Jason Grilli

Subject: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 2:19 am

Ex-Tiger Jason Grilli: Tigers have bad chemistry; atmosphere is 'stale and stagnant'
USA TODAY • May 20, 2008

Reliever Jason Grilli, released last month after spending the previous three years in the organization, attributes the Tigers' struggles to a lack of cohesion and too many cliques.

The Tigers managed to show team unity one game last weekend when they took Edgar Renteria's suggestion and hiked up their socks, even playing music before the game. The Tigers won.

Yet instead of repeating the ritual the next day, Ordonez and left fielder Marcus Thames played with their pants low, and the music was off.

"It seems like they kind of broke up our team chemistry when they got rid of Sean Casey and good people like that," says Grilli, now with the Colorado Rockies. "You wanted guys like that around. You wanted a guy like Inge playing behind you, knowing he would go through a brick wall.

"Talent-wise on paper, that is one of the greatest teams assembled, but the atmosphere was stale and stagnant. You kept losing, losing and losing, and everybody became distant. I have good friends over there, and I feel badly for them."

Grilli has a 1.93 ERA in 9.1 innings with the Rockies. He was traded from the Tigers to Colorado Rockies for RHP Zach Simons on April 30.
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 3:53 am

So it's not just the fans that miss Sean Casey? Head Slap

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 3:57 am

too bad they don't include heart in their decision making....

just wins/money/greed
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 4:55 am

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 4:57 am

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 4:59 am

there are a few things in life that still cannot be bought!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 6:14 am

and that's good this way. we went to the WS in '06 and didn't spend the big bucks yet.
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"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 6:20 am

we were hungry!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 8:59 am

It all comes down to coaches pumping up the team, to want to out do each other (look at Mantle and Roger Maris homerun competition) and to beat the competition. Leyland is trying to lull them to sleep!

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 11:06 am

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 12:25 pm

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue May 20, 2008 12:38 pm

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sat Jun 28, 2008 3:38 am

Grilli just wants to pitch while in Detroit
Rockies reliever tired of talking about previous comments
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

• DETROIT -- Jason Grilli doesn't want any more reactions or counter-reactions. He doesn't want any more questions about his quotes regarding the Tigers clubhouse a month ago soon after being traded to the Rockies. Grilli just wants to pitch.
This weekend, he'll have to do it in his old home park.

"Just talk about how I pitch here, good or bad," Grilli said Friday afternoon. "Talk about how I do. There's no bad blood. It's all good."

Both Grilli and Detroit manager Jim Leyland pretty much are putting the matter to rest. Grilli was surprised by the reaction from Leyland to begin with, and he wasn't seeking a commotion.

As far as Leyland is concerned, the commotion is over.

"I like Jason Grilli a lot -- always have," Leyland said. "That's yesterday's breakfast. I hope I get a chance to say hi."

It began with a story in USA Today on May 19 while the Tigers were stumbling. The article analyzed the reasons for Detroit's early struggles, and clubhouse atmosphere was listed as one of the possible causes.

That's where Grilli became involved.

"Talent-wise, on paper, that is one of the greatest teams assembled," Grilli was quoted in the article, "but the atmosphere was stale and stagnant. You kept losing, losing and losing, and everybody became distant. I have good friends over there, and I feel badly for them."

Leyland, never a big believer in team chemistry as a reason for winning or losing on the field, reacted quickly and strongly on May 20.

"Jason Grilli ought to just worry about Colorado," Leyland said. "Jason Grilli's not here any longer because Jason Grilli didn't pitch good under pressure situations and didn't pitch very well in Detroit. You want to tell it like it is? When players want to start talking, I'll start talking."

Leyland had a similar message to his players in a closed-door meeting that day before their game. He temporarily closed off the clubhouse to family members for a day or two before easing off, but he made his point about treating the clubhouse as a place of business.

Grilli reacted the same day with surprise, saying he never had a problem or an issue with anyone in the Tigers clubhouse.

"All I was simply saying was I was asked to make a comment about where the Tigers were," Grilli told reporters in Denver at the time. "I was there for the whole experience, from the end of '05 to when I got traded over here. All I was basically saying was the balance and the camaraderie and stuff that I saw in '06 slowly faded out. That's basically, in a nutshell, summarizing it."

