SB Nation - Zach Miner

Today's Game: Who's! The! Closer?

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:00:28 -0000

More photos » by Steve Nesius - AP

Brandon Lyon will be patting another catcher's head next season, as he's agreed to a three-year deal with the Houston Astros.

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If you didn't already grasp the idea that the 2010 Detroit Tigers baseball club would look different from the 2009 edition, further evidence of that came last night with the news that Brandon Lyon was set to sign with the Houston Astros.

Earlier in the evening, there were rumblings that Lyon was looking for a two-year, $9 million contract, in light of the two-year, $7.5 million deal LaTroy Hawkins signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. And that probably would've been too rich for the Tigers.

So when Lyon ends up agreeing to a three-year, $15 million contract, it's probably safe to say Detroit was never really in the running to re-sign him. Unfortunately, this is the guy the Tigers were presumably hoping would be their closer in 2010. Now, they probably have to go to "Plan B."

But if "Plan B" was Fernando Rodney, he might not be available, either. (I'm thinking Rodney wasn't the Tigers' Plan B, however.) Dave Dombrowski called it "a long shot." And now that the Phillies have lost out on Lyon, they might be targeting Rodney. The buzz around Rodney has almost been non-existent during the offseason, though there were rumblings in early November that the Phillies were interested.

(via The Detroit Tigers Weblog)

Even a lower-cost veteran reliever like J.J. Putz, which seemed like a near-ideal fit for the Tigers, might be out of reach. Reports out of Chicago have the White Sox nearing an agreement with him.

These developments might leave Detroit with no other choice but to go with an in-house option. And considering the investment this team has made in young relievers over the past three years (including the two just acquired in the Curtis Granderson-Edwin Jackson trade), maybe that's a direction the Tigers should've gone in anyway.

Could Joel Zumaya be the first candidate for the closer job? Dombrowski said the team feels he's ready. That might make a lot of fans cringe, given his recent injury. (And surely, the Tigers are nervous about that, as well.) But if he is healthy - and that's been such a big "if" over the past three years - he may be the best choice.

Zumaya has four seasons of experience (not four full seasons, mind you), and if you're a believer that a closer needs to have a certain mindset, being "the man" for the ninth inning appears to be a role he relishes. Plus - and this is not an unimportant point - Jim Leyland seems to trust him.

If Zumaya ends up being the favorite, however, the Tigers need an insurance policy. That's where the depth of young relievers comes in.

Should Ryan Perry be next in line? Zach Miner? (Leyland seems to prefer that sinker for groundball situations, though.) Casey Fien didn't impress all that much in his first two major league stints, but he did save 14 games for the Mud Hens. Is Cody Satterwhite (12 saves with Double-A Erie this year) ready for the big leagues? Robbie Weinhardt? What about Daniel Schlereth?

Who else would you like to see get a shot?

The Top 5 White Sox Games of 2009

U-God — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:49:39 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

The Savior wonders if his accomplishments will appear in the list of the season's best games. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson)

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While the White Sox didn't make the playoffs this year (or finish above .500 for that matter), it never really felt like a chore to watch (at least to me) like 2007 did. Once the season ended (and this lull between playoff rounds began), I started thinking about what games were the best ones from this season. Some caveats: I only went with games we won. I personally don't care much for losses and didn't feel like putting any close, but last second losses in my top 5. Also, this is a pretty subjective exercise, so I don't expect everyone to agree with my choices. Feel free to post your choices in the comments. With that being said, the top 5 games from the 2009 season are after the jump.

5. May 25, @LAA SOX: 17, LAA: 3

The main reason this game makes the cut is the 17 runs were the most the Sox had scored in a game since June 20, 2006. Every starter had a hit, with the Thome, Konerko, and Dye all going yard. The team scored 14 runs through the first five innings, and were only blanked in the sixth and the eighth. The only reason it isn't ranked higher is the game was over by the second inning.

4. April 7, vs. KC SOX: 4, KC:2

Ah, Opening Day. The holiest of all national holidays. We had to wait longer than usual due to a snowout, but the payoff was well worth it. Things looked pretty grim going into the eighth inning, when the worst manager in the AL Central brought in the beloved Kyle Farnsworth. Every now and then, you feel like the baseball game is scripted. When Jim Thome stepped up with two runners on and two outs, it felt like everyone watching knew what would happen next. The season had so much promise back then.

