Attacking the local media is usually Big Al 's territory, but I just read something that is so brain-dead that I can't keep quiet about it.  (And since Big Al is filling in here for the next two weeks, maybe this will serve as something of a warm-up for you.)

Eric Pate (formerly of Booth Newspapers, and perhaps still of WDFN - I'm not sure)  "guest blogs" at the Freep, where he posted one of the most nonsensical suggestions I've read this season:

For the record, I’m sure happy that I’m not Dave Dombrowski.  But if I were, the first move would involve moving Gary Sheffield and a combination of a utility player or farmhand for a quality major league starter.  I’ll let the pundits define who that might be, but the starter is essential.

I'm sure Double-D will get right on that, E.

I don't know if I qualify as a "pundit," but please allow me to try and play one right now.  No one is going to be able to define what kind of "quality major league starter" the Tigers would receive in return for Sheffield, because such a player doesn't exist.  There's not a team in Major League Baseball that would make that trade today. 

Sheffield can't throw a baseball right now, and can barely swing a bat every other day.  Who's going to take on a player like that, let alone give up a starter (position player or starting pitcher, Pate doesn't say) for him?  This isn't the NBA, where you can trade for an expiring contract, then use it to clear room on your salary cap.  Oh, by the way, Sheffield's contract runs through next season.

This is exactly the sort of thoughtless hackery that traditional media so often accuses bloggers of spewing.  (I suppose Pate can always say, "Well, it's supposed to be a blog!  I can write whatever comes to mind!"  Yes, but what if it's mindless?)  This is the kind of "idea" that makes sports talk radio hosts hang up the phone.  Yet there it is, right on the Detroit Free Press website. 

Maybe someone writing a baseball blog shouldn't admit this (especially if he wants to be taken seriously), but sometimes I really don't understand this game of baseball.  Perhaps more specifically, some of the thinking that goes into it baffles me.

Gary Sheffield hasn't been playing well.  We know that.  He's batting .202/.366/.315 with two home runs and six RBIs, and has had several games in which he looked like a guy whose best baseball days were finished.  This week's decision to move him out to left field had a faint whiff of desperation to it, though if Sheffield insists he'll perform better while playing the field, the Tigers had to give it a try. 

And maybe Sheffield showed he knows what he's talking about on Wednesday night.  A three-hit night looked as if it could be the kind of breakthrough we've all been waiting for.  But then Sheffield was scratched from the lineup on Thursday.  To be fair, that was Jim Leyland's plan no matter what happened on Wednesday.  However, it's Leyland's reasoning for giving Sheff the night off that has me rubbing my temples.

"You finally had a good night and are feeling good about yourself and then I throw you out against Beckett?" said Leyland, shaking his head.  "There aren't too many guys around who hit Josh Beckett."

I just don't get that at all.  Why admit defeat before you've actually been defeated?  Maybe that's overstating it just a tad, but why make things easier for Josh Beckett?  He's already a great pitcher; he doesn't need any help from the opposing manager.  It's not like Sheffield is 0-for-20 lifetime versus Beckett.  He's not fantastic against him either, batting .231/.375/.462 with one home run and five RBIs in 16 plate appearances.  But Sheff could at least get in there and put up a fight.

Not to mention that maybe Sheffield should be right back in the lineup after a night in which he got three hits.  If it's suddenly clicking for him, why sit him down?  Wouldn't you want him right back out there so he can maintain whatever timing he may have regained?

I understand that it's probably better for the player if he knows in advance that he won't be playing the next night.  I'm sure it also makes things easier for the manager too, so he can plan ahead and what-not.  Ultimately, we're talking about one game on the schedule.  And the Tigers didn't lose last night just because Sheffield didn't play.  (Though it should be pointed out that Pudge Rodriguez and Edgar Renteria didn't play, either.)  But for a team needing to string together some consecutive wins, why send them out of the dugout short-handed?

Just in case you want a video recap of last night's 6-3 loss to the Red Sox, our buddy Eric Seidman passes along a SportsCenter clip.  I suppose walks don't make a highlight package exciting, but how can you not include at least one, given how many Dice-K threw?

Any time you can work in a reference to Oil Can Boyd, however, I'm all for that.  He was the Gary Sheffield of his time, but with a great nickname.

But how do you not show Jeremy Bonderman smashing that ESPN camera lens in the second inning?  Next to Marcus Thames' two-run single in the seventh, that was the most exciting thing the Tigers did all night.

Remember what you thought the Detroit Tigers might look like before Spring Training began?  Remember that buzz of anticipation you had in your chest, waiting to see this team play?  This lineup was going to knock the ball all over the field and out of the park.  And on most nights, quality starting pitching would keep the other team in check before handing it over to a dependable, albeit not spectacular, bullpen. 

Yes, it was just one game and the Tigers still need to prove they can put a consistent streak together.  But tonight, that vision was almost realized.  Any lingering worries about Placido Polanco could be put to rest with his 4-for-5 night.  And maybe we should still worry about Gary Sheffield, but he showed what he's still capable of and why Jim Leyland keeps him in the lineup with a decisive two-run homer.  Curtis Granderson also provided another reminder of just how much this team missed him, batting 2-for-3 and crushing a ball over the center field fence.

