Tiger Geist

Again, this may not matter due to injuries.  And there will be significant factors at play, such as how good (or bad) Carlos Guillen looks in left field.  Plus, this is just an early estimate, as the team may only go north with ‘officially’ 11 pitchers, but when the schedule evens out (first week or so) they’ll bring up the fifth starting pitcher or a reliever, etc.  But lets talk about the main team, assuming 12 pitchers are on the roster.

It appears ther are 9 spots locked up:  Laird, Cabrera, Polanco, Everett, Inge, Guillen, Granderson, Ordonez, and Sheffield.  Yes, lets not forget Mr. DH.

Treanor makes the team as the backup catcher (and current claim to hottest wife, though I’m willing to research the pictures of the other wives).  Ramon Santiago most likely will be the backup infielder.  As it stands, Marcus Thames will be the fourth outfielder (and third ‘bench’ player).  That leaves one more.

Conventional wisdom says this last spot will go to either Jeff Larish, Ryan Raburn, or Clete Thomas.  I’m marking Clete off of the list due to his arm injury; Leyland likes him and he’ll be back, possibly as a starter in 2010.  He’ll start in Toledo, rehab, and work on his game a little more.  Raburn is worrisome;  I like him (no idea why), he plays multiple positions, yet last year his offense seemed to suffer in such a role.  Worse, for the life of me I keep trying to spell his name with a ‘y’.  I’m pretty positive of the following:  Jeff Larish will be on the team in 2009.

There aren’t many left-handers on the team (Ramon Santiago is a switch hitter that gets no respect).  I feel the Adam Everett signing pretty much guarantees Detroit will need a power left-handed bat to come off the bench for pinch hitting situations, which Larish did well in his short stint last year.  Larish also fills the need as a backup first baseman (Thames and Guillen, by all reports, are pretty much outfielders from here on out).  He had a fantastic Arizona fall league, he is (apparently) serviceable at third, and apparently is now taking fly balls in the outfield (Somewhere reported that he played left field in college;  he also played third in college).  This is something to watch — how many innings Larish gets in the outfield this spring.

So there you go, that’s your bench:  Treanor, Santiago, Thames, and Larish.  But wait!  Who is your backup center fielder?

There is the possibility that they trot Inge out there in center from time to time;  i bet thats unlikely.  Leyland recently said that Santiago will not get any reps in center either;  he has also downplayed the idea that the backup center fielder must be right-handed.  Does this mean that Rayburn Raburn gets the nod, with either Santiago or Raburn learning to play first?  I think the more likely scenario is a trade involving Thames.

I’d like to keep Thames, but what’s the point if the team wants to get faster on the base-paths, more defensive (Everett signing, Laird, Treanor, Inge back to third), and already has four guys who probably should be DH’ing anyway, with a fifth hitting moon-shots in Toledo (Hessman).  At under $3million, doesn’t this guy have some trade value?  That is, of course, unless Detroit wants to drop Sheffield.  We’re getting the expected fluff about Sheffield being in the greatest shape of his life, finally being healthy (who knew someone could feel so good at age 41?), and ready to only be a DH.

My darkhorse?  Brent Clevlen.  I think the backup center field / fourth outfielder job is his to lose.  He’ll either be cut, traded, or have to pass through waivers to get back to Toledo anyway, and there aren’t any indications Detroit wants him hanging around in Toledo.  But as the rumored to be excellent defender would be very welcome as a late inning replacement.  Raburn also gives you the ability to play center AND backup in the infield, but I feel Clevlen, if he figures it out, has a better chance to be a player.   And that is entirely based on nothing in particular.

So, my random picks for the bench:  Treanor (backup catcher), Santiago (backup third, short, second), Larish (backup third, first, 5th outfielder / corner outfield), and Clevlen (4th outfielder, backup center fielder).  Marcus Thames is traded, Raburn is sent to Toledo or traded.  Either trade could be used in conjunction to help unload salaries of a starting pitcher (Robertson or Willis).  In respect for the young’ins (Wells, Ramirez), they will be treated like the young relief pitchers:  Keep them in Toledo, get them ready for injuries or 2010.

Very Darkhorse:  Sheffield / Magglio / Guillen get hurt in the spring and Thames stays while the others are on the DL report.

SIDE NOTE:  This site lists Larish playing left field, third base and first base while at ASU.