Tiger Geist

(Vacation + visiting family = no time to post.  Many research posts upcoming; stay tuned!)

Last night’s devastating injury to Joel Zumaya required Detroit to call-up Casey Fien today.  Detroit now holds a 1/2 game lead in the Central division, yet Joel Zumaya is the THIRD pitcher who was expected to have a prominant role on the 2010 Tigers to be lost for the season due to injury: neither Bobby Seay nor Zach Miner made it out of spring training.  Seay has a severe shoulder injury, while Minor elected to have Tommy John surgery.

Outside of the injury issues, Detroit has dealt with slumps that required minor-league stints (Max Scherzer, Ryan Perry, Rick Porcello), a roster crunch (Nate Robertson), and general ineffectiveness (Dontrelle Willis)

How has Detroit competed?  You can’t discount Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez and Brennan Boesch.  But the pitching staff and pitching depth in the minors have been a substantial benefit.  Remember the 2008 bullpen, that included such stellar components as “San” Francisco Cruceta?  Dombrowski seems to have guaranteed that 2008 would not happen again.  How?

The Draft

Starting in 2007, Detroit picked up hot-shot talent Rick Porcello, and followed up with left-handed Casey Crosby.  The 2008 draft nabbed fast-rising relievers Cody Satterwhite, Robbie Weinhardt, and of course Ryan Perry.  In the 2009 draft Detroit jumped on high-schooler Jacob Turner in the first round, but came back with Andrew Oliver in the second.  Oliver, recently joining the starting rotation for an un-determined amount of time,  has quickly leap-frogged Crosby as the most polished (and healthy) left handed prospect.  Today’s call-up, Casey Fien, was drafted in 2006.  Last month, Dombrowski nabbed another reliever who is expected to be ready for the majors quickly in Chance Ruffin.

The draft has given Detroit both valuable assets and major-league ready players on the cheap.  While a few of the hot-rising stars have hit recent injury issues, Oliver has given Detroit a hand (at least for one start) to help Porcello tweak his delivery in Toledo.  Due to injuries (and possibly Jay Sborz’s awful professional stint), Fien has replaced Joel Zumaya.

The Trades

The Curtis Granderson / Edwin Jackson trade netted a Jackson replacement (Scherzer), a left-handed specialist (a Bobby Seay replacement, with starting potential in Coke), and another left-hander with ‘closer’ potential (Schlereth).  Scherzer has recently flashed his potential, and Coke has been outstanding in the bullpen.  Schlereth is working out his control problems in Toledo, and may be in Detroit soon if Fu-Te Ni continues to be ineffective.

The Free Agents

When Brad Thomas was signed, most of us laughed at the stockpile of left handers.  Yet Thomas seems to have taken Zach Miner’s spot, giving Detroit spot-starts this season and currently sitting with a 4-0 record.  Enrique Gonzalez was a late pick-up, and has allowed a run in 7 innings of work since his call-up.  Of course, there is Jose Valverde.  A fantastic (yet expensive) pickup, costing Detroit a lot of money and a draft pick.  Valverde proved Dombrowski’s thinking, that Ryan Perry wasn’t ready to close, and Joel Zumaya had too many red flags.  Valverde has allowed 3 runs (2 earned) in 34 innings, with 18 saves.

The System

Detroit felt Eddie Bonine was a more capable reliever then Nate Robertson, and inexplicably thought Dontelle Willis was a better rotation candidate then Robertson.  Armando Galarraga didn’t have a great 2009 and did not start the season with Detroit; he has responded from his Toledo re-call with a perfect game that, with Scherzer tweaking his mechanics sufficiently in Toledo, allowed Detroit to dump Dontrelle.

The round-up

What was expected to be an above-average staff before injuries has been excellent, dealing with slumps and ineffectiveness.  Justin Verlander and Jeremy Bonderman have made every start.  Phil Coke replaced Bobby Seay.  Eddie Bonine replaced Nate Robertson’s corpse contract.  Brad Thomas replaced Zach Miner.  Armando Galarraga replaced Max Scherzer, who replaced Dontrelle Willis.  Enrique Gonzalez replaced Ryan Perry; Casey Fien replaced Joel Zumaya.  Andy Oliver is holding a spot for Rick Porcello; Perry should return in July.  And most importantly, Jose Valverde has replaced Fernando Rodney.

Dave Dombrowski’s draft strategy of major-league ready pitching talent and the 2009/2010 off-season acquisitions of veteran arms must be applauded.  Having an owner willing to pay for Dombrowski’s poor decisions in extensions for Robertson and Willis doesn’t hurt either.  Even with three season-ending injuries and the trading of two veteran starters (who may be shitty, but good enough to stick on an NL rotation), Detroit has a viable pitching staff that will compete in 2010 and beyond, and should be rather cost-effective going forward.