Johnny Damon sees big things for Miguel Cabrera
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 25, 2010 6:00 AM EST
in Detroit Tigers Links
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I never like to quote too much from someone else's story, but I just feel like I have to leave this Johnny Damon gem from MLB.com's Jason Beck as is.
In a story about the likely batting order -- Austin Jackson leading off, with Damon, Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera rounding out the top four, Damon had this to say:
"I'm at two and Austin is leading off, he's going to dictate a lot of what happens, too," Damon said. "If he's on base and stealing, I'll be taking a lot more pitches. Also, the guys we've got coming up behind us, they've got something to prove. [Cabrera] is going to win an MVP before he's done. Magglio is on his contract year."
Cabrera's eyes widened as he looked over attentively. Damon smiled back.
"That's right, MVP, baby," Damon said. "And then you take me to dinner."
The Tigers would gladly feast on that style of offense.
One thing I like already: Damon seems to have fit right in from the moment he got there. I am not a big believer in "chemistry" when it comes to baseball. But I certainly can't complain about the vibe Damon is bringing to Tigertown.
Especially as a blogger.
Keep reading for more news from yesterday.
- Related: Ian wondered if Damon would bring the "idiot" personality -- made famous by a book by that title -- to the Tigers. Unfortunately for Ian, the idiots were the commenters at MLive who didn't bother to read the article before replying with vile.
- Another Beck story today. Lefty relief pitcher Bobby Seay had a cortisone shot to help deal with bursitis causing pain in his biceps, and he will be a few more days before he resumes pitching.
- What's Cabrera doing to Brent Dlugach? Nevermind, I don't want to know.
- Does it really matter who is No. 2 pitcher or No. 3? Not really. But interesting to see Max Scherzer called No. 3 in this story by MLive's Steve Kornacki. I think Scherzer is the better of the two pitchers, even if he is new to the team.
- I just like this photo.
- Yahoo! sports Steve Henson thinks the signing of Damon saved the Tigers' season.
- Mike of The Daily Fungo's response? "Them's fightin' words."
- Yesterday, I linked to the excellent Detroit News headline about Gene Lamont running over Jim Leyland on the golf course. Now, Samara has illustrated the scene.
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Dlugach will be able to tell his grandkids . . .
. . . I was once humped by a Hall of Famer!
by rea on Feb 25, 2010 6:39 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
that was actually my first thought too!
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 25, 2010 8:55 AM EST up reply actions
+1
VP of Membership, Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by JoelZumayaKegStand on Feb 25, 2010 10:38 AM EST up reply actions
to each other?
my dog has a tendency to do it to random legs
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 11:14 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
The more I hear Johnny talk...
or at least read quotes from him, the more I like him on this team. I don’t know, I guess I’m starting to feel hints of optimism?
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
He's definitely mastered the art of saying all the right things.
by StringTheory on Feb 25, 2010 8:53 AM EST up reply actions
you have to be good at that
to make the transition from Boston to New York. Even if Boston still hates him.
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 11:15 AM EST up reply actions
miguel is certainly living up to the "everyone's favorite 5 year old" comment
but it’s nice to see everyone having a good time. stark contrast to the way they left things in 2009.
I guess
since Miguel is off the sauce, he needs to find other ways to “express himself”. Or something.
Oh and also, I’m not surprised by Damon being a good guy. He’s been like that at all of his other stops.
Nice guy, yeah...
but he’s also a tenacious competitor. He’ll push everyone around him to be better.
Damon- Ordonez- Cabrera- Guillen is a nice string of offense. Now if we had a leadoff man?
An extemporaneous thought
I’ve seen multiple analysis of the Damon signing harping on the fact that Damon will not hit 24 HR with CoPa as his new home yard. Duh. The Tigers didn’t sign him to hit HR anyway. Nobody ever mentions the fact that the Tigers #2 hitters (looking at you, Polanco) posted a crappy .321 OBP in ‘09. Damon gets on at a .355 clip in his career. That’s what they need from him. Who cares if he hits HR. Ordonez needs to hit more dingers, not JD.
