Tiger Geist

Let’s detail some areas of interest for the Tigers going into the second half.

1) Player movement into the AL Central

– Slightly nervous about Chicago making a deal (they had their Jake Peavy deal nixed earlier this year).  It sounds like Chicago isn’t going to take on any more salary at the moment, however.  Minnesota will keep their payroll in check, and we’re not worried about Cleveland or KC.

2) Internal improvements (hitting)

– The shuttling of players between Detroit and Toledo has probably stopped for a while;  can Granderson and Laird pick up their averages?  Both would help the team significantly.  Guillen is a wild card as well, if he gets on a cold streak, there isn’t a lot of time to let him ride it out.  What about Polanco?  Will Inge keep up his average (which is more impressive then his power numbers)?

3) Dontrelle Willis

– The chances the team has to win the division (I feel) will be a direct result to the amount of time they can keep Dontrelle Willis on the disabled list.  This doesn’t seem to be the type of distraction that playoff teams deal with.

4) Clete Thomas

– is he ready to be a full time player in 2009 or 2010?  Can he play well enough where Detroit doesn’t have to make a move for a bat?

5) Mike Illitch’s playoff statement

– Is he going to backup his statement that he’ll do whatever it takes to get Detroit into the playoffs?  He has every economic factor going against him.

6) Roy Halladay trade market

– Only of interest because I really think Edwin Jackson will be available for the bidding this off-season;  Halladay might help set his value.  Jackson is awesome this year, I just can’t see how Detroit can afford him and Verlander next year, unless both sign friendly deals that buy out the rest of their arbitration years.

Let’s touch on Armando Galarraga.  I’m obviously in the minority here, but I don’t expect much out of him.  I’d say his 2009 performance has been exactly what you expect out of a fifth starter who has had little success in professional baseball and missed most of spring training due to the WBC.  Giving up four runs over seven innings… thats pretty much what you’d expect.  Galarraga has only (what I would characterize) as one bad start since mid-May.  I’m confused over Lynn Henning’s statement:

Galarraga, however, has shown few signs he’s in for the long haul. He has been too up-and-down for too long to expect a second-half renaissance.

He had an ‘up’ April,  ‘down’ May and an ‘average’ June.  Its not ideal, but seems to be a small sample size.  If you’re using 2008 to say Armando is a solid #3 starter, using half of 2009 to say he’s killing the team might not be your strongest argument.

Last, I will attempt to not rag on Lynn Henning in the second half; Since Tom Gage is the beat writer, maybe i’m being too hard on him printing gut feelings over facts.  Here’s something that is killing me about all of the media:  Magglio’s contract.  All the newspapers write about whether Detroit may or may not release Magglio.  Sometimes they mention that it apparently is against the collective bargaining agreement (to release him to avoid his contract kickers), many times they just leave that out.  Know what would be a great f’ing story?  Get a lawyer, an agent, a players union rep, and a former GM to talk about Magglio’s contract and whether Detroit has the ability to release him.  Maybe there is no clear answer?  Great!  Write what each one says based on their interpretation of the CBA and the contract.  That’s a story. Constantly repeating (in interviews and in the Detroit News) that someone “thinks Detroit is putting together a case to release Magglio” for the past two months is getting old.  We all know the details of the contract.  I’ve read the CBA (hint:  its written in the greek alphabet) and I can’t understand most of it.  It seems ESPN would be the best place to report this, since they have all of those resources available (agents, Steve Phillips, etc), but since the Tigers don’t play in LA, Boston or New York, no one seems to care.  Why doesn’t one of the local reporters figure this out?  That’s the Magglio contract story I’d like to read.  Not about gut feelings about the front office, bat-speed, and outfield range.