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Tigers have used draft to try to solve bullpen issues - it just hasn't worked
It's not like the Tigers haven't tried to solve their issues in the bullpen through baseball's amateur draft. They have - particularly in 2008. But it hasn't worked out for them.
The Tigers took college relievers with their first four picks in the '08 draft. First-round pick Ryan Perry (Arizona) has reached the major leagues, but been hauntingly inconsistent.
Second- and third-round picks Cody Satterwhite (Mississippi) and Rick Green (Kentucky) have hardly pitched in 2010 or this season because of injuries. The fourth-round choice that year, Brett Jacobson (Vanderbilt), is having a good season in Double-A ball. Problem is, it is in the Twins' system. He was the pitcher traded to Baltimore for Aubrey Huff in 2009 - and has since been traded to the Twins.
The Tigers selected college closer Chance Ruffin from the University of Texas with the 48th overall pick in last June's draft. He is holding his own, but hasn't been spectacular at Double-A Erie this season. Despite being drafted just last year, Ruffin is advanced in terms of age. He will turn 23 in September. The Tigers, obviously, need him to move quickly.
It's not like the Tigers totally missed in the '08 draft, though. Catcher Alex Avila (Alabama) was their fifth round pick.
The Tigers took college relievers with their first four picks in the '08 draft. First-round pick Ryan Perry (Arizona) has reached the major leagues, but been hauntingly inconsistent.
Second- and third-round picks Cody Satterwhite (Mississippi) and Rick Green (Kentucky) have hardly pitched in 2010 or this season because of injuries. The fourth-round choice that year, Brett Jacobson (Vanderbilt), is having a good season in Double-A ball. Problem is, it is in the Twins' system. He was the pitcher traded to Baltimore for Aubrey Huff in 2009 - and has since been traded to the Twins.
The Tigers selected college closer Chance Ruffin from the University of Texas with the 48th overall pick in last June's draft. He is holding his own, but hasn't been spectacular at Double-A Erie this season. Despite being drafted just last year, Ruffin is advanced in terms of age. He will turn 23 in September. The Tigers, obviously, need him to move quickly.
It's not like the Tigers totally missed in the '08 draft, though. Catcher Alex Avila (Alabama) was their fifth round pick.
Labels: Ryan Perry Chance Ruffin Cody Satterwhite Rick Green Brett Jacobson Alex Avila
posted by Pat Caputo at
9:33 PM
6 Comments:
Pat, I agree you never waste your draft picks on relievers because they are the cheapest and easiest to find in free agency. Keep drafting power arms and power bats because if try finding one in free agency it will cost 20 million per season. As far as the pitchers go, there is something wrong with the Tiger system. O Guillen said it best, “Tigers pitchers are easy to read", meaning starting pitcher equal fastball, change-up and breaking pitch only, relief pitcher fastball and breaking pitch only. I have only seen Perry pitch twice this year and on those occasions he was throwing a cutter and he took the bat out of the hands of the hitter. I almost fainted in amazement. His last outing, according to box score, he didn't throw one cutter and he got ripped.
Personally I've always thought that something was up in 08. I suspect that Illitch told Dombrowski that he couldn't go over the recommended slot bonus for any of his picks that year and that's why they went with all relievers at the start.
Every other year they've spent pretty liberally on the draft.
trying to remember the last quality closer Tigers developed...I suppose Francisco Cordero, prior to that Mike Henneman. Cordero signed as FA, Henneman was a 4th rounder. maybe I've forgotten others who had more than just transient success.
is this not one of the greatest crapshoots in all of baseball...finding a guy in the draft who develops into a consistent closer? these guys sometimes just come out of nowhere (Ryan Franklin from being an average at best starting pitcher, Soria rule 5 guy).
Maybe they should have done more in the offseason beyond Benoit. Failed closers bounce around (Farnsworth, Lyon, etc) and sometimes recapture the knack for it. Suppose they could have gotten a guy like that on the cheap, but I can understand the thinking that a developing Perry or Schlereth had the potential to be just as good or better this season.
Barry,
I don't know how cheap veteran relievers are, but it does seem like if teams scout well enough they can find some good bargains there. They kind of fade in and out, and you have to get them when they are throwing well - and not hold on to them too long.
Caputo
Michael C,
Maybe. I think they just wanted to get relievers. But it is a point, that other than Perry, bonuses were definitely not that much. 2008 draft was when Tigers were doing very at box office, but had been incredible disappointment on field.
Caputo
Woody,
Depends on what you think of Rodney. It's weird how some of the best closers come off the scrap heap. Franklin an example.
Caputo
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