SB Nation - Ryan Raburn

Why (And How) The Cubs Should Trade For Curtis Granderson

Al — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 17:39:01 -0000

by Duane Burleson - AP

In addition to a good bat, Curtis Granderson would give the Cubs plus defense in CF.

I'm not sure I really have to convince anyone here of the premise of the headline of this article; numerous people have already posted here about how useful Curtis Granderson would be in the Cubs' outfield, and several traditional media articles in both Chicago and Detroit have discussed this possibility (and those are just three examples of dozens of such articles). Granderson himself is busy this winter pitching a reality TV series:

The Detroit Tigers player has agreed to host a TV and online series titled "Stadium Secrets" where he takes sports fans on an exploration of stadiums.

The concept is similar to Authentic’s "Cities of the Underworld" on History channel.

"Authentic will be providing an exclusive, VIP experience for fans everywhere – a behind-the-scenes journey that will be exciting for all of us. I am eager to begin working on this project and look forward to a successful partnership," Granderson said.

Sounds interesting. I'm hoping Granderson gets to explore Wrigley Field in detail starting next summer. In the meantime, after the jump I'm going to examine Granderson's numbers in detail, explain why he's a perfect fit for Chicago and the Cubs, and look at who the Cubs might have to give the Tigers in exchange.

We have to first start this discussion with a couple of assumptions. First, we assume that Milton Bradley has been, or will be, traded before any Granderson deal, thus opening up center field for the Cubs (with Kosuke Fukudome moving back to right field, a position he plays better; this would solidify Cubs defense in two positions). It is, of course, possible that Bradley could be part of a deal for Granderson, but I am going to operate here under the assumption that he's not, that Bradley will be dealt to some other team (the Rays?) and that any Granderson trade would be a separate transaction.

Second, I think you have to assume that Granderson has to be, at this stage of his career -- he will be 29 on March 16, not old, but getting toward the end of his "best" year capability -- platooned, at least to some extent. His career splits:

vs. RHP: .292/.367/.528, .894 OPS
vs. LHP: .210/.270/.344, .614 OPS

Last year it was even more extreme:

vs. RHP: .275/.358/.539, .897 OPS
vs. LHP: .183/.245/.239, .484 OPS

Against RHP, Granderson hits almost as well as Aramis Ramirez -- All-Star level. Against LHP... well, he's basically Aaron Miles. So you'd probably want to re-sign Reed Johnson to give Granderson a break against LHP. Johnson doesn't hit righthanders, but against LHP his career line is .313/.378/.463, an OPS of .841, nearly as good as Granderson vs. RHP. These two together would produce outstanding offensive numbers from the CF position and good defense. The Tigers started Granderson in 155 games in 2009 because, well, they really didn't have any other choice. The other eight (remember, the Tigers played 163 games in 2009) games were started by Josh Anderson (1), Clete Thomas (2) and Ryan Raburn (5), and of those guys, only Raburn can hit (he hits LHP pretty well -- the Tigers could have gotten more offense out of CF if they had played Raburn there a bit more often vs. LHP).

So a modified platoon of Granderson and Reed Johnson would be, in my opinion, the ticket to success for the Cubs outfield. I say "modified" because Johnson would also have to spell Fukudome in RF from time to time; on those days, Granderson would have to start in CF vs. LHP. Sam Fuld would stick with the team as the fifth outfielder, someone who could take over in the late innings for Alfonso Soriano. The Cubs' outfield would be very good defensively and close to outstanding offensively.

Granderson's contract, though it has three full years to run (and a 2013 option) is not onerous. Like many Jim Hendry contracts in recent years, it's backloaded. In 2010, Granderson is due to make a somewhat-reasonable $5.5 million; that increases to $8.25 million in 2011 and $10 million in 2012, with a $2 million buyout in 2013 (all figures, as always, from the excellent Cot's Baseball Contracts), that would increase to $13 million (with some escalators to that based on performance) if the option is exercised. That would make the total financial commitment $25.25 million (presuming the buyout is done), spread over four years from 2010-2013. That's not unreasonable for a player of Granderson's ability.

