We're not quite halfway through the spring campaign yet, but I can already see that Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski will have some tough decisions to make before naming the 25 guys they'll take back to Detroit to begin the season.
We're probably looking at thirteen hitters on the opening day roster (twelve pitchers), so let's try to figure out who it will be.
The locks:
Gerald Laird
Miguel Cabrera
Adam Everett
Brandon Inge
Johnny Damon
Magglio Ordonez
Carlos Guillen
Nearly locks:
Austin Jackson
Ryan Raburn
Ramon Santiago
There were a few question's surrounding Austin Jackson's ability to hit Major League pitching, but he seems to have answered those questions in a positive manner so far this spring.
Ryan Raburn will be on the team. You'll always hear the word versatility when Raburn's name comes up (he can play all nine positions poorly), but he provided a reliable bat and some nice power last year. He's only versatile as long as he keeps hitting.
Santiago has a great glove and hits well enough to justify a roster spot. He provides a little bit of speed and his ability to switch hit is a plus.
Probably in:
Scott Sizemore
Alex Avila
Sizemore's the reason that the Tiger's allowed Placido Polanco to get away. Management felt he was ready to step up to the big leagues. His defense is still a question mark, but he hit well with a bit of power at the AA and AAA levels last year. His poor spring at the plate is making me question whether his spot on the 25-man roster is really guaranteed.
I like Avila at the backup catcher spot. He provides a left handed bat and showed his ability to hit for power last season. The Tiger's may be looking for their backup to play more than might be the norm in the majors (Laird hit very poorly last year), so Avila may see enough time behind the plate to continue in his development. If the front office feels it's best for him to play everyday in AAA, it'll be Robinzon Diaz or Mike Rabelo that gets the spot.
The Rest:
Don Kelly
Clete Thomas
Brent Dlugach
Wilkin Ramirez
We probably only have one spot left by now, and it'll likely be an extra outfielder.
My guess is it will be (Zac's homeboy) Donnie Kelly. Kelly has had a very nice spring at the plate (0.375 average in 24 at bats), and he has the ability to also play third base, but most of all, he's out of minor league options and I don't think the Tigers want to put him on waivers.
Clete Thomas and Wilkin Ramirez have also been successful at the plate this spring, but they both (should, by my estimation) have options remaining, so they can be assigned to the minor leagues without having to clear waivers.
I put Dlugach on the list, because it would seem that he's the guy that could steal Sizemore's roster spot. He's seen some extra time at second base, and his 0.353 spring batting average has to be getting the skipper's attention.
The only hole in my thirteen is that there's really no backup at first base should Cabrera need a break. Raburn and Guillen have played the position in the past, but I don't know if they're viable everyday options should Cabrera suffer an injury. If they're looking for a first baseman, you may see Ryan Strieby (or maybe Jeff Larish) get the call.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
How's Your Bracket?
It's the question that will replace "how are you" when you bump into an old friend for the next month.
How's your bracket?
Everyone's an expert, and everyone claims to have more bracket insight than Digger Phelps (but no one can match a highlighter and necktie quite like him).
Show off your pick 'em prowess by joining the Mitten Sports Report bracket challenge!
All you need is a Yahoo! ID to sign up and pick your teams.
How's your bracket?
Everyone's an expert, and everyone claims to have more bracket insight than Digger Phelps (but no one can match a highlighter and necktie quite like him).
Show off your pick 'em prowess by joining the Mitten Sports Report bracket challenge!
All you need is a Yahoo! ID to sign up and pick your teams.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Pondering MLB Schedules and Competitive Balance
Word got out the other day that Major League Baseball's "special committee for on-field matters" has discussed a "radical floating realignment" idea.
While I believe that competitive imbalance issues in baseball are widely overstated (more on that later), I understand the need for new, revolutionary ideas.
One idea struck me as I read the story: Why do we need divisions, anyway?
Why not just eliminate the division model altogether?
It would be much easier than figuring out which team is in which division year in and year out
It would be much easier to ensure that each team in each league plays the same schedule—or at least a much more similar schedule than what we see now. At the end of the season, the top four teams in each league would make the playoffs.
But eliminating divisions would eliminate much of the rivalry we see in baseball. Sure, the Yankees and Red Sox would remain a heated rivalry, but the smaller, regional rivalries would diminish.
I guess we need to know what exactly this "competitive imbalance" is that we hear so much about.
In the past 10 years, eight separate teams have won the World Series. Compare that with seven NFL Super Bowl champions and just five NBA champions.
That doesn't do it for you? Fourteen separate teams have made it to the World Series. Compare that with 14 Super Bowl teams and 12 NBA finalists.
Baseball isn't being dominated by a few teams any more than the other major sports are —maybe even a bit less.
The competitive imbalance claimed in baseball is based entirely on the AL East. Boston and New York are usually very good, and Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Toronto just can't compete with them year in and year out with the unbalanced schedule.
This problem is compounded by the fact that comparatively few baseball teams make the postseason. In all the other sports, it's possible for the third team in a division to make the playoffs—this isn't so in baseball.
