Tigers' Friday Musings: Stop Hating On Mike Pelfrey, Trade Targets, And More
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
The Tigers kicked off a seven-game road trip with a rain-soaked win in Chicago last night, calling on Mother Nature for the assist. Tonight, the ditch-digging Michael Fulmer will take the mound against journeyman Jacob Turner, which feels like a matchup that kind-of sort-of favors the visitors. Win tonight, and the Tigers have a great chance to grab three out of four from the White Sox and head into Fenway Park with some much-needed momentum. Here's what's simmering in Tigers-land right now.
- Man, did Miguel Cabrera need last night. After a nightmare homestand that saw his July average fall to .231, the All-Star first-baseman broke out of his slump with two hits and a home run in the series opener on the South Side. (And his only out was a scolding line drive to second with runners on second and third.) The Tigers are going to need Cabrera to channel his Triple-Crown self down the stretch, and last night was a good start.
- With the "buy-sell" debate raging around this team, this road trip will go a long way in determining how management approaches the trade deadline. But let's not forget the Tigers can simply stand pat and proceed with the players at their disposal, a decision that would seem to make a lot of sense for a team with a depleted farm system and an outside chance at making the playoffs (much less contending for a championship.) These Tigers were constructed to win and it's on them to deliver.
- And don't forget – with J.D. Martinez nearing a return, the Tigers are about to get a big boost. They have noticeably missed the slugging right-fielder, whose production simply couldn't be replaced from within. Steven Moya did an admirable job before running into the defensive bugaboos, while Mike Aviles and Tyler Collins have been, well, Mike Aviles and Tyler Collins. The Tigers might not make a blockbuster move before the August 1 deadline, but J.D. Martinez is as big a midseason addition as you're going to find
- Still, if the Tigers do intend to buy, the safe money is on them acquiring a pitcher. Whether it's a starter or reliever is less clear, but the need seems more urgent in the rotation. That's due in large part to the ongoing dominance of Joe Jimenez, who has been striking out hitters in the minors like a high-school pitcher in Little League. The Tigers still seem reluctant to call him up, wary of rushing his development, but this aging team can't afford to wait around.
- Regarding the market for starting pitchers: it's thin and it's pricey. The Red Sox had to give up top pitching prospect Anderson Espinoza to acquire the Padres' Drew Pomeranz, who has been great this season but decidedly average over the course of his career. That sounds a lot like the book on Rich Hill, the southpaw for the A's who has been drawing heavy interest from contending teams – the Tigers included. Pomeranz had slightly more value given his age and controllable contract, but Boson and San Diego set the market for starting pitchers with that trade and Hill is likely to command a similar return. The Tigers would be better served pursuing an arm who can help them now and down the line, someone like, say, Jimmy Nelson of the Brewers.
- As for the starting pitchers actually on this team, doesn't it seem like Mike Pelfrey takes an undue amount of flak? He grinded – grounded? – his way through another solid start last night, surrendering one run through 5.1 innings while giving up his obligatory 37 hits (it was actually just eight.) Sure, his start last weekend was a clunker, but remove that from the equation and Pelfrey has pitched to a 3.66 ERA since May 12. He obviously needs to cut down on the base-runners – his WHIP is a ghastly 1.76 – but the Tigers signed Pelfrey to be their fifth starter and that's exactly what he's looked like.
- Would you: Justin Verlander and Ian Kinsler for Corey Seager? Just saying.
- Not to look past the White Sox, but this upcoming series in Boston will tell us a lot about the Tigers. The A.L. East-leading Red Sox have pounded the ball to a pulp this season, buoyed by the ageless David Ortiz and approximately 17 budding superstars. But the Tigers' rotation lines up well, with Verlander going in the first game and Fulmer taking the hill in the finale. (Pelfrey will get the middle start.) Want to know if Verlander has truly recovered his Cy Young form? Want to know if Fulmer is for real? No better way to find out than against the best offense in baseball.
Enjoy the weekend, folks.
