No Talking Tigers Over Thanksgiving

I'm traveling out of town over Thanksgiving, and my folks just moved, and don't have any Internet connection right now.  So, I doubt I'll be posting until Monday when I'm back.  I may give it a whirl over at my brother's if there is anything going on.  Enjoy your Turkey Day, and let's hope the Lions don't embarrass us any further...although is there any chance they can beat the Titans?

Go Tigers!

'Roid Rage

Barry Bonds is due to go on trial for perjury in March 2009.  In a report by the Mercury News, a judge has removed five of the counts from the indictment, still leaving 10 counts that could be pursued.  Federal prosecutors could also choose to recraft the dismissed charges.

Steroids have left an indelible mark on baseball.  Many argue that they don't care that players did steroids, as long as the entertainment factor was there.  I just can't see it that way.  I can't accept that players who didn't take steroids had their careers essentially downgraded because they couldn't compete with juiced players.  I don't like that many records are now tainted.  Sure, there has always been cheating in baseball (and other sports too) to varying degrees.  I don't care.  I'd rather see an un-enhanced home run champion who only hit 32 home runs, than a 'roided up Mark McGuire hitting 70+.

Now, our sport has a murky shadow cast over it by steroids.  I watched Josh Hamilton in this year's home run derby with awe, but also with a little suspicion.  Not that he's under suspicion per se, but I have to wonder now, because of the steroid era.

Magglio Ordóñez was implicated by Jose Canseco as a user.  There's no proof, but Magglio's silence made we question him.  Why didn't he sue Canseco for libel?  He chose to ignore the accusations rather than speak to them.  I realize that denying the allegations didn't work out so well for Roger Clemens (methinks thou protesteth too much).  However, now there's a cloud hanging over one of my favorite players.

We'll never know the truth about so many current and former MLB players.  That's the problem--everyone is now under the tainted steroid umbrella, because so many chose to ignore the problem for so long.  Sigh.

Prospects and Problems

You may have heard by now that the Mesa Solar Sox lost 10-4 in the AFL Championship to the Phoenix Desert Dogs, who garnered their fifth straight title.  Our Tiger prospects performed well, however.  Jeff Larish hit a two-run homer, and Casper Wells had an RBI double.

The Detroit Free Press has nice pieces on both Larish and Wells in today's paper.  

My resolution to remain unflappable in the face of troubling hot stove rumors has been tested early on.  Ian over at Bless You Boys reports that the Pirates may be trying to obtain catcher Matt Treanor from the Marlins and then package him with Jack Wilson in trade to the Tigers.

Um, why are we continually linked to players that do not fit the needs we have?

Lugo, Wilson?  Are the Tigers going to buy me a wig when I pull all my hair out?

I've posted this comment before, and I'll repeat it here.  I'm stating the obvious here, but apparently these facts are not crystallized in our management's mind.  WE NEED DEFENSE AND SPEED.  Since DD and Leyland are mysteriously hung up on Santiago's durability and refuse to give him a go, then in my mind, we should pursue someone like Cesar Izturis, who would be in our price range, and is stellar defensively and is speedy on the base paths.  I know his offense isn't much, but we aren't going after top tier SS free agents.

That's all I'm going to say on this subject, for fear of breaking my vow not to be caught in the malevolent rumor maelstrom.

A Little Perspective

I admit that I've gotten more than a little riled up over hot stove rumors surrounding the Tigers this off-season.  That would be because the rumors have largely involved the Tigers making some very "unsound moves," to speak mildly.

There's nothing like a visit to one's 96-year old grandfather to put things in perspective.  I've heard my share of depression-era stories.  Not preachy stories about how we young kids don't know anything about sacrifice, hard times, etc., but interesting tales that bring the times to life.

My grandpa told me how at the age of nine, he was sent to live/work at a local farm because his mother died of TB, and there was no one to care for the children at home.  My son is nine, and he can't even make his own breakfast!  Maybe that's my fault and not his...hmmm.

Anyway, I'm going to try to insulate myself from the irritation of these pesky "what-ifs."  Whenever I hear a particularly vexing rumor, I'll think about my grandpa, who's happy just to be here, hoping to live to see 100, and enjoys simple things like coffee and conversation with his granddaughter. 