So I don't really know what my pondering has concluded—maybe that we do need divisions. I like the regional rivalries in the current divisions, and there really isn't much of a competitive balance problem in Major League Baseball.
But you say you still want to fix the alleged competitive balance problem?
Start by doing away with the unbalanced schedule—or at least work toward a more balanced schedule. I do like the principles of an unbalanced schedule, but it would be nice to see Toronto, Boston, and New York come another time to Detroit, and it would make the differences in schedule difficulty across divisions much less severe.
And while you're messing with the schedule, take interleague play away, too. Please.
While I believe that competitive imbalance issues in baseball are widely overstated (more on that later), I understand the need for new, revolutionary ideas.
One idea struck me as I read the story: Why do we need divisions, anyway?
Why not just eliminate the division model altogether?
It would be much easier than figuring out which team is in which division year in and year out
It would be much easier to ensure that each team in each league plays the same schedule—or at least a much more similar schedule than what we see now. At the end of the season, the top four teams in each league would make the playoffs.
But eliminating divisions would eliminate much of the rivalry we see in baseball. Sure, the Yankees and Red Sox would remain a heated rivalry, but the smaller, regional rivalries would diminish.
I guess we need to know what exactly this "competitive imbalance" is that we hear so much about.
In the past 10 years, eight separate teams have won the World Series. Compare that with seven NFL Super Bowl champions and just five NBA champions.
That doesn't do it for you? Fourteen separate teams have made it to the World Series. Compare that with 14 Super Bowl teams and 12 NBA finalists.
Baseball isn't being dominated by a few teams any more than the other major sports are —maybe even a bit less.
The competitive imbalance claimed in baseball is based entirely on the AL East. Boston and New York are usually very good, and Baltimore, Tampa Bay, and Toronto just can't compete with them year in and year out with the unbalanced schedule.
This problem is compounded by the fact that comparatively few baseball teams make the postseason. In all the other sports, it's possible for the third team in a division to make the playoffs—this isn't so in baseball.
So I don't really know what my pondering has concluded—maybe that we do need divisions. I like the regional rivalries in the current divisions, and there really isn't much of a competitive balance problem in Major League Baseball.
But you say you still want to fix the alleged competitive balance problem?
Start by doing away with the unbalanced schedule—or at least work toward a more balanced schedule. I do like the principles of an unbalanced schedule, but it would be nice to see Toronto, Boston, and New York come another time to Detroit, and it would make the differences in schedule difficulty across divisions much less severe.
And while you're messing with the schedule, take interleague play away, too. Please.
Monday, March 8, 2010
I'm Trying Not to Let the D-Train Tease Me Again
I try not to get too carried away with spring training stats. Usually at least one veteran will slump heavily only to perform as expected in the regular season, and at least one minor-league player gets hot only to be assigned to a farm club where he fails to stay hot.
But that doesn't mean I ignore spring stats completely -- I'm a stats geek at heart.
So today, as usual, I checked up on the Tigers box score to see who's hot and who's not down in Lakeland.
It was impossible to miss the headline on detroittigers.com.
I was intrigued, to say the least. Sure enough, Dontrelle Willis' line was good: 2 innings pitched, zero hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
But he's only toed the hill for four innings so far, and we have heard this song and dance before, haven't we?
Just last May, Willis pitched 6.1 innings of one hit, five strikeout ball en route to a win over the Rangers. Many thought Dontrelle was back -- or at least back to a serviceable form.
Many were wrong.
Dontrelle ended up with only the one win last year. In fact, he only pitched seven games and finished 1-4 with an ERA of almost 7.50. Dontrelle wasn't back -- not even close -- and we all knew it by the middle of June.
So why did I find myself with the same feeling of hope today? Why did I let myself, if only for a moment, wonder what the Tigers' rotation would be like with a healthy D-Train?
I don't know the answer, but I do know that the time for hope is gone. Dontrelle Willis will never again be the pitcher he was in 2005.
It's long past time for me to admit that.
Don't get me wrong, I truly hope the "Train Man" comes to Detroit in April, but I'm not holding my breath.
But that doesn't mean I ignore spring stats completely -- I'm a stats geek at heart.
So today, as usual, I checked up on the Tigers box score to see who's hot and who's not down in Lakeland.
It was impossible to miss the headline on detroittigers.com.
"Willis has second scoreless outing of spring."
I was intrigued, to say the least. Sure enough, Dontrelle Willis' line was good: 2 innings pitched, zero hits, one walk, and two strikeouts.
But he's only toed the hill for four innings so far, and we have heard this song and dance before, haven't we?
Just last May, Willis pitched 6.1 innings of one hit, five strikeout ball en route to a win over the Rangers. Many thought Dontrelle was back -- or at least back to a serviceable form.
Many were wrong.
Dontrelle ended up with only the one win last year. In fact, he only pitched seven games and finished 1-4 with an ERA of almost 7.50. Dontrelle wasn't back -- not even close -- and we all knew it by the middle of June.
