SB Nation Detroit - Features

Off-Day Skipper: Second-Guessing Games 17-24

2012-05-04T11:00:48Z

A dossier of Jim Leyland's questionable decisions throughout the 2012 season with adjudication. This feature will focus on Games 17-24.

If you're a Tigers fan who LOVES to second guess Tigers manager Jim Leyland, then you stumbled across the right place. Overall, I'm a big fan of Leyland, but this feature will serve its purpose in breaking down every questionable managerial decision our chain smoking skipper makes in every game leading up to a Tigers' off day (or some random day in the middle of a lengthy stretch). I won't catch everything or won't think some things are a big deal, or I may even mention a Leyland move as questionable when it wasn't at all, so if you have something to add, hit up the comments.

Pre-judgment smoke:

The Tigers are 2-6 in their last eight games, which can only mean that Jim Leyland is on the chopping block. Dammit, Jim! Why is your batting average so low?

Let's get weird.

Game 17 vs. Mariners (7-4 L)

Why is Brandon Inge ever in the game?

It was Inge's last hurrah and he went 1-for-2 with a double (that probably should've been caught) against the left-handed Jason Vargas. Inge was pinch hit for in the seventh to sarcastic cheers and he would never play again for the Tigers. Jim Leyland's last usage of him was a success!

Game 18 vs. Mariners (9-1 L)

You mean Jim Leyland played a 9-1 loss just fine? That can't be right, so let's go back and nitpick why Adam Wilk was ever allowed to have a cup of coffee with this team and Duane Below wasn't the obvious choice as Doug Fister's temporary replacement. Wilk gave up eight hits in two-plus innings and would make the trip back to Toledo after the game. Below would throw two scoreless, meaningless innings late in the game, which might beg the question -- why didn't Below relieve Wilk immediately? Because Leyland didn't want to go back-to-back lefties and didn't want Below showing up Wilk, making the decision to use Wilk as Fister's replacement appear even worse in hindsight? Hmm.

Game 19 vs. Mariners (5-4 L)

With the Mariners carrying brooms and frustrations boiling, Jim Leyland leaves plenty to question in this one, of course:

Andy Dirks leading off...

Everyone needs an off day every now and then and this was the day for Austin Jackson, who had played the team's first 18 games. Dirks, who was DH'ing and actually rocks an OBP above .300, was really the only choice, unless you believe tossing conventional wisdom aside and leading off Alex Avila, quite possibly the slowest player on the team, is a good idea.

Okay, but Don Kelly batting sixth?

We already know that Jim Leyland has to be Don Kelly's biological father and/or Kelly has fully nude pics of Jim Leyland he's threatening to release to Deadspin, but Kelly (.211 hitter at the time) should probably never hit ahead of Jhonny Peralta (albeit not much better at the time), right? Leyland likes to get cute, though, alternating hitters lefty-righty-lefty-righty, etc., and that's probably his reasoning behind this. Of course, Kelly went 2-4 and Peralta was 1-3. Oops, doubters.

Rick Porcello pulled too late

In a 4-4 game, Rick Porcello trotted out for the seventh inning after an eight pitch sixth. This was right. In the seventh, Porcello got the first two outs, but on the second out he had to battle back from a 2-0 count.

Porcello proceeded to issue a two-out walk to the sub-Mendoza, nine-hole hitting Brendan Ryan. Porcello was now at 106 pitches and about to face the top of the M's lineup for the fourth time. Last I checked, Porcello isn't spelled V-e-r-l-a-n-d-e-r, so he should have been pulled immediately, preferably for Phil Coke to turn switch-hitting Chone Figgins around.

Nope.

Porcello was left in -- after a coaching visit even bought Coke some time to warm up -- and Figgins doubled in the game-winning run. It was at this point that Coke was finally called upon. But it was too late.

Bunting Ryan Raburn in bottom half of seventh

Jhonny Peralta had just singled, representing the game-tying run after Leyland arguably gave the Royals a run by leaving Porcello in too long in the top half. You have soft first-half hitting Raburn coming up to the plate against a righty, whom he normally doesn't hit as well. The Tigers will likely need two hits to score Peralta -- maybe the sub-Mendoza hitting Raburn gets a hit, maybe he doesn't and Peralta stays at first and the Tigers still need two hits. Leyland obviously didn't think Raburn would get a hit or at least didn't want to take the chance and see a potential Alex Avila single go wasted. So he asked Raburn to sacrifice himself -- who, for what it's worth, is 0-11 in the 7th inning this season and 1-15 in late & close games.

Raburn did his job, but unfortunately, Avila walked and then Dirks nor Brennan Boesch could come up with a hit. I don't care what some people say, there's a place for sacrifice bunting in baseball and this was probably exhibit A of when it's okay. It just didn't work out here.

It may have paid off if he had pinch hit for Dirks or Boesch, though...

Left-handed hitters vs. a lefty pitcher. It seems like classic PH spots and Leyland failed to on both. Austin Jackson was on the bench -- I know, resting -- and I imagine he could/should have been available in case of emergency, like when you're about to be swept by the Mariners. Hell, the notorious B-I-N-G-E was still on the bench, too, and we all know Leyland's had no problem DH'ing him against lefties. Maybe the decision to release Inge after the game had already been made and releasing him after a game-tying or winning hit is not going to go over well with the cougars downriver, so he was glued to the bench either way. Still, I don't know why Jackson couldn't have seen an at bat here.

Okay, Raburn bunting in seventh was fine, but Peralta bunting in the ninth?

Don Kelly had just singled, Billy Zane was warming up, and Peralta, who singled in the seventh, was coming up to face M's closer Brandon League. Peralta is 3-8 with a double in his career against League and you have first half doldrum Raburn and slumping Avila (4 for his last 27) coming up after him. This is where you probably don't sacrifice, but maybe Leyland wanted to avoid a double play... After Raburn's single to third forced Kelly to remain at second, Avila hit into a game-ending tailor-made double play.

Game 20 vs. Yankees (7-6 L)

Don Kelly batting fifth, oh my!*

Kelly in the fifth spot of the lineup, sadly, wasn't the most horrible thing to happen to the Tigers before a pitch was thrown in the Yankees series. I'm sure Jim Leyland wasn't expecting his normal No. 5 hitter to get schmammered and then arrested 16 hours before first pitch on charges of second degree harassment that includes an element of hate crime. The last time Leyland had too much chocolate milk the night before a game, he hit Kelly sixth and Kelly rewarded him with a 2-4 effort. Exigent circumstances make this a "whatever, it's fine," move.

