SB Nation - Armando Galarraga

Six Pack (of questions) With Bless You Boys' Ian Casselberry

Jesse — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:08:37 -0000

More photos » by David J. Phillip - AP

Detroit Tigers' Brandon Inge will be in Minneapolis this weekend, doing his best Joe Crede impression. At least, a healthy Joe Crede impression. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)

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Last night I exchanged a few questions with great Tigers mind and general all-around good guy Ian Casselberry from the best Detroit Tigers blog on the net, Bless You Boys.

Who's going to start for the Tigers on Sunday? Is there a secret weapon in store, or is MLB.com just playing it fast and loose with their probable pitchers page?

Up until Thursday morning, Sunday's pitcher was such a secret weapon that even the Tigers themselves didn't know who would start. Jarrod Washburn, Armando Galarraga, and Nate Robertson were all hurt.

But as it turns out, it's going to be Robertson. Apparently, that "pelvic inflammation" he was experiencing (which just sounds like an entirely different malady than "groin injury") has cleared up. And before he got hurt, he was pitching pretty well, so this might end up working out for the Tigers.

How has Magglio Ordonez been able to rebound for such a terrific second half after being so horrendous in the first half? What's the difference that's got him back to third in the batting order?

I think part of the difference is that Ordonez just got to play, and had the opportunities to work on what was needed to correct his swing. But he got those chances because no one else in the outfield was hitting well. Had someone else been able to keep Ordonez on the bench while he was struggling, he might still be there and wouldn't have reached the plate appearances to trigger his contract option for next season.

Ordonez still isn't hitting for any power, but he does seem to have made some adjustments with opening up his stance. That's allowed to him to make up for some of the bat speed he's lost, and he can turn on pitches he was missing earlier this season.

Justin Verlander is awesome. Please agree. That's not a question, so it doesn't count.

I agree.

Good, I'm glad that's settled.

Aubrey Huff has been getting the nod against right-handers and has been blowing chunks. Is there anyone better who should be getting his at-bats?

The best candidate to get Huff's at-bats against right-handers might be Alex Avila. Then the Tigers could have Avila's bat in the lineup and Gerald Laird's glove behind the plate. But it's too important for Avila to catch regularly and hone his defensive skills (which really aren't bad).

Carlos Guillen is probably their best left-handed DH, but Detroit seems to think left field would be an offensive black hole without him playing there. But really, Ryan Raburn has hit well enough to justify him paying full-time (though he butchers some plays in the outfield), which would allow the Tigers to move Guillen to DH.

Tactically, what's the one thing you hope the Tigers focus on in their gameplan this weekend?

The Tigers often have success when they get to the Twins' middle relief. So if they can tire Minnesota's starting pitchers out, and get them out of the game after five innings, that might be their best chance to win. (I'd say they should just pound the starters if they can, but the Tigers don't seem capable of doing that to anybody.) Of course, Detroit's starting pitching also has to keep it close for that to work in their favor.

If the Tigers maintain and win the division, how do they stack up against the other candidates from the West and the East?

Their pitching gives them a chance against anyone they might face. That is, if their top starters aren't worn out by the end of the regular season.

But the Tigers played the Angels tough, winning the season series (5-4) and showing they can go out to the west coast and win on the road.

I know their season record versus the Yankees looks bad (1-5), but all of those games but one were close. And Detroit had a chance to win each of the three games in New York. A break here or there (and the Yankees got some breaks in a couple of those games), and their record would look much better.

This might sound like a loaded question but it's not--who gets your vote for MVP this year?

Wait a minute, hasn't the MVP already been awarded to Joe Mauer? Is this a trick question? Because that's who I would've voted for.

Curious Phenomena or Big Problem? Royals 9, Tigers 2

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:15:44 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Now that he's given up 10 runs in his last two starts, are you worried how Edwin Jackson will pitch over the next two weeks?

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It's the most baffling thing. Mind-boggling, really.

And we're not just talking about Josh Anderson hitting a three-run homer. His first home run of the season. For the Royals. Not the Tigers.

What do the Kansas City Royals have over the Detroit Tigers? How is it that they've been able to win five of the last six meetings between the two teams?

The pitching has been terrible. The lineup hasn't scored many runs. The Royals outscored the Tigers 21-7 in winning two of the three games in this series. And because of all this, the AL Central is still a race going into this weekend's series at Minnesota.