3. April 13, @ DET SOX: 10, DET: 6

While the game itself was fairly unspectacular, the second inning alone insured that it would appear on this list. Leading off, Jermaine Dye would take Zach Miner deep to left-center at 12:23 P.M. for his 300th career homerun. Exactly three minutes later, Paul Konerko would blast one past the left field fence for his 300th as well. This marked the first time in MLB history that two teammates had hit century milestone homeruns back to back. The White Sox even had 7,000 little commemerative figures with a base made to honor the accomplishment (number 4,036 sits proudly on my desk). A normal enough game, but the history makes it pretty special in my eyes.

2. June 27, vs. CHC SOX: 8, CHC: 7

The complete opposite of a pitcher's duel, but an incredibly fun back-and-forth battle throughout gets this game the number two spot on the list. The lead changed hands four times before the Pale Hose tied it up in the eighth on an Alexei Ramirez single. I still remember sitting in left field with my current roommate Dan and wanting the game to come down to Gordon Beckham. Whatever deities may be decided to answer my prayers. With Josh Fields on second and Jayson Nix on first, Gordon Beckham stepped in with two outs. Jose Ascanio's first pitch the the rookie would be crushed into the rightfield gap for our young savior's first walk off hit in the bigs. There was something magical about hearing "Your Love" played before any other victory song.

1. July 23, vs. TB SOX: 5, TB: 0

Was there ever any doubt what game was going to get number one? There have been better articles written than I could ever hope to create. Everything from Fields' grand slam to Wise's miracle catch was fantastic. Even typing this just give me chills. So I'll stop writing about it. Pictures do more justice than I ever could.

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.

The Finish Line is Near: Tigers 7, Twins 2

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 11:45:15 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Magglio Ordonez and Ramon Santiago combined for five RBIs in the Tigers' 7-2 win over the Twins Wednesday night. Surely, that's what they're talking about in this photo.

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It's so close. So very close. Tiger Town is leaning on the dugout rail in anticipation, ready to jump over it and take the field. And if the Detroit Tigers win one more time, we're going to celebrate.

Right now, all things seem possible. Heck, if the Tigers can beat Carl Pavano, what can't they do?

Pavano's mastery over the Tigers lineup was one of the most baffling aspects of this 2009 season. In five starts against Detroit, he had a 4-0 record and 1.69 ERA. Yet overall, he had a 4.86 ERA coming into Wednesday's game. So the Tigers were probably due to finally get to this guy, right?

Oh, they got to Pavano, all right. And did so early, pouncing on him in the second inning with four runs. The Tigers led off with on two singles and a walk. With the bases loaded and no outs, this would either be a chance to finally lay a smackdown on Pavano or commit an epic squandering. There was no squandering. Brandon Inge stroked a two-run double to left-center. Two batters later, Ramon Santiago singled to drive in two more runs.

But the Tigers weren't done with Pavano at that point. They had five games worth of frustration to take out on the guy. In the fifth inning, Detroit again loaded the bases on two singles and a walk. This time, however, there were two outs, so the squandering would not have been epic. But Magglio Ordonez made sure that didn't happen.

Ordonez jumped on a first-pitch fastball up in the strike zone, lacing into a wide-open gap in left-center field to clear the bases. (As I wrote for one of our overflow gamethreads, is there any more beautiful sight than a ball into the gap with nothing but green surrounding it?) That gave the Tigers seven runs, as many as Pavano had allowed altogether in his previous five starts versus Detroit.

The primary beneficiary of all that offense was Eddie Bonine, who could've used at least three of those runs last Friday in Chicago, but was surely happy with what he received Wednesday night.

Bonine provided a huge scare in the first inning, however, putting five straight Minnesota batters on base. With two runs already in, the Twins had the bases loaded with one out. Imminent disaster? Not this time. Jose Morales hit a groundball to second, which Placido Polanco and Santiago turned for a huge double play. That might have been the ballgame right there, as the Tigers took control soon thereafter.

So very close now. The Tigers' magic number is two. Can they push this pennant race over the finish line this afternoon?

Roar:

With 2.1 scoreless innings in relief of Bonine last night, Zach Miner now hasn't allowed a run in his last 12 innings.

And in a non-save situation with a five-run lead, Fernando Rodney got three straight groundball outs to finish out the game.

Comment of the Night:

Paging Kevin Rand. Kevin Rand to the field.

Pavano’s been mauled by a gaggle of determined Tigers. Bring the bandaids.

by wepri31

A Royal Flogging: Royals 11, Tigers 1

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:20:54 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Jarrod Washburn can't bear to look at the four-run carnage he and his aching left knee left behind on the field Tuesday night.

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The less said about this, the better. Tonight's game was a disaster for the Detroit Tigers from the start.

How would Jarrod Washburn fare after skipping his last start to rest his aching left knee? Well, he struck out David DeJesus to begin the game. And his highlight reel ended there.

Washburn could not find the strike zone, throwing most everything off the plate as he tried to pitch away from the Kansas City hitters. The first Royals run was scored on a pitch far outside Alex Avila's reach. (It was scored a passed ball, but Avila would've had to be Plastic Man to catch that one.)

And when Washburn did throw a strike, it was up in the zone and hit hard. The Royals scored three more runs when Alberto Callaspo crushed a fastball deep to left-center field.

Somehow, Washburn got two more outs to end the inning. But that was the end of his evening. He was clearly having problems with that knee, limping around the mound after he got one of those outs. And the location of most of his pitches showed he wasn't getting a good push off the rubber. With that, Jim Leyland apparently decided he'd seen enough.

Washburn wasn't the only one who pitched badly tonight, however. Casey Fien served up a three-run homer to David DeJesus, eventually giving up four runs in three innings. Jeremy Bonderman gave up a three-run shot of his own to Miguel Olivo.

Actually, the pitching star of the evening was Zach Miner, who pitched two scoreless innings taking over for Washburn.

The only other thing worth noting about this game is that Don Kelly came in for Miguel Cabrera at first base and Brent Dlugach took over at third for Brandon Inge in the sixth inning. At that point, Leyland basically told everyone this game was lost.

Remember that comeback, walk-off win over the Blue Jays on Monday night? That was awesome.

Whimper:

Magglio Ordonez celebrated triggering his $18 million contract for next season by going 0-for-3. But really, it's unfair to single him out. This game was lost before the Tigers even came to bat.

Comment of the Night:

Did anyone else suddenly get a Beach Boys song in their head?

maybe it’s just me.

by MackAveKurt

Morning Prowl: Guillen's Switch-Hitting, Porcello Watch, the Double Play Monster, and Crosby's Blister

Ian Casselberry — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:15:12 -0000

Carlos Guillen has given up on switch-hitting for the year, according to Jason Beck. Batting right-handed is still uncomfortable for him, and Guillen is worried that if he pushes it, he could hurt that right shoulder again.

Sounds good here. No sense in taking a risk, since Guillen has been one of the Tigers' more dependable middle-of-the-order bats and is playing a decent left field.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick looks at nine young starting pitchers whose workload will have to be closely monitored as they pitch more innings than they ever have before in a season. Of course, the Tigers' Rick Porcello is high on Crasnick's list (second, to be exact).

Ditching his curveball in favor of a slider appears to have made a huge difference in Porcello's game, and pitching coach Rick Knapp thinks Kid Rick is pitching better now than he was earlier in the season.

(via The Spot Starters, who lists the pitch counts from each of Porcello's starts this year)

Both The Detroit Tigers Weblog and Fire Jim Leyland take a look at Jeremy Bonderman's last two outings through Pitch F/X and are encouraged by the results. His velocity is improved, his release point is consistent, and he's pounding right-handed hitters inside.

Mack Avenue Tigers warns us not to compare 2009 to 2006. The two Tigers teams are quite different. However, Kurt wrote this column before the Tigers finished losing three straight in Kansas City. Coincidence or... jinx?

Eye of the Tigers tries to put together an all-time starting nine for the Detroit Tigers, picking from the best seasons at each position in team history. Definitely a fun exercise when you need a break from the pennant race grind.

Tigers Tracks favors moving Zach Miner during the offseason. I assume John felt that way before yesterday, but watching Miner give up three runs in one inning surely strengthened those beliefs.

Sci-fi and horror movies are really popular these days. Roar of the Tigers may have just created one starring the 2009 Detroit Tigers and the monster that's plagued them. Be warned: the image is terrifying!

Jim Leyland would like to see Dontrelle Willis pitch in the Florida Instructional League and winter ball this offseason. If I recall correctly, Willis opted not to play winter ball last year, in favor of working out on his own.

Casey Crosby's blister problems on his left index finger popped up again during the West Michigan Whitecaps' opening playoff loss to the Great Lakes Loons on Wednesday. Crosby left after 2.1 innings when the finger began to bother him and affect his velocity.

(via Take 75 North)

According to MLive.com, FOX Sports Detroit's "Tigers Live" pregame show will talk to three of the team's draft picks tonight. Jacob Turner, Andrew Oliver, and Daniel Fields will be interviewed. The show, as you probably know, begins at 6:30 p.m. EST.

MLB Network is naming its production studios after Ernie Harwell, Vin Scully, and Mel Allen. Harwell called the honor "fantastic."

Three Games of Pain: Royals 7, Tigers 4

Ian Casselberry — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 01:55:29 -0000

by Charlie Riedel - AP

Much like Ryan Raburn here, the Detroit Tigers were a team sliding to nowhere over the past three games in Kansas City.

View full size photo »

Once again, this 2009 Detroit Tigers season has become a roller coaster.

Just as this team starts to look like it's coming together, with all sorts of different ways to beat the opposition, it reminds us that it's far from a perfect team. Just as we start to believe that this team might actually be capable of doing something in the playoffs, beating last year's AL champs with authority, it gets swept by the last place team in its division.

Who are these guys?

Was the three-game sweep last weekend in Tampa - the one with great pitching, timely hitting, and rousing comebacks - a fleeting moment of greatness? Are these 2009 Tigers really just the same team they've been all season? The one that hits into double plays and squanders scoring opportunities? Whose middle relief leaks gasoline all over the pitching mound?

Maybe the Tigers used up all its good road trip juju in Tampa and was due for a correction in Kansas City. And maybe all will seem well again with seven upcoming games at Comerica Park (including a chance to exact some revenge against the Royals next week).

But a series like this - a result like this - shakes the faith. And for many, it wasn't that exactly that deep to begin with.

Whimper:

Zach Miner has kind of been a man without a role all season. Is he better as a starter? A reliever? Is he better in late innings or in middle relief? Maybe we can scratch middle relief from the list. Miner was handed a 4-3 lead in the sixth inning, and pretty much blew it right away.

Alex Gordon hit a leadoff homer, and the next two batters reached base on a walk (How can this team walk Yuniesky Betancourt so often?) and a bunt single. That led to another RBI for Billy Butler, who's rediscovered his inner Tigers Killer after taking a season off.

Purr:

I've been kind of hard on Marcus Thames for his lack of contributions over the past couple of months. But if there's a bright side to this series, maybe it's that Thames found his bat again. Could a 3-for-5 series with two RBIs be a revival?

Comment of the Day:

The Tigers are making me cry...

although, it could just be the allergies

by ahtrap

And just for a laugh (or a wince), check out the recap headline at Royals Review.

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.

The Tribe's Been Broken: Tigers 4, Indians 3

Ian Casselberry — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 01:15:35 -0000

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Is Placido Polanco being mobbed by teammates for driving in the winning run for a walk-off 4-3 victory over the Indians Thursday afternoon? Or is the poor guy just being mugged? You make the call.

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For all the hand-wringing over the Minnesota Twins still being too close for comfort in the AL Central race (though they are now five games out of first place), the Detroit Tigers should be okay if they do what good teams usually do. Beat the teams you're supposed to, and break even against the upper tier of the league.

How are the Tigers doing with this? Last weekend, they split with the defending AL champion Rays. And after this afternoon's walk-off victory, Detroit swept the fourth-place team in the AL Central. So far, so good.

Nate Robertson pitched well for the second consecutive start, throwing six shutout innings and holding the Indians to just four hits. Cleveland really only had one decent scoring chance, getting a runner to third in the fifth inning. Once again, it was an effort deserving of a win. And this time around, Robertson got some runs from his lineup.

Unfortunately, the bullpen couldn't quite get it through to the finish. The relief corps was a bit short-handed, with Bobby Seay, Brandon Lyon, and Fernando Rodney each pitching the last two nights and presumably unavailable. (Especially with a short turnaround from night game to day game.) So it was bound to be shaky unless they were given a big lead. A three-run margin wasn't quite large enough, thanks largely to Fu-Te Ni.

Ni left a slider out over the plate to Shin-Soo Choo, who promptly launched it to the right field wall for a two-run, game-tying double. Fortunately for Ni, the game was at Comerica Park, so it wasn't a homer. But it cost Robertson a win, nonetheless, and put the final outcome in doubt.

That is, until Rafael Perez took the mound for the Indians in the 10th. Perez gave up a leadoff double to pinch-hitter Ryan Raburn, then walked the next two batters (intentionally passing Miguel Cabrera). Bases loaded, and no outs? Hey, the Tigers have been known to squander such opportunities.

But if you need one guy to put the ball in play and make a productive out, Placido Polanco is probably the one you want batting. So Jim Leyland got him in there. And when Perez teed up a slider right down the middle of the plate, Polanco made sure he did something with it. His fly ball was deep enough to center for Raburn to run in standing up for the game-winner.

Beat the teams you're supposed to beat. Especially at home. It's all part of the plan, you might say.

Roar:

Zach Miner hasn't exactly been lights-out lately. I'm sure more than a few people weren't happy when he took over for Ni in the eighth. But the Tigers don't win today without his 2.1 hitless innings of relief. And the one walk he allowed was negated when Gerald Laird threw out Michael Brantley attempting to steal.

