Dontrelle Willis showing improvement this spring
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 27, 2010 12:07 AM EST
in Morning Lede
118 comments
Third season's a charm?
Dontrelle Willis is excited. He's feeling good. He's ready to contribute. Maybe in his third season with the Tigers, it's going to be different!
Maybe. We'll see. But so far, so good for the lefty who has contributed little on the field during his first two seasons in the Olde English D.
MLB.com's Jason Beck quoted manager Jim Leyland:
"I think Dontrelle looks like a totally different person this spring. I think he looks relaxed. He's been throwing great. He's got good energy. He's fun to be around. I'm really happy with him. I'm happy how he's going about it. He just looks like a more confident person."
Willis told Beck he just wanted to get back to the basics and be true to who he was. When he felt like his mechanics were getting out of whack, he made the adjustments he needed to get back on track. When he saw how batters reacted to his pitches, he made changes to try to get them with the next pitch.
"To be able to make the adjustments and not be [at] pitch 12, pitch 13, and really throw a quality strike and get guys to hit it, I think that's what I wanted to do today."
It seems to me, that's the kind of thing that Willis struggled with in the past, leading to his control getting all out of whack and walks being issued frequently.
Don't kid yourself, Willis is definitely in the race for the Tigers' fifth starter. And trust me, that really is a good thing. The more starting pitchers the Tigers have competing for a spot with positive contributions, the better. We don't want someone sliding backwards into a top five role.
We want someone actually going out there and winning it.
More news from Friday:
- Rogo writes the captions for some recent photos at DesigNate Robertson
- KornackI: Tigers manager Jim Leyland doesn't want Justin Verlander trying to prove he's worth $80 million
- Tom Gage: Tigers youngster a head-Turner
- John Lowe: Buddy system suits Jackson, Sizemore at Tigers’ camp
- Crain's Business Detroit: Tigers increasing giveaways, special events, fireworks nights
-
Lee has found some exciting opportunities, but will blog less. He'll be writing for Heater Magazine and have articles appear at Baseball Prospectus, so there's still plenty to read. But a loss to the Tigers blogosphere, to be certain.
- And finally, Ken Rosenthal has a radical proposal for division re-alignment. The Tigers would be in the AL Great Lakes along with the Pirates, Reds, Indians and Twins. I think the Brewers or Blue Jays would be nice for those who miss the AL East rivalry before the re-alignment. His goal was to break up the AL East. (via HardBallTalk)
Bonus quote: I forgot to include this elsewhere, but new Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer answered questions from the fans at Tigers.com. Everyone's new favorite:
Tiger_Forever: What is your best pitch?
Scherzer: The one that strikes out Joe Mauer.
0 recs |
118 comments
|
Email
Print
Comments
Regarding the Rosenthal article
I totally fail to see any benefit to splitting up the Yankees and Red Sox. Instead of 3 teams competing against a financial juggernaut, you wind up with 8. How is that an improvement?
His entire idea for re-alignment is terrible.
I know it is a piece meant to spark conversation but baseball’s history is a big draw. I wouldn’t mind seeing another team thrown into the American League (via expansion with the Brewers also returning to the AL fold) and dropping interleague play (as well as the idiotic “NOW IT COUNTS” all-star game stupidity).
One of those . . .
. . . infuriating articles that treat all of MLB as merely the background for the epic struggle between the only teams that matter, the Yankes and the Red Sox..
Well, remember, this is the same guy who wanted Detroit to trade Miguel Cabrera to Boston for Mike Lowell and Jonathan Papelbon
by SabreRoseTiger on Feb 27, 2010 10:58 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
so you are reminding us
That he has a bit of a history of writing stupid ideas. :)
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Same Here.
I want to see him succeed more than anything but I feel like we’ve seen this exact story for the past 3 seasons. If he performs he’s a hero and we all worship him, if he fails then we all say “Well it was Dontelle… What do you expect?” He may look great now in warmups but he’s a hair away from collapsing once he gets on the mound in a big game, at least if his career as a Tiger is any indication. I would love to see him pull this off not just for the Tigers but as a fan of baseball in general but I just don’t see it happening.
I'm rooting for Willis
I’d give him the opportunity. Right now, I think he has more upside than Bonderman.
Why?