But the guy who may have settled the most fears and temporarily shut down the talk that he was toast was Kenny Rogers.  No, he didn't face the regular Yankees lineup, with Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada sitting out.  And with four walks, Rogers wasn't exactly dominant.  But he was certainly good enough, giving up two runs in six innings.  That, combined with the way the Tigers hit tonight, will lead to plenty of wins this season.

Yes, even when Todd Jones closes a game as only he can, allowing the first two hitters he faced to reach base, throwing a wild pitch, giving up a run, and generally making the ninth inning far more anxiety-inducing than it needed to be.  Just bite down on something soft and it goes away soon enough.

Walking the Bases Loaded is No Way to Get Through Life, Son

Not everything was clicking, however, as Denny Bautista did his best to walk the Yankees into tying the game.  After Bobby Seay gave the Tigers a scoreless seventh inning, Bautista walked Shelley Duncan to begin the eighth.  It didn't look like that walk would haunt him when he got the next two batters out, but then Bautista lost control, figuratively and literally.  Suddenly, all of his pitches veered way outside to the left-handers and far inside to the righties.  Bautista walked the next two hitters to load the bases, and then hit Derek Jeter to walk in a run.

Leyland got Bautista out of there before he could completely melt down, bringing in Clay Rapada to do what he apparently does best: get out left-handed batters - in this case, Bobby Abreu. 

It's surely unfair to penalize Bautista for allowing runs in two straight appearances, but that's a way to lose Leyland's confidence fast.  And with Francisco Cruceta almost certain to join the Tigers soon, Bautista might want to start pitching better if he wants to hold onto that eighth inning set-up role.

What better way to spend an off-night than to talk Detroit Tigers with a buddy?  Mike McClary invited me to sit in on the latest episode of The Detroit Tigers Podcast.  We scratch our heads over Gary Sheffield and Jeremy Bonderman, ponder the future of Armando Galarraga, and wonder whether Brandon Inge should just get used to being a Tiger this season.

You can download Episode #45 directly from this link or head on over to the DTP's home page and/or The Daily Fungo for more.  

If you get a chance, please let Mike know what you think.  You can offer feedback by posting a comment (here or there) or calling in to his listener line (602-903-5174). 

Appreciation in advance for downloading and listening.  And once again, thanks to Mike for helping out with game recaps while I was traveling down south.

Gary Sheffield could return to the Detroit Tigers lineup tonight, following an examination and subsequent treatment of both his shoulders, but despite doctors finding no structural damage to the right shoulder which went under the knife in the off-season, stories coming out of his rest and recovery don't sound so good.

From Jason Beck's report at MLB.com:

Sheffield received a second shot in his right shoulder on Wednesday after getting one in each shoulder earlier this week.  This one was more focused on the spot where he had labrum tears surgically repaired last fall.

He's hoping this shot finally allows him to swing a bat pain-free and return to the Tigers lineup, possibly by Friday, but the lack of progress is enough that he's considering the worst-case scenarios.

When you read that the man can't even cross his arms without feeling pain, that he's taking cortisone shots like some of us take B-12 (save your Roger Clemens jokes), or that retirement is sounding like a more appealing option each day, you can't help but wonder just how long Sheffield is going to put himself through this.

Now maybe this seems more dire because Sheffield is so forthcoming with the media, and just says exactly what's on his mind as he's thinking it.  So if he's feeling disheartened about the pain and restricted movement that he's been experiencing, he'll say so.  Sheffield doesn't couch anything in cliches or pat statements.  We have to also consider that he's still due to be paid $28 million over this season and next, and doesn't seem likely to walk away from that - especially if the Tigers have a shot at a World Series championship.  Or maybe he's put in enough time and made enough money at this point.

Another question worth asking is why the Tigers don't just put Sheffield on the disabled list and require him to rest, rather than let someone who can't play take up a roster spot.  Or is the shoulder in such a state that it really wouldn't matter?

When traveling to other countries, it's often a good idea to get your proper shots and vaccinations.  (At least that's what a lot of people have been telling me lately.)  Apparently, a couple of Detroit Tigers forgot to take some injury vaccines before crossing the Canadian border to play in Toronto.  As you likely already know, both Placido Polanco and Gary Sheffield sat out of yesterday's game to nurse their respective injuries, and there looks to be a good chance that both players could miss more time down the line.

The Tigers actually cut Polanco's stay in Toronto short and sent him back to Detroit to get his injured back examined.  Between his diminished batting average (currently a team-low .148/.292/.167) and limited range at second base so far this season, there had been much speculation about Polanco's health.  Whether it's because the back is making it too difficult for Polanco to play (he's missed four games to this point) or the Tigers think his limitations might be affecting them too much on the field, everyone involved wants to find out what's going on.  A trip to the disabled list might be next for Polanco.

Sheffield wasn't sent back to Detroit ahead of the team, but his sore left shoulder will be checked out by doctors on Tuesday.  He'd been feeling limited mobility in the shoulder all season, though he seemed to be regaining some range of motion as scar tissue from his off-season surgery broke loose.  It's still not moving enough for Sheffield's liking, however, and he wants some medical answers.