It's not a matter he wants to revisit. However, he suggested Friday that his comments were taken out of context.

"I didn't say anything wrong," Grilli said. "All I did was compliment my experience and the time I had with the Tigers, and that's the way I left it. The comment where he was asking me about [the clubhouse], I told [USA Today writer] Bob [Nightengale], 'I know where you're going with this article, [and] I don't really want to be a part of it. If you're asking me the main difference between winning and losing, you can say it about any clubhouse. The clubhouse is the same when you're losing. It's not a good atmosphere.' And that's what I said. I'm just telling you what I said because it's been under a lot of questioning and scrutiny."

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"I've been booed for 2 1/2 years. What's another three days? Would it be that surprising? I'd be surprised if I didn't get any."
-- Jason Grilli, on what he expects in Detroit

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It's not a matter Grilli wants to scrutinize anymore.

"Frankly, I'm tired of talking about this. It's in June," he said. "It happened in April or May, and we're talking about it still. That's to sell papers, create hype, do all that stuff."

Leyland is done scrutinizing as well.

"He made a statement; I made a statement," Leyland said Friday.

So far, Grilli's pitching in Colorado has created very little scrutiny. He limited opponents to just one hit over an eight-inning scoreless streak that ended Tuesday night, lowering his ERA with Colorado to 2.82. He has stranded 10 of 13 inherited runners, and he has struck out a batter in each of his last 16 appearances.

That performance has earned him some work in the seventh and eighth innings.

"I've been given this opportunity to have a bigger role, which is great," Grilli said. "I've always wanted that. I was always content to be here and fulfill whatever role I've been given and want to do it to the best of my ability. And I still want to do it. Just because now I'm pitching in seventh-inning situations sometimes, I still crave more. When you're in the bullpen, you thrive on the big situations and adrenaline rushes coming into situations where you can stop the momentum. That's what you're supposed to do as a reliever."

If he enters a game this weekend, he'll likely get a reaction from the Comerica Park crowd when he steps out of the bullpen and runs through the outfield towards the mound. He was a frequent target of boos during his final season in Detroit, and he made a point of mentioning it the day he was traded.

Asked what he expects this weekend, Grilli was ready for it.

"I've been booed for 2 1/2 years," he said. "What's another three days? Would it be that surprising? I'd be surprised if I didn't get any."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sat Jun 28, 2008 7:25 am

Wouldnt really surprise me if Grilli went to the All Star Game to be honest.
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"Contrary to what everybody else thinks, I still think I can come back and help this team."

Todd Jones on shoulder injury.

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sat Jun 28, 2008 8:30 am

We talked to Jason for like a half an hour yesterday before the game. It is so weird not having him at Comerican park every day. Oh and we made some new Grilli's Girls shirts. I will have to post a picture of them.
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Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:13 pm

I was hoping we hit back to back to back homers against him tonight!

Hopefully we will on Sunday! Sorry

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:24 pm

I still like him, but not as much.
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"Contrary to what everybody else thinks, I still think I can come back and help this team."

Todd Jones on shoulder injury.

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sat Jun 28, 2008 9:39 pm

I'm not a big Grilli fan by any stretch...but I'd almost rather have HIM back than D-Railed...LOL
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"I'm glad we're in the other division," Terry Francona, manager of the East-winning Boston Red Sox, told the Associated Press. "That lineup just got scary."

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:18 pm

Jason pitched great again today!!! YAY for Jason!

YAY for the Tigers! I'm glad they won.

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Sun Jun 29, 2008 2:27 pm

Jason pitched awesome! Oh and did everyone see how he tipped his hat?!? Well we told him to do that HAHA

We were the only people cheering for him, kind of sad but he did fantastic!
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Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Mon Jun 30, 2008 9:00 am

I'm glad he is pitching for someone else but he always seemed like a nice guy.

Subject: Re: Jason Grilli Tue Jul 01, 2008 9:34 am

Unless Grilli gets traded; be the last time the Tigers face him this season.

No way in hell are the Rockies making the playoffs this year