Now -- how do you get him? The Tigers seem to be in partial-sell mode; that is, they'd like to shed some of their big-dollar contracts, but not get into full rebuilding mode. Thus, you'd need to get them at least a couple of players who could step in right now and contribute at the major league level. I can't find the link right now, but in a recent Baseball America online chat, a question was asked to BA's Jim Callis about this type of deal:

Q: Would Josh Vitters, Jake Fox, and Jay Jackson be enough for the Cubs to land Curtis Granderson if he really is available? Would you do that deal if you were the Cubs?

Jim Callis: I would think so. The Tigers have to dump salary, so I might try to hold onto Vitters and see if Detroit would take Ryan Flaherty, or hold onto Jackson and offer a lesser pitcher. But the Cubs are in win-now mode, and I think they'd bite.

I'd do this deal. Starlin Castro may be the flavor-of-the-month after his .376/.396/.491 performance in the Arizona Fall League, but I think he has higher upside than Vitters, who also hit well in the AFL (.353/.380/.455), and I would not trade Castro. It's entirely possible that Vitters will become a good major league player -- but you're getting a good major league player in return. Jake Fox is miscast in the National League; though he worked hard at playing 3B, C, LF and RF, his best position is DH. Throw in the fact that he played college ball at the University of Michigan, and he's a natural for Detroit. Jay Jackson has been up and down in the Cubs organization and while he has talent, I'm not quite sure what role the Cubs have in mind for him. He was exclusively a starter in 2009 after starting and relieving in 2008.

Callis thinks this would get a deal done and I'd do it -- but I suspect the Tigers might ask for Andrew Cashner instead of Jackson. That's a high price to pay -- Cashner has a shot at the major league bullpen for the Cubs in 2010 and he could even be viewed as a closer candidate by the Tigers, who are likely to let Fernando Rodney walk. (Rodney had a decent year in his first full season as closer, but will be 33 in March.)

I'd still do Vitters, Cashner and Fox for Granderson. For those of you who say, "No way! Keep those prospects! We can't give up both Vitters and Cashner!", I say that one of the things you can do with your prospects is turn them into productive major league players. The Cubs did this in acquiring Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez; when D-Lee was acquired he was just about the same age Granderson is now.

I might even do Vitters, Fox, Cashner AND Jackson for Granderson. To illustrate why, let me tell you a little story I just read about from Cubs history. Take it for what it's worth, because it came from the new edition of Leo Durocher's (ghostwritten by Ed Linn) autobiography, "Nice Guys Finish Last" (mini-book-review: recommended, for its interesting take on Durocher's era in baseball history). In it, he describes having discussions along with GM John Holland, with the Baltimore Orioles in the winter of 1971 about trading for Frank Robinson. According to the book, the Orioles asked for five young players -- pitchers Earl Stephenson, Jim Colborn, Bill Bonham, Joe Decker and outfielder Brock Davis. Durocher's book says they hedged, asking to make it four-for-one, not wanting to give up both Decker and Bonham.

You know what? They should have offered Baltimore GM Frank Cashen a handshake and done the deal right then and there. The next day, Robinson was traded to the Dodgers -- for four minor leaguers, only one of whom (Doyle Alexander) had a significant major league career.

The day after that, the Cubs traded Stephenson, Colborn and Davis to the Brewers for Jose Cardenal. Stephenson and Davis never had any significant impact in the major leagues. Colborn did have a few decent major league seasons, winning 20 games for the Brewers in 1973. Bill Bonham never became the big winner the Cubs thought he would; eventually he was traded to the Reds for Woodie Fryman and Bill Caudill. Joe Decker was traded to the Twins (with Bill Hands) a year later for Dave LaRoche.

None of those deals would have had the impact that getting Frank Robinson to play right field for the 1972 Cubs would have had. At 35, Robinson was past his best years, but would have been a far better hitter in Wrigley Field than he was in Dodger Stadium that year. (Robinson also got hurt in 1972 and missed almost 60 games; whether that would have happened to him as a Cub is unknown, obviously.)

