A New Home.

11.25.2008

Thank you to everyone who has supported me here. I have moved to a new home at trumbullandmichigan.com.

The good folks over at the MVN network will be hosting me now. There are still some technical kinks being worked out, but everything should be up and I should be posting again soon.

See you over there!

-s

Be Back Soon...

11.23.2008

This weekend Trumbull and Michigan is making the transition to a new hosting site. I will be moving over to the Most Valuable Network where I will be setting up shop. I am a little behind in updating because I am trying to make the switch, but I should be back bright and early tomorrow.

When all is said and done, we will have a new address: trumbullandmichigan.com.

See you soon!

So Long Moose.

11.20.2008

Mike Mussina has officially retired. 

We have all seen this coming. He was very open about the possibility of a retirement at the end of this year. He made it no secret. And yet it didn't actually hit me until today. I am saddened by the fact that I will never get to see him pitch again. The end of baseball for him, has become very real for me.

To me, Mussina was all that was good with baseball. He played hard. He played well. He played often. Never missing lengthy times of a season, never complaining about a contract. Mussina was a private person who never went out of his way to find conflict. He never showed up in the headlines. He loved playing baseball. He was one of my idols of the game. 

His career started in 1991. I was 8, and my love of the game was never stronger. I was infatuated with exciting names like Griffey Jr., Ripken, Trammell  and Puckett. Moose wasn't flashy. He seemingly had little a young boy would cling onto. He was just a professional. He just pitched.

I saw him throw live for the first time in 1993 when he started a game for the Orioles in Spring Training. The Twins had an intimidating lineup; Dave Winfield, Chuck Knoblauch, Kent Hrbek, and one of my heroes, Kirby Puckett. Moose quietly took the mound for the O's, and pitched a brilliant game. Most of my memories from that day have faded. I don't remember who won, or how most of the game went. But I can remember sitting next to my father and watching Mussina dominate Kirby Puckett.

A lot of questions will be raised five years from now about Mike Mussina's Hall of Fame credentials. He never won a Cy young. He never won a World Series. He never was the most dominant pitcher in his league, in any year he pitched. But he never won less than 11 games or pitched under 150 innings since his first full season in 1992. His two teams - the Orioles and Yankees - are part of the toughest division in the last 20 years of baseball. He finishes his career with a .638 winning percentage and a 3.68 ERA. His numbers weren't gaudy, but that's not what Mussina was about. 

In a time where dollars rule the game, and grace takes a backseat to popularity, Mike Mussina lived outside the mold. I have had the honor of watching a brilliant career unfold from day one, and Mike Mussina will always be one of the greats to me.

It's been a pleasure, Moose.

-s

Notes and News.

- Tim Brown says crazy things, like "Hey, I know you underachieved with a ridiculous payroll last year. You should add to it Detroit!"

- The Tigers and Darren Oliver continue the dialogue. 

- Wondering what's been going on with Clete Thomas? Spot Starters take a look.

- Ian Casselberry takes a closer look at the Japanese 22 year old pitcher Junichi Tazawa.

- Former Tiger backup Mike Rabelo has been placed on waivers. Could he venture back to Detroit? 

- The Tigers have added 5 prospects to their 40-man roster. 

- Joel Zumaya's rehab will quite obviously have a large effect on the team's plans next year. 

-s

By golly, it's Bei-mel!

11.19.2008

Joe Beimel is the latest name to surface as a possibility in the Tigers search for bullpen help. I must admit; this possibility really intrigues me.

Beimel is 31. He has bounced around the majors and minors since his debut in 2001 with the Pirates. He has a career ERA of 4.31 and has never had "dominating" stuff. So why would he command such an interest? 

First, he is a left-handed pitcher, which draws interest in itself. Last year in Los Angeles he compiled a 5-1 record with a 2.02 ERA in 71 innings. Good stuff. To add to that, he has only given up one homerun in the last 2 years. He won't command a huge salary, never having been an arm that a team could truly depend on until last year.  And finally, look at those locks. Imagine having a team with the hair of Joe Beimel AND Magglio Ordóñez. 

Beimel's would be role is yet to be determined. Given his lack of closing experience, and the absence of the aforementioned "dominating" stuff, I can't see him working in the closer's role. He could, however, serve as a bridge to whoever fills that spot, and thus allowing the Tigers to explore the possibility of trading Fernando "I can't wear my hat straight or they might think i'm soft" Rodney.

This makes all the sense in the world to me.

-s

All is quiet on the Mid-Western front.

11.18.2008

Could it be? Have talks seemingly died down? Have the GM's decided to take a step back and reevaluate their interest in dealing with the Tigers?

It has been a few days since a new rumor has surfaced, and in this otherwise busy offseason, it feels like an eternity. All the previous ideas are still on the table, and it could still be a very busy winter for the Tigers. But for the time being, we can reflect and each of us can catch our respective breaths. 

Right?

Is it possible that this is just the calm before the storm. Last year, very little was speculated when DD dropped the blockbuster Miggy/Dontrelle for the farm trade. Many of us thought that after we acquired Renteria from Atlanta we were done. No one expected to sign a future hall of famer. 

Take the time to enjoy your time of peace. Try not to worry about what could or could not happen. Because before you know it, the clouds will open up the deals begin to flood.

-s

Nooooooooooooo......

