Tiger Geist

I’m not really sure where the story line is here.  Detroit takes three of four from New York, splits the first two games with Boston (the victory in walk-off fashion in extra innings), but its feels like the big news is the roster moves announced after the game.  Let’s discuss:

• Casper Wells was called up for Alfredo Figaro Friday.  He hasn’t been demoted yet (as was expected with Armando Galarraga getting the start Sunday).  Wells is struggling at the plate, but is an upgrade over Ryan Raburn in the field.
• Max Scherzer just isn’t helping the team with his starts, but getting through five innings Friday night after getting bombed in the first was helpful by not killing the bullpen.  He was demoted to Toledo tonight, not surprisingly.
• Dontrelle Willis continues to baffle when he doesn’t have scheduled work.  Hard to read too much into tonight’s start, except he just sucked.  Thursday’s scheduled start in Oakland (his hometown) will be more telling… if he isn’t sick again.
• Danny Worth is getting promoted with Galarraga; Scott Sizemore goes to Toledo.  The surprise move is Worth; he’s done little to suggest he might excel in the majors at this stage in his career.

So some thoughts on what’s happening on the team with these moves.

Carlos Guillen is your new starting second baseman.  Its surprising, but maybe it shouldn’t be.  I actually suggested it last August (though it was more of a “i wouldn’t be surprised”, and definitely not a “it should happen”).  I have more thoughts on this, but we could easily chalk this up as “should have offered Placido Polanco arbitration”.  For Guillen, its hard to say how much of this is due to Detroit needing his bat in the lineup, or the front office not wanting to eat Guillen’s salary.  Probably quite a bit of both.  I have no idea how this will turn out.

Brandon Inge has been awful at the plate.  I don’t know if Detroit plans on using Worth or Don Kelly more at third, but I may be eating my words on the thought that Detroit would extend a contract to Inge before the all-star break.  More likely, Detroit may make a free agent splash at that position this winter.

No real thoughts on Scott Sizemore.  We may never know how much his ankle is holding him back; Leyland’s been reluctant enough to start Sizemore on cold weather days that the ankle could be affecting his offense.

Brennan Boesch continues to shine, and he’s actually improving.  This is all going to end eventually, and there was an interesting discussion at blessyouboys about it today.  I know scouts say there is a hole in Boesch’s swing… its just so interesting that two of the best franchises in the league (Yankees and Boston) can’t seem to exploit it.  Yes Boesch will come back down to earth, and probably even struggle.  But here’s the point:  Boesch has hit exceptionally well when other parts of the Tigers lineup (Inge, Magglio Ordonez, every catcher) have struggled.  Boesch being hot in late April and May have covered for other parts of the team cooling down.  Let’s just hope that as he cools off, Mags, Inge, and any sort of catcher can start hitting.  This much we can be certain of:  Heading into and out of spring training, Brennan Boesch was not Detroit’s top prospect; he wasn’t even Detroit’s top left handed hitting outfield prospect (more likely Clete Thomas, who didn’t make the team only due to having a option left).  But he’s made the most out of his opportunities.  Much like Matt Joyce in 2008?  Maybe… but Joyce was NEVER this hot in the majors.  Not by a long shot.

In SF Giants land, I attended Friday night’s victory over lowly Houston.  Ex-Tiger Andres Torres shined, and was a monster on the base paths.  It reminds you why Austin Jackson can be a team’s worst nightmare with such speed.  It is also easy to imagine how Bengie Molina (on a one year contract) could help Detroit this year.  Molina is holding down the fort for Buster Posey in SF… I’d suggest Detroit exploring a swap with Gerald Laird and some surplus outfielder for Molina.  This assumes Laird isn’t in the 2011 Tiger plans, which I assume he isn’t.