Clete's on the Roster!

Tigers set Opening Day roster; Clete Thomas on
By JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 28, 2008

HOUSTON -- Manager Jim Leyland told rookie outfielder Clete Thomas after Friday night’s game that he’d made the Tigers’ Opening Day roster.

“I heard him say it,” Thomas said. “It finally sank in a few seconds later when he started shaking my hand. It was an awesome feeling.”

Leyland also announced that right-hander Aquilino Lopez will get the final spot in the bullpen. Lopez and right-hander Yorman Bazardo take the bullpen spots left open by the injuries to Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney.

Those two decisions -- on Thomas and on Lopez -- set the Tigers 25-man roster for Opening Day on Monday.

Leyland made the announcements after Tigers officials determined they won’t acquire anyone now from outside the organization to fill the two roster openings.

Thomas, 24, had a notable season last year for Double-A Erie. It’s the highest he had climbed in pro ball until now.

Thomas earned an invitation to big-league camp this spring, and he repeatedly impressed Leyland. His opening came when centerfielder Curtis Granderson broke a finger a week ago and had to be placed on the disabled list.

“I was so excited to get invited to big-league camp,” Thomas said. “That excitement doesn’t even compare to this excitement.”

Leyland said he told Thomas that being on the big-league team now “will be a wonderful experience.”

“I told him, ‘You’re going to have a big-league career and probably end up playing every day,’ ” Leyland said. “But this will be a little lesson for you for later in your career when you slow down a little bit. You kind of prepare yourself now to make sure you’re ready (as a part-time player then).”

Thomas appears headed for the minors when Granderson returns, which Tigers officials hope will be in a few weeks.

Leyland said he told Thomas, “Enjoy this ride for however long it is.”

Barring injury, the Tigers 25-man Opening Day roster, announced as set by manager Jim Leyland after Friday night's game:
Starting pitchers
Justin Verlander
Kenny Rogers
Jeremy Bonderman
Nate Robertson
Dontrelle Willis

Bullpen
Todd Jones
Denny Bautista
Jason Grilli
Zach Miner
Bobby Seay
Yorman Bazardo
Aquilino Lopez


Catcher
Ivan Rodriguez

Infielders
Carlos Guillen
Placido Polanco
Edgar Renteria
Miguel Cabrera
Ramon Santiago

Outfielders
Jacque Jones
Magglio Ordonez
Marcus Thames
Clete Thomas

Designated hitter
Gary Sheffield

Infielder-outfielder
Ryan Raburn

Catcher-infielder-outfielder
Brandon Inge

Yay for Clete! He did a great job in the game on Thursday. I bet he is very excited! I'm glad that Ryan made the team too. He is good. Can't wait till Monday!!!!!!!!

I think the office did a lot of chaff-shedding these past few days!

ok, so whats the word with Rick Porcello? AAA?i think he had a pretty good preseason......

TIGERS TRIM TWELVE PLAYERS FROM MAJOR LEAGUE CAMP
DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers today announced the club has optioned the contracts of right-handed pitcher Armando Galarraga and left-handed pitcher Macay McBride to Triple-A Toledo and right-handed pitcher Rick Porcello to Single-A Lakeland. Additionally, the club assigned right-handed pitcher Jeff Gerbe, catchers Joe Bowen, Dusty Ryan and James Skelton, infielders Jeff Larish and Danny Worth and outfielders Matt Joyce, Wilkin Ramirez and Clete Thomas to Minor League camp.
Following today's roster reduction, the Tigers now have 46 players remaining in Major League camp.

(Detroit Tigers press release)

gdennis59 wrote:

ok, so whats the word with Rick Porcello? AAA?i think he had a pretty good preseason......

He's going to Lakeland, which is a level higher than he should be going (West Michigan). You have to remember he's only 19, coming straight from HS and his only professional experience was in ST. You don't want to rush him up too fast. He needs to go through the levels like anyone else.

That said, he had a fantastic spring, and I can't wait to see him in Detroit!

click

Yeah, but the way I see it if someone had a good ST (which Porcello was STELLAR!) you play em a couple games and see what happens

They tried That with Maybin and learned their lesson, even the Marlins have Maybin in minors right now.

Normally, Rick would have been in Rookie camp, they skipped that and took him up to high A camp with the "Lakeland Flying Tigers" in Florida, there he has more warm weather to play. He will move up the ranks fast, but there is still alot of stuff he needs to learn. He will be learning from a great pitching coach, (past Tiger pitcher) Joe Coleman.

:ryan: :sheff: :thames: :jjones: :pudge: :edgar: :placido: :lopez: :bazardo: :grilli: :bautista: :tjones: :rogers: :nate: :dontrelle:

There they are! All 25 of them!

Now get well right now :curtis: :rodney: :wilson:

man, when those 4 get back its gonna be tough to pick people out of the lineup

GO

Great hit today Clete!

he did really well!

Clete

he looked kinda scared out there! only at first, though!

I would imagine he was!

Even Miss America was nervous when she started singing the SSB!

I guess i would be nervous on a date with Miss America.

she looks pretty harmless! I, on the other hand.....

ooohlala!

she looked kinda silly throwing that first pitch!

laprimamirala wrote:

she looked kinda silly throwing that first pitch!

I didn't seay it. Did she throw like a girl?...

in a word, YES