Willis had been regressing since his second year, while Bondo was improving until that freak injury. JV has said Bondo looks as good or better than ever, and he says he feels his best since ‘04. Do not misunderstand, I am also pulling for Willis to right himself. I just don’t think his “right” is as good as or ever will be again what he once was.
by 77bestrookieclassever on Feb 27, 2010 3:56 AM EST up reply actions
because when Willis has his head in the game, his pitches are filthy and he's nearly unhittable.
We got see that from him in 2 starts last year where he was throwing strikes and looked calm and confident. Watching him pitch those 2 games was a thing of beauty. He only gave up 1 hit and 2 walks in through 6.1 innings in one of those games.
Willis needs to except that he has an anxiety disorder instead of rejecting it. He looked like a headcase on the mound in his other starts. He needs to take some kind of chill pill or whatever medication the doctor would give him.
Even when Bondo was at his best, I don’t think he was nearly as good as Willis was last year in those 2 starts.
you're kidding right?
those 2 starts give Dontrelle more upside? And you’re basing this on whether or not he can keep his head in the game? That’s like saying if he throws the ball right he pretty good. If Bondo throws the ball right he’s pretty good as well. But the difference being between the two of them (Bondo and Willis) is that I’ve never seen Bondo take his head out of the game.
I’m not trying to say that Bondo is better than Willis or even has more upside, but geez really the only thing Dontrelle has over is that Dontrelle throws left handed.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
You must be kidding too
You never saw Bondo not have his head in the game?
His mental melt downs in the 1st inning are legendary.
I'll give you that...
but at least Bondo has the mental fortitude to get over it.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
so what you're really saying is that their equals?
or am I now getting confused?
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
I don't know about being equals
It seems that Bondo has received the benefit of a doubt and is getting the 4th slot in the rotation. Everyone in Detroit is familiar with Bonderman, so we trust him more.
Willis has more upside, but he also has more downside. I’m not counting on him, but I will be rooting for him.
Willis also has the better resume
Willis won 22 games with a 2.63 in 2005.
with 236 innings, 213 hits, 170 K’s, 55 walks
2.89 BABIP, 2.99 FIP,
2nd in Cy Young voting
Willis won Rookie of Year in 2003 also.
Bonderman has never had a season with an ERA under 4.
ERA is more of a team stat...
not that it isn’t important but it’s not solely within the control of the pitcher.
Willis has also gotten worse every year that he has pitched since than. Nothing indicates that Willis will be better than Bondo except that he has a irrepicable career year. Remove that career year and all you see is regression.
Bondo has really only shown improvement in his career. I will say this though. I feel Bondo peaked in ’06. His true numbers probably rely somewhere between his ’06 and ’07 stat lines.
Add in the fact that enough people have probably tried messing with Willis’ delivery that not even he knows his own pitching style anymore I’ll conclude that Bondo
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
I would...
Shoot the commish before he could think of putting the Tigers in the AL East.
Ken’s modest realignment iust basically switches the Tigers and RedSox…
What so the 2 teams who CHEAT by outspending everyone get a BETTER chance at making the post season???
I have lost all respect for Rothenthal now… and the national media…
“Hey lets just screw over the little guy for better ratings??? Screw the fans in Detroit…”
That is basically what he proposes…
that would be horrible
His more radical solution is a little more appealing, but MLB will never make large changes, so small and ineffective ones are all that they will ever do.
And spending more than everyone else isn’t cheating – there is nothing in the rules that says you can’t spend a billion dollars on payroll, just if you do you have to pay luxury taxes. It’s only cheating if they try to weasel out of their obligations or hide salary under the table so the payroll looks smaller than it is.
They have a financial advantage, and nothing in the rules prohibits them from using it, so they would be idiots to voluntarily not use that advantage.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
To me...
Cheating is any unfair advantage… Other teams have no possible way of spending as much money as those 2 teams.
but that isn't cheating
Cheating is against the rules, like using steroids – you can use a different word and call it unfair, but it isn’t cheating.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Well,
Technically when most of the guys used steroids there was no rule against it.
So Bonds didnt cheat then according to your outlook…
anyway, its all semantics… The Yankees and Red Sox have such an unfair advantage that it makes the game unfair.
Imagine if the Patriots could spend double the amount of every other team in football? They would win the Superbowl every single year without a challenge.
