Detroit Tigers Links: Who's had a better June than Justin Verlander?

AP PhotoTigers pitcher Justin Verlander has been outstanding in June, going 5-0 with an 0.86 ERA. He can improve on those numbers Thursday against the Mets.

• Justin Verlander has one more start to make in June. And it's been a great month for him. But who's had a better June: Verlander or Cliff Lee? Both are 5-0, both have ERAs under 1.00. Lee has thrown three straight shutouts, but Verlander has more strikeouts (48 vs. 29) and fewer walks (four vs. eight). Thursday's performance versus the Mets could end up being the decider. [ESPN New York]

• Rick Porcello and Phil Coke have been bombed for 14 combined runs the last two nights, which makes starting pitching look more like an area the Tigers will need to address at the trade deadline. Could Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie be a potential target? His record is an ugly 3-9 but his 3.93 ERA is lower than any Tigers starter besides Verlander. [Detroit Baseball Page]

• So why was Porcello so ineffective on Tuesday night? Kid Rick said he felt like he had good stuff. Jim Leyland said Porcello left some pitches up in the strike zone, but the Mets were basically hitting everything. Could both be right? Porcello was throwing hard but missed his location several times. Yet even when he kept the ball down, Mets batters were still hitting it. Just a bad night? [Bless You Boys]

• Such is life with a minor league team. Brayan Villareal was scheduled to start Thursday for Triple-A Toledo, but was called up to Detroit after Wednesday's loss to the Mets. No word as of this writing on who the Mud Hens will start instead. [Coop Scoop]

• Has pitching as a starter taken a mental toll on Phil Coke? That what Michael Rosenberg thinks after watching Coke come out of Wednesday night's game and notice a heckler in the stands while he was in the dugout. Coke's lack of success is obviously getting to him, but is his mentality better suited for pitching in relief anyway? [Detroit Free Press]

• All-Star rosters will be announced on Sunday. The Tigers seem likely to get one or two spots on the AL roster with Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Will Alex Avila get another? One more Tiger who deserves a spot is Jhonny Peralta. ESPN.com's David Schoenfield lists him among five deserving players who will likely be snubbed. [Sweet Spot]

• Avila says he'd thank all the fans who have been supporting his All-Star cause, if only he knew how. C'mon, Alex, it's not that hard. Ask Casper Wells (@UpstateBaller) to show you how to set up a Twitter account. He was one of the first Tigers to do it. [MLB.com]

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Detroit Tigers Links: Who's had a better June than Justin Verlander?

AP PhotoTigers pitcher Justin Verlander has been outstanding in June, going 5-0 with an 0.86 ERA. He can improve on those numbers Thursday against the Mets.

• Justin Verlander has one more start to make in June. And it's been a great month for him. But who's had a better June: Verlander or Cliff Lee? Both are 5-0, both have ERAs under 1.00. Lee has thrown three straight shutouts, but Verlander has more strikeouts (48 vs. 29) and fewer walks (four vs. eight). Thursday's performance versus the Mets could end up being the decider. [ESPN New York]

• Rick Porcello and Phil Coke have been bombed for 14 combined runs the last two nights, which makes starting pitching look more like an area the Tigers will need to address at the trade deadline. Could Baltimore's Jeremy Guthrie be a potential target? His record is an ugly 3-9 but his 3.93 ERA is lower than any Tigers starter besides Verlander. [Detroit Baseball Page]

• So why was Porcello so ineffective on Tuesday night? Kid Rick said he felt like he had good stuff. Jim Leyland said Porcello left some pitches up in the strike zone, but the Mets were basically hitting everything. Could both be right? Porcello was throwing hard but missed his location several times. Yet even when he kept the ball down, Mets batters were still hitting it. Just a bad night? [Bless You Boys]

• Such is life with a minor league team. Brayan Villareal was scheduled to start Thursday for Triple-A Toledo, but was called up to Detroit after Wednesday's loss to the Mets. No word as of this writing on who the Mud Hens will start instead. [Coop Scoop]

• Has pitching as a starter taken a mental toll on Phil Coke? That what Michael Rosenberg thinks after watching Coke come out of Wednesday night's game and notice a heckler in the stands while he was in the dugout. Coke's lack of success is obviously getting to him, but is his mentality better suited for pitching in relief anyway? [Detroit Free Press]

• All-Star rosters will be announced on Sunday. The Tigers seem likely to get one or two spots on the AL roster with Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Will Alex Avila get another? One more Tiger who deserves a spot is Jhonny Peralta. ESPN.com's David Schoenfield lists him among five deserving players who will likely be snubbed. [Sweet Spot]

• Avila says he'd thank all the fans who have been supporting his All-Star cause, if only he knew how. C'mon, Alex, it's not that hard. Ask Casper Wells (@UpstateBaller) to show you how to set up a Twitter account. He was one of the first Tigers to do it. [MLB.com]

View the original article here

Detroit Tigers hope Justin Verlander is answer to overworked bullpen

Justin Verlander

DETROIT – With a day game after a night game and the New York Mets sending a right-handed pitcher to the mound, Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland is using a predominantly left-handed-hitting lineup for today's 1:05 p.m. game.

