SPRING TRAINING NEWS 2009

02/25/09 6:12 PM EST
Worries fewer for Tigers' Leyland
Players' health not as much of a concern as last spring

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland made an adjustment to his first lineup of the year Wednesday. He decided to hold out Gary Sheffield and his swollen elbow as a precaution.

Compared with last spring, Leyland isn't taking it as nearly as bad a sign.

A year ago at this time, Leyland was dealing with a new third baseman in Miguel Cabrera, a former shortstop turned first baseman in Carlos Guillen, an old third baseman turned reluctant utilityman in Brandon Inge, a designated hitter with a bad shoulder in Sheffield, one rehabbing setup man named Joel Zumaya, another setup man with an ailing shoulder named Fernando Rodney, a project turned setup man in Denny Bautista and another reliever without a visa in Francisco Cruceta. Tim Byrdak found control issues in the final few weeks of the spring and ended up being released.

So pardon Leyland if this spring, and the season in general, feels a little more placid so far.

"My gut feels real good right now," Leyland said Wednesday morning as his Tigers prepared to take the field for the first time in 2009. "At this time last year, my gut didn't feel so good. But don't get that confused with not working hard or not trying."

On the other hand, don't confuse it with anything Leyland ate. The Tigers had an abundance of potential distractions and a mountain of expectations.

"I like this team," Leyland said. "I liked it last year, but I just couldn't get it back in sync."

That doesn't mean that Leyland doesn't have potential issues to watch. He has to keep an eye on Zumaya, Jeremy Bonderman and Macay McBride as they work their way back from their respective season-ending injuries. He has to weigh Spring Training performances versus past track records as he tries to pick out a fifth starter among Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Zach Miner and Rick Porcello. He must look at his positional roster and try to weigh the need for a backup center fielder against the desire for a left-handed bat.

Those aren't quite the kind of issues that Leyland had to ponder last spring. Moreover, the issues seemed to add up as Spring Training moved along last year.

"It was chaos from Day 1," Leyland said.

So far, Leyland observed, it's more orderly -- partly a result of health, but mainly the result of the offseason moves.

"There were a lot of adjustments last year," Leyland said. "We don't have them this year. My gut feels real good.

"I'm not going to get overexcited. I'm not going to make foolish statements. I like our team very much. I like the teams in our division very much. To me, what it amounts to is a bunch of good teams, and who plays the best."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

02/26/09 12:10 PM EST
Bonderman a scratch for Saturday
Righty dealing with shoulder stiffness, to pitch simulated game

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

VIERA, Fla. -- Jeremy Bonderman will make his first outing of Spring Training in a simulated game rather than an actual one. The Tigers right-hander has been scratched from his scheduled start Saturday, the club announced Thursday, so that the Tigers can monitor him closer while he deals with lingering stiffness in his throwing shoulder.

Bonderman will throw 30 pitches in the simulated outing, around the same as he would have thrown in the real game. The difference in the simulated outing is that the Tigers can pace it. He'll throw 15 pitches, sit down, then get up and throw 15 more.

"He wasn't too happy about it," manager Jim Leyland said, "but we have to do what's best for him."

Bonderman missed the second half of last season following surgery to relieve a blood clot caused by a pinched vein. The procedure removed the first rib from Bonderman's left side, but didn't do anything structurally to his throwing arm. Because of that, his rehab process has mainly involved rebuilding strength in his arm and shoulder rather than any scar tissue. Bonderman made both of his live batting practice outings on turn.

The stiff shoulder, which Leyland termed as "normal stiffness," puts Bonderman under the category of precautions that Leyland said he'll take with players this spring. With a longer Spring Training schedule than in previous years, Leyland said he and the staff won't hesitate to push back players on their schedule or take other precautions to ensure minor issues don't become major ones.

"For obvious reasons, we don't want to take any chances," Leyland said.

Still, when asked if Bonderman would make his next outing in a regular Spring Training game, Leyland didn't want to answer either way quite yet.

Bonderman was the only projected Tigers starter, or even starting candidate, scheduled to throw Saturday. Edwin Jackson, Nate Robertson and Rick Porcello are all slated to pitch here Thursday against the Nationals. Armando Galarraga and Dontrelle Willis are scheduled to face the Blue Jays on Friday at Dunedin, Fla.

Bonderman's progress since arriving in Lakeland last month has been such that the Tigers have written him in for one of the four set spots in their rotation. At this point, it seems premature to think this would have any effect on that.

"There are no red flags here," Leyland said.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

GO BONDERMAN!

02/26/09 6:02 PM EST
Zumaya battles nerves and Nationals
Right-hander delivers in first Spring Training action in two years

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

VIERA, Fla. -- It wasn't the most nervous Joel Zumaya has been for a Spring Training game; his first camp in 2006 still ranks up high. Still, it wasn't far off, and he had the jitters to show for it.

"There's a few guys having jitters out there [in the bullpen] right now," Zumaya said. "They're just moving back and forth. And I was one of those guys."

His ex-teammate, Dmitri Young, had the sore right shoulder to show for those jitters.

As Zumaya began his first outing of this spring, his first Spring Training action in two years, he looked like a healthy pitcher. His first pitch leading off the sixth inning against the Nationals Thursday came in for a strike. His second pitch, however, veered inside and hit Young.

Then came a nine-pitch at-bat against Leonard Davis that included three straight full-count strikes fouled back before Davis laid off a breaking ball for a walk. With that, Zumaya had his first jam.

Eight pitches later, Zumaya was out of it. He overpowered Roger Bernadina into a popup bunt attempt that hit the palm of Zumaya's glove and bounced out before Zumaya recovered to grab it again. He induced a groundout from Freddie Bynum and a fly ball to right from Pete Orr to finish his inning of work.

Those eight pitches better reflected Zumaya's attitude this spring: get in, work, and get out. He could make the trip back to Lakeland with a sigh of relief -- partly about being healthy, partly about not dropping that popup, which induced a look of shock from Zumaya as he scrambled to recover it in the air.

"I'm good," he said. "I went out there. I was 100 percent [healthy] today. I didn't have to use 100 percent [strength], and I got out of it."

There were no radar gun readings to show Zumaya how hard he actually was throwing, which is probably a good thing, but there were the reactions from the hitters. The Orr flyout was the only solid contact any hitter made off of him, and he had a few swings and misses from Nationals hitters. The lengthy at-bat from Davis didn't result in a solid hit, even as Davis was able to get a sense of timing with more Zumaya deliveries.