Also, Tigers leadoff hitters posted an identical crappy .321 OBP. Jackson’s minor league OBP was .356. I don’t think he duplicates that as a rookie, but if he gets on at something like a .330 clip, there’s going to be a lot more opportunities for the Ordonezs and Cabreras of the world to drive in more runs than last season.
Long story short, this is a better offensive team at the top of the lineup. Sorry Grandy and Polly, but it’s true. Of course the bottom of the order is an abyss, but I’m pretty confident 1-5 will be productive. With a theoretically good pitching staff, I could see this team being competitive enough in a weak division. 85 wins, I says.
by ChrisDTX on Feb 25, 2010 11:08 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
I think
AJax (assuming he’s the leadoff hitter) will get a lot to hit from opposing pitchers. With Damon behind him then the meat of the Tigers’ order, I think pitchers will aggressively go after the perceived weak link in Jackson. He should see a lot of fastballs around the strike zone until he forces opposing pitchers to change their strategy.
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 11:19 AM EST up reply actions
Good point
If Jackson is leading off, he’ll benefit from the guys behind him… it’ll help ease his transition in the bigs
by Lester A. Wiltfong Jr. on Feb 25, 2010 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
That's exactly how it works
He’ll do much better batting 1st with some protection than he will if he bats in front of Adam Everett.
plus
look at this from the Yahoo article linked above
Jackson batted second and third during most of his five years in the Yankees farm system and felt pressure to increase his meager power numbers – he hit only 30 home runs in 2,478 plate appearances. No worries now, at least not the same worry.
"Leadoff is a different mindset," he said. "I won’t be trying to hit home runs. I won’t feel that pressure at the top of the lineup."
Hopefully this means a lower number of K’s for AJax.
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 11:22 AM EST up reply actions
OT, but real quick
I had never heard the word “extemporaneous” used in a sentence until yesterday, and now you just did as well. WTF. haha
well...
you do hang out here. I myself am a huge nerd.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
And he used it . . .
. . . without any advance planning . . . :)
by rea on Feb 25, 2010 1:30 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs
...you don't say.
so it was an impromptu use? good.
by GreatGooglyMoogly on Feb 25, 2010 5:58 PM EST up reply actions
I had to give an extemporaneous speech in High school
in an English class. I gave a speech about all the college football bowl games, then railed on the NCAA for not having a playoff. That was 1976!
I did Extemporaneous Speaking in forensics
Only 2 or 3 tournaments though. To be honest, I’m more used to hearing extemp than extemporaneous.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 25, 2010 4:13 PM EST up reply actions
We have "extemporaneous compounding" in pharmacy, so I hear it all the time
I just kind of assumed I’d seen it here before, but maybe not.
by SabreRoseTiger on Feb 25, 2010 2:16 PM EST up reply actions
Baseball Prospectus has a take on that
Actually, it’s not a favorable article regarding the marginal impact that Damon will have on the Tiger lineup, given that he’ll probably be taking AB’s away from Raburn and Guillen- or so they think. But the impact of the switch from NY to Det is analyzed. It’s not that the fence is some 17 feet farther away, but that jet stream that allegedly takes pop flies to deep second and carries them to Joisey. Damon is a smart hitter, and he will adjust. Forget about being last in the league in doubles again (which is dam near criminal in Co Pa). Johnny will hit the gaps, and with Maggs and Miggy behind him- Johnny comes marching home!
One thing I don't understand
is the lovefest that is any and all coverage of one Ryan Raburn. Yeah, he’s a decent player. I don’t really see him as anything more than a 4th OF and he’s almost 30. Big whoop.
Raburn is the ONE player
among all the AAAA types on the Tiger roster, that I have confidence in to hit major league pitching. At best, he’s Michael Cuddyer. At worst, he really doesn’t have any instincts to play the outfield, either. (We already know he can’t play infield). But he can hit, and the Tigers need hitting. I like his bat on the bench, if nothing else. I would hope that JL isn’t afraid to offend some of the lite hitting players we have at the bottom of the order to get some offense going.
