Hill, Moss, Tigers, Lions - Friday Wrap Up

Grant Hill Returns To The Palace

Grant hill returns to the Palace tonight for the first time since signing with the Orlando Magic. Hill has finally overcome ankle problems that have plagued him since breaking it -- and playing on it -- during the 2000 Eastern Conference playoffs. Hill is averaging 19.2 points per game.

There has been much talk of this anticipated return. Most of it centers around boos and cheers. Dumars and Hill have a bet going. Dumars believes he will get more cheers, while Hill believes he will get more boos.

I think it would be a shame if he didn't get cheers. Not only did he agree to a sign-and-trade deal that brought us Ben Wallace and Chuck Atkins, he also played his hardest to get the Pistons a playoff victory, and putting him on the sideline for nearly four years.

I would personally like to see him welcomed back with an ovation, then rooted against once the ball is tipped.

Game time is at 8 PM. Orlando comes in 19-15, and Detroit is 20-14. The Magic rely more on offense, and the Pistons on defense. It will be quite a matchup. I would expect Hill to have a great game.

Pistons Talk To Utah About Arroyo

Could the Pistons' guard problems finally be solved? No word on who would be traded to Utah, but one thing is clear, Arroyo's presence off the bench could help the Pistons.

Remember what Mike James did for Lindsey Hunter?

Who would be a good trade candidate? I've mentioned Hunter, and was met with unpopular protest. Jenkins maybe? A draft pick along with him?

Harrington release? No, Says Mooch

Reports from Tom Kowalski of the Detroit News and Free Press have the Lions considering the possibilities of releasing Joey Harrington. The Lions have denied it, and Mooch said we two free agent backup quarterbacks, who would play QB? The mascott?

This is obviously not going to happen. The Lions would do more harm than good in releasing their QB.

Moss Fined, Laughs At It

Randy Moss received a $10,000 fine for his "mooning" of the crowd in Green Bay this past weekend.

In typical Moss fashion, he said "Ain't nothing but 10 grand. What's 10 grand to me?"

Well, gee, Randy, that's a fine attitude. Have you ever thought about anything before you said it? Are you above the rest of us so much that you think $10,000 is nothing? Even to someone making $5 million per year, $10,000 is something. If you don't want or need the money, why don't you give it to a charity that needs it. There are plenty out there that need the funding to continue doing work that matters. While sports do matter, what you personally do does not, and never will as long as you continue to say things like this.

Gomez Sent To Toledo

The Tigers have outrighted the contract of outfielder Alex Gomez to Toledo. Gomez was claimed off wires from Kansas City on October 1, and was designated for assignment on January 6.

Gomez, who hit .251 with 34 RBIs in AAA last year, will attend the Tigers Spring Training as a non-roster invitee.

This should come as no surprise to anyone. The plan for Gomez was Toledo from the beginning. He is not ready for the big leagues at this stage in his career.

Tigers Talk To Ordonez

The Tigers have talked with the agent of Maglio Ordonez about him coming to Detroit. While no deal is close, don't count them out yet. The Tigers are trying to gauge the health of Ordonez, who suffered knee woes last season.

While Ordonez could be a health risk, his numbers speak volumes. He has five years of over .300 hitting with 29 or more homerunrs, and 99 or more RBIs. He certainly would give the Tigers a nice option in the outfield, and bring power to the plate.

If it doesn't cost too much, and set back any other plans, why not give him a shot? Before 2004, Ordonez played in 153 games for five consecutive seasons. If the Tigers' medical staff can clear his knee of further issues, he could be a good fit for the them.

Steroids In MLB

So they finally agreed to be tested. The MLBPA has given in to testing. Wow, and look at it. They still have no real penalties for testing positive, and you're still not out for the season until your fourth offense.

What kind of a policy is this? All the suspensions before that are "up-to", and measured in days rather than games. Then after you appeal, which means you can play for a while longer, you'll just end up with a 10 day suspension reduced to three days. Heck, if you time it just right, you have it setup to where you have a day off, play a game, and another day off, and only miss one game. Wow! What a great deal!

Good job, Bud, I'm proud of you. You used steroids to hurl the game back into popularity, then signed some stupid agreement as a P.R. kick to make you look better. I commend you. Not even Commissioner Kennesaw Landis was that dirty.