11.16.2008

It seems the Julio Lugo to Detroit rumor just won't die. It keeps on attacking my hopes and dreams like a plague of cyber-robotic vampire zombies that cannot be killed by human measures.

It was first mentioned in the Freep, back in September, and now it is being reported as a possibility in Boston. 

I would like to officially go on record as saying, "NO. Please, please no. For the love of God, stay away from Julio Lugo."

Now that I have overdramatized the issue, let's take a look. Lugo is comong off a season where he hit .268 with 1 homer and 22 RBI in 261 at bats. He lost playing time to Alex Cora of all people, and then lost his job outright to Jed Clampet-Lowrie. He plays mediocre defense at best, has lost a step or two on the bases, and has not always been the most positive impact on society. (Note: He was cleared of these charges, but so was Brett Myers in his assault case.)

Statistically, Lugo hasn't seen a good season since 2005, when he was with Tampa. I understand that to get him, we would probably only have to give up Nate Robertson or Dontrelle Willis, but I still feel we would be giving up too much. It's not even a matter of that though; what would he bring to the table?

Wouldn't we theoretically just replace Edgar Renteria with a slightly less talented clone of himself, with less power? I just feel like making this deal would be, as my father said, putting a bandage on the situation instead of fixing it. In this case, however, the bandage would be made of very poor defense and light hitting, and would most likely leak all over the situation.

Stepping down of my high horse...

...now.

-s

Wood will "find my niche somewhere."

11.14.2008

It appears as though the Cubs were much more willing to part with Kerry Wood, than he was to part with them.

He say's he would have "done anything" to stay with the team, including signing a one-year deal. He is determined to make his mark next year, he just doesn't know where.

The Tigers, in need of bullpen help could look to the flame-thrower. 

Hey, he's open to anything.

-s

Call me crazy...

I was talking to a Tigers fan tonight at the bar I work at. His name was Rob, and he was very knowledgeable. These are the people I like to talk to. The one's who have suggestions beyond, "Move Inge to short." "Inge can pitch, can't he?" "Fire Leyland, Inge can manage!"

I'm only kidding, but maybe not stretching it too much. Rob had some solutions that maybe made too much sense. Catching problem? There is this kid, maybe you've heard about him - James Skelton. At 5' 11'' and 165 pounds soaking wet, he is an unassuming looking catcher; but the kid can play. He hits for average, he throws well, he calls a good game, and he can run to boot. Why not give him a shot and platoon him with Ol' Dusty. Because it makes too much sense. (And to be fair, he is probably not ready for such a jump just yet, but stay with me, I will make a point eventually.)

We need a closer, right? So why not give Rick Porcello a shot? No, you don't want to rush him? Even though he is mowing people down and has big league stuff already. Even though David Price proved that if you're ready, you're ready. You still insist on putting the game in the hands of Darren Oliver? Or David Weathers? Or - gasp - Fernando Rodney? Why not give the kid a shot? Because it makes too much sense. (Point coming, I promise.)

So that got me thinking. What makes more sense than anything in the world? Who should the Tigers go after? Who could we trust to take over the closer's role until Rick Porcello or Ryan Perry is ready? And that's when it hit me. 

John Smoltz.

Let it sink in.

Why not? John is coming off surgery on his right shoulder. He will be 43 years old next year, and has only seen major league action with one club his entire career. But to me, John Smoltz makes more sense than any other possibility you can throw at me.

John is from Warren, Michigan. He was originally drafted by El Tigres in 1985, but then traded to Atlanta in that infamous playoff hunt swap for Doyle Alexander. When he failed to reach 200 innings last year for the Braves, his contract that was set to run through 2010 expired. On October 31 he filed for free agency. He has expressed interest in playing in Atlanta next year, but no contract has been discussed as of yet.

I fully believe that if he were to return to his home state, and return to the closer's role, he could be an All-Star again, despite the injury concerns.

Two months after undergoing surgery, Smoltz was playing golf and shooting in the low 70s. 

Florida manager Freddy Gonzalez once said of Smoltz

"I wouldn't be surprised to see him return as a left-handed pitcher if that's what he wants to do."

The point it, Smoltz is a gamer. If he wants to play again, he will battle back. He is a future first ballot hall of famer, and was dominant as a closer. I would love to see him in a Tigers uniform, where he belongs. Get on the horn Dave. Make the call.

 This is most likely nothing more than a pipe dream, but like I said, call me crazy...

-s

Gregg dealt to Chicago.

11.13.2008

One reliever can finally be scratched off the Tigers list of possibilities.

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Marlins shipped the reliever to the Cubbies today. Seems like an odd move to me for the Cubs. They are facing the very real possibility of losing Kerry Wood, but I was under the impression that the job belonged to Carlos Marmol in that scenario.

Will Carlos Marmol set up Kevin Gregg, or will Gregg set up Marmol. And now that they have both, that make Wood leaving the Cubs almost a certainty in my eyes. Could the Tigers now make a play for Wood? Add him to the list, because with this team you never know.

What is definately not know yet is who the Fish will receive in exchange for Gregg. 22-year old Jose Ceda has been speculated, but not confirmed. 

I am a bit relieved. When Gregg was rumored to be Detroit-bound I feared for our already flailing bullpen. Gregg blew nine saves for the Marlins in 2008. I'll take my chances somewhere else.

-s