SB Nation - Joel Zumaya

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?

Afternoon Prowl: No Pursuit of J.J. Putz, Scott Sizemore's Leg, and Jason Grilli Returns

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:00:21 -0000

Are the Tigers not interested in reliever J.J. Putz, or might they be waiting until next week's Winter Meetings to talk to him? If so, Detroit might find a few other teams ahead of them in line. ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick reported that the Phillies, Astros, Pirates, and Rangers have each checked in on Putz.

Jason Beck confirmed that the Tigers haven't had any discussions with Putz as of this week.

Now that Placido Polanco has moved on, will his successor at second base be ready for next season? Scott Sizemore spoke with Lynn Henning, saying that his broken leg appears to be "coming along pretty good." Sizemore is scheduled to meet with doctors today, but his progress seems to indicate that he'll be ready for Spring Training.

Talking to the Freep's George Sipple, Sizemore did express some concern that he's lost time in the weight room due to the injury.

At Motor City Bengals, Joe Dexter wonders if Billy Wagner's $7 million deal with the Braves has now priced Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney out of the Tigers' budget. If so, will Detroit be able to sign anyone capable of being their closer? Or will they have to give the job to one of the in-house candidates? (Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry, etc.)

Speaking of Zumaya, his rehab is just about completed, according to Beck. With that, Zumaya can begin focusing on strength and conditioning. Apparently, that gives him a head start over the last couple of offseasons, where he was still rehabbing before Spring Training.

The Cleveland Indians' bullpen will have a familiar face next season, as Jason Grilli returns to the AL Central. Grilli apparently signed last week, but the official announcement was made yesterday. He agreed to a minor league deal, with a chance to win a job in Spring Training. Grilli chose the Indians over six other teams that had expressed interest.

River Avenue Blues wants the Yankees to steer of Lyon for their bullpen, believing he would be a "fringe reliever" in the AL East due to a low strikeout rate and "unsustainably low" BABIP. Lyon's desire for a multi-year deal also raises eyebrows, considering the Yankees' past misfortunes with relievers such as Kyle Farnsworth.

(via MLB Trade Rumors)

Did we know that the Tigers had been interested in Mike Cameron? Both Beck and Jon Heyman have mentioned that Detroit had pursued him "last summer" as a centerfield option versus left-handed pitching. (I'm assuming that means Summer 2009, not 2008.) I'm pretty sure I was here, and don't remember those rumors popping up very much.

The inference is that the Tigers might go after Cameron as a free agent, if they trade Curtis Granderson. As we said on Tuesday, however, it's unclear how that would help Detroit save money, as Cameron made $10 million last year and would surely cost more than Granderson is owed for 2010. (Still, I think Cameron would look great in left field for Detroit.)

Over in the FanPosts, Andy Seiler posted an excerpt to his review of the Tigers' 2009 draft. You can read his thoughts to Detroit's first five picks, including Jacob Turner, Andrew Oliver, and Wade Gaynor.

Morning Prowl: Lloyd McClendon, Zumaya's Health, The Power Thames, and Useless Articles

Ian Casselberry — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 10:01:25 -0000

For those wondering why the Tigers didn't fire Lloyd McClendon as hitting coach after the season, perhaps the team reached many of the same conclusions as Bill Ferris did at The Detroit Tigers Weblog. Did Tigers batters perform below expectations, compared to preseason projections? The answers might surprise you.

Dave Dombrowski told the Detroit News' Lynn Henning that there's "no question" Joel Zumaya will be 100% healthy by Spring Training.

Here's a thought: How can anyone ever not have a question about Zumaya's health?

Were the Tigers actually the third-best team in the AL Central, despite their narrow second-place finish? Beyond the Box Score's Power Rankings say yes. This may be why these baseball teams play the games.

John Lowe doesn't come right out and say it in the Freep, because a decision hasn't been made. But if Marcus Thames's main job is to hit home runs, and he didn't hit any after mid-August, is there any way he has a spot on the Tigers roster next year?

SI.com's Jon Heyman fills out his awards ballot (also including his picks for worst performances of the year). He thought very highly of one Tiger, while eliminating another entirely from consideration.

I believe we shot down any interest in Scott Podsednik last week. But just in case any curiosity lingers, consider that South Side Sox hopes Podsednik either ends up as their fourth outfielder or doesn't return to the team at all.

