Like Stripes On the Fur Coat of a Tiger - Catch-Up Edition

Okay, no big news broke (unlike Jordan Tata's finger) during my long weekend in New York City, so I can rest assured that my travel plans don't somehow cause a ripple effect with the Detroit Tigers universe.  My ego, however, might be another matter.  For my "What Will Happen While I'm Gone?" post, I should've included one other option: "Get over yourself, Ian."  

I apologize if several of these items are old news to you, but I need to regain my bearings on all things Tigers after being offline for the last four days, and this feels like the best way for me to do it.

 Why has Todd Jones been El Stinko (24.55 ERA) so far this spring?  After some non-game throwing in the bullpen, Chuck Hernandez thinks it's because Jonesy's "arm strength isn't there."  In my mind, I'm picturing Hernandez as Kevin Bacon in Animal House: "Remain calm!  All is well!"

 Curtis Granderson didn't like Will Ferrell's new movie, Semi-Pro.  (And judging from what I've read, he's hardly in the minority.) Though maybe "I was waiting for some more funny stuff to happen" would make a good blurb on a movie poster if people knew it was from a major league ballplayer.

(If anyone cares, I saw The Bank Job over the weekend, and found that disappointing.  The story was a mess and there weren't nearly enough Jason Statham fight scenes.  Everyone else in the movie seemed taller than him, too.)  

 By putting their own super-utility man on the trade block, the Cincinnati Reds may have unwittingly made it more difficult for Dave Dombrowski to trade Brandon Inge.  Not only is Ryan Freel another guy who can play both the infield and outfield, but his contract isn't as nearly as hefty.  (Freel, however, doesn't hit for as much power as Inge, if that's important to any potential trade partners.)  

 Other lower-priced alternatives to Inge might include Ronnie Belliard or Esteban German, according to Ken Rosenthal.  And as we know, Inge isn't really interested in being a back-up utility player, so if that's what the Los Angeles Dodgers are looking for (even though they might have a need for a third baseman after Andy LaRoche tore a ligament in his right thumb), those players might be better options.

(via MLB Trade Rumors)

 While we're talking about super-sub utility guys, David Laurila (who also contributed to Tigers Corner 2008) spent five minutes with Ryan Raburn for Baseball Prospectus.  Raburn mentions that the Tigers are playing him a lot at second base this spring.

 If you're in the mood for some nice Spring Training photos, Eric Jackson has been snapping some good ones while he's been in Lakeland and posting them at D-Town Baseball.