Mailbag: How damaging were injuries?

11/28/2005
Hi, what are your thoughts on Kyle Sleeth? Will we see him in Detroit any time soon? He has impressive college stats, and I'd hate to see this guy go down the tube. Thanks.-- Tim
Sleeth underwent Tommy John surgery last summer and isn't expected to be ready until sometime during the 2006 season. It's hard to tell his future until he pitches again, but it's safe to say he won't be in the Majors until 2007 at the very earliest. With that operation, it usually takes pitchers around 18 months from surgery before they can throw at full velocity and command. Plus, the Tigers are usually cautious with starting pitchers coming back from surgery. And with Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya knocking on the door of the big leagues, they're not likely to need Sleeth in the Majors in the near future.
Jason, I'm sick and tired of hearing that injuries are part of the game. Of course they are a part of the game, but they are a much better excuse for a team underachieving than most reporters and fans give credit. I don't know why Alan Trammell was fired, but if not for all of their acute injuries, the Tigers would have shown progress. GM Dave Dombrowski would have been hard-pressed to fire Trammell under those circumstances. Don't you think injuries can be devastating to a small- or middle-market team? They are at a huge disadvantage when trying to replace their damaged higher-priced players. Don't you think? Thanks.-- Searching for reality in Virginia
Yes, injuries can have a drastic effect on a team. To an extent, they're an expected part of the game, especially when a team such as this one has several players with a history of injuries. They become an issue when the injuries are in abundance and happen to significant players. In the Tigers' case, injuries were part of the reason only four players finished the season with more than 500 plate appearances for the club, not including Placido Polanco's half-season in Philadelphia. One of those four, Ivan Rodriguez, played through several injuries on his way to a subpar season offensively. Another standout player, Jeremy Bonderman, wasn't the same down the stretch while dealing with a sore elbow.
Bring back even a couple of players at full health and, yes, the Tigers would've been a better team than they ended up being. Would they have been good enough to save Trammell's managerial job? Perhaps, but not for certain. Carlos Guillen went from an All-Star season in which he accounted for 22 Win Shares in 2004, according to the Bill James Handbook, to just eight Win Shares this past season. However, to use another example, Rondell White's Win Shares actually increased, from 11 in 2004 to 12 in 2005, despite 24 fewer games played and 74 fewer at-bats. I think they would've finished fourth in the division regardless, but they would've been closer to .500.
Hi, Jason. Is there any chance the Tigers could sign a free agent such as A.J. Burnett or Kevin Millwood and then in addition to that trade for Javier Vazquez or Carl Pavano? I think we need to do that in order to really contend based upon the White Sox rotation. Plus, Cleveland won 93 games, and we still can't pass the Twins. I heard before that we may trade Mike Maroth or Nate Robertson. Now, that's the big three? Bonderman, Maroth and Robertson?
Seems like our pitching is good for the first 80-90 games and then they really peter out, so to speak. How come I don't see that happening with other teams? I think it's happened the past two years for us. Do you know why?-- Mike
The Tigers' plan all offseason has been to add one veteran starter through trade or free agency. Considering the cost of acquiring pitchers through either method, I don't see them doing both. Assuming the Tigers add a starter, he'd be one of the top three alongside Bonderman and Maroth, with Robertson and one of the youngsters rounding out the rotation. So no, Maroth, Bonderman and Robertson aren't the big three, but they're the young core around which Detroit is building its rotation for next year.
Getting Burnett and Pavano both would be great, no question, but the chase for Burnett and Millwood has already shown how many teams are on the market for pitching and how inflated the market is going to be. What made the White Sox rotation reconstruction work last year was that they were able to acquire Freddy Garcia, Jose Conteras and Orlando Hernandez without having to overpay or mortgage their farm system. I don't think you'll see that happen this year. The Red Sox had to give up two top youngsters in the Josh Beckett trade, and that was a unique situation given that the Marlins were set on dealing him.
I want your honest thoughts about Carlos Pena. Does he have a future in Detroit? He's a left-handed power hitter who plays a great defensive first base. When Carlos is swinging a good bat, he's impressive. Currently, he leads all Tigers for career homers at Comerica Park. Can new hitting coach Don Slaught work to improve his plate discipline and working into hitters' counts? We need left-handed power, and there isn't much in the free agent market and I'd rather spend money on pitchers. Will Pena remain wearing the English 'D'?-- Patrick D.
Of all the first basemen the Tigers have, Pena is the most likely to go. He's been passed by Chris Shelton as the starting first baseman, he isn't anchored to a contract like Dmitri Young and he seems to have the most to benefit from a change of scenery and a chance at more regular at-bats. It's hard to say whether Slaught could make him a disciplined hitter, because Slaught doesn't have a track record as a hitting coach. However, Slaught's focus is on putting hitters in a position to make a good swing. That could help, though in the end Pena's pitch recognition is key.
Jason, does a full 40-man roster mean that the Tigers cannot select players in the Rule 5 Draft in December? Could the Tigers drop or release a player before the draft in order to select someone they might like? It seems like a great opportunity to select a young bullpen arm for the future, plus, it's something that Dombrowski is good at.-- Eric
The Tigers can make moves between now and the Winter Meetings to open up some room on the 40-man roster. Given the emphasis they've placed on winning now, though, I'm not anticipating them drafting anyone unless they feel like they can contribute immediately.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Mailbag: What's up in Detroit?

11/07/2005
There has been a lot of talk about Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya being the future of Tiger pitching, but how soon will that future arrive? Where do you think they will be pitching next season? I would presume they would be starters if you have them in the Minors, but what role might they fill if they break Spring Training with the Tigers? -- Drew W., Toledo
There's a pretty good chance one of them will be pitching in Detroit when the season opens. Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said last week that he expects a rotation spot to be open for either of those youngsters or Roman Colon to fill. That means an open competition in Spring Training, maybe the best competition the Tigers will have in camp.
Whichever of the prospects that doesn't make the rotation, or both if Colon wins the job, will probably open the season at Triple-A Toledo. I know some publications have projected Zumaya as a reliever in the big leagues, but the Tigers see him as a starter for the time being. This past season showed he can hold up to the rigors of starting for close to a full season, no matter what is said about his arm delivery. Verlander projects solely as a starter. The one candidate who could easily flip from starter to reliever is Colon.
What action do you expect the Tigers to take with Pudge? I have heard that he wants out of Detroit. I personally think that it was the stress of his divorce (I've been there before) and the team falling way below expectations.-- SKCS Larkin
Your thinking appears to be on target, and talk of Ivan Rodriguez's departure from Detroit looks to be overblown. New manager Jim Leyland spoke with the Lakeland Ledger and seemed fine with him.
"I've talked with him and we're OK," Leyland told the paper. "A lot of that is just frustration when you haven't accomplished what you thought you could and the season is winding down and you just want to forget it and go home. I've seen it before. When you talk to people, nobody says he [Rodriguez] can't play. They say he's still a good player. That's my only concern. If he can play, then it's up to us to get the best out of him. That's our job."
Rodriguez wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity in the clubhouse by season's end. Still, here's a man who was married for 15 years, virtually his entire adult life, had three kids, and then watched his marriage collapse over the course of the season.
Yes, it affected him stronger than expected, but he admitted near season's end that he needed guidance on his emotions. I'm not expecting him to be everyone's model teammate next season or anything, but I expect you'll see Pudge a stronger player and teammate in 2006.
Since I live in Toledo, I wonder how the Triple-A team here is shaping up for next season. What players will be back? What players should we expect from Erie? And will the Tigers make the same effort in to putting a good team here next year as they did this past year? -- David C., Toledo
Pitching-wise, the Mud Hens appear to be in a decent position on the Tigers' developmental ladder. Kenny Baugh is still around for now. Either Justin Verlander or Joel Zumaya, or possibly both, could be in the rotation. Colby Lewis is on track to be healthy next year. Jason Grilli could still be back, though he's out of Minor League options. Add Humberto Sanchez and Kyle Sleeth as possibilities later in the season, and Toledo shouldn't be short on arms.
Offensively, the Tigers will have to restock the Hens lineup. The only additions from Erie would appear to be Tony Giarratano and David Espinosa. Marcus Thames is out of options and Carlos Pena figures to be either in Detroit or on some other Major League team, so the Mud Hens will likely need some Minor League free agents to complement Ryan Raburn, Donnie Kelly and Jack Hannahan -- assuming none of those three make the big-league roster.
Many people around baseball mention Al Avila as a future general manager. What are his chances of leaving the Tigers? Wouldn't it be wiser to return to the setup Detroit had before Dave Dombrowski fired Randy Smith and have Avila become the GM and Dombrowski focus on being the president? Is there a reason that won't happen? -- Clyde W., Ypsilanti
The belief around the league is that Avila should eventually become a GM somewhere, though he's been on the wrong side of the trend towards younger GMs with statistical backgrounds. As for Avila becoming the GM in Detroit, I think the only chance of that happening would be if Dombrowski were to leave.
Dombrowski is an on-field type of executive who can handle several different hats because he trusts in his assistants, especially Avila. It's a setup that has worked for them for several years dating back to their days in Florida. If Dombrowski was being overburdened with off-field duties and the on-field product was being neglected, I think it would be different. That hasn't seemingly happened, especially now with Chris Ilitch overseeing the operations from the ownership side. And remember, the previous setup with Dombrowski as president/CEO and Randy Smith as GM lasted all of a few months.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers mailbag: Pitching staff in flux