Game 21 vs. Yankees (7-5 W)

*now that Leyland's had a little time to think about things, he puts Dirks -- who needed time to heal -- at the No. 5 spot. He also homered in the first.

Ramon Santiago squaring to sac bunt while Tigers are up 6-1 in the 7th?

He was 0-3, couldn't even get the bunt down and then grounded into a double play. Ramon Santiago was just having a bad hair day.

Jose Valverde in the ninth

He hadn't pitched in six days, seeing as the Tigers were in the midst of a losing streak, so that's why he was called upon in a 7-2 game. Unfortunately, he made things interesting by giving up three runs and allowing the tying run to the plate. Why Valverde was throwing in a non-save situation quickly turned into a curiosity as to how long Leyland would stick with him before he cost the Tigers the game. It appeared Leyland was ready to ride him until he completely blew the game, because Valverde threw over 30 pitches before getting the final, very scary out.

Game 22 vs. Yankees (6-2 L)

Why don't you just give them the trophy...

What's with the lineup Leyland tossed out there against CC Sabathia? No Dirks, no Avila, no Peralta. No Dirks because, well, I'm not quite sure. No Avila because he was 4 for his last 30 and is just 1 for his last 11 with seven strikeouts vs. Sabathia. Plus, Gerald Laird hits Sabathia well. Peralta is a 1-17 against Sabathia in his career. So Leyland went with a righty heavy lineup sans Peralta. It didn't work. The Tigers lost.

Game 23 vs. Royals (9-3 W)

Why not push starters back?

Due to Monday's game being postponed, Leyland had an opportunity to push his starters back a day, giving them an extra day to rest and have his best pitchers go in the weekend White Sox series. Leyland decided to stick with Porcello and Verlander in the KC series, though, and keep Below in the bullpen. Now, the Tigers have Smyly, Scherzer and Porcello going against the White Sox rather than Verlander, Smyly and Scherzer. It's probably a little early to worry about setting up better pitching match ups against the better opponents and, with Thursday being an off day, I'm sure Leyland didn't want to give Verlander too many extra days off and get him out of wack. Ultimately, I'm okay with Leyland's decision, but I think it's fair to ask. Also, Porcello pitched great in a win and now the Tigers won't need a "fifth" starter until Fister returns, so it all worked out.

Santiago attempting to bunt Avila/Peralta over in third inning

You're up 5-0 and one of the slower, if not the slowest, runners on the team is on second. Just let Santiago hit here. As it turned out, Avila was forced out at third, so the Tigers were left right where they started with fewer outs to work with. The Tigers wound up getting three runs, but it's possible this inning could have been even bigger.

Game 24 vs. Royals (3-2 L)

JV takes the mound in the eighth ...

He was at 101 pitches of a 2-2 game with a well-rested bullpen. Verlander allowed a single to start the inning, but then he struck out the side. Okay, that's why.

Laird pinch runs in ninth for Avila

This is how slow Avila is...

Hamstrung Dirks pinch hits for Brad Eldred?

Strategically, probably the right call (righty-lefty), but it would have been cool to see what the power-hitting Eldred could have done in a potential walk off situation, especially since Dirks was nursing a tight hamstring.

Did I miss something? Did I fart? If you have anything to add, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Off Day Skipper: Second-Guessing Games 4-16

2012-04-24T19:21:57Z

A dossier of Jim Leyland's questionable decisions throughout the 2012 season with adjudication. This feature will focus on Games 4-16.

Pre-judgment smoke:

When you consider who the Tigers have faced in their first 16 games, 10-6 should be more than satiable. I don't know a sane Tigers fan who isn't happy with the Tigers being on pace to win 100 games. Alas, where there's Jim Leyland and Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn and Daniel Schlereth and some losing in a 162-game season, there's likely some curious decisions for fans to pick at like a Drew Smyly booger.

Game 4 vs. Rays (5-2 W)

Bunting Ryan Raburn after three consecutive hits in the bottom of the 8th inning

The Tigers had taken a 2-1 lead on the second of three straight hits in the inning. Raburn was 0-3 and, thus, asked to bunt with no outs against reliever Burke Badenhop to move Prince Fielder and the now former Tiger Clete Thomas over for noted "RBI guy" Jhonny Peralta, who was hitting behind Raburn for situations just like this, I guess.

Raburn didn't lay down the first two strikes and, ultimately, made swinging contact on a 3-2 hit-and-run, a questionable call in and of itself with a high strikeout hitter such as Raburn at the plate.

In the end, after failing to get the bunt down on two tries, the hit-and-run worked -- Thomas was safe at second on a 6-4-3 single put out. Without the hit-and-run, the Tigers are doubled up and might not get another run in the inning (they definitely don't if Peralta still flies out in his at bat). It's hard to argue with a successful tactic, but I think in the moment it was reasonable. Raburn did a good job making Leyland look okay after making him look bad on the front-end. He seems to do that a lot.

Game 5 vs. Rays (4-2 L)

Justin Verlander pitching into the 9th inning

In an almost identical situation to Opening Day when Jose Valverde blew a Verlander 2-0 lead in the ninth, Leyland decided to stick with his ace for the ninth in this game with the same lead.

Of course, the major difference here was that Verlander was only at 81 pitches as opposed to 105 on Opening Day. Factor in how Opening Day turned out when Leyland went to Valverde, it feels like it was a no brainer to stick with the reigning MVP here.

Matthew Snyder has an interesting article up on Tigers Den, though, on how Verlander's success decreases when the opposing lineup sees him a fourth time. That's probably true for any pitcher, but the point is that going to a closer like Valverde is statistically the best move anytime Verlander is about to go through an order for the fourth time.

Here, Verlander would face the bottom two of the order before reaching the top of the Rays' order again. A Cy Young pitcher at the bottom of a team's order for the ninth inning with only 81 pitches thrown should be allowed take the mount for the ninth every single time.