The 1972 Cubs finished fourth in the league in runs scored and would have been a better offensive team with Frank Robinson than they were with Jose Cardenal; neither Bonham nor Decker had any significant impact on the '72 team.

The point is, that sometimes you have to take team "prospects" -- who may never pan out to what you hope they will -- to win now. Trading Vitters and Jay Jackson -- or even Vitters, Jackson and Cashner -- may provide dividends to the Detroit Tigers two or three years down the road. But acquiring Curtis Granderson, who, in addition to his talent on the field, is also, from all reports, a good clubhouse guy who spends a lot of time giving back to the community (and is a native Chicagoan), would go a long way to helping the 2010 Cubs return to the playoffs and give them a chance to win it all.

And isn't that what we all want?

As we often say here... GETITDON EJIM.

Morning Prowl: Edwin Jackson Q&A, End of Season Awards, Milton Bradley, and Goodbye Metrodome

Ian Casselberry — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:05:38 -0000

More photos » by Charles Rex Arbogast - AP

Is there growing support in the Tigersosphere for Milton Bradley wearing the Old English D next season?

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Edwin Jackson talked to David Laurila in a Q&A for Baseball Prospectus. Topics discussed include Jackson's transition from outfielder to pitcher early in his professional career, changes he made in his game from 2008 to 2009, and his own expectations.

Unfortunately, the interview was conducted back in August, when the Tigers played in Boston. So there's no reflection on the way the season ended, Jackson's problems with his slider, or his September struggles. But it's a reminder of how good Jackson's overall performance was, and how improbable it all seemed back in December when he was acquired.

At Minor League Ball, John Sickels is doing some rookie reviews. On Friday, he reviewed Alex Avila's 2009 season. What initially looked like a desperate move to some (myself included) ended up working out pretty well for the Tigers, though Jim Leyland rode his veteran players hard down the stretch, which kept Avila on the bench for long stretches.

What's interesting is that Avila hit for more power in his brief major league stint than he did in the minors, but that could change next year if pitchers throw him fewer fastballs. Avila also maintains rookie eligibility for next season, as he only got 61 at-bats. (130 is the cutoff.)

DesigNate Robertson has its 2009 End of Season Awards ready for you. Rogo's choice for AL Cy Young was an interesting one, though he makes a good case. And I especially enjoyed his pick for Most Improved Tiger. His choice for Tiger Blog of the Year also gets a ringing endorsement.

(And on a serious note to Rogo: Thank you for the kind words and your support throughout the season.)

Since demondeaconsbaseball took a lot of crap for suggesting Milton Bradley be a part of the 2010 Detroit Tigers (and not just on this blog), I thought it was worth pointing out that Patrick Hayes had a similar idea at It's Just Sports. The differences in each suggestion are who would be traded to get Bradley, and which position Bradley would play.

Following up on that point, Fire Jim Leyland also likes the idea of getting Bradley and crunches the numbers on what his value would be to the Tigers next season (assuming he can stay healthy and is due for a rebound in his offensive numbers).

"Squander!" was a popular outcry in BYB GameThreads this season. But did the 2009 Tigers score as many runs as they were supposed to? Tiger Tales applies a formula called "weighted runs created" to Detroit's offensive output this past season, and the results might surprise you.

At The Spot Starters, Blake gives Ryan Raburn his due. If the Tigers' roster looks much the same next season, should Raburn be the favorite for the left field job?

With Dave Dombrowski seeming to imply that Scott Sizemore will be Detroit's second baseman next season, the Freep's John Lowe looks at Sizemore's career in the Tigers' organization thus far.

Also handing out postseason awards are Tigers Tracks and Mack Avenue Tigers. John named a winner for major award in both leagues, while Kurt kept his picks to the American League for now.

(SB Nation will announce their bloggers' picks for the major awards after the conclusion of the World Series, I believe.)

