Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?
Good god, Dombrowski, pick a lane and go with it.
"I went over the facts in my head, and admired how much uglier the situation had just become. Over the years I've learned that ignorance is more than just bliss. It's freaking orgasmic ecstasy".- Harry Dresden, Blood Rites
Western Michigan Bronco Hockey- 2012 Mason Cup Champions
BB, I think you saw enough of Valverde in Phoenix to see when he is on, he is great. When he isn't he is terrible.
Isn't that Fernando Rodney?
"I went over the facts in my head, and admired how much uglier the situation had just become. Over the years I've learned that ignorance is more than just bliss. It's freaking orgasmic ecstasy".- Harry Dresden, Blood Rites
Western Michigan Bronco Hockey- 2012 Mason Cup Champions
Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?
There's yet another rumor floating about that the Tigers might be looking at Johnny Damon.
So let me get this right... Dombrowski gets rid of Granderson because they want to cut back on money yet adds Valverde and potentially Damon? 0% of that makes sense and it'll be less than zero if they put Damon in center.
Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?
0% chance that Damon ends up in center. If they sign him he's the new left fielder. Either Austin Jackson or Casper Wells is going to open the season in center. And if neither one of them is the answer, we're in trouble.
Yes, but it depends on who you talk to. Valverde is a fastball / curveball pitcher. Rodney is a fastball/ changeup pitcher.
Valverde has better ERA and BB's stats, but is just as erratic and wild. Rodney didn't give up as many walk-offs. Both put a bunch of runners on. Valverde has the reputation of getting through innings quickly when he in "on". Rodney likes to make things interesting first, no matter what kind of stuff he has.
Valverde has never pitched in the A.L. and will potentially see better hitting with the DH in the lineup.
Either way the Tigers would have a closer that will help them more than hurt them, depending on the defense behind him.
There's yet another rumor floating about that the Tigers might be looking at Johnny Damon.
So let me get this right... Dombrowski gets rid of Granderson because they want to cut back on money yet adds Valverde and potentially Damon? 0% of that makes sense and it'll be less than zero if they put Damon in center.
Dombrowski has repeated that there is no interest in Damon:
Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?
Damon's agent is Scott Boras. Odds are that he's throwing half those rumors out himself.
"I went over the facts in my head, and admired how much uglier the situation had just become. Over the years I've learned that ignorance is more than just bliss. It's freaking orgasmic ecstasy".- Harry Dresden, Blood Rites
Western Michigan Bronco Hockey- 2012 Mason Cup Champions
Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?
The arbitration figures are in for Verlander.
He's asking for $9.5 million.
The Tigers' number: $6.9 mil.
If it goes to a hearing, I'm leaning towards JV's number. If I had to guess they'll settle somewhere in the $8 mil range. If they're going to cut costs, this sure as hell isn't the place to do it.
Valverde has never pitched in the A.L. and will potentially see better hitting with the DH in the lineup.
streaker, Valverde is a closer.... the DH is an irrelevant difference as far as the NL is concerned for closers. That is, the NL closers only see legit hitters. The pitchers in the NL will rarely bat after the 8th inning (and most of the time are pinch-hit for as early as the 7th inning). Therefore this is a moot point.
Valverde's ERA and WHIP are both wayyy better than Rodney's. The two pitchers are not even close. Valverde is legit. Rodney is a roller coaster. The Angels may well find that out this year.
Saves is a really worthless category, IMO. So, if you come into a game with a 3 run lead in the 9th... give up two runs... and load the bases and then get the final out you earn a Save? Please. That is a crap outing. Your ERA for the game is 18 and your WHIP is off the charts practically, but somehow this has become some magical stat that everyone has to have if you are a reliever/closer.
Give me a reliever with a sub-3.00 ERA and a WHIP in the neighborhood of 1.100 and I would gladly take that any day of the week over a pitcher with the likes of Rodney's 4.40 ERA in 09 (4.28 career ERA) and his 1.467 WHIP in 09 (1.424 career WHIP).
Valverde was 2.33 ERA in 09 (3.17 career ERA) and 1.130 WHIP in 09 (1.168 career WHIP). Also, Valverde's BB/9 innings is stellar compared to Rodney's (3.5 to Rodney's 4.9 in 09 and Rodney was even worse in 08 at 6.7 walks per 9 innings... wow...that is horrible) and the K/9 innings is also well in Valverde's favor (9.3 to 7.3 in 09).
Just sayin... Valverde vs Rodney is a whitewash in comparison. It is not even close. Saves are an illusion... they really don't tell you how good a closer is. You have to look deeper. Valverde will improve the Tigers' back end of the bullpen immensely and make us a much more formidable team day in and day out entering late innings with leads.
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