Unfortunately, it didn't pan out in this game and Verlander gave up the tying runs before being relieved with another two runners on who would ultimately score. Once Verlander started to get in trouble, one could ask why Leyland didn't go get Valverde before Verlander blew his start entirely and I think that'd be a good question, especially with Snyder's analysis to lean on. But there should be no questions about letting Verlander at least start the ninth.

Daniel Schlereth!?

After pulling Verlander, instead of going to Valverde, Leyland went to Schlereth with the game tied at 2-2 and two runners on to face former Tiger and left-handed hitter Matt Joyce. Predictably, Joe Maddon pinch hit right-handed hitter Elliot Johnson. Johnson shouldn't be a hard out to get, but Schlereth tried to get cute with his offspeed pitches once he got up 0-2 and wound up walking the bases loaded. Leyland then went to Valverde.

But why not go straight to the closer? By going to a lefty like Schlereth, you force Maddon's hand to pull Joyce out of the game for a more favorable match up, sure, but you're also putting in a much lesser arm. I know Phil Coke pitched the game before, but why couldn't he go again? I feel like he's underused and I know I'm not the only one who believes this.

Game 6 vs. Rays (7-2 W)

Drew Smyly starting the 5th inning

At 86 pitches in his MLB debut, trailing 1-0, Smyly returned to the mound in the top of the fifth inning to face lefty Carlos Pena. On the fourth pitch of the at bat, Smyly hit Pena and was relieved for Collin Balester with Evan Longoria coming up.

It's clear Leyland wanted the lefty-lefty match up here and also wanted to see if Smyly could build off getting the last two outs from the preceding inning and possibly save the bullpen an extra frame. Maybe Smyly's only job in the fifth was to face Pena and once he hit him, his day was done.

You could argue that the one batter leash in this situation is kind of silly and sets Smyly up to exit the game on a sour note, but I think that he was probably done no matter what after facing Pena. Therefore, I'm okay with the move, although I would've been happy with him not going out for the fifth at all, too.

Going to Brayan Villarreal in the 7th

Balester put the first two runners on and Leyland had to make a move. It's debatable that Leyland should've been done with Balester after the sixth, but Octavio Dotel was not available due to his back, so trying to stretch Balester an extra inning was understandable here. Going to Villarreal is basically an extension of Balester before getting to Coke-Benoit-Valverde.

Game 7 vs. White Sox (5-2 L)

Why does Andy Dirks continue to DH while Delmon Young plays LF?

The reason is because Delmon Young said during Spring Training that he does not want to DH. Young's splits don't really indicate any drop off in his hitting while DH'ing, but Leyland doesn't want to intentionally upset one of his better players. That's why his players respect him. But it reared its ugly head in the bottom of the eighth when Young made an egregious error that cost the Tigers two runs.

Daniel Schlereth!?

When the Young play was reviewed and retroactively turned into an error, the biggest beneficiary was Schlereth, whose two runs allowed became unearned. But Schlereth probably shouldn't have been pitching at all. It should've been Phil Coke, who was warming up in the seventh, presumably ready if the Tigers tied the game or took the lead.

Game 8 vs. White Sox (5-1 L)

Why did Adam Wilk get the start and not Duane Below?

Left-hander Wilk got the nod over Duane Below to fill in for the injured Doug Fister, despite Below being the one who was competing for the No. 5 spot in the rotation during Spring Training and started a couple games last year. At this point, though, Below is set up in a position to be a middle reliever and I'm guessing Leyland didn't want to jerk him around. Wilk is simply a placeholder and it should be okay to see how he fares as a starter until Fister returns and Wilk is likely sent back to the minors.

Brandon Inge pinch hitting in the 9th for Andy Dirks

If Gerald Laird and Brandon Inge pinch hitting in the ninth inning isn't throwing in the towel, I don't know what is. I get Laird hitting for Avila against the lefty Matt Thornton because if, somehow, the game needs a bottom of the ninth, Laird slides into the catcher's position. However, why Inge instead of, say, Ramon Santiago, you ask?

Although Santiago is a career .375 hitter against Thornton, Inge was 2-6 with a homer and a couple walks off Thornton entering that at bat, so I'm guessing that's why.

Game 9 vs. White Sox (5-2 W)

Brandon Inge DH'ing or Brennan Boesch getting an off-day

I think the general complaint is that Inge is still on the team, but he hits lefties relatively well and can serve a purpose there. White Sox starter Chris Sale is a young lefty. Now, Ryan Raburn hits lefties better than Inge; however, because Leyland gave Boesch a day off, Raburn was already penciled in at right and Inge had to be used at either 2B or DH.

But why was Boesch given an off-day? He had five hits in his last three games and he hits lefties better than he does righties. I understand players need the occasional day off, but this one, on April 15, didn't make any sense to me.

Game 10 vs. Royals (3-2 W)

Justin Verlander pitching into the 9th inning again

For the third straight Verlander Day, the Tigers' skip had a big decision to make with his ace entering the ninth inning. After Valverde blew Verlander's gem on Opening Day and Verlander blew his own start the next time out, Leyland probably felt conflicted.

Verlander fell behind his last two batters he faced in the eighth inning, his pitch count was at 104 and the Royals' 4-5-6 hitters would be getting their fourth crack at Verlander. But Verlander demanded the ball and, thus, Leyland said it was Verlander's game to win or lose. Verlander struggled -- he even received a visit from Leyland during which Leyland quipped that Verlander was going to get him fired -- but he would finally exorcise the demons on 131 pitches.

Game 11 vs. Royals (3-1 W)

Where in the world is Danny Worth? Oh, Toledo.

Danny Worth was sent to Toledo on April 13 and it's games like this one when I wished he was still on the team. Raburn's struggles probably would've called for a Worth start against the lefty Bruce Chen, but because he was in Triple-A, tearing it up, we were stuck with Raburn's meh 1-4 game. (A night after hitting the game-winning homer, Inge he was benched because he's 1-23 in his career vs. Chen; Raburn had six hits and two homers.)

Game 12 vs. Royals (4-3 W)

See above for the same Brandon Inge/Ryan Raburn theme...

Game 13 vs. Rangers (10-3 L)

Daniel Schlereth!?

He relieved Balester in the seventh and, after a leadoff walk, he got out of the inning. I don't understand why Leyland didn't immediately go with Below, though. Below's capable of throwing multiple innings and he's been the much better lefty out of the pen not named Phil Coke, even up to this point.

