Tigers: Minor league report

Subject: Tigers: Minor league report Mon Aug 04, 2008 10:56 pm

Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Tigers: Minor league report
Draft supplies arms for system
June's picks have come in and performed well, as well as restoring pitching depth to farm teams.
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

Even if Detroit's bullpen had not blown to pieces Sunday at Tampa Bay, at least with respect to outings by Kyle Farnsworth and Fernando Rodney, the Tigers would have been looking admiringly at their pitching-heavy draft.

Eight of the first 10 picks were pitchers. And most of those eight have been impressing in exceptional ways the people charged with getting them to the big leagues.

Jon Matlack, for instance. Matlack, the Tigers roving minor-league pitching instructor who is not one to embellish, has been watching and grooming all the picks who signed at various points this summer.

"No doubt, this is a very good crop of young arms," Matlack said Monday. "The results have been pretty phenomenal. And everybody's been as good as their numbers."

Ryan Perry, the first-round selection from Arizona who has thrown with such strength he began work last week at Class A Lakeland rather than at a lower rung, is 1-0 in three appearances and has yet to allow a run. .

Cody Satterwhite, a No. 2 pick out of the University of Mississippi, is also at Lakeland, where he has a 1.23 earned-run average and 10 strikeouts in seven appearances spanning 7 1/3 innings.

Scott Green, drafted No. 3 out of the University of Kentucky, has a 3.65 ERA in 10 relief appearances at Class A West Michigan. Green is 6-foot-7, 240 pounds, and "throws the ball with authority," said Matlack, who likes Green's 94-95-mph fastball and, particularly, a new 88-mph cutter that Green seems to have discovered since he arrived in Grand Rapids.

Brett Jacobson, also at West Michigan and, like Green, a right-hander, has a 2.55 ERA in 17 relief shots with the Whitecaps. Jacobson was a fourth-round selection from Vanderbilt.

Tyler Stohr, the Tigers' sixth-round selection out of North Florida, has helped the bullpen at Class A Oneonta to the tune of a 2.57 ERA in 17 games. A 6-2, 210-pound right-hander, Stohr has 17 strikeouts in 14 innings.

Robbie Weinhardt might be the biggest surprise and, to date, the most impressive of all the Tigers draft picks. He was taken as a 10th-rounder out of Oklahoma State and is 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA in 12 appearances. Weinhardt, a right-hander, has a stunning 28 strikeouts and one walk in 20 2/3 innings at Lakeland. He has allowed five hits.

"Weinhardt has been unbelievably good," Matlack said of the 6-foot-2, 198-pounder. "He has an innate ability to match his four-seamer (fastball) with his two-seamer and a feel for knowing when to use each.

"You just don't see that very often from a youngster."

Weinhardt was a 37th-round pick by the Astros in 2007 but decided to return to Oklahoma State for his senior season. He was expected to go earlier than the 10th round, which his early stretch in the Tigers system seems to have confirmed.

"We knew coming in he was better than a 10th-round pick," Matlack said. "He has kind of a slice-and-dice four seamer that goes 93-94. But what makes him effective is that he has very short arm-action that's hard to pick up. A guy watches him from the side and thinks he's nothing special, but that changes when he gets to the plate."

Perry, of course, had the heaviest reputation of all the Tigers picks as he helped pitch Arizona deep into the College World Series. He throws a fastball that can nick 100 mph and he has the size (6-4, 200) to persuade talent scouts that his heater will hold up for the long term.

"His fastball sort of jumps into the mitt," Matlack said. "It really has good, late life.

"He's got a breaking ball that he hasn't used a lot but will begin to use more, and he has thrown a sufficient amount of strikes to get the job done.

"He's maybe a little visible," Matlack said, a reference to Perry's present habit of showing the hitter the ball a bit prematurely. "It's an area we have to work on as he goes up the (minor-league) ladder.

"But he's got a real pitcher's body and a good delivery."

Stohr and Jacobson have acquired the "good arms" label that scouts and coaches like Matlack use in talking about pitchers and their upside.