The Tigers have an overworked bullpen – every reliever except set-up man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde has pitched at some point in the last two days – but with staff ace Justin Verlander pitching as well as anyone in baseball, there is some hope for rest in the pen today.

Verlander (10-3, 2.38) takes the mound, opposed by the Mets' Mike Pelfrey (4-6, 4.78), with an opportunity to become the first pitcher to 11 wins in the major leagues this season (the Yankees' CC Sabathia, one of four other pitchers with 10 wins, also pitches today).  Verlander will have this  lineup supporting him:

1. Austin Jackson, CF

2. Don Kelly, 3B

3. Brennan Boesch, LF

4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

5. Victor Martinez, DH

6. Andy Dirks, RF

7. Jhonny Peralta, SS

8. Alex Avila, C

9. Ramon Santiago, 2B

View the original article here

Detroit Tigers hope Justin Verlander is answer to overworked bullpen

Justin Verlander

DETROIT – With a day game after a night game and the New York Mets sending a right-handed pitcher to the mound, Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland is using a predominantly left-handed-hitting lineup for today's 1:05 p.m. game.

The Tigers have an overworked bullpen – every reliever except set-up man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde has pitched at some point in the last two days – but with staff ace Justin Verlander pitching as well as anyone in baseball, there is some hope for rest in the pen today.

Verlander (10-3, 2.38) takes the mound, opposed by the Mets' Mike Pelfrey (4-6, 4.78), with an opportunity to become the first pitcher to 11 wins in the major leagues this season (the Yankees' CC Sabathia, one of four other pitchers with 10 wins, also pitches today).  Verlander will have this  lineup supporting him:

1. Austin Jackson, CF

2. Don Kelly, 3B

3. Brennan Boesch, LF

4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

5. Victor Martinez, DH

6. Andy Dirks, RF

7. Jhonny Peralta, SS

8. Alex Avila, C

9. Ramon Santiago, 2B

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Detroit Tigers' bullpen saved by Justin Verlander in 5-2 win over Mets

AP PhotoDetroit's Justin Verlander picked up his 11th win Thursday.DETROIT -- Justin Verlander paused and pondered.

The question: After a rare subpar day when the Detroit Tigers’ ace struggled with control and command, what pitch ultimately worked best?

"Nothing," baseball’s leader in pitching victories finally surmised.

Verlander’s no-hit bit was gone after one batter. His shutout bid was gone after a leadoff home run in the second. And the New York Mets, who had 38 hits and 30 runs during the previous two days, mounted multiple scoring threats and amassed bountiful two-strike foul balls, all of which kept Verlander on edge and drove up his pitch count.

That’s what made Verlander’s seven-inning outing in a 5-2 victory so impressive Thursday, in a much different way than the rest of his dominant June.

He threw 120 pitches, five fewer than the maximum pitch count in place for him. He managed to allow only one run before handing the final two innings to Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde, the only relievers in the overworked bullpen who didn’t work one of the previous two games.

It wasn’t his typical every-fifth-day masterpiece, yet held a beauty of its own for the 11-game winner who has victories in seven consecutive starts.

"I didn’t pitch well. I battled well. And that’s something I pride myself on," Verlander said. "I’ve been on a pretty good run here, had pretty doggone good stuff for a period of time here, and you’ve got to know that’s not going to last the entire season. But when you don’t have your best stuff, and you don’t have your best control, it’s just a matter of going out there and really grinding through it."

Jim Leyland said for Verlander to hold down the Mets after their two-day offensive barrage, the likes of which the Tigers manager said he never had seen before, "just shows you how good he is."

"That’s even higher praise today, for me, for Justin Verlander," Leyland said. "I would even have higher praise for him today than some other days, because you go out there where you’re not maybe quite as sharp as you’ve been, and hold a team that got that many hits and scored that many runs in the last two nights. It’s pretty unbelievable, really."

Leyland, asked to name his most dominant starting pitchers in a managerial career dating to 1986, had a short list.

"Doug Drabek, Kevin Brown, Justin Verlander -- and those guys were pretty good," Leyland said, the first two being his former staff aces with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Florida Marlins.

Verlander left runners in scoring position in the first, fourth and fifth innings. He allowed a solo home run to Mets cleanup hitter Daniel Murphy in the second. In the seventh, left fielder Brennan Boesch threw out Josh Thole trying to score on a fly ball.

"I’m a little bit disappointed in myself for not being able to go out there and find my rhythm like I would like to, but, at the same time, pretty pleased with the way that I was able to go out there and give us a chance," Verlander said.

The victory pushed Verlander to 11-3 and he kept pace for the major-league lead with CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees, who also recorded his 11th win.

Catcher Alex Avila said Verlander was "all over the place with his fastball and his curveball wasn’t as sharp."

"He definitely struggled with his command on all his pitches today," Avila said. "He clearly didn’t have his best stuff. It’s funny, because he still pitched a really good ballgame and you’re still, like, ‘He really didn’t have his best stuff.’ But 99 percent of pitchers will take that."

After the third inning, when the Tigers gave Verlander a three-run cushion, the pitcher became more focused on reducing his pitch count and getting Mets hitters to put the ball in play. That worked for him in a 1-2-3 sixth inning, which secured his opportunity to pitch the seventh.

"Obviously, you don’t want to throw it right down the meat of the plate and have them tee off on you," he said. "But, for me, it’s trying to throw 91, 92, 93, hit my spots, and have them hit balls weakly into play."

Verlander was 6-0 with a 0.92 ERA in June, making him the first major-leaguer with a 6-0 record and sub-1.00 ERA since Kenny Rogers, for Texas, in May 2005, and the first Tiger with five-plus starts and a sub-1.00 ERA since Doyle Alexander in September 1987.

The first game of the season’s second half pushed the Tigers (44-38) a half-game ahead of idle Cleveland for the American League Central lead.

Andy Dirks hit a home run for the third consecutive day, giving him six, and he also had a hit in the three-run third inning which gave Verlander some cushion.

"I’ve been working in the cage with Mac, trying to find some stuff that works for me, and get me back locked in," Dirks said, referring to hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. "I kind of lost it there for a little bit. But that’s part of the game. You just keep battling."

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Detroit Tigers' bullpen saved by Justin Verlander in 5-2 win over Mets

AP PhotoDetroit's Justin Verlander picked up his 11th win Thursday.DETROIT -- Justin Verlander paused and pondered.

The question: After a rare subpar day when the Detroit Tigers’ ace struggled with control and command, what pitch ultimately worked best?

"Nothing," baseball’s leader in pitching victories finally surmised.

Verlander’s no-hit bit was gone after one batter. His shutout bid was gone after a leadoff home run in the second. And the New York Mets, who had 38 hits and 30 runs during the previous two days, mounted multiple scoring threats and amassed bountiful two-strike foul balls, all of which kept Verlander on edge and drove up his pitch count.

That’s what made Verlander’s seven-inning outing in a 5-2 victory so impressive Thursday, in a much different way than the rest of his dominant June.

He threw 120 pitches, five fewer than the maximum pitch count in place for him. He managed to allow only one run before handing the final two innings to Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde, the only relievers in the overworked bullpen who didn’t work one of the previous two games.

It wasn’t his typical every-fifth-day masterpiece, yet held a beauty of its own for the 11-game winner who has victories in seven consecutive starts.

"I didn’t pitch well. I battled well. And that’s something I pride myself on," Verlander said. "I’ve been on a pretty good run here, had pretty doggone good stuff for a period of time here, and you’ve got to know that’s not going to last the entire season. But when you don’t have your best stuff, and you don’t have your best control, it’s just a matter of going out there and really grinding through it."

Jim Leyland said for Verlander to hold down the Mets after their two-day offensive barrage, the likes of which the Tigers manager said he never had seen before, "just shows you how good he is."

"That’s even higher praise today, for me, for Justin Verlander," Leyland said. "I would even have higher praise for him today than some other days, because you go out there where you’re not maybe quite as sharp as you’ve been, and hold a team that got that many hits and scored that many runs in the last two nights. It’s pretty unbelievable, really."

Leyland, asked to name his most dominant starting pitchers in a managerial career dating to 1986, had a short list.

"Doug Drabek, Kevin Brown, Justin Verlander -- and those guys were pretty good," Leyland said, the first two being his former staff aces with the Pittsburgh Pirates and Florida Marlins.

Verlander left runners in scoring position in the first, fourth and fifth innings. He allowed a solo home run to Mets cleanup hitter Daniel Murphy in the second. In the seventh, left fielder Brennan Boesch threw out Josh Thole trying to score on a fly ball.

"I’m a little bit disappointed in myself for not being able to go out there and find my rhythm like I would like to, but, at the same time, pretty pleased with the way that I was able to go out there and give us a chance," Verlander said.

The victory pushed Verlander to 11-3 and he kept pace for the major-league lead with CC Sabathia of the New York Yankees, who also recorded his 11th win.

Catcher Alex Avila said Verlander was "all over the place with his fastball and his curveball wasn’t as sharp."

"He definitely struggled with his command on all his pitches today," Avila said. "He clearly didn’t have his best stuff. It’s funny, because he still pitched a really good ballgame and you’re still, like, ‘He really didn’t have his best stuff.’ But 99 percent of pitchers will take that."

After the third inning, when the Tigers gave Verlander a three-run cushion, the pitcher became more focused on reducing his pitch count and getting Mets hitters to put the ball in play. That worked for him in a 1-2-3 sixth inning, which secured his opportunity to pitch the seventh.