Do we need to begin worrying about Edwin Jackson? (That is, if you weren't concerned already.) For the second consecutive start, he gave up five runs. And he was bad pretty much from the beginning today. Two of the first Royals batters reached base. Soon thereafter, Jackson left a fastball out over the plate for Alberto Callaspo, who smacked it into the left-centerfield gap for a two-run double.

(Callaspo can officially be added to the Tigers Killer club this season, after batting 8-for-21 with two homers and nine RBIs in his last six games vs. Detroit.)

After putting two of the first three batters on base in the third, Jackson put some finality on the day, teeing up a fastball right down the middle to Miguel Olivo. Olivo launched it out to the shrubs in dead center for a three-run homer and a 5-0 Royals lead.

It was already likely to be a struggle for the Tigers against Zack Greinke. But down five runs? Greinke allowed no runs in his five innings, giving up just three hits. He may have pitched longer, had Miguel Cabrera not hit a line drive at his throwing arm in the fourth inning. But after the Royals made it 8-0 in the bottom of the fifth (more on that later), there was no sense in pitching Greinke any more.

So what is the deal? Could it really be as simple as the Royals just being a bad match-up for the Tigers? (Robinson Tejeda, Callaspo, Billy Butler, etc.) Probably not. Was Detroit looking ahead to this weekend with the Twins? Perhaps, but that just sounds like an excuse.

Regardless, the mystery isn't going to be solved this season, as the Tigers are (thankfully?) done with playing the Royals. If the Tigers were indeed more preoccupied with the Twins and White Sox, they'll have ample opportunity to address those concerns over the remaining 12 games on the schedule.

Whimper:

As poorly as Jackson pitched today, at least he can say he didn't give up a homer to Josh Anderson. Anderson didn't even display warning track power while he was with the Tigers. (And hadn't with the Royals, either.) No, this singular honor goes to Armando Galarraga, who showed that he's not to be counted on for meaningful contributions down the stretch.

Galarraga faced six batters. Five of them reached base. He hit one with a pitch. Only 11 of his 21 pitches were thrown for strikes. Merriam-Webster might be changing their definition for "disaster" as you read this.

Comment of the Day:

Doomsayers - think on this:

The ’06 Cards finished 5 games over .500 & lost 9 of their last 12 going into the playoffs…

by moonshineboy

Your Latest Fifth Starter: Eddie Bonine

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:05:21 -0000

More photos » by Charlie Riedel - AP

Eddie Bonine couldn't move from the pitching mound once Jim Leyland told him he would be the Detroit Tigers' fifth starter. Gerald Laird and Adam Everett check to see if Bonine is okay.

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Nate Robertson's groin is aching. (Or his pelvis is inflamed, if you'd prefer to put it that way.) Armando Galarraga's elbow is still sore. So who's going to be the Detroit Tigers' fifth starter? Hello, Eddie Bonine.

Bonine will now start for Detroit on Wednesday, in place of Galarraga (who was set to sub for Robertson). As the rotation and schedule stand now, he'll get three starts. Bonine should also pitch once in Cleveland, with his final start scheduled against the Twins in Detroit.

And if Robertson and/or Galarraga heal up before the regular season is finished and can pitch? They'll work out of the bullpen. Bonine's the guy, says Jim Leyland. And that's how it's going to be for the rest of the season.

From Lynn Henning's article in today's Detroit News:

"I'm not gonna keep changing. I can't wait on a daily basis any longer. I can't come (to the ballpark) not knowing who's gonna be able to pitch in two days."

One definite downside to these injuries, as The Detroit Tigers Weblog points out, is that it's now highly unlikely that anyone will be making a spot start to give one of the regular starters a rest. So no breather for Justin Verlander or Edwin Jackson as they each exceed or approach 200 innings, and no more rest for Rick Porcello, and hopefully Jarrod Washburn's sore left knee is feeling better.

Washburn, by the way, will start tomorrow night, though it's unclear as to whether or not his knee feels much better.

[Edited at 5 p.m. EST]

Where Did the Pitching Go? Blue Jays 6, Tigers 4

Ian Casselberry — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:05:38 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Just as Rod Barajas's fly ball to left was out of Ryan Raburn's reach, so was another late-inning comeback for the Detroit Tigers against the Toronto Blue Jays.

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If it wasn't for bad luck, would Nate Robertson have any luck at all? Just when the guy wins back his job in the Detroit Tigers' starting rotation, he may have lost it again. At least temporarily.

