Inge to DL, Opening Day Roster Set

Update: It didn't take long for the "set roster" to change.  Luis Marte has been placed on the disabled list due to a hamstring injury and has been replaced by Duane Below. 

The Tigers announced this morning that they have placed Brandon Inge on the 15-day disabled list with a strained groin.  The opening day 25-man roster is now set, but two decisions will have to be made in the second week.  First, someone will have to be removed when pitcher Drew Smyly is recalled to make his first start on April 12.  Then another move will be necessary when Inge comes off the disabled list on April 14.  The current roster is shown below.

Pitchers
Justin Verlander
Doug Fister
Max Scherzer
Rick Porcello
Jose Valverde
Joaquin Benoit
Octavio Dotel
Phil Coke
Daniel Schlereth
Collin Balester
Luis Marte

Catchers
Alex Avila
Gerald Laird

Infielders
Prince Fielder
Ramon Santiago
Jhonny Peralta
Miguel Cabrera
Danny Worth

Outfielders
Delmon Young
Austin Jackson
Brennan Boesch
Ryan Raburn
Andy Dirks
Don Kelly
Clete Thomas

Third Base Still a Problem for Tigers

Veteran Carlos Guillen has come back from the disabled list to immediately solidify the second base position which has been a problem all year.  He is batting .280 with four extra base hits in 50 at bats which is a big improvement over Ryan Raburn and everyone else who has played the position this year.  Defensively, he lacks both range and throwing strength, but he's steadier than Raburn.  He plays like he's old, but not like he's injured.  Overall, he's done well enough where the Tigers will probably consider bringing him back next year if he stays healthy. 

It's too early to judge new third baseman Wilson Betemit.  He's batting .250 with a homer and double in 28 trips so far.  Jim Leyland does not seem to trust him enough to use him every day and frequently inserts the light hitting Don Kelly at third.  The problem is Betemit looks very weak defensively which was expected.  I'd like to see Betemit get more of an opportunity, but if Leyland doesn't feel comfortable enough using him regularly, then third base is still a big hole.  Kelly is batting just .194 for July and is no better than average defensively at third.

If you thought Brandon Inge was finished as a Tiger, you may end up being disappointed.  He is 8 for 26 with two doubles and two homers for triple-A Toledo and I think there is a good chance he'll be back in September.  He's not the answer, but I'm not sure anyone else on the roster is either.  The musical chairs at the hot corner may continue through the end of the season.  

Tigers Roster Taking Shape

The Tigers are probably not done shaping their roster this off season.  They may still add another starting pitcher, another outfielder or even a second baseman.  With the holidays fast approaching though, it probably won't happen soon.  So, let's take a look at the possible opening day 25-man roster.  First, the starting line-up:

CF Austin Jackson
LF Ryan Raburn
RF Magglio Ordonez
1B Miguel Cabrera
DH Victor Martinez
SS Jhonny Peralta
3B Brandon Inge
2B Scott Sizemore
C Alex Avila

The biggest question is second base. If Carlos Guillen is healthy, he would probably play second base and bat second with Raburn moving to the sixth spot and everyone behind him moving down a spot. If Will Rhymes wins the job, he would also probably bat second.

The bench would look like this:

Ramon Santiago IF
Don Kelly UT
Casper Wells OF
Clete Thomas OF

Some might be wondering why I left Brennan Boesch off the bench, but I think they'd rather have him starting in the minors than sitting on the bench.  They will need a right-handed batter to effectively platoon with Avila.  Against RHP, Avila will be the catcher, Martinez the  designated hitter and Ordonez the right fielder.  Against LHP, it will be Martinez behind the plate, Ordonez at DH and somebody else in RF.  Right now, I'm guessing that somebody will be Wells.

If Guillen is the starting second baseman, he'll need days off, so they would probably carry an extra infielder.  In that Case, Sizemore might back up Guillen and Kelly or Thomas would be out.

Barring another acquisition, there is not much question about the starting staff:

Justin Verlander
Max Scherzer
Rick Porcello
Phil Coke
Armando Galarraga

I do expect them to make a move, although probably not a big one.  Brad Penny? It's also possible that Andy Oliver wins a job with a strong spring, but he probably needs more seasoning.

The bullpen:

Jose Valverde
Joaquin Benoit
Ryan Perry
Joel Zumaya
Brad Thomas
Daniel Schlereth
Alberto Alburquerque

The twelfth spot is really up for grabs. I'm saying Alburquerque because I like his name, but it could just as easily be John Bale, Chris Oxspring or any number of other names.