11/21/2005
Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson and Mike Maroth are the only starters back. That might leave Roman Colon, Kenny Baugh, Wilfredo Ledezma and Justin Verlander as the starters for the last two spots if we don't sign a starter. How do you rate each one going into Spring Training?
Verlander has the most ability out of the bunch. I think he has the best chance of taking the fifth spot in the rotation. Colon is better than he showed after coming over in the Kyle Farnsworth trade, and he pitched very well as a starter filling in for Mike Hampton in Atlanta earlier in the year. With the Tigers bullpen in flux, though, he might be able to do the most good in relief.
Though Baugh has put together back-to-back solid, healthy seasons and had a very underrated summer at Triple-A Toledo, the Tigers' preference towards hard throwers in recent years doesn't seem likely to change. Ledezma has to prove himself again to the new coaching staff and show he's healthy before he can be considered a strong candidate to start. Again, his ability to pitch in relief could prove more useful on a team that hasn't found a solid long man. While we're at it, don't forget about Joel Zumaya in the fifth spot.
I love what the Tigers have going on in their Minor League system. I hear a lot of talk about guys such as Verlander and Zumaya being part of the big league team in '06. Is this a wise move? Both pitchers were shut down early this past year and Zumaya has a history of injuries. Are we expecting too much too soon? Where do guys such as Cameron Maybin, Tony Giarratano and the prospects that played in the Arizona Fall League end up? I want the Tigers to win now, but I don't want to sacrifice promising young careers for just a .500 season. -- Nervous Tigers fan in Chicago
I think it would be more of a concern if the injuries were more serious. True, both Zumaya and Verlander were shut down, but neither had what was seen as a major arm injury. As for Verlander, he pitched more innings than expected in the Instructional League and looked completely healthy from his tired shoulder. Coaches like his delivery, and his business-like mentality seems ready to handle the Majors. Though he still has things he can work on in the Minors, I think if he hasn't yet outgrown the competition level of Minor League ball, he's close to it. He could dominate at Erie or Toledo again, but the question for the Tigers is whether he'd learn more there or at Detroit.
Zumaya is a little different case because of his age and his game. He bases so much of his game off his fastball that he showed some learning when he reached Toledo late this past season.
Why on Earth did the Tigers allow Dmitri Young's $8 million option for '06 to kick in? Isn't that a lot of money to watch him hack at pitches out of the strike zone all summer? If they want to squander money on poor plate discipline, I'd rather spend $3M on Carlos Pena and hope Don Slaught can figure out how to fix him. -- Joe B, Buffalo, N.Y.
To say they "allowed" it is Monday morning quarterbacking. When Young was near the plate-appearance count to trigger his option, Rondell White was out, and the Tigers needed healthy bodies late in the season. Young all but admitted later his contract option was an obvious reason he wanted to keep playing, but he was healthy enough to go out there and healthy enough to play left field, and Alan Trammell needed a bat. If the Tigers didn't play him, fans would've ridiculed them for worrying more about money than wins, and I have no doubt the players association would've been curious.
Do you think the Tigers would be better if they moved Carlos Guillen to third and made a play at Rafael Furcal, which would give them speed at the top of their lineup and really complete it? -- Anthony M.
And pay a five- or six-year contract worth close to $10 million a year for a leadoff hitter who has topped .350 in on-base percentage only once in the last five years? I'd rather keep Guillen at short for now with Omar Infante and Giarratano ready if needed. As much as critics caution against big money for pitchers, I think free agent shortstops are some of the most overpriced assets on the market in recent years. If the Tigers want speed atop their lineup, they'll find playing time for Nook Logan.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Thankful Tigers give back to community

11/23/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers endured plenty of relative troubles this year, from an injury-plagued season to a clubhouse drama to a new manager and coaching staff. Yet they're realistic enough to know they have plenty to be thankful for.
Though Ivan Rodriguez earned plenty of well-deserved attention for his charitable efforts, especially in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, giving back to the community was a teamwide effort for the Tigers.
Rodriguez has been known for giving generously throughout his Hall of Fame career, but this year marked the first time since joining the Tigers he's been recognized for it. The team set up a September ceremony allowing him to greet four families displaced by Katrina who were relocated to the Detroit area. To help out, Rodriguez donated $48,000 from his foundation to help pay for their living expenses for six months, a contribution that's still paying off today.
"Believe me, I don't do this stuff very often, because I like to do things quietly," he said at the time. "I think it's a big moment to let the people know I've been doing this for years. It was a hard decision for me to make, but the people around me told me it's time to let people know what you're doing in the community."
In this case, the attention actually helped. By holding a charity dinner and auction in suburban Detroit in August, Pudge raised nearly $100,000 for his foundation with an evening that drew 180 people. The proceeds helped lead to the creation of the Rodriguez Fund for Families at the Children's Hospital of Michigan, which helps families of children stricken with cancer to meet kids' needs and improve their quality of life with meals, food, toys and home essentials, among other things.
Like Rodriguez, Tigers left-hander Mike Maroth doesn't like to draw attention to himself with his community work. But the more he gives back, the more recognition comes his way.
More than money, Maroth gives his time. Much of his work, from his regular visits to patients in VA Hospitals to his work with kids, has been going on for several years. This year, he was recognized for the first time as the Tigers' nominee for Major League Baseball's Roberto Clemente Award as well as the Marvin Miller Man of the Year award from the MLB Players Association.
Maroth's wife, Brooke, also takes part in community activities. She visited Children's Hospital of Michigan this season to welcome Major League Baseball's donation of a Starlight Fun Center, a mobile entertainment unit containing a liquid crystal television, DVD player and Nintendo GameCube.
"All I'm trying to do is serve others," Mike Maroth said earlier this year, "and God has given me a lot. With the platform that I have and the resources, that's what's required. When you're given more than you need, that's to be able to help others and serve others. That's why Brooke and I do it."
Other current and former Tigers also donated their money and time this year to causes close to them. Lefty reliever Jamie Walker did his part for military families by donating $150 for each of his strikeouts to Army Emergency Relief, a private nonprofit organization that provides emergency financial assistance to active and retired soldiers and their families, including the spouses and children of soldiers killed in active duty.
"Army Emergency Relief does great things for the people that do great things for this country," Walker said at the time. "This is my way of supporting the men and women of the U.S. Army."
Right-hander Jason Johnson, now a free agent, continued his work to help children with diabetes. He tells his story to kids to provide an example that people with diabetes can still live a full life, even as an athlete. He hosted more than 500 kids on a Saturday afternoon in June to tell his story and educate kids and families on handling their diabetes, even though it was a day he was scheduled to pitch.
"Pitching comes second," he said that day, "because the young kids out there, they need to see somebody to look up to that had the same decisions they do."
At some point this season, just about every Tigers player and coach gave to a cause, including local civic organizations and causes like the children's Miracle League and the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Many Tigers hosted families or groups at games, notably Carlos Guillen, who started a weekly program to reward community groups and kids by hosting 25 individuals for each Wednesday home game.
The Tigers' community work doesn't take a break during the offseason. The club will be active in advance of the holidays, sponsoring a family for gift-giving and sending team mascot Paws to visit children in area hospitals.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Polanco chosen Tiger of the Year

11/03/2005
DETROIT -- The Tiger of the Year wasn't a Tiger all year, but he made the most of his time here.
Second baseman Placido Polanco was selected as this year's winner of the award, voted on annually by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America. The selection was announced on Thursday.
Polanco began the season with the Phillies before joining the Tigers in a June 9 trade for reliever Ugueth Urbina and utility infielder Ramon Martinez. Brought over to ignite a struggling offense, Polanco immediately took to his new surroundings, tallying 10 hits in his first five games as a Tiger and recording four three-hit games for Detroit in June.
He kept on hitting the rest of the season, except for a brief DL stint in July. In September, he became the first Tiger with back-to-back four-hit games since Ray Boone in 1957. He added four homers over the final month to nearly double his total for the season.
Polanco hit .338 in 86 games for the Tigers, and his combined .331 average for the season ranked second in the Majors behind Cubs slugger Derrek Lee. He nearly became the second player in history to lead the Majors in hitting without winning a batting title. His .397 average at home led the big leagues, even though he called two different ballparks home. He also ended the year with one strikeout for every 22.04 plate appearances, making him the toughest batter in baseball to strike out.
Polanco's defense was just as valuable, providing the Tigers with their steadiest defensive presence at second base since Lou Whitaker. With just three errors all season, Polanco led Major League second basemen with a .995 fielding percentage. His 5.39 Range Factor (putouts plus assists per nine innings) ranked third.
Polanco earned 15 of 22 first-place votes. Outfielder Craig Monroe received three others, while Chris Shelton and Jeremy Bonderman had two each. It's the second major honor he has received since joining Detroit; the other was a four-year contract he signed in August that could leave him a Tiger through 2009.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers pick up Walker's option

11/02/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers head into this offseason again looking to upgrade their bullpen, but they'll keep Jamie Walker around. Detroit brought back their left-handed relief specialist Wednesday by exercising his $1.25 million option for 2006.
The Tigers had until the end of the week to exercise their option on Walker in accordance with the one-year contract he signed last fall to avoid arbitration. By bringing him back, the Tigers retained their longest-tenured active pitcher, not to mention a cornerstone of their relief corps.
Walker's staying power comes from his value as a lefty. He's been Detroit's primary lefty reliever ever since the team called him up in mid-April of the 2002 season. Only Brandon Inge and Dmitri Young have been around longer among active Tigers. Though his role has wavered from short-outing specialist against left-handed hitters to middle reliever capable of working two innings at a time, he's been pretty consistent in his endeavor.
Walker has led Tigers pitchers in appearances for three consecutive seasons, including 66 games in 2005. He went 4-3 with a 3.70 ERA, allowing 20 earned runs on 49 hits in 48 2/3 innings. He held lefty hitters to a .245 batting average compared to .271 for righties. For his career, lefties have hit him for a .228 average compared to .285 for right-handers, and his 271 appearances rank seventh in franchise history among left-handed pitchers.
With that type of track record, picking up his option wasn't a weighty decision for Tigers president/general manager Dave Dombrowski.
"He did a good job for us last year," Dombrowski said. "We look forward to him being a valuable member of the team next year."
The difference next year, however, is that he probably won't enter camp as the only left-hander in the bullpen. Dombrowski confirmed that the Tigers plan to pursue a second lefty reliever this offseason, a luxury they haven't had for much of Walker's Detroit tenure. However, Dombrowski doesn't see it changing Walker's role.
"I don't think it signifies any change," Dombrowski said. "We look at having two left-handers in the bullpen as the way we'd like to go. I think we've always tried to look for that."
It's also something new manager Jim Leyland has looked to have in his bullpens, Dombrowski said.
The Tigers haven't had great results in finding that second left-hander. Journeymen Doug Creek and Vic Darensbourg were up in Detroit for parts of this past season, but both were used more in long relief than specialized situations. Darensbourg went 1-1 with a 2.82 ERA in 22 appearances over the season's second half, while Creek had no record and a 6.85 ERA in 20 games. Both became Minor League free agents last month.
A year earlier, the Tigers traded for hard-throwing southpaw Steve Colyer, who struggled with his control between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo before being traded to the Mets for Matt Ginter this past spring.
In addition to his base salary, Walker could earn incentives of $50,000 each for appearing in 55, 65 and 75 games.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Sanchez overcomes injuries in AFL