Robertson left Friday's game in the fourth inning after pulling a groin muscle (an adductor strain, if you want to get all clinical with it) while running to cover home plate. But that's not to say he was entirely a victim of circumstances beyond his control.

Before he tweaked his groin, Robertson was having a rough night. One of the highlights of his recent revival had been his control, but Robertson walked five batters in his 3.2 innings. Fortunately, none of those runners came around to score. Yet Robertson also gave up six hits, and those resulted in two runs. All things considered, it's probably amazing he didn't allow far more. (A stiff wind in right-center field might have helped a bit.)

However, it appears that Robertson will miss his next start. Jim Leyland said as much in his post-game remarks, adding that Robertson was in a lot of pain when the trainers had a look at him. Leyland also wondered if Robertson's out-of-whack delivery indicated that his groin may have been bothering him before that play at home plate.

Regardless, Robertson's showing - along with the three runs Armando Galarraga gave up in two-plus innings of relief - was another poor performance in what's been a bad week of pitching for the Tigers. Why have they lost four straight games? Look at the pitching. They've given up 23 runs during this streak.

Yes, that's an oversimplification. The lineup hasn't hit very well, either, making some no-name opposing pitchers look pretty good. Brian Tallet and his Wolverine-like mutton chops were the latest beneficiary.

Maybe after last weekend's series in Tampa, these guys began to think they were entitled to a late-inning comeback every game. And they almost pulled off another one on Friday night, scoring three runs in the seventh. (And if not for that wind in right field, along with Comerica Park's distances, Marcus Thames might have tied the game.) But Toronto's six runs were just a few too many to overcome.

Whimper:

Once again, shaky middle relief was a big part of the Tigers' downfall. If Armando Galarraga wanted to show that he should get his rotation spot back in light of Robertson's injury, he didn't do it with this outing. Galarraga started off strong, getting out his first five batters. After that, however, it fell apart pretty fast. Five of the next seven batters he faced reached base, eventually resulting in three runs.

Curtis Granderson continued his struggles against left-handed pitching. Moving him down to seventh in the lineup may have lessened the damage, as the top of the order was productive. But an 0-for-4 night (with five men left on base) isn't encouraging. That dropped his average against lefties to .147/.247/.245.

Purr:

Ryan Raburn is thriving in his platoon role. After Friday's 2-for-4 night, he's 7-for-12 with a homer and three RBIs in his last three games. Is Raburn playing well enough (swinging a hot enough bat) to warrant some playing time against right-handed pitching, as well? Or is he being used correctly right now?

Comment of the Night:

they went from being fun to watch

to painful to look at in a week

by rwum14

Nate Robertson Gets His Old Job Back

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 11:50:52 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Is Nate Robertson, rather than Jarrod Washburn, the late-season boost to the starting rotation that the Detroit Tigers were seeking?

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Lost in the afterglow of the Detroit Tigers' comeback 5-3 win at Tampa Bay yesterday was a decision about the starting rotation. (It wasn't lost in the comments of our recap, however, as people talked about this quite a bit.)

As first reported by MLB.com's Alden Gonzalez (subbing in for Jason Beck), Jim Leyland has decided to keep Nate Robertson as a starter, and move Armando Galarraga to the bullpen.

This development isn't a big surprise, in light of Robertson's performance in his last two starts. He's allowed one earned run in 10 innings (for an 0.90 ERA), with eight strikeouts and three walks. His velocity seems to have returned, as well as the sharp movement on his slider. Those growths in Robertson's left elbow probably inhibited him more than we realized as he was struggling to make the team during Spring Training (and perhaps throughout last season, as well).

Robertson will start Friday night at home against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Galarraga, on the other hand, who was optioned to Toledo to rest an inflamed elbow, started on Saturday and didn't look very good at all. Pitching less than three innings, he gave up six runs, four hits, and three walks. Leyland didn't completely rule out a return to the rotation for Galarraga, depending on how Jarrod Washburn's sore left knee recovers. (Washburn is scheduled to start on Thursday vs. the Royals.) But the plan for now is to keep him in the bullpen.

As you know if you've been watching Galarraga all season, he hasn't looked quite right since April. The question is whether the problems are physical or mental with Galarraga. Obviously, the sore elbow is an issue right now, but he's had continued difficulty throwing strikes. Leyland has been critical of him for not being aggressive enough and attacking hitters.

