Let’s take a look at his 2010 season so far and see if we can find any justification for keeping this bag of bones around.  First, I’ll list the positives AND the reasons in which he may be on the roster to begin with:

1. He can play around the diamond a little bit.  He can play the outfield and the infield and I suppose that is valuable.
2. He is white.  People in Michigan love white people.
3. Jim Leyland is head-over-heels in love with Don Kelly.

Now a few reasons not to play Don Kelly.  All factual:

1. The Tigers are out of the chase and he is 30 years old.  As someone who will be 30 in less than a year, I feel for the guy.  30 is not old in the real world, but when you’re a shitty baseball player taking up space on a big league roster, you are ancient.
2. His OPS+ this season is 35.  35!!!  I am certain there are pitchers with bigger bats.  In fact, of all players in baseball with at least 150 plate appearances this season, only two players in all of baseball have a lower OPS+ than poor Don Kelly.  Garrett Anderson and Brandon Wood are the two poor saps.
3. Kelly possesses the power of a butterfly.  He has gone deep twice this season and is currently slugging a pitiful .279.  That mark is “bested” only by Wood and Luis Valbuena.
4. He is taking up a roster spot.

That final point there is what grinds my gears the most.  The Tigers are now out of contention.  Time to cut Kelly loose.  The Tigers are not exactly stocked in the minors, but they may as well give some playing time to a guy in the minors and see what they have.  We all KNOW what they have in Don Kelly.

If there is something you would like to see here, please let me know in the comments section below.  I will work on getting something up here this weekend and hopefully that will just get the ball rolling.

I am happy to be feeling the itch again.  If you are someone sticking with this blog, thank you.

Blake

COMING SOON:

1B/DH RYAN STRIEBY
2009: AA Erie 
Stats: .303 average, .427 OB% 
18 doubles, 1 triple, 19 home runs, 58 RBI

The 6′5″ right-handed first baseman has been quietly moving through the Tiger farm system the last few years. His performance though has been anything but quiet. Strieby has been destroying opposing pitching at stop thus far.

Perhaps the only problem with Strieby, is where to put him. He had been given limited reps in the outfield with less than impressive results. With Miguel Cabrera at first he seems destined for DH duties.

Strieby has begun the season in AAA Toledo.

OF BRENNAN BOESCH
2009: AA Erie
Stats: .275 average, .318 OB%,
26 doubles, 7 triples, 28 home runs, 93 RBI

Brennan Boesch is quickly climbing up the depth charts after a break out 2009 campaign. 

Last seasons 28 home runs led the Eastern League and earned Boesch the 2009 Double-A MILB Round Tripper Award.

He has started the season in AAA Toledo.      

OF CASPER WELLS
2009: AA Erie 
Stats: .260 average .369 OB% 
18 doubles, 4 triples, 15 home runs, 41 RBI

The Michigan native (born in Grand Rapids) put up solid numbers in AA Erie last season. Perhaps even more impressive, Wells hit .351 in the AFL.

It should be noted though that Injuries such as a broken hand and elbow problems have hindered him in his minor-league career. Hopefully Wells stays injury free and continues to build on yet another impressive season.

He began the season in AAA Toledo, but was recently placed on the DL after a head first slide into third base dislocated his finger.

THE FUTURE:

The sixth round pick of the 2009 draft, DANIEL FIELDS was recently moved from short stop to center field. The University of Detroit Jesuit High School prospect has started the season in extended spring training to become aclimated to his new position.

3B WADE GAYNOR
2009: Western Kentucky University
Stats: .371 average .466 OB% 
20 doubles, 4 triples, 25 home runs, 78 RBI 21SB 

Selected in the third round of the 2009 draft, Gaynor has begun the season in Low-A West Michigan. 

1B RAWLEY BISHOP
2009: Middle Tennesee State Univ.
Stats: .398 average, .502 OB%
17 doubles, 1 triple, 14 home runs, 51 RBI

After an outstanding finish to his college career Bishop has began this season in Advanced-A Lakeland.