11/04/2005
After suffering through an injury-riddled season with Double-A Erie, Mesa Solar Sox hurler Humberto Sanchez has been one of the Arizona Fall League's top performers. Although he has yet to factor in a decision, his 25 strikeouts rank fourth in the league, while his 2.82 ERA ranks seventh.
The 22-year-old native of the Dominican Republic turned in his best start on Nov. 1, allowing five hits over five scoreless innings while striking out five.
Sanchez and five other Tigers prospects are continuing their 2005 campaigns with the Solar Sox. Here's how the others fared in the week ending Nov. 3:
OF David Espinosa -- After going hitless in four at-bats on Oct. 31 to knock his average down to a season-low .240, Espinosa broke out of his slump the following day with three singles against the Grand Canyon Rafters. He ended the week with a 1-for-4 night against Phoenix on Nov. 3.
SS Don Kelly -- Kelly collected five hits in 16 at-bats during the week to raise his average to .265. His five runs scored increased his season total to 11, while his RBI on Oct. 28 was just his seventh of the fall.
3B Kody Kirkland -- Kirkland went 2-for-10 on the week, delivering his first double of the season on Oct. 28 against Grand Canyon. An 0-for-4 performance on Nov. 2 snapped a season-high seven-game hitting streak.
RHP Adam Peterson -- The 26-year-old Minor League veteran tossed a scoreless inning on Oct. 31 and two more on Nov. 2 to lower his ERA to 5.11. He has struck out 13 over 12 1/3 innings this fall.
RHP Mark Woodyard -- The 26-year-old right-hander did not make an appearance this week, leaving him with an 0-1 record and 12.60 ERA in five innings in the AFL.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers begin pursuit of Burnett

11/04/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers are now in line in the pursuit of A.J. Burnett. That line will start winding at next week's general manager meetings.
Unlike the last two offseasons, when the Tigers had needs to fill at several different positions, team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said this week that Detroit's focus this offseason will be on pitching, most notably adding a veteran starter to fill the rotation spot vacated by free agent Jason Johnson.
Detroit's chase for the biggest name among free agent starters has begun. Burnett's agent, Darek Braunecker, confirmed that he's had discussions with the Tigers since he filed for free agency last week. Teams cannot talk contracts with free agents until next Friday, but they can make introductory calls, even visits, and talk anything but money.
One such visit generated headlines a couple days ago with a trip to Toronto as part of the Blue Jays' courtship effort. The team gave a tour of the Rogers Centre to Burnett, who had dinner with former Cy Young Award winner Roy Halladay and took in a Raptors game with courtside seats.
No such visit is planned yet for Detroit. Braunecker said Toronto was a unique situation in that the timing worked best for both sides to have a visit this week. Burnett will most likely visit other cities later, once the GM meetings have been completed. Next week's meetings in California will allow Braunecker to meet face-to-face with representatives of several clubs, including the Tigers.
Already, it's a long list. Braunecker said "probably 70 percent of baseball" has expressed some interest in Burnett, whose combination of age and pitching repertoire has made him arguably the top free agent on the market at any position. He hopes the GM meetings will give him a better idea where all those teams stand.
From there, the visits should continue. However, Burnett's tour of cities is expected to be more low-key than that of his former teammate, Carl Pavano, last winter. Pavano's visits to Detroit, New York, Baltimore, Seattle and Boston, among other cities, generated as much or more interest from fans as teams, including his much-publicized trip to Detroit last December.
Braunecker wants Burnett's visits to simply "give him an opportunity to make a very educated decision when the time comes," he said.
All of the perceived front-runners to land Burnett's services have some sort of connection to him. The Blue Jays, who have been aggressive in their pursuit from the outset, have pitching coach Brad Arnsberg, who formed a bond working with Burnett as the Marlins pitching coach in his previous job. The Orioles are expected to be a major pursuer in part because Burnett's wife is from the Baltimore area.
Detroit's link runs through the front office. While Dombrowski was the Marlins general manager, he acquired Burnett, then a Mets prospect, in a trade for Al Leiter when Florida had to break up its 1997 world championship club. Burnett made his Major League debut late in the 1999 season before joining the rotation full-time the following summer.
Burnett posted a 49-50 record for his Marlins career, but his wins and losses belie his performance. He has allowed just 719 hits in 853 2/3 innings, never allowing more hits than innings pitched in any of his seven big league seasons, and he owns 753 career strikeouts. His win total tops the Marlins career list.
The lanky right-hander with a power arm went 12-12 this past season, but posted a career best with 209 innings. With trade rumors swirling, he posted wins in seven consecutive starts from July 19 to Aug. 19, scattering seven earned runs on 40 hits over 52 innings in that span. He slumped after that, going 0-6 over his final seven starts of the season.
The combination of his performance at this age and the abundance of teams looking for pitching are expected to create a fierce competition for his services. Yet the Tigers, who were widely believed to be the runner-up in the Pavano sweepstakes last winter, are expected to be among the more aggressive teams in the pursuit.
Dombrowski was not selective when asked what he's seeking in a pitcher.
"We're looking for somebody we think can help us win some games," Dombrowski said. "That's really what our biggest goal is."
Dombrowski is also looking for a closer, another position where they've started to identify their targets. The Tigers have had early discussions with top free agent Billy Wagner, the Phillies stopper who visited New York earlier this week. He's reportedly seeking a guaranteed three-year deal.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers hire Crespo, add four scouts

11/07/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers hired Manny Crespo as their new director of Latin American operations and bumped up their amateur scouting staff by four members Monday.
Crespo has spent the last 26 years in baseball instruction, including the last decade at the professional level. Most recently, he spent the past three years with the San Diego Padres as their Latin American coordinator of instruction. He spent six years under Dave Dombrowski with the Florida Marlins, for which he worked three seasons as a hitting coach in the Gulf Coast League and three others as a roving Minor League infield instructor.
Crespo played nine pro seasons after the Red Sox drafted him in 1968.
The scouting additions beef up the Tigers staff. Ray Crone Jr. and Jim Olander have joined the club as national crosscheckers. Grant Brittain will serve as an area scout in charge of North and South Carolina as well as northern Georgia. Steve Barningham has signed on as a part-time scout in the Pacific Northwest.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers bring Healy in on full-time basis

11/08/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers brought Michael Healy into the organization on a full-time basis Tuesday, naming him as their vice president of park operations.
Healy is best known for serving as the team's point man on planning for this summer's All-Star Game and surrounding festivities at Comerica Park. It was the latest of several events he helped prepare for as vice president of civic relations and event logistics for Olympia Entertainment.
Healy is currently a board member on the Super Bowl XL host committee and will coordinate the planning for pro football's biggest event with Ilitch-owned properties, including Comerica Park.
Healy also serves on the board of directors of Ilitch Charities for Children and the board of advisors for the Motor City Bowl.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Mailbag: What's up in Detroit?

