2011 AL Central Catch-All Thread

[fathom]

Tigers are 1.5 out from the 2-seed.

 

It seemed like the Yankees and Red Sox were playing to face Verlander twice in a 5-game series, but it still could be the AL West winner against the AL East winner.

 

I'm rooting for a Tigers/Brewers World Series. Both are great baseball towns with fans that get it.

 

Brewers are playing amazing baseball. On a run like we were last year heading into ASB.

[Jordan4life_2007]

Brewers are playing amazing baseball. On a run like we were last year heading into ASB.

 

Doug Melvin has to be the favorite for executive of the year. Emptied out the system to give it one last go before Prince hits FA and it's paid off magnificently. That's a damn good baseball team. A 1-2-3 at the front of the rotation as good as any in baseball sans Philly. A powerful offense led by the brilliant aforementioned Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun. A bullpen that features, IMO, the best closer in baseball not named Craig Kimbrel. They play pretty good defense. Hopefully, Weeks gets back in there soon. NL playoffs are going to be a lot of fun.

[LittleHurt05]

Brewers are playing amazing baseball. On a run like we were last year heading into ASB.

 

I heart Ryan Braun. If I was starting a baseball team, I would want him in the middle of my lineup. Forget defense.

[flavum]

Tigers Rotation--

 

Scherzer- KC, Chi, Min, Oak, KC, Cle

Fister- KC, Cle, Min, Oak, Bal, Cle

Porcello- KC, Cle, Chi, Oak, Bal, Cle

Turner- KC

Verlander- Chi, Cle, Chi, Oak, Bal

Penny- Chi, Min, Chi, KC, Bal

 

Playoff Rotation- Verlander, Scherzer, Fister, Porcello

 

They can't possibly play under .500 with that schedule.

[iamshack]

Tigers Rotation--

 

Scherzer- KC, Chi, Min, Oak, KC, Cle

Fister- KC, Cle, Min, Oak, Bal, Cle

Porcello- KC, Cle, Chi, Oak, Bal, Cle

Turner- KC

Verlander- Chi, Cle, Chi, Oak, Bal

Penny- Chi, Min, Chi, KC, Bal

 

Playoff Rotation- Verlander, Scherzer, Fister, Porcello

 

They can't possibly play under .500 with that schedule.

Most likely not, but this is baseball...anything can happen.

 

We can go a long way by beating Verlander 1 of those games and taking 5 of the 6.

[SoxAce]

Tigers Rotation--

 

Scherzer- KC, Chi, Min, Oak, KC, Cle

Fister- KC, Cle, Min, Oak, Bal, Cle

Porcello- KC, Cle, Chi, Oak, Bal, Cle

Turner- KC

Verlander- Chi, Cle, Chi, Oak, Bal

Penny- Chi, Min, Chi, KC, Bal

 

Playoff Rotation- Verlander, Scherzer, Fister, Porcello

 

They can't possibly play under .500 with that schedule.

 

This is the Tigers. I bet Twins fans were saying the same thing in 2009.

[Jordan4life_2007]

I heart Ryan Braun. If I was starting a baseball team, I would want him in the middle of my lineup. Forget defense.

 

Similar to Manny. When your bat is that potent, you can dismiss defense.

[southsider2k5]

http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/27/31043...ng-to-deal.html

 

Royals GM Moore willing to deal prospects for starting pitching

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

Is Mike Montgomery the Royals No. 1 starter of the future?

 

C LEVELAND | The surest sign yet undergirding the Royals’ belief they stand on the verge of a breakthrough in their youth movement comes not from a resurgent Mike Moustakas or the advanced signal-calling of Salvador Perez.

 

It stems rather from general manager Dayton Moore’s acknowledgement that he is willing to part with some of the organization’s prized minor-league prospects in the coming offseason to obtain one or more reliable arms for a still-evolving rotation.

 

“We’ll be aggressive in trades,” Moore said. “We’ll try to make a trade or two that helps us. We have to look internally first, but then we have to look at trades. Then, finally, we have to look at free agency. We’ll explore all of those options.”

 

Moore is targeting a go-for-it deal similar to the blockbuster that Cleveland pulled off last month in acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez from Colorado for four minor-league players, including its two top pitching prospects — Alex White and Drew Pomeranz.

 

As for whom the Royals might trade, they still have a considerable stockpile from which to choose. Even after calling up Eric Hosmer, Johnny Giavotella, Danny Duffy and Moustakas this season, the Royals still have six minor-leaguers who were chosen to Baseball America’s Top 100 prospects list.

 

“We have a minor-league system that’s ranked pretty good,” Moore said. “So we’ll see what’s out there. We’re a pitcher or two away.”