AFL Finale

The Mesa Solar Sox are playing in the AFL Championship game tomorrow at 2:30 pm Eastern.  The game is being shown on MLB.TV.  The lineup, which features three of our Tigers prospects, was voted on by the players. 

Jeff Larish is playing 1B and batting cleanup, Casper Wells is out in right and batting 7th, and Will Rhymes rounds out Tiger representation at 2B, batting 9th.  It's possible that Casey Fien would make a relief appearance in the game.  He last pitched Nov. 18, and allowed no runs, no hits over one inning, with 2 strikeouts.

The Sox are playing the Phoenix Desert Dogs, which are attempting to secure their fifth straight AFL championship.

The starting pitcher for the Sox is Braves youngster Tommy Hanson, who boasts a sick 5-0 record, with a 0.63 ERA, 1.05 opponent batting average, and 49 strikeouts over 28 2/3 innings.  

So Many Questions Part II: Joel Zumaya

Joel Zumaya's young career has already had as many twists and turns as a carnival fun house.  He's gone from flame-throwing phenom to injury-prone question mark in a hurry.  He's on the verge of becoming this generation's  Mark Fydrich, and that's got to scare the tattoos off his forearms.  

In a Tigers.com article, Jason Beck tells us Zumaya has been cleared to begin rehab exercises on his stress-fractured shoulder.  Zumaya should be our closer by now, but his career has gotten derailed not once, not twice, but three times due to injury.

I was interested to see Jim Leyland tell in Jason Beck's piece how he didn't fear bringing Verlander and Zumaya up in 2006, because he felt they had both had a gritty mentality.  Specifically, he called Zumaya "macho."  I read an ESPN the Magazine article about Zumaya, and didn't really come away with that impression.  To me, it looked more like a put on bravado in some ways.  The article showed his vulnerability as a young hot-shot who had not reached his potential thus far.  Zumaya even went so far as to admit that there was a time after the shoulder injury when he didn't think he'd ever pitch again.  

The portrayal in that article, combined with his emotion-filled reactions to some of his performances hint to me that he might not (at least not yet) have the mindset of a closer.  We know it's a tough job, in which you've got to be able to "let it go" in a hurry so you can pitch again the next night.  I'm not sure if he's ready for all that comes along with the closer role.  I hope we get a chance to see him try it out, though.  Hey, we're used to roller-coaster rides here anyway.  I'm always standing up like the poker player who's all in when watching the ninth inning of close games.

One thing is sure.  I'm thrilled that Kevin Rand has emphasized ensuring that his shoulder strength is fully back before any baseball work resumes.  

A Little Thanks to Kenny Rogers

Kenny Rogers has yet to determine whether he's now a retiree, or a potential comeback player of the year candidate for 2009.  From what I saw of him last year, I do not believe he has anything left in the tank.  There's a limit to reliance on getting people to swing at junk out of the strike zone, and I think Kenny's beyond it.  I'm sure he was more than a little frustrated with the strike zone this past season--I could see it in his face at times--but, I still think he's done.  I wouldn't mind getting proven wrong, but it would be a great risk.

Having said all that, I was just thinking of how much I enjoyed watching Kenny field his position, even through his last appearance of the season.  I mean, it's really something to watch, in stark contrast to the pitchers who fall so far off the mound they can do nothing in the way of fielding, and those who can only duck or stick out a glove like a shield when a ball comes their way.  I appreciated watching him help himself out every game, whether it was making a slick fielding move, or picking runners off--hello, all time pickoff leader!   (I know, this stat has only been tracked since 1974.)

You can watch the double play he turned on August 30 in the Tigers' top plays archive.

Of course, there is his incredible 2006 post-season play (marred slightly by the pine tar incident, but not much, in my opinion).  I was at ALDS game 3, and as I was keeping score, I couldn't believe the strikeouts he was racking up--eight to be exact--for a pitcher who was no longer known as a strikeout threat.  It was great to see him pitch so inspired in the playoffs, despite never really having done so before.  I'm glad he did it with us.

I wanted to put all this out there before he makes his final decision.  If he wants to, I'm sure he'll have a nice career coaching.  The young pitchers could often be seen conversing with him during games.  Sure, they could've been talking about Big League Chew for all I know, but I think he made a great advisor.  If he walks away from the game for good, we'll savor some nice memories of him wearing the Old English D.