Ernie Harwell finds himself high on the list of Richard Deitsch's Media Power Rankings for the month of September.

Sometimes, bloggers attempt to write a post, only to talk themselves out of the argument they originally tried to present. Or they just reach a dead end. I wonder if something similar happened to the NY Times' Ben Shpigel when he wrote this article.

Morning Prowl: Porcello's Appeal, Henning's Beef, Zumaya's Surgery, and Thames's Milestone

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:40:18 -0000

Rick Porcello dropped the appeal of his five-game suspension. Factoring into the decision was Armando Galarraga's scratched start last night. Galarraga will now pitch in Porcello's original turn on Sunday, and Kid Rick's next start will be Tuesday night vs. Seattle.

So should we all thank Ken Griffey, Jr. for helping the Tigers maintain their two-game lead over the White Sox in the AL Central? You can do so personally next week, when the Mariners return to Detroit. Griffey's single off Tony Pena in the 14th inning drove home the game-winning (and only) run.

Okay, seriously - who in the Tigers' organization ticked off Lynn Henning? He's been cranky all season, and the second-to-last paragraph of this blog post is his latest example of fist-shaking. Maybe it's Jim Leyland who put out a cigarette in Henning's coffee (figuratively speaking), judging from what's written here.

That's not to say Henning doesn't bring up a good point in asking what really happened on Porcello's pitch to Kevin Youkilis on Tuesday night. But expecting Leyland to potentially call out his rookie pitcher is a bit much. (What ultimately surprises me is that Henning didn't somehow manage to add this to his argument that the Tigers should release Magglio Ordonez.)

Mark your calendars: One week from tomorrow, Joel Zumaya will undergo shoulder surgery. The procedure will take place in Florida, and be performed by one Dr. James Andrews ("the most valuable player in sports").

Jayson Stark has some interesting trivia surrounding the 100th career home run that Marcus Thames hit last weekend. Thames reached that milestone in fewer games than many of baseball's all-time sluggers. However, to join them in home run immortality, he'd have to play a long time. A very long time.

If you missed it yesterday, the Milwaukee Brewers released Bill Hall. (Just over a week ago, some blogger was suggesting the Tigers should try to pick him up.)

Any need for Hall might not be quite as great now, as Brandon Inge seems to be dealing with his knee injury better. And another right-handed hitting outfielder would probably just complicate matters at this point. But we're just saying: he's out there and will probably be cheap.

Wouldn't it be funny if the Tigers were one of the teams that put in a waiver claim on Gary Sheffield? It's a moot point, however, as the Mets pulled Sheff back off waivers, negating any possible trade.

Zumaya Officially Done For the Season

Ian Casselberry — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:05:22 -0000

Joel Zumaya will undergo surgery to remove a bone shard that developed from a stress fracture in his right shoulder. The procedure is scheduled for mid-August and will end Zumaya's season.

As posted earlier today, Zumaya visited Dr. James Andrews to have his shoulder examined. Afterwards, he was given another shot of cortisone to reduce inflammation in the shoulder (he'd received two last week, as well) and the decision was made to go ahead with the surgery. An exact recovery timetable isn't known, but Zumaya himself said it would be at least eight weeks if he went under the knife.

Zumaya's 2009 season ends with a 3-3 record, 4.94 ERA, and a whole bunch of 100 m.p.h. fastballs. (We'll see if this finally affects that velocity.) He threw 30 strikeouts and 22 walks, along with giving up 34 hits in 31 innings. Additionally, Zumaya totaled seven holds and six blown saves.

Joel Zumaya to Reunite With Dr. James Andrews

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 14:00:18 -0000

Do you think Joel Zumaya has his own personal room at Dr. James Andrews' practice by now? He has to know the staffers by name. Glass Joel is once again set to be examined in Alabama, as soreness is flaring up in his right shoulder again.

Just a few days ago, weren't the Tigers saying that Zumaya was recovering nicely, throwing without pain, and feeling general optimism? How fast it changes.

Depending on the diagnosis, Zumaya could undergo surgery to remove a bone shard that developed from the stress fracture he suffered last year. If that's the case, his season is probably over, as the recovery time would be at least eight weeks. (Zumaya will likely opt for surgery after the season, anyway.)