Breaking Down The Tigers - Part 5 of 5

So far we’ve analyzed all positions of the Tigers. We talked about how the Outfield is a mess, and unknown, we decided we liked the Infield and starting Pitching, and we broke down the tools placed into the Bullpen. In breaking everything down, it looks as if there might be a core group of players that can be built around.

Some of the ones we didn’t cover were future players, prospects, and guys that might be on their way out, or are in the middle of a setback. Let’s examine some of them.

Chris Spurling. After more thoughts on Spurling, I think there is a chance he might end up on the Tigers roster, even if it isn’t right away. He was pitching decent from the bullpen, but then suffered an elbow injury that set him back. With Colyer coming in as one of the talked-about futures of the pitching staff, Spurling will need to regain what he was building on before he went down. I think it would benefit Spurling more to be in Toledo. He can work his elbow back into strength, and proceed with his career.

Fernando Rodney. Unless something drastic has changed, Rodney is the next Matt Anderson. He’s someone who throws extremely hard, but lacks consistency and control. He often gets wild, and gives up a lot of runs. Like Spurling, Rodney is coming off an elbow injury. He commands an upper 90s fastball, with a changeup, and he’s also been working on a slider. In 10 appearances in the winter leagues, he struck out 22 in 17 innings, and only allowed one run and six hits. Early reports have him contending for the closing job with the Tigers, but we know that isn’t going to happen. Percival has been signed, and Urbina is there to back him up. Rodney’s best hopes are middle relief, and unless he makes some major steps in Spring Training, he’ll be in Toledo by March.

Nook Logan. Here’s a guy with a lot of talent. He has speed, he can bunt, and he showed that he might be ready for the big leagues. In 47 games, Nook went to the plate 133 times, with 10 RBIs, and a .278 batting average. His on base percentage was good, but he struck out 24 times. The only problem with Nook is that his fielding is a bit sloppy. This could be related to nerves, and over-effort. With Curtis Granderson waiting, Nook’s best chance might be grabbing one of the corner outfield positions. That is, if Thames or Monroe don’t pan out. There also is another possibility that Sanchez won’t work out in Center Field this season, giving a green light to Nook. He’s guaranteed to give a full effort if this is the case.

Curtis Granderson. Arguably the guy the Tigers are paying the most attention too, Granderson has been tagged the future of Center Field for the Tigers. He could see some playing time in September, but I’d look for him in 2006 or 2007. The Tigers aren’t rushing Granderson, something that is all too common in today’s game. Granderson will be with the Tigers in Spring Training, and if he makes a big enough impact, could start the season in Detroit, although I wouldn’t count on it.

Justin Verlander. Justin made a lot of noise after the draft. His agent didn’t tell him about a $4 million offer, and told the Tigers it wasn’t high enough. His dad got wind, fired his agent, and Verlander signed on the dotted line. Verlander has the raw talent that a lot of minor league pitching coaches look for. He’s trainable with a hard fastball, and knows how to win. He struck out 139 batters in 116 innings of work with a 2.40 ERA in his last season at Old Dominion University. He’s given himself a two year goal to reach the major league level. If he has a good season in Toledo, I’d expect him wearing the Old English D by 2006.

There are others penciled in on the roster. Kenny Baugh, Colby Lewis, Mark Woodyard, and Roberto Novoa. I don’t see any of these guys coming in and making any kind of noise to get a spot on the roster. Some – or all – might end up in Toledo. Other guys already there are Nate Cornejo, and Chris Shelton. Cornejo’s time has really come and gone. He may end up back in the big leagues as a reliever, but right now he’s just not ready. Chris Shelton may someday get a chance, but with Pudge on the roster for at least three more seasons, it doesn’t fair well for him.

The Tigers don’t have a strong farm system. Dombrowski has made efforts to improve it, but it will take a lot of time and work. They have been careful not to trade away their top prospects, which should be commended. Organizations like the Yankees have moved from farming teams to buying teams, and their minor league system has suffered from it.

Patience is the key word for building a future. The Tigers are struggling in free agency, and don’t really have anyone to bring up. All is not lost, and the Tigers will continue to build. Each year there is a new prospect in any organization that has a break-out season. Who that is, and where they are now is unknown, but you can be sure that the Tigers are building not only to win now, but also to maintain that winning in the future.

So what do you think about the Tigers after this week? I feel a little better myself. I don’t look at the Outfield in the same bad light, and I don’t see as much wrong with the bullpen. What I see is a core that they can work with. Guillen, Pudge, Inge, Infante, Monroe, Bonderman, and Maroth, are the players I’m most excited about, and wouldn’t try and move them or let them go.