While Tigers fans (and baseball fans) likely won't join the Star-Tribune's Joe Christensen in saying a sentimental goodbye to the Metrodome, this photo posted on Big League Stew could warm a few hearts in this chilly autumn weather.

Pride in Defeat: Twins 6, Tigers 5

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 16:45:49 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

There was no champagne in the Detroit Tigers' clubhouse on Tuesday night, but high-fives, forearm bumps, and handshakes were much deserved.

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In the days and weeks to come, the collapse will probably be the story. Post-mortem examinations will be performed on the 2009 Detroit Tigers, and plenty of people will point to what they see as the cause of loss. And we have nothing but time in which to go over that stuff.

But for now, hours after Carlos Gomez glided across home plate and then jumped in the air just before his Minnesota Twins teammates swarmed him in celebration, the game should be the story. And maybe, just maybe, the game will be a determining factor in how this season is ultimately perceived. Maybe the little picture deserves to overtake the big picture. Just this once.

Because this game was that good. It had drama. Suspense. Triumph. Despair. Anger. Jubiliation. And unfortunately, for the Tigers and their fans, defeat.

Years from now, many people might still be talking about where they were on October 6, 2009, and the five hours they spent watching the Tigers and Twins fight it out for a division title. And though there is most certainly disappointment in the final result among Tigers fans, there's no need for shame. Under the big spotlight, the Tigers showed what they were made of.

Roar:

Miguel Cabrera took out four days' worth of humiliation on the baseball, crushing it to right-center in the third inning. After weeks of waiting for him to come up big when his team needed him, he did so. Magglio Ordonez continued the revival that looked all but improbable during the summer, hitting a game-tying homer in the eighth inning.

Rick Porcello showed everyone that he grew out of rookie status months ago, striking out eight batters in less than six innings, while allowing only one earned run.

Ryan Raburn became the latest victim of the optical illusion that is the Metrodome roof, losing sight of Michael Cuddyer's sinking liner to left and letting it get past him for a triple. Yet in that very same 10th inning, Raburn redeemed himself by throwing Alexi Casilla out at home plate after he tagged up badly on Nick Punto's shallow fly ball.

Fernando Rodney - the guy who shouldn't ever pitch in a non-save situation, and is never used more than one inning - pitched three innings of relief, throwing 48 pitches. Yes, he ended up allowing two runs, including the game-winner. His name gets the "L" next to it in the boxscore, but when he was the best pitcher the Tigers had in late innings, he gave the Tigers the chances they needed to win the ballgame.

Whimper:

You could feel Tiger Town's collective cringe when Zach Miner took over for Porcello in the sixth. Yet the man had pitched 12 straight scoreless innings before Tuesday night. No one's going to remember that, though. Not after he gave up four hits in less than one inning. Not after Orlando Cabrera's drive to left just snuck over the left-field wall for a two-run homer to give the Twins a 4-3 lead.

The game went far beyond that, but those looking for a scapegoat have a convenient target in Miner.

Jim Leyland will also surely receive plenty of criticism for how he leaned so heavily on Brandon Lyon and Rodney. (Or choosing Miner to take over for Porcello.) Not pinch-hitting for Gerald Laird in either the eighth, 10th, or 12th innings (especially in the 12th, with the bases loaded) is worth revisiting, also. (Laird went 0-for-6, with 10 men left on base.)

And home plate umpire Randy Marsh ought to be a favorite target of Tigers bloggers for years to come. Calling Placido Polanco out on strikes on a pitch in the ninth inning that was almost a foot inside? Or how about refusing to acknowledge that a pitch grazed Brandon Inge's jersey in the 12th? With the bases loaded, that would've forced in a run. Even the Minnesota writers focused on that play.

Perhaps such a game shouldn't have been decided on such a call. But it stinks that Marsh's interpretation was so pivotal.

Okay, that might be a little bit of the bitterness bubbling up. And really, there shouldn't be any of that today.