But here's the nugget from Jason Beck's blog post that should cook your noodle:

Zumaya came back better than expected in late April, throwing fastballs at his old velocity at 100 mph and above. For that reason, Zumaya said last week, he wasn't overly concerned when he had shoulder soreness a few weeks ago. Once it became more severe during that outing at Yankees Stadium, Zumaya told the team medical staff.

Joel, Joel, Joel. We take off our collective glasses and pinch our brow at this.

I understand that Zumaya wants to pitch and there's a stigma that develops around anyone who frequently gets injured. The last thing he probably wants to tell management is that he's hurt again. And maybe he thought this soreness was no big deal compared to other pain he's felt before.

But has Zumaya learned nothing? This is a long season. The man should get a diagnostics check after every time he pitches, like Tony Stark checking Iron Man's suit following his latest adventure. I feel like the Tigers should shut Zumaya down anyway, but if he recovers, I suppose they should use him. Maybe not in any important situations, however, until he proves he can locate his pitches.

The exam is scheduled for this morning. We'll surely hear the results soon thereafter. Stay tuned.

Morning Prowl: Inge's Left Knee, Suggesting a Diamondbat, Zumaya's Shoulder, and In Search of the D-Train

Ian Casselberry — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 14:00:21 -0000

If you missed the news before last night's game, Brandon Inge revealed that he's battling a pretty serious case of patella tendinitis that's been causing "excruciating" pain. Inge says his patella tendon is "75% torn," while head trainer Kevin Rand describes it more as "a defect" caused by a series of micro-tears.

The question becomes how effective Inge can be while playing with such an injury. He says he won't go on the DL unless he's assured sitting out would make the knee better and get him back in 15 days. While it's admirable that Inge doesn't want to bail out while the team is in a playoff race (for a city and fanbase that's struggling economically), at what point does this become counter-productive?

Carlos Guillen went 1-for-3 with two walks and a strikeout for the Mud Hens last night, batting third as the designated hitter. (Thanks to SabreRoseTiger for linking to this in the comments of last night's recap.)

Detroit4lyfe thinks Chad Tracy could be a low-cost bat for the Tigers to pursue. This season for the Diamondbacks, he's hitting .222/.285/.386 with five homers and 24 RBIs, which is hardly impressive. However, in the month of July, Tracy has a .286/.357/.429 batting line.

He also has experience playing both corner infield and outfield spots, though he's mostly been a third baseman. (And one of those might not be a bad idea, with Inge playing on a that partially torn left knee).

Ryan Strieby could be a possible trade chip for the Tigers over the next nine days, so it's good timing for The Spot Starters to take a look at his season (.305/.421/.501, 17 HR, 53 RBI) with Double-A Erie.

Earlier in the season, Dayn Perry thought the Tigers should go after Huston Street to upgrade their closer spot. (Colorado's not making that trade now, as they lead the NL Wild Card race.) So we know he's no fan of Fernando Rodney. Now, he suggests Detroit should see what it takes to get Heath Bell from San Diego. Bell has 24 saves (in 25 chances), along with 46 strikeouts in 29.1 innings this season.

(via Scott Warheit)

Beck also has a bit of an update on Joel Zumaya, as he and the Tigers are currently mulling over whether to rest him for a couple of weeks and try to bring him back, or to shut him down and have surgery to correct his stress fracture. Zumaya will likely need surgery regardless. It's now just a question of when.

Lynn Henning attempts to investigate what is going on with Dontrelle Willis (something that's long overdue among the media that covers the Tigers, by the way) nowadays. Currently, he's working out in Toledo, throwing on the side and pitching in simulated games, while also taking care of "off-field things."

Henning did find out that the Tigers have to provide specific details regarding Willis's condition to the commissioner's office, rather than just say "Oh, anxiety disorder!" as a way of keeping him off the roster.

So maybe it's a good thing that the Tigers didn't go after Juan Cruz, after all. Hey, it seemed like a good idea at the time.

The Bonine Identity: Friday's Game 2 Starter

Ian Casselberry — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:30:19 -0000

The Tigers' starting pitcher for the second game of Friday's doubleheader against the White Sox has now been identified. As many expected (and reported by Jason Beck), Eddie Bonine will get the call up from Toledo.

This season with the Mud Hens, Bonine has a 2-4 record and 4.67 ERA, with 33 strikeouts and 11 walks in 69.1 innings. He was with the Tigers at the beginning of the season, giving up eight runs in eight innings in a long relief role, but was eventually sent down to Triple-A when Joel Zumaya was activated in late April.