That long at-bat, and the corresponding rise in Zumaya's pitch count, worried manager Jim Leyland more than the earlier wayward pitch. But on the other hand, Leyland pointed out, Zumaya kept going after him with strikes rather than trying to make a perfect pitch or overthrow.

"Normally, that's a hitter's advantage," Leyland said. "When you see that many of a guy's pitches, you get all his repertoire."

That was Zumaya executing his game plan. It was after that at-bat, Zumaya said, that he felt more comfortable, having pounded the zone.

"I felt very confident," he said. "I threw my fastball right down the middle to these guys. I know it's early Spring Training, but that was my plan, to throw strikes and go right after them."

It's early in Spring Training, but it's also Zumaya. He didn't throw in a Spring Training game at all last year, still recovering from his shoulder surgery the previous fall. This is essentially the first time since his injury battles began on that Kansas City evening in 2007 that he has had the chance to fully prepare for a season.

In that sense, he's building his arm strength, but he's also working on his secondary pitches, of which he threw a few Thursday. That was going to be an intriguing sidelight for someone who works so much off of game adrenaline.

The adrenaline was noticeable in his nerves. His maturity, the Tigers hope, was noticeable in the way he overcame them.

"If you don't have jitters in this game, I don't think you're doing too well," Zumaya said. "You've got to be a little nervous."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

GO ZUMAYA!

Saturday, February 28, 2009
Lynn Henning
Commentary: Dontrelle Willis, Jeremy Bonderman already making Tigers sweat

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Inside of 24 hours, the Tigers' upbeat spring camp got socked with a 1-2 punch that, if it didn't shake manager Jim Leyland, at least made him wonder if 2009 was beginning to look too much like 2008.

Leyland was doing his best to stick with the stoicism following Dontrelle Willis' bad outing Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays, which preceded news Saturday that Jeremy Bonderman was being shelved a while longer because of soreness in his right shoulder.

But two bad days involving two key starting pitchers was akin to hearing your teenager call home at 1 a.m. You hope for the best and brace for the worst.

"I'm not sure what to believe right now," Leyland said, speaking of Bonderman, who Thursday was diagnosed with "normal stiffness" in his throwing shoulder that was expected to knock him out of one Grapefruit League start. Saturday's report was less reassuring. Bonderman shoulder still is sore. He will rest for a few days and swallow anti-inflammatory pills.

"I'm not gonna get excited about it," Leyland said. "We'll let (medical) people with expertise take over, and we'll move forward."

In fact, Bonderman and Willis represent two different issues for Leyland's team.

Who can the Tigers rely on?

Willis is healthy and had impressed the Tigers with the way he had been throwing in camp. Thoughts of a big comeback for a big left-hander were beginning to bubble at Tigertown.

But during Friday's game against Toronto, Willis looked a lot like the pitcher whose 2008 season was an exercise in trauma. It is early, but it also is getting late for Willis. He must show he can command big league pitches and handle big league hitters or he will go down as one of the Tigers' most costly all-time blunders.

Bonderman's situation is less alarming. He has not pitched in a big league game in almost a year. Shoulder inflammation is not uncommon for a pitcher coming back from a long layoff. Doctors believe he is sore because of the "last bit of extension" Bonderman is adding to his pitching motion.

What happens, however, if Bonderman's shoulder problems linger? What will Leyland do if both Bonderman is on the shelf and Willis can't be trusted to go north with the team?

What if Nate Robertson looks like the same pitcher he was in 2008? Can one assume that Armando Galarraga, who came out of nowhere a year ago, won't revert back to being the long shot he was considered when the Tigers made a low-key trade for him a year ago?

It is a dark scenario, brightened by a couple of realities that must also be considered:

* Justin Verlander should be back to his pre-2008 form. Nothing suggests otherwise. The right-hander is throwing the ball with his old zing in camp and in games.

* Edwin Jackson could emerge as a season-saver for the Tigers. A right-handed starter with blow-away stuff could establish himself as the rotation's No. 2 man if last season, and his early showing in Florida, are any indicator. And they should be.

* Zach Miner could, and perhaps should, be part of Leyland's rotation. The right-hander is steadier as a starter and could find himself expendable as a reliever because of the sheer numbers of promising bullpen arms the Tigers have in camp.

No one yet knows if Freddy Dolsi, Scott Williamson, Casey Fien, Ryan Perry, Juan Rincon, Rudy Darrow or Kyle Bloom can be part of a big league bullpen, but it's a reasonable bet at least a couple of those pitchers will make a case for going north.

* Rick Porcello is not far from being in Leyland's rotation. It will be no surprise if the Tigers, internally, believe the right-hander is ready to pitch in Detroit in 2009. The only question is when in 2009.

Porcello never threw more than 75 pitches in any game last season. He has yet to pitch above Class A. He likely will move to Double-A Erie after spring camp and begin working with a 100-pitch limit.

Once the right-hander boosts his strength, and if he follows the flight plan at Erie, don't be surprised if Porcello is pitching for the Tigers -- perhaps soon.

Nobody knows what future holds

What no one knows is how the pitching process will play out during the next 30 days. And yet how that story unfolds will mean everything in a team's bid to re-establish its teeth as a contender.

Bonderman should be fine. Robertson could look like his old self, which was good enough in most years to get the Tigers 200 innings and 14 or so victories. Even the mystery man, Willis, could put things back together.

But if a couple of breakdowns occur -- and already there are reminders of baseball's realities there -- all that will matter is how the Tigers patch up. It is why Jackson, Miner and even Porcello already loom as life-savers just a few games into the Grapefruit League schedule.

"Do I think this is gonna go deep into spring training?" Leyland asked, rhetorically, as he mulled March's pitching decisions. "Yes. I'm not gonna have anything (decisions) for you for quite a while. As I've said before, I think we'll either have not enough, or an excess of pitching."

If you're a manager with World Series notions in mind, there will be a surplus.

Anything less is a scenario that, on March 1, no manager, beginning with Leyland, cares to ponder.