"Obviously, you don’t want to throw it right down the meat of the plate and have them tee off on you," he said. "But, for me, it’s trying to throw 91, 92, 93, hit my spots, and have them hit balls weakly into play."

Verlander was 6-0 with a 0.92 ERA in June, making him the first major-leaguer with a 6-0 record and sub-1.00 ERA since Kenny Rogers, for Texas, in May 2005, and the first Tiger with five-plus starts and a sub-1.00 ERA since Doyle Alexander in September 1987.

The first game of the season’s second half pushed the Tigers (44-38) a half-game ahead of idle Cleveland for the American League Central lead.

Andy Dirks hit a home run for the third consecutive day, giving him six, and he also had a hit in the three-run third inning which gave Verlander some cushion.

"I’ve been working in the cage with Mac, trying to find some stuff that works for me, and get me back locked in," Dirks said, referring to hitting coach Lloyd McClendon. "I kind of lost it there for a little bit. But that’s part of the game. You just keep battling."

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Phil Coke, Detroit Tigers' bullpen hammered again by New York Mets

AP PhotoDetroit's Austin Jackson reacts after striking out Wednesday.DETROIT -- When Don Kelly is on the mound firing 86-mph fastballs at the New York Mets in the ninth inning, it’s safe to say things haven’t gone the Detroit Tigers’ way.

On that note, the Tigers limped to the halfway point of the season Wednesday with a second consecutive ugly loss to the Mets, a 16-9 loss to the Mets.

The bottom line is promising: After 81 games, the Tigers are 43-38 and tied with the Cleveland Indians atop the AL Central.

But it’s becoming apparent what type of team the Tigers are: A pretty good one with some serious holes.

There are underlying concerns, particularly with the depth of the pitching staff. The latest case is Phil Coke, who allowed seven earned runs in four innings in the loss.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland intimated after the game changes could be in store for Coke (1-8, 4.91 ERA), a converted reliever in his first season as a starter.

"We’re tossing some things around," he said. "We’re not ready to make any decisions at this particular time, but we’re tossing some things around, and we’ll leave it at that."

Coke has won only once this season, and that came April 14 against Oakland. He now has dropped five consecutive decisions and allowed at least six runs in three of his past five starts. He’s made it through six innings only once since May 18.

"I’m sick to my stomach right now," Coke said.

The left-hander added he would be receptive to a move, should the club ask him to make one.

"If they ask me to go out there and start, I’ll go out there and give everything I have when they give me the ball," he said. "Boos, no boos, happy people, not happy people, it doesn’t matter. I’m doing the best I can.

"If they want to do something, that’s their prerogative. I’m at their beck-and-call."

Leyland said before the game a person in baseball had told him, when Coke’s name was mentioned, "?‘Starter’s stuff, reliever’s mentality,’ which is an interesting comment."

"Now, I’m not saying it pertains to (Coke), but it’s an interesting comment," he added.

When pressed to elaborate, Leyland said the phrase means "pumped up coming out of the bullpen instead of being calmer."

"I’ve seen pretty good adjustments at times (with Coke), and I’ve seen hyperness at times. I’ve seen both, so that’s why he stands where he stands right now."

It was the second consecutive day a Detroit starter allowed seven runs against New York, and neither Coke nor Rick Porcello needed five innings to do it.

It left the Tigers’ bullpen depleted and, with David Purcey running out of gas in the ninth, Leyland called upon Kelly, a utility player, to get the final out.

He did, retiring Mets designated hitter Scott Hairston on a routine fly ball to center. On a 2-2 curveball, no less.

"There was adrenaline going the whole time as soon as I stepped on the mound," said Kelly, who hasn’t pitched since college. "My mentality was, try to get the ball over the plate, and not overthrow."

He became the first Tigers position player to pitch since Shane Halter on Oct. 1, 2000 against the Minnesota Twins.

Despite the carnage inflicted by the Mets the past two days — 30 runs, 38 hits, a .432 average against Tigers pitching -- Leyland is pleased with where his club stands entering the season’s second half.

"There’s been some real bright spots, some real downers, (and) hopefully we have something to look forward to," he said. "I wish we were more consistent. But, I’m very satisfied. We’re right around first place, and that’s pretty good.

"Obviously, we can’t have more of what we’ve had the past couple days, though. That’s unacceptable."

In the Tigers’ past 34 games, Justin Verlander has a 0.72 ERA, while the rest of the staff has combined for an ERA of almost 7.00.

Coke certainly didn’t help those numbers. He allowed four first-inning runs, another run in the third and was tagged with three more in the fifth. The Tigers trailed 8-0 at that point.

"We just made some miserable pitches the past couple nights, and that’s just not acceptable," Leyland said.

But the Tigers were not done, as four home runs helped them close to within 8-6.