Who will Play Second for Tigers?

Most of us have assumed that the Tigers second baseman in 2011 will be one of two sophomores - Wil Rhymes or Scott Sizemore.  However, there are apparently two other internal candidates in the mix.  Jim Leyland stated yesterday that veteran Carlos Guillen is still very much in the picture:

 If you get Carlos Guillen close to what he was, particularly offensive, he can be a big key at that position. He's going to be involved in that mix for sure.

It's not a surprise that Guillen would be a strong candidate for the position if healthy.  It's probably more of a surprise that someone thinks Guillen might be healthy.  Guillen is coming off micro-fracture surgery on his knee and it's not known whether he'll be ready at the beginning of the season. He is apparently progressing well, but how long can you count on him to stay healthy even if recovers from his knee problem?

The other possibility for second base which has not been discussed much is Danny Worth. The light-hitting Worth batted .255 with a .295 OBP for the Tigers last year, but is the best defender among the keystone competitors. He seems to be a better fit for a utility role though and can play all three infield positions. 

Wil Rhymes is the fan favorite, not only because he connects with them through social network sites, but because he performed well during his call-up at the end of the season.  He batted .304/.350/.414 in 54 games and fielded his position competently.  His minor league record suggests he might have a hard time repeating that success though. He is also not suited to a utility role since he is considered a second baseman only.  I did like what I saw from him last year and I'm not going to write him off.  He was surprise though and is still considered a long shot.

Sizemore struggled both offensively and defensively last year, but was never fully healthy.  He entered the season coming off an ankle injury and later hurt his hip.  He batted just .211 in 33 games for the Tigers, but looked better in September.  He batted .298/.378/.473 for Triple-A Toledo last season.  In 2009, he had a combined .889 OPS for Toledo and Double-A Erie.

If Guillen is healthy, he'll likely get the first crack at second base. I'm very skeptical that hat he can stay off the disabled list for long though.  My guess is that Sizemore ends up getting the most time at second base among the four contenders. 

Damon and Laird Out, Inge and Peralta Probably Staying

The tweets are coming in fast and furious from Jason Beck today as the Tigers get an early start to their hot stove season.  Here is the summary:

• Johnny Damon was told that he will not be returning in 2011

• Gerald Laird will also not be returning, probably by mutual agreement.

• The Tigers will not exercise the $15 million option on Magglio Ordonez's contract.  They can still try to sign him at a lower salary.

• The Tigers announced that they will probably not be re-signing Jeremy Bonderman.

• Brandon Inge has been offered a multi-year deal by the Tigers.  For Dave Dombrowski to broadcast that publicly, I have to think that he'll be signing soon.

• The Tigers want Jhonny Peralta back and are talking to his agent.  He should be their shortstop next year.  

• Carlos Guillen will go into the season without a regular position. 

• Phil Coke will join the starting rotation.

So, it appears that the Tigers infield is set for 2011 except to determine whether Scott Sizemore or Will Rhymes will be the second baseman.  The starting rotation is also pretty much set unless there is competition with Armando Galarraga for the fifth spot.  We can expect them to pursue, corner outfieders, DHs and relievers.

Coke Joins Rotation for Real

In the first big news of the Tigers "off-season", Jim Leyland announced that Phil Coke will join the starting rotation next year.  The 27-year-old southpaw will get his first start for the Tigers today  but that's because because none of their regular starters are available.  He is not expected to pitch more than two or three innings this time.  Next year, the plan is for him to be a full-time starter. 

Coke will be the sole lefty in the rotation behind Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello.  Armando Galarraga is the leading contender for the fift spot.  The move indicates two things.  First, Jeremy Bonderman is not likely to be back next year which is not a surprise.  It also suggests that they probably won't pursue a starting pitcher during the off-season.  Instead, we can expect them to focus on hitters and relievers.    

Looking Ahead to 2011

I generally don't like it when fans talk about the season being over in July or August.  It's particularly annoying when that sentiment is expressed when the team is two or three games out of first as the Tigers were until recently.  After all, things can turn around fast and unexpectedly in baseball.  I'm not one to ever give up while the Tigers are still mathematically in contention, but realistically they have little chance of getting back into the race this year. 
Now ten games behind the White Sox and 8 1/2 behind the second place Twins, it's time to start thinking about 2011 at least a little bit.