Comment of the Night:

I've gone from loving baseball to hating baseball to loving it again in a very short amount of time

It’s very confusing

by Dberg

And your runner-up. What an amazing night. You guys really, really brought it. Eight overflow threads! More than 4,600 comments! And that's not even including the 480 comments posted after the game. The BYB community made a spectacular showing of itself, and your grace in defeat was noticed.

Congratulations. And thank you.

Twins are Central Division Champs!

cmathewson — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 02:45:32 -0000

More photos » by Jim Mone - AP

2 months ago: Minnesota Twins' Carlos Gomez (22) scores the game-winning run as his teammates follow during the 12th inning of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2009, in Minneapolis. The Twins won 6-5 to take the AL Central title. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

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They saved their best for last. In what will go down as the best regular season game in Metrodome history, the Twins matched the Tigers hit for hit and play for play, eventually winning in the bottom of the 12th to claim the Central Division Championship.

The Twins became the first team in baseball history to win the pennant after being behind by three games with four games to play. Both teams stranded runners, had runners thrown out in razor close plays, and failed in key situations. On the flip side, both teams got outs when they really needed them, especially late. Both managers used their whole bench and their whole bullpens to punch and counter punch into the 12th inning. Finally, it was Alexi Casilla, who redeemed himself for a late break on a tag play in the bottom of the 10th, to hit the game winning single, scoring Carlos Gomez from second.

Neither player started the game--Gomez was a defensive substitution and Casilla was a pinch runner. Neither player played much down the stretch as both players were benched during the season. But their presence in the middle of the mob around home plate as the Twins celebrated their fifth division championship this decade is indicative of the Twins season. It took the entire team to win this division and it took the entire team to win this game.

The largest regular season crowd in Metrodome history screamed and waved their hankies, standing for most of the extra frames. In the end, they made the loudest noise I've ever heard on TV to cheer for the most improbable comeback in baseball history. Now the team is carrying that energy into the clubhouse, spraying champagne on their teammates and hooting and hollering.

Starters Scott Baker and Rick Porcello matched each other pitch for pitch through five innings. Actually, Porcello pitched better than Baker, striking out eight in his five innings of work. He used a different approach tonight. The sinker baller threw high fastballs, striking out hitter after hitter, including the American League Batting Champion on a check swing--his first check swing strikeout of the year. But eventually Porcello tired and the Twins got him for two runs, and forcing Jim Leyland to go to his bullpen earlier than he wanted.

Baker gave up three runs in the third, but held the Tigers right there into the seventh. Jon Rauch got him out of a jam, one of six relievers to strand runners late in the game to keep the Twins in it. Jose Mijares, Matt Guerrier, Joe Nathan, Jesse Crain and finally Bobby Keppel clawed their way through the late innings. Nathan got a big double play in his second inning of work with the winning run on third and Keppel stranded the bases loaded in the top of the 12th to get his first major league victory.

The Twins got homers from Jason Kubel and Orlando Cabrera, the latter gave the team a 4-3 lead going into the eight inning. But the Tigers came back to tie it on a homer by Maglio Ordonez. After the Ordonez homer, Ron Gardenhire brought in Nathan who got out of a jam in the eighth and into one in the ninth. But Ordonez lined into a double play to keep the game tied going into the bottom of the inning and send it into extras, where the intensity of the game seemed to dial up a notch in every inning.

The Tigers scored their fifth run in the top of the tenth off Jesse Crain. Aubrey Huff was brushed by a pitch and Brandon Inge lined a double to score pinch runner Don Kelly from first on a bang-bang play at home. But the Twins came back in the bottom of the inning. Michael Cuddyer hit what looked like a single that Ryan Raburn tried to make a circus catch on and it got by him all the way to the wall for a triple. After a ground out and a walk, Matt Tolbert hit a six hopper up the middle past Placido Polanco to score Cuddyer with the tying run.

In the top of the 12th, the Tigers loaded the bases against Bobby Keppel. Brandon Inge appeared to be hit by a pitch but was not awarded first by Plate Umpire Randy Marsh, who had a tough night behind the plate. Inge instead grounded into a 4-2 force at the plate to keep the game tied. Keppel got Gerald Laird to swing at a 3-2 slider at the shoe tops to preserve the tie and set up the 12th inning heroics.