The only reason that the Yanks and Sox are allowed to continue to spend so much is that in baseball even the best team will lose 25% of their games, so it hides the fact that they cheat, or whatever you want to call it.
NOT TRUE
Steroids were illegal according to US law – the baseball rules were irrelevant. If the authorities chose to prosecute them for off-label use of the drugs, they could have – but it wasn’t a high priority.
And having a lot of money is unfair – but so is being smarter than anyone else in college. It’s not cheating.
The minute that Boston and the Yankees being able to spend so much is bad for baseball in general, the rules will get changed so they can’t do it – but as long as they bring in fans and money and pay the luxury tax so lower-revenue teams can pocket more profits without actually spending any more of their own money, MLB as a whole doesn’t care. Heck, if the Yankees could spend a half billion dollars and be guaranteed to win the World Series every year, as long as the profits kept increasing, baseball wouldn’t do anything to change it.
Their job isn’t really to ensure competitive balance, but to ensure the maximum profits for the owners. That’s the only business goal they have. The fans don’t matter as long as they keep opening their wallets.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
besides
The reason performance-enhancing drugs are cheating is because not everyone has equal access because it is kept secret.
The Yankees and Red Socks don’t hide their money, and any team is free to use whatever funding they get however they want – if they don’t have as much money coming in, they can increase ticket prices or get more sponsorship deals or have more luxury boxes to make more money. Some teams are able to spend more than others, and some just make the choice to be cheapskates. Each team can set their own budget according to their own situation – which is better than trying to force them all to do the exact same thing, because not every team is in the same situation. One size doesn’t fit all.
Any other teams that want to rein in the big spenders only want to do that because they can’t become them. They would rather have that much money at their disposal and be able to use it however they want to.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Actually
Congress needs to put a drug on the list of controlled substances before it becomes illegal. The DEA makes recommendations which are normally routinely adopted. But when you’re dealing with these designer drugs, all man made synthetic stuff, the designers are often a step ahead of the law, and when a substance is banned, they tweak it so they’re breaking no laws. Others technically don’t break the law because they used in other countries, typically in Latin America, where the substances aren’t banned.
But the owners knew that steroids were being used, including Selig, and they consciously let it happen. They wanted it to happen, to fuel more scoring, the home run derby, etc. There were drugs that were banned by the NBA, NHL, NFL, NCAA, IOC, and still legal in MLB.
the modest realignment is stupid
the radical is at least interesting, mixing up the AL and NL teams by region a lot better.
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 27, 2010 9:51 AM EST up reply actions
Except, of course . . .
. . . he can’t really align the divisions by region, because the whole point of the exercise is to get the Yankees in a different division from the Red Sox.
Just a note
As of 2009 the Red Sox were #4 in payroll (behind the Yanks, Mets, and the Cubs)…also the Sox total payroll was closer to the teams at the bottom of baseball than it was to the Yankees.
Gotta love spring training
SUNSHINE AND RAINBOWS
We’re going 162-0.
by explosivo2k2 on Feb 27, 2010 7:36 AM EST reply actions 1 recs
At least 5 20-game winners . . .
. . . and a closer with 74 saves. :)
Dontrelle
I have looked over his 2007 numbers a bunch of times at baseball-reference, and I just can’t see anything that would indicate the loss of command. I thought I had it figured out for a while. There was a game against Cleveland in Interleague play where his arm got stepped on while he was trying to cover first base and he only lasted one inning in his next start and didn’t pitch well for a long time afterwards (prior to that, his record was good and he looked like a capable pitcher), but command was not necessarily an issue during that stretch. Throughout the entire 2007 season, he had one six-walk game and a couple of five-walk games but that’s it. There were several four-walk games but for the most part they were games where he was going seven or eight innings. And so it remains a mystery.
by SabreRoseTiger on Feb 27, 2010 11:03 AM EST reply actions
What took em so long?
To give us the inevitable warm n fuzzy story about the D Train getting back on track?
That pretty much leaves Nate as the only troubled player that hasn’t had his own personal warm n fuzzy story yet. But it’s coming! Bet on that.
Here’s the problem. Willis sucks. Dontrell was the worst starting pitcher in the National league before the Tigers ever acquired him. An ERA north of 5, and an astronomical WHIP of 1.60. Fact is, he was on a two year decline and the free fall simply continued in the same direction once the Tigers botched the scouting report, acquired him, and foolishly gave him a three year $ 29 million contract, despite being the worst pitcher in his league at the time of the extension. It was a stupid, stupid move by Tiger management.
