Farewell, Figaro; Bonjour, French

by Ian Casselberry on Jun 28, 2009 9:30 PM EDT in Detroit Tigers News

Despite Jim Leyland's initial insistence that Alfredo Figaro would get a good look in the Detroit Tigers' starting rotation, his major league audition turned out to be a quick one. Figaro was sent down to Triple-A Toledo after this afternoon's game, with Luke French coming up to take over the fifth starter's role.

According to Jason Beck, French will get in some work out of the bullpen during the Tigers' three-game series in Oakland, but is scheduled to start Friday night in Minnesota. The initial explanation for the move seemed to be less of a concern with Figaro's performance in Houston on Saturday, and more of a desire for the left-handed French to pitch against the Twins' lineup.

However, comments by Leyland before the game seemed to indicate that Tigers coaches suddenly had some questions about Figaro. From John Lowe's story in the Freep:

"He didn't throw the ball. Some pitches were 89 m.p.h. I was very disappointed because I thought the one thing he would be was aggressive, and he was totally un-aggressive. ... He pitched like he was looking at the names on the hitters' backs (i.e., showing them too much respect). ... He got after them a little better after the horse was out of the barn."

Beck also mentioned on his blog that there was some thought that Figaro might be tipping his pitches, which might explain why the Astros teed off on his breaking balls. Leyland, however, stuck to his belief that Figaro may have tried to get too cute with his pitches.

French has a 4-4 record and 2.98 ERA with the Mud Hens in 13 starts this season, compiling 72 strikeouts and 20 walks in 81.2 innings. French filled in briefly during Nate Robertson's first DL stint this season, pitching in two games, and allowing three strikeouts and three walks in three scoreless innings.

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I was checking to see if French pitched for Toledo today.

He didn’t. But Ian Snell struck out 17 Mud Hens today. 17! Everyone in the lineup struck out at least once. Sizemore, Thomas, and Larish each had 3. Oh boy.

by StringTheory on Jun 28, 2009 9:47 PM EDT reply actions

Gorzalanney (however that's spelled)

struck out 12 in 5 innings yesterday.

Scary times!

Mack Avenue Tigers

by Kurt Mensching on Jun 28, 2009 9:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Question

Any chance French could or would be used Wednesday in Oakland? That bumps Verlander back to Friday against the Twins and gives us Verlander, Jackson and Porcello as our starters for that series. I understand wanting to break up Verlander and Jackson to give the bullpen a rest but I figure this is an important series and it’s close enough to the All Star break that they can reshuffle the rotation after the break so that Jackson and Verlander are broken up within the rotation again.

by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 29, 2009 9:06 AM EDT reply actions

That is interesting....

but, I think they do want to throw a lefty at Minnehaha. French’s numbers are pretty solid, granted at Triple A. He’s been up before so the “bright lights” shouldn’t affect him too much. I can see the writing on the wall though….who will be traded soon for another starter? I would have said Thames, but now it looks like one of the bouncers (Triple A to Majors, and back) will be. Clete? Raburn? Larish? Any deal would probably have to include at least one of them…….

"A drug is not bad. A drug is a chemical compound. The problem comes in when people who take drugs treat them like a license to behave like an asshole. "

by Zappatista on Jun 29, 2009 9:31 AM EDT up reply actions

OR

Maybe that is why there are giving Diamond Don Kelly so many ab’s? Letting everyone look at him. I just hope it’s not Cletus……

"A drug is not bad. A drug is a chemical compound. The problem comes in when people who take drugs treat them like a license to behave like an asshole. "

by Zappatista on Jun 29, 2009 9:32 AM EDT up reply actions

Why trade?

Why don’t we just sign Paul Byrd?

by David Tokarz on Jun 29, 2009 9:36 AM EDT up reply actions

Becasue hes washed up

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 29, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

What about Kenny Rogers

He makes the most sense to me. He knows the team, the environment, the manager and the division pretty well. He hasn’t officially retired and has previously said he only wants to pitch for Detroit again if he pitches again.

by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 29, 2009 11:25 AM EDT up reply actions

I dont even know whys hes.....

….even in Detroit…..One bad inning for Fiagaro and hes sent down?

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 29, 2009 9:40 AM EDT up reply actions

Wow On Bad Inning.....