I've been of the opinion that Galarraga suddenly fancied himself a strikeout pitcher, after averaging approximately one per inning through his four April starts. That's not how he found success last year.

A Little Bit of Everything: Tigers 8, Rays 6

Ian Casselberry — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 16:05:54 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

It's not a win until the pitcher who finishes the game gets to pat Gerald Laird on the head. Brandon Lyon had the honors last night, getting the save in an 8-6 win over Tampa.

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Was this the most exciting win of the season? Early on, there was despair, as Armando Galarraga looked like someone who hadn't pitched for a couple of weeks, whose right elbow might still be bothering him a bit. The Rays jumped on him early for a 4-1 lead, powered by Evan Longoria's three-run homer.

The Tigers cut the lead to 4-3, thanks to a Carlos Guillen two-run triple. (Guillen's batting line this season versus James Shields this season: .714/.714/1.857 with two homers and six RBIs.) Tampa tacked on two more runs in the third inning, and Jim Leyland took Galarraga out before the deficit became insurmountable.

Detroit tied the game in the seventh, with a monstrous two-run homer from Alex Avila and RBI single from Placido Polanco. (One of the Tigers' best offensive plays in this series is pinch-running Wilkin Ramirez on second base. That kid rounds the bases fast. And as far as Avila's homer, that thing might have shown up on radar, had the Tropicana Field roof not contained it.)

Then some unlikely heroes came through when called upon in the eighth. With the bases loaded and one out, pinch-hitter Marcus Thames smacked a RBI single. And with Clete Thomas pinch-running for Magglio Ordonez on third base, Leyland pushed it further by calling for a squeeze play. Adam Everett laid it down to bring in Thomas, and Detroit had a two-run lead.

The Rays threatened to tie the score in their half of the inning, as Zach Miner gave up singles to his first two batters. But when he needed it, Miner got the ground ball he needed, getting Gregg Zaun to hit into a double-play.

Right now, these Tigers have the look of a team that can beat you in several different ways. They can beat you with power, they can beat you with speed, and they will almost certainly beat you with pitching. Leyland seemed to sneer at the idea of bringing up more players in September (except in regards to the bullpen), but this expanded roster gives him many options. And last night, he used just about every one of them.

All of a sudden, the team that couldn't win on the road has won two against the defending American League champions. In September, during a pennant race, when it counts most.

[Apologies for the late recap. The morning got away from me a bit. Blame the holiday?]

Roar:

The Tigers' bullpen did a fantastic job taking over for Galarraga, pitching almost seven innings of scoreless baseball, and giving up just four hits. Perhaps most notable among the six relievers used was Jeremy Bonderman, pitching in the majors for the first time since early June. Bondo looked pretty good, striking out two batters in his 1.2 innings.

And Brandon Lyon, taking over as closer for the fatigued Fernando Rodney, showed Tigers fans what a 1-2-3 ninth inning looks like. You mean a closer can get a save without spiking our blood pressure?

Comment of the Night:

TB's bullpen is crumbelievable

by explosivo2k2

And your runner-up, because this game was a duel of rotating pitchers.

Don Kelly Called Up, Along With Armando Galarraga

Ian Casselberry — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 20:05:13 -0000

As already mentioned in the comments of our last post, (and reported by Jason Beck), Don Kelly has been added to the Tigers' roster. He was called up from Triple-A Toledo along with Armando Galarraga, who's recovered from his elbow inflammation and will start tonight for Jarrod Washburn.

Kelly hit 250/.308/.354 in 19 games with the Tigers through most of June and early July. With the Mud Hens, he batted .331/.404/.465 with six homers and 40 RBIs. He also played virtually every position on the field, so it'll be interesting to see if he's used anywhere else besides left field.

Since Kelly wasn't on the 40-man roster, Jeff Larish was also called up and then added to the 60-day disabled list. He's recovering from wrist surgery.

Washburn to Skip Next Start; Galarraga Fills In

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:40:35 -0000

Jarrod Washburn's sore knee (the left one, not the right) is giving him enough trouble to miss a start, after all.

After discussing the situation with Jim Leyland, the team has decided to skip Washburn's next turn in the starting rotation. Armando Galarraga, who's eligible to rejoin the team this weekend, will fill in Saturday at Tampa Bay. (He was originally scheduled to pitch a rehab start for Toledo on Friday.) Washburn will now be pushed back to pitch next Thursday at Kansas City.