Fernando Rodney, pitching in his fourth inning, allowed leadoff hitter Gomez to hit a single to left. Cuddyer moved him to second on a ground out. And then Leyland did the Twins a favor by intentionally walking Delmon Young to get to Alexi Casilla. Young had grounded out on the first pitch four times in the game, and Casilla was 3-6 off the tiring Rodney before rolling the first pitch into right field for the game and division winning hit.

Studs:

Joe Nathan: Five of the toughest outs of the year.

Matt Tolbert: He keep battling and coming up big in key situations.

Orlando Cabrera: His 2-run dinger gave the Twins a momentary lead and put a charge into the Dome.

Joe Mauer: 2-4 with two walks and some huge plays behind the plate on balls in the dirt.

Nick Punto: He had two huge at bats and a heads-up play to home when the conventional play would have been to second in the twelfth to preserve the tie.

Duds:

Randy Marsh: My brother Stu called me after the third inning complaining about the tight strike zone. Porcello got a lot of calls that Baker did not tonight, and that trend continued into the late innings, especially on the low strike. But Marsh was not kind to the Tigers either, missing the Inge HBP with the bases loaded in a tie game.

Delmon Young: When this guy stops swinging at the first pitch, he'll be pretty good.

Honor Redeemed:

Alexi Casilla: Casilla was down the line a couple of steps when Raburn caught what looked like the game winning sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 10th. Because of the late tag, he was thrown out at the plate by inches. If he's standing on the bag for the tag, he should have scored the winning run. Instead he hit the game winner in the bottom of the 12th.

Ryan Raburn: Rayburn played a single into a triple in the bottom of the tenth, allowing the tying run to eventually score. That same inning, he gunned down the winning run at the plate.

Bring on Game 163: Tigers 5, White Sox 3

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 02:15:30 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

Ryan Raburn acknowledges the Comerica Park crowd after hitting his second home run of the game Sunday in a must-win game for the Detroit Tigers.

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Saturday morning, I was out for breakfast with my mother. Naturally, the Tigers came up in conversation. ("You're still doing that?" - Just kidding; she didn't say that. Not out loud, anyway.)

Eventually, I said that the Tigers were still in good shape because Justin Verlander was pitching on Sunday.

"Is he really that good?" Mom asked.

Yes, Mom, he's that good.

This is why teams want that one great starting pitcher, that ace that can carry you to heights you might not otherwise reach. This is why Jim Leyland saved Verlander for today, in case the Tigers absolutely needed a win to extend their season. And this is why the Detroit Tigers live to play at least one more game.

Verlander dominated the White Sox for seven innings, allowing no runs and just two hits. And just to make sure that effort stood up, the Tigers' lineup scored five runs, thanks largely to Ryan Raburn and Magglio Ordonez. Verlander tired out in the eighth inning, giving up four straight hits that resulted in three White Sox runs. That made the crowd at Comerica Park (and any other Tigers fans watching on TV, obviously) squirm in their seats with dread.

But Fernando Rodney took over to get the last out of the eighth, and retired the side in order in the ninth to close out the ballgame and ensure a one-game tiebreaker on Tuesday in Minneapolis. (The Tigers had a chance to win the division outright, but the Twins crushed the Royals, 13-4, to stay tied for first in the AL Central.)

And so one more game is needed to decide this division. Just when the Tigers (and their fans) thought they'd never have to see the Metrodome, again they must enter that teflon-coated field of screams. But how many demons could be conquered, and how many painful memories erased, if they can win there on Tuesday?

Roar:

Besides Verlander's turn in the rotation coming up, perhaps the second most fortunate development of Sunday's game for the Tigers is that they faced a left-handed pitcher. With John Danks getting the start for the White Sox, Raburn was in the lineup. And when he gets a few at-bats in a game this season, he tends to do something. Sunday was no exception.