It's not the flashiest move, but I don't know if there was really one to make, outside of giving Luis Marte the nod, but since he pitched on Monday, a Friday start would come on short rest. Also, Marte's not on the Tigers' 40-man roster, which would've made such a transaction a bit more complicated.

What happens after Bonine pitches on Friday night? Billfer speculates that Carlos Guillen might be activated for Saturday's game, once Bonine is sent back to Toledo. That seems to work out perfectly.

(Thanks to Kurt for mentioning this in the comments of today's Morning Prowl)

Tuesday's Frosty Mug

KLSnow — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:01:50 -0000

More photos » by Gene J. Puskar - AP

Jeff Karstens is stopped by umpire Chad Fairchild, right, and Jason Kendall from getting to Chris Smith after being hit by a pitch in the eighth inning on Monday. No players were ejected, and the Pirates won 8-5. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

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Some things to read while changing your misleading name.

Thanks to Tristarscoop for picking up the slack while I was away yesterday. Between getting married, honeymooning, buying a house, moving, being in another wedding and now a funeral, I feel like I've been away more than I've been home in the last two months, but (knock on wood) I should be back for the long haul now...at least through the end of the week.

Did you skip out early on last night's game? I almost went to bed in the seventh inning and would have missed the bench clearing incident involving Chris Smith and Jeff Karstens. Smith hit Karstens with a pitch in the eighth inning but later said the pitch wasn't intentional, which is probably the same thing Karstens said after hitting Ryan Braun in April. This HBP had some increased historical significance, being the 600th plunking at PNC Park.

Because the mess happened so late last night, possibly after many Brewer bloggers had gone to bed, there wasn't a lot of reaction to it on the web this morning. Don't be surprised, though, if Jason Kendall picks up a suspension of a game or two for his actions in the shoving match that followed. Kendall shoved Jeff Karstens down the first base line and was later involved in a shouting match with Pirates pitching coach Joe Kerrigan.

The incident also overshadowed the Brewer debut of Felipe Lopez. Lopez missed an early flight because he was waiting for his bats and would not have been in the starting lineup if not for the rain delay, but went 4-for-4 with a triple and a walk, becoming the first Brewer to record four hits in their debut since Chuckie Carr in 1996. TheJay sent me that link, and also this note:

By the by, it took Jody Gerut only 20 games (5 starts) over six weeks to reach four hits.

Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic discussed the D-Backs' reasons for trading Lopez. He (Lopez, not Piecoro) stands a good chance of being a Type B free agent this offseason, but had also been vocal about enjoying playing in Arizona. The D-Backs would have had to offer him arbitration to receive any compensation if he left, but weren't willing to pay him the $5-6 million he would have received if he accepted the offer. They also seem to think Roque Mercedes is similar in value to the compensation pick they could have received.

Manny Parra has allowed just 12 baserunners in 13 innings since returning from AAA and lowered his ERA from 7.52 to 6.37 in the process. Has he figured it out? Zach Sanders of Baseball Digest Daily seems to think so.

In the minors:

Cody Adams, the Brewers' second round pick from 2008, has been suspended for 50 games after testing positive for amphetamines. (Also noted in FanShot) Adams wasn't pitching well for the Timber Rattlers in the first place, but will now be set even farther back.
While the struggle to draw fans to games in Huntsville has drawn some negative attention this season, the Nashville Sounds are just happy the attention isn't on them. Despite making some improvements to Greer Stadium, the Sounds' attendance is down from last season, and ranks 15th in the 16-team PCL.
2009 draftee Josh Prince is the Prospect of the Week over at Between the Green Pillars. Battlekow interviewed Prince back on June 23.
The Wisconsin Timber Rattlers lost 15-1 to Lansing last night but still lead by two games in the Midwest League West Division Second Half Standings.
The Cub Reporter has a nice interview with Nashville hitting coach Sandy Guerrero, perhaps better known for being Prince Fielder's BP pitcher at the Home Run Derby.

Ever thought about attending a Brewer Fantasy Camp? Bill Schroeder has the sales pitch for you.

On rankings:

FanGraphs ranked Ryan Braun #8 in their Trade Value rankings, one spot ahead of Tim Lincecum. I love Braun, but if the Giants called and offered Lincecum I'd have a hard time turning it down.
The Brewers dropped four spots to 18th in WhatifSports' Power Rankings.