You can reach Lynn Henning at lynn.henning@detnews.com

03/01/09 8:14 PM EST
Tigers prepare for Classic departures
Leyland sees opportunities to test new players, plug some holes

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

BRADENTON, Fla. -- A look at the scene in the Tigers clubhouse at Joker Marchant Stadium on Sunday morning would've suggested the Tigers had made a terrible mistake. There was Curtis Granderson, shaking hands and giving out hugs to some of his teammates before he grabbed his bag and headed out the front door.

No trade to second-guess here. Granderson was boarding the bus with the rest of the Tigers travel squad for Sunday's game against the Pirates. But with the World Baseball Classic awaiting, Granderson's road trip is going to last a while.

With participating players leaving for their respective national teams Sunday night and Monday morning, Major League clubhouses are going to be a little emptier for the next week or two. That will especially be the case with the Tigers when they take field Monday without Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen in their starting lineup.
The World Baseball Classic is beginning, but the Tigers still have Spring Training games to play, and an entire outfield lineup to fill without their regulars. With that in mind, manager Jim Leyland is going to try to make the best of it.

"It's really going to be a good opportunity throughout Spring Training for the younger guys to get some playing time and leave an impression," Leyland said.

There's a side benefit for the Tigers. Leyland has talked in this camp about needing to find a backup center fielder who can be ready if Granderson is injured at any point during the season. He also wants to see corner infielder Jeff Larish in the corner outfield spots to evaluate how versatile he could be in a potential utility role.

With all three outfield spots open, those chances abound. Leyland said he plans to rotate center field duties among several players, including Brent Clevlen, utilityman Ryan Raburn and prospect Casper Wells. Highly-touted prospect Wilkin Ramirez, who played in last summer's Futures Game as part of the All-Star Game festivities at Yankee Stadium, also figures to get some heavy playing time in the corners.

Their depth could come in handy the next couple days. In addition to the absences for the World Baseball Classic, Marcus Thames was away from the team Sunday to be with his wife, who is expecting their first child anytime now. Larish is day-to-day with neck stiffness, while Alexis Gomez didn't make Sunday's trip with a tender elbow.

Their pitching depth should be fine. The only hurler from Tigers camp headed to the Classic is starter Armando Galarraga, who will be part of Team Venezuela's rotation. He could end up starting for Venezuela against the Tigers in an exhibition game Tuesday, which would be his date to get work.

The Tigers planned ahead on their expected absences when they made out their Spring Training schedule. They have no split-squad dates this spring, and they invited more Minor Leaguers than usual to camp this spring. Now comes actually getting through it.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

03/01/09 8:31 PM EST
Leyland wants quicker outs from hurlers
Manager stresses fewer pitches and deeper outings

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

BRADENTON, Fla. -- Jim Leyland has talked for more than a year about the need for quick outs and deeper outings from some of his pitchers, especially his starters. Less than a week into Spring Training games, the Tigers' manager wants to see a better progress.

"A lot of our pitchers have to start getting some outs in earlier counts," Leyland said.

He wasn't singling out any pitcher, he emphasized. After back-to-back games in which Tigers pitchers in general battled some long innings and deep counts, he really didn't have to. He brought up the topic himself.

"I've seen it too long from some of our guys," Leyland said. "It's a repetitious thing."

Leyland liked the efficiency that Justin Verlander made on Sunday against the Pirates in his second start of camp. After Verlander's three innings, however, Zach Miner labored through two innings, allowing five runs on seven hits, including a three-run homer by Nate McLouth. Left-hander Macay McBride later gave up two walks and a hit in his inning of work before stranding the bases loaded.

McLouth's home run came on a payoff pitch in which Miner had to challenge him. McLouth answered by driving a sinker deep.

Tigers pitchers were generally stingy in their first couple of Spring Training games. The last couple of games have been a reminder of the struggles the pitching staff endured last year, both with walks and high pitch counts that taxed an injury-depleted bullpen.

"It's something that we need to work on," Leyland said. "We need to get more people to mishit the ball in earlier counts. It's that simple. You can't go deep in counts on hitter after hitter. You just can't do it.

"You've shown him every pitch you've got. When he fouls a couple off, all of a sudden he's seen seven, eight pitches in an at-bat. That's not good normally. That normally means at the end of that at-bat, somebody hits it hard somewhere. They might not get a hit, but they normally hit it hard somewhere."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

03/08/09 7:20 PM EST
Leyland losing patience with walks
Robertson struggles to put Yanks hitters away; Willis no sharper

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Jim Leyland gave his gut feeling soon after Spring Training began -- the Tigers would emerge from Spring Training with either too much pitching or too little.

The manager of the Tigers is still evaluating the pitching and his pitchers. But even if he isn't making any declarations on those fronts, Leyland saw way too many pitches on Sunday.

Leyland has talked for the past week about the importance of quick outs and lower pitch counts. He talked with reporters just before Sunday's game about the importance of fastball command. He got very little of either on Sunday in the Tigers' 13-2 loss to the Yankees.

With two outs in the top of the fifth inning, Leyland's pitchers had retired 14 batters and walked 10. They allowed a six-run fifth inning on just three hits. The lack of command around the strike zone seemed to reflect the lack of command from the lone rotation opening for Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis.

That last part was not Leyland's evaluation. He said before Spring Training began that he would stay out of the evaluation business, which gave him a reason to not make any evaluations out of this.

"We're doing what we said we were going to do," Leyland said. "Here it is. Go show us what you can do. Guys come in trying to make the club, whether it be bullpen, fifth starter, extra player, whatever. Show us what you can do.

"Everybody's certainly getting opportunities. It's just a matter of going out, taking the bull by the horns and winning a job. You don't win jobs for anybody when you walk [that many] people in a ballgame. It's tough to win jobs like that. We had that problem all last year with too many walks."

Sunday wasn't the only sign of the problem, but it was the most glaring example.

Four of the walks came from Robertson, whose start was expected to last three innings but was limited to two by his escalating pitch count. He walked three of the first four batters he faced, including Nick Swisher on an 0-2 count, but the lefty escaped with help from a runner thrown out at second base and a quality slider for a strikeout of Johnny Damon.

When he needed a quality pitch to get out of the second inning unscathed, however, Robertson couldn't overcome another walk. This time, Jose Molina's walk following Cody Ransom's leadoff single created the traffic for Angel Berroa to clear with a three-run homer.

"Four walks is brutal," Robertson said. "I'm really kind of pitching in this big circle right now. I don't know why. I'm watching my mechanics. My ball's running a lot. It's going places, but it's running out of the zone. Whether I need to start it over the plate more, I've got to tighten up that zone."