Raburn got it started with a third-inning solo shot. Miguel Cabrera followed with a solo homer in the fourth, then stroked a mammoth 445-foot blast into the second row of bushes in deep left-center field that scored three and pulled the Tigers within 8-5 in the sixth.

Two batters later, shortstop Jhonny Peralta added the Tigers’ fourth homer of the day, a solo shot to left, to make it 8-6 before the Mets scored two in the seventh to increase their lead to four.

Andy Dirks added a the Tigers’ fifth homer of the day, a two-run shot to right, in the seventh inning.

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Phil Coke, Detroit Tigers' bullpen hammered again by New York Mets

AP PhotoDetroit's Austin Jackson reacts after striking out Wednesday.DETROIT -- When Don Kelly is on the mound firing 86-mph fastballs at the New York Mets in the ninth inning, it’s safe to say things haven’t gone the Detroit Tigers’ way.

On that note, the Tigers limped to the halfway point of the season Wednesday with a second consecutive ugly loss to the Mets, a 16-9 loss to the Mets.

The bottom line is promising: After 81 games, the Tigers are 43-38 and tied with the Cleveland Indians atop the AL Central.

But it’s becoming apparent what type of team the Tigers are: A pretty good one with some serious holes.

There are underlying concerns, particularly with the depth of the pitching staff. The latest case is Phil Coke, who allowed seven earned runs in four innings in the loss.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland intimated after the game changes could be in store for Coke (1-8, 4.91 ERA), a converted reliever in his first season as a starter.

"We’re tossing some things around," he said. "We’re not ready to make any decisions at this particular time, but we’re tossing some things around, and we’ll leave it at that."

Coke has won only once this season, and that came April 14 against Oakland. He now has dropped five consecutive decisions and allowed at least six runs in three of his past five starts. He’s made it through six innings only once since May 18.

"I’m sick to my stomach right now," Coke said.

The left-hander added he would be receptive to a move, should the club ask him to make one.

"If they ask me to go out there and start, I’ll go out there and give everything I have when they give me the ball," he said. "Boos, no boos, happy people, not happy people, it doesn’t matter. I’m doing the best I can.

"If they want to do something, that’s their prerogative. I’m at their beck-and-call."

Leyland said before the game a person in baseball had told him, when Coke’s name was mentioned, "?‘Starter’s stuff, reliever’s mentality,’ which is an interesting comment."

"Now, I’m not saying it pertains to (Coke), but it’s an interesting comment," he added.

When pressed to elaborate, Leyland said the phrase means "pumped up coming out of the bullpen instead of being calmer."

"I’ve seen pretty good adjustments at times (with Coke), and I’ve seen hyperness at times. I’ve seen both, so that’s why he stands where he stands right now."

It was the second consecutive day a Detroit starter allowed seven runs against New York, and neither Coke nor Rick Porcello needed five innings to do it.

It left the Tigers’ bullpen depleted and, with David Purcey running out of gas in the ninth, Leyland called upon Kelly, a utility player, to get the final out.

He did, retiring Mets designated hitter Scott Hairston on a routine fly ball to center. On a 2-2 curveball, no less.

"There was adrenaline going the whole time as soon as I stepped on the mound," said Kelly, who hasn’t pitched since college. "My mentality was, try to get the ball over the plate, and not overthrow."

He became the first Tigers position player to pitch since Shane Halter on Oct. 1, 2000 against the Minnesota Twins.

Despite the carnage inflicted by the Mets the past two days — 30 runs, 38 hits, a .432 average against Tigers pitching -- Leyland is pleased with where his club stands entering the season’s second half.

"There’s been some real bright spots, some real downers, (and) hopefully we have something to look forward to," he said. "I wish we were more consistent. But, I’m very satisfied. We’re right around first place, and that’s pretty good.

"Obviously, we can’t have more of what we’ve had the past couple days, though. That’s unacceptable."

In the Tigers’ past 34 games, Justin Verlander has a 0.72 ERA, while the rest of the staff has combined for an ERA of almost 7.00.

Coke certainly didn’t help those numbers. He allowed four first-inning runs, another run in the third and was tagged with three more in the fifth. The Tigers trailed 8-0 at that point.

"We just made some miserable pitches the past couple nights, and that’s just not acceptable," Leyland said.

But the Tigers were not done, as four home runs helped them close to within 8-6.

Raburn got it started with a third-inning solo shot. Miguel Cabrera followed with a solo homer in the fourth, then stroked a mammoth 445-foot blast into the second row of bushes in deep left-center field that scored three and pulled the Tigers within 8-5 in the sixth.

Two batters later, shortstop Jhonny Peralta added the Tigers’ fourth homer of the day, a solo shot to left, to make it 8-6 before the Mets scored two in the seventh to increase their lead to four.

Andy Dirks added a the Tigers’ fifth homer of the day, a two-run shot to right, in the seventh inning.

