Daniel Schlereth gets the call to replace Fu-Te Ni in Tigers' bullpen

by Kurt Mensching on Jul 1, 2010 11:33 PM EDT in Detroit Tigers News

So after a day to stew it over -- or to keep the information to themselves anyway -- the Tigers made the decision to call up lefty reliever Daniel Schlereth from Triple-A Toledo to replace Fu-Te Ni in the bullpen. Now all the players traded for last December are with the big league club, if you're keeping track.

ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth reports the happy news on Twitter:

Daddy's LiL fella just got the call! See you in Detroit boy. Very proud of you son and b/c of baseball but b/c of the man you've become!

(via Jason Beck, who first reported the Schlereth news).

If there's one thing you can say about Schlereth, it's that he misses a lot of bats. Oftentimes that's because the batter can't hit the ball, and he's striking out batters at a very high (10.60 per nine innings) rate. When Schlereth's not missing bats, he's missing the plate, though (6 walks per nine innings). That's the problem.

May was actually his best month for not issuing the free pass, but June was his best for total baserunners. He is, in a word, inconsistent. To wit: In his last 10 innings pitched, he issued seven walks. However in his last 10 games, he issued walks in just three of them.

Of course if you're to have a guy who strikes out a lot and walks a few too many, the bullpen is the best place to him. If Jim Leyland manages to use Schlereth mostly against left-handers -- a concept Leyland seems to dislike -- he could be quite an effective pitcher. His FIP split against left-handers is a crisp 2.42. Actually it's only slightly worse against right-handers but he walks a lot more of them.

I feel like it may still be a bit early, as he has to get his control down, but this is the best move the Tigers could have made. The others I had in mind for the promotion were Robbie Weinhardt, who will eventually get the call. He just came off a minor league rehab assignment in Short Season A ball, however, so that was pretty unlikely. I feared it could be something crazy like Billy Buckner. And besides that, well, not a lot really stands out to you in Toledo or Double-A Erie right now.

This move should be pretty exciting, one way or the other.

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Comments

I don't like it

Schlereth has a 1.65 WHIP. Waaaaaaay too many BB’s. Ni had to go, but Schlereth is too wild.

by Tigerdog1 on Jul 2, 2010 12:17 AM EDT reply actions

Interesting

I’ll have a prospect profile up Monday (I should have time this weekend).

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

Assist. Editor, Minor League Division, Bless You Boys

by David Tokarz on Jul 2, 2010 12:26 AM EDT reply actions

I don't know enough to like it or dislike it, but

I’m excited; should be interesting

Rooting for Tiger stripes, not pinstripes

by JerseyTigerFan on Jul 2, 2010 12:39 AM EDT reply actions

This is going to be fun

for certain values of fun that may not include “1-2-3 innings,” “lack of runs” and “winning.”

I’d also feel more confident in projecting him if he had, you know, more than 93 professional innings pitched.

by morineko on Jul 2, 2010 1:49 AM EDT reply actions

Whether he's ready or not...

he has to give us something better than what Ni was providing.

"All aboard!"
Boesch Bandwagon Conductor

by trross1200 on Jul 2, 2010 2:30 AM EDT reply actions

exactly

and he is not needed for the late innings….he is needed to give the bullpen depth

by Cecil_Fielder on Jul 2, 2010 3:01 AM EDT up reply actions

It would be nice to have a strong K man for the late innings

This Zumaya injury and Perry implosion are really hurting our chances of holding leads.

Granderson was my Tiger, then Sizemore, then Willis. I think I'll stop picking Tigers.

by momotigers on Jul 2, 2010 10:11 AM EDT up reply actions

I think a guy like Zach Simmons would be a better choice.

Dont think Danny boy is ready but we shall see.

by BennieBladesFan on Jul 2, 2010 9:10 AM EDT up reply actions

JL probably liked having three lefties in the pen....

by Tigerdog1 on Jul 2, 2010 10:35 AM EDT reply actions

Splitsville.....

Schlereth has a 1.73 WHIP against righties, but “only” 1.53 vs lefties, and only 13 combined innings. If Leyland is thinking LOOGY, he could fill that role. But I still think he needs much better control if he’s going to be relied upon in the major leagues. It doesn’t matter what innings JL wants him for. Ni blew a game wide open in Minnesota in the fifth inning on Tuesday. If there is a weakness in the Tiger bullpen, Leyland’s managing will expose it.

by Tigerdog1 on Jul 2, 2010 10:44 AM EDT reply actions

with relievers you have to look closer than that

One or two wild appearances can throw everything out of whack. Obviously you’d prefer a pitcher that never gets off the tracks, but most of the time Schlereth seems to do OK with a few trainwreck appearances pushing his numbers up.

Fortunately he gets a lot of groundballs when they do put it in play. Couple that with his strikeouts and he should be a pretty effective reliever.

Bless You Boys.com

by Kurt Mensching on Jul 2, 2010 10:52 AM EDT up reply actions

That's the thing

He’ll trainwreck maybe 3 or 4 times a year, but if Leyland has a quick hook, the problem is limited.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

Assist. Editor, Minor League Division, Bless You Boys

by David Tokarz on Jul 2, 2010 1:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly

As long as they ease him in to the show n don’t toss him in the eighth inning things should be good.
Loved watching him this spring! He strikes out the side quite a bit, has good movement & he brings the heat!

by JAYRC on Jul 2, 2010 1:41 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions