Rodney takes over closing duties

Rodney takes over closing duties
Leyland makes announcement prior to Sunday's game vs. Sox
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

DETROIT -- While the Tigers continue to look for bullpen help, they made a major internal change in the relief corps on Sunday. Fernando Rodney has replaced Todd Jones as Detroit's closer for the time being.

Manager Jim Leyland revealed the move during the Tigers' pregame radio show prior to Sunday's series finale against the White Sox. He did not announce the move to reporters or Tigers television broadcasters.

Jones had been Detroit's closer for two and a half seasons, since signing with the Tigers as a free agent prior to the 2006 season. He has racked up 93 saves in 108 chances during that span, including 18 out of 21 opportunities this year. However, he has struggled for the last month.

When Jermaine Dye's two-run homer pulled the White Sox ahead with two outs in the ninth inning Friday, it marked Jones' third blown save in seven opportunities since June 28. He has given up 15 hits over 9 1/3 innings in that span, and opponents are hitting .375 with a 1.013 OPS against him in the last month.

Rodney struggled mightily with his command upon his return from the disabled list last month, but has since settled down. He has allowed three earned runs on seven hits in 13 2/3 innings over 12 outings since June 24, walking five and striking out 12. Opponents are batting .146 against him in that stretch.

Todd Jones relieved of Tigers' closer duties
BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • July 27, 2008

Fernando Rodney has replaced Todd Jones as the Tigers’ closer, according to team flagship station WXYT-FM (97.1).

Jones, the franchise saves leader, blew his third save opportunity in less than a month in Friday’s series opening loss to the Chicago White Sox.

Jones has allowed a .375 batting average in 11 appearances since June 28, according to STATS LLC. He is 4-1 this season with a 4.99 ERA in 43 games overall.

Rodney has recently been Detroit’s most consistent late-inning reliever. He has not allowed a run in his last five appearances.

Rodney replaced Jones on a temporary basis when Jones was on the disabled list early in the 2006 season.

Jones, 40, is unsigned beyond the end of this season. It’s unclear what his role will be now.

bobrob2004 wrote:

:haha:

(even though Fern-Rod isn't much better)

So what are we going to do with Jonesy? Is he just going to sit on the bench and watch everyone pitch?

not sure. He might be on his last season anyhoo.

mrsrabelo wrote:

So what are we going to do with Jonesy? Is he just going to sit on the bench and watch everyone pitch?

Works for me!

I seriously fucking shed tears over this.

I don't know what is going on with Todd, but he has not been pitching well lately.

I can see why Leyland did this, a team's closer has to be a person who gets the outs, WITHOUT GIVING UP RUNS. Todd was getting some saves, but he is giving up too many runs for the Tigers to keep him as a closer....and try to win the division or wild card.

Remember, this is a BIG MONEY BUSINESS and a team will do what it needs to do to win!

No matter how much time they already wasted on Jonesy so far this year.....

Monday, July 28, 2008
Bob Wojnowski: Tigers 6, White Sox 4
Tearful Jones resigned to fate with Tigers
His demotion from closer's role is not a solution to Tigers' pitching problems, though.

DETROIT -- The time for patience has passed. There's no room for sentiment now, not that there ever really was.

Todd Jones knows it, and today, he knows it better than anyone. After the Tigers finally beat the White Sox, 6-4, Sunday at the end of a rough weekend, Jones finally broke. The man who stirs so many emotions couldn't help but release some of his own, as his career took a screeching turn.

Oh, fans might rejoice at Jones' demotion from his closer's role, and that's part of the business. He had struggled mightily of late and blew a save in the crushing 6-5 loss to the White Sox on Friday night, as the crowd booed. It's an understandable move by Jim Leyland, installing Fernando Rodney as his closer, but no one should think it solves everything, or even anything.

At least the Tigers salvaged one must-win in the series and now sit 6 1/2 games behind the White Sox. But this still looks like an unsettled team, with Rodney still prone to misfiring, with Joel Zumaya leaving Sunday's game because of tightness in his right triceps, and finally, with Jones standing at his locker, trying not to break.

His stint as the closer is over, for now. Jones sounded like a guy who realized it might be over forever.

"I've been to the depths of everything emotionally, but this is just one of those things you have to go through, too," Jones said, his eyes reddening. "You know, you're born into the big leagues and then you're born a closer and then one day you're no longer trusted with the brunt of the load in the ninth inning. My day came -- what is it, July 27? -- so there's no spilled milk here."

Jones stopped and referenced Leyland, who always stood behind him but couldn't do it now.

