Detroit Tigers Weblog

The latest technique to milk productivity from Magglio Ordonez is to platoon him and only give him starts against left handers. Clete Thomas will form the other side of the platoon which means he’ll get the bulk of the starts, especially with the team facing more right handers...

Louisville 4 Toledo 2 Wil Rhymes went 3 for 5. Scott Sizemore singled and walked. Wilkin Ramirez, went 2 for 4 with a walk. Brooks Brown allowed 4 runs on 9 hits and 2 walks in 5 innings. Kris Regas (signed when Jay Sborz hit the DL) fanned 3 in 2 scoreless innings...

Toledo – DNP Erie 12 Binghamton 4 Deik Scram went 4 for 5 with a walk and was a double short of the cycle. Cale Iorg homered and singled (and struck out 3 times). Ryan Strieby went 2 for 3 with 2 walks. Jon Kibler fanned 6 and walkd 2 in 7 innings giving up 3 runs on 4 hits...

PREGAME: And once again the Tigers find themselves a mini 3 game skid. Hopefully it will remain mini and not force me to invoke backwards game post. Justin Verlander has traditionally feasted on the Royals and he hasn’t allowed a run in his last 2 starts while pitching into the 7th both times...

The Tigers are officially halfway through the season. they’ve managed to lead the division for the majority of the first half. They’ve seen some good pitching, some awful pitching and some much improved defense (which is helping the pitching)...

PREGAME: Finally, the Tigers get some home cooking as Rod Allen would say. I downplayed the significance of the weekend series against the Twins, but I may go ahead and up-play this 6 game homestand heading into the break. Things are always tough in the Metrodome, those losses are going to happen...

Columbus 3 Toledo 7 Jeff Larish 2 for 4, 2B, HR. Jeff Fraizer 3 for 4, 2B. Wilkin Ramirez 2 for 3, 2B, BB. Eddie Bonine 7 IP, 10 H, 3 R, 0 BB, 3 K, 2 HR. Erie 0 Binghamton 4 Ryan Strieby 2 for 4. Shawn Roof 3 for 4. Luis Marte 6.2 IP, 4 R, 3 BB, 5 K, 1 HR...

PREGAME: Rick Porcello gets the ball for the Tigers. Porcello has struggled in his last 3 starts allowing 32 baserunners in 15.2 innings and not making it out of the 5th inning in any of those starts. The last time (and only time) he face the Twins this year he threw 7 shutout innings...

The Tigers are sending 3 representatives to the All Star game, and maybe one more. Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, and Curtis Granderson were all named to the AL All Star Game. Brandon Inge still has a chance ( a slim one) to get on the team if the fans vote him in...

PREGAME: Nothing like an afternoon game after a 16 inning bout, but the Tigers play at 4p on the 4th on Fox Saturday Baseball. Happy 4th of July to everyone as Edwin Jackson matches up with Francisco Liriano...

It was July 19th, 2007. Things were looking great for the Tigers. Detroit was playing their second series after the All Star break. Heading into that break the Tigers had won 5 in a row, 2 against the Indians and a sweep of the Red Sox...

PREGAME: Here we go, another series in the Metrodome. I don’t know if it is the dome itself or the way that the Tigers play there, but this games are rarely enjoyable. This time first place is at risk with the Twins just 3 games back (and the White Sox 2 back)...

Columbus 2 Toledo 8 Wilkin Ramirez and Brent Clevlen each tripled and singled. Jeff Frazier homered. Scott Sizemore, Mike Hessman, and Max St. Pierre all had 2 hits. Brooks Brown pitched around 4 walks and allowed just 2 runs in 6 innings with 3 K’s...

Toledo 3 Columbus 16 Clete Thomas and Brent Clevlen each had 2 hits. Ruddy Lugo didn’t make it out of the first inning before allowing 8 runs. This wasn’t good and it saw Jeff Frazier pitch the last 2 innings, and not well...

Leyland: Inge should be on All-Star team | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press Leyland offered up his support to the Inge on the All Star team campaign...

PREGAME: Justin Verlander takes on Dallas Braden. Sorry I don’t have more guys, it’s one of those weeks. Detroit vs. Oakland – July 1, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday Tickets: Looking for below market seats, or tickets for the tough games? Try Stubhub.