11/07/2005
There has been a lot of talk about Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya being the future of Tiger pitching, but how soon will that future arrive? Where do you think they will be pitching next season? I would presume they would be starters if you have them in the Minors, but what role might they fill if they break Spring Training with the Tigers? -- Drew W., Toledo
There's a pretty good chance one of them will be pitching in Detroit when the season opens. Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said last week that he expects a rotation spot to be open for either of those youngsters or Roman Colon to fill. That means an open competition in Spring Training, maybe the best competition the Tigers will have in camp.
Whichever of the prospects that doesn't make the rotation, or both if Colon wins the job, will probably open the season at Triple-A Toledo. I know some publications have projected Zumaya as a reliever in the big leagues, but the Tigers see him as a starter for the time being. This past season showed he can hold up to the rigors of starting for close to a full season, no matter what is said about his arm delivery. Verlander projects solely as a starter. The one candidate who could easily flip from starter to reliever is Colon.
What action do you expect the Tigers to take with Pudge? I have heard that he wants out of Detroit. I personally think that it was the stress of his divorce (I've been there before) and the team falling way below expectations.-- SKCS Larkin
Your thinking appears to be on target, and talk of Ivan Rodriguez's departure from Detroit looks to be overblown. New manager Jim Leyland spoke with the Lakeland Ledger and seemed fine with him.
"I've talked with him and we're OK," Leyland told the paper. "A lot of that is just frustration when you haven't accomplished what you thought you could and the season is winding down and you just want to forget it and go home. I've seen it before. When you talk to people, nobody says he [Rodriguez] can't play. They say he's still a good player. That's my only concern. If he can play, then it's up to us to get the best out of him. That's our job."
Rodriguez wasn't exactly Mr. Popularity in the clubhouse by season's end. Still, here's a man who was married for 15 years, virtually his entire adult life, had three kids, and then watched his marriage collapse over the course of the season.
Yes, it affected him stronger than expected, but he admitted near season's end that he needed guidance on his emotions. I'm not expecting him to be everyone's model teammate next season or anything, but I expect you'll see Pudge a stronger player and teammate in 2006.
Since I live in Toledo, I wonder how the Triple-A team here is shaping up for next season. What players will be back? What players should we expect from Erie? And will the Tigers make the same effort in to putting a good team here next year as they did this past year? -- David C., Toledo
Pitching-wise, the Mud Hens appear to be in a decent position on the Tigers' developmental ladder. Kenny Baugh is still around for now. Either Justin Verlander or Joel Zumaya, or possibly both, could be in the rotation. Colby Lewis is on track to be healthy next year. Jason Grilli could still be back, though he's out of Minor League options. Add Humberto Sanchez and Kyle Sleeth as possibilities later in the season, and Toledo shouldn't be short on arms.
Offensively, the Tigers will have to restock the Hens lineup. The only additions from Erie would appear to be Tony Giarratano and David Espinosa. Marcus Thames is out of options and Carlos Pena figures to be either in Detroit or on some other Major League team, so the Mud Hens will likely need some Minor League free agents to complement Ryan Raburn, Donnie Kelly and Jack Hannahan -- assuming none of those three make the big-league roster.
Many people around baseball mention Al Avila as a future general manager. What are his chances of leaving the Tigers? Wouldn't it be wiser to return to the setup Detroit had before Dave Dombrowski fired Randy Smith and have Avila become the GM and Dombrowski focus on being the president? Is there a reason that won't happen? -- Clyde W., Ypsilanti
The belief around the league is that Avila should eventually become a GM somewhere, though he's been on the wrong side of the trend towards younger GMs with statistical backgrounds. As for Avila becoming the GM in Detroit, I think the only chance of that happening would be if Dombrowski were to leave.
Dombrowski is an on-field type of executive who can handle several different hats because he trusts in his assistants, especially Avila. It's a setup that has worked for them for several years dating back to their days in Florida. If Dombrowski was being overburdened with off-field duties and the on-field product was being neglected, I think it would be different. That hasn't seemingly happened, especially now with Chris Ilitch overseeing the operations from the ownership side. And remember, the previous setup with Dombrowski as president/CEO and Randy Smith as GM lasted all of a few months.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Pitching a focus as Hot Stove warms up

11/09/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers spent the last two offseasons on a relative shopping spree. This year, they're only entering an arms race.
For the first time since Dave Dombrowski took over as general manager, he can go into the winter believing that the core of his team is set. Despite a disappointing 2005 season that led to a managerial change, the Tigers see much of the talent to improve offensively already in place. Instead, they head into the Hot Stove season focused on pitching.
That's the good news. But they'll have a lot of company.
Before Dombrowski left for this week's GM meetings, he said that he's primarily looking for a veteran starter and a closer. It doesn't mean that the Tigers have changed course on their belief that their young corps of starting pitchers can be the strength of the ballclub. It means that Dombrowski needs a couple more parts to finish it.
"We've lost a starting pitcher that we need to discuss and try to get somebody [else]," Dombrowski said. "We have some good young pitching with [Jeremy] Bonderman, [Nate] Robertson and [Mike] Maroth with [Justin] Verlander and [Joel] Zumaya, but we feel like we'd like to get a veteran starter."
The pitcher they lost was Jason Johnson, whom the Tigers signed two years ago when they were looking for a veteran starter after their 119-loss season. With Johnson now a free agent, the Tigers' sights are higher this time around. They've been aggressive early by talking with the agent for A.J. Burnett, the top free agent starter available on the market and possibly the top free agent at any position. But so have 20 other teams, according to agent Darek Braunecker.
Like last year's top pitching free agent, Carl Pavano, Burnett is expected to draw at least a four-year contract, and he could cross the accepted threshold for pitchers with a five-year offer. But money has not been a major hurdle for the Tigers the last few years in their recruiting efforts, and owner Mike Ilitch said last month that he'll "spend what it takes to win."
The prevailing belief out of last offseason was that the Tigers were the second choice for Pavano behind the Yankees. Given Burnett's history with the Tigers front office when Dombrowski acquired him as the Florida Marlins general manager eight years ago, Detroit has a draw to compete with the Blue Jays and Orioles as well.
The Tigers are also expected to talk with agent Scott Boras about Kevin Millwood, regarded as the next-best starter on the market. After that, the market for starting pitchers drops considerably.
"There's a lack of a depth of quality free agent type players," Dombrowski said. "I don't think there's any question of that. It doesn't mean there aren't players out there that can help your ballclub. But [this offseason] probably doesn't have as many premier free agents as some [others]."
So far, the Tigers are being aggressive with several top talents. They've been in frequent contact with the agent for closer Billy Wagner, who is expected to visit Detroit soon. He tops one of the few groups of free agents with depth. Beyond Wagner, other potential closers on the market include ex-Tigers Kyle Farnsworth and Todd Jones, B.J. Ryan, Trevor Hoffman, Tom Gordon, Jose Mesa and Bob Wickman.
Detroit went through four closers last year. The team signed two veteran closers in the last two years, but neither of them ended last season in the Tigers bullpen. Instead, Fernando Rodney handled ninth-inning duties in what amounted to an audition, and the Tigers are proceeding as if Troy Percival will not pitch again.
"We like Fernando Rodney," Dombrowski said. "We think he can pitch at the end of the game. This [past] year is probably a tough year [in which to evaluate] when you talk about coming back from Tommy John surgery. We've always felt he could close, but he can pitch in the eighth inning and seventh inning."
Offensively, the Tigers like what they have for the first time in years. Many of their everyday players are under contract for the foreseeable future -- Carlos Guillen and Ivan Rodriguez through 2007, Placido Polanco through 2009 and Magglio Ordonez through at least '09. More importantly, Dombrowski sees promise in their younger hitters, including first baseman Chris Shelton and center fielder Curtis Granderson.
"We primarily like our everyday lineup," Dombrowski said. "If it's a healthy lineup, we think it has a potential to score some runs."
If anything, the Tigers have a surplus on offense more than a need. With Shelton, Carlos Pena and Dmitri Young, Detroit has three players whose primary position is first base. Dombrowski indicated he plans to clear up that logjam.
"I would think it would be very hard to have all three of them on the team at the same time," he said. "There is a chance that Dmitri could move from position to position, but we're going to have to clear that up for ourselves with the three."
The possibility for trade is the Tigers' wild card this offseason if they can't fill their pitching needs in free agency. The bait could be one of their surplus first basemen or part of their improving farm system.
"We've had some preliminary discussions with people and there seems to be receptiveness to talk about trades," Dombrowski said, "but time will tell."
With Shelton established as the starting first baseman and Young under contract at $8 million for next year, the most likely candidate to move would be Pena, who also happens to be part of another pressing issue for the Tigers. He's eligible for arbitration along with Maroth, Bonderman, reliever Chris Spurling, third baseman Brandon Inge and left fielder Craig Monroe.
Those players alone will ensure that the Tiger payroll rises this winter. Dombrowski said he does not anticipate any decisions to non-tender any of them, but he also doesn't expect long-term contracts among them. Except for a possible Pena trade, all of them are expected back next year.
In other words, the core of the Tigers is finally set. The offseason is about a few more parts.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers trade McDonald back to Jays

11/10/2005
DETROIT -- Four months after the Tigers acquired John McDonald from the Blue Jays, Detroit traded the utility infielder back to Toronto on Thursday in exchange for cash considerations.
The two deals essentially add up to a half-season loan of McDonald to the Tigers, though president/GM Dave Dombrowski said that was not the intention.
"They called after the end of the season because we owed them a player to be named later," Dombrowski said. At that point, Dombrowski continued, the Blue Jays expressed interest in having McDonald back.
The Tigers' impending crunch on their 40-man roster made it a deal worth reversing. "He did a very good job for us and we liked him," Dombrowski said. "But it's a situation for us where we have Omar Infante and [Placido] Polanco and [Carlos] Guillen."
If it was a possibility in the works before that, McDonald didn't see it coming. "It's definitely not something I would've expected when I got traded the first time," McDonald said Thursday.
The Tigers acquired McDonald from the Blue Jays just after the All-Star break at a point when they needed an extra infielder with second baseman Placido Polanco injured and shortstop Carlos Guillen limited in his play by his sore right knee.
The 31-year-old originally joined Toronto last offseason in a trade from Cleveland, where he spent parts of six seasons. He batted .290 (27-for-93) for the Blue Jays with 12 RBIs in 37 games, including 25 starts at shortstop. But after the All-Star break, Corey Koskie's return from the disabled list and the play of rookie infielders Aaron Hill and Russ Adams put Toronto in a roster crunch, ironically enough.
Though the deal filled an injury void in Detroit, Polanco's return from the DL soon after the trade led to limited playing time for McDonald. He hit .260 (19-for-73) in 31 games, including a three-hit game on Aug. 17 against the Red Sox, with four RBIs for the Tigers.
The Blue Jays originally traded McDonald in exchange for a player to be named later. Instead, the two clubs completed the trade just last week with Detroit sending cash considerations to Toronto. Still, the logjam in Detroit's infield wasn't likely to change.
"I just think it wasn't as much of a fit for me in Detroit with all the infielders that are there," McDonald said. "It's not likely for a team to carry two utility guys. I had a great time in Toronto last year with the team that they had. And, obviously, I got a little more playing time in Toronto than I did in Detroit. I had a little more of a defined role."
McDonald is eligible for arbitration. Though such cases aren't nearly as contentious with veteran reserve players, he must be tendered a contract by the Dec. 20 deadline.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Team rookie honor goes to Granderson