I also believe that the Tigers aren’t done. I see some trades happening, and the team improving. This could be the year that the Tigers contend for the Central Division.

Nice Work, Bud

For a momment, I'm going to break my new years resolution of only writing in a positive manner. Please excuse me while I blast MLB and the MLBPA.

Proving again that MLB is run by spineless idiots, Bud Selid and his cast of morons has agreed to a new so-called steroids testing policy.

Under the terms of the new policy, the first offense would be an up-to 10 day suspension. Sure, starts with 10, then, after appeals, is down to three. Even better, you have up to four failed tests before you get your one year suspension. If its random how long will it take to get to four? 10 years?

The best news is that the cheaters can still cheat. There will random testing rather than regular testing of all players. If you want to, you can still start injecting yourself late in your career, boost your numbers, and by the time they find out a fourth time, you're ready to retire anyway. Hey Higginson, want to revive your career?

What is wrong with MLB? Spineless. Take the NHL's example, shut your league down for a year if you have to. You cannot continue to operate like this. There are plenty of capable people in this world willing to play the game at a high level without steroids. Let them be scabs and restore dignity to the game.

Bud Selig has to go. There is no reason to keep this moron around. He's proving once again that he cannot stand up to the MLBPA and keep the game respectable. He has stupid ideas, and no action on things that need strong action. Please, Mr. Selig, resign.

As for Donald Fehr, you're a disgrace to the nation. You think its capitalism is a business trying to survive the financially sound way. You feel as if drug testing is some forfeit in rights, when it is really upholding the law, and maintaining the integrity of the game. Please, resign and leave the country. There is no place for you here.

Finally, I applaud any further action that Senator McCain takes against MLB and this so-called "policy". This is a disgrace.

Breaking Down The Tigers - Part 4 of 5

Analyzing starting pitching can sometimes be easier than analyzing a bullpen. There are more “positions” to setup in the pen, and sometimes it takes a certain mentality of a pitcher in certain situations.

The Tigers have struggled to find the right mix of players in recent years. Up until 2001, they had a strong bullpen that was fueled by setup man Doug Brocail and closer Todd Jones. Since then, we’ve seen three closers, and a fourth coming this season.

Let’s break down the bullpen and try to make some sense of it, and start with two guys fighting for the fifth starting rotation spot.

Wilfredo Ledezma. Last season Ledezma ripped up the minors so well he was rewarded with a starting spot in the rotation for the last few weeks of the season. Ledezma started out 3-0 with a 2.96 ERA, and ended 4-3 with a 4.39 ERA. Not a bad start for a guy called up mid-season. He commands a strong fastball in the 92-95 MPH range, as well as an above average changeup, and is working on improving his breaking ball, which has been described several times a slur, or smooth. Ledezma has the design of a Major League Pitcher. We haven’t had a chance to see how deep he can go into a game, but the Tigers’ coaching staff sticks strongly to pitch counts, so I would count on Ledezma for 100 pitches per game – That is, if chosen for the rotation. Otherwise, I’d look to Ledezma for long relief, and extra inning work. Ledezma needs to continue working on his breaking ball, and get himself conditioned for the future. He also needs to better learn the smarts of striking out a Major League batter. At the latest, he will probably enter the starting rotation by 2006, and needs to prepare for longer innings now.

Gary Knotts. Gary Knotts had a bad two month start, and a bad July. Putting those aside he had an ERA in the mid-threes, and gave up little homeruns the entire season. He has three average pitches, including a 92-93 MPH fastball, a curveball with good movement, and a decent changeup. At 7-6 with a 5.25 ERA, Knotts will have to fight off Ledezma for his spot in the rotation. The key to Knotts is his fastball. When his fastball is on, he can often keep batters off-balance when he mixes in his curveball and changeup. Knotts will need to work on consistency in his pitching if he wants to return to the rotation. Detroit has been losing for a decade, and will want to get off to the best start it can. Having someone in the rotation with an 8.74 ERA for the first month just won’t happen. I would suggest he talk to Bob Cluck about his fastball location drill, which includes putting white tape on the catcher’s glove, and the Pitcher throwing at the white tape. The Psychology behind these types of drills is simple. With repetition, you will condition yourself to a certain pattern, and you will develop a natural behavior. In other words, he’ll get his arm use to putting the ball where he wants it consistently, and make it tough for Trammell to exclude him in the rotation. If he doesn’t make it, look to him for long relief.