 

Bolstering the rotation looms as the Royals’ primary offseason goal after infusing their lineup and bullpen with a deep collection of rookies. The regular starting unit contains four rookies and no player older than 27. The eight-man relief corps has six rookies.

 

“I like where we are right now,” manager Ned Yost said. “We’ve made great strides in bringing along our young position players and our bullpen guys. We’re not there in the rotation, but we will be.”

 

That rotation, club officials believe, doesn’t require a complete overhaul to position the Royals for sharp improvement a year from now. Right-handers Luke Hochevar and Felipe Paulino, along with left-hander Duffy, have each flashed encouraging signs.

 

“Hoch has gotten better,” Yost said. “I think Duffy has gotten great experience. Paulino is finally getting an opportunity, and we see what he can be. He’s not there yet, but we think there’s still plenty of upside left.”

 

The missing element is a top-of-the-rotation hammer or, at minimum, at least one No. 2-quality guy capable of shutting down the league’s top clubs on a regular basis. Getting both, the Royals believe, holds the key to a rapid rise in the standings.

 

The question is how?

 

The looming free-agent market is thin and likely to be ruinously expensive. Texas left-hander C.J. Wilson and Cardinals right-hander Edwin Jackson might be the biggest names available unless CC Sabathia opts out of his Yankees’ contract.

 

Speculation is already rising that Wilson, a 30-year-old who is 28-13 over the last two seasons, could command a multiyear deal that approaches $100 million. Even if that is overly optimistic, such talk points to the nature of the market.

 

“It will be tough to find anything you can afford,” Yost said. “We have to develop our own pitching just like we’ve developed the rest of our club. That’s the process.”

 

There is no shortage of internal candidates.

 

“We feel we have some pitchers who could come rather quickly,” Moore said. “But we also realize some of those young pitchers may need a little more time. So we have to put together our rotation to give us as much depth as possible for next year.

 

“We don’t want to have to rush any kids.”

 

Those internal options start with left-hander Mike Montgomery, a power pitcher who glistens with top-of-the-rotation potential. The Royals plan to provide him with every opportunity next spring to break camp with the big-league club.

 

But Montgomery, at 22, is no sure thing, particularly in terms of providing an immediate boost. He is currently laboring through an erratic season at Class AAA Omaha, although he continues to flash plus stuff.

 

“He’ll be fine,” Moore said. “You’ve got to remember he’s being asked to do certain things on certain nights from a developmental standpoint that potentially hurts the short-term end result.

 

“We all recognize he has to throw more strikes. At times, he has. It’s been a great learning year for Michael Montgomery, and it’s going to put him in a position to be successful in the major leagues.”

 

The club’s other top prospects are either further away in their time-line projection or still battling health issues.

 

Chris Dwyer, Jake Odorizzi and Will Smith are at Class AA Northwest Arkansas. While all three appear likely to get invites next spring to the big-league camp, all will be behind Montgomery in the pecking order.

 

Lefty John Lamb entered the season viewed by some scouts as a better prospect than Montgomery but underwent Tommy John surgery in June and isn’t likely to return to full duty until late next year.

 

Cuban defector Noel Arguelles, who signed a five-year deal in January 2010 for $6.9 million, worked only 104 innings this season at Class A Wilmington after missing last year because of shoulder problems.

 

Three rookie relievers should figure in the mix: left-hander Everett Teaford and right-handers Aaron Crow and Nate Adcock. The most intriguing is Crow, a first-round pick in 2009 who shifted this season to the bullpen and emerged as the club’s lone All-Star selection.

 

“He’s got the stuff,” one club official said, “but I wonder about moving him back to the rotation. There’s a lot of moving parts in that delivery, which makes it hard to keep together when you’re pitching more than one or two innings.”

 

Teaford spent most of his five previous pro seasons as a starter in the minors. Adcock is a Rule 5 acquisition who is likely to open next year in the minors, although he could force a reevaluation by performing well in spring training.

 

“The guys we run out there all have good enough stuff to be very successful,” Moore said. “It goes back to the same thing I said before: If they’re healthy, if they have talent, if they’re going out there every fifth day, they’re going to keep getting better.”

 

The Royals show some interest in retaining veteran lefty Bruce Chen — and might even be willing to consider a two-year deal, although they are unlikely to invest major dollars for a pitcher generally viewed as a fourth or fifth starter on a contending team.

 

“Bruce has so much pitchability,” pitching coach Bob McClure said, “but people tend to overlook him. He’s a student, he’s left-handed and he’s getting better.”