For a Tigers organization that had shipped eight young pitchers to three different clubs in big trades during the past two offseasons, restocking the farm system's shelves was a project for the draft.

So far, so good, as far as Matlack is concerned.

"I just hope we have enough patience to give these young guys a solid foundation," Matlack said.

You can reach Lynn Henning at lynn.henning@detnews.com

Subject: Re: Tigers: Minor league report Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:33 pm

Waiting in the wings: the Tigers' future stars of the mound?
Meet left-handed starter Mauricio Robles and right-handed reliever Rudy Darrow, who could help the Tigers' pitching staff soon.

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 24, 2008

COMSTOCK PARK -- The Tigers' affiliate in the Venezuelan Summer League didn't win a title last year. It didn't earn much recognition from fans in Detroit. In fact, it finished fifth.

Yet, the team represented progress in Detroit's effort to expand its presence in Latin America: For the first time, the Tigers had an affiliate in the VSL.

As a result, some symbolic value may be attached to players from that team -- one of whom is rising faster than almost all the rest.

Mauricio Robles, a 19-year-old left-hander, has shown great promise this season with the Class A West Michigan Whitecaps. Despite walking more than five batters per nine innings, Robles is 4-3 with a 2.58 ERA in 21 games.

He is short for a pitcher (5-10), but his quick arm has been known to whip fastballs that reach 95 m.p.h.

Few left-handers in the Midwest League can throw that hard.

Few left-handers in any league can throw that hard.

"He's young," manager Joe DePastino said. "He's got a live arm. He just needs to, in my opinion, command strike one. He's got too many walks for his innings.

"Once he gets command of his fastball, then he's going to be something special."

Some prospects spend years learning how to locate their fastballs. Robles happens to have the time. While many teammates are 22-, 23- or 24-year-olds who came from U.S. colleges, Robles has been the Whitecaps' youngest player since he arrived in May.

According to research through Retrosheet.org, a teenager has not started more than 10 games for West Michigan since 2005. Robles is scheduled to make his 15th start against Dayton today as the postseason-bound Whitecaps begin the last full week of the regular season.

"All he needs to do in this league is basically throw it down the middle and he gets guys out," catcher Alex Avila said. "That's how good his stuff is."

Robles spent last season close to home, since the Tigers' academy in Ciudad Alianza, which opened in 2006, is not far from his native Valencia. He had not been to the United States before this year, and he had never been apart from his parents, Orlando and Maria, for so many months at a time.

Robles said through interpreter Angel Flores, a Whitecaps catcher, that his parents have been "a big part" of his career. He calls them every day.

"It's very hard, very difficult," said Robles, the youngest of four children, when asked about leaving home. "This is the first time I've been away from them in 19 years."

Robles was an outfielder before signing with the Tigers on April 1, 2006. (Cincinnati, Houston and Oakland were among teams that pursued him.) In only three seasons as a full-time pitcher, Robles' fastball has gained 11 m.p.h. in velocity. His weight has increased from 162 pounds to 195.

His favorite pitcher is a fellow Venezuelan left-hander who famously began his career as an outfielder: New York Mets ace Johan Santana.

Robles smiled as he recalled a conversation with Santana during which the two-time American League Cy Young winner told him about the value of hard work. When asked what he likes most about Santana, Robles replied, "His fastball, his change-up -- everything."

It remains to be seen if Robles will reach the big leagues at all, let alone become an All-Star like his hero. At this point, though, he has time on his side.

Subject: Re: Tigers: Minor league report Sun Aug 24, 2008 3:55 pm

Darrow wrestled his way onto the mound

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 24, 2008

Today, Rudy Darrow is one of the Tigers' best pitching prospects.

His sinking fastball reaches 94 m.p.h., exceptional velocity for a sidearming right-hander. He began the season at low Class A West Michigan, skipped high Class A Lakeland and is now the closer for Double-A Erie. By this time next year, perhaps sooner, he could be in the Tigers' bullpen.

Six years ago, you could have found him at Labette Community College in Parsons, Kan.

