BULLPEN NEWS!

07/23/2008 3:50 PM ET
Bullpen jelling, recalling a banner year
Shoulders healed, Rodney, Zumaya have found their '06 form
By Mark Dent / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY -- There Francisco Rodney and Joel Zumaya were, pitching scoreless innings on Tuesday, looking an awful lot like they did in 2006.

That's good news for Detroit, as the Tigers know those two relievers will be important if the club wants to make a run for the playoffs, as they did two years ago.

In 2006, Rodney's 3.52 ERA and Zumaya's 1.94 mark led Detroit into their first World Series appearance since 1984. This year, Rodney and Zumaya couldn't help the Tigers as the club embarked on a poor start. Both relievers had shoulder injuries and missed a large chunk of the schedule.

When the relievers returned in late June, their results differed at first. Rodney couldn't find his control, throwing just eight pitches, all balls, in his second appearance. He gave up five runs in his first two appearances, but has since turned it around. Rodney hasn't allowed a run in his last four outings, a span of 4 2/3 innings.

His last appearance, on Tuesday, was particularly noticeable. Rodney came in after a long rain delay and made sure the Tigers didn't come out flat. He gave up a hit to the first batter he faced, but then settled down, striking out four in two innings of work.

"He's really good," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "People tend to forget just how good he was in 2006. He was our closer at the beginning when Jones was out, and did a heck of a job."

Unlike Rodney, Zumaya has pitched as well as he did in 2006 since coming back off the disabled list. The flame-throwing righty has held a 1.76 ERA through 13 games. The only time when Zumaya got into serious trouble was last week when he blew a save against Baltimore. It wasn't a bad outing, by any means, though -- he did strike out four batters.

Leyland has reiterated that Zumaya could be the Tigers' closer in the future.

"Is the equipment there to do it?" Leyland asked. "Yeah."

For now, Zumaya is still a setup man, along with Rodney. And right now, they're forming a solid tandem again.

"When they walk in the clubhouse," Leyland said, "it makes a difference. These guys got a presence."

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

Francisco Rodney??

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

Francisco Rodney??

Fernando's brother!!!

I hope to see a lot more Francisco in the future - he was great yesterday.

I guess that happens when you get a hair cut! New look, new name!

Still wears that crooked cap

They're twins!

laprimamirala wrote:

They're twins!

Well, which one of the twins is pitching great, let's keep him!

No...let's not!!

Was anyone else besides me bothered today that even though Nando finished the game, he was very "Rollercoaster-like" in doing so?

tigersaint wrote:

Was anyone else besides me bothered today that even though Nando finished the game, he was very "Rollercoaster-like" in doing so?

Me too! I hope the Tigers can snag a good closer in trades.

Todd Jones should be the closer


Greatest Relief Pitcher in Tigers History

tigersaint wrote:

Was anyone else besides me bothered today that even though Nando finished the game, he was very "Rollercoaster-like" in doing so?

I was bothered too. Especially 'cause these three Ks were three walks actually. He could have load the bases with no outs. But all Sox did swing at his ball-pitches... thank god they did!

tigersaint wrote:

Was anyone else besides me bothered today that even though Nando finished the game, he was very "Rollercoaster-like" in doing so?

Looks like we went from Todd Jones to Todd Jones, Jr.

08/02/2008 6:53 PM ET
Pain lingers in Zumaya's right arm
Tigers hoping relief pitcher will return on Tuesday
By Brittany Ghiroli / MLB.com

ST. PETERSBURG -- Joel Zumaya continues to be plagued by tightness in his right arm, and manager Jim Leyland said prior to Saturday's game against the Rays that the Tigers can "hopefully" insert Zumaya back into the bullpen on Tuesday.

Leyland noticed something in Zumaya's mechanics on Friday night and although the Tigers' medical staff did not find anything serious after the game, the club will continue to err on the cautious side.

"Seems like he gets to a certain point where he doesn't finish pitches," Leyland said.

The hard-throwing Zumaya left the game on July 27 with tightness in his right triceps, and cited throwing too many curveballs as part of the problem.

Zumaya worked through the initial tightness and was slotted back into the 'pen on Tuesday, as the Tigers didn't expect the minor condition to linger.

Unfortunately, Friday's outing brought back the same familiar tightness, although it is now slightly above Zumaya's triceps. The right-hander reported no problems throwing any breaking balls and only felt tightness on a portion of the fastballs he threw to six Rays batters.

The Tigers' bullpen has already been a sore spot for the club this season.

Zumaya was sidelined for the first 2 1/2 months following a rare surgery last fall to repair the A/C joint in his shoulder, while Fernando Rodney has been a victim to a high pitch count since his return from the disabled list (right shoulder tendinitis) on June 16.

Upon dealing for reliever Kyle Farnsworth on Wednesday, Leyland was hopeful that the club had "struck lightning in a bottle" and could interchange the trio of arms for the game's final innings.

But Zumaya's setback has thrown another wrench into a season littered with pitching disappointments.

Detroit has also been without expected starters Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman for most of the season and has scrambled to find arms to pick up the slack in the game's front-half.

"It hasn't been an ideal situation all year," Leyland said. "When you have to fight through the pitching problems you normally have problems. ... That usually mean you are struggling, you are fighting your [butt] off to survive. And I think we're doing it, but we're working pretty hard."

Even with Detroit's pitching woes, the Tigers still remain in the American League Wild Card race, and having Zumaya and Rodney return to form would be a big boost.

"I think if you could pitch them and everything is right, then I think by September, you might have them normal," Leyland said. "But [so far] you haven't been able to do that."

Zumaya is scheduled to be evaluated by the team's medical staff again on Saturday and assuming he comes through clean, the Tigers hope to have him available for Tuesday's series opener against the White Sox.

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

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