11/10/2005
DETROIT -- The Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association voted center fielder Curtis Granderson as the Tigers Rookie of the Year on Thursday.
The choice was not a difficult one. Not only did Granderson receive the most playing time among the half-dozen Tigers to quality for rookie status, he also made the greatest difference. Called up as a fill-in at center field twice during the summer, the 24-year-old ended the season as the regular center fielder going into the 2006 season.
For the season, Granderson hit .272 in 47 games with eight home runs, 20 RBIs, 18 runs scored, six doubles and three triples. Defensively, he had 131 total chances without an error. He homered twice in as many days against the Twins, July 23-24, just after his first call up. Granderson added an inside-the-park homer to his list of feats on Sept. 15 against the Angels, then he tallied a five-hit game three days later.
All the while, his work ethic and ability to grasp instruction quickly won over the organization.
"He's going to play in the Major Leagues," then-manager Alan Trammell said of Granderson in mid-September. "It's just a matter of how productive [he is]. He grows on you."
Granderson is the third consecutive outfielder to win the award, presented by the DSBA since 1969. Nook Logan won the award last year after Craig Monroe was honored in 2003. Granderson will receive his award in a pregame ceremony during the 2006 season.
Most likely, he'll do so prior to a game he's starting. After insisting all along he was simply trying to fill whatever role the team needed from him, Granderson received a vote of confidence at season's end, when team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said he likely would be the Tigers' starting center fielder heading into 2006.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers open free agency quietly

11/11/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers' shopping season officially began Friday, but don't expect an immediate splash so much as shopping early on.
"I think they're taking a little bit more of a wait-and-see approach," said agent Darek Braunecker, who represents top free agent starting pitcher A.J. Burnett.
While team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski returned to Detroit on Friday from this week's GM meetings in California, agents continued talks with clubs. Friday marked the first day teams can talk contracts with free agents other than their own. Given that baseball's winter meetings remain more than three weeks away, the peak period for free-agent signings remains far on the horizon.
Braunecker began the sizeable task Friday of whittling down Burnett's list of potential teams from the 20 or so that expressed initial interest down to about half that number. He did not talk with the Tigers on Friday, nor did he meet formally with them at the GM meetings. However, they remain a team he's watching.
Other agents, including some who have not heard from the Tigers yet, indicated a similar sense that Detroit is a team in waiting and that the Tigers have not yet made contact with all the players in which they're interested.
The Tigers did meet with agent Scott Boras at the GM meetings. Not only does he represent many of the top starters on the market aside from Burnett, but he also represents several current Tigers the team must address this offseason, including arbitration-eligible first baseman Carlos Pena and All-Star catcher Ivan Rodriguez.
Boras said he had a "good pulse" from their meeting. He also got a similar sense of the Tigers' status on the market.
"I think like most teams, they're sizing up their needs," Boras said. "Obviously they want pitching."
Much like the past two offseasons, Boras has commodities the Tigers want. Kevin Millwood is generally regarded as the second-most coveted starting pitcher on the market after Burnett. In some circles, Millwood is valued more because of his track record. Boras said 18-20 teams have shown initial interest in Millwood, about as many teams as have shown interest in Burnett. The Tigers are believed to be among them.
Boras also represents fellow free-agent starters Jarrod Washburn, Jeff Weaver and Kenny Rogers.
Dombrowski does not discuss specific free agents. However, he said last week that his offseason priorities are to add a veteran starting pitcher and a closer. On the closer front, the Tigers have had discussions with the agent for Billy Wagner, the Phillies stopper generally regarded as the top closer on the market, and have reportedly shown interest in Orioles closer B.J. Ryan and Indians reliever Bobby Howry. The New York Daily News reported last week that Wagner plans to visit Detroit.
The Tigers are also expected to visit talks with former closer Kyle Farnsworth, whom they dealt to Atlanta at the July 31 trading deadline.
The Tigers were aggressive early last offseason, signing closer Troy Percival to a two-year, $12 million contract by Thanksgiving and scheduling visits with second baseman Jeff Kent and Carl Pavano by early December's Winter Meetings. Several free agents turned Detroit's interest into more aggressiveness from other teams and signed elsewhere, including Kent and Pavano.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Three Tigers get Minor League deals

11/14/2005
DETROIT -- The Tigers have retained three more starters from their championship club at Triple-A Toledo, agreeing to terms on Minor League contracts with Alexis Gomez, Mike Hessman and Kevin Hooper.
All three were regulars in the starting lineup for the Mud Hens, who won the International League title this past season. Hessman's 28 home runs (fourth-most in the IL) and 74 RBIs led the team despite a .214 average. Hooper, his Triple-A season interrupted by a midseason call-up to Detroit for his first Major League action, hit .240 with 27 RBIs and 16 stolen bases in 85 games for the Mud Hens. Both Hessman and Hooper were signed as Minor League free agents last winter.
Gomez, claimed off waivers from the Royals at the end of the 2004 season, blossomed as a hitter with his change of scenery. He hadn't hit .270 in either of his previous two seasons at the Triple-A level, but emerged to bat .307 for Toledo and finish seventh in the IL. He added seven home runs and 55 RBIs in 114 games. He also earned a brief midseason call to the Tigers, who played him in nine games.
All three saw time in the Tigers' Spring Training camp last March. No Major League invitations were announced with the latest signings.
The Governor's Cup championship was Toledo's first since 1967 and capped a year in which the Mud Hens went 89-55 to take the IL West division title.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

In command after finding his command

11/15/2005
Whoever analyzed Justin Verlander as the No. 2 overall pick in 2004, positively or negatively, the words plus and command almost definitely weren't put next to each other in any sentence unless prefaced by the word "without."
See, as much as everyone loved Verlander's live arm, there was some concern with his ability to locate pitches. He struck out a ton of hitters in his three years at Old Dominion, but he also walked more than his fair share. And like many power pitchers in college, he didn't even need to throw a third pitch.
So when he signed late and didn't make his pro debut until the start of the 2005 season, no one knew exactly what to expect. They certainly didn't expect what occurred: A year that began in the Class A Advanced Florida State League, moved quickly to Double-A and advanced to a Futures Game appearance sandwiched between two Major League starts. The quick rise, coupled with the gaudy numbers -- 11-2, 1.29 ERA (tops in the Minors), 118 2/3 innings pitched, 81 hits, 136 strikeouts and a .197 batting average against -- made Verlander the winner of the MiLB.com Starting Pitcher of the Year Award.
Verlander topped an All-Star list of competitors for the overall prize: Felix Hernandez, Chuck James, Francisco Liriano, Jeremy Sowers and fellow Tigers prospect Joel Zumaya all were worthy candidates.
The 22-year-old right-hander also earned Class A Pitcher of the Year honors. He may not have been in Lakeland all year, but when he was there, he was completely dominant, going 9-2 in 13 starts with a 1.67 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 86 innings. That was enough to give him the nod over Jimmy Barthmaier, Chance Douglass, Sean Gallagher, Gio Gonzalez, Phil Hughes, Ray Liotta and Andrew Sonnanstine.
The key to all of it, of course, was his command. Verlander immediately bought into the Tigers' program, and it had a huge impact. He walked just 26 all year, 19 in 86 innings in the FSL. At one point, he made 12 consecutive quality starts. And keep in mind this was his first go-round in pro ball.
"This is what I wanted to do," Verlander said of his debut season. "I was focusing on more control, less walks. I think I accomplished that. A lot of it had to do with the team I was playing with. It's a blast. We've got a bunch of really good guys on the team. It's a great team atmosphere."
The Lakeland Tigers did have a tremendous pitching staff in the first half of the season, with four -- including Verlander -- being named to the FSL All-Star Team. But Verlander was being modest when crediting his teammates for his success. He moved up to Double-A and was less hittable, keeping Eastern League opponents to a .103 batting average and posting a 0.28 ERA in seven starts. Clearly, the individual attention he received before the season began paid off.
"I worked with (Tigers pitching coach) Bob Cluck in Spring Training and he worked with me on the mound, not letting my front side fly open or my arm clearing too early," Verlander said. "In the bullpen, I focus on it. In the game, I just kind of let it happen. You can't focus on mechanics during the game. It translated over into the games and I've been throwing more strikes than I had been."
"He is the total package," Lakeland manager Mike Rojas said. "He is a legitimate No. 2 pick overall. He's got a tremendous arm, with tremendous composure on the mound and great command."
Verlander, it should be noted, didn't start off in a Short-Season, or even Low Class A league. He went to Class A Advanced, then up to Double-A. The days of simply being able to blow people away with his plus, plus fastball were over from the get-go.
"There are a ton of good players out here and honestly, I can't just blow a fastball by everybody," Verlander said. "There's a ton of talent down here. I pitch like I would at any level, setting guys up with my off-speed or fastball, depending on the hitter.
"I do try to stay within myself more than I did in college, when I did tend to just rear back and let it go. I think that does have a little bit to do with my control and helping that."
The Tigers were so impressed with his arm, poise and, yes, his command, that they brought him up for two big league starts. The fact that those were on the uneven side and Verlander ended up getting shut down early with some arm troubles does nothing to dull the shine from his mercurial climb through the Tigers' system. Look for him in a big league park near you in 2006.

