laird’s value.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Oct 13, 2009 6:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I will be incorporating catcher’s defense into some year-end looks at each of the tigers players.
And now at Beyond the Boxscore and Project Prospect!
by Mike Rogers on Oct 14, 2009 12:58 AM EDT up reply actions
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