Jamie Walker. Put him against Lefties, and he’s effective. Take him out of that element, and you have someone that struggles. Walker holds left handed batters to a lowly .200 batting average, and allows for right handed batters to hit .313. Walker is a good middle reliever in situations that call for someone to get a left handed batter out. Walker is a tough case because of this. His 3.20 ERA looks good, but his 3-4 record does not. He only throws in the upper 80s using a fastball, curveball, slider, and changeup. He does good handling the field, but his runners are 14-14 in steal attempts. With the arrival of Ledezma and Percival, I would look to Walker’s innings to decrease, and he be used as a situational pitcher. Unless he works out his problems against right handed batters, I wouldn’t expect to see him against many. This should be Walker’s focus in Spring Training.

Franklyn German. Wasn’t German supposed to be the closer by now? German doesn’t have the mental toughness to close. At best, he’s better for setup positions, or one or two innings of work when needed. His 7.36 ERA was actually an improvement as the season went on. His fastball is quick – mid-90s – but lacks movement, and is often up in the zone waiting to be picked. He has a nice split-finger pitch, but doesn’t execute it well. If German wants to see any kind of real mound time, he’s going to have to work on his fastball, and work on mixing in more pitches. I would look to German to be used against lesser hitting teams, and on nights where others need rest.

Steve Colyer. Like Walker, Colyer is strong against lefties, weak against righties. He would be best used in situational pitching only, which poses a question. Do we need two guys like this? Colyer is one of the guys talked about as an up-coming pitcher. He’s got hype behind him, but little to back it up. His 6.47 ERA is an improvement over his start, but still not bold enough to command any real time on the mound. Colyer could use another year in the minors. I think he could someday make a good reliever, but for now, he’s just not ready, and the Walker is the better option. Colyer will get a chance in Spring Training. Expect him Toledo on opening day.

Ugueth Urbina. Last year’s closer is this year’s setup man, that is, if he isn’t traded. Urbina saved 21 games last year, and won four others. He also blew six games, which is nothing new to Urbina. Urbina is an average closer, which is why he’s being replaced. In the setup position, Urbina should be able to give one or two innings, and if he happens to give up some runs, his team will have time to come back. He has an 88-90 MPH fastball that he likes to use to setup his slider and changeup, both of which he uses very well. His greatest strength is his ability to strike guys out. In 54 innings, Urbina struck out 56 batters. Urbina’s one area of work should be the number of walks he gives up. If he can lower the number of walks, he should be able to get out of more innings without trouble. Let’s hope the Tigers don’t trade this guy, and we have a good setup man.

Troy Percival. Aside from being the guy I thought should have been MVP of the 2002 World Series, Troy Percival brings us an average of 35-40 saves per year. His ERA is low – 2.90 last season – and he strikes out a fair amount of guys. What sets him apart from Urbina is the number of walks that he gives up. Percival is coming off a season in which we saw his strikeouts decline, but I wouldn’t get alarmed over it. Percival still pitches in the 92-94 MPH range, and has a good changeup and curveball. He pitches intelligently, and knows how to get out of an inning. Percival’s biggest adjustment will be his new team. Pitcher-friendly Comerica Park will help him out, but he has to learn not to rely on it. If he does, it could affect his pitching on the road.

Other honorable mentions should be Roberto Novoa, and Colby Lewis. I don’t see them on the Tigers roster after the Spring.

The bullpen has tools to work with. They could use one more quality middle reliever, but most likely won’t acquire one anytime soon. With guys like Knotts and Ledezma in the mix, they could be ok. Walker could give them a nice option against lefties, and the Urbina/Percival late inning combo should serve the Tigers well.

Spring Training will be key for the bullpen. It will tell a lot, and weed itself out. Tomorrow we’ll talk about some of the guys that won’t make it past Spring Training, and guys we could see in the future.

New Roids Testing For MLB

MLB and the MLBPA have reached an agreement on a new Steroids testing policy.

The new policy will be released Thursday, and will include penalties for first time offenders.

"I'm glad we could come to an agreement," said Chicago Cubs pitcher Mike Remlinger, who was briefed on the deal Wednesday. "It was the right thing to do. I think it was something that needed to be done, and I think players understand it needed to be addressed."