More than the walks, Berroa's homer was an example of the other frustration for Robertson, who couldn't get the finishing pitch when he had hitters in two-strike counts. His 0-2 pitch to Berroa was a slider that came out flat, the problem with which he struggled last year. Berroa pounced and drove it out.

"I had him set up just the way I wanted him," Robertson said. "I threw a slider that just spun up there, and he golfed it out of there."

One batter later, Robertson had another 0-2 count when he tried to change speeds on Doug Bernier, who lined an opposite-field single to right.

Robertson's past starts have shown him keeping the ball on the ground. His only outs on the ground on Sunday came from a second-inning double play courtesy of Melky Cabrera after Bernier's single.

Willis was seemingly questionable to pitch on Sunday after battling a stomach virus over the previous two days, but he said afterward that there was no question he would take the mound. He threw 15 pitches to his first two batters, inducing a full-count swing from Swisher for a leadoff groundout before losing Hideki Matsui.

Willis sent down Xavier Nady with a change of speeds, capped by a swing and miss on a fastball, but he gave up back-to-back two-out hits from there. The veteran lefty was a strike away from escaping the inning unscathed when Molina blooped a two-run single to right.

A Cabrera single and a two-out, four-pitch walk to Swisher created the chance for further damage the next inning before Matsui flew out to center. Still, those were enough pitches for Willis.

"I felt like my command was good, as far as throwing the ball downhill and getting the guys to make contact," Willis said. "Hopefully, next time they hit them at somebody. Again, I feel like the last two times out, I was able to get guys to hit the ball, put the ball in play, get ahead in counts and be able to come from behind in counts. I felt good today, as far as how I threw the ball."

Add in four walks over two-thirds of an inning from Scott Williamson in the Yankees' six-run fifth, and the first half of the game felt like a long afternoon in itself. But it also felt like a continuation of the previous couple of games. Starter Edwin Jackson walked his way into first-inning trouble on Saturday after the Yankees waited out Justin Verlander for deep counts on Friday night.

"It doesn't matter where you play or at what level you play -- you give yourself no chance if you walk [that many] guys in a Major League game," Leyland said. "That's just uncalled for, in my opinion. That's uncalled for at any level, and that pretty much sums up today. No one in particular -- everybody had their part, I guess."

Leyland wants no part of evaluating the No. 5 starter situation right now. Still, the Tigers' upcoming trip to Jupiter, Fla., will feature two more starting candidates who might provide an answer.

Rick Porcello will make his second start in his emerging case to crack the Majors at age 20 when he takes the mound against the Marlins on Monday night. Zach Miner, who has struggled but walked only one batter in seven innings this spring, could enhance his credentials with a solid outing against the Cardinals on Tuesday afternoon.

That still won't clear up the starting picture when the Tigers return to Lakeland on Tuesday night. But at least it could clear up some of the traffic on the basepaths.

"I've said it many times -- I think we've got plenty of equipment in this camp," Leyland said. "I can't control the results. I look at the results, but I can't control them. That's up to the player or the pitcher, so we'll keep putting them out there."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Do it--BRING UP PORCELLO

03/10/09 2:57 PM ET
Classic gives Tigers youngsters chance
With several starters away, prospects showing what they can do

By Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com

JUPITER, Fla. -- There's been a bit of an empty feeling in the Tigers' clubhouse as spring continues to roll on.

The World Baseball Classic has a lot to do with that.

Detroit's roster has taken a pretty serious hit with many of its top sluggers playing in the Classic. Leadoff man Curtis Granderson is currently manning center field for Team USA, and Miguel Cabrera, Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez are suited up for Venezuela.

With their absence, a generally veteran clubhouse has taken the feel of a Minor League camp, with several low-level players getting their fair share of playing time while the big boys represent their respective countries.

But, so far, Tigers manager Jim Leyland has liked taking a look at some of the younger guys he may not have had a chance to see in previous Spring Training camps.

"This is good," Leyland said. "Right now, it might be taking a little toll on our record [3-7 entering Tuesday], but it's good that we're getting these guys out there. If we're not doing too good once we get the big boys back, then I'll be concerned. But right now, this is a great opportunity for these kids. Yeah, your record suffers a little bit. But that's OK."

Going into the start of the regular season, the Tigers have a few spots still open on the 25-man roster they can fill with one of the young players in camp. In terms of the pitching staff, the starting rotation is still looking for a No. 5 starter that will come down to Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Zach Miner and Rick Porcello. And only four spots in the bullpen -- basically, Brandon Lyon, Joel Zumaya, Bobby Seay and Fernando Rodney -- are solidified.

In terms of the position players, one reserve spot is still left open, which may come down to Jeff Larish, Ryan Rayburn, Clete Thomas and Brent Clevlen.

Larish, a 26-year-old left-handed hitter, hit .260 with two home runs and 16 RBIs in 42 games for the Tigers in 2008. With a spot up in the air, Larish is glad he's currently getting some extra reps at first base and in the outfield.

"The [Classic] gives us young guys an opportunity to come and show what we can do, and it's good to get those at-bats early in the spring to get you prepared for the season, too," said Larish, who went into his Tuesday start in right field 3-for-21 this spring. "I'm definitely not complaining about the opportunity."

Going into '08, after several major signings the previous offseason, many were expecting the Tigers to go far in the postseason, but they finished with a disappointing 74-88 record.

Injuries had a lot to do with that, and this year, with four starting position players and a starting pitcher -- Armando Galarraga, also playing for Venezuela -- out of camp, it's hard to tell how this group will fare in '09.

"It's unbelievable," new Detroit shortstop Adam Everett said. "We really don't know how good we can be. It's tough. Whenever your leadoff man is gone, your [Nos.] 3, 4, 5 hitter [are] gone, and you have a starting pitcher that's gone, that's a lot. So until we get those guys back, and we get going, it's really going to be hard to tell."

With a lack of offensive firepower, the Tigers struck out 11 times in a 1-0 loss to the Marlins on Monday night. And over their last four games, they've averaged just over two runs per contest.

But Leyland recognizes it's about a lot more than wins right now.

And the least of his concerns is whether proven players such as Cabrera, Ordonez, Guillen and Granderson can produce when they get back.

