Harwell, 91 has incurable Cancer

From Detnews.com

He'd been waiting for test results.

His voice last week sounded strong -- as strong as always. By the end of the conversation, however, it didn't.

Ernie Harwell, the treasured voice of the Tigers for all those years, has incurable bile duct cancer. In comments to the Detroit Free Press on Thursday, he said he won't undergo surgery.

But in those same comments, he said he's ready for the next adventure.

It's been no secret lately that Ernie -- as nearly everyone knows him -- hadn't been feeling well. He was in the hospital, then out. There'd been speculation about pneumonia. But most of all there'd been speculation something was wrong.

"Just feeling a little weak at times," he said when called by The Detroit News recently. "We'll see where this takes us. I know I'll be in good hands."

Now he also knows what was wrong.

"We don't know how long this lasts," Harwell, 91, told the Free Press. "It could be a year. It could be much less than a year, much less than a half year. Who knows? Whatever is in store, I'm ready for a new adventure."

That's Ernie for you.

Life always has been an adventure for him. From his boyhood days in Georgia, to serving in the Marines, to broadcasting Bobby Thomson's famous home run for the New York Giants-- to becoming a Hall of Fame broadcaster with the Tigers.

Life's challenge will be an adventure as well.

"I'm ready to face what comes," he told the Free Press, "whether it's a long time or short time. It's up to my Lord and savior."

Tigers Add Huff to Lineup

While trying to fend off the Chicago White Sox coming down the stretch in a tight AL Central divison race, the Tigers acquired left-handed hitter Aubrey Huff from Baltimore. GM Dave Dombrowski had to do this, to help fill a void in the Tigers lineup which has been terrible at hitting with runners in scoring position and at just hitting period at times.

Huff, 32, is only hitting .253 but has 72 RBIs, more than any Tiger. Most impressive, he's hitting .324 with runners in scoring position. After the Tigers went 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position and lost to Kansas City on Sunday.

Dombrowski was quoted as saying "It's been a tough offensive year for our ballclub, and (Huff) can drive in runs. He's a guy we've tried to acquire numerous times in the past. He's a left-handed bat that's a threat, and those guys are hard to find."

Tigers Release Sheffield, Eat $14 Million

The Detroit Tigers have released designated hitter / broken down outfielder Gary Sheffield and as a result they will eat the $14 million they owe him for 2009.

Not that Gary is much use to us now with his declining ability to stay healthy and slumping stats, but how do you just eat $14 million? The Tigers traded a minor league pitcher last night for Atlanta outfielder Josh Anderson. I'm assuming they had to release Sheffield to make room for Anderson, but fiscally this seems like a bad move.

When healthy last season, Gary had a batting average of .225 and only 19 home runs with 57 RBI. He was injured much of last year with missed portions of the season with right shoulder problems.

Sheffield is just one home run shy of 500 for his career. Overall he has 1,633 RBI with a career batting average of .292.

Verlander Named Opening Day Starter

I think we all saw this one coming, but I suppose its newsworthy anyways. Tigers' Skipper Jim Leyland named Justin Verlander as the opening day starter for this year. Opening day this year is April 6 at the Toronto Blue Jays.

George Kell Passes at the Age of 86

George Kell, died at the age of 86 this morning at his home in Swifton, Ark.

Kell was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983 and was a broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers for 37 years before his retirement in 1996.

Prior to his career in the booth, George Kell was equally as great a baseball player as announcer. George was a career .306 hitter with 2,054 hits and had won the batting title back in 1949 over Ted Williams.

George always carried himself with class both on and off the baseball diamond and was the voice of the Tigers for many many years, he will be truly missed by the Detroit community.

Tigers Ink Veteran Back Up Catcher Treanor

Dave Dombrowski's newest signing in the free agency period is veteran back up catcher Matt Treanor, a free agent after the Florida Marlins released him last week. Matt has signed a one year deal for $750,000 with the Tigers. He will back up recently-acquired catcher Gerald Laird

Treanor told the media he is "real happy to be a Tiger" and that "This is a great opportunity to play on a playoff contender. We sat around our clubhouse late last year and talked about how the season did not go the way they wanted. But look at their roster, and they look unbeatable."

Smoltz Coming Home to Detroit?