Agreed
I think he’s a good hitter, but you would think if he had it in him to be the star everyone thinks he’d be, he would have done so by now.
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 1:37 PM EST up reply actions
He got hurt a few years ago
ATV accident (for reals)- that kinda set him back. He’s still got a lot of potential.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 25, 2010 4:14 PM EST up reply actions
i'm pretty sure we all knew he wouldn't be a star...
…at least after he went north of 25 yrs. and wasn’t in the bigs. but he’s been a very solid uber-sub. right now, he’s turning into a newer, faster, better version of Thames. i’m alright with that.
by GreatGooglyMoogly on Feb 25, 2010 6:06 PM EST up reply actions
I don't think anybody is looking for him to be a star anyway.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
some do
based on some of the comments I’ve read
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 26, 2010 2:30 AM EST up reply actions
Polanco had two seasons
his OBP was .358 after the break, which is right in line with his three year splits.
Granderson’s OBP was also .358 vs RHP’s. Against lefties, he didn’t belong in the lineup, much less leading off. Raburn would have been an ideal platoon partner in that spot, even if we gave up some D in CF those 30% of the AB’s that the Tigs faced a LHP.
We don’t yet know who’s leading off, but I doubt that Mr. X and Damon will be better than Granderson and Polanco would have been if they were used properly. And they were never great in the OBP department anyway as far as a 1- 2 punch goes.
I would LOVE to see Biggy
win the AL MVP in 2010. He’s going to be just fine out there
Welcome to Detroit, NO sissies allowed
I'm pretty sure we all would
and you know ESPN would play the “coming back from alcohol incident” angle to no end. Still, I see a monster year coming for Miggy Smalls.
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 11:45 AM EST up reply actions
If Miguel has a good year
they’re going to act like it’s the first time in his career he hasn’t seen two balls coming at him every pitch.
No, but Dlugach is gonna have nightmares about 2 balls coming at him.
by Robocop on Feb 25, 2010 1:31 PM EST up reply actions 4 recs
Porcello deserves No. 2
He should get great matchups at no. 3 but after slammin Youk, pitching GREAT down the stretch, Sign him long term. Youk’ Slammer, hmm, maybe my new name….
by Fien SHOULD CLOSE on Feb 25, 2010 2:29 PM EST reply actions
Porcello IS Number 2
After opening day, it really doesn’t matter
Nor does it matter if they have a lefty in the rotation
Four RHP’s did pretty well in 1984- Morris, Petry, Wilcox, and Berenguer
I had to laugh at Bonderman saying that he’s okay being No. 4, considering he’s suspended for the first 3 games for drilling that Twinkie as a reliever!
Rotation spot does matter
It’s been said that it all gets muffed after the first off day, but teams match up all the time that have the same number of games. When both teams have 26 games played and a 5-man rotation, you’re going to see #2 vs. #2. Even if they’re one game off, you’re seeing the #2 vs. the #1 or #3 instead of seeing the #3 vs. #2 or #4. The higher in the rotation you pitch, the more likely you are to face a better opposing SP. This doesn’t affect your team’s chances too much in the long run, but may hurt your Win total if you’re giving up more runs than the average #2 starter.
Scherzer is better
Yeah, I said it.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 25, 2010 4:15 PM EST up reply actions
Backed. 100%.
My old blog is Tigers By The Numbers.
Now I write at Bless You Boys.
Like music? See what I'm listening to at my Last.fm account.
I'll take Porcello
Although I like them both very much. If they can both come through, we’ll have a solid rotation, and a solid season.
scherzer better?
are we just looking for an argument, or do you have proof to back up that statement…porcello was a stud all year his first season, culminating in game 163 against the twins…if scherzer can top porcello, we might as well start printing series tickets now….hope he is, but he’s going into his soph season too, although he’s 5 yrs older than Rick. Awesome thought, hope ur right, cause porcello is a beast !!