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Detroit Tigers recall pitcher Brad Thomas

AP File PhotoBrad ThomasDETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers recalled left-handed reliever Brad Thomas today from his injury-rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Toledo, but he remains on the disabled list as he deals with stiffness in his left elbow.

He will be checked out by the Tigers' medical staff, and is not expected to be activated.

Thomas struck out the side in a one-inning outing Monday for Toledo, but experienced soreness in his elbow Tuesday, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Thomas went on the disabled list May 11 with inflammation in his left elbow. He had a 2.00 ERA in nine innings spanning six outings in his rehab stint with the Mud Hens, which began June 14.

Thomas struggled with the Tigers before his injury, going 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. He has walked six, struck out seven and opponents are batting .386 against him.

Perhaps most alarming for a pitcher often used as a situational lefty: He has allowed 10-of-12 inherited runners to score.

The move comes a day after Fox Sports reported the Tigers are shopping Thomas, although no likely suitors have emerged.

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Detroit Tigers recall pitcher Brad Thomas

AP File PhotoBrad ThomasDETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers recalled left-handed reliever Brad Thomas today from his injury-rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Toledo, but he remains on the disabled list as he deals with stiffness in his left elbow.

He will be checked out by the Tigers' medical staff, and is not expected to be activated.

Thomas struck out the side in a one-inning outing Monday for Toledo, but experienced soreness in his elbow Tuesday, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Thomas went on the disabled list May 11 with inflammation in his left elbow. He had a 2.00 ERA in nine innings spanning six outings in his rehab stint with the Mud Hens, which began June 14.

Thomas struggled with the Tigers before his injury, going 0-1 with a 9.00 ERA in 11 2/3 innings. He has walked six, struck out seven and opponents are batting .386 against him.

Perhaps most alarming for a pitcher often used as a situational lefty: He has allowed 10-of-12 inherited runners to score.

The move comes a day after Fox Sports reported the Tigers are shopping Thomas, although no likely suitors have emerged.

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Detroit Tigers' Rick Porcello: It's time to mix it up, throw more secondary pitches

AP PhotoDetroit's Rick Porcello gave up 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday.DETROIT -- What is ailing Detroit Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello?

Even he doesn’t quite know -- but he’s come up with two hypotheses.

First, Porcello -- who gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday -- said he thinks he hasn’t thrown his secondary pitches enough.

He’s confident throwing his changeup and slider, and said they still are getting out hitters as his fastball betrays him.

"I feel good about the slider, change, those haven’t been hit hard," the third-year pitcher said. "Maybe it’s time to start using them more."

More to the point, Porcello said he thinks he has become too predictable.

"When hitters are comfortable up there and feel confident, I think maybe we need to mix it up a little bit and put some doubt in their minds," Porcello said.

Second, Porcello said his fastball -- which typically has good downward bite and induces ground-ball outs -- needs to be located better.

"I looked at the game a lot (on film), and it doesn’t look like the fastball is sinking any less," Porcello said. "I think it’s just a matter of locating, and that’s the bottom line."

That, of course, is the good news. Porcello’s stuff is strong, even if he has given up at least five runs in fewer than five innings in each of his past three starts -- a span that has inflated his ERA to 5.06 and dropped his record to 6-6.

He was 6-3 with a 3.58 ERA on June 7.

One possible explanation for why Porcello was hit so hard Tuesday -- when he yielded five consecutive hits, including a homer and triple, before being lifted in the fourth -- is that he is tipping his pitches.

But, after watching extensive film by himself and with coaches, no one could find any indication he was doing so.

"I’ve watched the game a lot, and the coaches watched it a bunch, and we didn’t see anything that (hitters would) be able to pick up," Porcello said.

That is promising news for a pitcher who, despite being in his third year, still is only 22 years old.

In talking about his struggles, the ever-steely, ever-composed right-hander who has been mature beyond his years since he first put on a Tigers uniform finally showed some signs of vulnerability.

"One second you’re going good, and a couple outings later, you’re in a hole, and that’s tough to deal with," Porcello said dourly before Wednesday’s game against the Mets.

"But that’s the way it is. I’ll battle through."?

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Detroit Tigers' Rick Porcello: It's time to mix it up, throw more secondary pitches

AP PhotoDetroit's Rick Porcello gave up 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday.DETROIT -- What is ailing Detroit Tigers right-hander Rick Porcello?

Even he doesn’t quite know -- but he’s come up with two hypotheses.

First, Porcello -- who gave up seven runs and 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings Tuesday -- said he thinks he hasn’t thrown his secondary pitches enough.

He’s confident throwing his changeup and slider, and said they still are getting out hitters as his fastball betrays him.

"I feel good about the slider, change, those haven’t been hit hard," the third-year pitcher said. "Maybe it’s time to start using them more."

More to the point, Porcello said he thinks he has become too predictable.

"When hitters are comfortable up there and feel confident, I think maybe we need to mix it up a little bit and put some doubt in their minds," Porcello said.

