Seeking bullpen relief, Tigers recall Brayan Villarrel and send Daniel Schlereth to Toledo

Brayan VillarrealDETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers have recalled right-handed relief pitcher Brayan Villarreal from Triple-A Toledo in an attempt to bolster an otherwise taxed bullpen.

In the corresponding move, the club optioned left-handed reliever Daniel Schlereth to the Mud Hens, one day after he allowed two grand slams in 1 1/3 innings of the Tigers' 14-3 loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday.

Detroit also lost 16-9 on Wednesday, and has used every relief pitcher except closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit at least once in the past two days.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland stressed the move is being made out of necessity, not choice.

"(The move) was not planned prior to the game," he said. "(Schlereth) is kind of the victim of the circumstances, and we have to have a pitcher here (today) with a fresh arm.

"It won't hurt Schlereth to go down and get some work in, and we'll just take it from there."

Villarreal went 1-1 with a 6.46 ERA in 14 games with Detroit before being sent to Toledo in May. He was effective early in the season, but began to struggle with his control, precipitating his demotion.

He went 0-5 with a 4.41 ERA in seven appearances with Toledo, although those numbers are skewed by an eight-run outing Saturday.?

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Seeking bullpen relief, Tigers recall Brayan Villarrel and send Daniel Schlereth to Toledo

Brayan VillarrealDETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers have recalled right-handed relief pitcher Brayan Villarreal from Triple-A Toledo in an attempt to bolster an otherwise taxed bullpen.

In the corresponding move, the club optioned left-handed reliever Daniel Schlereth to the Mud Hens, one day after he allowed two grand slams in 1 1/3 innings of the Tigers' 14-3 loss to the New York Mets on Tuesday.

Detroit also lost 16-9 on Wednesday, and has used every relief pitcher except closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit at least once in the past two days.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland stressed the move is being made out of necessity, not choice.

"(The move) was not planned prior to the game," he said. "(Schlereth) is kind of the victim of the circumstances, and we have to have a pitcher here (today) with a fresh arm.

"It won't hurt Schlereth to go down and get some work in, and we'll just take it from there."

Villarreal went 1-1 with a 6.46 ERA in 14 games with Detroit before being sent to Toledo in May. He was effective early in the season, but began to struggle with his control, precipitating his demotion.

He went 0-5 with a 4.41 ERA in seven appearances with Toledo, although those numbers are skewed by an eight-run outing Saturday.?

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Dick Tracewski keeps tabs on Tigers, shares memories of ex-manager Sparky Anderson

These days, Dick Tracewski spends the majority of his retirement at his home near Scranton, Pa., or visiting his two grandchildren in Virginia, but the past week has helped him get reacquainted with his strong ties to Michigan.

Last weekend, the former player and coach joined other Detroit Tigers legends as part of Sparky Anderson’s jersey retirement ceremony at Comerica Park.

On Friday, Tracewski will be at Fifth Third Ballpark for the latest Tiger Fridays promotion hosted by the West Michigan Whitecaps.

It will be his first time in the Grand Rapids area since 1966, when he first was traded to the Tigers and traveled to Sullivan’s Carpet & Furniture to furnish his house.

"I’m looking forward to the trip," Tracewski said during a phone interview this week. "It’s been years since I’ve been in Grand Rapids."

Tracewski, 76, said he was thrilled when the Tigers asked him to be a part of the Anderson ceremony.

"We worked together for 17 years, and even before that I was a friend of Sparky’s when we were in the Dodgers organization together," he said.

"There were a number of games when we were just kids playing baseball where I played shortstop and he played second base. We were old friends."

• Dick Tracewski: Friday
• Richie Hebner: July 22
• Jake Wood: July 29
• Steve Kemp: Aug. 12
• Mickey Tettleton: Aug. 26
Autographs: The autograph session starts at 6 p.m. and the former Tigers will sign and meet with fans until 6:45 p.m., when he will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The session will resume after the first pitch and will last 90 minutes. One autograph item per person.

BIO
Dick Tracewski
• Age: 76
• Hometown: Scranton, Pa.
• Playing career: Los Angeles Dodgers (1962-65), Detroit Tigers (’66-69)
• Positions: Shortstop, second base, third base
• Coaching career: Detroit, ’72-95
• Notable: Won World Series as player with Dodgers in ’65, Tigers in ’68, and as third base coach with Tigers in ’84

Tracewski especially relished the opportunity to catch up with former teammates, players he once coached and Anderson’s three children. He made a point to visit the intersection of Michigan and Trumbull, the site of old Tiger Stadium which was his "home for 30 years."

Tracewski also echoed the sentiments of several critics, who felt that Anderson’s number should have been retired when the legendary former manager still was alive.

"The bottom line is we honored Sparky and he certainly deserved it," he said. "I think we should have honored him a few years prior to what we did. As soon as he went into the hall of fame, I think they should have retired his number, but that wasn’t my call. But it was a very nice affair, and they did it first class."

Tracewski still keeps a close watch on baseball, following games on TV and box scores in the newspaper, especially when it comes to the Tigers.

He thinks this year’s team is doing well and improving, in part because they are incorporating more athletic players.

"You can’t win in any sport if you don’t have an athletic team and they’re getting a little more athletic," he said. "I like those two left-handed hitters they have, (Brennan) Boesch and (Andy) Dirks. They’re going to be pretty good players. They’re the kind of kids that can go from first to third, second to home, run a little bit, play a little defense, all the little things.

"You can’t have one-dimensional players, and I think the Tigers have moved from that direction."

He doesn’t keep quite as close an eye on the Dodgers, who first signed him as an 18-year-old infielder in 1953.

"I think they’ve kind of lost their identity as far as I’m concerned," he said. "Obviously, financially they lost their way, but I’m disappointed when I see them play and they don’t have any of their own players. They have a few here and there, but when I was with the Dodgers every player came out of the farm system. Now they have journeyman players here and there. They have to get back to what they used to be."

Tracewski said he has plenty of fond recollections from his time in Detroit, from the 1968 World Series team, to the Mark Fidrych years, to even losing 19 in a row with manager Ralph Houk.

"There are many memories," Tracewski said. "Just the idea of first playing with Al Kaline and Dick McAuliffe and Denny McLain in the ’60s, and then of course watching Jack Morris and Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker and being part of their development was a big thrill for me."

As much as Tracewski is enjoying a retirement filled with golf and working in the garden, he acknowledges that he misses being around the game, the players and even -- strangely enough, he acknowledges -- the travel.

"I do miss it," he said. "I would never ever consider going back to it at my age, but the point is I do miss it -- and I particularly enjoy going back to Detroit."

E-mail Michael Zuidema: mzuidema@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/michaelzuidema

View the original article here

Dick Tracewski keeps tabs on Tigers, shares memories of ex-manager Sparky Anderson

These days, Dick Tracewski spends the majority of his retirement at his home near Scranton, Pa., or visiting his two grandchildren in Virginia, but the past week has helped him get reacquainted with his strong ties to Michigan.

Last weekend, the former player and coach joined other Detroit Tigers legends as part of Sparky Anderson’s jersey retirement ceremony at Comerica Park.

On Friday, Tracewski will be at Fifth Third Ballpark for the latest Tiger Fridays promotion hosted by the West Michigan Whitecaps.

It will be his first time in the Grand Rapids area since 1966, when he first was traded to the Tigers and traveled to Sullivan’s Carpet & Furniture to furnish his house.

"I’m looking forward to the trip," Tracewski said during a phone interview this week. "It’s been years since I’ve been in Grand Rapids."

Tracewski, 76, said he was thrilled when the Tigers asked him to be a part of the Anderson ceremony.

"We worked together for 17 years, and even before that I was a friend of Sparky’s when we were in the Dodgers organization together," he said.

"There were a number of games when we were just kids playing baseball where I played shortstop and he played second base. We were old friends."