Toledo 9 Indianapolis 7 Scott Sizemore seems to like Toledo, although you wouldn’t know it by his photo which looks like a mugshot. He was 3 for 4 with a homer, his 9th extra base hit in his 14 games. Brent Dlugach and Mike Hessman doubled twice...

PREGAME: Gio Gonzalez takes on Armando Galarraga. Galarraga continues to teeter on the edge of the rotation. Gonzalez makes just his 2nd start of the season. He was rocked in his first start and was knocked out in the 4th inning after allowing 10 hits (but with 6 K’s)...

Long time readers of this site remember a feature called the Inning Report. Reader Sam Hoff would break down the season into 18 game segments or “innings.” Why 18 game? Because there are 9 18 game segments in a season...

PREGAME: The Tigers once again find themselves in the middle of a very long road trip, next stop Oakland. The Tigers salvaged a happy plane ride at least after dropping 2 in Houston. The A’s meanwhile are scuffling having lost 5 in a row and their bloggers are deservedly restless...

Toledo 5 Indianapolis 6 Scott Sizemore went 3 for 5 with 2 doubles. Brent Dlugach had 2 hits and Mike Hessman doubled and tripled. Eddie Bonine allowed 10 hits and 6 runs with 1 walk and 4 K’s in 4.2 innings. Erie 5 Harrisburg 6 (11 inn) Cale Iorg went 3 for 6...

PREGAME: The Tigers will lean on Edwin Jackson to try and avoid being swept in Houston. Jackson has been a little afflicted by the walk phenomenon that is spreading like swine flu through the Tigers clubhouse with 10 free passes in his last 3 games...

Nate Robertson was placed on the DL today (retroactive to the 27th) with a mass in his elbow. Fu Te Ni had his contract purchased. A hearty DTW shout out to East Windup Chronicle which had the Ni call up story before everyone else...

That didn’t take long. Alfredo Figaro is being bounced from the rotation and Luke French will make his first career start Friday night at the Metrodome. Figaro heads to Toledo, so he still ends up with a promotion in the deal...

Duham 5 Toledo 3 (15 inn) Scott Sizemore and Clete Thomas each had a double and a single. Brent Dlugach homered. Jeff Larish walked 3 times and singled. Wilkin Ramirez had a rough 0 for 7. Luke French fanned 8 in 7 innings and allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks...

On Tuesday night Joel Zumaya threw a ball that the Comerica Park gun, and the Fox Sports gun clocked at 104mph. That is freakishly fast and a little hard to believe, at the very least there was probably some rounding up...

PREGAME: Jim Leyland took advantage of an off day this week to shake up the rotation and put Alfredo Figaro in between Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson. The thinking was that it would help balance the bullpen use some. He wasn’t figuring on Verlander getting chased in the 6th inning...

PREGAME: In terms of subplots, you need to look no further than the Tigers taking on “the little pudgy one.” Pudge Rodriguez, the catching-est catcher of all time and his former skipper Jim Leyland have already exchanged phone calls in the days leading up to the series...

tragedy strikes: Magglio cuts his hair – Roar of the Tigers Hair I have known. A picture story ...

PREGAME: It’s freakin hot and muggy. So Armando Galarraga keeping the ball on the ground would be a good thing today, otherwise his 15 homers allowed total may grow. Ted Lily will try to extend his quality start streak to 6...

Durham 2 Toledo 4 Clete Thomas went 3 for 4 with 2 doubles. I ask you this, Clete Thomas or Josh Anderson? Brent Clevlen also went 3 for 4. And Dane Sardhina homered. Yep. Scot Drucker allowed 1 run on 3 hits and 3 walks in 5.1 innings...

PREGAME: The Cubs come to town, and so does Alan Trammell who says he is Always a Tiger (hey, that sounds like a good marketing campaign). So if you’re heading out to the game tonight (like I am), make sure you have yourself situated by 7:05...

Durham 10 Toledo 11 (13 inn) Jeff Larish went 5 for 6 with 2 doubles and a walk. Clete Thomas had a 4 for 5 night with 2 walks. Eddie Bonine started and allowed 4 runs on 6 hits in 4 innings. Clay Rapada game up a run on a walk and 3 hits in .2 innings (both outs were K’s)...