Schlereth proceeded to get himself into serious trouble in the eighth and finally Below was summoned. But it was too late.

Game 14 vs. Rangers (10-4 L)

Rick Porcello pulled too soon/late?

If you turned this game on in the second inning expecting to see Rick Porcello pitching, you may have missed him. He got the hook after giving up eight earned (nine total) runs while only getting three outs. The last time a Tigers' starter was this bad was exactly 10 years ago when Jose Lima gave up eight earned in only an inning of work.

It's always tricky to know exactly when to pull a struggling starting pitching before he can get the team beyond, oh, the first inning. Adam Wilk was getting roughed up similarly to Porcello the game before, but he was getting out of innings relatively unscathed. With quite a bit of fortune, Wilk lasted four innings, deep enough for Leyland to feel comfortable to pull him when he walked the lead off hitter in the fifth and Leyland felt maybe Wilk's luck was about to run dry. However, against Porcello the runs were piling up along with the hits. At a certain point, the runs are no longer really as much of a concern as getting enough out of your starter so as to not have to completely exhaust your bullpen. At the same time, you also don't want to leave your pitcher out to dry.

I thought Leyland properly allowed Porcello to go back out in the second to redeem himself and possibly eat some innings, but when it started to have similar results to the first inning, Leyland smartly decided to pull the plug and take his chances with his bullpen. Luckily, Duane Below saved some arms by going six scoreless in relief of Porcello.

Daniel Schlereth!?

Why does he ever pitch!? Hah, well, in this case it was actually warranted, because he was demoted after the game, leading me to believe that Leyland was just using Schlereth to eat a couple innings of a game the Tigers had already all but lost thanks to Porcello's rough start. This was actually one of Schlereth's better outings of the season, too, although he did give up a run on three hits in two innings.

Game 15 vs. Rangers (3-2 W)

Justin Verlander only goes 6 innings

Some might have wondered why Verlander didn't go out to at least start the seventh against the bottom third of the Rangers lineup. He mowed in the sixth on 14 pitches and he was only at 115 pitches after throwing 131 the game before. Well, that's part of the reason (the high pitch count the game before) and the fact that the Tigers have Dotel-Benoit-Valverde for a reason. Leyland played this perfectly and his relievers rewarded his decision making.

Game 16 vs. Rangers (3-2 L)

Pinch hitting Inge for Kelly in the 10th

The reason Inge pinch hit for Kelly in the 10th against lefty Robbie Ross was because, well, Inge is decent against lefty pitchers. As I've already said, Raburn is probably better, but he had already replaced Young in left field in the top of the 10th. I think most fans would've been fine with Kelly remaining in the game in that spot, but I like that Leyland is still managing with what he has.

Of course, the lineup change meant that Inge would have to move to third in the 11th inning and Cabrera would switch back to first, which was weird to see again.

Thad Weber in the 11th

After Jose Valverde threw a scoreless 10th inning, Leyland decided to give rookie Thad Weber his MLB debut in the 11th. Valverde did not throw more than one inning all of last year until the postseason against Texas when he threw two scoreless. After a long stretch of games in which Valverde saw action in eight games, having him throw two innings was likely never a consideration, even with the off day on Monday. Weber was put into a tough spot for his debut, but he was by far the freshest arm in the bullpen and likely would've been asked to go as long as possible.

Did I miss something? Did I fart? If you have anything to add, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Off Day Skipper: Second-Guessing Jim Leyland

2012-04-10T10:00:14Z

A dossier of Jim Leyland's questionable decisions throughout the 2012 season with adjudication.

If you're a Tigers fan who LOVES to second guess Tigers manager Jim Leyland, then you stumbled across the right place. Overall, I'm a big fan of Leyland, but this feature will serve its purpose in breaking down every questionable managerial decision our chain smoking skipper makes in every game leading up to a Tigers' off day (or some random day in the middle of a lengthy stretch). I won't catch everything or won't think some things are as big of a deal as you might, or I may even mention a Leyland move as questionable when it wasn't at all, so if you have something to add, hit up the comments.

Pre-judgment Smoke:

Everything -- including Ryan Raburn -- smells like roses when the team is winning. You usually won't hear any real bickering about Leyland until things go awry, unless you're listening to someone who's completely unfair and just has it out for the old man. Believe it or not, though, I thought Leyland still made some head scratching calls in the Tigers' sweep against Boston:

Game 1: Opening Day vs. Boston

Alex Avila bunting with two men on and nobody out in the 5th inning

Jim Leyland's a fan of the sacrifice bunt; Bill James is not.

In the bottom of the 5th inning of a 0-0 game with Justin Verlander dueling Jon Lester, Leyland decided to sacrifice Alex Avila to move the runners up from first and second so Ramon Santiago could have a crack at knocking in a run with less than two outs (or two runs with a hit). Leyland's intentions were pure -- a run or two scores and that should be enough for the reigning Cy Young and MVP + the perfect closer, if necessary. This was the first time in the game Lester allowed a runner on second base and, up to that inning, he looked every bit of nasty as Verlander.

The blatant flaw in Leyland's decision, though? Avila had all of three sacrifice bunts in 2011 and is a lot better hitter than Santiago. I'd take my chances with Avila swinging, save an out and possibly extend the inning to get it back to the meat of the order. Of course, Avila failed to get a bunt down on the first two pitches, falling behind 0-2, and wound up striking out.

You're probably thinking, okay, so bunting didn't work and neither did letting Avila swing. Well, Avila's at bat was completely altered by being put into the mindset of having to get a bunt down; being behind 0-2 didn't do him any favors, either, once he had to revert to swinging. Maybe Avila makes an out anyway... or maybe Avila gets a hit because he doesn't step into the box thinking all he needs to do is sacrifice himself; he's in the mindset all along of hitting with three strikes rather than one.

I didn't like the bunt attempt because, even if Avila got the bunt down, Santiago and Jackson got out, so it wouldn't have worked anyway. That hind sight is true, but assuming Avila gets a bunt down, Santiago's approach completely changes knowing he just needs to put the ball in play on the right side rather than a hit; the pressure alleviates ten fold. That said, I'd still take my chances with Avila, who finished with two hits in the game, swinging away rather than giving him up and relying on Santiago and Jackson.