• Dick Tracewski: Friday
• Richie Hebner: July 22
• Jake Wood: July 29
• Steve Kemp: Aug. 12
• Mickey Tettleton: Aug. 26
Autographs: The autograph session starts at 6 p.m. and the former Tigers will sign and meet with fans until 6:45 p.m., when he will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. The session will resume after the first pitch and will last 90 minutes. One autograph item per person.

BIO
Dick Tracewski
• Age: 76
• Hometown: Scranton, Pa.
• Playing career: Los Angeles Dodgers (1962-65), Detroit Tigers (’66-69)
• Positions: Shortstop, second base, third base
• Coaching career: Detroit, ’72-95
• Notable: Won World Series as player with Dodgers in ’65, Tigers in ’68, and as third base coach with Tigers in ’84

Tracewski especially relished the opportunity to catch up with former teammates, players he once coached and Anderson’s three children. He made a point to visit the intersection of Michigan and Trumbull, the site of old Tiger Stadium which was his "home for 30 years."

Tracewski also echoed the sentiments of several critics, who felt that Anderson’s number should have been retired when the legendary former manager still was alive.

"The bottom line is we honored Sparky and he certainly deserved it," he said. "I think we should have honored him a few years prior to what we did. As soon as he went into the hall of fame, I think they should have retired his number, but that wasn’t my call. But it was a very nice affair, and they did it first class."

Tracewski still keeps a close watch on baseball, following games on TV and box scores in the newspaper, especially when it comes to the Tigers.

He thinks this year’s team is doing well and improving, in part because they are incorporating more athletic players.

"You can’t win in any sport if you don’t have an athletic team and they’re getting a little more athletic," he said. "I like those two left-handed hitters they have, (Brennan) Boesch and (Andy) Dirks. They’re going to be pretty good players. They’re the kind of kids that can go from first to third, second to home, run a little bit, play a little defense, all the little things.

"You can’t have one-dimensional players, and I think the Tigers have moved from that direction."

He doesn’t keep quite as close an eye on the Dodgers, who first signed him as an 18-year-old infielder in 1953.

"I think they’ve kind of lost their identity as far as I’m concerned," he said. "Obviously, financially they lost their way, but I’m disappointed when I see them play and they don’t have any of their own players. They have a few here and there, but when I was with the Dodgers every player came out of the farm system. Now they have journeyman players here and there. They have to get back to what they used to be."

Tracewski said he has plenty of fond recollections from his time in Detroit, from the 1968 World Series team, to the Mark Fidrych years, to even losing 19 in a row with manager Ralph Houk.

"There are many memories," Tracewski said. "Just the idea of first playing with Al Kaline and Dick McAuliffe and Denny McLain in the ’60s, and then of course watching Jack Morris and Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker and being part of their development was a big thrill for me."

As much as Tracewski is enjoying a retirement filled with golf and working in the garden, he acknowledges that he misses being around the game, the players and even -- strangely enough, he acknowledges -- the travel.

"I do miss it," he said. "I would never ever consider going back to it at my age, but the point is I do miss it -- and I particularly enjoy going back to Detroit."

E-mail Michael Zuidema: mzuidema@grpress.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/michaelzuidema

View the original article here

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 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

View the original article here

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."

View the original article here

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."

View the original article here

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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Tigers' Jim Leyland: 'It would be an absolute shame' if Alex Avila doesn't make All-Star team

Alex AvilaDETROIT -- Add Detroit Tigers manager Leyland to the legions who insist Alex Avila, who is hitting .303 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs, and has been an effective receiver and stolen-base deterrent -- like Thursday, when he gunned down the Mets’ Jose Reyes, who is 30-for-36 on steal attempts -- deserves to play in the All-Star Game.

Avila is second in the voting to New York's Russell Martin, which ends tonight.

"I’ve never been one to get involved in that because sometimes it’s a popularity contest, people stuffing ballots and stuff," Leyland said. "So I’ve never really gotten into that. But I think it’s a no-brainer and I hope they do get behind him to vote. It would be an absolute shame, to me, in my opinion, if Alex Avila wasn’t on the All-Star team. He deserves it.