"It's different when you don't have your guys around; it's definitely different," Leyland said. "But you roll with the punches. It is what it is. And we'll have plenty of time to get our team ready, like everybody else.

"We've got a lot on our plate right now, to be honest with you. We've got a lot of tough decisions to make in the next three weeks -- really tough decisions. That's why we're getting paid, and that's why we do what we do."

Alden Gonzalez is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

03/11/09 10:47 AM ET
Tigers trim three from camp
Kibler, Darrow and Kunkel reassigned to Minor Leagues

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Tigers made their first roster moves of Spring Training on Wednesday, reassigning left-hander Jon Kibler, right-hander Rudy Darrow and catcher Jeff Kunkel to Minor League camp.

All three were non-roster invitees to Spring Training out of the Tigers farm system. Kibler went 14-5 with a 1.75 ERA last year at low Class A West Michigan. The sidearming Darrow went 5-3 with 10 saves between West Michigan and Double-A Erie. Kunkel, too, split his season between Erie and high Class A Lakeland.

None of them were expected to compete for a spot on the Tigers roster. As such, the Tigers were trying to find innings for them. Kibler, who made a Spring Training start in place of injured Jeremy Bonderman, last pitched in an intrasquad game last Saturday.Darrow pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings last Sunday against the Yankees. Kunkel appeared in three games, including the March 2 exhibition against Florida Southern.

The moves reduce the Tigers' Spring Training roster to 56, including five players currently away from the team to participate in the World Baseball Classic.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Is Jeff Kunkel related to the late umpire Bill Kunkel

gs78 wrote:

Is Jeff Kunkel related to the late umpire Bill Kunkel

not sure if this Jeff is a grandson, or other relative.

There was a Jeffrey William Kunkel (born March 25, 1962) who was related...

Quote :

Jeff Kunkel is the son of Bill Kunkel, whose umpiring career overlapped the first season of Jeff's major-league career. Jeff was the third pick in the nation in the June 1983 draft, but his offense was too weak for a regular job and he became a utilityman.

Given the opportunity to play more in 1989, Kunkel saw action in a career-high 108 games, splitting time with Scott Fletcher and Fred Manrique at short and appearing in thirty games in the outfield. He responded by batting .270 with eight homers in 108 games for the Rangers, but his playing time dipped in 1991 as his average fell below .200.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

gs78 wrote:

Is Jeff Kunkel related to the late umpire Bill Kunkel

not sure if this Jeff is a grandson, or other relative.

There was a Jeffrey William Kunkel (born March 25, 1962) who was related...

Quote :

Jeff Kunkel is the son of Bill Kunkel, whose umpiring career overlapped the first season of Jeff's major-league career. Jeff was the third pick in the nation in the June 1983 draft, but his offense was too weak for a regular job and he became a utilityman.

Given the opportunity to play more in 1989, Kunkel saw action in a career-high 108 games, splitting time with Scott Fletcher and Fred Manrique at short and appearing in thirty games in the outfield. He responded by batting .270 with eight homers in 108 games for the Rangers, but his playing time dipped in 1991 as his average fell below .200.

I remember him

I think Bill Kunkel died when he was still an umpire; Cancer Maybe?


I could be wrong about that


But he was the second to last umpire to use the big balloon chest protector

Jerry Nuedecker being the last in 1985

I miss the old style chest protectors

After looking at March 13 Presspass, the following data is available on our pitchers:

KYLE BLOOM - 5.1 innings, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
EDDIE BONINE - 5.0 innings, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
FREDDY DOLSI - 4.2 innings, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
CASEY FIEN - 4 innings, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
ALFREDO FIGARO - 5.0 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
EDWIN JACKSON - 8.0 innings, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 10 SO
CHRIS LAMBERT - 5.0 innings, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
BRANDON LYON - 5.2 innings, 8 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
ZACH MINER - 10.0 innings, 18 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
FU-TE NI - 2 innings, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
RYAN PERRY - 4.2 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
RICK PORCELLO - 6.0 innings, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
CLAY RAPADA - 5.0 innings, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
JUAN RINCON - 6.0 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
NATE ROBERTSON - 7.0 innings, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 2 SO
FERNANDO RODNEY - 4.0 innings, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
BOBBY SEAY - 5.2 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
ZACH SIMONS - 3.2 innings, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
JUSTIN VERLANDER - 9.1 innings, 9 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 5 SO
SCOTT WILLIAMSON - 4.2 innings, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO
DONTRELLE WILLIS - 6.0 innings, 8 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 3 SO
JOEL ZUMAYA - 2.0 innings, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

03/12/09 5:56 PM ET
Leyland feels good, despite questions
Most of Tigers' remaining decisions revolve around pitching

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland isn't getting that gut feeling.

It was around this time last Spring Training that Leyland's gut feeling was turning bad. The veteran skipper didn't know it would be a last-place season, of course, but with so many issues and so many questions, he wasn't getting a good vibe for the way the season would unfold.

As the Tigers prepared to unwind for Thursday's first off-day of this Spring Training, Leyland didn't have that bad feeling.

But he isn't getting the feeling of an easy Spring Training, either.

"We've got a big job on our hands here before this is over," Leyland said Wednesday morning.

Most of the questions Detroit had going into camp remain unanswered, not that most get solved three weeks before Opening Day anyway. But many of the questions answered have actually spawned more questions. The case of Rick Porcello and his rotation bid is only one, albeit the biggest.

"We've got some very important issues," Leyland said. "I would say probably 85 percent of it is in the pitching department, and the other 15 percent is in the position department."

Leyland didn't go into detail about the roster decisions, but they've been out there for a while.

Porcello has gone from rotation long shot to the best performer among the starting pitchers in camp so far. While he's still answering the question of facing Major League pressure, he has arguably proven he has Major League stuff.

Yet his candidacy has also progressed to this point because Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis have had mixed results and, more importantly, mixed command to this point. Their situations aren't any more clear than they were when pitchers and catchers began formal workouts a month ago.

If Porcello were to make the team, the question of what to do with Robertson or Willis would become a focal point. One question that does seem clearer now, though, is that the idea of trading excess starting pitching seems outdated. Leyland said there's "absolutely nothing going" on the trade front in general, though it's a little early for that anyway.

Leyland isn't making any public evaluations on the rotation front. All he's saying is that he's watching.