OF STEVEN MOYA
2009: Dominican Summer League
Stats: .252 average, .361 OB%
8 doubles, 6 home runs, 33 RBI 
 
The 18-year-old, left handed Steven Moya has quickly made a name for himself. The 6-foot-6 native of the Dominican Republic is indeed raw as described by experts. Considering his age he sure looks impressive on paper. He looked like a giant in right field this spring in Lakeland.      

EARNING THEIR STRIPES:

SS GUSTAVO NUNEZ
2009: Low A West Michigan 
Stats:  .315 average, .360 OB% 
16 doubles, 10 triples, 5 home runs, 40 RBI, 45 SB

Dave Dombrowski seems to be raving about the 21-year-old switch hitting shortstop Gustavo Nunez these days and why not?  

The speedy Nunezs’ 10 triples tied him for second most and his 45 steals were the third highest in the Midwest League last season.

While his defense is perhaps below fellow prospect Cale Iorgs, it is worth noting that Baseball America tabbed Nunez the No. 7 prospect in Detroit’s farm system and the top infielder.

He has started the season in Advanced-A Lakeland. 

MAKE OR BREAK:

1B/DH JEFF LARISH
Recently removed from the 40 man  roster, I think it is safe to say that Jeff Larish is at a crossroads this season. As if that is not enogh, he should probably shift to third as Miguel Cabrera has first base locked up. 

With that being said, Larish must put together an outstanding season or I fear he will get lost in that same AAA black hole that former Tiger prospect Brent Clevlen did.

Either way (at least IMO) Jeff Larish is a great baseball player, period. 

OF WILKIN RAMIREZ
The highly touted Ramirez takes a step back this season as he returns to AA Erie.  

Ramirez is quickly losing his prospect tag and finds himself in a make or break situation. With outfield prospects  Casper Wells and Brennan Boesch rising on the depth charts and Clete Thomas just ahead of them in AAA Toledo, it’s tough to be Wilkin these days.  

As I write here on early Sunday afternoon, OUR Detroit Tigers sit at the top of the AL Central standings (with those pesky Twins) with a record of 4-1.  I have only been able to watch a little bit so far, but here are some of my thoughts after going through the ol’ rotation once…

• I think Justin Verlander will be fine.  Sure, that opening start left plenty to be desired, but it was the same sort of issues Verlander has struggled with his entire career.  He labored early in the game and threw a few too many pitches and as a consequence, ran out of gas a bit too soon.  No pitcher in the game is perfect and this just maybe the thing Verlander struggles with.
• I am still not impressed with Dontrelle Willis.  He was OKAY in his first start and I’ll avoid any further comment until we see a bit more out of the guy.
• Seriously, how nice was it to see Bonderman on the hill yesterday?  I didn’t realize how excited I would be to see him back in action.  However, I feel like a Dontrelle Willis level of skepticism is appropriate for a guy who hasn’t played a full season since the Bush administration.  Nice game for Bondo though yesterday.
• Is Magglio Ordonez back?  Boy, the dude has been great so far.  Magglio is hitting a robust .476 with a couple of long balls in the first five games.  If Magglio can get back to the .300 hitter with at least 20+ homers, this line up is a MUCH better.
• Miguel Cabrera is a beast.  Enough said.
• Austin Jackson and Scott Sizemore have struggled in the ways you would expect most rookies to struggle.  Both guys have trouble with the strike zone and Jackson seems like a lock for 150 Ks if he plays all year.  That being said, Jackson has been good in other ways at the dish and looks pretty comfortable in center.
• I still like Jose Valverde.  Dude adds flare.

While the club is 4-1, it’s probably worth pointing out that they’ve played Kansas City and Cleveland, probably two of the weaker teams in the American League.  Hopefully they’ll keep this level of play up as the schedule moves forward and they face some tougher competition.

Thanks for your continued support of this beautiful site.

COMING SOON:

RHP Robbie Weinhardt
2009: Advanced A Lakeland & AA Erie
Stats 63 innings
1-2, 5 SV, 1.57 ERA, 1.24 WHIP
10.3 K/9, 3.6 BB/9

The relievers pitch repertoire consists of a low-90s fastball, a mid 80s slider and a slurvy breaking ball.