So why did I find myself with the same feeling of hope today? Why did I let myself, if only for a moment, wonder what the Tigers' rotation would be like with a healthy D-Train?
I don't know the answer, but I do know that the time for hope is gone. Dontrelle Willis will never again be the pitcher he was in 2005.
It's long past time for me to admit that.
Don't get me wrong, I truly hope the "Train Man" comes to Detroit in April, but I'm not holding my breath.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
By George, I Think They Get It! Lions Bring Two Defensive Linemen Into the Fold
About a month ago, Zac laid out a strong argument I favor of the Lions building their identity through a strong defense. Now it looks like the front office may have the same idea in mind.
I firmly believe that football games are won and lost in the trenches. It's no secret that the Lions have been very poor on the defensive front in recent years, but hopefully that's about to change.
Yesterday, the Lions announced the acquisition of three time Pro-Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, and defensive tackle Corey Williams.
While these moves in themselves won't overhaul the defense, it does indicate that the Lions have a plan are moving in right direction, but it can't end here.
The Lions still need to draft one of the top two defensive tackles (Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy) to complete the product. Vanden Bosch was most effective in Tennessee (under Schwartz) when he was playing next to Albert Haynesworth, a dominating defensive takle. The Lions have the chance to add such a player in April's NFL Draft.
Corey Williams will add depth to the line. Sammie Hill showed good promise as a rookie last year, but he's still probably not an every-down NFL lineman. Williams, Hill, and either Suh or McCoy would make a formidable rotation in the middle of the defensive line.
In all, yesterday's acquisitions do a little bit more than put a band-aid on the defensive line situation, and it may tempt the Lions to look outside of defensive tackle with their first pick, but they shouldn't.
The Lions now have the opportunity to put a very solid defensive line on the field next year -- a building block.
The Lions won't be fixed in one off-season, but it's encouraging to see them move in the right direction, and it's encouraging to see that they have an actual plan.
I firmly believe that football games are won and lost in the trenches. It's no secret that the Lions have been very poor on the defensive front in recent years, but hopefully that's about to change.
Yesterday, the Lions announced the acquisition of three time Pro-Bowl defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch, and defensive tackle Corey Williams.
While these moves in themselves won't overhaul the defense, it does indicate that the Lions have a plan are moving in right direction, but it can't end here.
The Lions still need to draft one of the top two defensive tackles (Ndamukong Suh or Gerald McCoy) to complete the product. Vanden Bosch was most effective in Tennessee (under Schwartz) when he was playing next to Albert Haynesworth, a dominating defensive takle. The Lions have the chance to add such a player in April's NFL Draft.
Corey Williams will add depth to the line. Sammie Hill showed good promise as a rookie last year, but he's still probably not an every-down NFL lineman. Williams, Hill, and either Suh or McCoy would make a formidable rotation in the middle of the defensive line.
In all, yesterday's acquisitions do a little bit more than put a band-aid on the defensive line situation, and it may tempt the Lions to look outside of defensive tackle with their first pick, but they shouldn't.
The Lions now have the opportunity to put a very solid defensive line on the field next year -- a building block.
The Lions won't be fixed in one off-season, but it's encouraging to see them move in the right direction, and it's encouraging to see that they have an actual plan.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Announcing The MSR Fantasy Baseball League!
We have a real passion for baseball; You'll never hear us complain about a 1-0 game being boring!
As a way to share this passion in an interactive way we would like to invite you to participate in a fantasy baseball league just for Mitten Sports Report readers.
A free yahoo ID is required and space may be limited. If you are interested in competing with us use the link on the right to email us or leave your email in the comment section and we will forward on the information.
As a way to share this passion in an interactive way we would like to invite you to participate in a fantasy baseball league just for Mitten Sports Report readers.
A free yahoo ID is required and space may be limited. If you are interested in competing with us use the link on the right to email us or leave your email in the comment section and we will forward on the information.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Welcome Back Spring, Ernie Harwell Style
The Detroit Tigers have just taken the field in their annual exhibition opener with Florida Southern. As the boys of Summer usher in the coming of spring, I couldn't help but think of Ernie Harwell's voice reciting from the Song of Solomom:
For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
McClary, Verkaik were No-brainer Picks for MIAA MVP
I always get hung up on the letter "V" when discussing league MVP candidates. To me, it's the key to the whole process.
What does a valuable player look like? What does the most valuable player look like?
What does a valuable player look like? What does the most valuable player look like?
Monday, March 1, 2010
DIII Bracketology
The NCAA has made their selections; we went 2-for-2 in Pool B and 17-for-19 in Pool C. Be sure to check out the tournament bracket and follow the action on d3hoops.com!
Monday, February 22, 2010
Ring-Around-The-Rosie With Johnny Damon
Special thanks to a loyal reader for asking for a take on the Tigers' recent signing of Johnny Damon. I will admit to allowing my opinions on the matter run around in circles, seemingly changing by the day. Now that the deal is signed, sealed, and delivered I think I'm ready to lock one of those opinions in place.
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