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Grading the 2009 Detroit Tigers
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(AP) Porcello went 14-9 with a 3.96 ERA in '09.
Starting Pitching: B+
Between carrying a pair of All-Stars in Edwin Jackson and Cy Young candidate Justin Verlander, and the leading candidate for AL Rookie of the Year in Rick Porcello, starting pitching was unquestionably one of the strengths of the 2009 Tigers. If it were up to that trio, you’re looking at straight As for the Tiger staff.
But.
There was the Jarrod Washburn experiment that was nothing if not a failure. Dontrelle Willis never really got it together, and Armando Galarraga suffered a severe digression. With the lack of a true fifth starter, the bottom of the rotation cost the Tigers down the stretch. Credit Eddie Bonine and Nate Robertson for filling in with some success on occasion, but as a whole it just wasn’t enough.
Still, with two All-Stars, a Cy Young hopeful, and a Rookie of the Year candidate, it’s hard to be too critical of the 2009 starting rotation.
Bullpen: B-
For a patchwork pen that wasn’t supposed to be very good, Detroit’s relievers turned out to be quite the pleasant surprise. From Fu-Te Ni to Ryan Perry, there were plenty of unexpected success stories out of the Tiger pen.
The back end of the pen featured arguably the most efficient setup man-closer combination of all of baseball. Criticize Brandon Lyon and Fernando Rodney all you’d like, you’ll come to miss them when they leave town; both players are eligible for free agency at the end of the season.
C: B-
Gerald Laird was brought in to be a defensive upgrade; mission accomplished. Ranking tops among AL catchers in fielding percentage (.997), runners caught stealing (42) and fielder assists (78), Laird is in line for his first career Gold Glove.
Offensively, it was quite a different story. His .225 average was far less than what the Tigers expected from the 29-year-old Laird, who came over from Texas in the offseason. His four home runs and 33 RBI were each among the lowest offensive production numbers of his career.
1B: A
It was another year hitting north of .300 with 30+ home runs, 100+ RBI for Miguel Cabrera. Late seasons issues involving domestic incidents and alcohol can’t taint what he was able to do over the course of his second season in Detroit.
Speculation about whether his off-the-field issues may have hindered him for the duration of the year, leave Tiger fans wondering what he’s capable of when focused entirely on baseball.
2B: B
For a career .300+ hitter to bat only .285, it’s safe to wonder if Placido Polanco has begun his decline. At 34 years old, Polanco rebounded from a slow start to hit .315 after the All-Star break, finishing with 10 home runs and 72 RBI—his biggest offensive contribution in a Tiger uniform.
Despite being Detroit’s best clutch hitter, Polanco is known best for his solid defense. Leading all American League second basemen with a .997 fielding percentage and just two errors, Polanco is in line for his second Gold Glove.
3B: C-
If there were a grading curve for playing through pain, Brandon Inge would be looking at least a B+ for his toughness. Unfortunately for Inge, his .186 average after his first ever All-Star game appearance cost Detroit greatly in their eventually concession of the Central division.
His walks and RBIs were both halved in the second half, and his 20 errors in the field were among his highest in his eight plus years as a Major Leaguer.
SS: C+
With the tandem of Adam Everett and Ramon Santiago combining to hit .250 with
10 homers and 79 RBI, the duo combined to be a respectable platoon. The offensive numbers may not be as high as Tiger fans might like, but the duo proved to be a major upgrade defensively over their predecessor Edgar Renteria. Their combined .971 fielding percentage would have been good enough for fourth among AL shortstops.
LF: C-
Four players got 20 or more starts in left for the Tigers, with Ryan Raburn leading the way with 70. Detroit’s leftfielder by committee approach yielded a combined .254 average with 23 home runs and 98 RBI; albeit from a combined seven players.
In the field, Tiger fans will forever remember Don Kelly’s missed fly ball in the Metrodome and Raburn’s failed diving catch in game #163. In all, Detroit left fielders committed 11 errors en route to a .970 fielding percentage.
CF: B
Curtis Granderson continued his stellar defensive play, registering a .993 fielding percentage despite struggling with judging fly balls late in the season. Granderson’s sensational defense was a big part in why his was voted to his first All-Star Game appearance.
At the dish, Granderson saw his average drop to .249 in 2009, down from .280 in ’08. What Granderson sacrificed in batting average, he more than made up for in power—hitting a career-high 30 home runs. His 71RBI were second highest in his career, as Granderson shows signs of developing into a run producer rather than a table setter.
RF: C+
With the evolution of Magglio Ordonez from a power hitter to a singles hitter for average, right field for the Tigers is underwent a drastic transition in 2009. Ordonez rebounded to hit .310 after an awful start, but his 35 extra base hits were his lowest for a full season in his 12-year career.
Clete Thomas platooned both in left and right field, and responded by hitting .240 with seven home runs and 39 RBI
Even at 35, Ordonez showed solid fielding ability, committing just two errors in 104 games in right. With limited range and a hefty contract extension in hand, the Tigers hope the power can return in Ordonez’ bat and his ability in the field can hold on for at least one more year.
DH: D-
Acquiring Aubrey Huff turned out to be an enormous blunder on the part of the Detroit front office. Huff hit just .186 with one home run and nine RBI after coming over from Baltimore.
Before acquiring Huff, Marcus Thames saw a majority of the at bats out of the designated hitter slot, hitting .242 with eight home runs and 22 RBI. Detroit’s designated hitters combined to hit .245 with just 17 home runs and 65 RBI between 12 players.
Looking ahead, Detroit will need to find someone who can contribute regularly from the DH spot rather than be a hole in the lineup in 2010.
Manager: A-
Feel free to second guess Jim Leyland all you want, but Leyland took a team that was predicted to finish at or near the bottom of the AL Central and took them to the verge of the postseason.
Leyland made some questionable calls down the stretch, including starting Alfredo Figaro against the White Sox with the division on the line, but he got more from this team than anyone expected before the season started.
For More: Follow Detroit Tiger Examiner Randall Castro on Twitter or contact him by e-mail at randall.p.castro@gmail.com
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