Source: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/

Want Playoff power? Thames it is

11/10/2005
Marcus Thames went 5-for-5 in his first game of the year and did something even better to wrap up the season.
The 28-year-old outfielder, who finished the regular season with a .340 batting average and spent parts of five months with the Detroit Tigers, was selected as MiLB.com's Triple-A Playoff Performer of the Year after leading the Toledo Mud Hens to their first championship since 1967.
In eight postseason games, Thames batted .407 with an International League-high three homers, 10 RBIs and an .815 slugging percentage.
"The guy can play," said Mud Hens starter Jason Grilli, who paced the pitching staff with a 1.23 ERA in 14 2/3 playoff innings. "When he stepped in the box, he knew he was gonna wreak some havoc."
Thames set the tone early in Game 1 of the first round against the Norfolk Tides. He put the Mud Hens on the board with a two-run homer before knocking in the game-winner with a sacrifice fly.
In Game 2, Thames blasted another two-run shot, but it wasn't enough, as the Tides rallied to even the best-of-five series at 1-1. The Mud Hens bounced back the next day thanks to Thames, who went 3-for-3 with a walk, a key stolen base and three of the team's four runs.
Toledo dropped Game 4 but Thames was still at the center of the offense, going 2-for-3 with a walk to raise his postseason average to .538.
Mud Hens manager and former Major League All-Star Larry Parrish praised Thames for playing hard and never being bitter despite his limited opportunities.
"Here was a guy that had a great Spring Training and didn't make the big league club," Parrish said. "They're not sure he's a big league hitter, but from what I've seen over the last couple of years, I don't agree."
According to Parrish, the Triple-A Manager of the Year, Thames' positive attitude rubbed off and made things easier for the younger players.
"He had never won a ring before, and he was really committed to the fact that he was going get one," Parrish said. "At the end of the year, he just put the team on his shoulders."
Though Thames was not a factor as the Hens beat the Tides, 5-3, in the decisive Game 5, he came up big in the Governors' Cup Finals against the Indianapolis Indians. In Game 1, the Mississippi native went 2-for-3 with two runs scored, an RBI double, and a huge outfield assist, gunning down a runner at third to slow a second-inning rally.
Thames contributed an RBI double in a Game 2 victory and saved his final fireworks for the series clincher. In the top of the fifth inning of Game 3, he broke a scoreless tie with a two-out three-run homer to dead center. The long ball jumpstarted the offense as Toledo went on to score five more runs over the next three frames for an 8-3 win and a commanding series sweep.
"I'm glad that Marcus was on my team," Grilli said. "I do know that."


Source: http://www.minorleaguebaseball.com/

Van Slyke returns to diamond in Detroit

11/16/2005
Andy Van Slyke doesn't want his return to baseball to be about him.
He was popular for a good quote as a player, outspoken even in his retirement. He'd rather stay out of the limelight as a coach, but even a softer-spoken Van Slyke is a well-spoken one.
"I see myself as a cup of cold water on a hot day," Van Slyke described his role as a coach. "If a player wants to take a drink, he's got to come to me. I'm not going to pour it on top of his head."
Nearly a decade after Van Slyke's playing career ended, he's putting on a uniform again and giving coaching a try. He's not trying to parlay this into a career as a manager, nor is he sure whether this could be a second career for him. But at this point in his life, with two kids having just joined professional ball and his old manager Jim Leyland getting back into the game, he couldn't pass up the opportunity. If he was going to give himself a new challenge, these were the circumstances in which to do it.
"I know what it's like to play for a very good manager," Van Slyke said. "I played for Whitey Herzog. I've been in Spring Training with Tony La Russa. I played with Jim [Leyland] for eight years, so I understand just how good he is. I didn't think there was going to be a better opportunity or a better environment for me to get started into coaching. Hopefully, the players in Detroit can [learn from Leyland]."
On a staff with plenty of former players who served under Leyland in Pittsburgh in the early 1990s -- Don Slaught is the hitting coach, Lloyd McClendon the bullpen coach and Rafael Belliard the infield coach -- Van Slyke was the biggest star. He began his career with Herzog in St. Louis but blossomed under Leyland in Pittsburgh, where he became a three-time All-Star and a five-time Gold Glove winner. On a three-time NL East championship team that boasted the star power of Barry Bonds and Bobby Bonilla, Pittsburgh arguably loved Van Slyke the most.
To many, Van Slyke was the blue-collar star, someone who drew the most of his abilities. In addition, his personality was as big as his game. In some ways, he was to Pittsburgh what Kirk Gibson was to Detroit.
"What I see is one of the best outfielders I saw during my 14 years in the big leagues," Leyland said. "But the key to really making the choice [to hire him as a coach] was the fact that it didn't just happen. Andy worked at his trade very, very hard. He practiced defense. He practiced his throwing skills. He did all the things necessary. Obviously he was a gifted athlete, but he made himself a great baseball player."
No, Van Slyke does not expect the players he coaches to work as hard as he did.
"What I hopefully can help them understand is that I hope they expect that," he said, "not me, but of themselves. The ultimate responsibility of any player to improve is up to them. I'm only there to facilitate the process."
The facets of the game that will fall under Van Slyke's responsibilities -- outfield defense and baserunning -- aren't exactly glamorous areas. To the Tigers, though, they're two underrated questions about this team. Detroit is on track to enter 2006 with Curtis Granderson as its starting center fielder. He has yet to open a season in a Major League uniform, let alone play a full big-league season. His defensive progress will be critical in Comerica Park with its spacious outfield gaps.
In terms of baserunning, the Tigers fell from fifth in the American League in stolen bases in 2003 to seventh in 2004, then 10th this past season. More important to Van Slyke are the more subtle tactics of the trade -- hit-and-run plays, going from first to third on a single. Good baserunning is not a matter of speed, Van Slyke said, so much as it is philosophy. It's not easy to practice because it's tough to simulate game conditions, but it's one of the easiest things to do consistently.
"You should never be in a slump running the bases," he said. "You should never be in a slump playing defensively. The variables of baserunning and defense are limited. ... I think Major League players can win games defensively and on the base paths and strike out three times in a game. But it's not sexy."
It's also not so much physical as mental.
"There are very few Gold Glove outfielders that are born," he said. "I think they are made. There are very few naturally gifted baserunners and instinctive players. I think they're made. They're made through thinking. Baseball is a thinking man's game. The better you think, the better you react to what's in front of you."
Getting today's Major Leaguers to understand that is the challenge in front of Van Slyke in his return to the game. He's been a success as a player, a businessman, even as a radio host. Considering sons A.J. and Scott are now in the pros, he has a good foundation as a coach, too.
"I told my kids it's not a sin not to make it to the big leagues," he said. "It's a sin not working hard enough to make it to the big leagues."

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers look at Ryan, Farnsworth

11/16/2005
Free agent reliever B.J. Ryan finished his visit to Detroit Wednesday, but don't expect a deal anytime soon.
Team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed Ryan was in town as part his tour of cities with agent John Courtright. The visit included dinner with team officials Tuesday night before a tour of Comerica Park, its facilities and the area on Wednesday.
Dombrowski would not say whether he felt he was close to a deal on Ryan or any other free agent. However, the big left-hander has been visiting other cities this week, including Toronto on Monday, and his fate is likely tied to others on the market. The Yankees are another team that has reportedly shown strong interest in Ryan, who recorded 36 saves this year with 100 strikeouts over 70 1/3 innings in his first full season at closer.
Ryan is believed to be the lone prominent pitcher to visit Detroit so far. While the Tigers have been in touch with the agent for top closer Billy Wagner, agent Bean Stringfellow said they are not scheduled to visit Detroit, contrary to reports last week. The Tigers have also had contact with the agents for Kyle Farnsworth, Trevor Hoffman and Tom Gordon, but all that interest is in the early stages at best.
What comes next for Ryan and the other would-be closers on the market depends on Wagner. Though Stringfellow won't eliminate Detroit from the running, Wagner's choice appears to come down to the Phillies or Mets, each of whom will likely make a lucrative contract offer. Once Wagner sets the bar for the market, baseball sources said, the rest of the free agent relievers should fall in line from there. That decision from Wagner could come next week, once he has a chance to weigh contract offers.
Farnsworth's agent, Barry Meister, said his client is "definitely interested" in a possible return to Detroit, but that talks have been preliminary. Having played for Detroit for much of last season until he was traded to Atlanta at the July 31 trade deadline, Farnsworth already knows enough about the team and the city, though the new coaching staff could be a question.
Meister said Wednesday he plans to talk with the Tigers again soon. Dombrowski, for his part, told The Oakland Press last week he would not rule out bringing back Farnsworth.
Many of the same teams are believed to be interested in Ryan and Farnsworth. At least a half-dozen teams, Meister said, have told him Farnsworth and Ryan are at the top of their list after Wagner.
While Farnsworth and Ryan comprise the younger portion of the closers market, Hoffman and Gordon are at the other end. Again, talks with agent Rick Thurman have been described as preliminary. It's believed a visit would be necessary before either of them would consider signing with Detroit.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Tigers add youth to 40-man roster

11/18/2005
DETROIT -- The maturation of the Tigers' farm system took another step Friday, when the club purchased the contracts of eight Minor Leaguers to add to its 40-man roster.
Those joining the roster include many of the organization's top prospects, including hard-throwing right-hander Joel Zumaya and infielder Donnie Kelly from Triple-A Toledo, as well as Double-A Erie pitchers Humberto Sanchez and Kyle Sleeth. Class A Lakeland pitchers Eulogio De La Cruz and Jordan Tata also were added along with teammates Kody Kirkland and Brent Clevlen.
Though the move doesn't put any of them on the verge of cracking the 25-man roster, it places them closer to the big leagues, since they'll be part of Major League Spring Training camp and can be optioned back and forth. More importantly, the move also protects the club from losing them in next month's Rule 5 draft. Teams had to submit a 40-man roster by Friday, and all eight players would've been eligible for the draft.
The closest to the Majors is Zumaya, who just turned 21 years old last week. He went 9-5 with a 2.74 ERA between Toledo and Erie, scattering just 101 hits over 151 1/3 innings. His 199 strikeouts ranked second among all Minor League pitchers. He's expected to compete with fellow prospect Justin Verlander, who was already on the 40-man roster, and Roman Colon for the fifth spot in Detroit's rotation next spring.
Sanchez and Sleeth ranked alongside Zumaya on the Tigers prospect list before injuries dampened their 2005 seasons. Sleeth, the third overall pick in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft, missed the entire season after undergoing elbow surgery. Sanchez was in and out of Erie's rotation with injuries before re-emerging as a healthy pitcher to shine in the Arizona Fall League, where he went 1-0 with a 2.15 ERA and 29 strikeouts over 29 1/3 innings.
Kelly has made his mark in the Minors as a potential utility infielder with pop in his bat. He hit .340 in 82 games at Erie with nine homers and 54 RBIs before a promotion to Toledo, where he hit .250 with a home run and 13 RBIs in 43 games.
De La Cruz, Tata, Kirkland and Clevlen all were key cogs for Lakeland, which finished with the best record in the Florida State League. Tata earned the league's Pitcher of the Year honors with a 13-2 record, 2.79 ERA and 134 strikeouts in 155 innings. He tossed 14 scoreless innings in the FSL playoffs. De La Cruz went 4-3 with a 3.39 ERA and five saves for Lakeland before joining Erie for the tail end of the season.
Clevlen was selected as the FSL's MVP in a career breakout season that included a .302 average, 28 doubles, 18 home runs and a league-best 102 RBIs in 130 games. Kirkland hit .266 with 78 runs scored, 24 doubles, 16 homers and 65 RBIs. He finished the year by hitting .293 in 14 games for Mesa in the Arizona Fall League.
Most of the moves to make room on the 40-man roster had already been made. However, the Tigers cleared the final two spots Friday by outrighting the contracts of right-handers Colby Lewis and Adam Peterson to Toledo. Lewis, claimed off waivers from Texas a year ago, missed the entire season with shoulder problems and hasn't pitched in a regulation game since April 2004. He returned to action in the Florida instructional league and is expected to be ready to pitch next spring.
Peterson joined the Tigers farm system in April after Detroit claimed him off waivers from the Diamondbacks. He went 4-3 with a 6.58 ERA for Erie.
The moves mean Minor League veterans Craig Dingman and Jason Grilli remain on the 40-man roster. Both were key members for the Mud Hens squad that won the International League Governor's Cup this past season. The roster could still change, and likely will, once the Tigers make any free-agent signings or trades.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