Darrow came from a small high school in Oklahoma, and Labette coach Joe Renfro believed the 5-foot-8 kid would adjust to the competition in college. Renfro, after all, had it on good authority that Darrow was "a hard-nosed little dude that grinded it out."

Renfro figured Darrow would be a good fit for his lineup ... at the 125-pound weight class.

That's right: Renfro is the Labette wrestling coach.

"The first match he saw me wrestle was the all-state (high school) match, and it only lasted 50 seconds," Darrow said Friday in a telephone interview. "I don't remember anything about the match. The only thing I remember is that I checked in at the scorer's table.

"We both shot in, hit heads, and I split his head open. I was fine. I just don't remember anything."

Darrow sustained a concussion, but it didn't prevent him from wrestling at Labette. His freshman season ended early when he suffered a separated growth plate in his right elbow.

Despite the injury, Darrow followed through on his plans to play baseball that spring -- as an outfielder.

The baseball and wrestling seasons overlapped for a six-week period. Darrow, then wrestling in the 133-pound weight class, already was in great shape. He reported for the baseball team's 6 a.m. conditioning sessions, anyway.

"He was a little banged up, he was trying to make weight, but he'd come in and run with us," said Aaron Keal, the baseball coach. "He was a very regimented young man as a freshman. You don't see that very often."

Still, the injury to Darrow's throwing elbow limited what he could do that spring. Keal used him most often as a pinch-runner.

The next school year, Keal marveled at Darrow's arm strength and made him a pitcher, and Darrow chose to stop wrestling to focus on baseball.

Even then, Renfro allowed Darrow to keep his partial wrestling scholarship -- one of the more literal ways in which the grueling sport has helped Darrow's baseball career.

For years, Darrow had to cut weight and endure injuries while maintaining the mental and physical strength that wrestling demands. Now, bases-loaded jams are less daunting.

"Not even a comparison," Darrow said, when asked about the sports' relative hardships. "Throwing in the eighth and ninth inning is a lot easier."

Darrow's elbow woes continued, even after he opted to concentrate on baseball. He underwent ligament-replacement surgery after his second year at Labette. Then he transferred to Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., where he missed the 2005 season as a medical redshirt.

By the time he returned the next year, Darrow had made the change that has recently made him one of the most talked-about players in the Tigers' farm system: He began releasing the ball near his waist, at an angle that makes it difficult for right-handed batters to gauge the pitch -- let alone hit it.

An added benefit: Darrow said the sidearm style is healthier for his arm.

"It's worked for me," said Darrow, 5-feet-10 and 185 pounds. "I never ice. I hardly ever get sore."

Initially, Darrow's work went largely unnoticed. He was the Tigers' 32nd-round pick in the 2006 amateur draft, and he didn't pitch for a full-season affiliate until this year.

But once he learns to consistently command his slider -- and he already has shown signs of doing so -- Darrow likely will earn a promotion to the major leagues.

"When he gets the feel for that slider, he will be in the big leagues real soon," West Michigan manager Joe DePastino said. "When he did throw that slider for a strike here, he made people look stupid."

"As long as he can control that," said Alex Avila, the West Michigan catcher, "he can get outs in the big leagues."

DePastino praised Darrow's work ethic, saying he threw in the bullpen with pitching coach Mark Johnson before virtually every game at West Michigan. He was devoted to making his slider better.

Off the field, he's not quite as serious.

"The most annoying laugh you'll ever hear in your life," DePastino said. "You know when Rudy's around. You never hear anyone ask where Rudy's at."

Soon, you might not hear anyone ask who he is.

Contact JON PAUL MOROSI at 313-223-4097 or jmorosi@freepress.com. Check out his Tigers blog at www.freep.com/sports

Subject: Re: Tigers: Minor league report Tue Aug 26, 2008 4:55 am

Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Tigers: Minor league report
Tigers to try Larish at third
First baseman headed to Arizona Fall League to learn new position, impress Leyland.
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

Ah, what to do with Jeff Larish. It's one of those subjects that has been chewed on at length by the Tigers as they plot their future and how a powerful left-handed-hitting first baseman might help them.