Weinhardt began his professional career in Advanced-A Lakeland last season with a twenty-plus-inning scoreless streak. Though still impressive, once promoted to AA Erie his numbers slightly elevated. However, Weinhardt followed with impressive performances in both the Arizona Fall League and Spring Training.

Weinhardt will begin this season in AAA Toledo.

LHP Daniel Schlereth
2009: AA Mobile/AAA Reno/Arizona
Stats 46 innings
1.01ERA, 0.00 ERA, 5.89 ERA
13.2 K/9, 9 K/9, 10.8 K/9
5.4 BB/9, 9 BB/9, 7.4 BB/9

Acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks this off-season, Schlereth has perhaps the highest ceiling of our prospect relievers. Just how high that ceiling is though depends upon his command.

The southpaw features a mid-90s fastball and solid secondary pitches. Once he irons out his control issues he should help anchor the Detroit bullpen in the near future.

Schlereth will begin this season in AAA Toledo.

THE FUTURE:

LHP Casey Crosby
2009: Low-A West Michigan
Stats: 104 2/3 innings
10-4, 2.41 ERA 1.13 WHIP
10.1 K/9, 4.1 BB/9

After missing all of 2008 with Tommy John surgery, Crosby quickly made up for lost time and emerged as perhaps the Tigers number one pitching prospect.

Crosby’s fastball is clocked regularly in the mid-90s. He also features a slider and change-up.

The recipient of the 2009 Detroit Tigers Minor League Pitcher of the Year Award will begin this season in Advanced-A Lakeland.

LHP Andy Oliver
2009: Oklahoma State University
Stats: 88 1/3 innings
5-6 5.30 ERA 9.9 K/9, 3.5 BB/9

Oliver features a mid-90s fastball with great late movement and a change-up. Perhaps his only weakness is that he does not feature any breaking pitches. Unless he can develop one, he is a better candidate for the bullpen in my opinion.

The Tigers second round pick of the 2009 draft is slated to begin the season in AA Erie.

RHP Jacob Turner
2009: Westminster Christian HS
Stats: 58 1/3 innings
7-2 0.60 ERA 13 BB, 113 SO

The Tigers selected Turner in the first round (9th overall) of the 2009 draft.

Turners three pitch arsenal features a fastball that sits between 94 and 98 MPH. His repertoire also includes a slider and a change-up, all of which he has excellent command of.

This spring in three innings, Turner walked three and struck out four without allowing any hits or runs.

Turner will begin this season in Low-A West Michigan but I wouldn’t be to surprised to see him in Advanced-A Lakeland by seasons end.

INJURED:

RHP Cody Satterwhite
2009: AA Erie
Stats: 49 1/3 innings
4-6, 12 SV, 3.47 ERA, 1.48 WHIP
9.5 K/9, 4.9 BB/9

The flame-throwing late inning reliever has a fastball that regularly touches 95-98 MPH and solid secondary pitches.

His achillies’ heel thus far though has been his command as reflected in his walk ratio. Due to his delivery, he also has a tendency to leave pitches up in the zone causing his fastball to become hittable and his breaking balls to flatten out. In essence he is the right handed version of Daniel Schlereth.

It has recently been reported by Nick Underhill that Satterwhite will begin the season on the DL with a torn labrum. The injury “could be career threatening”. Let’s all wish Cody the best of luck and a speedy recovery.

EARNING THEIR STRIPES:

After a solid season last year split between AA Erie an AAA Toledo, Josh Rainwater was very impressive this spring. In 8 1/3 innings he issued just one walk, struck out seven and allowed zero unearned runs.
Rainwater will begin the season in AAA Toledo.
 
With an ERA of just 1.82, Melvin Mercedes quickly emerged as a quality closer for the Tigers rookie league last season. At just 19 years old, he begins this season in Low-A West Michigan.

Brayan Villarreal is coming off a solid season at Low-A West Michigan where he split the season as a starter and a reliever. Last year he went 5-5 with a 2.87 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Even more impressive was his 3 BB/9 and 10.3 K/9 ratios. Villarreal should begin the season in Advanced-A Lakeland as a starter.

As the Tigers are preparing to trim down the roster, I decided to take a stab at it as well. Rather than predict who I believe the Tigers brass will select, I decided to list my 25 man roster.
 

