Detroit's Bullpen

[Cornbread Maxwell]

Wow, huh? So last yr the bullpan was the Tigers bigest weakness - not SP, not defense, certainly not offense - it was the bullpen. The Tigers lost something like 35 games in '04 when they had a lead entering the 7th - thats was unnacceptable, and DD gave it his full attention this offseason. It is almost to the point where now its one the the teams biggest strengths.

What a difference one offseason can have huh?

Heading in to '05 The bullpen looks like this:

Percival - Closer
Urbina - Setup
Farnsworth - 7th
Walker - LH specialist
Knotts - Long relief

Those guys are pretty much set, but there is one roster spot left, and 3 guys with very high upside who are just hitting their stride are up for the final spot:

Rodney - back from injury reports say he looks great - he is the favorite to make the team, but nothing is set in stone for him:
http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/NASApp/ml ... p&c_id=det

German - may have highest upside of the 3 (his upside could actually be as good as any reliever in baseball), unfortunately he doesnt have any options left - its either make the roster or be waived. He will not last a day if he is waived, you can see the vultures circling. He is controling his high 90's fastball more, his splitter is still there, but now he has added a slider too. Check out this recent article on him:
http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/NASApp/ml ... p&c_id=det

Colyer - another lefty, he has shown some good signs, but he is also out of options. It would be nice to be able to keep a 2nd LHP in the pen, but it isnt the most important thing in the world for this team - especially considering we have 3 LHPs starting already. Chances are he will be waived and another team will grab him.


Personally, I think they need to keep German in the organization - he's simply to good to just let go. Let him stay with the club - send Rodney to the farm and let him take a few more months of rehabing even though it appears he's ready now. By the trade deadline Uggey will bring us something and at that time Rodney will be called back up.

One things for certain - if you are a Tigers fan, its really fun to talk about the strength of our pen - its been a long time.

[cmchampa2]

One things for certain - if you are a Tigers fan, its really fun to talk about the strength of our pen - its been a long time.

Very true, it seems that every year for the past several that Tiger fans just KNEW what would fail them in the upcoming year, be it the bullpen, the SPs, the offense, the defense. Very exciting to be seemingly average to very strong at every aspect of the game.

I'm with Cornbread on this one, I'd hold on to a young guy with great potential, and I think German or Rodney might be that guy. With as much depth as the bullpen has, a garbage-time learning experiment type of pitcher should make up the last spot in this bullpen. This last spot won't have any pressure on him.

Though, to disagree with myself, I could see holding on to one more long-relief type pitcher along with Knotts.