(I won't go this in depth on every sac bunt henceforth, but since this is the first one, I figured I'd try to explain it more thoroughly.)

Going to Jose Valverde in the 9th to save a 2-0 game rather than sticking with ace Justin Verlander

This shouldn't have been a controversial move, but it became one when Valverde blew his first save since September 2, 2010 and ruined a gem by Verlander. It didn't help that Valverde was credited with the 'win' after the Tigers walked it off in the bottom half of the ninth.

Questioning the move after the fact is easier when you consider Verlander threw only 105 pitches -- Verlander is usually at 105 pitches by the sixth or seventh inning. He threw the most pitches in baseball last year and seeing him at 120-130 pitches after a start became the norm, so seeing him at 105 after eight in a 2-0 game meant he could conceivably go out for the 9th to finish what he started.

However, it was Opening Day and Valverde had been perfect at slamming the door over his last 54 opportunities (including playoffs). Leyland shouldn't have received any grief over this one and I think fans kept it together for the most part. But imagine if the Tigers didn't win ... still, you go to Valverde there given the circumstances.

Game 2 vs. Boston

The lineup second guessing -- everyone's favorite!

One of the biggest complaints with Leyland over the years deals with his at times peculiar lineups. After starting Raburn at DH in the six hole in the Opener against LHP Lester, Raburn was moved to 2B and the No. 9 spot in the order in Game 2 against RHP Josh Beckett. Andy Dirks took over the DH spot and hit No. 8. Santiago was the odd man out after going 0-3 in Game 1.

This is actually right: Avila moves up against the righty Beckett; Raburn, who doesn't hit righties that well, moves down; and Dirks, who was actually a much better hitter in minimal at bats against lefties last year, had faced Beckett before, so I guess he gets the slight nod over Raburn in the order. Santiago gets the hook because he was horrible as a lefty last season and Clete Thomas is 0-6 vs. Beckett in his career, so he's not considered. No reason for any uproar this time, fans, and it appears Leyland's paying fairly close attention to the splits.

Oh yeah, the Tigers won 10-0.

Game 3 vs. Boston

Waiting too long to pull Max Scherzer

Max Scherzer went 2.2 innings and allowed seven earned runs before getting pulled on Sunday.

When is the right time to pull a starter that clearly doesn't have 'it'? If you pull him too soon, you run the risk of blowing up your bullpen, but if you wait too long, you flirt with giving away games. Sometimes you have to take into consideration the pitcher you're dealing with. Sometimes you have to consider the status of the bullpen -- is it drained? The latter's obviously not a concern in Game 3 of the season (unless you're the Indians and played a 16 inning Opener). Also, in Scherzer's case, he was spotted five runs in the first two innings, so Leyland could reasonably gamble some by giving his No. 3 starter a little more leash.

Even with the early 4-0 advantage, though, Leyland wasn't afraid to get Collin Balester going in the second inning when Scherzer put the first two hitters on, gave up a two-run double, hit Kelly Shoppach, and walked the bases loaded before escaping the frame.

In the third, after the Tigers tacked on another run, Scherzer ran into similar trouble as he did in the second (and as he has in the past against the Red Sox). If Leyland never gets Balester going in the second inning, maybe he gets away with leaving Scherzer in as long as he did. But Leyland showed prescience in getting Balester hot early and didn't pull the trigger when Scherzer clearly did not have 'it', causing many fans to reasonably wonder what took Leyland so long when he finally stepped out of the dugout to go get Scherzer.

Putting Raburn in left in the 11th after Worth hit for Dirks in the 10th

In the bottom of the 10th inning, righty Danny Worth pinch hit for lefty Andy Dirks to face the LHP Franklin Morales. Worth singled, so Leyland's move there was a resounding success!

But the move also meant that Leyland would have to do some shuffling in the top of the 11th because Worth, an infielder, pinch hit for the Tigers' left fielder. The switch may have seemed simple enough: Raburn moves to left and Worth takes over at second base, because Raburn is a terrible second baseman.

The problem, of course, is that Raburn is pretty bad with a glove on -- period. I don't care what the advanced stats say, he's shaky at best. Even if you want to argue that Raburn is adequate in the outfield, Clete Thomas is better and he was sitting on the Tigers bench.

So, when Nick Punto hit a bloop into left that dropped in front of Raburn and he kicked it, you should understand the resulting frustration. Now, I'm not sure if Thomas makes the catch, but I'm confident he plays it cleanly off the bounce and he has more than enough arm to get Ross, who is still standing about 89 feet from home plate:

And if Leyland's hanging on to Thomas in case he needs a pinch hitting lefty at some point in extras, he'd still have his boy Kelly and Santiago.

Pinch running for Prince Fielder in the bottom of the 11th with two outs

Unless Jim Leyland knew Alex Avila was going to hit a walk off, he arguably should've pinch ran for the lumbering Prince Fielder at first in the bottom of the 11th with two outs and the Tigers down a run. If Avila hit one in the gap, a faster runner -- like Thomas, Kelly, Santiago or anyone -- might score, but Fielder doesn't. There's no top of the 12th and another at bat for Fielder if the Tigers don't score at least that one run. Of course, Billy Zane showed up, so it didn't matter. Leyland's a genius.

If you have anything to add, leave your thoughts in the comments.

Detroit Tigers 2012 Season Preview Presented By Eric Cartman

2012-04-05T10:00:17Z

Eric Cartman is in the best shape of his life and bringing you the 2012 Detroit Tigers season preview. He says, "if they win too many games, they'll have to go on to the finals."

It's the fifth annual Detroit Tigers preview brought to you by some random TV/movie celebrity. Last year was the first here at SB Nation Detroit and it was done quite unspoiled like by The Dude, who accurately predicted the Tigers would win their first division title since 1987. While it'll be hard to top The Dude, Eric Cartman has a signed permission slip from his mother and will be in charge of this year's preview. Respect his authoritahh.

Hey, dudes. I'm here because I'm hella-coo and I once won the 'Save Our Fragile Planet' writing contest. And isn't it fitting that my Kitty is in heat? Whicky-whicky scratch yo-yo bang-bang. Me and Artemus Clyde Frog go save Salma Hayek from the big metal spider and then do a Tigers preview on the side.