Lineup
CF  A. Jackson
LF   J. Damon
RF  M. Ordoñez
1B  M. Cabrera
DH C. Guillen
3B  B. Inge
C   G. Laird
2B  S. Sizemore
SS  A. Everett
Bench
2B/SS R. Santiago
IF/OF D. Kelly
IF/OF R. Raburn
C R. Diaz
Rotation
J. Verlander
N. Robertson
M. Scherzer
R. Porcello
D. Willis
Bullpen
J. Bonderman
R. Weinhardt
P. Coke
F. Ni
J. Zumaya
R. Perry
J. Valverde

The Lineup:
I am quite certain that Cabrera, Ordonez and Damon will all have a solid year. With that being said, two things concern me. The biggest factors in the lineup are health and rookie production. Carlos Guillen and Brandon Ingemust remain healthy and contribute to an offense that ranked just 11th in the American League last season. Both Inge and Guillen must put up strong numbers. Yikes, as I type the words I start to CRINGE. Rookies Scott Sizemore and Austin Jackson must continue their minor league success in the show. It sure sounds like we have our work cut out for us this season and I failed to even mention the names Gerald Laird and Adam Everett.

The Rotation:
Earlier in the month it was announced when Verlander, Porcello and Scherzer would pitch. The remaining two question marks in the rotation were the two and five slot. Verlander had already been named opening day starter and Porcello had been penciled in for the home opener. Scherzer was announced to start the third game of the opening series. With Scherzer being known for running up his pitch count quickly, it makes sense to have an inning eater like Nate Robertson in the two spot. In a similar situation, with the re-surging Dontrelle Willis in the fifth spot it allows Verlander to follow him in case the bullpen has been over worked.

The Bullpen:
Jeremy Bonderman seems like a good fit for long relief to me (at least to start the season). The move would allow him to get his feet wet by logging some low pressure innings. Despite having veteran south paw Bobby Seay on the shelf, the lefty combination of Phil Coke and Fu-Te Ni is pretty solid. Adding rookie phenom Robbie Weinhardt to the mix of Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry and Jose Valverde completes a pretty solid bullpen from top to bottom.
 
Left Out:
Jeff Larish had a solid spring but is the odd man out. Perhaps Tigers brass will finally do the right thing and let him make the move to third base. Our organization is very thin depth wise at the hot corner. In the few games I saw Larish at third this spring it wasn’t great but it was encouraging enough to consider him making the move.

Clete Thomas also had a great spring and is perhaps deserving of the final bench spot. He has more power and his defense is far superior to utility man Don Kelly. However, Kelly is out of options and is able to play both corner infield positions. It wouldn’t surprise me though to see Thomas back in Detroit very soon.

Alex Avila should start the season in AAA Toledo. He would greatly benefit from the opportunity to further develop his game by playing daily. While his bat is more than ready, his skills behind the plate could be better. However, Diaz is not currently on the 40 man roster which makes the move both difficult and unrealistic.

Brad Thomas will probably make their opening day roster for a couple reasons. He has no options remaining and south paw Bobby Seay is on the disabled list. Despite having a 2.45 ERA this spring, Thomas did not impress me this spring. Although he is not not on the 40 man roster, Robbie Weinhardt would be the better move in my opinion. Then again I’ve been pushing for Weinhardt since day one.

Eddie Bonine also has a strong possibility to crack the opening day roster. However, it is almost certain that it would be in a relief role. I would prefer to let him begin the season in AAA Toledo as a starter. While I hope that the D-Trains dominance continues into April, lets just say I feel a little skeptical. If Bonine begins the season in Toledo as a starter, he could serve as a solid insurance policy baring the inevitable train-wreck named Willis.
 
I encourage you to rant, rave and most of all list your own 25 man roster below.

Max Scherzer watched his ERA rise to 30.86 today as he lasted only a third of an inning. He was pulled after allowing five runs on four hits and three walks. Over at MLB.com Scherzer has a few things to say in regards to his slow start. I hate to keep making excuses for the kid but trust me Max Scherzer is a much better pitcher than this.