According to Jason Beck, Washburn has been told there is probably some cartilage damage in the knee. But as with Brandon Inge's knee injury, not much that can be done about it until after the season. So for now, rest is the best prescription.

More Call-Ups For the Tigers?

Ian Casselberry — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 13:35:24 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Armando Galarraga wasn't listed among the Tigers' September call-ups yesterday, but he'll rejoin the team on Saturday, when his required 10-day minor league assignment is completed.

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Today is the day major league teams can expand their rosters, and the Detroit Tigers announced six players they're calling up from Triple-A Toledo. But could more be on the way?

According to Jason Beck, the Tigers plan on adding more players once the Mud Hens' season ends next week. Foremost among them will be the one name that was conspicuously absent yesterday (yet we didn't mention), pitcher Armando Galarraga.

Apparently, the Tigers are sticking to the 10-day assignment normally required for options to the minors, rather than move pieces around on the 40-man roster to get Galarraga back up here sooner. Perhaps they want him to rest that elbow more. Or maybe Nate Robertson's start on Saturday was impressive enough to temper any urgency.

Galarraga is eligible to be recalled from Toledo on Saturday. In the meantime, he's scheduled to pitch for the Mud Hens on Friday.

So who else could be coming up to bolster the roster? Freddy Dolsi, Clay Rapada, and Zach Simons could each give the Tigers' bullpen a fresh arm to use. Simons (62 strikeouts in 66.1 innings) would be the most appealing of the three, given that we haven't seen him pitch in Detroit yet. Alfredo Figaro might be someone who can help fill in if any starters need a rest, as Tom Gage points out.

On the position side, it's a little trickier, since players like Don Kelly and Scott Sizemore aren't on the 40-man roster. Sizemore seems unlikely to get the call, as he's one of the players the Tigers will send to the Arizona Fall League. It's probably more important for his development to play regularly there, as opposed to sit on the bench in Detroit.

Kelly, however, can play virtually every position on the field and supplies a decent left-handed bat, though not much power. He hit .250/.308/.354 in 19 games with the Tigers through most of June and early July, playing almost exclusively in left field. With the Mud Hens, however, he has a .329/.402/.465 average, which puts him in contention for the International League batting title. But to add him, the Tigers would have to do something like move Jeff Larish to the 60-day DL.

The Return of Nate Robertson

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:45:34 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Nate Robertson returns to the Detroit Tigers on Saturday, making his first start for the team since September of last year.

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Guess who's coming to pitch on Saturday?

The Detroit Tigers made a rather surprising announcement before yesterday's game, scheduling Nate Robertson as Saturday night's starter versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Whose spot will he take in the starting rotation? Armando Galarraga was optioned to Triple-A Toledo, in order to rest an inflamed right elbow.

Robertson has pitched well on his rehab assignment with the Mud Hens, posting a 1.89 ERA in 19 innings. Perhaps most impressive is the 21 strikeouts he's thrown versus four walks. Robertson's last appearance was surely the one that indicated to the Tigers he was fully recovered from elbow surgery. In a start on Tuesday, he allowed three hits in 6.2 shutout innings, adding nine strikeouts and two walks. Saturday will be the first start he's made for Detroit since September 24 last year.

Galarraga was originally scheduled to pitch on Friday, but with Thursday's off-day, the Tigers can push Rick Porcello up from Saturday. And since Robertson only threw 68 pitches on Tuesday, he can apparently go on three days of rest, instead of the usual four.

Why not just put Galarraga on the disabled list? As Jason Beck explains, optioning him to the minors allows him to be called up once rosters can expand on September 1. And since Galarraga's elbow trouble isn't so serious as to require a 15-day recovery, this gives the Tigers a chance to give him a shorter rest.

But wait, doesn't Galarraga have to spend 10 days in the minors? And wouldn't that mean he isn't eligible to be on a possible playoff roster? Well, it's a bit complicated, but the answer appears to be no.

To the best of my understanding (and Billfer's explanation of playoff eligibility has become invaluable in just two days), Galarraga can be on the playoff roster because he would replace an injured player. In this case, it would be Joel Zumaya, who's playoff-eligible because he's on the DL, but is out for the rest of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery last week.

So if Robertson proves he can pitch capably, he'd likely be able to fill in at various spots in the rotation. That would allow the Tigers to reduce Porcello's workload, or perhaps give a short rest to Justin Verlander or Edwin Jackson, both of whom are nearing 200 innings.