Jones struggles again in Tigers' victory

Sunday, March 9, 2008
Jones struggles again in Tigers' victory
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Freddy Guzman's three-run homer in the ninth inning Sunday saved Todd Jones some embarrassment in the Tigers' 9-7 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

With their bullpen already in flux, the Tigers didn't need a bad outing from Jones. But that's what they got as Jones allowed four runs in the ninth, enabling the Pirates to tie the game, 6-6. An inning later, Raul Chavez's home run off reliever Francis Beltran gave Pittsburgh a 7-6 lead.

Jones had trouble with location in an earlier exhibition performance, and that's what got him into trouble Sunday on a day when the Tigers had taken a 5-0 lead.

Again, Detroit's starting pitching was the biggest plus Sunday as Nate Robertson became the first pitcher to go four innings in a preseason game.

Robertson was excellent, allowing only one hit in his four-inning shift. He struck out four and walked none.

The Tigers got a home run from Carlos Guillen, who also had a RBI-triple. Pudge Rodriguez had a single and one RBI, Ryan Raburn had a RBI-double, and Edgar Renteria and Brandon Inge each drove in runs with sacrifice flies.

I didn't get to watch/listen so I have to look at the box score. Whether or not Clevlen messed up, Jones has been struggling like crazy and that's not good.

catbox_9 wrote:

I didn't get to watch/listen so I have to look at the box score. Whether or not Clevlen messed up, Jones has been struggling like crazy and that's not good.

Very true, I hope he gets his stuff together or they will need to use a new closer. Maybe we can trade him!

03/09/2008 6:54 PM ET
Jones getting to where he needs to be
Tigers reliever has learned to take the good with the bad
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Todd Jones likes where he is at this point in his career. He isn't a big fan of where he is at this point in Spring Training, but he can live with that for now.

A month and a half shy of his 40th birthday, the highs of saving a game aren't as high as they used to be. The lows of blowing a save opportunity -- those are lower than before. But part of that came with not knowing what tomorrow holds. Now, he doesn't particularly fret it.

He wants to make sure he enjoys the highs before he retires. First, though, he wants to get his pitches low.

"Whatever I have left will definitely come out this year," he said. "It'll definitely be brought to light, because there's no reason to hold anything back. I don't have to worry about what I'm going to do next year. I'm just going to play. And I've never been at that point in my career."

Considering it still isn't midway through Spring Training, Sunday's performance, in which he allowed four runs in two-thirds of an inning in the ninth, wasn't much of a low. Though Jones can chalk up the damage to working his game, however, he'd obviously prefer those things go right. Sunday was the second time in six days that they went wrong.

He still doesn't take them terribly easy in the spring. He prefers to work the ninth in spring games. He can't simulate end-of-game conditions pitching in the fourth of fifth inning to see more regulars.

Plus, he admitted: "I don't want people to get used to seeing other guys there, because I still feel like I've got to prove myself every time I go out there."

His six-run outing against the Astros was a fourth-inning adventure immediately following starter Nate Robertson. Sunday's appearance came in the ninth with a 6-2 lead. Three of the four hits he allowed were doubles, resulting in three earned runs and another unearned.

He was working on spotting his fastball, and his pitch selection was geared toward that. While the game continued into extra innings, Jones was in the dugout talking mechanics with pitching coach Chuck Hernandez.

"He sees some things mechanically that I'm not able to see when I'm out there," he said. "I've just got to try to make some pitches and execute some things. So I've got some work to do."

It's not fun, but it comes with the job he signed up for -- again.

His 38 saves over 44 chances in 2007 came under the shadow of free agency. He had little doubt he wanted to play again, and short of pitching close to home in Atlanta, Detroit was where he wanted to be. But he's now one of those players whose career is on a year-by-year basis -- not just whether he's wanted, but whether he wants to pitch.

"What I've learned," he said, "is it's the toughest thing to decide when you're finished. You either play until you can't play any more, and that's what fans remember, or you leave with a little bit left in the tank and some kind of dignity. And both situations stink for a player. There's no easy way to end it unless your arm pops."

It's not just the physical strain that wears. To him, it's also the mental wear and tear, the pressure. He puts so much into getting himself into pitching shape that it feels like a waste sometimes when he can't hold a game. Then there's the pressure of the team he's on and how good it can be. He's known for his good nature, but he's taking matters more seriously, he said, because of the urgency of this team.