One answer always seems to emerge: third base.

It's why Larish will be headed to the Arizona Fall League this autumn with express instructions to be used at third base, primarily, and at first base as a second consideration.

Of course, it isn't that Larish has botched anything at first base that has spurred the Tigers to switch positions. Rather, it has to do with Miguel Cabrera having a seven-year contract at first base, where it's expected he will continue to roll up Hall of Fame-brand numbers.

The Tigers believe they can divide and conquer. They are in need of another powerful left-handed bat in their lineup. With Carlos Guillen and his age (32) prompting thoughts of the future, and with Brandon Inge presently set at catcher for 2009, the Tigers need to consider Larish's ability to bust up games and to provide competent defense at third.

Larish has been with the Tigers on a couple of call-up assignments this year and has shown why manager Jim Leyland has said, "I like Larish -- I like him a lot." He has impressive power and a good eye, most of which has been visible this season at Triple-A Toledo (21 home runs, a .342 on-base average in 380 at-bats).

Larish has played only a handful of games at third base for the Mud Hens, although he has been getting a boatload of instruction at that position, and in the outfield.

For all the emphasis the Tigers will place on rehabilitating their pitching staff and sharpening their defense for next year, there will be a desperate need, as well, for hitters who can change games with one big hit.

It is why Larish will be anchored to third base when the Arizona league, which features the best young talent in baseball, convenes in October.

"I pushed hard with the Arizona people because that's what we wanted to do," said Glenn Ezell, the Tigers director of player development, speaking about the plan to play Larish at third. "One thing about him is that when he did play some third base at Toledo, he didn't screw up.

"He was an average third baseman when he played, but the good thing is that he didn't put himself in bad position. We just need to give him a chance to play there for several days at a time."

It would surprise few college scouts who saw him as a sophomore at Arizona State in 2003 (18 homers, 95 RBIs, .372) that Larish is on the cusp of playing regularly in the big leagues. He was a monster prospect at the time and clubs drooled at the thought of picking him up in the 2004 draft, following his junior year.

Larish, though, had a relatively sour junior season, mostly because of injuries. The Tigers believed they stole him with a fifth-round selection in 2005, after his senior year. They have not changed their tune. Larish was Tigers minor league player of the year in 2007 when he belted 28 home runs at Double-A Erie.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland will no doubt be thinking of Larish when camp convenes in six months. Whether he thinks of him as a possible answer at third base depends, in great part, on how things go this autumn in Arizona.

You can reach Lynn Henning at lynn.henning@detnews.com

Subject: Re: Tigers: Minor league report Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:20 pm

10/17/08 9:00 AM ET
Flashback: Detroit Tigers
Wells cycles, Marte dominates FSL and Hessman powers onward

By John Parker / Special to MLB.com

April 3 -- Two-time defending Midwest League champion the West Michigan Whitecaps opened the 2008 season in impressive fashion, scoring 10 runs in the first inning en route to a 15-2 rout of the South Bend Silver Hawks.

Rick Porcello, Detroit's top pick in the 2007 Draft, tossed five scoreless frames in his pro debut as the Lakeland Tigers opened the 2008 schedule by beating the host Tampa Yankees, 4-1.

April 5 -- Jeff Frazier went 4-for-6 with a career-high five RBIs as the visiting Erie SeaWolves topped the Bowie Baysox, 8-3, in 11 innings.

April 7 -- Ryan Strieby drove in five runs to lead Lakeland to a 6-5 win over the visiting Clearwater Threshers.

April 15 -- With a relentless 18-hit attack and four RBIs from Cale Iorg, Lakeland rolled to a 17-3 victory over the Sarasota Reds.

April 18 -- Luis Marte came within six outs of Lakeland's first nine-inning no-hitter in 19 years and settled for a 4-1 victory over the Tampa Yankees.

April 20 -- Mike Hessman hit three homers and became the all-time RBI leader in Toledo history with 238, but the Mud Hens were outslugged at home by Louisville, 10-7.