Video of John Smoltz, 41, throwing off a mound has recently been sent to various teams around the league by his agent in order to garner interest in John's pitching services.

Smoltz has had four elbow surgeries and most recently shoulder surgery. Smoltz has said he would prefer to be a starter, but in the right situation would consider closing. Of course look no further then the Detroit Tigers for a team in desperate need of a closer.

The Detroit Tiger originally traded John for Doyle Alexander back in '87 in order to chase a championship....and Tiger fans have been wondering since, WHAT IF we never traded away Smoltz???

If the Tigers actually aquired Smoltz, it would no doubt be a great coming home story and another big name on the Detroit roster. However, and I hate to say this.... I hope this aquistion doesn't happen. Reason being is he's 41, had multiple surgeries and could end up like Gary Sheffield... a broken shell of what he used to be. For the money that I would imagine Smoltz will command, I'm not sure its worth it.

Tigers Aquire New Catcher

From Foxsports.com

The Detroit Tigers have filled one of their prime offseason needs, acquiring catcher Gerald Laird from the Rangers for Double-A right-hander Guillermo Moscoso and a second prospect, according to a major-league source.

Laird, a strong defensive catcher, is a .255 career hitter with a .306 on-base percentage. He earned $1.6 million last season in his first year of arbitration, and is two years from free agency.

The Tigers also are seeking an inexpensive solution at shortstop, a position in which they are considering free agents Adam Everett and Nick Punto, with Everett the apparent preference.

Tigers Hire New Pitching Coach

The Detroit Tigers hired pitching coach Rick Knapp today to fill the void left by Chuck Hernandez. Knapp has spent 12 seasons as the minor league pitching coordinator for Minnesota.

Adios Edgar!

The Detroit Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski confirmed Monday that he will not be picking up the final year of Edgar Renteria's contract and will be looking to find a new shortstop in 2009. Edgar would have earned $11 million next year. However the Tigers must now absorb $3 mil of that contract in order to get rid of him. I wish turning this team around was as easy as getting rid of this guy, but Mr. Dombrowski has many more moves to make in the off season in order to get Detroit out of the cellar in the A.L. Central.

Good luck Dave!

Don't Let the Door Hit You on the Way Out

Well the loyal DGF readers have spoken! In our latest survey Kwame Kilpatrick was voted the biggest disappointment of 2008 in the city of Detroit above the Big 3, Detroit Tigers and Matt Millen!

The good news is both Kwame and Matt Millen were both dismissed from their jobs this month. Good riddance to both of you!

Tigers Join Lions in Cellar

The lowly Kansas City Royals ONCE AGAIN beat our beloved Tigers tonight. Royals pitching combined to throw a four-hitter and shut out the Tigers out 5-0.

With tonight's loss the Tigers have fallen into last place in the American League Central. This has to be the most disappointing Tigers team to ever play in Detroit. Coming into this season many had this team in the ALCS, some even had them in the World Series! And now here they are in September, sitting in the cellar.

Well at least they have fellow Detroit cellar-dwellers Detroit Lions to keep them company down there.

Angry Jim Leyland looses 'stache while yelling at team

The Onion reports that Jim Leyland's mustache fell off his face recently while yelling at his hapless Tigers.

Rumor has it...

Rumors are leaking out of New York that Pudge Rodriguez asked to be traded to the Yankees out of spite that Manager Jim Leyland was having him split time with Brandon Inge at catcher.

True or not, sounds like there is more to this story then we know yet.

Season in a Nutshell

If last night's game versus the Baltimore Orioles wasn't a summation of the Detroit Tigers season this year I don't know what is. Detroit squandered a 6-0 lead, appeared to score the go-ahead run in the top of the 10th inning, and then lost it in the bottom of the 10th.

When the Tigers can hit, they can't pitch. When they pitch well, they can't hit.... and sometimes they can't do either and just fall apart. Not to mention the Tigers have gone 5-5 in their last 10 games against teams that are more then beatable (and some of which are Central Division foes): Seattle, Cleveland, Minnesota and Baltimore. If you are a playoff bound team you go 7-3, 8-2 in that stretch against those teams, not .500.

People are going to say that sounds like a band wagon fan talking and there is the second half of the season to go still, plenty of time to get back in the race. But to me, you've got to prove you are capable of putting together a run to get back in the race. You don't just turn it on all of a sudden. So far the Tigers have only proven to be consistently inconsistent.

