Moving on without Casey
To me, the biggest question for the Tigers getting through at least this series and without Sean Casey isn’t so much in the field. There aren’t a whole lot of options there other than moving Guillen to first and starting one of the middle infielders, in this case apparently Neifi Perez. You lose something defensively there, especially on double plays with Neifi, but there’s not much you can do about that.
What I’ll be interested to see is how manager Jim Leyland fills Casey’s spot in the lineup. He was the left-handed bat in the most important spot, the guy who kept the middle of the order alternating left-right against right-handed pitchers. Plus, he’s a patient guy in that third spot, and even when he isn’t hitting well, he knows how to make a pitcher come over the plate.
Is this the time Leyland takes a chance moving Guillen out of that fifth spot and into third? I doubt it. He’s had all of his success in that spot, and I think Leyland loves the idea of Guillen batting behind Ordonez to make pitchers throw strikes to Magglio. Not even Guillen’s 11-for-16 history against Esteban Loaiza is probably going to get him out of that slot.
Take away Guillen as an option to hit third, and your possibilities look like Pudge, Monroe and Thames. Pudge makes the most sense since he has done it before, plus he’s 8-for-21 off Loaiza, but you have to hope he can be patient in RBI opportunities and not chase pitches out of excitement. If Leyland didn’t want to hit Monroe second last night, it’s hard to see him wanting to bat Monroe third against Loaiza, off whom he’s 1-for-12. Thames is 0-for-5 off Loaiza.
The other thing about Pudge is that, at least this year, he seems to rise to the challenge given to him. He batted leadoff in a tough spot over the summer and started the game with a 10-pitch walk. He filled in for Polanco at second base that night in Boston and looked like he had done it before. And what understandably got lost on the final day of the regular season is that Pudge went 3-for-3 with three walks in that game to hit .300 for the year. He’s not a patient hitter, he gets frustrated, all that. But when he puts his mind to something, there isn’t a whole lot you can say for sure that he can’t do.
If Loaiza comes out pitching the way he did last week against the Twins, it might not matter. It’ll be interesting to see.
Jason Beck
What?
Starting Perez as SS makes abolutley no sense. This is pure stubborness if goes down that way.
Santiago is impeccable in the field, he has range he has a dynamite arm, he has speed, agility and experience. The only thing Perez can do his hit (tongue in cheek) left handed and last I looked Santiago could do that to..
I don’t care how bad Dombrowski and Leyland need to prove they made a good acquisition, this just makes no sense. On top of that you insult both Santiago and Infante again.
I hope the apparent Perez lineup change is mistaken. He can handle things hit right at him but I guarantee wyou won’t be turning 4 DP with him in the midle of the lineup.
I’m aghast
As am I Jason. I cannot believe Santiago and Infante would be overlooked!
I’m going to have to co-sign those last two comments. He’s too slow in the field, and if hitting is the issue, he can’t hit either. And I can’t ignore the fact that they lost nearly every game he started this season.
This series is about pitching and defense.
Yes Rich I watched Guillen play first and I’m not worried about that, its how the rest of the equation alters that scares me. If Shelton is on the roster you still have a very important line-up decision to make as Jason suggests but you keep your double play combination intact.
With all due respect to Carlito, who I’ve already said I think is the Tigers MVP this year, we do gain defense with Santiago in there at shortstop. He is an elegant, dominating fielder with outstanding range and a really good arm. But we certainly lose at the plate vis a vis Shelton.
What truly scared me was the scenario that Jason suggests. And because of your sources being infinitely better than ours Jason, the fact that you don’t mention Santiago has got me awfully worried.
Ramon can play the field and he might come through at the plate. Can we say either of those two things about Nefaious? Someone mentioned the Neifi factor, that we lose when he plays — that is real. Its demoralizing for the whole club to see him out there. With Santiago out there you know the defense is in good hands and everybody else has to pick up some slack at the plate. And he might hit .400, you never know.
As for who bats third, its a tough one but I would put Thames in there because of his power and hitting between Polanco and Ordonez hes likely to see some pitches to hit. I also think he’ll respond well to the show of confidence.
Can we still add Mickey Stanley to the postseason roster?
Well when I saw the plethora of RHP on the As I knew Shelton would not get added.
My understanding is that there is no provision for adding a player if one is lost due to injury during a round.
The ONLY alternative I see at SS is Santiago. If you are in a position that you have your defense and team undergoing a serious alteration then if you can ADD something to the equation you should. In this case it is Santiago’s glove. He will actually outperform Guillen out there (no slight to Guillen (I love the guy)).
You also ADD some speed to your lineup and a switch hitter. He won’t hit like Casey is supposed to but you won’t get a major drop off in OBP.
Using Santiago you IMPROVE your defense. Perez; you threaten it and Infante: defense becomes only slightly more vulnerable but you don’t get the LHB in the lineup.
What I am afraid of is Nefarious. Leyland may think he wants to replace experience with experience (darn that Santiago for looking like an adolescent–he is pretty experienced himself), and may want to prove that they were so smart when they picked him up from the (gasp) Cubs and then smart to put him on the roster with 2 other utility infielders. BZZZZZT–Wrong Answer.
Perez is slow and awkward, he won’t get near anything in the hole or up the middle. He doesn’t have Santiago’s glove, arm or his legs. It’s a no brainer (I mean the decision not the bobble-head).
Pudge–It would be absurd to take him away from behind the plate.
Crash course for Monroe? Thames? Gomez? Unlikely.
Another thing to keep in mind is that Gomez can hit with power. He hit 11 HRs in Toledo in some 55-60 games and jacked 4 out in one game.
This is all so hypothetical but don’t you think that Marcus might be a possible first baseman in the future (Not now)?
These series have a way of keeping things evened up–they lost Ellis we lost Casey.
Guillen will do a great job at 1B
Perez is out of his league here–literally and figuratively. He would have to have the ball hit right at him and there is now way you would be able to turn 4 DP like yesterday. Santiago is an impeccable fielder, with good range, good wheels, strong arm, experienced and won’t trip over 2nd base.
If Leyland goes with Perez I will disgusted. That is also an insult to both Santiago and Infante who have been Tigers since the beginning.
Sorry if I have repeated myself.
Just saw this on the Free Press site:
OAKLAND, Calif. — Tigers first baseman Sean Casey has a small partial tear of the fascia muscle in his left leg.
Before the diagnosis arrived, manager Jim Leyland had said Casey wouldn’t play tonight in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the A’s. The Tigers said Casey would receive treatment today and on Thursday’s open date, then be re-evaulated.
There is no reason for the Tigers to make any series-long declaration about Casey’s availability because he can’t be replaced on the 25-man roster. If the Tigers reach the World Series, Casey could be replaced on the roster.