Scherzer had:
More strikeouts, more strikeouts per walk, fewer home runs per fly ball (in a hitters’ park), a more sustainable batting average on balls in play, better FIP, etc.
Not you personally, just from conversations I’ve had, an observation: I don’t think Tigers fans actually realize how good Scherzer is. The only worry is his ability to avoid injury.
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 25, 2010 8:54 PM EST up reply actions
Two things
1: Porcello just turned 21. So, yeah.
2: While Max’s home park was a hitters yard, other parks in that division include the canyons of PETCO, Phone Company Park and Dodger Stadium. So that balances out the park factors a bit.
All that being said, if I had to bet on which guy would be better in ‘10, I’d go with Scherzer.
he made four starts combined at those places, 16 at home and 2 more at Coors Field
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 26, 2010 3:17 PM EST up reply actions
Really?
I obviously didn’t look it up, but I figured he’d have made more than 4 starts in the division on the road. In any case, Scherzer is a K guy, so that mitigates any type of park effect to a certain degee.
K guys
They’re generally better than GB guys.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 28, 2010 4:59 AM EST up reply actions
There's a huge difference
pitching in the NL vs the AL. The DH alone is a huge factor, plus the AL is simply a much tougher league to pitch in.
but it would be a lot worse if the Tigers had to compete in the AL East
Being in a division with no offenses projected to be all that great will diminish some of the effect
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 28, 2010 2:54 PM EST up reply actions
There was some concern in Arizona
apparently among the team brass about Max’s future. Some were apparently worried about his “violent delivery” and thought that he was an accident waiting to happen. Plus, he throws over 70% fast balls and there are concerns about that translating to the AL. Some even felt he may wind up in the bullpen rather than the rotation. Between the two, I’d take Porcello. But man, if both of these guys get near their potential, together with Verlander, we’re really on to something, here!
I think
we’re just trying to start some sh** good friendly conversation
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 26, 2010 2:30 AM EST up reply actions
I believe that Ramon Santiago is a good candidate to lead off when he is in the lineup. He does all the little things (doesn’t strike out too often, puts the ball in play, takes walks, bunts) and he would take pressure of ajax by being able to put him down in the order.
laird
i also think laird is a better hitter than .220, hell, if he can hit .250 that would be huge…2nd yr in the AL, maybe he will benefit from seeing the pitchers now…we can only hope!!
The Rangers . . .
. . . are in the AL, last I looked . . .
“2nd yr in the AL, maybe he will benefit from seeing the pitchers now”
yeah but it's the AL west, does that really count?
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 25, 2010 3:21 PM EST up reply actions
Gerald Laird
hit the first grand slam I saw in person. Random. I’ve been going to baseball games for over 20 years, and it took until like 2007 or whenever it was for me to see a granny. Pedro Feliz would later duplicate the feat. Anywho, enough rambling.
Jim Northrup
Hit the first slammer I saw live, in 1968.
The worst was by Dick Schofield, in Anaheim. UG!
The first grand slam I ever saw:
Juan Uribe. Opposite field shot off Andrew Miller. It was the first Tigers game I ever went to. It didn’t even feel real, for some reason.
by SabreRoseTiger on Feb 25, 2010 9:53 PM EST up reply actions
He is
But he can’t get 75-80 percent of the plate appearances. Give him half, and use him as a defensive replacement for Avila. That way he stays rested and you break in the rookie.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 25, 2010 4:16 PM EST up reply actions
Protection for AJax
comes with the heart of the order hitting behind him when he’s in the leadoff spot.
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 25, 2010 4:41 PM EST up reply actions
JD
All you fans who were against the Tigers signing Damon will be kissing his arse this season…not only will he pull his weight, but he is a winner, and that is huge in the clubhouse and in tight ballgames. The mental part of the game is huge, and with the Tigers having so many young players in the lineup, he can be regarded as nothing but a positive. Go Tigers !! Go Johnny !!! Cabrera is gonna be a beast this year !!!
Most of the complaining about Damon
that I read, had to do with how much they paid him.