Tigers Trade

According to Mlive.com

The Tigers announced today that they've acquired minor league pitcher Kyle Pearson from the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Danny Bautista, who was designated for assignment on June 20.

Pearson, a righty and fourth-round selection in 2003, saw time with Single-A Lynchburg and Double-A Altoona this season. He earned four saves in 11 appearances with Lynchburg.

A Tigers spokesperson wasn't sure where Pearson would be assigned.

It's Go Time

2-10. Not quite the start the Tiger brass, fans or baseball experts alike envisioned. Now before you Tiger fanatics start to panic and predict a 119 loss season to match that of Tram's team, let's step back and look at the big picture. We're exactly 12 games into the season. Yes, the Tigers are 10 games under .500. But, we're also only 1/14 of the way through the regular season (162 game season - that's a whole other story), and the Tigers are only 5.5 games back in the Central.

Speaking of the Central. It is a very good, much improved division (just look at KC's start). But it's also a division where teams are going to beat each other up all year long. That's why the Tigs are only 5.5 out right now. And yes, it's been a tough start: being swept by the Royals at home, and losing two series to the White Sox already. I just don't think this is going to continue. It can't.

Injuries are certainly a factor, but they are with any team. Sheffield is banged up, Guillen is hurting. But Granderson is on his way back. And, hey, the weather can only get better (for those who blame the cold weather for the bad start). I sure hope it isn't the weather, because April isn't the only month where the elements make it difficult to play. October into November tends to be pretty miserable as well.

Looking ahead. Leyland gave his team a closed door "talking to" yesterday after their embarrassing, grand slam-filled game in the windy city. It remains to be seen if that has the same effect of his famous speech of 2006. The Tigers have two very important games this week (I think) beginning tonight, home against MInnesota. They play two against the Twins before playing two in Cleveland. This would be an ideal time to show what they're made of while playing a couple of division rivals, not to mention making up a few games in the Central.

Tees Would be Cheaper

The Tigers fell to 0-7 on the season today with a 5-0 loss to the Red Sox. I think it's officially time to set up tees for the opposing teams to hit off of and just let the Tiger pitchers sit in the bullpen until they can figure out how to hold a team under 3 runs.

Kenny Rogers got the start on the hill today for the Tigers, he threw 107 pitches and couldn't manage to get out of the fifth inning. Nice work Gambler!

Following up Rogers' performance, reliever Jason "Rally Starter" Grilli was bad once again. He allowed two runs, the second one on a bases-loaded walk. Really Grilli? REALLY??? A bases loaded walk?!?!

FYI:
No team in Major League history has ever started the season 0-7 and made the playoffs.

Oh, and one more thing. No team since the 1983 Houston Astros has recovered from an 0-7 start to finish the season with a winning record.

What to do with Inge

The debate continues about whether or not the Detroit Tigers should trade Brandon Inge. This is a guy that has been a Tiger since day one and has certainly seen his share of the team's darkest days over the past few years. He does have some value to the team even if he's no longer the everyday third baseman. He's a 'Super Utilityman.' But at what cost? He's due $18 million on the remaining three years of his current contract. Is that the kind of money you want to pay a part time player? In most cases it is not, although Mike Ilitch would certainly not have a problem paying it if it makes the team better.

But there is the question. Does Brandon Inge make this team better? His versatility, solid glove, and occasional pop is exactly what every team needs. Unfortunately his attitude and commentary may overshadow and sour all the attributes he brings to the plate (no pun intended). It seems every few days now he's giving an interview or being caught leaving the locker room and reminding anybody who will listen how much he misses third base and how much he dislikes catching. (Remember, this is the same guy who went through this same routine after the Tigers signed Pudge Rodriguez and complained about not being the everyday catcher anymore).

It's starting to wear thin on the fans, and I'm sure it's starting to wear thin on the other players, and at some point, enough will be enough and Jim Leyland will no longer want that negativity and resentment in his locker room. It's time to cut bait. Find an interested team, and trade him! Pick up part of his salary (That's going to be the only way a trade will happen) and get something, anything, in return, and move on. This is going to be an exciting team and the distractions aren't needed.