I am too. I hope that it is stiff, and takes care of the problem once and for all. If it isn't, look for media and fan revolt. I'll keep you posted.

Shazor Heads For The NFL

All-American Safey Ernest Shazor is heading for the NFL draft.

"I've decided to leave," Shazor said. "I thought hard about it, and it was just the best decision for me."

Shazor lead the Wolverines with 84 tackles, made two interceptions, and forced two fumbles. Shazor expects to be drafted late in the first round, or early in the second round.

Shazor will work out in Phoenix to prepare for the NFL combine next month in Indianapolis.

Breaking Down The Tigers - Part 3 of 5

We discussed the Tigers’ Outfield yesterday, and set a couple scenarios for a batting lineup. The Tigers have some unknowns in the field, but things might come together better than we might think.

One positive area for the Tigers could be the Starting Pitching. The Tigers have four definite starters, and a fifth position that could be filled by two or three different people. We may not know who that fifth person is until a good portion of Spring Training is completed.

Let’s examine the four we know, and speculate on the others.

Jason Johnson. Jason is entering his second season with the Tigers, and the final year of his contract. He was disappointing last year, with a 5.13 ERA, eight wins, and 15 losses. Blisters on his throwing hand contributed too much of this. He had trouble gripping the ball, and spent some time out of the rotation. If his past is indicative of his future, Jason will have a good season this year. Jason looks to be a career every-other-year pitcher. Jason has a great fastball with speeds of 92-94 MPH on average, and often has a quick sinking motion to it. Johnson also has a slider, and a changeup, both thrown well. An arsenal of pitches is definitely not Johnson’s fall out. Johnson is a diabetic, and has a tendency to wear down. He receives injections during the games, and he says they help. Johnson needs to get his hand healthy so he can grip the ball, and get his earned runs down. He also needs to find ways to keep his stamina up, or the coaching staff needs to prepare a middle reliever for days he pitches. Johnson could remain the team’s Ace this season, although I feel it would benefit him to be a number two pitcher. He would have less pressure, and wouldn’t have to face the best of the best.

Mike Maroth. Maroth is my nomination for Ace. He is durable, and can go long innings throughout the season. He’s been injury free, and consistently improving each year. He doesn’t have a real quick fastball – 86 MPH – but does have a two-seam and a four-seam version. Additionally, Maroth commands a good curveball, and changeup. He rarely throws over the middle of the plate, and throws a lot of strikes. He’s best when getting ahead in the count early. His mental toughness will keep him winning for years to come. He’s also not a finished product. At 27, he’s getting into the part of his career where he starts to show us what he can really do. He has increased his strikeouts from 58 to 87 to 108 in three seasons. He decreased his earned runs, and homeruns given up last season. His fielding is also strong with zero errors for 2004, and a 1.000 fielding percentage. Maroth just needs to continue to get into his groove, and keep working on getting batters out. One of his strongest points is keeping the batter off-balance. He should keep focus on improving in this area. It could be his best weapon.

Jeremy Bonderman. Bonderman is the youngest of the Tigers. Coming into his third season will tell us a lot about what kind of future Bonderman really has. So far, all indications are good. He has a career 5.20 ERA with 17 wins and 32 losses, 19 of them coming in the dismal 119 loss 2003 season. Bonderman has the makings of a strong strikeout pitcher. He increased his season total from 108 to 168 last year. Bonderman has a 95-98 MPH fastball – his finest quality – and also carries a slider and a changeup. He his walks total is also low. He has a tendency to hang onto his slider too long, and must try and work that out in Spring Training. He also needs to work on his changeup, which is his worst pitch.

Nate Robertson. Roberton’s worst quality is longevity. He starts games strong, and wears down quickly. He has a fastball in the low 90s, as well as an above average slider. His fastball has a tendency to rise during games, and, as a result, gives up a lot of hits. He’s very inconsistent, and doesn’t handle winning well. He started out 9-3, and ended up 12-10. His second year as starter will tell the story of his career. He has to work on his stamina, and he must keep his pitches down, even when he’s fatiguing. If he cannot fix his durability, he may be better suited as a long middle reliever.

So there are the four guys that we can count on to be starters when the final rotation is set. We still haven’t talked about that fifth position. There are two guys, Wil Ledezma and Gary Knotts, but I think I’ll wait until tomorrow to discuss them. One of them is going to be in the bullpen, and one of them is going to be on the mound. There is also still that remote possibility that Dombrowski could bring in another starter, and bump both of them to the bullpen.