April 23 -- Flying Tigers right-hander Luis Marte struck out 11 over seven shutout innings in his second straight dominant start as Lakeland beat the Dunedin Blue Jays, 3-1.

April 26 -- Jonah Nickerson retired the first 21 batters he faced to outduel rehabbing big leaguer Kevin Slowey as Lakeland edged the Fort Myers Miracle, 3-2.

April 28 -- For the third straight start, the Flying Tigers' Luis Marte did not allow an earned run, stretching his streak to 24 innings. But Lakeland was unable to hold a late lead and dropped a 4-3 decision to Fort Myers.

May 3 -- Lakeland's Matt O'Brien faced one batter over the minimum and fired a one-hitter for his first professional nine-inning shutout as the Flying Tigers blanked the St. Lucie Mets, 6-0.

May 4 -- Undefeated Alfredo Figaro fanned a career-high 11 in a complete-game three-hitter to lead West Michigan to a 4-0 shutout of the Quad Cities River Bandits.

May 18 -- For the second time this season, Jonah Nickerson took a no-hitter into the eighth inning as Lakeland blanked visiting the Palm Beach Cardinals, 4-0.

Mud Hens Mike Hollimon, Timo Perez and Nick Trzesniak each belted two homers and Casey Fossum fanned 10 over seven innings in Toledo's 10-0 rout of the Columbus Clippers.

May 21 -- Alfredo Figaro tossed 7 2/3 scoreless frames of two-hit ball as the visiting Michigan Whitecaps topped the South Bend Silver Hawks, 4-1.

May 24 -- Veteran southpaw Casey Fossum took a no-hitter into the seventh inning and struck out a season-high 11 as Toledo edged the Louisville Bats, 2-1.

May 29 -- Outfielder Brent Clevlen hit a grand slam on a career-high six-RBI night as Toledo cruised past the Buffalo Bisons, 10-2, to snap a four-game losing streak.

June 1 -- West Michigan ace Alfredo Figaro fired a 110-pitch, complete-game three-hitter to beat the Dayton Dragons, 10-0, and snap the Whitecaps' six-game losing streak.

June 13 -- After a 73-minute rain delay forced starter Mauricio Robles from the game, West Michigan's Manny Miguelez tossed six no-hit innings as the Whitecaps blanked the Fort Wayne Wizards, 5-0.

June 24 -- Matt Joyce drilled a three-run homer and a grand slam in his first two trips to the plate as the Mud Hens trounced the Syracuse Chiefs, 12-2.

June 29 -- Jeremy Laster scored on an error with one out in the bottom of the 20th inning as the Flying Tigers outlasted the Daytona Cubs, 3-2. The contest lasted 6 hours, 6 minutes and featured 16 combined pitchers.

June 30 -- David Stokes, Anthony Shawler and Tyler Stohr combined on a seven-inning no-hitter as the Oneonta Tigers edged the Lowell Spinners, 2-1.

July 8 -- Rick Porcello hurled six innings of one-hit ball in Lakeland's 9-0 rout of the Brevard County Manatees.

July 19 -- The Flying Tigers' Rick Porcello and two relievers combined on a seven-inning no-hitter in Lakeland's 4-1 defeat of the St. Lucie Mets in the nightcap of a doubleheader.

July 26 -- Eddie Bonine tossed seven one-hit innings and Timo Perez homered to give Toledo a 1-0 win over the visiting Pawtucket Red Sox. It was the Mud Hens' 500th win at Fifth Third Field.

July 29 -- Casper Wells became the first Erie player to hit for the cycle in nearly three years as the SeaWolves topped the Akron Aeros, 11-5.

Aug. 1 -- Trevor Feeney fired 7 2/3 hitless innings as Oneonta blanked the Tri-City ValleyCats, 6-0.

Aug. 5 -- West Michigan starter Jon Kibler took a perfect game into the seventh inning and pitched the first complete-game shutout of his career to beat the host Great Lakes Loons, 5-0.

Seven days after hitting for the cycle, Casper Wells homered three times to power Erie to an 11-2 rout of the Harrisburg Senators.