Casey Crosby made his Spring Training debut today. He surrendered two consecutive singles, followed by two walks. He struggled with command and looked very uncomfortable in his brief appearance. While many folks are displeased with what they saw or heard today, don’t read to much into it. Command has always been an issue for Crosby. He will work things out down on the farm and yes he still is the real deal.

Robbie Weinhardt continues to impress me down here. He entered the game with nobody out and the bases loaded for the second time this spring. He limited the damage by inducing back to back ground outs and striking out Brandon Hicks. He is getting no ink from the press or fellow bloggers and I’m surprised. I am starting to feel like I am campaigning for the kid. Wait till y’all see this kid pitch! Weinhardt has picked up right where he left off last season. He should be at least considered for a spot this season.

Phil Cokehas also been pretty solid. He pitched a scoreless inning today. Perhaps it won’t happen as soon as I’d like, but at some point this season I believe he will join the rotation. He will quietly become a fan favorite too. Move over Maggs hat hair give away day.. The Phil Coke mullet hat hair day is vastly approaching!

Joel Zumaya scattered two hits but settled down and got out of the inning without surrendering a run. It is also worth noting that he is still injury free!

Dontrelle Willis tossed two scoreless innings again. That’s not a typo! Zero hits and one walk, also not a typo. I wore my D-Train jersey today to the stadium and like most folks I really want him to succeed. At this point though I treat him like Glass Joel Zumaya…carefully and with limited expectations. Hopefully this run continues into the regular season.

Handy Links

• My prayers have been answered appearantly and Ryan Strieby will be working in the outfield this season in AAA Toledo.
• Casey Fien is on the move again. From the Tigers to the Red Sox to the Blue Jays in just one week.

I will return with more next weekend, unfortunately I must get back to work.

*Stay Classy Tiger Nation

Prior to that pitchers duel (note sarcasm) I had a chance to watch last seasons draft picks Jacob Turner and Andy Oliverin a scrimmage game on a practice field.

More about that and my usual daily dose of useless random observations down below.

• Eddie Bonine and Phil Coke did wonderful impressions of each other today. Both Bonine and Coke decided to put up identical numbers today. In two innings of work; three hits, zero walks one strike out and one earned run were turned in by the duo. It is also worth mentioning that they both also have a 4.50 ERA on the early season. GOOD JOB fellas!
• After Joel Zumaya breezed through the fifth inning on just nine pitches he struggled in the sixth. Zoom Zoom allowed three runs on three hits, a walk and yet another hit batter. Hey skip, how bout’ taking him out after one inning? Perhaps that would have boosted his confidence a bit.
• Non-Roster Invitees Dumatrait and Gonzalez also logged an inning a piece. Neither impressed me very much. While they both avoided runs on the day there performances were mediocre at best.
• Jacob Turner looked very impressive today. He turned in two scoreless  innings with one strike out and one walk. I hope that he begins the regular season in Lakeland so I have the opportunity to watch him pitch again soon.
• The Tigers drew eleven walks today. Sure it is Spring Training and pitchers are working on new pitches but it was nice to see. Ryan Raburn and Austin Jackson have been doing a good job of this so far this spring. Let’s pray that this becomes a trend that catches on and continues into the regular season.
• Carlos Guillen went 2-3 today with a RBI. Again, I know it’s early but it is encouraging that Guillen understands that a designated hitter is responsible for umm… hitting the ball. His defense in left field today made me very happy that we forked out cash for Damon. At one point he threw his hands up in the air almost as if he was saying… I have no idea where the ball is. He didn’t either.
• Don Kelly crushed a mammoth home run to right field by the palm trees. If you have ever been to Joker Marchant Stadium then you know that is a pretty nice knock. He was 2-2 on the day and he remains an interesting candidate for the final bench spot.
• Brennan Boesch returned to action today late in the game. He went 0-1 with a walk  and a run scored. It was just nice to see him back in action after the incident on Tuesday.
• Diek Scram was also 1-1 with an RBI. Okay he isn’t a serious prospect but damn it’s fun yelling SCRAM!!
• Former Detroit Tigers Chris Shelton, Tim Byrdak, Shane Loux and Yorman Bazardo all made an appearance today. It had me wondering if they wanted any more of our trash?