I see good things in the starting rotation. It is the most positive area we’ve looked at, in my opinion, so far. Tomorrow we’ll discuss the bullpen.

Stats provided by ESPN

Lions Alert: Could Harrington Be Done?

The Detroit Lions are reportedly considering releasing Joey Harrington.

"That decision hasn't been made yet," said a Lions source, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. "We're looking at all the options."

Sherman Lewis, the Lions Offensive Coordinator last season, wrote a letter to the team's ownership saying that Joey will never be a good quarterback.

You can read more on this from Tom Kowalski on MLive.com:

Sources say Lions considering releasing Harrington

Breaking Down The Tigers - Part 2 of 5

Yesterday we talked about the Tigers’ Infielders. The popular opinion seems to be that Pena could have a breakout season this year, and Inge is fine at third base. It seems the Infield could be set, at least for now.

What about the Outfield? To me, I see a mess. I see a lot of guys on the Roster, and no one that really stands out. It seems that some guys have arms, some guys have bats, and little have solidity.

Let’s examine the Outfield.

Bobby Higginson. Higginson’s contract screams “You can’t trade me!” He’s owed $8 million this season, has a no-trade clause, and will most likely get a shot at keeping his job in left field as a result. I like Higginson in the outfield. I don’t think anyone on the team plays the field better than Higginson. He has ability to chase down balls, and throw people out at the plate. Unfortunately, this is all tainted by his poor hitting. In 2003, he hit .235, and in 2004 he hit .246. Before that, he hit anywhere between .270 and .320. Unfortunately, he shows no signs of regaining the level of hitting we saw years ago. I would not expect Higginson to be re-signed unless two things happen. One, he has a good season. Two, there is no one else to replace him with, forcing the Tigers to ask him to come back. Bruce Fields will need to spend a little extra time with Higginson in the Spring. He’s going to have to try and get Bobby back to the level he should still be at. Higginson’s hitting could be easily corrected with some minor mechanics adjustments. He seems uncomfortable at the plate, and often is inconsistent with his stance. If he can find the right position for his feet, and get a comfortable grip on the bat, he could regain his quality hitting.

Craig Monroe. Monroe could end up in right field next season. He has played all three outfield positions, but lacks the speed for Center Field, and struggled with the ball in Left Field. Monroe is a good hitter. Last year he hit .293 average last year, with 72 RBIs, and 18 homeruns. He has improved each year, but has spent a little time on the DL. For now, he’s an inexpensive, good option in the outfield. He adds depth to the lineup, and decent range from the field. One area of concern -- he throws a lot of balls off the mark when pressed to make a big play at home plate. He needs to work on his conditioning this spring, needs to keep improving his hitting, and work on the mental aspects of playing right field. He’s young, and has a lot of potential to be a good player for the next few years.

Alex Sanchez. Alex is certainly a player with a lot of talent and potential. He’s quick, but can’t judge the ball well. His arm is decent, but he struggles to get the ball into the Infield effectively. One major flaw is over-running the ball. I’ve seen this many times, and have wondered what the problem might be. He's either trying to run to hard, or he's just not able to judge a fly ball. Behind the plate, Sanchez is the best bunting force that I have ever seen. His bad side is that he’s over-aggressive, and as a result, he only had seven walks last year, and a poor on base percentage. Fixing this should be approached with caution. Sanchez is an excellent base-stealer, and you don't want to hinder that just to get him on base a few more times. Sanchez is will most likely have the Center Field job as long as he’s healthy, and as long as the Tigers don’t come up with someone better. He will need to try and improve his fielding, and get on base a little more. Being the leadoff hitter, getting on base is very important. He will need to fine-tune his game to see another contract in 2006.

Rondell White. Rondell is a good hitter, and a bad fielder. He has no arm, and is slow. The positive part about his fielding is that when he does manage to get to the ball, he rarely makes errors. With the size of Comerica Park being what it is, he’s not a good fit, and would be better served as a backup Outfielder, or a DH. Assists from him are rare, and with the Tigers struggling to get to .500, they can’t afford to put a weak arm in the Outfield. Rondell will be 33 when the season starts. He’s on the backside of his career, and I don’t see his arm strength improving, but rather degrading. Whether or not he can win the DH position over Dmitri Young is doubtful. He lacks the power, and clutch hitting capabilities. If I were the Tigers, I would consider giving him some early bat time, and trading him.