Aug. 8 -- Erie roughed up the host Reading Phillies, 14-2, getting two homers and a career-high six RBIs from 22-year-old outfielder Wilkin Ramirez.

Sept. 6 -- South Bend Silver Hawks starter Patrick McAnaney pitched five one-hit innings en route to a series-clinching 3-2 victory over the two-time defending Midwest League-champion West Michigan Whitecaps.

John Parker is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Subject: Re: Tigers: Minor league report Fri Oct 24, 2008 4:59 pm

10/17/08 10:00 AM ET
Plenty of talent left in Tigers system
Prospects could help Detroit rebound from a tough season

By Kevin T. Czerwinski / MLB.com

Before the 2008 season began, MLB.com took an in-depth look at every big league team's Minor League system. Now it's time to recap and analyze all 30 organizations, from top prospects to the recent Draft class.

Things didn't quite work out the way anyone expected in Detroit this season, did they?

Pundits, prognosticators and average Joes all were ready to hand the Tigers the American League Central after they acquired Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis from the Marlins last winter. Cabrera had a nice season, putting up career totals in homers (37) and RBIs (127), though his batting average did fall nearly 30 points from 2007.

Little else, however, went right for Detroit this season. Perhaps in 2009, the farm system will be able to step in and provide the extra lift the Tigers needed. There's certainly enough talent in the organization, despite having traded away a veritable Minor League All-Star team in recent years to upgrade the Major League roster.

As winter sets in early in Detroit, the front office will have to take stock and decide whether to rely on its own system or look elsewhere to change the club's direction. Based on the talent the Tigers have down on the farm, asking some of their own players to help might be a prudent move.

Organizational Players of the Year

MiLB.com Preseason Picks

Michael Hollimon, 2B: Holliman had made a steady climb through the Detroit system, displaying power, speed and an ability to get on base. But 2008 was a disaster for the former 16th-rounder from Oral Roberts. He injured his shoulder in Spring Training and got off to a slow start. When he began to heat up in May, he got a call from the Tigers, joining the parent club in June. He did well enough in Detroit, hitting .261 with a homer and two RBIs in 23 at-bats, but hit only .154 upon his return to Toledo after the break. It turns out he needed surgery to repair a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder, which he underwent last month. He'll miss half of next season while recovering.
Hollimon hits walk-off HR for Hens

Duane Below, LHP: Below had a big season at West Michigan in 2007, leading the Midwest League in victories (13) and strikeouts (160). He finished up hot and looked primed for a strong 2008, but was merely average with Lakeland in the Florida State League. Below went 8-7 with a 4.46 ERA in 27 games (26 starts). His strikeout-to-walk ratio dipped while his WHIP increased -- not unexpected considering the jump in competition. His second-half ERA of 5.26, however, was a run and a half higher than that of the first half, which is not promising.
Below baffles another batter

MiLB.com Postseason Selections

Will Rhymes, 2B: Despite having a solid year in 2007, Rhymes wasn't on many radar screens coming into this season. But he shined in the Eastern League with a .306 batting average, three homers, 60 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. He also handled a promotion to Triple-A Toledo well, hitting .320 in 25 at-bats with a pair of RBIs. Rhymes led Detroit's full-season affiliates with a .307 average, scored 81 runs and generally looked like the quintessential scrappy middle infielder.
Rhymes triples for the SeaWolves

Jon Kibler, LHP: Kibler was even more of a surprise than Rhymes, coming out of nowhere to dominate the Midwest League. He went 14-5 at West Michigan, finishing with a 1.75 ERA -- second only to Sally League standout Madison Bumgarner (1.46) among full-season pitchers -- struck out 126 and walked only 32 in 154 1/3 innings. He allowed one earned run or less in 15 of his 23 starts, and his ERA over his final 10 starts was 1.18. Much will be expected of him next season at Lakeland.
Kibler strikes out the side

Climbed the Ladder

Jon Kibler, LHP: Kibler wasn't on the ladder last year -- he wasn't even in the same room as the ladder -- but he certainly is now. His 0.87 WHIP was highly impressive. He also tossed a pair of complete games, one shutout and allowed only one homer over his final 16 starts (106 1/3 innings). Kibler tied Below and Lakeland's Lauren Gagnier for the organizational strikeout lead.