[looks around]

What the hell? My mum said there would be pot pie and cheesy poofs here. But that's keww, because I've got these keww cigarettes and I'm actually a Tigers fan -- no, down Kitty! The Royals piss me off, the Twins are assholes, A.J. Pierzynski is a dildo and the Indians said my mom is 'Bear with Wide Canyon', which apparently means she's a slut, so I want them to die. Plus, I don't like poor teams. Why do poor teams always smell like sour milk? I chuck rocks at poor teams. Heh, those teams are totally scared of the Tigers.

You want me to preview the whole Opening Day lineup? I can't possibly finish this whole lineup by myself. Oh, yes I can.

1. Austin Jackson, CF

Some assholes don't think Austin Jackson is a good leadoff hitter, but he sounds sweet to me. I heard some guy named Mario call him the fire starter last year. I think he probably meant fireman. Rub his helmet and he spits in the other team's eye. You don't just chop off someone's fireman, even if he can't hack his way out of a nutsack. You know, just layin' down some bunts, with the Old English D-folk, know what I'm sayin'?

2. Brennan Boesch, RF

Oh, I had the weirdest dream last night about Brennan Boesch. I dreamt that I was a poor Vietnamese girl, and then you guys made me ride a big scary bull, and then Boesch gave me a spankin' for several hours. The chicks love Boesch, but he's sooo hella-poor, relatively skinny, and looks like an insurance salesman. If Boesch doesn't hit a lot of home runs this year and earn himself some more money, I'm going to start chuckin' rocks at him.

3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B

Too bad drinking scotch isn't a paying job, or else Miguel Cabrera would be a millionaire. Oh, that's an old, played out joke? Next time I'll ask my fart nicely if it wouldn't mind staying tucked away for a while! Goody two-shoes.

4. Prince Fielder, 1B

We'll never get any candy if Prince Fielder keeps eating the opposing pitchers. Follow your dreams. You can reach your goals; Prince Fielder is living proof. Beefcake!!

5. Delmon Young, LF

Goddammit! He wants to play left field and not DH. Jim Leyland needs to assert himself. Like my Mr. Kitty! When he's bad, I say "That's a bad Mr. Kitty!" and I whack him on the head! When Delmon Young doesn't get to a ball out there, you hit him with a stick and say, "Bad three-toed sloth!"

6. Ryan Raburn, DH

AH! IT'S THE SUCCUBUS. Ever wonder why Raburn can't field? Well, on his left arm, instead of a glove, he has a piece of celery. Yes. And he walks with a limp, because one of his legs is missing. And where his leg should be, there's nothing but Patrick Duffy. Haven't you ever seen "Step by Step"? Anyway, Raburn lives alone on his mountain and weaves baskets and other assorted crafts. They say that on quiet nights, you can hear him weaving his baskets... A lot of people want him to go away, like Barbara Streisand, but no, you guys, murder is never the answer. Just understand we might have to live with not being able to pee our feces in half.

7. Jhonny Peralta, SS

I had a nightmare someone else was standing out at shortstop, and there was this huge satellite dish stickin' out of his butt. There were less errors and more range, but no hits at the plate, and then he went up on the ship, and Deivi Cruz gave him pinkeye.

8. Alex Avila, C

Sticks and stones and catching every game may break his bones, but he's Jesus and you're not. Jesus was born, so Tigers fans get presents. Thank you, Jesus, for being born.

9. Ramon Santiago, 2B

Everyone else: Hey, Brandon Inge -- go away; nobody likes you. Me: Ehh, you shouldn't have done that; he's just a boy, poor little feller. It just so happens that Brandon Inge has touched my heart, is that so hard to believe? Did you know they're putting bacon inside of pancakes at Denny's?

PITCHERS:

1. Justin Verlander

Mr. Garrison once told me that we treat star athletes better 'cause they're better people. Justin Verlander is super kewww. Tits.

2. Doug Fister

Bradying and Tebowing is so 2000 and late. Doug Fister'ing defines our rotation. Just be careful not to get the AIDS when you're meme'ing or hanging out with the motorcycle kid from "Bad News Bears."

3. Max Scherzer

Do you believe Max Scherzer has two different colored eyes or that he's too hideously deformed to tell? This is a new time, a new era of science that only the smartest can comprehend. Whoever could do it would become rich and now the chemical formula is right before our eyes --- earned runs x nine / innings pitched. Oh, I'm the asshole for doing math? (Okay, I didn't take into account that I suck at math.)

4. Rick Porcello

The ladies love Rick Porcello. Can I offer you ladies a cool beverage or a tasty snack? The Tigers almost aborted this fetus and then he would've been picked up by another team for $80. Watch him become a man this year. Here, check him out. He got them from Scott Tenorman.

5. Drew Smyly

Why the hell do the Tigers keep changing their No. 5 pitcher? This HAS to be the work of Stan and Kyle. God, I hate those guys!

Prediction:

The Tigers this season are going to be like a life-sized Antonio Banderas blow up love doll, which comes with the realistic gen-e-tilia. I'm up to 94 pounds, thank you very much, and that's how many wins I think the Tigers will have this year. I've learned if they win too many games, they'll have to go on to the finals. If you don't believe me, then, well, I'm not going to sit here and listen to a bunch of hippies in denial. I'm done, no more baseball! Screw you guys, I'm going home!

image via the inimitable @mickeyvee

March Madness 2012: Michigan Basketball's Path To NCAA Tournament

2012-03-11T22:48:01Z

For the third time in four years, Michigan is going to the NCAA tournament. Here's a look at how the Wolverines made it back to the Big Dance.

For the third time in four years and the second year in a row, Michigan is headed to the NCAA tournament. The Wolverines received a No. 4 seed in the 2012 NCAA tournament bracket and will take on Ohio on Friday in Nashville.

It's really amazing to think about just how far this program has come in only the last year. During the 2010-11 season, the Michigan basketball program got off to a 1-6 start in the Big Ten and was only two games over .500. It looked like Michigan was going to be sitting at home during the Big Dance for the second consecutive year, but everything changed after the Wolverines went to East Lansing and beat Michigan State. Including that game, Michigan won nine of its last 13 in the regular season and conference tournament. The run resulted in a No. 8 seed for Michigan in the Big Dance, and the Wolverines blew out Tennessee in the second round before barely losing to Duke in the third round.