Dontrelle’s discombobulated delivery, which was full of deception, and that’s a useful thing, was simply unsustainable when his body naturally filled out. A pitcher needs to come to a rest point in his delivery before coming forward toward the plate. But Dontrelle throws his head so far back, back behind the center point of his body, that he’s out of control coming forward. They tried having him pitch from the stretch, which is how he’d pitch- without a wind up- with runners on base in most cases, but by that time, the physical challenges had spread to his head. I think that’s actually worth a try. It seems to me that the ball winding up on target from that wild wind up is pure chance.
Look, I’d love nothing more for Willis, or Nate, to regain their old form. That would be great for the Tigers. They seem like two of the more likeable personalities on the Tigers. I just wouldn’t bet on it. My fear is that one or both of them pitch okay this spring, but not well enough to deserve a spot in the rotation. I give Galarraga a better shot at helping the Tigers than either of these two lefties, and as much chance as I give Bonderman. But AG has an option left, and may be sent down even if he earns a spot in the rotation. One good thing is that there is an abundance of good, talented lefty relievers, and we probably won’t see the loser of the rotation contest going to the bullpen. Nate (and Zumaya) going to the DL was one of the best moves that the Tigers made for their pen last year. I’ve given up on Dontrelle. Completely.
Not entirely true
In 2007, Willis was victimized by poor play by the Marlins defense and a high BABIP- Baseball Prospectus noted that he was a strong rebound candidate because not only did Detroit have a better defense, but that his luck would normalize. He promptly lost command and possibly his sanity. Not his fault.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
Gonna take a helluva lot more than better D
to correct a 1.60 WHIP. When you’re putting that many runners on base, you’re gonna get shelled.
But what hes is saying....
…….that he was a strong rebound candidate in 2008…..thats why he got the contract he did.
by BennieBladesFan on Feb 27, 2010 2:58 PM EST up reply actions
Exactly
If he gets his control in order, he’s a 4 ERA pitcher. Or maybe a little better.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 6:01 PM EST up reply actions
and id take that.....
…..I think or at least hope he can
by BennieBladesFan on Feb 27, 2010 6:27 PM EST up reply actions
I never bought into Willis rebounding
for even a moment. Very seldom do you see a pitcher rebounding from a two year decline, especially when an injury isn’t a large part of their problem. Dontrelle’s success was unsustainable with that delivery as he grew into his large frame. I’d love to see him rebound, but I don’t see it happening. I never believed he was a strong rebound candidate. I’d love to be wrong on this one.
Here's a realignment idea
Create a whackjob/head case division and put in
1. Ken Rosenthal
2. Dontrelle Willis
3. Anyone who thinks Nate Robertson will ever be any good
4. Ozzie Guillen
5. The guy who first came up with the idea to sign Willis for $29M
There’d be great parity
You do realize
Since you included #3, that your division includes the senior editor, one of the deputy editors and myself, right? :)
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 11:23 AM EST up reply actions
Didn't realize it, but
there would be some great competition here. I’d be rooting for you guys to take the divsion since you’d be the sanest of the bunch. Bonus points if you take Rosenthal out with a spike high slide.
Heh
It’s okay- but Robertson’s totally going to rebound. Bank on it.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 11:40 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Rebound to mediocre?
because that his threshold.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
3rd-4th starter?
That’s good enough to stabilize the back of the rotation. I’d take that.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 6:02 PM EST up reply actions
I don't see Robertsons....
…best year (2006?) as anything more than a 5th starter on a 1st division team. Maybe a 4th on a 2nd division/last place team…. If that is a rebound then yes, it is possible.
I see Dontrelle....
…..rebounding before Robertson……Robertson is definetly regression and hes not a spring chicken anymore.
by BennieBladesFan on Feb 27, 2010 2:59 PM EST up reply actions
ODDS OF REBOUNDING
to, say, a 12 win season….
Galarraga, 50/ 50
Bonderman, 50/ 50
Robertson, 33%
Willis, 5%
I will make up numbers too!
.9834, 73.123b
Honestly, we won’t know anything until Vegas gets involved.
by 13194013 on Feb 27, 2010 4:56 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Nerds
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 6:04 PM EST up reply actions
I know that
number Kurt. I haven’t had to use it since high school, but i know it.