Will Rhymes, 2B: Like Kibler, Rhymes didn't make many top-10 lists in the preseason, including ours. But he batted .356 after the break to overcome an April that saw him hit .209. Rhymes hit .387 with two outs and runners in scoring position at Double-A Erie and .393 with RISP overall. That's clutch.

Rick Porcello, RHP: Porcello posted only eight wins, and with 72 strikeouts, he wasn't among the leaders there either. But the former first-rounder was third in the Tigers organization with a 2.66 ERA, thanks in part to a strong finish that saw him go 5-0 with a 2.25 ERA over his final 10 starts. Porcello pitched with the pressure of a big contract and big expectations and handled it with aplomb. The Tigers won't rush him, so expect him to spend a full season at Erie in 2009.
Porcello's All-Star interview

Jeff Larish, 1B: Larish was the Tigers' Minor League Player of the Year in 2007 and followed with a solid season in 2008, hitting .250 with 21 homers and 64 RBIs at Triple-A Toledo. He also made his Major League debut and showed, albeit in a small sample size, that he could be a productive hitter. Larish hit .260 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 104 at-bats for Detroit and has little left to prove at the Minor League level.
Larish laces game-winning triple

Matt Joyce, OF: Joyce followed much the same route as Larish but had a bit more success. He spent the first part of the season with the Mud Hens, hitting .270 with 13 homers and 41 RBIs while shuttling between Toledo and Detroit. He stayed with the parent club for the second half of the season and hit .252 with 12 homers and 33 RBIs in 242 at-bats.
Joyce drives in seven

Kept Their Footing

Scott Sizemore, 2B: Unlike others who missed time with injuries, Sizemore didn't lose ground despite missing half the season with a broken left hamate bone. He was doing too well at Class A Advanced Lakeland, hitting .286 with four homers and 20 RBIs in 203 at-bats. That's a 20-point jump in batting average from his previous season in West Michigan, though his run-production numbers were slightly smaller. Sizemore was also hitting .324 in the 10 games leading up to his injury.
Sizemore speaks during Spring Training

Brent Clevlen, OF: It's been three years since Clevlen made a big splash at Lakeland, putting up career numbers in the Florida State League in 2005. He's meandered through the system since, making a handful of stops in Detroit along the way. The young outfielder spent the bulk of 2008 in Toledo, though, and finally put together a solid year, giving him a chance for a spot on the Major League roster next spring. Clevlen hit .279 with 22 homers and 82 RBIs for the Mud Hens. Though he appeared to wear down late in the season, it was a nice comeback season for a player in dire need of one.
Clevlen clubs a grand slam

James Skelton, C: Skelton missed time with a hand injury in June but still managed to hit .303 in 87 games between Lakeland and Erie. He had a wonderful strikeout-to-walk ratio (73-to-83) that contributed to a .456 OBP. He doesn't have much pop -- he had five homers and 34 RBIs -- but if he gets on base and scores runs (65 this season), he'll stick around.
Skelton goes deep for Erie

Wilkin Ramirez, OF: Ramirez had an 11-game cameo at Toledo and struggled, hitting .083. He spent the majority of the season at Erie and put together a nice year, hitting .303 with 19 homers and 73 RBIs. Ramirez strikes out too much, but he has some speed and makes use of it (27 steals) when he gets on base.
Ramirez drives home a half-dozen

Jonah Nickerson, RHP: Nickerson went 12-4 with a 3.99 ERA at Lakeland this year, finishing up by winning six of his last seven decisions. He's a bulldog and should begin next season at Erie. He'll be 24 on Opening Day, though, and needs to make the jump to Toledo at some point in 2009 to retain his spot on the ladder.
Nickerson snaps off a curve

Cale Iorg, SS: After spending two years on a Mormon mission, Iorg made the most of his first full season back in organized ball. He didn't tear it up at the plate, but he didn't fall flat, either, hitting .251 with 10 homers and 47 RBIs at Lakeland.
Iorg lines RBI double for Lakeland

Slipped a Rung

Michael Hollimon, 2B: Putting Hollimon in this category was a tough decision, especially since Sizemore didn't drop a spot with his injury. But Hollimon's situation is different because it is difficult to determine when he will return. Plus, there are no guarantees with his kind of surgery that when he does come back next year it will be at full capacity. He may not return to pre-surgery form until 2010.

