Tiger Geist

Today started off normal.  Then I got an email about an Oakland Athletic specials on suites;  before I knew it (and definitely before my wife knew it) I had purchased a luxury box suite and 18 tickets for the June 2nd Oakland / Tiger game.  Hope my friends like baseball.

Later in the day, I tried to find out more information about the Tigers.  It seemed the beat writers didn’t have anything new to report:  Polanco and Sheffield are both hurt but not TOO hurt.  Dontrelle Willis is feeling better but his hyper-extended knee wasn’t the reason he can’t throw strikes.  Curtis Granderson is making his come-back and showing some speed in his rehab assignment.  Then I heard something I couldn’t believe:  Danny Knobler talked on WDFN how we shouldn’t be excited about Galarraga’s 2-0 start, since it they weren’t against top talent.  I guess we should be excited about the two losses against the same Toronto team without much talent over the weekend.  I don’t think Galarraga’s a savior, but I’m much more frightened about Dontrelle’s return to the rotation.

Then, the Tigers (minus Polanco and Sheffield) smoke the Rangers, including back to back home runs by Ordonez and Cabrera, and a surprising shot by Ramon Santiago.  Verlander has a decent outing (though I won’t get excited because Danny Knobler wouldn’t want me to), and hopefully he can turn this into better things.  Renteria continues to impress with four hits, and Jacque Jones must have gotten the memo that Clete Thomas wants his job as has his best game this year.  The Detroit Tigers easily beating the Texas Rangers.. this should not be news.  And it wasn’t.  What WAS news, was the bomb layed by Jimmy Leyland after the game.

First, San Francisco Cruceta had a solid (if not extremely impressive) outing in Toledo.  Sounds like he was tipping pitches, (though it should get worked out), but it puts further heat on Zach Miner and Jason Grilli.  Second, reported news that Joel Zumaya is alive and is no longer playing guitar hero, rock band, or lifting boxes around his parent’s house.  Sure, he’s only playing catch.  But do you really care that Jordan Tata is ready to start throwing?  Nope.  How about this:  When is the last time we’ve heard about Vance Wilson?  Zumaya is good news.  But that still isn’t the big news.

Reported here, here, here, here, and here, probably countless blogs and every major radio station… Miguel Cabrera is your new first baseman, with Carlos Guillen your new third baseman.  Is it me, or did EVERYONE miss this one?  It makes total sense, and it was intriguing why there were so many late-inning defensive changes by inserting Inge at third and moving Cabrera to first.  Yeah, this is big news.  All year beat writers stated that there was NO way Cabrera was moving to the outfield, that he had been signed as the starting third baseman.  Well, they were half right.  Is it the right move?  Yeah, I think it is.  Are the players involved happy?  Sounds like they’re indifferent, but happy enough.

So what do we know now?  It sounds like Cabrera is done at third for a while, if not for good.  His hands and his arm both seemed solid, but there were many times he couldn’t put them together on the same play.  Guillen?  He was an average shortstop that should be a solid third basemen;  his footwork at first concerned many for his own safety.

Additionally, I think this means some more moves are coming.  Cabrera’s playing every day, 150+ games if he can get them.  Thames’ playing time is going to diminish as a right handed backup — Guillen was more attractive as a switch hitting DH, but we are stacked with right handed DHs (Sheff, Cabrera, Ordonez, Thames).  At the same time, you no longer have the defensive liability at third, possibly diminishing Brandon Inge’s playing time.  Granderson will play as often as possible as soon as he gets back, possibly as early as Wednesday.  Detroit also has to realize that Gary Sheffield isn’t going to play more then 125 games this year.

What an exciting night.  And right before I head to Memphis for a bachelor party.