I never understand why fans moan about how an owner spends money on their team.
I understand the “why didn’t they just keep Granderson, then” argument, but Damon clearly helps the Tigers. Girly arm an all!
I usually hate all "winner" talk
I start to worry that it will open the door to Darin Erstad or David Eckstein or some similarly shitty “winner” joining the team.
But…JD does seem to bring a professionalism to the table that I like. Not that we necessarily need it, but I like how he easily and naturally talks about big picture stuff: Mr. Illitch and DD in conversation, the fans, his salary, etc.
He gets why he has to be good at his job.
He also seems to have a lot of fun doing his job, which is a nice combination. So I will begrudgingly admit that if there is such a quality as “winner,” JD seems to have it, and I like it.
I'm just glad we're not counting on some of those NRI's
for the bullpen this year.
Joey Eischen, Matt Mantei, Scott Williamson, Juan Rincon, you know the type.
And no Kyle Bloom, or Eduardo Campusano
No Jose Mesa, Yourman Bazardo, or Francisco Cruceta
The Tigers have real relievers with talent in the bullpen this year, for a change
And I’m even happier that the road appears to be blocked for failed starters like Robertson or Willis to get stuck into the pen, with Seay, Ni, Thomas, Coke, and Schlereth all LHP’s in the pen.
Nice list of names
I love the blast-from-the-past name dropping. Even better if you could go back to the 90’s :) I’d be interested to read some of those stories about Cruceta from a few years ago.
Cruceta could be compared to Brad Thomas
insofar as they both had very limited major league experience, but were given a major league contract by the Tigers. Cruceta immediately had some issues with immigration, stemming from a drug related suspension the previous year in the minor leagues. The biggest difference is that DD was counting on Cruceta to fill a major role in the Tiger bullpen going into the season. Maybe he thought that Thomas could play a big role, but he didn’t stop there. He finally, for the first time in his tenure with the Tigers, brought in some real talent to the bullpen this winter. Too bad he traded Granderson to pull it off, but I don’t think we’ll have to sort through that kind of a list of NRI’s for a couple of years now. The NRI’s will be pitchers whose best days are ahead of them.
BTW
I couldn’t think of Eckstein’s name (thankfully, he is receding from our baseball consciousness). I knew right where to go to look. I was not disappointed:
Johnny D
When I think of all the JD talk and how he is a winner and has playoff experience, it brings me back to the 06 season and what this team has been missing since then, a solid vet with leadership and wins/experience under his belt. In 06 many people forget that Kenny Rogers had a good year and I feel helped Verlander, Zum, and the rest keep it composed and taught them how winning teams play. Also even though he invocted many heart attacks, Todd Jones was also played a similar role there, I hope that Johnny can bring all of that to team with all the potential in the world and get us to the top of a VERY winnable division.
Hey, don't forget Sean Casey
The Mayor and The Gambler were the only Tigers to show up in the ’06 World Series.
"Ford! You're turning into a Penguin! Stop it!"
-Arthur Dent
by Thom_not_Tom on Feb 25, 2010 9:35 PM EST up reply actions
i was really sad
when sean casey left the tigers. the man just had an aura about him that made you like him.
I Like Pie
I love watching him
on MLB TV.
Welcome to Detroit, NO sissies allowed
by Detroitchik on Feb 25, 2010 10:38 PM EST up reply actions
I think we can all say though...
that Sean Casey was a brilliant pick up by DD though.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
Yay, baseball season.
Only 40 days away. And I can now spend all of my free time following spring training, since my college basketball season was literally torn in half last night.
is your basketball season
located in a certain player’s knee ligament?
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 26, 2010 2:32 AM EST up reply actions
not trying to be mean, I feel for ya
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by handsomerob1 on Feb 26, 2010 2:33 AM EST up reply actions
99% of me can't wait for the season to start
1% prefers optimism (right now we’re tied for the best record!) to the possibility of disappointment.
But hey, either way, it’s still the Year of the Tiger.
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