Brennan Boesch, OF: Boesch showed power and the ability to drive in runs at West Michigan in 2007. But those qualities were less evident this season at Lakeland, where he hit .249 with seven homers and 64 RBIs. His OBP was only .310.

Jeff Gerbe, RHP: Part of a promising crop of pitchers who excelled at West Michigan in 2007, Gerbe missed the entire 2008 season after undergoing surgery to repair a damaged labrum. It was especially disappointing after Gerbe pitched well in Major League camp this spring despite experiencing discomfort.

Yorman Bazardo, RHP: Bazardo won 10 games with Toledo in 2007 and another two in Detroit, leaving many to speculate that he'd be an integral part of the staff this year. Uh, no. Bazardo went 4-13 with a 6.72 ERA in 25 games (22 starts) for the Mud Hens. He allowed 19 homers, the opposition hit .340 against him and he surrendered 177 hits in 130 innings.

On the Radar

Ryan Strieby, 1B: Strieby had a strong showing at West Michigan last year and followed up with a big year at Class A Advanced Lakeland (29 homers, 94 RBIs). He has established himself as a player to watch.
Strieby belts two-run bomb

Clay Rapada, LHP: Rapada posted a 2.31 ERA with two saves in 35 innings at Toledo. He also went 3-0 with a 4.22 ERA in 21 1/3 innings with Detroit. There is some concern about the shoulder issues he struggled with during the year, but he remains worth watching.
Rapada collects another K

Draft Recap

1. Ryan Perry, RHP: The Tigers grabbed Perry with the 21st overall selection, after which he performed admirably in Florida. Perry tossed 13 2/3 innings in the Gulf Coast and Florida State Leagues, compiling a 3.29 ERA.

2. Cody Satterwhite, RHP: Satterwhite followed the same route as Perry, splitting time between the GCL and FSL. He had a 3.92 ERA in 20 2/3 innings, striking out 24 without allowing a home run.

3. Scott Green, RHP: Greene pitched 17 2/3 innings in the Midwest League and saved a pair of games while posting a 3.57 ERA.
Green notches first pro save

Others of Note: C Alex Avila (163rd selection) hit .305 with 22 RBIs and a .383 OBP in 58 games at West Michigan. ... OF Andy Dirks (253rd selection) hit .341 with nine RBIs in 44 at-bats split between the Midwest and Gulf Coast Leagues. He had one hit in 10 at-bats with West Michigan. ... RHP Anthony Shawler (283rd selection) was 2-3 with a 1.76 ERA in 22 games (51 innings) for Oneonta of the New York-Penn League. He held the opposition to a .180 batting average and didn't allow a homer. ... Fellow right-hander Jared Gayhart (403rd selection) didn't fare as well in a much smaller body of work, posting a 6.17 ERA in 11 2/3 innings split between the GCL and NYPL.

Kevin Czerwinski is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Subject: Re: Tigers: Minor league report Fri Oct 24, 2008 5:07 pm

ONE MORE THING ... TIGERS

Shortstop Brandon Douglas was an 11th-round selection this season out of the University of Northern Iowa - not exactly Arizona State when it comes to producing baseball players. Still, he had a marvelously surprising season for the Tigers hitting .328 [tops in the organization] while playing at four levels. He saw time in the Gulf Coast, New York-Penn, Midwest and Eastern Leagues, tearing it up at every stop. He hit four homers, drove in 27 and stole 17 bases in 68 games. He seems like a fun, scrappy kind of kid that should develop nicely over the coming year or so.

* Posted on October 17, 2008 at 10:58 AM