Raburn went 3-for-4, with two home runs, three RBIs, and three runs scored. For a team that scored one run in its past two games, he provided a much needed jolt. And perhaps Leyland has finally realized that Raburn gives them the best chance to win, announcing after the game that he'll get the start on Tuesday against Scott Baker.

Ordonez also continued being the Tigers' most consistent bat with a 4-for-4 day. He's now on a 12-game hitting streak, during which he's batted ~~18-for-40~~ 22-for-44. (Thanks for the correction in the comments.)

Purr:

A closer's job changes a bit in the postseason. No pitching strictly in the ninth inning. If more than three outs are needed to finish off a playoff game, a closer has to extend himself. Rodney's track record hasn't been great when he's asked to pitch in situations other than what a closer is accustomed to.

But the Tigers needed someone to finish off the eighth inning on Sunday, and Leyland figured he might as well put his best guy in there. Their season was on the line, after all. And he'll likely have to do it again if the Tigers make the playoffs. Consider also that Rodney was working a day game after a night game in which he threw 24 pitches.

Comment of the Day:

Okay, forget my statements about Raburn being 0-for-8 against Danks with 5 Ks

by SabreRoseTiger

Tigers Win! Game 162 Afterglow

Ian Casselberry — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 19:45:06 -0000

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

Magglio Ordonez continued his hot hitting on Sunday, batting 4-for-4 with a solo homer on a day the Detroit Tigers needed every run they could get.

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At the very least, there will be bonus baseball Tuesday evening at the Metrodome.

The Detroit Tigers won the game they had to win, with Justin Verlander pitching the game his team desperately needed. For seven innings, he allowed only two hits and no runs.

And somebody in the Detroit dugout brought his bat to the ballpark today. Namely, Ryan Raburn, who blasted two home runs as part of a 3-for-4 day. Magglio Ordonez was perfect at the plate, batting 4-for-4, highlighted by a solo homer.

Tigers beat the White Sox, 5-3! Full recap to come. But for now, enjoy the afterglow.

(And check in on that Twins-Royals game, though Minnesota currently leads 7-1.)

Squeeze Out Another Win: Tigers 3, Indians 1

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:10:08 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

Ryan Raburn continues to get it done for the Detroit Tigers, hitting a solo homer and throwing out a runner at home to help beat the Indians on Tuesday night.

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On paper (and in the boxscore), this one almost looked pretty. Edwin Jackson pitched seven shutout innings, and the Detroit Tigers' lineup provided just enough offense with three runs.

Look a bit closer, however, and you see that Jackson gave up seven hits and three walks. Four of those hits were in his first two innings, as he had trouble throwing first-pitch strikes and quickly fell behind the Indians' hitters. Maybe it was a case of Jackson getting used to his new, no-pitch-tipping delivery.

But Jackson eventually found his groove, and the Indians never really threatened to tie the game, despite the Tigers holding a narrow 1-0 lead. (Their best chance was in the bottom of the seventh, with two runners on, but Jackson struck out Trevor Crowe to end the threat.)

Detroit eventually added some insurance runs in the eighth, thanks to an RBI double from Miguel Cabrera and sacrifice fly from Marcus Thames. But the game got pretty tight, thanks largely to a tight strike zone from home plate umpire Paul Schreiber. (Hey, haven't the Tigers had trouble with that guy before? Yes, they have.)

Bobby Seay and Brandon Lyon (Seay-Lyon!) loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. And with the bases full, Lyon walked Jamey Carroll, ruining the Tigers' shutout. But if you look at Gameday, you can see that Schreiber's strike zone was ridiculous. A fastball virtually down the middle was called a ball (here's a screen shot), as was an inside fastball that drew the walk.

(Here's further evidence of Schreiber's strike zone from Brooks Baseball, via The Detroit Tigers Weblog.)

But Lyon eventually struck out Luis Valbuena to get out of the jam, and Fernando Rodney pitched an impressively efficient ninth inning (10 pitches, eight strikes) to close out a game that could've turned ugly in so many ways.