"We have issues," Leyland said of his roster questions. "I don't think they're bad issues. They're actually good issues. Let's find out. Let's find out who the guys are, who steps up, who in the end makes the most sense for our team. We have a very tough Spring Training."

Leyland has also seen Spring Training struggles from Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson, though he isn't worried about those. They become important in the context of getting deeper into games and taking some stress off of a bullpen whose middle-inning specialists are unclear at this point. Leyland expects them to eat innings in the end.

Maybe a little less clear than a few weeks ago are the health issues of Jeremy Bonderman and Joel Zumaya. Both came into Spring Training throwing well and without setbacks in their injury rehabs, but both had precautionary exams over the past week and a half because of shoulder issues.

Both have been given a clean bill of health, but they have yet to pitch in game situations since. That'll come Saturday morning, when the Tigers line up a simulated game on the practice fields behind Joker Marchant Stadium.

"That doesn't sound like much, but that's a huge day for me," Leyland said. "The anxiety of waiting for that day is huge for me. That's huge stuff."

A healthy Bonderman is the difference between Leyland filling one rotation spot or two, and the trickle effect goes down to the bullpen. A healthy Zumaya is the difference between having a late-inning group in place with recently impressive Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon, or having one primary setup man with others picking up opportunities.

Judging on Spring Training results and execution, the Tigers might actually have some depth building on the relief side. Beyond Bobby Seay's solid outings, Juan Rincon has six innings of two-hit scoreless ball and, more importantly, a quality slider and a fastball with movement again. Casey Fien has been an efficient strike-pounding blessing in a stretch of deep counts and rising pitch totals for Detroit pitchers.

Rule 5 Draft pick Kyle Bloom and his breaking ball will go lefty-on-lefty for six hitters in Saturday's simulated game. Scott Williamson rebounded from Sunday's bad outing with two impressive innings Wednesday. Freddy Dolsi has held off runs and cut his walks to one over 5 2/3 innings so far, including last week's exhibition against Team Venezuela.

There's enough depth that Leyland can afford to list first-round Draft pick Ryan Perry as a "long shot" after 4 2/3 scoreless innings, five strikeouts and power fastballs. A healthy Zumaya allows the Tigers to pick and choose their depth in the middle innings rather than needing help in the later ones. A converted starter, on the other hand, could take up a long role or a second lefty spot.

"We've got so much to follow with our pitching, it's kept it very, very interesting," Leyland said. "It keeps you on your toes every minute of every day."

On the positional side, the last spot on the roster has become a showcase of sorts. Lefty infield slugger Jeff Larish is arguably one of the Tigers' best hitters in spring games so far, but Brent Clevlen has quietly demonstrated his progress in hitting for contact. With regulars away at the World Baseball Classic, Ryan Raburn, meanwhile, has taken advantage of an open outfield spot and taken a ton of repetitions in center, trying to demonstrate he can be a quality backup there.

Then there's young Clete Thomas, who could be throwing in games within the next week or so in his return from Tommy John elbow ligament replacement surgery. Once he does, Detroit has a short time to judge where he fits.

By then, though, the Tigers could have their regular outfielders back from the Classic. And Leyland says he'll have some fundamental work to cram into the final two weeks of camp, a quiet concern for him.

"I do worry about those guys in the Classic a little bit, to be honest with you," he said. "They already know how to do it, but you still have to do it."

Add it up, and there are a bunch of issues facing Leyland over the next few weeks. There were a bunch of issues facing him last year, too. But these aren't the same type of issues, and he isn't getting that same bad feeling.

"We're going to have to put it all together at the end, but I like our team a lot, to be honest with you," he said. "If Bonderman and Zumaya and some of those guys aren't healthy, I won't like it as much."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

After looking at March 13 Presspass, the following data is available on our pitchers:

KYLE BLOOM - 5.1 innings, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
EDDIE BONINE - 5.0 innings, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
FREDDY DOLSI - 4.2 innings, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO
CASEY FIEN - 4 innings, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
ALFREDO FIGARO - 5.0 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO
EDWIN JACKSON - 8.0 innings, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 10 SO
CHRIS LAMBERT - 5.0 innings, 6 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 SO
BRANDON LYON - 5.2 innings, 8 H, 5 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO
ZACH MINER - 10.0 innings, 18 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
FU-TE NI - 2 innings, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO
RYAN PERRY - 4.2 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO
RICK PORCELLO - 6.0 innings, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
CLAY RAPADA - 5.0 innings, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
JUAN RINCON - 6.0 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO
NATE ROBERTSON - 7.0 innings, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 2 SO
FERNANDO RODNEY - 4.0 innings, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
BOBBY SEAY - 5.2 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
ZACH SIMONS - 3.2 innings, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
JUSTIN VERLANDER - 9.1 innings, 9 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 5 SO
SCOTT WILLIAMSON - 4.2 innings, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO
DONTRELLE WILLIS - 6.0 innings, 8 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 3 SO
JOEL ZUMAYA - 2.0 innings, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Friday, March 13, 2009
Tigers
Tigers look ready to use rookie Rick Porcello now
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Fans are nervous. Fans are excited. Rick Porcello is coming to town, as near as we can tell today, as part of Tigers manager Jim Leyland's rotation.

The cautionary crowd isn't sure it likes it. Don't the Tigers remember Jeremy Bonderman moving straight from Class A to the big leagues? Aren't the Tigers still trying to teach Bonderman a change-up that he should have learned in the minors?

And why take chances with a franchise pitcher's arm? Porcello threw a maximum of 75 pitches per game during last summer's baptism at Class A Lakeland. Why would the Tigers risk ruininghis arm by making him throw 100 or more pitches a game in the big leagues?

The worrywarts are grief-stricken. They fret about destroying his confidence as Porcello runs into that inevitable bad day when he learns what big league batters do to imprecise pitches.

So, they prefer that a 20-year-old right-hander not quite two years out of high school do an internship at Double-A Erie. Then, maybe, the Tigers can give him a start or two in September and let him compete for a job next spring, when he's at least of drinking age.

They have their points, which the Tigers are considering.

But it looks as if one over-arching argument will win:

Porcello is good enough to pitch -- and win -- in the majors.

He is not David Clyde, the high-school pitcher from the early 1970s promoted prematurely by Texas Rangers owner Bob Short. And Porcello isn't Mark Fidrych, who was 21 when he stormed Detroit and the baseball world in 1976.