So, today, I'll take a position by position look at which players might be back next year.

Catcher

Gerald Laird has been very disappointing this year to say the least.  He is batting .185 with little power and even has defense has declined.  He is on the last year of his contract and I don't expect him back next year.  Alex Avila has also been a disappointment, although he might have been rushed in an effort to add a left-handed bat to the team.  I still think the Tigers view him as the catcher of the future though and he should be back next year.  They will likely get a veteran catcher to split time with Avila.

First base

There's much to talk about here.  Miguel Cabrera be back for at least the next five years

Second base

Right now, Carlos Guillen, Will Rhymes and Scott Sizemore are potential second basemen for 2011.  Sizemore has been slowed by injuries (ankle and hip) this year and has likely never been fully healthy all season.  He has hit well at triple-A but not in the majors.  Assuming they don't get a replacement outside the organization, Sizemore is probably the favorite to win the position next year, but he won't be guaranteed a starting job as he was last spring. 

Given his health history, they certainly can't count on Guillen to be the regular second baseman.  There is a chance they might eat the final year of his contract but I think he'll return as a designated hitter and back up second baseman.   Jim Leyland likes the scrappy Rhymes but I think his ultimate role will be backup infielder.

Third base

Brandon Inge is in the final year of his contract and Jhonny Peralta is in his final guaranteed year.  There is little chance that the Tigers will exercice Peralta's $ 7 million option.  They may try to bring him back at a reduced salary, but I think there is a better chance that they re-sign Inge.  Although his range has declined since he hurt his knees last year, Inge is still the superior fielder and there is not much difference between the two offensively. 

Shortstop

Peralta is playing shortstop at the moment, but is not a good defender at that position so I doubt he's a real option there for next year.  Danny Worth is a strong defender but I don't know if he'll hit well enough to be a regular.  The Tigers have long believed that Ramon Santiago does not have the durability to be a regular so, he'll continue as a backup and a very good one.  I suspect, they will push hard to obtain a shortstop in a trade.


Right field

Until recently, Brennan Boesch was once the most appealing option in right field but it's hard to know what to make of a player who hit like Vladimir Guerrero in the first half and a double-A hitter since the all-star break.  Whether or not he can make the adjustments down the stretch will determine whether he'll go into next season as a starting corner outfielder.  They certainly need a young left-handed hitter badly, so he'll be one of the players to watch the rest of the season.   

The injury to Magglio Ordonez means that his $15 million option for 2011 will not automatically vest.  They may try to sign him at a lower salary but, given that his agent is Scott Boras, that won't happen easily.  He'll probably be a late off-season signing and there is a good season the Tiger swill be heavily involved in that drama.  How hard they'll push may depend on Boesch.

Center field

Austin Jackson has been one of the few consistent bright spots this season and should be the starting center fielder for years to come.

Left field

Johnny Damon is finishing a one year deal and probably won't be a top priority in the off-season.  It's not that he has been bad, but he'll be 37 next year and the market for 37-year-old designated hitters is not strong.  I think the Tigers will try hard to obtain a left-handed corner outfielder from outside the organization.

Inge is Back

The Tigers have announced that Brandon Inge has returned to the team and that Danny Worth has been placed on the disabled list with a bruised left heel.  When Inge was hit by a pitch which broke his hand two weeks ago, the initial estimate from the team was that he would be out four to six weeks.  He's back two weeks earlier than the lower end of that estimate.  In the past, Inge has tried to play through injuries and it hurt the team.  The most prominent example was his trying to play through knee tendinitis the second half of last hear.  Let's hope he's ready this time.

With Inge back on third base, newly acquired Jhonny Peralta will take over the shortstop position.  Rookie Will Rhymes will remain at second base until Carlos Guillen (strained calf) returns next week.  Ramon Santiago will return to his familiar backup role. Inge, Peralta and Guillen are their best offensive options around the infield.  Inge will help their defense but Guillen and Peralta will open up holes in the middle of the infield. 

The pitcher who is likely to be hurt the most by poor infield defense is Rick Porcello (47.6% groundball rate).  Most of their starters - Jeremy Bonderman (41.5% ), Justin Verlander (39.7%), Armando Galarraga (39.4%) - and Max Scherzer (39.1%) - have been predominantly fly ball pitchers this year.  Still, no pitcher benefits from lack of range in the infield.  The hope is that Guillen and Peralta can make up for their defensive deficiencies with their offense.