Editors Note: Sorry for the lack of a cohesive post here. Things have been busy lately and while some of these topics might warrant a post, I know it won’t happen in a timely manner. Instead you are stuck with this concoction of stuff...

Miguel Cabrera Strikes Back | FanGraphs Baseball Cabrera is good and he hits the ball along ways. Although his squeaker homer (still a missile) last night may affect his homer distance average...

Toledo 1 Rochester 2 Scott Sizemore and Jeff Larish each went 2 for 4. Chris Lambert allowed ust 2 runs in 6 innings on 3 hits with 3 K’s. Casey Fien fanned 3 in his 2 perfect innings. Erie 4 New Hampshire 2 Deik Scram homered...

Toledo 9 Rochester 4 Brent Clevlen went 3 for 4 and Jeff Frazier and Clete Thomas each had 2 hits. Brooks Brown allowed 4 runs on 8 hits and 3 walks with 3 K’s. Erie – DNP Daytona 10 Lakeland 2 Mauricio Robles was promoted to Lakeland and had a rough debut...

The Tigers announced that Freddy Dolsi will take Ryan Perry’s place on the roster. Dolsi of course spent significant time with the club last year and had some memorable moments...

Toledo 6 Rochester 4 Clete Thomas doubled, singled, and walked. Brent Dlugach and Jeff Larish both doubled. Ruddy Lugo walked 4 and allowed 7 hits in 5 innings but only 3 runs scored. Toledo 3 Rochester 1 (11 inn) Scott Sizemore was a double short of the cycle. Clete Thomas doubled twice...

PREGAME: So, is this game going to be first team to 4 runs wins? The Cardinals have scored more than 3 runs only 4 times in their last 15 games. The Tigers have scored more than 3 runs only 4 times in their last 15 games, and are riding a streak of 5 straight games without topping that mark...

The Tigers bats have been scuffling to say the least. The Tigers received unexpected offense from a number of places early in the year while Magglio Ordonez, Placido Polanco, Carlos Guillen, and to a lesser extent Curtis Granderson, were struggling or injured...

Rochester 2 Toledo 4 Wilkin Ramirez and Clete Thomas both had doubles and singles. Ryan Roberson was 3 for 4 with a homer. Ruddy Lugo fanned 8 in 7 innings with 2 runs allowed on 6 hits and a walk. Fu Te Ni pitched a scoreless inning, as did Casey Fien despite the latter allowing 2 hits and a walk...

Dontrelle Willis came into action today with yet another chance to solidify his spot in the rotation and on the roster. He did neither today and his time on the Tigers roster has to have come to an end. This isn’t brilliant thinking by any means, and it’s late, but it’s time...

PREGAME: So it’s just the Tigers now. No more Red Wings or Pistons or Lions. Just a singular focus on the Tigers. Tonight the Tigers will face Zach Duke...

PREGAME: I can’t help but wonder if there are more Tigers fans in the stands tonight that Pirates fans. I think Tigers fans would be well represented with many planning to make the relatively short drive to see their team in a gorgeous ballpark...

Rochester 1 Toledo 2 Clete Thomas went 1 for 3 with a double. Jeff Larish walked and was hit by a pitch. Dusty Ryan doubled. Chris Lambert pitched 7.2 innings of shutout ball with 5 K’s and 1 walk. Freddy Dolsi allowed a run on 2 hits, but got the save...

PREGAME: The Tigers have already won the series, but they really have a chance to put an exclamation point on it today. With Edwin Jackson on the mound, Tigers fans expect a dominating pitching performance because we’ve been so spoiled this year. Gavin Floyd is on a roll of his own though...

The Free Press is reporting that Ryan Perry is not with Mud Hens and is believed to be on his way to Pittsburgh to rejoin the team. Perry was optioned down to make room for Jeremy Bonderman. Perry has to stay on assignment for 10 days unless he is recalled to take someone’s place due to injury...

Following today’s game Clete Thomas was optioned to Toledo and Don Kelly was called up in his place. Beck quotes Leyland on Thomas and the decision: “Thomas has to work on shortening his swing,” manager Jim Leyland said. “This is not a punishment...