Porcello is not even Bonderman, who had only two trustworthy pitches when he was rushed to Detroit in 2003.

No, the differences with Porcello are many and substantive.

The Tigers understood as much 21 months ago when they drafted him and paid him more than any team had offered a high school pitcher to sign a big league deal.

They did it because Porcello was extraordinary. Nothing he has shown the Tigers in the 19 months since has shaken their belief.

He was good as a rookie

During spring training a year ago, Porcello had the best combination of pitches and command of any pitcher in camp. On pure pitching skills and repertoire, the Tigers could have made an extreme case for bringing him north even then. Instead they sent him to high Class A ball at Lakeland, which is where quality 21- and 22-year-olds often find themselves.

Porcello led the Florida State League in earned-run average.

The Tigers were not planning on Porcello going anywhere in 2009 but to Double-A camp at Erie (Pa.). Then their franchise prospect arrived at camp, throwing strikes, unleashing a brutal sinkerball, and alternating it on occasion with a big four-seam fastball, a decent curve, and a big league change-up.

Porcello has pitched brilliantly and steadily. He has shaken off bad luck and mistakes. He has thrown strikes, strikes, and more strikes. Hitters have beat his 92-mph sinker into the ground, repeatedly.

So the Tigers have all but decided to take him north. A couple of bad outings could change plans, but the ugly stuff might be at a minimum, given his skills and makeup.

The pitch-count issue is valid. But what does it matter if Porcello throws 100 pitches per game at Erie -- which was to be this year's allotment -- or with Detroit?

He has shelved his slider, which he and his coaches found erratic last summer. But how many starters have four pitches? And if you have the curveball Porcello already displays, why worry about a slider that will stress his arm more?

Kevin Goldstein, national writer on scouting and player development for Baseball Prospectus, thinks the Tigers are playing it smart.

"Absolutely, a case can be made," Goldstein said. "When a kid's ready, he's ready.

"You need two things: special talent, and Porcello is certainly that. And then you need to make sure that what's between the ears is in the right place, and that can be a bigger hurdle for some more than talent. By all accounts, they have the right thing going on there (with Porcello), as well."

Moving too fast?

That's one argument. The other is the Tigers might be hurrying things.

A scout, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, saw Porcello pitch twice last summer at Lakeland. He is leery about any quick promotions.

"I don't know how well he's throwing this spring, as far as velocity, or location," the scout said, "but what I saw last summer was that he threw the ball knee-high and that I didn't see anything out of the ordinary other than his control.

"I didn't see anything close to the velocity that had been advertised. I didn't see a hammer curveball that I had heard about. Basically, he got players out because he threw strikes and kept the ball away from the middle of the plate. I didn't see anything in two appearances that indicated he was anything close to (Justin) Verlander or pitchers of that caliber."

The scout has another reservation, based on Porcello's age and the fact he barely averaged five innings per start last season. He believes too many innings too soon is a recipe for trouble.

The Tigers have their own reservations based on those very points. It will all be part of the discussion during the next month.

Baseball is nothing if it's not good discussion and debate. The Tigers will be involved in lots of it in coming days. A talent as rare as Porcello has already seen to that.

You can reach Lynn Henning at lynn.henning@detnews.com

Time running out to prep Bonderman for season

BY JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • March 13, 2009

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland said today it will be clear soon if right-hander Jeremy Bonderman has a chance to pitch for the Tigers when the season begins. If Bonderman can’t, rookie right-hander Rick Porcello’s chances of making the season-opening rotation theoretically go up, barring a trade for a starting pitcher.

Bonderman hasn’t pitched in a game in this exhibition season because his shoulder hasn’t fully recovered from surgery last year. He’s due to throw in a camp game Saturday, and if that goes well, he will make his first exhibition-game appearance next Thursday, Leyland said.

But if Bonderman can’t pitch next Thursday, Leyland indicated, then he won’t have time to get enough exhibition-game innings to be ready for the start of the regular season. Bonderman’s first scheduled start of the season would come by the home opener four weeks from today. (The Tigers open the season with a four-game trip to Toronto.)

Leyland said there’s no more “margin for error” in the timetable to get Bonderman ready for the regular season.

Leyland indicated that if Bonderman can’t pitch at the opening of the season, his replacement would come from among the four pitchers competing for the open spot in the rotation: the phenom Porcello and the veteran trio of left-handers Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson and right-hander Zach Miner.

If Bonderman’s potential replacement would come from that group, then Porcello wouldn’t have to beat out all three of his competitors for the fifth spot to make the season-opening rotation. He’d have to beat out two of them unless there’s a trade for a starting pitcher, Leyland said.

Porcello has been the most impressive of the four candidates in the first two weeks of exhibition play. His next scheduled appearance is a start on the road against Washington on Sunday in Viera, Fla.

Leyland said Bonderman would throw 30 pitches today. Leyland said that beyond how well Bonderman throws, he’ll be interested in how the right-hander feels on Sunday. The day after an outing is often telling for a pitcher’s health.

“If he checks out the next day, and if it’s all a green light, that’s really good,” Leyland said.

why can we not get a solid pitching lineup?

laprimamirala wrote:

why can we not get a solid pitching lineup?

Well, we are still stuck with Chucky's pitching guidance being ingrained in our pitchers...

It will take time for Rick to correct the problems and have the pitchers gain muscle memory for the correct pitching mechanics. Sadly, it may take months for good results. We hear each pitcher say they are working on what they are changing... And Leyland praising them for the corrections. I just think Leyland and all of us thought the guys would catch on faster than this.

As to Dontrell, he was going downhill before we got him. It will take time for him to regain the style he had in the beginning, or learn a new one. Even the guys on MLB Network were worried about the tigers changing Willis too much. They said his unusual style was his natural motion and it worked in his favor. Batters were unable to discover what type of pitch he was throwing until it was too late to react. I think even Rick mentioned that Willis should not play with his style too much... just work on accuracy.

I am actually happy with Seay!

BOBBY SEAY - 5.2 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 7 SO
after today
BOBBY SEAY - 6.2 innings, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0.00 ERA!!!

For what it's worth, I'm glad we got Rick. Sounds like he is no-nonsense and the guys respect him.