"So I hope they stuff the ballots or do whatever they want. I realize I’m contradicting myself but it would be a shame if he was not on the team."
Short hops
-- The Mets placed outfielder Willie Harris on the bereavement list before the game, and recalled outfielder Francisco Martinez from Triple-A Buffalo, after Harris’ wife went into premature labor following five months of pregnancy and lost the baby on Wednesday night.

-- Leyland said Avila probably will catch Friday, despite the Giants using left-handed starter Madison Bumgarner, because of the workload Victor Martinez handled behind the plate Wednesday, when five Tigers, including Don Kelly, made 208 total pitches.

-- Justin Verlander’s turnstile power was evident again, with 31,861 in attendance, the third-largest home crowd for a Monday through Thursday game this season, exceeded only by another of Verlander’s starts (33,641, May 13 vs. Kansas City) and the finale of a three-game series with intra-division challenger Cleveland (37,437, May 16).?

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Tigers' Jim Leyland: 'It would be an absolute shame' if Alex Avila doesn't make All-Star team

Alex AvilaDETROIT -- Add Detroit Tigers manager Leyland to the legions who insist Alex Avila, who is hitting .303 with 10 home runs and 46 RBIs, and has been an effective receiver and stolen-base deterrent -- like Thursday, when he gunned down the Mets’ Jose Reyes, who is 30-for-36 on steal attempts -- deserves to play in the All-Star Game.

Avila is second in the voting to New York's Russell Martin, which ends tonight.

"I’ve never been one to get involved in that because sometimes it’s a popularity contest, people stuffing ballots and stuff," Leyland said. "So I’ve never really gotten into that. But I think it’s a no-brainer and I hope they do get behind him to vote. It would be an absolute shame, to me, in my opinion, if Alex Avila wasn’t on the All-Star team. He deserves it.

"So I hope they stuff the ballots or do whatever they want. I realize I’m contradicting myself but it would be a shame if he was not on the team."
Short hops
-- The Mets placed outfielder Willie Harris on the bereavement list before the game, and recalled outfielder Francisco Martinez from Triple-A Buffalo, after Harris’ wife went into premature labor following five months of pregnancy and lost the baby on Wednesday night.

-- Leyland said Avila probably will catch Friday, despite the Giants using left-handed starter Madison Bumgarner, because of the workload Victor Martinez handled behind the plate Wednesday, when five Tigers, including Don Kelly, made 208 total pitches.

-- Justin Verlander’s turnstile power was evident again, with 31,861 in attendance, the third-largest home crowd for a Monday through Thursday game this season, exceeded only by another of Verlander’s starts (33,641, May 13 vs. Kansas City) and the finale of a three-game series with intra-division challenger Cleveland (37,437, May 16).?

View the original article here

Can Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski really find a taker for Brad Thomas?

AP PhotoWith a bullpen stocked full of lefties, the Detroit Tigers are looking to trade Brad Thomas when he's activated from the disabled list.

The Detroit Tigers have too much of one thing on their roster right now: Left-handed relievers. And one more is set to rejoin the active roster soon, as Brad Thomas is close to the end of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo.

So Dave Dombrowski is doing what any smart general manager would do, seeing if he can use that surplus to help out another area of the team that might be lacking. According to FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi, Dombrowski is checking around the league for any possible interest in Thomas.

At first glance, this doesn't look like an easy task. Before going on the disabled list with inflammation in his left elbow, Thomas walked six batters and allowed 17 hits in 11 innings of work and compiled a 9.00 ERA. Between those numbers and an aching elbow, Dombrowski hasn't exactly put prime beef on the trading block.

However, teams are often looking for left-handed specialists for their bullpens. And Thomas was good in that role last season, allowing opposing lefty batters a .252/.328/.304 average in 132 plate appearances. Dombrowski will presumably try to sell that, rather than the .400/.480/.550 average Thomas has allowed in 25 PAs against lefties this year.

According to Morosi, it's not yet known if any teams have expressed serious interest in Thomas. Possible suitors will likely wait until Thomas has proven he can once again get major league hitters out. The 2.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in nine innings that Thomas has compiled during his rehab assignment looks impressive, but that came against Triple-A competition.