Justin Verlander will make his first game appearance tomorrow against the Baltimore Orioles. Brad Thomas, Ryan Perry and Jay Sborz are scheduled to pitch in relief. Just curious is Jose Valverde planning on pitching this spring?

Full report tomorrow evening.

*Stay Classy Tiger Nation

• Rick Porcello tossed a perfect game…well sort of. In his two innings of work today Kid Rick retired all six batters that he faced. He looked great!
• Max Scherzer got beat like a pinata on Cinco De Mayo. In his Tigers debut crazy eyes gave up four straight singles for three Jays runs in 3rd. He settled down though in the fourth, striking out two. I wouldn’t read to much into his poor performance today.
• Dotrelle Willis is a tough subject for me to discuss. I think everyone wants him to succeed, he is a great guy who has simply lost the ability to play baseball. While he did pitch two scoreless frames today it is worth noting that is wasn’t very impressive. In both innings he allowed lead of walks and several of his pitches missed the strike zone by a gross margin. I am not trying to kick a man when he’s down but this small sample size wasn’t enough to get me excited.
• Armando Galarraga looked like garbage. In just one inning he surrendered four hits and walked two. He surrenderd four runs and it could have been a lot worse. The strong winds saved a home run for him. I hope that like Scherzer he is just knocking off some rust.
• Beyond the boxscore, Austin Jackson has been pretty impressive. He is taking a lot of pitches, which is normaly a difficult thing for young players to do. It is very important that he continues to do so, as we all know that is the top priority for a lead off hitter. He has looked as advertised in the outfield so far.
• Ryan Strieby was 1-1 with a walk and an RBI today. Have I mentioned how much I like this kid? Find him another position!
• Brent Dlugach hit his second home run in as many days. Where is the power coming from?
• Scott Sizemore looked a little suspect with the glove today. He missed a bunt and a ground ball today. Jason Beck describes the play on Twitter “Scott Sizemore charged in well on Mike McCoy’s bunt. Didn’t have a chance at a play, but good sign for how he’s moving around” True, and I know he’s still learning but you can’t help but feel that will be a trend all season.  Perhaps I just really miss Polly.
• Brennan Boesch is scheduled to return Friday after 11 stitches after being hit with a fly ball on Tuesday.

Tomorrow before the 1pm game against the Houston Astros I will be attending the “B game” at Kaline Field in the Tigertown complex. Jacob Turner and Andy Oliver are scheduled to pitch in that scrimmage. I will share more of my useless random observations from the game with you.

*Stay Classy Tiger Nation

Rather than spoon feed the box scores to you, I thought I would share some useless random observations of mine from todays game.

Random Info

• Third baseman Colin Kaline (grandson of Al Kaline) went 2-3 with a walk for the Mocs.
• Tyler Benzel of Fla. Southern jokingly proceeded to charge the mound after being hit by a pitch from Joel Zumaya in the seventh inning. The little fellow then shook hands with Zumaya as they both laughed it off about half way to the mound.
• Brennan Boesch was forced to leave the game after being hit in the face with a fly ball. He was 2-2 on the day with two runs scored and one error. Seriously, how do you give the guy an error when he gets hit in the face with a fly ball?
• Casper Wells hit a three run home run and looked pretty solid in the outfield. At some point this season, Wells will be called up, hes that good.
• Ryan Strieby went 2-2 with 3RBI and 3 runs scored. The kid is a beast! The only problem I have with this is that they are not letting him play the outfield. I think first base is spoken for for a few years. (note sarcasm) Why not use this spring to try the kid elsewhere on the diamond?
• Brandon Inge did not play…That’s always a good day in my book! In related news I wore my CRINGE t-shirt to the game.
• Cody Satterwhitedid struggle with command early on and his numbers did not look pretty on the day. HOWEVER, keep in mind that he was shut down early last season due to a lingering injury. I would chalk todays performance off as “just one of those days”. He settled down and gave fans a glimpse of who he really is, striking out the final batter leaving the bases loaded.

Alright I will be back in Lakeland Thursday through Monday with more detailed daily reports once Grapefruit League action begins.

*Stay Classy Tiger Nation