The Tigers will have the 9th pick in the draft today. I can’t speak with much authority about the pool of players they will be selecting from. Amateur baseball is something I just don’t have the depth or breadth of knowledge to talk about. So I’ll look to the experts...

The Tigers went with high school right hander Jacob Turner. Turner went to Westminster Christian Academy in St. Louis and Baseball America has him ranked as the top high school right hander in the draft...

Sam Hoff has completed his 3rd inning report (this is actually through Saturday’s game but I’m late getting to it. The Tigers were .500 over the latest period. The pitching held the opposition to a remarkable 65 runs over the 18 games. Unfortunately the offense only managed to score 67...

PREGAME: It’s the start of a 5 game series, which just seems kind of crazy. I guess the nice thing is that for the team that loses the first game they have 4 more chances to avoide the sweep. Armando Galarraga gets the day shift in the double header today...

Toledo 1 Norfolk 5 Wilkin Ramirez went 2 for 4. Ruddy Lugo went 6 innings and allowed 4 runs, but only 1 was earned on 4 hits and 3 walks in 6 innings. Erie - DNP Lakeland - PPD West Michigan - PPD

PREGAME: We can be fairly certain that Rick Porcello won’t be pitching a complete game today, so wouldn’t it bee nice if the Tigers knocked around Joe Saunders enough that he could leaven in the 6th inning or so with a quality start and a comfortable lead...

There has been a growing sentiment that the Tigers need to release Magglio Ordonez. Ordonez has a very expensive $18 million option for 2010 that will automatically vest if Ordonez notches 249 more plate appearances this season...

The Tigers are welcoming back Jeremy Bonderman, but they aren’t the only team in the AL Central to be making some significant roster changes. Here’s a brief look at some intra-divisional goings on: Fausto Carmona dominated the Tigers earlier this season...

Toledo 1 Durham 4 Brent Clevlen was 4 for 4 and a homer short of the cycle. Marcus Thames went 0 for 4 with 2 K’s. Brooks Brown allowed 2 runs on 3 walks and 4 hits in 6 innings. Casey Fien allowed 2 runs (1 earned) on 4 hits in 2 innings with 1 K...

PREGAME: Time to change things up a little because nothing else is working. I’m changing my underwear everyday now, looking for that magic pair that brings the Tigers some offense and a win...

Toledo 1 Norfolk 0 Brent Dlugach’s homered proved to be all the offense. Ryan Roberson did pick up 3 hits. Scott Drucker fanned 4 and walked 1 with 3 hits in 6 innings. Clay Rapada pitched the final 2 innings for the save. Erie 6 Bowie 10 Scott Sizemore singled, doubled, and walked...

PREGAME: It is time for this series to mercifully come to an end. The Tigers have not so much looked good in these first 2 games and now have dropped 4 in a row at home. As for today’s afternoon tilt, I don’t really know what to expect...

The Tigers have some roster decisions looming with the imminent return of Jeremy Bonderman and Marcus Thames. In both cases there aren’t clear cut performance based decisions on who gets sent down so things like options come into play...

Toledo 4 Durham 3 Jeff Frazier went 2 for 4 with a double. Marcus Thames walked twice. Wilkin Ramirez returned to the lineup and fanned 3 times. Luke French fanned 8 and walked 2 allowing 3 unearned runs in 6.2 innings. Freddy Dolsi went 2.1 innings allowing a hit and a walk and no runs...

PREGAME: This is some stretch of games the Tigers are about to embark on. Three against the Red Sox and 3 against the Angels (who give the Tigers fits) before a 5 game series in Chicago...

Toledo 5 Durham 6 (11 inn) Marcus Thames singled in 5 at-bats. Mike Hessman doubled and homered. Brent Dlugach singled and homered. Chris Lambert struck out 6, walked none, and allowed just 4 hits in 6 innings. Casey Fien struggled ash he allowed 3 runs on 2 hits and 2 walks...

PREGAME: It just has to be better tonight right? Fewer errors. Fewer baserunning mistakes. More big hits with runners on base. No plunking in a run? Does that sound good to everybody? Armando Galarraga will try and build on his last start, which was his only quality start in the month of May...