Around the majors:

Angels: Released reliever Rudy Seanez, who had been pitching in AAA. (h/t Diamond Notes)
A's: Placed Jason Giambi on the DL with a strained quad.
Mets: Placed starter Fernando Nieve on the DL with a leg injury.
Nationals: Placed Scott Olsen on the DL with a back injury and designated Julian Tavarez for assignment.
Orioles: Acquired reliever Cla Meredith from the Padres for infielder Oscar Salazar.
Padres: Placed catcher Edgar Gonzalez, who was hit in the head by a pitch over the weekend, on the DL.
Phillies: Designated reliever Tyler Walker for assignment.
Rangers: Placed Frank Francisco on the DL with a mild case of pneumonia.
Red Sox: Designated Julio Lugo for assignment.
Reds: Placed Ramon Hernandez on the DL with inflammation in his knee.
Tigers: Placed Joel Zumaya on the DL with a sore shoulder.
Twins: Signed Mark Grudzielanek to a minor league deal.

Last week I mentioned that I had participated in SBNation's NL Central Roundtable, and linked to part 1 of the conversation. Part 2 is up over at Viva El Birdos. It was written prior to the Lopez acquisition, but there's still some relevant stuff in there.

Happy birthday today to former Brewers Lance Painter (42), Geoff Jenkins (35) and CC Sabathia (29).

Oh, and I already knew Amy K. Nelson was a baseball writer, but discovering that she's also an old school video gamer made her infinitely cooler in my book.

Drink up.

Morning Prowl: Guillen's Rehab, Crosby's Gem, Avila's Rise, and Tigers Money

Ian Casselberry — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 14:15:08 -0000

So Carlos Guillen's rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo did not begin last night, as soreness in his shoulder has apparently cropped up again. No word on exactly when Guillen will join the Mud Hens, but it's thought to be later this week.

Days after The Spot Starters looked at Casey Crosby's season with West Michigan, the 20-year-old no-hit the Kane County Cougars for five innings, racking up eight strikeouts.

(Unfortunately, Crosby didn't get the win, as the Whitecaps couldn't score any runs for him. Apparently, that problem runs through the entire Tigers' organization.)

The Dugout posted their take on Joel Zumaya's latest injury, and their account of a conversation between Zumaya and pitching coach Rick Knapp is brutally funny. If you haven't read it already (VegasTigers posted it in yesterday's BYOBYB), give yourself a laugh.

Catcher Alex Avila was profiled by Lynn Henning yesterday in the Detroit News. Batting .284/.380/.456 with eight homers and 46 RBIs for Double-A Erie, he's beginning to look like the Tigers' best prospect.

After mentioning both Crosby and Avila, we simply must link to Tiger Tales, where Lee has posted his list of the organization's Top 10 prospects. Is Wilkin Ramirez where you thought he might be in the rankings?

Can the Tigers really add payroll at the trade deadline if ticket sales are down and the team is likely losing money, according to Crain's Detroit Business? Or is Mike Ilitch better off spending money to make money?

Tiger Geist wonders if Detroit might have to give Adam Everett a significant raise next season if they want to re-sign him. Did Pittsburgh's GM mentioning Everett by name indicate a larger interest in his services this winter?

Gerald Laird's unusual throwing grip got the attention of Tom Gage. Laird grips the baseball with three fingers, instead of the conventional two. It's certainly working well for him, as he's thrown out 22 of 49 attempted basestealers this season.

Kurt already got a healthy discussion going on this yesterday at Mack Avenue Tigers, but he posed the question of whether or not the Tigers should consider trading Fernando Rodney. Is he worth more to them right now as a closer, or could he actually help get the bat Detroit so badly needs?

I try not to link to Drew Sharp very often, but he's playing buzzkill again. I guess we just shouldn't bother watching the Tigers for the rest of this summer if they're not good enough to win it all. Oh, and he thinks the Tigers should trade for Juan Pierre.

So did you pick a favorite "second team" when filling out all those All-Star ballots for Brandon Inge? I picked the Mariners, mostly because I've been following them a bit since a good friend moved out to Seattle. Plus, I really enjoyed my trip to Safeco Field earlier this season.

Really, this is just a long-winded way of linking to this post about Ichiro's "ticklish" relationship with Ken Griffey, Jr.