Second, Porcello said his fastball -- which typically has good downward bite and induces ground-ball outs -- needs to be located better.

"I looked at the game a lot (on film), and it doesn’t look like the fastball is sinking any less," Porcello said. "I think it’s just a matter of locating, and that’s the bottom line."

That, of course, is the good news. Porcello’s stuff is strong, even if he has given up at least five runs in fewer than five innings in each of his past three starts -- a span that has inflated his ERA to 5.06 and dropped his record to 6-6.

He was 6-3 with a 3.58 ERA on June 7.

One possible explanation for why Porcello was hit so hard Tuesday -- when he yielded five consecutive hits, including a homer and triple, before being lifted in the fourth -- is that he is tipping his pitches.

But, after watching extensive film by himself and with coaches, no one could find any indication he was doing so.

"I’ve watched the game a lot, and the coaches watched it a bunch, and we didn’t see anything that (hitters would) be able to pick up," Porcello said.

That is promising news for a pitcher who, despite being in his third year, still is only 22 years old.

In talking about his struggles, the ever-steely, ever-composed right-hander who has been mature beyond his years since he first put on a Tigers uniform finally showed some signs of vulnerability.

"One second you’re going good, and a couple outings later, you’re in a hole, and that’s tough to deal with," Porcello said dourly before Wednesday’s game against the Mets.

"But that’s the way it is. I’ll battle through."?

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Detroit Tigers move Phil Coke to the bullpen, promote Charlie Furbush to starting rotation

AP PhotoCharlie Furbush will take Phil Coke's place in the Detroit Tigers' rotation.DETROIT -- The Phil Coke experiment in the Detroit Tigers’ pitching rotation has ended.

Coke will return to a bullpen role after a half-season as a starter, with Charlie Furbush moving into the starting rotation.

Whether Furbush is the long-term answer remains to be seen. Tigers manager Jim Leyland is hopeful — he has said recently that the 25-year-old rookie has starter’s stuff -- but noncommittal.

What is certain is Coke (1-8, 4.91) wasn’t pitching well, and had regressed since a May 23 ankle sprain put him on the disabled list.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen with Furbush," Leyland said. "But I’m smart enough to know, right now, it wasn’t working with Phil."

Furbush will start Monday against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

"I’ve been a starter my whole career," Furbush said, "so I’m just going to do the same thing I’ve always done as a starter and get back in that routine."

Coke, who Wednesday night said he would understand if he went to the bullpen, saying he was at the team’s "beck and call," was agitated by the questioning, moreso than the decision, when asked about the move Thursday, one day after he pitched four innings, allowing 10 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in a 16-9 loss to the New York Mets.

It marked the third consecutive game Coke did not last beyond the fifth inning.

"I wouldn’t want to be the next guy I face," Coke said.

The Tigers will be fully staffed in the bullpen today and Saturday, but not for Friday’s opener of a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants, because Furbush won’t be allowed to pitch in relief after today, and Coke won’t be available until Saturday, Leyland said.

Coke took some tough-luck losses early in the season, including twice when he made quality starts. He also pitched seven shutout innings in a no-decision at Boston.

In his next start after that game, Coke sprained his ankle while attempting to field a bunt against Tampa Bay, was forced to leave the game, then went on the disabled list.

He struggled in four of five starts since returning from the injury.

"Before that ankle thing, he was pitching pretty well," Leyland said. "But I don’t know that that’s the answer. I don’t know if that’s the reason."

Coke said it wasn’t.

"I’m not 100-percent happy because I am giving everything I’ve got and I’m coming up short and it looks really bad — my ERA, my record, whatever, walks to strikeouts," Coke said. "Who cares what the numbers say, before or after? It doesn’t matter. I’m giving everything I’ve got and I’m coming up short. Period."

Coke probably will return to much the same role he occupied last season, as a predominantly sixth- and seventh-inning reliever, Leyland said.

Coke pitched well in that role last year, when he was 7-5 with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 74 appearances. But his success was much spottier as a starter, and Leyland said he probably wouldn’t work in that role again this season.

Leyland said Coke seemed "a little jittery" early in the season, then found a groove, but lately has been "a little more frustrated."

"That’s the thing that sticks out to me," Leyland said.

The Tigers put Coke in the rotation in spring training, even though he had started only once in 158 major-league appearances.

"Our thought process all along was let’s give this a shot, because we don’t really have some other guys ready yet, so let’s give this a shot," Leyland said. "Going in, that’s what we were thinking. Let’s get to the halfway point and let’s see what it is. Here’s the halfway point and it wasn’t working. So we’re making the adjustments."

Leyland said Coke’s response to the change "can go two ways."