Welcome to Detroit, NO sissies allowed
6.02e23
1 cookie at the meetup to whoever guess’s that number.
(as I say when google is located in the top corner of most browsers)
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
Avagadro's number
No need to google how many particles in a mole. :)
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
If Robertson starts 20 games I will paint your house
I, however, get to pick the color, so consider that before you take the bet. ;)
I'll take your bet
Course, jokes on you- I live in a campus apartment. Paint it pink- I don’t care.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 10:02 PM EST up reply actions
that is a farce
Unless Drew Sharp is included. I know, he might run away with the lead in crazy, but he will raise the competition level of the entire division!
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
serious positive regression
That needs to be on a t-shirt
by rock n rye on Feb 27, 2010 11:58 AM EST via mobile up reply actions
Hey lookie here
It’s a contract year and look who’s gonna pull his head out of his ass and start pitching for us.
Well played Dontrelle well played…
"Contract year" for Dontrelle
I’m sure someone will be able to use him in their minor league system somewhere.
no kidding
Cheer up, people. USA! USA! USA! :)
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
I don't mean to be grouchy
I just don’t want to see the Tigers pinning their hopes on players that have little to no shot at helping the team.
As Do I......
…..its not like hes a jerk or anything…..hes a likeable guy and I think everyone wants him to suceed unless they are twins and sox fans.
by BennieBladesFan on Feb 27, 2010 3:01 PM EST up reply actions
quantity discount on meds?
Maybe try to get one person back to functional normal before they take on any more problems, though.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
USA! USA! USA! USA!
Yes
If it means we get Zach Greinke.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 27, 2010 6:03 PM EST up reply actions
That got your attention pretty fast...
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Feb 28, 2010 4:56 AM EST up reply actions
Maybe...
Players with anxiety disorders is a new market inefficiency.
Kinda like OBP in 2001, Defense in 2007…
Or like the one I feel the Tigers actually do well at exploiting, Scott Boras clients.
i was serious about the last one. There was an article on fangraphs, by my fav, Dave Cameron, that asked what the next market inefficiency was going to be. He thought maybe old DH type players since they have been shut out the last 2 years.
I think the Tigers have been exploiting the fact that some teams are afraid of Boras clients, especially in the draft.
It's not like we have anything at SS anyhow.
He could give the Paws guy a break every 5th game or so.
d-train
all tiger fans should be pulling for d-train to come back solid, tigers need a lefty in the rotation, and if robertson and dtrain are contributing…we could have trade bait…never know if tigers need a cf or 2nd baseman, or 3rd baseman til the season starts to play out.
Any chance someone has a compendium of quotes from last offseason?
Or from previous years? The first week of spring training is often a time for high expectations. I mean, Sparky Anderson made a habit of hyping up some kid every other year, like Barbaro Garbey, or Chris Pittaro. I have no idea where Garbey is, but PIttaro today is probably better known for being mentioned in the book “Moneyball”.
(Wikipedia says Garbey is hitting coach for Peoria Chiefs, a Cubs Class A team)
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
I hope Dontrelle can put it together
I hope he has this anxiety thing under control. It’s hard to function when you have something like that going on. But It doesn’t change the fact I don’t trust him on the mound, however will be hard to know how he’s handling it, unless they put him out there. Good Luck…
Welcome to Detroit, NO sissies allowed
BYB Fantasy Baseball on ESPN
There are still teams available, let me know if you are interested.
Matt Millen's MMA Promoter
No Way......
No way Dontrelle will make the Tigers. Robertson will come through and earn a spot in the rotation & will have a win/loss record of 15/10 games this year. Bonderman will have his career high win/loss 18/9 games this year. The Tigers will win the division by 5 games this year. Our pitching staff is way stronger than most people think/believe it is. Only time will tell for sure, but Wait & See.
only thing is, is the hitting there to deliver such win/loss records?
Pitchers can’t do it alone.
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
I believe the Tigers hitting is good enough.
Mag’s (.300+) will have a good year hitting, Cabby (.340+) will have a great year & Johnny (.320+) will love hitting the gaps for many doubles. Carlos will thrive as our DH & he should be able to stay healthy all year & bat close to .300 & hit with power again. The middle of or offense will prosper this year. The two rookies & Inge will have to prove themselves & step up. Laird & Evert will be Laird & Evert, no getting around that. Carlos & Mags will be close to 100 RBI’s Cabby way over 100 RBI’s & Johnny 80+ RBI’s.