Dmitri Young. Speaking of Dmitri Young, I had thought about when to talk about him, and I think even though he’s listed as a First Baseman on the Roster, I’d talk about him as a viable option for the outfield. Yes, he’s a bigger guy, but he’s also an athletic guy. He can run well, but his range factor is low from the Outfield. Unfortunately, this is to be expected from someone who was a career First Baseman. With Carlos Pena signed for another season, I would expect Dmitri to be given the DH job. Young is a career .292 hitter with the ability to drive in runs, and clutch hit when called on. He usually carries a good on base percentage, and can draw a walk 10 percent of the time. He also has the mental toughness to sit the bench, and still be a quality hitter. I would also look to him to backup the outfielders, and Pena.

Marcus Thames. Thames was a real surprise in the outfield. He had no errors in 62 games, and showed decent arm strength. His hitting improved as he played more, and he ended up with a .255 batting average, 10 homeruns, and 33 RBIs. His strike outs were high, 42 in 165 at bats, but mostly came when he first starting playing. Thames will need to work on his hitting. He has to establish himself as a quality hitter in spring training, and bring it into the regular season. He needs to be more patient at the plate, and avoid having a 33 percent strike out rate. His walks seem good, and could improve as a result. I would also look to Thames to bring some big hits. All of this will rest on how much playing time he gets. You have to play to get better, and if he’s only going to see sporadic play, he won’t improve. The way to get playing time is to go into Spring Training and prove that he is better than Craig Monroe. The job could be his to lose.

Over all I think we have an unknown status in the Outfield. I don’t think it is a strong Outfield, and at the same time I don’t view it as a completely weak Outfield. J.D. Drew and/or Steve Finley would have definitely solidified it, but we have to move on with what we have.

The Future is bright, and we haven’t talked about Nook Logan, Curtis Granderson, and a couple others. While I think they will be in Spring Training, I don’t see them starting the season in Detroit. They are for the future. We’ll talk about them on Friday.

Tomorrow I will examine the Starting Pitchers.

Stats provided by ESPN

What's Up With Carlisle?

Is it possible that Rick Carlisle's true feelings for Detroit are finally showing? Carlisle has said that the Pistons' coaching staff is to be blamed for the November 19 brawl, saying they should have taken better care of Ben Wallace.

"I think Detroit is very understaffed security wise, having been there for two years," Carlisle said in a Nov. 20 statement to an NBA security official. "This whole thing could have been prevented but the Detroit coaching staff did not get involved. They did not properly remove (Pistons forward) Ben (Wallace) from the floor. Ben threw his towel and that was the cue to start throwing things at Ron (Artest)."

Pistons officials said Carlisle never mentioned the security problems when he was here. Could this be his bitter feelings starting emerge?

For starters, Carlisle let Ron Artest lay on the stats table, which is where the incident began. While laying on the table, a cup of pop hit Ron Artest, sending him into psycho mode.

C'mon, Rick, think a little before you accuse.

Tigers After Ordonez

The Tigers are after Maglio Ordonez. Ordonez, most recently with the White Sox, is a corner outfielder that offers strong hitting and power from the plate. Talks are early, and no deal is imminent.

The Tigers have been snubbed by many free agents this off-season, including Carl Pavano, Steve Finley, and Adrian Beltre.

I would like to see them sign Ordonez regardless of his recent knee injury. He's been healthy in recent years, and the Tigers aren't in a position to worry about such things. He would add a key outfielder, and power to the line up.

Breaking Down The Tigers - Part 1 of 5

The Detroit Tigers appear to be out of the race for Derek Lowe. Lowe, reportedly, is near a four year, $36 million deal with the Dodgers.

The Tigers haven’t had much luck signing guys this year. They started off well with Troy Percival, but went on to be snubbed by Pavano, Drew, Beltre, and others.

It was reported that Lowe wanted a four year, $48 million deal from the Tigers. Although he had a good post-season, his ERA, 5.42, was too high to command that kind of money. The Tigers passed.

So rather than looking at a gloomy picture, I’ve decided to spend the week breaking down the Tigers. I will piece it out into five parts -- Infielders, Outfielders, Starting Pitchers, Relief Pitchers, and Prospects and the future.

Let’s start with the Infield.