Which teams might need a lefty reliever? The Boston Red Sox could be one. The Houston Astros might be another. But from looking over the major league rosters, it looks like most clubs have that need covered. What Dombrowski will have to hope for is a team looking for a second lefty. Maybe one of the playoff contenders will find themselves at that point eventually.

The funny thing is that one of those teams will probably be the Tigers.

Several left-handed relievers far better than Thomas also figure to be on the market. And if Daniel Schlereth can't stop walking batters (or giving up grand slams), David Purcey isn't suited to a lefty specialist role, or Jim Leyland decides that Charlie Furbush is too inexperienced to handle that kind of responsibility, the Tigers will likely be among those teams looking to add one of those other left-handers.

But maybe we shouldn't discount Dombrowski's ability to convince another GM to take an unwanted player off his hands. Over the past two years, he's been able to unload Armando Galarraga, Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson onto other teams. (Should we include Scott Sizemore on that list, too?)

Two of those deals were made with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Perhaps Dombrowski can hit the D-Backs up one more time. Would they be interested in taking Schlereth back, too?

View the original article here

Can Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski really find a taker for Brad Thomas?

AP PhotoWith a bullpen stocked full of lefties, the Detroit Tigers are looking to trade Brad Thomas when he's activated from the disabled list.

The Detroit Tigers have too much of one thing on their roster right now: Left-handed relievers. And one more is set to rejoin the active roster soon, as Brad Thomas is close to the end of his rehab assignment with Triple-A Toledo.

So Dave Dombrowski is doing what any smart general manager would do, seeing if he can use that surplus to help out another area of the team that might be lacking. According to FOXSports.com's Jon Paul Morosi, Dombrowski is checking around the league for any possible interest in Thomas.

At first glance, this doesn't look like an easy task. Before going on the disabled list with inflammation in his left elbow, Thomas walked six batters and allowed 17 hits in 11 innings of work and compiled a 9.00 ERA. Between those numbers and an aching elbow, Dombrowski hasn't exactly put prime beef on the trading block.

However, teams are often looking for left-handed specialists for their bullpens. And Thomas was good in that role last season, allowing opposing lefty batters a .252/.328/.304 average in 132 plate appearances. Dombrowski will presumably try to sell that, rather than the .400/.480/.550 average Thomas has allowed in 25 PAs against lefties this year.

According to Morosi, it's not yet known if any teams have expressed serious interest in Thomas. Possible suitors will likely wait until Thomas has proven he can once again get major league hitters out. The 2.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in nine innings that Thomas has compiled during his rehab assignment looks impressive, but that came against Triple-A competition.

Which teams might need a lefty reliever? The Boston Red Sox could be one. The Houston Astros might be another. But from looking over the major league rosters, it looks like most clubs have that need covered. What Dombrowski will have to hope for is a team looking for a second lefty. Maybe one of the playoff contenders will find themselves at that point eventually.

The funny thing is that one of those teams will probably be the Tigers.

Several left-handed relievers far better than Thomas also figure to be on the market. And if Daniel Schlereth can't stop walking batters (or giving up grand slams), David Purcey isn't suited to a lefty specialist role, or Jim Leyland decides that Charlie Furbush is too inexperienced to handle that kind of responsibility, the Tigers will likely be among those teams looking to add one of those other left-handers.

But maybe we shouldn't discount Dombrowski's ability to convince another GM to take an unwanted player off his hands. Over the past two years, he's been able to unload Armando Galarraga, Dontrelle Willis and Nate Robertson onto other teams. (Should we include Scott Sizemore on that list, too?)

Two of those deals were made with the Arizona Diamondbacks. Perhaps Dombrowski can hit the D-Backs up one more time. Would they be interested in taking Schlereth back, too?

View the original article here

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.

View the original article here

All-Star Game voting set to close; will Tigers' Alex Avila pass Yankees' Russell Martin?

Alex AvilaDETROIT -- Voting for the All-Star Game ends Thursday, and Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila is closing in on the New York Yankees’ Russell Martin for the American League starter. As of Tuesday, Avila trailed by about 400,000 votes, the closest he has been all season.