Because of the strong finish, preseason expectations were high (by Michigan's standards) for the Wolverines in 2011-12. Although the loss of Darius Morris to the NBA did bring the level of optimism down a bit (this was before anybody thought Trey Burke would be one of the best freshmen in the Big Ten), a lot of positive energy was surrounding the program, especially with the recruiting class Michigan had put together for next season. Many pointed to 2012-13 as when Michigan could finally contend for a Big Ten title because of that recruiting class, but the Wolverines currently on the team didn't want to wait.

Michigan opened the season with a 10-2 non-conference record and began Big Ten play with an impressive 4-1 record. The Wolverines slipped up at Iowa but responded with a big one-point win at home over Michigan State. This began a run where Michigan alternated wins and losses until the second week of February. That is when the Wolverines went on a big run that saw them win six of their final seven regular-season games, giving them a 13-5 record in the Big Ten. The Wolverines' record was good enough for a share of the Big Ten regular-season title and their first since 1986.

After beating Minnesota and losing to Ohio State in the 2012 Big Ten tournament, Michigan has a 24-9 record and will be looking to make a run to at least the Sweet 16 in this year's Big Dance. Michigan has won its first game in each of its two previous tournament appearances under John Beilein, but it hasn't been able to get to the Sweet 16. This year, the Wolverines hope things go differently and they are able to make a run into at least the second weekend of the NCAA tournament.

For more on Michigan, visit Maize n Brew. For more coverage of the Wolverines in the 2012 NCAA tournament, visit SB Nation Detroit's StoryStream. Click here for a link to our NCAA bracket 2012.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick’em and be a part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free.

March Madness 2012: Michigan State Basketball's Path To NCAA Tournament

2012-03-11T22:25:17Z

Michigan State is going dancing for the 15th year in a row. In the 2012 NCAA tournament, the Spartans will try to make another Final Four and win their third national championship.

For the 15th year in a row, Michigan State is headed to the NCAA tournament. The Spartans received a No. 1 seed in the 2012 NCAA tournament bracket and will take on LIU Brooklyn on Friday in Columbus.

For Michigan State, this has been a season of redemption. 2010-11 was miserable for Michigan State and especially for head coach Tom Izzo. The Spartans had a down year in which they were on the bubble for the NCAA tournament, and once in the tournament, they were eliminated after only one game.

The reason last season was so disappointing is because expectations were so high. Michigan State started the season ranked second in the preseason polls and was expected to contend for another Final Four appearance. Instead, the Spartans contended only for a spot in the field of 68 to keep their tournament streak going.

This season was the complete opposite for MSU. There were no expectations before the season. Michigan State wasn't even ranked, and nobody really knew what to expect. The thinking was the Spartans would be better than last season, but that wasn't exactly saying much.

Although Michigan State lost its first two games of the season, to North Carolina and Duke, they provided a good idea of what to expect the rest of the season. The Spartans played both the Tar Heels and Blue Devils really tough, and after those two games they went on to win 15 in a row. The Spartans did stumble a bit in January by losing two games in a row, to Northwestern and Michigan, and they also dropped an ugly game to Illinois. After that, however, Michigan State won six in a row.

In the final week of the regular season, Michigan State lost on the road to Indiana and at home on Senior Day to Ohio State. That loss to the Buckeyes really stung Tom Izzo, as it cost Michigan State the outright Big Ten title. MSU still got a share of the title, but the finish to the season was disappointing.

For Izzo, I'd say the last three days in Indianapolis have made up for the disappointment in the final week of the regular season. Michigan State blew out Iowa and Wisconsin and then beat Ohio State in a thrilling game with the Big Ten tournament title on the line. The victory propelled the Spartans to a No. 1 seed and sets them up very nicely for the 2012 NCAA tournament, where they will look to make another run to the Final Four.

For more on Michigan State, visit The Only Colors. For more coverage of the Spartans in the 2012 NCAA tournament, visit SB Nation Detroit's StoryStream. Click here for a link to our NCAA bracket 2012.

Brackets on the brain? Us too! Play Yahoo! Tourney Pick’em and be a part of the craziest month of college basketball. It is fun, easy and free.

Has The Hard Road For Joel Zumaya Finally Reached Its End?

2012-02-27T17:16:46Z

Will Joel Zumaya decide to call it a career after his latest serious elbow injury? Five years of failed comeback attempts may have taken a physical and mental toll on the fireballing reliever.

It may not have been a surprise, but that doesn't make it any less sad.

Yet again, Joel Zumaya's right arm couldn't withstand the effort it takes for him to ramp up his blazing fastball. His first spring training with the Minnesota Twins lasted only 13 pitches, as he felt pain in his right elbow while throwing a curveball and cut his throwing session short.

Initial hopes were that Zumaya just broke up scar tissue in the elbow, much as the Twins saw with Joe Nathan last year. But anyone who's followed Zumaya's career over the past five years knows that he's never that fortunate. The injury bullet always seems to have his name on it, and this latest incident was no exception.

An MRI exam revealed a tear in the ulnar collateral ligament of Zumaya's right elbow, an injury that will end his 2012 season before it really had a chance to begin. At this point, you have to think this could be the end of Zumaya's major league career, as well.

That question was already being asked after last season, when Zumaya couldn't complete a comeback from his previous elbow injury. After the season ended, the Tigers finally decided that they couldn't invest any more time and money in a pitcher who spent the majority of the past five seasons recovering and rehabbing from one injury or another with little success.

So Zumaya decided to shop his services elsewhere and as you might expect, virtually every team in baseball was interested in someone who can throw as hard as he can. But given his injury history, potential suitors didn't want to commit to a major league contract until he could get through spring training healthy. Only the Twins seemed willing to take that chance.

Maybe the proverbial change of scenery, along with a new set of doctors, trainers and coaches could yield different results. Unfortunately, we now know that this story turned out the same way it did with the Tigers. The way Zumaya throws may ramp up 100 m.p.h. fastballs, but it also places extreme stress on his arm. Maybe a human arm just wasn't meant to throw a baseball that hard. At least not the way Zumaya does it.