Granderson preparing for leadoff role

11/18/2005
Before Curtis Granderson leads off for the Tigers, Detroit hopes he can finish strong in Winter Ball.
The Tigers don't have as many players in the Winter Leagues now compared to previous offseasons, for reasons including injuries to key young players and a more veteran squad with more players spending the winter working out on their own. However, the ones that are playing all have something to prove.
Granderson's continuing campaign in the Dominican League is an important one. He isn't converting to a new position, but his regular at-bats are meant to give him a chance to work on his hitting before he returns to Detroit, where he's expected to take a regular role in the Tigers lineup.
It was important enough for new manager Jim Leyland to visit the Dominican Republic a few weeks ago and watch Granderson in action. He only saw two games, one of them on television, but it was enough to make an impression. It didn't hurt that one of those games featured one of the emerging trademarks of Granderson's game, an opposite-field home run to left-center.
"He looks like an interesting guy," Leyland said. "He has some ability, came off as a real polished, high-class individual. I was very impressed."
Before Leyland took over the Tigers, the front office and previous coaching regime wanted Granderson to play this winter and see more live pitching in preparation for regular play and a possible leadoff role. The Tigers wanted him to work counts and lower his strikeout total after tallying 129 in 445 at-bats at Triple-A Toledo this past summer and 43 strikeouts in 143 at-bats in the big leagues.
That hasn't changed with Leyland, who said Friday he plans to use Granderson and Nook Logan in the leadoff spot to take advantage of their speed. Placido Polanco, who hit leadoff for much of the season's second half, will hit second. However, Leyland isn't overly fretting Granderson's plate discipline.
"A lot of that goes along with being a young player," Leyland said. "You can work on that all you want. You're going to fail some more at it before you become real good at it."
So far, Granderson has had his share of limited success for the Licey Tigers. He entered Friday batting .212 with a double, home run, eight RBIs and nine runs scored. He has about as many walks as strikeouts and as many strikeouts as hits.
Granderson has not been leading off for Licey, nor has he played in center. However, he has been just about an everyday player in right field, batting third to start the year before moving to the lower third of the order around the end of October after starting the season with a 3-for-22 slump. He bounced back by going 6-for-20, including two multihit games in a four-game span to raise his average to .227.
Granderson isn't the only Tiger in Winter Ball with something to prove. Omar Infante returned to his native Venezuela to play this winter, as he does every winter. He entered Wednesday batting .288 (21-for-73) for Oriente with seven doubles, three triples, three home runs, 11 RBIs and 13 runs scored.
So far, those are the only Tigers garnering regular play this winter. Minor League infielder Juan Francia went 2-for-3 with two runs scored in one game of action this winter in the Dominican League, while highly-touted pitching prospect Eulogio de la Cruz pitched one inning of relief there.

Source: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/

King sorely missed in the Bay Area

10/27/2005
Arguably the most recognizable voice in the history of Bay Area broadcasting, Bill King spent five decades thrilling fans with his vivid descriptions of some of the most historic moments in the annals of three of the Bay Area's major sports franchises -- the San Francisco/Golden State Warriors, the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders and the Oakland Athletics.
Three points come to mind when characterizing King's career -- excellence, diversity and longevity. One would be hard-pressed to find an announcer who served as the lead play-by-play voice for three major sports franchises for as long as King, who enjoyed 27 years with the Raiders, 25 seasons with the A's and 21 with the Warriors. He is on a very short list of announcers who balanced announcing duties with three major sports franchises simultaneously as King did during a three-year period in the early 80's.
King's passion for painting a visual account of the action made his broadcasting style an art form. His trademark exclamatory phrase, "Holy Toledo," whenever something needed a little extra emphasis, was familiar to Bay Area sports fans for over 40 years.
Greg Papa, former A's television broadcaster and radio play-by-play voice of the Oakland Raiders had this to say about King: "Bill is, without a doubt, the best radio play-by-play announcer I have heard in all of sports. His energy, preparation, his thoroughness, his word choice -- he is without peer. He makes you come alive in a big moment, but he fills the in-between moments with interesting material. The man is a radio genius. Most guys are not as good as their reputations, but Bill has never let me down. Every broadcast is a pure joy."
King had already established himself as a broadcasting icon when he joined the A's for the 1981 season. Because of his immense talents as a football and basketball play-by-play announcer, many think of baseball as being King's third sport. However, after 25 seasons of calling A's games -- beginning with the "Billy Ball" teams of the early 80's, continuing with the "Bash Brothers" era that saw the A's pound their way to three straight World Series appearances from 1988-90 and transitioning to the talented teams of present day, King eventually took his place alongside the game's all-time great announcers.
"Yet baseball, according to The Voice himself, was what he enjoyed most," wrote Monte Poole of the Oakland Tribune. "The Voice spent the past 25 years articulating A's baseball with a sophistication and intensity surely unmatched in Bay Area sports history and almost certainly unsurpassed anywhere, ever."
As a longtime play-by-play announcer for both the San Francisco/Golden State Warriors (1962-83) and the Oakland/Los Angeles Raiders (1966-92), King's voice defined the golden era for both teams.
His accounts of Raiders games -- from the infamous "Heidi" game against the New York Jets in 1968; a string of last-second victories on George Blanda field goals during the 1970 season; the "Sea of Hands" game against Miami in the 1974 AFC Playoffs; Dave Casper's "Ghost to the Post" touchdown reception that gave the Raiders a 1977 playoff win at Baltimore; the memorable "Holy Roller" play against the San Diego Chargers in 1978; and "Old Man" Willie Brown's interception return for a touchdown in Super Bowl X -- are regularly replayed by NFL Films and will forever be a part of the game's lore.
"It gives me the chills whenever I hear some of those old calls," said former Raiders head coach John Madden. "Those are things that stay with you all your life -- the Clarence Davis catch against Miami, the San Diego call. Anyone who has ever been a Raider fan will always associate Bill as the voice of the Raiders."
When the Philadelphia Warriors moved west to San Francisco following the 1961-62 season, it was the voice of King that introduced professional basketball to fans in the Bay Area and Northern California. For the next 21 seasons, King described the action from courtside during the Wilt Chamberlain era and saw the transition to the Nate Thurmond and Rick Barry eras and beyond. His play-by-play descriptions of the Warriors' improbable run to the 1974-75 NBA championship remain etched in the minds of Bay Area basketball fans.
Along with such legendary announcers as Chick Hearn, Johnny Most, Marty Glickman and Marv Albert, King was one of the most recognizable courtside voices of his day. While many of his colleagues were very skilled at describing the action on the ball, many credit King as the first announcer who routinely described the action off the ball, as well. Although he gave up his basketball duties after the 1982-83 season, many announcers working today emulate his rapid fire, staccato play-by-play style. Few will ever match his cadence and timing.
As Bob Padecky of the Santa Rosa Press Democrat eloquently wrote, "You could smell the sweat on the court, that's how good Bill King was at broadcasting a basketball game. He spoke, and all five senses came pouring through that voice. Bill made us see it, taste it, touch it, hear it, smell it. You weren't just listening to the game; you were soaking it in. Bill was virtual reality long before those two words entered popular culture. Nothing escaped his eyes. Nothing escaped his tongue. They were a perfect couple, the perfect marriage."
Or, as Al Michaels of ABC Sports said, "I have rarely seen a marriage of an announcer and a game like there was with Bill and the NBA. The staccato delivery, the verbal intonation was just in lockstep with the way basketball is played. He was as good as anybody ever in the NBA."
King was stationed on the island of Guam at the end of World War II when he began his broadcasting career with the Armed Forces Radio Network. He launched his sportscasting career in the late 1940's in Pekin, Ill., broadcasting Minor League baseball, along with high school football and basketball games. He later added duties calling Bradley University basketball games along with Nebraska football and basketball contests.
King came to the Bay Area in 1958, when he was hired by KSFO radio to join legendary talents Russ Hodges and Lon Simmons on San Francisco Giants broadcasts. He also served as the voice for Cal football and basketball games.
A true renaissance man who was recognized by his distinctive handlebar mustache and beard, King was a devout patron of the arts who regularly attended live theater, ballet, opera and the symphony. As a small boat sailor, he took open sea trips to Hawaii, Canada and up and down the West Coast. A voracious reader, King also devoted much of his adult life to studying Russian history.
"Frankly, to call him a renaissance man does more justice to the Renaissance than it does to him," wrote Ray Ratto of the San Francisco Chronicle. "He was a character because he had character, not because he developed one for career reasons."
"He was unconventional, unequivocal and unequaled," wrote Art Spander of the Oakland Tribune. "He was adept describing a jumper by Rick Barry, an aria by Giacomo Puccini or the fate of Tsar Nicholas Romanoff."
A native of Bloomington, Ill., who resided in Sausalito, King passed away on October 18, 2005, in San Leandro.
"Alas, he was, like the Golden Gate Bridge," said Monte Poole of the Oakland Tribune, "a treasure all ours. To be dispensed in portions but too magnificent to share."