Of course, the Tigers also wouldn't have built a three-run lead without Clete Thomas's two-run triple in the seventh. So kudos to him, as well.

Comment of the Day:

Ok, hands up, who predicted a Carmona/Robertson pitchers duel?

anyone with their hand up is a filthy stinkin’ liar :)

by ahtrap

And your runner-up, even though most people probably weren't in the mood for singing after Ni gave up those two runs.

Morning Prowl: Missing Miner, Magglio's Contract, Outfield Defense, and Grandy's Slump

Ian Casselberry — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 13:30:12 -0000

So as it turns out, the Detroit Tigers weren't one man short in their bullpen on Tuesday and Wednesday. They were down two relievers. The relief corps was already at six, as you know, after Eddie Bonine was sent down to Toledo to make room for Aubrey Huff.

But Jason Beck reported yesterday that Zach Miner also wasn't with the team for the first two games of the Seattle series because his wife was giving birth to their second child. Miner was back yesterday, of course, and pitched two key shutout innings that allowed the Tigers to eventually overtake the Mariners in the ninth.

Over at The Spot Starters, Blake is worried - very worried - about Magglio Ordonez being less than 80 plate appearances away from triggering that $18 million option for next season. And I understand the concern about that contract potentially crippling the Tigers next year and beyond, especially when they have future paydays for Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson to consider.

But amidst all the hand-wringing, it seems to me that Jim Leyland had no choice but to play Ordonez. In mid-July, Ryan Raburn and Marcus Thames were both slumping. Josh Anderson was playing so poorly that he was eventually released. Meanwhile, Maggs has been hitting. In August, his batting line is .396/.420/.646. No, he's still not hitting for power, which is troubling. But can the Tigers afford to sit him down, at this point?

Take 75 North's Matt Wallace is now a featured columnist at Bleacher Report (joining our good friend Kurt Mensching). His latest piece laments the Tigers' bad match of outfield defense with its pitching staff. (Jarrod Washburn could tape this inside his locker.) Unfortunately, Jim Leyland has to make some concessions to offense, with as much trouble as the Tigers have scoring runs.

And if you don't think outfield defense matters, did you see what a difference Franklin Gutierrez and Michael Saunders made for Seattle over the past three games? How many doubles did those two take away?

Matt cited UZR in his column, and if you're not entirely familiar with that defensive metric, Newsday's Ken Davidoff recently spoke with the man who created it, Mitchel Lichtman.

It's Just Sports interviewed Tigers' TV analyst Rod Allen. Has Rod really been doing Tigers games for seven years now? Wow. Topics discussed include Allen's schedule during the season, what he likes to convey during a telecast, and what led him from coaching into broadcasting.

With Curtis Granderson likely to sit out his second straight game tonight (due to Oakland starting the left-handed Gio Gonzalez), Tiger Tracks looks at Grandy's recent slump. He's been terrible against lefties this year, after making some improvements last season. So what are the Tigers' options at this point?

Rob Neyer writes about the Yankees' plan to monitor Joba Chamberlain's innings once again, noting that their big lead in the AL East affords them the luxury to sit him down, if necessary. Neyer compares that to the Tigers, whose close race with the White Sox might force them to use Rick Porcello more than planned.

While explaining the process of putting players on waivers, Danny Knobler shared an interesting Tigers-related nugget. It's ultimately irrelevant, but some of you might be interested in the name he mentions.

Roar of the Tigers complains about FOX Sports Detroit's choice of programming during yesterday's one-hour rain delay. And I have to agree. I'm biased because I don't play golf, but was running "Michigan Golf Live" really the best choice in the second half-hour of that delay?

Sam also has a, shall we say, passionate description of Brandon Inge's stellar play in yesterday's 6-5 victory.

FOXSports.com's Dayn Perry pokes holes in the notion (apparently ignited by the NY Times' Tyler Kepner) that the Yankees' Mark Teixeira is a more worthy MVP candidate than Minnesota's Joe Mauer. How much might Mauer be hurt by the Twins likely not being a playoff team? And how much does Teixeira benefit from playing in Yankee Stadium, while also batting in a lineup that gets plenty of guys on base for him?

The aforementioned Neyer and Posnanski both weighed in on this debate a few days ago. (Neyer, by the way, thinks Miguel Cabrera has to be in the discussion.)

Oh, and Chris Lambert - recently designated for assignment to accommodate Jacob Turner and his new major league contract - was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles.

Did the O's management see Lambert pitch against the Red Sox last Tuesday? They remember that's a division opponent of theirs, right? Maybe they thought they were getting this guy.