After so many comeback attempts that fell short, you can't help but wonder just how much longer Zumaya wants to put himself through this. He admitted those doubts last year, acknowledging that perhaps it was time for him to look for another line of work if his elbow didn't recover. But as long as a major league team is willing to pay the kind of money that really can't be made doing anything else (the Twins signed him to a one-year $850,000 deal, with $400,000 guaranteed), who could blame Zumaya for continuing to try pitching?

Unfortunately, the wear and tear on that right elbow is proving to be too much to overcome. If Zumaya wants to try yet another comeback next year, his torn UCL will require reconstructive (Tommy John) surgery. The procedure could make his arm as healthy as it's been in years.

But is Zumaya willing to slog through another grueling year of rehab, just to get to the point where he might be able to pitch again? And even if Tommy John repairs his arm to full strength, does Zumaya still have to address the way he throws a baseball? (Twins Daily does a nice job of showing the problem.) Otherwise, couldn't this same ordeal take place all over again?

From reports out of Twins camp on Monday morning, these are exactly the questions Zumaya is pondering right now.

"That's going to be a family decision," Zumaya said. "Right now, perspective is probably not. I know I'm young, but I'm going to probably be going on six surgeries if I get another one. I'm only 27 years old and I've taken a lot of wear and tear on my body, especially my arm, and then rehab -- it's a lot out of you. So I have a little 2 1/2-year-old; maybe it's time to move on. I'm a pretty dang good fisherman, so I might pursue professional fishing."

Maybe he and Jeremy Bonderman can start a show together, soon to be broadcast on NBC Sports Network Saturday mornings this summer. Check your cable and satellite listings.

Zumaya sure doesn't sound like someone who's ready to dust himself off and get back on the bull. In fairness, he's probably feeling pretty down after this latest injury. But over the past couple of years, his demeanor has changed noticeably. We weren't seeing the brash, bold gunslinger from 2006 who strutted out of the bullpen to Jimi Hendrix. In his place was a far more subdued player who seemed to have a sadness in his eyes.

Maybe that was Zumaya growing up. So much can change in six or seven years. But if we were also witnessing a player wrestling with some serious doubts, it would be understandable.

No player has captured the imagination and adoration of the Tigers fanbase in recent years like Zumaya did. (Justin Verlander might be there now, and maybe Prince Fielder will find his way there someday soon.) The desire to see him overcome his injuries and become the reliever (and eventual closer) so many of us dreamed of makes the fall that much more disappointing.

This might not be the end for Zumaya. Tommy John surgery could revitalize his career. But even if he manages a comeback, it will never quite live up to the promise Zumaya originally showed. We'll always have 2006, Tigers fans.

Pistons Fans Face Troublesome Dilemma As Season Progresses

2012-02-16T18:42:42Z

The Detroit Pistons look much-improved after dropping 20 of their first 24 games. But with one eye on the lottery, and another on the future of the organization, fans in Motown are in a precarious position at the moment.

It’s never easy to fully come to grips with reality as a sports fan. Especially not when said reality equates to rooting for a 9-22 basketball team orchestrated by an NBA legend-turned-general manager whose Teflon coating wore off years ago.

After nearly half of the NBA’s ambitiously-shortened season, the Pistons are still, without question, one of the league’s most dismal teams. That much cannot be disputed. One look around The Palace on game night is more than enough of a reminder of just how far this organization has fallen. It's painful, really.

But with so many local eyes already fixated on the 2012 NBA Draft Lottery and the ensuing NBA Draft, it’s hard to get a true grasp on what the average Pistons fan is actually looking for over the next few months. Do people actually want to see this team turn on the jets, defy logic, and make a ridiculous leap towards the postseason? Is there even a long-term benefit the Pistons could actually gain from something like this?

The "tank now, win later" philosophy is a new, but very real quandary for Detroit basketball supporters at the moment. Everyone knows this is a rebuilding year. The extent of which, though, is hard to put a finger on. A few weeks ago we had a 4-20 basketball team, one that looked destined to snag a future elite big man like Anthony Davis or Thomas Robinson at the top of the draft. In many ways, the future then was surprisingly bright. All the Pistons needed to do was *gasp* continue to play at the same level and things eventually would work themselves out.

Now? We're looking at a Detroit team that has won five of its last seven and might just be figuring things out on the court. Whether that's a good or a bad thing depends mostly on your point of view, and not necessarily the sanctity of your fandom. What is clear, though, is that the once bright future for 2012-13 and beyond has been muddied up significantly in the span of a few weeks. And it's starting to drive people nuts.

Instead of having the first crack at guys like Robinson and Davis in June, the Pistons are setting themselves up for possibly the fourth, fifth, or sixth-best forward in the draft class with the way they are currently playing. And, quite honestly, that just isn't good enough for a team that lost 20 of its first 24 games.

No true fan ever wants to root against his or her own team. And nobody is suggesting that the players and coaching staff should throw in the towel and give up on the season. We all know that isn't going to happen anyway. But there is a growing faction of Detroiters who are becoming more frustrated by a Pistons win than by a loss as of late, and when you step back to think about it, they have a pretty good point.

Part of the reason people feel this way is because of how downright scary the hypothetical situations are to swallow. What if the Pistons continue winning and somehow end up narrowly missing the playoffs by a few games in the East? Is that the definition of a successful campaign to anybody? To wind up with a first round pick a few spots worse than each of the previous two drafts, in the strongest big man draft pool in recent memory? An end result like that would make the entire season feel like a cruel tease, but it's entirely feasible.

It is a terrible feeling knowing that your beloved pro basketball team is on the skids, even if history has proven they will be rewarded with a nice, shiny prize at the end of the season for their troubles. The problem here is that the Pistons are doing it all wrong. Any hope for a successful campaign went out the window during that abysmal stretch to open the year, much like how the dream of a No. 1 overall pick seems to be going out the window as we speak. In a sense, it's the worst of both worlds.

As unfair as it might be, a good deal of Detroit's future will come down to how it finishes out the regular season and positions itself for the league's upcoming ping pong competition. A few extra wins now might have such an adverse effect come June that the player the Pistons want/need/can't-live-without could theoretically be off the board. Frustrating to think about, sure, but hey, that's the reality of what we're dealing with.