If the Indians were a better team right now, they may well have won this game. (They knocked out 10 hits and left 10 runners on base.) And it's something of a disappointment that the Tigers' lineup didn't score more runs off Aaron Laffey, who was a punching bag in his previous two starts and gave Detroit 10 baserunners in this game.

But right now, any win - no matter how it comes about - is crucial (especially when the Twins won, as well).

Roar:

Against left-handed pitching, does it not seem like Ryan Raburn is the Tigers' only source of offense? He gave Jackson the lead he needed with a solo homer in the third inning. And shortly before that, Raburn ended the second inning by throwing Matt LaPorta out at home plate.

I've brought this up a couple of times now (including last night's Afterglow), but I'll keep beating this drum. (Sorry, that's on the mind after another night of incessant pounding from Cleveland.) Raburn needs to be the Tigers' full-time left fielder right now. (Worry about next season next year.)

Comment of the Night:

It would be fitting if Illitch paid Maggs in singles

by rock n rye

Game 151: Tigers 3, Indians 1

Ryan — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:08:30 -0000

More photos » by Tony Dejak - AP

2 months ago: Cleveland Indians' Matt LaPorta, right, is tagged out by Detroit Tigers catcher Gerald Laird in the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2009, in Cleveland. LaPorte tried to score from second base on a single by Trevor Crowe. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

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One monotonous day is followed
by another monotonous, identical day. The same
things will happen, they will happen again --
the same moments find us and leave us.

A month passes and ushers in another month.
One easily guesses the coming events;
they are the boring ones of yesterday.
And the morrow ends up not resembling a morrow anymore.

-Constantine P. Cavafy

I thought the game was over when Ryan Raburn hit a home run in the third inning. It wasn't quite over, for the Indians would score a run, but it might as well have been. The Indians have been losing in boring, monotonous regularity, a feature of an especially awful baseball team. Many of the players on this team have futures, but it seems that everyone's taking their cues from their manager, who can see his end approaching. Tonight's loss made nine in a row for the Indians, a season high

Aaron Laffey pitched very well despite a tight strike zone. After struggling in his past two starts, Laffey pitched into the seventh, leaving with the Indians just down a run, a winnable situation for a club of any offensive ability. Unfortunately, the Indians' long run came after Chris Perez gave up two runs in the eighth. Although Cleveland would have an excellent opportunity in the bottom of the inning, three runs were too much to overcome for this punchless offense.

To make matters worse, Matt LaPorta had to leave the game with a hip injury. LaPorta's "only" hitting .235/.278/.426 this month, which ranks among the best on the team. Andy Marte, who is again buried on the bench in favor of Trevor Crowe, got a couple at-bats in place of LaPorta, but I expect we'll be seeing a Chris Gimenez start tomorrow.

Next Up: Porcello vs. Masterson, 7:05 PM

via www.fangraphs.com

Highest WPA		Lowest WPA
Aaron Laffey	.214	Jhonny Peralta	-.220
Shin-Soo Choo	.109	Luis Valbuena	-.189
Jamey Carroll	.095	Asdrubal Cabrera	-.148

Tigers Win! Game 150 Afterglow

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:15:10 -0000

Bobby Seay and Brandon Lyon (or "Seay-Lyon," as we like to call them) made the eighth inning far more interesting than Tigers fans would've preferred, giving up a couple of singles and a couple of walks. And we saw the return of the bases-loaded walk, which was one of the most frustrating aspects of the Tigers' pitching staff in mid-season.

But the Indians couldn't get the big hit when it counted, and Detroit takes the first game of a series they really need to win (if not sweep).

Did Edwin Jackson get all better in this start? That might have been the roughest seven shutout innings any pitcher has thrown in a while. But no runs... is no runs. And I ask again: Should Ryan Raburn be the full-time left fielder from here on out?

Full recap later on. But for now, enjoy the afterglow. And I'm sure this will be sort of a Twins-White Sox thread, as well.

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)

Browse more photos »

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.