…….And Fiagro goes down????…..he gave up 5 runs in one inning and hes sent down….Dont get it….Figaro was just as hot as French has been in the minors when he was called up…..All I can say Luke is….Done give up a big inning or you will get sent down!!!!….Puzzling decision.

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 29, 2009 9:39 AM EDT reply actions

Reading Ian's post

It seems the team believe Figaro was scaried. That might sound harsh but the implication seems to be that mentally he’s not ready. Correct me if I am wrong but wasn’t Figaro brought up from Double A? I think the team may have realized it was too big of a jump right now and I fine with seeing him go down for now. As far as the one big inning part, I was impressed that Leyland let him stay in and work six. That impressed me from both a manager and pitcher standpoint. The point remains though that it sounds like the team believed the kid is not mentally ready.

by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 29, 2009 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Skipping Triple-A isn’t necessarily a big deal. It seems to me in recent years, Double-A has been the place for top prospects on their way to the majors, and Triple-A has been the place for MLB fringers.

The jump might have been too early for a guy pitching in West Michigan last year but developing quickly.

It wasn’t just one big inning, Bennie (merging my replies here). He was getting into too much trouble because of too many base runners. I love his ability to get strikeouts. I mean, he’s averaging a K an inning, had seven in his debut, that’s pretty nice stuff. I thought he’d get another shot, too.

But you gotta admit, having a lefty starter in Minnnesota makes good sense.

Mack Avenue Tigers

by Kurt Mensching on Jun 29, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I gotta agree here

Having a lefty to face Minnesota has got to be the driving force behind this move. The addition of French to start and Ni to join Seay in the pen will help offest the Mauer/Morneau/Kubel attack from Minnesota.

Let’s not assume that Figaro will be ruined by this experience, Bennie, perhaps we were all a bit blindsided by the quick turnaround, sending him back down, but he has good stuff. Sometimes its best to see what you can do at the big league level before heading back down to work on things you can improve upon. I agree with Leyland, he looked a bit gun-shy to me early in that game.

http://alwaysatiger.blogspot.com

by BigJP on Jun 29, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Well So Does.....

…..Galaraga and he isnt sent down….I know baseball and yes Figaro looked alilttle tentative…..So did Justin in the 1st inning on Friday…..Im not saying Justin should be sent down…..duh…..But Figaro is 24 and he didnt get a fair shot.

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 29, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think he’ll be ruined by the experience as long as the team is honest with him. If before they sent him down they told him that they like his talent, but they would rather have another lefty and they want him to get some work in before they call him up again, he will take it as encouraging and he’ll know what specific areas to work on so he will be better prepared when he makes it back up.

I think in any sport, it’s the idea of getting jerked around without any input as to what he has to do to be better that hurts an athlete. They might not expect loyalty in the business, or a leash so long that they have unlimited opportunity to hurt the team, but they are probably okay as long as they get honesty from the coaches and managers.

"A vacuum is a hell of a lot better than some of the stuff that nature replaces it with." -- Tennessee Williams

by Baroque on Jun 29, 2009 12:46 PM EDT up reply actions

I like how the guy from the freep.....

….said he was throwing 89 mph….yeah n the 1st inning after that he was 92 plus…..leyalnd said Fiagro would get a good look…..2 starts isnt enough……Im sick of this…..they just ruined another yooun\g pitcher by calling him up andsaying we will give ya a good look….then 2 starts later he gets sent down after pitching good enough in 2 starts and having only one bad inning.

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 29, 2009 9:45 AM EDT reply actions

and while he only

had one bad inning, he didn’t have too many good innings. He always was pitching himself into jams. To his credit, he was able to escape most of those jams, but constantly pitching in trouble is no way to survive.

http://alwaysatiger.blogspot.com

by BigJP on Jun 29, 2009 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Kinda Of Like.....

….Armando…..hes stil here….Why not call up Luke and send down Armando?…..hes got one option left

by BennieBladesFan on Jun 29, 2009 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

I don’t think anyone has an answer on what kept Armando around for so long Bennie. Track record, I suppose. He has been pitching a bit better, though, uhm, not really all that good. But he had 3 recent quality starts anyway.

Mack Avenue Tigers

by Kurt Mensching on Jun 29, 2009 12:27 PM EDT up reply actions