"It was major surgery, and I have to get it to a point where I'm comfortable.  Obviously I'm not.

"I want to get it looked at," Sheffield said.  "I want to know what's really going on, like exactly how much scar tissue I really need to break up because it feels strange playing baseball when you can't do what you're capable of doing.

"It doesn't hurt as much as it did, but it still doesn't give me the range of motion that I need.  When I try to swing harder, it slows it down even more.  I didn't know it was going to be this tight."

Though Sheffield had a rough start to last season, as well, he's clearly struggling with his swing, batting .192/.364/.308 with one home run and two RBIs.  The disabled list is very likely a part of his immediate future.

Curtis Granderson will probably take one of the roster spots opened up by Polanco and/or Sheffield moving to the DL, but it doesn't look like Dontrelle Willis will be making the same jump.  (He shouldn't be jumping anyway, with that hyper-extended knee.)  He's eligible to rejoin the team on Sunday, but the Tigers plan to keep him on the DL until the knee is fully recovered for pitching and fielding (and maybe until Willis has worked out whatever other issues - mechanical or otherwise - that have been plaguing him recently). 

The Detroit Tigers Weblog has some ideas about how the roster could be shuffled if Polanco and Sheffield go on the DL.  I'm definitely in favor of giving Jeff Larish a chance, given how he's started off the season in Toledo (.273/329/.576, five home runs, 13 RBIs), rather than bringing some of the bigger names that are currently hanging out on the waiver wire.  Some left-handed power in the lineup would be a nice touch.  But that's just my thought.  Do you guys have any suggestions for how the Tigers might boost a hurting lineup right now?

No need for a long recap tonight, is there?  This one was all about the long ball.  The Tigers' bats finally look like they're shaking off that early spring chill.  Initially, the only problem was that the home runs came with no one on base.  Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordonez, and Carlos Guillen each hit solo shots to put Detroit on the scoreboard.  But Justin Morneau struck a big blow in the sixth with a two-run blast off Nate Robertson.  That seemed like it might be the decisive moment of the game, until the fans at Comerica Park finally got an idea of why Miguel Cabrera is expected to be Detroit's Next Top Baseball Superstar.

As you probably know (unless you tried to shield yourself from the ugly truth), Cabrera came into the game batting .205/.300/.318 with one home run and three RBIs.  But with three hits in his previous two games, maybe it was finally starting to heat up.  Tonight, it all came together when both Cabrera and his team probably needed it most.  With Ordonez on second base, Cabrera sent a 1-2 pitch from Jesse Crain into the Tigers bullpen.  And for the second straight night, Detroit called it a comeback. 

If there's a pun, I suppose it's intended, but isn't it a relief to see the other team's bullpen cough up two games in a row?  (Let's not talk about Todd Jones giving up that deep fly to Delmon Young which Ryan Raburn kept in the park, but couldn't quite keep in his glove...)

Two-game series or not, a sweep is a sweep.  And winning their first series of the season comes at a great time, with the Tigers heading to Cleveland for the next two games.  How might that AL Central race look by Friday?

Am I the only one who went into his garage yesterday, and tried to see what it was like to try and grip a baseball bat without being able to bend my left ring finger?  That was just me?  I mean, it wasn't that weird.  I did it in the privacy of my own home, and had my morning coffee, so I wasn't in some kind of just-woke-up stupor. 

Judging from my little experience, I figured it might be a while before we saw Gary Sheffield back in the lineup for the Detroit Tigers, though the team decided not to put him on the disabled list.  However, I also assumed that the tendon that Sheffield tore was lower on his finger, toward the base of his hand.  Not so fast, my friend.  It turns out that the injury occurred near the tip of that left ring finger.  And as Dr. Sheffield so eloquently put it:

"You don't need the tip of your finger to hit.''

There is still swelling in the finger, which might keep him out for the next couple of games, but Sheffield has been fitted with a splint that will allow him to grip a bat once that inflammation goes down.  (Pro athletes get all the cool stuff!)  Could that be today?  We'll have to wait and see.

It was bad enough when Gary Sheffield was thrown out at second base in the eighth inning of today's 4-1 loss to Kansas City.  Trying to stretch a single into a double, any chance the Tigers had at a rally burned out when Sheff was gunned down by Mark Teahen.  Unfortunately, it appears getting thrown out wasn't the only indignity Sheffield suffered on the play.

The Detroit Free Press is reporting that Sheffield tore the tendon in his left ring finger while making that head-first slide into second base.  According to Sheffield, his finger caught on the bag, causing the injury.

“Now it won’t straighten out,” he said.

Sheffield wore a splint on the finger after the game. He said he had “no feeling” in the finger immediately after the injury.

“I think I hit it on the base, but I’m not sure,” he said. “I didn’t notice it until I got in the dugout, looked at it, and it looked deformed.”

Sheffield thinks he might be able to play tomorrow, but Jim Leyland is assuming he'll be out of the lineup. 

(Hat tip to Mike McClary, who passed this along via IM)