While he wasn't beating himself up Sunday, he was in his typical self-deprecating mode.

"I'd like to get my ERA lower than my age," he quipped.

He'd like to get a little more enjoyment out of his job, too. He wants to treasure the successes more, not turn the page as quickly, even though he knows he has to in order to get past the bad days.

"I need to learn to celebrate when I do good," he said. "Older players beat themselves up so much."

He didn't necessarily have to on Sunday, but it's Spring Training. He doesn't know his long-term future, but he knows with just under three weeks left, he has time to polish his game and prepare for when the games count.

"Today was just one of those things that I know where I'm at," he said, "and I've got to start executing. I've got to start fine-tuning things. I know what I've got to do, and I've got to try to do it."

He knows where his pitching stands. His career is another matter.

"I always knew there would be another day and another year," he said. "Now, I'm just pitching for today."

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

After 3 2/3 innings, Jones' spring ERA is 24.55

one day at a time!

Quote :

After 3 2/3 innings, Jones' spring ERA is 24.55

Quote :

one day at a time!

The sad thing is, that is how he has created this ERA.

it's the only way to get out of it too!

laprimamirala wrote:

it's the only way to get out of it too!

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I just love this smiley!!

Monday, March 10, 2008
Tigers 9, Pirates 7 (10 innings)
Jones' struggles continue
Leyland says he's not concerned about Tigers closer despite his 24.55 ERA, giving up 6-2 lead.
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

LAKELAND, Fla. -- There are days when a team's defense is bad, or a starting pitcher messes up, or good hitters go cold. Things happen during a long season.

Bullpen failures are another issue, a particularly sensitive one these days for the Tigers, which is why Todd Jones' bad ninth inning added to some growing anxieties Sunday at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Lucky for manager Jim Leyland's team, Freddy Guzman's three-run home run with two outs in the 10th saved the Tigers -- and Jones -- as the Tigers pulled out a 9-7 victory over the Pirates.

Pittsburgh scored four runs in the ninth off Jones (three earned) to tie the game, 6-6, after the Tigers once led, 5-0. Catcher Raul Chavez's home run off Francis Beltran in the 10th put Pittsburgh on top, 7-6, setting things up for Guzman, who is batting .455 as he tries to win a reserve outfield job.

Guzman's theatrics aside, it was Jones who qualified as Sunday's story, only because a closer with 301 career saves is expected to hold a 6-2 lead. More unsettling for the Tigers, Jones has had a tough go of it in two of his last three appearances. His earned-run average is 24.55.

"I've gotta start locating," he said in the clubhouse afterward. "I've gotta start executing. I've got to get some feel."

Jones says a glitch has been detected during discussions with pitching coach Chuck Hernandez and bullpen coach Jeff Jones.

"I'm going side-to-side, not top-to-bottom," he said of his throwing motion. "Mechanically, I'm flying open."

Jones separated Sunday's slip-up -- he also was hurt by left fielder Brent Clevlen's ninth-inning error -- from a terrible outing last week against the Houston Astros at Kissimmee, Fla.

"Kissimmee was a complete disaster," he said. "At least here I had some decent (pitches) to work on.

"Today was one of those things. I know where I'm at. I've just got to start executing some things.

"I'd like to get my ERA lower than my age."

Leyland already is dealing with a nervy situation at the back end of Detroit's bullpen. Setup man Fernando Rodney has yet to pitch in a game because of shoulder tendinitis.

Francisco Cruceta, who was viewed as a possible setup partner to Rodney, hasn't even arrived in spring camp because of visa problems in the Dominican Republic.

Leyland insisted Sunday he's fine with Jones.

"I'm not making anything out of it at all," Leyland said. "Jones is a pitch-maker. And he's not making very good pitches right now.

"If we were playing the big boys (starting players) at the end of spring, I'd be concerned. He's trying to build arm strength. He's just not making very good pitches right now."

Sunday's ninth inning marred what had been, in Leyland's view, one of the Tigers' best games of the spring.

Nate Robertson had another sparkling outing as he became the first Tigers pitcher to throw four innings.

Robertson allowed only a single, while striking out four and walking none. His preseason ERA: 1.00.