Source: http://oakland.athletics.mlb.com/

What they're saying about Bill King

10/27/2005
"Bill is without a doubt the best radio play-by-play announcer I have ever heard in all of sports. His energy, his preparation, his thoroughness, his word choice -- he is without peer. He makes you come alive in a big moment, but he fills in all the in-between moments with interesting material. The man is a radio genius. Most guys are not as good as their reputations, but Bill has never let me down. Every broadcast is a pure joy." -- Greg Papa, Oakland Athletics and Oakland Raiders play-by-play announcer and former radio/television announcer of the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs
"The Voice held us spellbound, rendering classic art, making memorable music, painting timeless portraits and conveying raw emotion of a moment and making that moment timeless. The Voice had a natural flow, capturing the cadence of the game and the rhythms of the sport." -- Monte Poole, Oakland Tribune
"I have rarely seen a marriage of an announcer and a game like there was with Bill and the NBA. The staccato delivery, the verbal intonation was just in lockstep with the way basketball is played. He was as good as anybody ever in the NBA." -- Al Michaels, ABC Sports
"There's long been talk that King was a Hall of Fame broadcaster, but the problem has been in deciding which sport should honor him. I have a solution: Put him in all three. He deserves it. -- Glenn Dickey, Bay Area Sports Columnist
"The essence of radio broadcasting is to be able to create the word picture, because when you are sitting at home, that's all you have. His descriptions were so vivid and colorful that perhaps in your mind you could picture what was going on better than if you were there." -- Hank Greenwald, former play-by-play announcer of the San Francisco Giants
"Bill was the greatest sportscaster this country has ever produced. The depth of knowledge, the passion, the crisp description, the attention to detail, the command of the language -- Bill was a master, like a Mozart or a Rembrandt behind a microphone." -- Ken Korach, play-by-play announcer, Oakland A's
"He was a great broadcaster when there were great broadcasters all over the place, and when they weren't called broadcasters at all but announcers. He was without question one of two or three finest basketball announcers ever, almost surely the finest football announcer ever, and a very good baseball announcer in his prime." -- Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle
"Some will say that Bill King was the greatest sportscaster in Bay Area history. Here's what I know: He was the greatest individual I ever met in sports." -- Bud Geracie, San Jose Mercury-News
"When you look at his full body of work, Bill just might be the finest radio broadcaster the medium has ever known in any area of broadcasting. This guy was without peer. He was marvelous." -- Greg Papa, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco Giants
"Who else but King would liken a Super Bowl win by the Raiders to a violin solo by Jascha Heifetz?" -- Marcos Breton, Sacramento Bee
"Bill was definitely the heart and soul of the A's. He was legendary." -- Barry Zito, Oakland Athletics
"King is in no Hall of Fame, but all who've ever heard him agree he should be." -- Susan Slusser, San Francisco Chronicle
"He's the Tony Bennett of broadcasters. They say Tony Bennett is the entertainer's entertainer. Bill is the broadcaster's broadcaster." -- Jon Miller, ESPN and San Francisco Giants
"He is without question the best basketball announcer there ever was. People in Los Angeles will go with Chick Hearn and people in New York will choose Marv Albert, but I grew up here with Bill and that's my bias. I'm stunned to learn he wasn't already enshrined." -- Jon Miller, ESPN and San Francisco Giants
"He was arguably the most recognizable voice in the history of Bay Area broadcasting." -- Michael Crowley, President, Oakland A's
"Given that many NFL and NBA games were not televised in the 1960s and 1970s, King was more than the voice of the game, he was its mind and body as well." -- Michelle Smith, San Francisco Examiner
"I think Bill King is the finest radio sports broadcaster this nation has ever been privileged to listen to. I think he is the best broadcaster, period, this area has ever had." -- Greg Papa, Oakland Raiders and San Francisco Giants
"Frankly, to call him a renaissance man does more justice to the Renaissance than it does to him. He was a character because he had character, not because he developed one for career reasons." -- Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle
"As a teenager headed for UC Berkeley, I left Southern California believing -- no, knowing -- that Chick Hearn was the best basketball announcer alive. Within about five years, I grudgingly placed Bill King in Chick's company. Not long thereafter, I knew Bill was the king. The difference: Chick, while masterful, was an entertainer. King didn't think like that; he was a purveyor of information. He was born not only to keep pace with the chaos, but to interpret it, instantly and eloquently." -- Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle
"In basketball, Bill was better than all of them. Oh, Chick Hearn did a marvelous job down in Los Angeles, but he wasn't Bill. Johnny Most was fabulous in Boston, as was Marv Albert in New York. But Bill King had one quality that they all lacked -- he blended strategy, emotion, ball movement, player action and wonderment into the same breath, and without skipping a beat. ... Always enthused, never confused." -- Bob Padecky, Santa Rosa Press Democrat
"He brought an immense amount of passion and dedication to every broadcast and touched so many people. They remember certain times in their lives because of him. For over 50 years, he was a constant in people's lives." -- Ken Korach, Oakland Athletics
"You could smell the sweat on the court, that's how good Bill King was at broadcasting a basketball game. He spoke, and all five senses came pouring through that voice. Bill made us see it, taste it, touch it, hear it, smell it. You weren't just listening to the game, you were soaking it in. Bill was virtual reality long before those two words entered popular culture. Nothing escaped his eyes. Nothing escaped his tongue. They were a perfect couple, the perfect marriage." -- Bob Padecky, Santa Rosa Press Democrat
"He has been a mentor, an idol and a friend. There is an intensity that he brings to the broadcast. It comes through that he really cares about what he does. And he's the only guy I know that could flip a piece of popcorn in the air and catch it in his mouth while doing a broadcast." -- Hank Greenwald, former voice of the San Francisco Giants
"As a football announcer on radio, King was so far ahead of the 20th-century field, he should have a plaque next to Joe Montana's at the Hall of Fame." -- Bruce Jenkins, San Francisco Chronicle
"There is only one thing to say about King's place in Bay Area broadcasting: 'Holy Toledo!!!'" -- San Francisco Chronicle, Op Ed Page
"I don't know if Bill needs socks at his next stop. I do know that nobody can fill his shoes." -- Chris Haft, San Jose-Mercury News
"It's hard to imagine an announcer more versatile than King, a talent intellectually nimble enough to excel at the furious tempo of an NBA pace, in the laconic style of baseball on a summer afternoon, and in the war room setting of NFL gladiators." -- Marcos Breton, Sacramento Bee
"With Bill, you could close your eyes and see the game. He gives you every little nuance and he has the right phrase for every moment. There are so many cookie-cutter broadcasters out there, I don't think his type will ever happen again." -- Barry Tompkins, Fox Sports Net
"Nobody has even been able to rise to an exciting moment and bring excitement into the sound of their voice like Bill. It's not just the shouting, it's the theatrical flair that he brings to it. Sometimes, in exciting games, I find myself trying to do Bill." -- Jon Miller, ESPN and San Francisco Giants
"There may have been a better baseball voice, perhaps the legend in the Dodgers booth. But if there was a voice better at football or basketball, the boy never heard it. Neither has the man." -- Monte Poole, Oakland Tribune
"For those faced with a choice, listening to Bill on the radio or turning on the television to watch the game, the decision was easy. Listen to Bill. You'd have a more complete and fulfilling experience. Television can make a viewer lazy. Bill King? Better pay attention because this train will leave without you." -- Bob Padecky, Santa Rosa Press Democrat
"When I was being molded into a lifelong sports fan in the early 1970's, Oakland was the center of my sports universe -- which means Bill King was the voice of my universe." -- Ann Killion, San Jose Mercury-News
"One man's opinion: As good a baseball announcer as King was, he was even a better football announcer. And as great as he was a football announcer, he was even a better basketball announcer. Simply put, Bill King was the best basketball announcer ever." -- Steve Kroner, San Francisco Chronicle
"He had hundred memorable calls, maybe even a thousand. He did more than 10,000 games in his time, and because he spoke quickly yet clearly, he had time for every one of them. He simply had chops you don't see or hear anymore, and because so much of his work wasn't saved, it can't be re-created and made a required class in every university with a broadcasting major." -- Ray Ratto, San Francisco Chronicle
"He was unconventional, unequivocal and unequaled. He was adept describing a jumper by Rick Barry, an aria by Giacomo Puccini or the fate of Tsar Nicholas Romanoff." -- Art Spander, Oakland Tribune
"He threw himself into everything he was interested in. He never took a casual interest in things. Bill didn't like things, he loved them." -- Hank Greenwald, former voice of the San Francisco Giants
"Bill King had what many strive for, although by definition, it can't be gained through striving. It came across on his broadcasts, it came across if you ran into him in the press box elevator, it came across if you saw him sailing through the Golden Gate, living his life on his own terms. Many presidents, billionaires, sports stars, rock stars and entertainers never get a whiff of it for themselves, though they might ache for it. Cool. Cool never gets old, never goes stale, has no expiration date. You can't will it, so you can't take it with you when you die, yet you leave it behind. Bill King is gone but his cool will rise forever in the Bay Area breezes." -- Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle
"It gives me the chills whenever I hear some of those old calls. Those are things that stay with you all your life --the Clarence Davis catch against Miami, the San Diego call. Anyone who has ever