"I mean, I love that guy," Jones said, his lip quivering, his voice cracking. Finally, he turned away.

The time had come

Jones' effort to express himself was truly admirable. He'd gotten the official word from Leyland on Saturday and didn't pitch Sunday, with Rodney handling the final 1 2/3 innings.

Yes, Jones had pitched too poorly to keep his job, surrendering 10 runs in his last 10 1/3 innings. He converted 18 of 21 save chances but blew three of his last seven. Opponents were hitting him hard. Sorry to say, the time had arrived.

But if accountability tolls for Jones, it should toll for many of the Tigers, who always seem on the cusp of contention. The trade deadline is Thursday, and when general manager Dave Dombrowski inspects his bullpen -- with Zumaya likely out a few days -- he still can't like what he sees.

Dombrowski said Sunday he believes his team is in contention and the organization has enough talent in the minors to make a trade. He has to know he needs pitching help and he sounded like a guy willing to deal, although he offered no assurances.

Leyland is giving Rodney a shot because he doesn't have much choice. But he wasn't happy Rodney labored to throw strikes Sunday and he sure wasn't pleased Zumaya suffered another setback.

After one of their biggest victories, the Tigers couldn't dodge their lingering frustration. Leyland wanted it known he wasn't scapegoating Jones, that he greatly appreciated his effort, that urgency simply was mounting.

"He handled it like the entire pro he is," Leyland said. "We're not throwing Todd Jones under the bus. I have to make decisions that I think are in the best interests of the ballclub, and right now, I think it's in our best interests to try somebody else for a while."

Maybe it is, even though Rodney and Zumaya have been shaky and even though, for all the criticism, Jones almost always has gotten the job done. He seldom has received enough credit but at least for now, the pressure shifts, and we'll see who can handle it.

Leyland passionately defended his team's effort over the weekend but there were more wasted opportunities, in front of the biggest crowds ever at Comerica Park. It ended with a superb performance by starter Zach Miner but it had a sad, unsettled tone to it.

He knows the score

The defiant closer who always stood up when required and always swore he'd bounce back was different this time. He looked resigned, if not defeated.

"I'm a pro, I'm a Tiger," Jones said. "I'm a big boy. I'm 40, so you knew this day had to come sometime. I can't question anything (Leyland) has done because he's done a lot for me, taken a lot of heat for me, and I've done a pretty good job for him too. I don't like it but I'll live with it because I respect the guy that told me."

Jones has been around long enough to know repercussions grow as the games get bigger. The way this season is going, he might yet get another storybook shot. But now, as the days dwindle, the wayward closer mirrors the team, down to their final few chances.

You can reach Bob Wojnowski at bob.wojnowski@detnews.com

THIS IS HORSESHIT


I HATE RODNEY!


FUCK HIM!


I DON"T CARE IF HE SAVE 100 GAMES IN A ROW

AND FUCK LEYLAND< TOO. I HOPE LEYLAND DIES

I love Jonesy as a guy. He's a sweetie and this all breaks my heart for him and everything...

But the part of me that just really hates it when he blows a game... well, it's not feeling so sympathetic.

He blew one game


GIVE DYE CREDIT FOR HITTING A HR; He is having a monster season and would have done it against closers such as K-Rod or Papelbon or Nathan, etc


But no! Dye just a no good lucky bum in the eyes of arrogant Tigers Fans that hate Jones and use him as a scapegoat

And I am tired of Leyland's Games

IE; Moving Players Around; Inge and Pudge sharing Duties, Saying Thames is the everyday LF; only to bench him the next day; sending Miner to the minors for walking a couple batters in a game, etc etc

we'll see how long it lasts!

Maybe we will see Jonesey tonight already. Rodney will not pitch with his pitch count yesterday and Zoom is out too.

So, welcome back Rollercoaster!

And maybe your right!

Swiss

just gotta chill G! It happens to all of 'em, and baseball by its very nature is transitory. That's why we gotta hold onto our memories and enjoy TODAY's game....

...do I sound like a mom or what

Wait till Maggs gets replaced, you will sound like a psycho mom!
jk jk

Been preparing myself for that day for quite awhile, grasshopper...kinda helped to go to the Indians game when he wasn't playing so I could sorta get a feel for what it will be like w/o him....

That will be a little while though. My situation is a now thing!

I got a feeling Tigers are gonna release Jones


Something is gonna happen this week

There were a lot of people [ after the game] saying that.

That the Tigers are gonna get Putz or Street later this week, and release Jones

This just in......

:rodney: still sucks and can't wear a baseball cap the right way

Street...that would be funny! Magglio could practice hitting home runs off him!

Yeah!