Offensively, the Tigers got a home run and a triple, good for two RBIs, from Carlos Guillen. Ryan Raburn added an RBI double, Pudge Rodriguez drove in a run with a single, and Brandon Inge had a double, as well as an RBI on a line-drive sacrifice fly to left.

Inge also made two excellent plays in the field as part of his five assists, which likely didn't deflate his standing with major league scouts who were on hand. The Tigers are pushing to trade Inge and could be approaching a deal.

"He had a hell of a game," Leyland said of Inge, who is batting .316 this spring.

But it was the overall way in which the Tigers performed that had Leyland feeling good, even on a day when a big lead evaporated.

"Jonesy had a rough day, but for six innings I thought we looked real good," he said. "We looked like a major league team."

You can reach Lynn Henning at (313) 222-2472 lynn.henning@detnews.co

again, age. He's the longest-staying Tig we have!

And hopfully his last year with the Tigers.

he's had a good run!

Posted by Tom Gage on Tue, Mar 11, 2008 at 11:22 AM
Jones Throws in Bullpen Instead of Game

From Lakeland - Attempting to bolster his arm strength Todd Jones threw in the bullpen, skipping a scheduled appearance against the Reds. He's not sore, nor is he alarmed at the 24.55 ERA he's compiled in his first four appearances of the spring.

But it's time to make sure it doesn't continue.

"I threw a little more today in the bullpen because I needed some repetition to figure things out," he said. "But I have to get back out there and face some hitters. It's coming along."

What specifically is coming along?

"My arm strength and my location," he said. "Each time I get on the mound is real important for me this time this time of year. I'm battling some arm strength issues to keep me from overthrowing.

"I'd like to get out of spring training with some sort of a sense that I know what's going on. It's better now than it was. It's like adding eggs to a basket until you get it all together. You just hope you don't get scrambled.

"Arm strength is something you take for granted when you're young," said the Tigers' 39-year-old closer. "Now I have to consciously do things to build it up - and it's harder to get these days."

swiss_tiger wrote:

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

I just love this smiley!!

me too!!!! WHEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! lol

Go :tjones:

GET THAT TIMING AND MECHANICAL PROBLEM WORKED OUT

:tjones:

03/13/2008 6:21 PM ET
Jones returns with scoreless inning
Retires the side in order in outing against Braves
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Crisis averted, if there was one.

Todd Jones didn't think there was, but he also accepted that he had work to do after two rough outings in his last three appearances, a stretch that led to a bullpen session on Tuesday to work out some issues. His return to game action on Thursday against the Braves was a more mundane inning of work in which he retired the side in order on two infield popouts and a groundout.

"It was good," Jones said afterward. "I made some decent pitches. It's something to build on, at least. I get ready for Saturday and see what happens there."

Jones started the top of the seventh inning by retiring Minor Leaguer Van Pope on a popout to second. Scott Thorman popped a 2-0 pitch to short, then Jones fell behind Brayan Pena on a 3-0 count before recovering for a called strike and then an inning-ending groundout to first.

Jones threw 11 pitches, five of them strikes. The arm strength that he said he was lacking earlier this week felt better this time around, he said, though he admitted he had a way to go on that. His next challenge, he said, will be to spot his secondary pitches.

"It's a process," he said. "There are steps I have to do to get ready. As you get older, you want to make sure you can still do those steps. Like I said, the minute after I had that last bad outing, [pitching coach] Chuck [Hernandez] and I went and looked at film, and I saw some bad things that I was doing.

"Maybe I need more innings in the spring now than I have. I'm going to have the chance to get five to seven more times off the mound, I think. So I think it'll be OK."

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

I was at the game yesterday....Jonesy looked fine.
He hit 92 with one pitch!!

GO TIGERS!!

Forgot to mention on the other thread...but Trinita will...we were in the Millenia Mall in Orlando when a guy stopped us and asked us if we were Tiger fans....he got out his digital camera and showed us a pic of him taken with Todd Jones--he was in the mall at the same time we were! We thanked him and then finished our mall rat routine...
At the game tonight, the same gentleman recognized Trinita and said that he saw Todd again and had run back to the store to get us...of course we missed each other, and a chance to see a Tiger up close....RATS

Of all the Tigers you could have run into.....LOL!!

Where does Magglio shop??

probably has somebody do it for him...

just like Guillen has a driver for his Range Rover!