"It can be just like going home for him, everything’s fine," Leyland said. "Or it could be, you know, ‘I’m disappointed, I let people down.’ Who knows? I don’t know the answer to that. But it’s the right thing to do right now."
Overworked bullpen forces moves
The adjustment to the starting rotation seemed to complete a whirlwind of activity with Tigers pitchers -- at least until they determine whether Furbush, or someone else, can start well enough to keep them out of the trade market during July -- but the move late Wednesday to send Daniel Schlereth to Triple-A Toledo, and recall Brayan Villarreal, was unanticipated until after the blowout was complete.

The Tigers simply found themselves overworked in the bullpen, where all their relievers except setup man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde pitched either Tuesday or Wednesday, when the Mets scored 30 total runs.

"There were no plans to make any pitching changes," before Wednesday’s game, Leyland said. "Absolutely none. We just got stuck in a bind and that’s the way it is."

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Detroit Tigers move Phil Coke to the bullpen, promote Charlie Furbush to starting rotation

AP PhotoCharlie Furbush will take Phil Coke's place in the Detroit Tigers' rotation.DETROIT -- The Phil Coke experiment in the Detroit Tigers’ pitching rotation has ended.

Coke will return to a bullpen role after a half-season as a starter, with Charlie Furbush moving into the starting rotation.

Whether Furbush is the long-term answer remains to be seen. Tigers manager Jim Leyland is hopeful — he has said recently that the 25-year-old rookie has starter’s stuff -- but noncommittal.

What is certain is Coke (1-8, 4.91) wasn’t pitching well, and had regressed since a May 23 ankle sprain put him on the disabled list.

"I don’t know what’s going to happen with Furbush," Leyland said. "But I’m smart enough to know, right now, it wasn’t working with Phil."

Furbush will start Monday against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

"I’ve been a starter my whole career," Furbush said, "so I’m just going to do the same thing I’ve always done as a starter and get back in that routine."

Coke, who Wednesday night said he would understand if he went to the bullpen, saying he was at the team’s "beck and call," was agitated by the questioning, moreso than the decision, when asked about the move Thursday, one day after he pitched four innings, allowing 10 hits and eight runs (seven earned) in a 16-9 loss to the New York Mets.

It marked the third consecutive game Coke did not last beyond the fifth inning.

"I wouldn’t want to be the next guy I face," Coke said.

The Tigers will be fully staffed in the bullpen today and Saturday, but not for Friday’s opener of a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants, because Furbush won’t be allowed to pitch in relief after today, and Coke won’t be available until Saturday, Leyland said.

Coke took some tough-luck losses early in the season, including twice when he made quality starts. He also pitched seven shutout innings in a no-decision at Boston.

In his next start after that game, Coke sprained his ankle while attempting to field a bunt against Tampa Bay, was forced to leave the game, then went on the disabled list.

He struggled in four of five starts since returning from the injury.

"Before that ankle thing, he was pitching pretty well," Leyland said. "But I don’t know that that’s the answer. I don’t know if that’s the reason."

Coke said it wasn’t.

"I’m not 100-percent happy because I am giving everything I’ve got and I’m coming up short and it looks really bad — my ERA, my record, whatever, walks to strikeouts," Coke said. "Who cares what the numbers say, before or after? It doesn’t matter. I’m giving everything I’ve got and I’m coming up short. Period."

Coke probably will return to much the same role he occupied last season, as a predominantly sixth- and seventh-inning reliever, Leyland said.

Coke pitched well in that role last year, when he was 7-5 with two saves and a 3.76 ERA in 74 appearances. But his success was much spottier as a starter, and Leyland said he probably wouldn’t work in that role again this season.

Leyland said Coke seemed "a little jittery" early in the season, then found a groove, but lately has been "a little more frustrated."

"That’s the thing that sticks out to me," Leyland said.

The Tigers put Coke in the rotation in spring training, even though he had started only once in 158 major-league appearances.

"Our thought process all along was let’s give this a shot, because we don’t really have some other guys ready yet, so let’s give this a shot," Leyland said. "Going in, that’s what we were thinking. Let’s get to the halfway point and let’s see what it is. Here’s the halfway point and it wasn’t working. So we’re making the adjustments."

Leyland said Coke’s response to the change "can go two ways."

"It can be just like going home for him, everything’s fine," Leyland said. "Or it could be, you know, ‘I’m disappointed, I let people down.’ Who knows? I don’t know the answer to that. But it’s the right thing to do right now."
Overworked bullpen forces moves
The adjustment to the starting rotation seemed to complete a whirlwind of activity with Tigers pitchers -- at least until they determine whether Furbush, or someone else, can start well enough to keep them out of the trade market during July -- but the move late Wednesday to send Daniel Schlereth to Triple-A Toledo, and recall Brayan Villarreal, was unanticipated until after the blowout was complete.

The Tigers simply found themselves overworked in the bullpen, where all their relievers except setup man Joaquin Benoit and closer Jose Valverde pitched either Tuesday or Wednesday, when the Mets scored 30 total runs.

"There were no plans to make any pitching changes," before Wednesday’s game, Leyland said. "Absolutely none. We just got stuck in a bind and that’s the way it is."

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