Avila led all American League catchers with a .303 average and .373 on-base percentage entering play Wednesday. His 10 home runs were fourth.

Martin is batting .229, but benefits in the fan voting from playing in the New York market.

The winner will be announced Sunday.

The impetus for Avila’s push has come from an online campaign launched by teammate Justin Verlander and supported by Brad Penny. In particular, they have used the hashtag "#votevila" on Twitter to garner support for Avila — a name that now can be seen on signs and shirts throughout Comerica Park.

Has Avila been tracking his online support?

"I would if I knew how," Avila said.

The 24-year-old isn’t exactly skilled when it comes to technology.

"I don’t do Twitter and Facebook, and I’ve never been big into computers and things like that," Avila said. "In college, my friends would make fun of me because I had a computer and didn’t know how to turn it on.

"I’m better with texting, but my thumbs are too big."

How does he get his news, if he doesn’t use the Internet?

"Newspapers," Avila said.

He’s 24, right?

Boos for Raburn
Perhaps no Tigers player has drawn more fire this year than Ryan Raburn, the Tigers’ outfielder-turned-second baseman who is hitting .163 with 41 strikeouts in his past 41 games.

Raburn has been booed in recent weeks, but Leyland said he does not plan to sit him anytime soon.

"I thought he’d be out of (his slump) by now," Leyland said. "He’s shown signs of it, but then doesn’t do it.

"I put him in the lineup ... that’s about as much confidence as you can get from a manger, is you play him."

Poking fun
Leyland said when he got home from Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, his college-bound daughter made him watch his tirade with her.

"She was laughing pretty good," he said, "and so was I. It doesn’t cost much to make a fool of yourself."

Leyland also was asked about the standing ovation he received as he left the field after being ejected for arguing an out/safe call.

"Maybe they just thought I was going to continue to keep on going," he said.

View the original article here

All-Star Game voting set to close; will Tigers' Alex Avila pass Yankees' Russell Martin?

Alex AvilaDETROIT -- Voting for the All-Star Game ends Thursday, and Detroit Tigers catcher Alex Avila is closing in on the New York Yankees’ Russell Martin for the American League starter. As of Tuesday, Avila trailed by about 400,000 votes, the closest he has been all season.

Avila led all American League catchers with a .303 average and .373 on-base percentage entering play Wednesday. His 10 home runs were fourth.

Martin is batting .229, but benefits in the fan voting from playing in the New York market.

The winner will be announced Sunday.

The impetus for Avila’s push has come from an online campaign launched by teammate Justin Verlander and supported by Brad Penny. In particular, they have used the hashtag "#votevila" on Twitter to garner support for Avila — a name that now can be seen on signs and shirts throughout Comerica Park.

Has Avila been tracking his online support?

"I would if I knew how," Avila said.

The 24-year-old isn’t exactly skilled when it comes to technology.

"I don’t do Twitter and Facebook, and I’ve never been big into computers and things like that," Avila said. "In college, my friends would make fun of me because I had a computer and didn’t know how to turn it on.

"I’m better with texting, but my thumbs are too big."

How does he get his news, if he doesn’t use the Internet?

"Newspapers," Avila said.

He’s 24, right?

Boos for Raburn
Perhaps no Tigers player has drawn more fire this year than Ryan Raburn, the Tigers’ outfielder-turned-second baseman who is hitting .163 with 41 strikeouts in his past 41 games.

Raburn has been booed in recent weeks, but Leyland said he does not plan to sit him anytime soon.

"I thought he’d be out of (his slump) by now," Leyland said. "He’s shown signs of it, but then doesn’t do it.

"I put him in the lineup ... that’s about as much confidence as you can get from a manger, is you play him."

Poking fun
Leyland said when he got home from Monday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays, his college-bound daughter made him watch his tirade with her.

"She was laughing pretty good," he said, "and so was I. It doesn’t cost much to make a fool of yourself."

Leyland also was asked about the standing ovation he received as he left the field after being ejected for arguing an out/safe call.

"Maybe they just thought I was going to continue to keep on going," he said.

View the original article here