 

The bottom line is the Royals have at least one and probably two spots to fill prior to next season. Internal auditions should begin next month and center on three of Montgomery’s Omaha teammates: Vin Mazzaro, Sean O’Sullivan and Luis Mendoza.

 

“The problem,” another club official said, “is those guys are all back-of-the-rotation guys. What we need, if we’re going to win a championship, is somebody who can match up with (Justin) Verlander and Sabathia and (Josh) Beckett.”

 

So the Royals will explore trade possibilities and try to hook their own impact starter.

 

“It’ll be an area of focus for us in the offseason,” Moore said. “I think our team is closer (to success) than a lot of people think.”

 

Likely to return

Luke Hochevar, Felipe Paulino and rookie Danny Duffy. None is as yet a finished product, but each showed sufficient growth in the second half to hold onto a job. The question is whether any can front a rotation for a contender.

 

Available-now options

Vin Mazzaro should get a look next month, and the Royals would like to find space for Sean O’Sullivan and Luis Mendoza. Three current relievers — Aaron Crow, Everett Teaford and Nate Adcock — project as spring candidates to become starters.

 

Farm options

Lefty Mike Montgomery possesses electric stuff and could be the answer to the search for a legitimate No. 1 starter — if he finds the consistency that has eluded him this season at Class AAA Omaha. Club officials believe Jake Odorizzi could come quickly. Chris Dwyer and Will Smith also will be in the spring mix.

 

Outside help

This is where it gets interesting because general manager Dayton Moore says he’s willing to swap top prospects for an impact starter. The Royals don’t figure to make a splash on the free-agent market, although they will explore the cost of retaining Bruce Chen.

 

Read more: http://www.kansascity.com/2011/08/27/31043...l#ixzz1WQPsTDCC

[southsider2k5]

Also interesting to hear this about Mauer

 

http://www.startribune.com/sports/twins/128539088.html

 

He called this season a "grind" healthwise, refuted claims that he balked at playing hurt and vowed to step up offseason training.

hide

 

Joe Mauer sat on the bench and watched Friday's action at Target Field, when the Twins lost to Detroit 8-1.

 

One Twins player looking forward to the offseason is catcher Joe Mauer -- but not because he wants to get away from recent criticism about his ability to play through injuries.

 

After speaking with the training staff, Mauer is making arrangements to upgrade his offseason conditioning program. The offseason is the best time for players to add strength, and Mauer wants to enter 2012 spring training in the best shape possible.

 

"The biggest thing is having a regular offseason," Mauer said. "This year has been pretty tough for me, probably the toughest season I've been through, physically. Last year wasn't easy either. I had that heel injury and things kind if trickled down from that.

 

"It will be nice. Hopefully I'll have somewhat of a normal offseason. I've got things in place. I've learned a lot over the last couple of years. I think I have the right people and program in place to have a good offseason."

 

Mauer's last offseason was abbreviated because of knee surgery in December. Even after that, Mauer's workouts were geared toward post-surgery rehabilitation. He never built a solid conditioning base, and some Twins personnel believe that's what led to his weak legs early in the season.

 

And Mauer said his left knee hasn't been 100 percent this season.

 

"It's been a grind," Mauer said, "but the last couple weeks my knee has felt pretty good. It's starting to almost kind of heal at this time of the season, which is good. I'm excited about that. There's improvement, and hopefully, once the offseason hits, I'll make some big gains.

 

"Everybody knows that if you don't have your legs you're not going to be able to drive the ball."

 

Mauer on Saturday didn't start for the third consecutive game because of a stiff neck suffered Tuesday when he chased after a pop-up while playing first base against the Orioles.

 

He had to see specialists to help with his neck. He took batting practice before Saturday's game but was deemed unavailable to pinch hit.

 

He admitted that he wasn't happy with recent criticism about his willingness to play when injured. The drama started Thursday when manager Ron Gardenhire revealed that he had warned Mauer that he would need him if there was an emergency. Mauer looked even worse when Michael Cuddyer told Gardenhire he wanted to play one day after getting hit squarely on the left wrist with a pitch. Afterward, Cuddyer spoke of how important it is to play despite being banged up.

 

Mauer, after that game, said he would have been unable to play and bristled when asked about perceptions that he's soft.

 

"The next day, Gardy and Cuddy both apologized," Mauer said. "They kind of got blindsided by it, too. Things are going to happen. I thought it was unfair, but it is what it is."

 

Gardenhire insisted that Mauer has played many games while banged up this season.

 

"He's playing hurt more than any of these guys," Gardenhire said. "He's not getting enough credit for going out there and playing."

 

But Gardenhire is encouraged by Mauer's willingness to attack his offseason conditioning.