First Base. Carlos Pena signed a one year contract on Friday to remain with the Tigers. Pena adds strong fielding (.995 fielding percentage), and a homerun threat at the place. The downside of Pena is his inconsistency at the plate. Pena is a career .244 hitter who has never hit better than .248, with an on base percentage of only .331. It seems to me that he is always swinging for the fence, and strikes out, flies out, or homers. There are times when Pena looks as if he’s finally coming around, and then he goes back into his hitting slump, reminding us why he might not be the long term answer at first base. Keys for Pena this season will be increasing his batting average, and raising his on base percentage. If he stops trying to hit a homerun every time he’s at bat, these two areas could be self-corrected. Only giving someone who has been touted as the best first base prospect in the American League a one year contract speaks volumes. Get better, or we’ll have to replace you.

Second Base. It appears Fernando Vina could be done. Vina, battling a knee injury, is expected to start the season on the 60 day disabled list. He spent 75% of last season on the disabled list, and he’s not getting any younger. To add to it all, his last season with St Louis was plagued with injuries. To fill the gap, the Tigers called on Omar Infante, and will do the same again this year. Infante did decent behind the plate. He had an average of .264 with 16 homeruns, and 55 RBIs. In the field, he had a field percentage of .976, and 12 errors. Infante can easily keep the job at second base by trimming down his errors, and raising his on base percentage. Out of 503 at bats, Infante struck out 112 times, and only walked 40. A good spring training and starting the season playing should be a factor in achieving this. He’ll be able to work on what he needs, and then enter the season with the momentum he’ll get from spring training. With other problems in the outfield and pitching, second base hasn’t been an area that the Tigers have tried to put a new player at. This is Infante’s chance to cement himself into the roster.

Short Stop. Carlos Guillen is the real deal. Since 2000, his numbers have improved every year, with last year being his break-out season with a .318 batting average, and 97 RBIs in only 136 games. His fielding needs a little bit of polishing. Guillen had 17 errors that held his fielding percentage down to a .974. Although not making excuses, or justifying the high error count, Guillen does have a history of errors. He had a career high 21 when he was with Seattle, and hasn’t really improved since. His goal with the Tigers when camp opens should be improving his fielding. Alan Trammell, former short stop for the Tigers, will most likely try and work with Guillen in this area.

Third Base. Who says catchers can’t be converted to base positions? Brandon Inge did so last year, and did well. Whatever happened to him in his minor league assignment in September 2003 worked well for the season of 2004. Inge hit .287 with 64 RBIs and 13 homeruns. Before that he was hitting right around .200 each season. There is still some skepticism, but with a year of third base under his belt, Inge could turn out to be a viable option at the position. He had fewer errors than Guillen and Infante, with a fielding percentage of .935 in 73 games. He will only improve on these numbers from this point. He needs to work on his reaction to quick hits, and make sure he’s in front of the ball at all times. He doesn’t appear afraid to go after balls. Knocking the ball down can sometimes be as effective as getting it in the glove. He has the arm strength and accuracy to reach first base without problems, now he just has to make sure he’s keeping the ball in play. While not forgetting to keep his hitting up to the levels of last season, he now needs to put most of his focus on his fielding.

Catcher. Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez enters his second season as a Tiger. Pudge, who was in contention for the batting title most of last summer, finished the year batting .334 with 19 homeruns and 86 RBIs. Pudge ran into some trouble with his hip flexor muscles, and often appeared uncomfortable behind the plate. He toughed it out, but was ineffective throwing runners out at second base. A healthy hip flexor will help Pudge next season, and we should see his caught stealing percentage go back up to the 40-50 percent mark. Being a seasoned veteran with a World Series on his resume, Pudge is a proven leader on the field, and at the plate. He’s proven he can carry a team from the NLCS to the World Series, and he’s shown he can carry another team from a 43 win season to a 72 win season. Pudge will finish his next three years without injury, or problems with his back. He will consistently hit over .300, and will lead the Tigers to a Central Division title at least once. With someone of Pudge’s level, there isn’t one thing to work on for improvement. Instead, Pudge must come to Spring Training, get ready for the season, and give it all he can.

Overall I’m pretty happy with the infield. I never considered them the problem with this team, even with Pena’s hitting woes, and the loss of Vina. I would consider this infield good enough to win a division, and maybe even a round in the playoffs. If, during the season, Pena isn’t hitting well, I could see the Tigers using him in a trade. That is, if they have solved some of their other problems.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss the outfield, and try and make some sense of the mess.

Stats provided by ESPN