After 3/13 game

KYLE BLOOM - 5.1 innings, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO
EDDIE BONINE - 5.0 innings, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 SO
FREDDY DOLSI - 5.2 innings, 8 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 3.86 ERA
CASEY FIEN - 4 innings, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO,
ALFREDO FIGARO - 5.0 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 8 SO, 0.00 ERA
EDWIN JACKSON - 12.0 innings, 7 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 12 SO, 7.00 ERA
CHRIS LAMBERT - 6.0 innings, 8 H, (6*) 0 R, (6*) 0 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA?
BRANDON LYON - 6.2 innings, 10 H, 6 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 SO, 1.59 ERA
ZACH MINER - 10.0 innings, 18 H, 10 R, 10 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO
FU-TE NI - 2 innings, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO, 0.00 ERA
RYAN PERRY - 4.2 innings, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 SO, 0.00 ERA
RICK PORCELLO - 6.0 innings, 7 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 SO
CLAY RAPADA - 5.0 innings, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO
JUAN RINCON - 6.0 innings, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 4 SO, 0.00 ERA
NATE ROBERTSON - 7.0 innings, 10 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 7 BB, 2 SO
FERNANDO RODNEY - 4.0 innings, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO
BOBBY SEAY - 6.2 innings, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 8 SO, 0.00 ERA
ZACH SIMONS - 4.2 innings, 6 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 4 SO, 13.50 ERA
JUSTIN VERLANDER - 9.1 innings, 9 H, 9 R, 6 ER, 9 BB, 5 SO
SCOTT WILLIAMSON - 4.2 innings, 4 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 SO
DONTRELLE WILLIS - 6.0 innings, 8 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 6 BB, 3 SO
JOEL ZUMAYA - 2.0 innings, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0.00 ERA

* RUNS DO NOT COUNT IN ST ERA SINCE THEY WERE IN EXHIBITION GAME.
(#) FROM EXHIBITION GAME

Leyland is the one who pisses me off. He noticed some changes in Verlander LAST SEASON, but now he admits the mechanical flaw in ST this year! Why not bring it up last season, if you saw it then!!!!!

03/13/09 7:28 PM ET
Tigers trying to do much, and it shows
Lately, Leyland sees many of his players pressing at plate or mound

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Friday's 9-3 loss to the Mets brought the Tigers back to their losing ways this Spring Training, having dropped six of their past seven games to fall to 4-9. Their offense, missing several key parts to the World Baseball Classic, has been held to three runs or fewer in all six of those losses, and manager Jim Leyland is starting to think that some of his players are feeling the pressure.

"I think some guys are pressing," Leyland said on Friday afternoon.

They're feeling the pressure of their own situations, Leyland believes, whether it's in the battle for the final spot on the positional roster or the contestants for the pitching vacancies. The statistics seem to show it among the positional candidates. Ryan Raburn fell to 4-for-28 with nine strikeouts with Friday's performance, while Clete Thomas is 2-for-14 with seven strikeouts. Brent Clevlen, who is out of options, is 6-for-26. Jeff Larish is hitting well, but he has also struck out nine times in 24 at-bats.

To some degree, Leyland is trying to be sympathetic, without naming players. But without a clearer roster picture, there isn't much he can do.

"I think the only thing you can do is tell guys to relax and go play their game," Leyland said. "The only thing they control is how they play. Certainly in one way, and maybe the most important way, they control the decisions. But at the same time, they don't control the decisions. In other words, if they're worrying about the decision instead of worrying about playing and performing, then that's tough to do.

"I understand. This is tough for guys. They see four or five guys fighting for a spot or two, or pitchers see two or three spots and seven, eight, nine guys involved. I understand all that. It's tough on guys. It really is. I really am sympathetic to that. But the fact of the matter is, it is what it is. You need to just go show us what you can do, and wherever the chips fall, they fall."

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

03/13/09 5:22 PM ET
Bonderman on schedule, Zumaya not
Starter to throw 30 pitches Saturday, but reliever dealing with injury

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya will not throw in a simulated game as the club had scheduled for Saturday morning, but Jeremy Bonderman will. His scheduled 30 pitches, and how he feels afterwards from throwing them, will have a big effect on Detroit's rotation going into the season.

Zumaya hasn't pitched in a Spring Training game since he faced Florida Southern College on March 2, after which he experienced right shoulder soreness and had an exam as a precaution. Saturday was expected to be his first game action since then, albeit a simulated one, but he was scratched due to a muscle cramp or spasm between his neck and right shoulder.

Head athletic trainer Kevin Rand compared the muscle issue to a knot, and he pointed out that it is different from the injury that sidelined him. Still, it's enough to make them want to exercise caution and hold him back until it loosens up, rather than risk him trying to compensate for it and possibly suffering another injury.

Fernando Rodney also was originally scheduled to pitch in the simulated game, stretching out to about 30 pitches. Since he had a long inning his last time out on Wednesday, loading the bases on two hits and a walk, manager Jim Leyland said that won't happen on Saturday.

That leaves Bonderman and left-hander Kyle Bloom as the primary pitchers from Major League camp in the game. It also leaves Bonderman as the pitcher who can answer a major question for the Tigers with a healthy performance.

If Bonderman comes through OK, he'll return to regular game action next Wednesday against the Braves at Disney's Wide World of Sports complex, and he'll be on track to start the season.

"If he's OK, I think we have enough time to get him ready," Leyland said.

If Bonderman has lingering issues, the question of whether he'll be ready when the season begins becomes a pressing issue that the Tigers have to address.

Since camp began, Leyland had been counting Bonderman as one of four set spots in the rotation as long as he's healthy. He's hesitant to do that right now, not quite yet, until he sees him Saturday.

Asked if he needs to start pitching Wednesday to have enough time to prepare for the season, Leyland said, "I think it starts [Saturday]."

The four set rotation spots basically left the fifth spot as a competition among the remaining starting candidates, including Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis, Zach Miner and Rick Porcello. If Bonderman isn't ready when the season starts, his replacement would come from one of those candidates, Leyland said, unless the Tigers bring in another pitcher in a trade.

Detroit had another injury issue pop up on Friday, when outfielder Casper Wells was unavailable with continued soreness in his elbow. He was being examined by a doctor on Friday, but no results were immediately available.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Leyland is the one who pisses me off. He noticed some changes in Verlander LAST SEASON, but now he admits the mechanical flaw in ST this year! Why not bring it up last season, if you saw it then!!!!!

Yeah!