 

"He's going to do some different things this winter and really get after it," Gardenhire said. "He realizes he can't sit around and not do anything as you get older. He's going to stay after it. He's going to do some different things this winter and prepare a little bit more and a little bit longer and come to spring training ready to go. That's a plan. That's a good plan."

[LittleHurt05]

Outside help

This is where it gets interesting because general manager Dayton Moore says he’s willing to swap top prospects for an impact starter. The Royals don’t figure to make a splash on the free-agent market, although they will explore the cost of retaining Bruce Chen.

 

NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

 

[fathom]

Doug Fister is not a good pitcher. Brad Penny isn't either. I don't think they'd stand a chance in hell getting past Boston.

 

Time for Fister to start sucking

[LittleHurt05]

Time for Fister to start sucking

 

Those damn big pitchers parks. Comerica is no Safeco, but it definitely still helps him.

[Cali]

Ah, only a few pages ago people thought Minnesota was gonna go on an epic run and win the division....

[chw42]

This is the Tigers. I bet Twins fans were saying the same thing in 2009.

 

I was looking up that year's standings the other day. The Twins were 7 games down on September 7th. The Sox can still do it, the Tigers are notorious for sucking in September.

[witesoxfan]

Time for Fister to start sucking

 

Never said he sucked. Just said he wasn't that good.

 

Doug Fister is a #3 starter at best. He's allowed a line of .294/.315/.403/.718 in 5 starts with Detroit. For his career, with a great defense behind him (something Detroit really does not have, though it has been much worse in the past) pitching half of his games in the best pitcher's park in the AL, he's at .268/.309/.391/.699. That does include his 5 starts with Detroit, but is a bigger reflection of his 59 starts with Seattle.

 

When I see his Seattle line, I see that he didn't allow a ton of hits - a benefit of pitching in front of a good defense and in a pitcher's park. He does allow a lot of contact, and that is not going to change. I also see that he walks a few, but nothing out of this world. I also see that hitters do hit the ball hard against him at times, noted by the .123 Iso against him.

 

I don't expect his BAA to remain that high - I see it settling in the .280 range. I think his OBPA will remain roughly the same, perhaps going up a bit to .320, but nothing drastic. I see that Iso rising a bit due to the increased number of hits, but again, nothing drastic - we'll go to .135. Thus, I don't think it would be surprising to see him end up at about .280/.320/.415/.735. And, if you factor out the good luck he's had, I would imagine his ERA ends up somewhere around 3.75-4.00.

 

It doesn't surprise me that a team that doesn't hit for great power and doesn't walk a lot didn't hit him hard last night. I'm still of the belief that both Boston and New York would destroy him in the playoffs. I think this current Sox team will make him work, but that they'd get beat 50% of the time they faced him.

 

He's Nick Blackburn if Blackburn allowed a walk fewer per 9.

 

 

[southsider2k5]

Ah, only a few pages ago people thought Minnesota was gonna go on an epic run and win the division....

 

Yeah I was just thinking last night that according to Soxtalk, the Twins passed us in the standings a long time ago, and we aren't over .500 because that was never going to happen.

[BigSqwert]

I was looking up that year's standings the other day. The Twins were 7 games down on September 7th. The Sox can still do it, the Tigers are notorious for sucking in September.

Aren't we typically pretty meh in September too?

[Balta1701]

Aren't we typically pretty meh in September too?

Not always. We actually have a habit of putting together good Septembers and screwing up our draft position. We did it in 2007, we were 14-13 last year in September, 13-14 in September 09, etc.

 

We were 12-15 in September 08, but that was without Q.

[southsider2k5]

jonmorosi Jon Morosi

#Tigers add Guillen, Turner, Rhymes, Dirks, Marte today.

 

[Balta1701]

jonmorosi Jon Morosi

#Tigers add Guillen, Turner, Rhymes, Dirks, Marte today.

Is that Damaso Marte?

 

If so, they also need to find Orlando Hernandez.

[southsider2k5]

Francour HR, Royals up 2-0 on DET.

[LittleHurt05]

What inning will the Tigers come back today? I'm thinking they skip the dramatics and take the lead in the 5th.

[fathom]

Tigers are amazing at coming back...Aaron Crow's ERA is around 2.5, but I swear he gets rocked whenever I watch him.

[ILMOU]

Tigers are amazing at coming back...Aaron Crow's ERA is around 2.5, but I swear he gets rocked whenever I watch him.

 

Yeah this sucks. They've done it again, today.

 

They've really seized it this past couple of weeks. It'll take a miracle sweep to have a real chance.

 

 

[fathom]

Question on the Tigers...do they have any bad contracts after this year? Aren't Ordonez and Inge gone after this year?