With our projected lineup & our pitching staff we will win our division by 5 games. I see a much healthier & Mental makeup of the team as a whole this year. I think what ever our two rookies add to the team in offense will help put us over the final hurdle and turn the team into champions.
by TigersFan1957 on Feb 27, 2010 10:49 PM EST up reply actions
Win/Loss Records
The Tigers will win about 95 games this year. 18 wins by Bonderman & 15 by Robertson are very attainable. I see Verlander winning between 20 & 23 games. I think Porcello will strugle being his second year (about 10 wins), and I am not sure how many to predict for Scherzer so lets give him a high estimate of 15. That leaves about 14 to 17 wins for the rest of the pitching staff. All attainable numbers in my opinion.
by TigersFan1957 on Feb 28, 2010 12:42 AM EST up reply actions
2009 Crippled Up Team Won 86...A Healthy Team Can't Win 9 More????
Don’t you (ChrisDTX) think a healthy Refreshed Tiger team can win 9 more games than they won all crippled up last year?
I think/Hope they will make it through this season with very limited players on the disabled list. I think they are ready to show us that they are healed and ready to win…
by TigersFan1957 on Feb 28, 2010 9:33 PM EST up reply actions
you do realize that team gave up more runs than it scored and won 86 by good luck alone?
by Kurt Mensching on Feb 28, 2010 10:36 PM EST up reply actions
If their luck was good while crippled it will be amazing when healthy.
But, seriously, wins aren’t a given.
Bad #4 & #5 Pitching
This Stat tells me their opponents out scored them high in some games, probably when the #’s 4 & 5 pitchers were on the mound. This year they will be in better health in body & mind. This should change the ammount of runs given up & bring that number down, a lot I hope.
Their offense is also in better health in body & mind so this should lead to better run production.
Wins & runs (for & against) are never a given, they are earned (with a little luck sometimes, both good & bad).
by TigersFan1957 on Mar 1, 2010 8:37 AM EST up reply actions
Guillen was the only offensive player to spend significant time on the DL
Yeah, Inge’s knees were balky in the second half. But I find that to be a convenient excuse for the fact that he simply regressed into Brandon Inge. The offense should be improved enough to where they don’t get outscored again, but it’s certainly not a 9 win improvement.
Pitching-wise you’ve got to worry about regressions from Verlander and Porcello, complete wildcards in the #4 and 5 spot and Scherzer making the switch from the NL West and their banjo hitting offenses.
A lot of things have to go right for this team to even equal their 86 wins from last year, let alone surpass it by such a wide margin.
Nate Robertson having 5 more wins then Rick Porcello this year
may be the strangest prediction I’ve ever heard.
by Trysdor on Feb 28, 2010 11:15 AM EST up reply actions 1 recs
Last Year.......
Last year we were a crippled up team and we ended the season with a 86 & 77 record. As a much healthier team we will dominate the Central Division. 95+ wins is not unrealistic at all.
Does anyone else think....
- That they should try once again to get Dontrelle to pitch from the stretch, and can the wind up?
- That Nate may have stretched out something in his arm during the 2006 season, and he’s never really been the same pitcher since?
- That Bonderman will never amount to anything until he learns to throw a change up to both righties and lefties effectively?
- That Galarraga will beat out Willis and Robertson for the last rotation spot, but will be sent down to Toledo anyway?
Dontrelle got worse when people started trying to correct his mechanics...
I’ve never really analyzed them but obviously changing them isn’t helping them. Let Dontrelle be Dontrelle.
I really don’t care about Nate to be honest.
Bonderman has been pretty successful in his career without a changeup. It’d be a nice addition but not 100% necessary.
Galarraga will get the last rotation spot. Bank on it.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
Related FanPosts on Bless You Boys
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- John Lindsey couldn't have come any closer to his first at-bat
- The Juice: Swisher ends Orioles sweep dreams with timely homer
- Create-a-Caption: Dusty Baker wants YOU to buy playoff tickets
- Padres' Heath Bell wistful about Trevor Hoffman's 600th save
- Want your first career home run? Face a pitcher from Chicago
Certain photos copyright © 2010 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
