Jose Valverde returned to the mound for Detroit for the first time since his epic playoff implosion. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers 7, Kansas City Royals 5 (box score)

The story of this game was waiting for the ninth inning because Jose Valverde was in the house, he was named the closer, and live or die this thing was happening. But there was eight innings to go before the event everyone was talking about (and fretting over) was going to take place.

Max Scherzer cruised through the first two innings. He struck out three Royals and allowed just one hit, but he ran into a bit of trouble in the third inning. The Tigers had just scored the first run of the game in the previous half inning (a Jhonny Peralta single, an Alex Avila walk, and an Omar Infante single), but Kansas City jumped all over Max to put up four of their own. A single, single, double, single, single plated three runs (and left runners on the corners) before an out was recorded, but a sacrifice fly and a double play got Scherzer out of the inning with only one additional run scoring.

The Tiger bats — which had gone relatively silent in Seattle and Los Angeles — backed up their pitcher. Two runs in the bottom of the third, and four runs in the bottom of the fourth put them right back on top by a 7-4 margin.

Scherzer ran into more trouble in the fifth and walked in a run (his third walk of the inning), but got out of a bases loaded, no out jam while only allowing the one walked-in run. That would be the end of the day for Sherzer. He wasn’t entirely sharp overall, but his six strikeout, three walk line probably deserved better than five runs allowed.

Al Alburquerque (1.2 IP, 2 K, 2 BB, 0 ER) and Joaquin Benoit (1.1 IP, 1 K, 0 BB, 0 ER) combined to get through the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings, but the bullpen doors opened again to start the ninth, and out trotted Jose Valverde.

A few boos could be heard as he prepared to exit the bullpen, but the Comerica Park crowed more or less gave him a standing ovation in encouragement as he ran to the mound. Valverde wasn’t excellent, but he was fine and got the team through the ninth inning save situation with a flyout, groundout, and another flyout. 11 of his 18 pitches went for strikes. All of his offerings were fastballs (which sat 92-95 mph); he didn’t show the splitter. It was the type of outing that alleviated most of the panic that he’d blow up, but it didn’t necessarily inspire confidence that he’ll even be an above average reliever going forward. He was fine, but he needs to show more.

The Tigers are now 10-9, a half game back of Kansas City in the AL Central.

August 26, 2012; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Jose Valverde (46) celebrates the last out against the Los Angeles Angels at Comerica Park. Detroit won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Jose Valverde named closer – REMAIN CALM, ALL IS WELL! – Al Beaton – Bless You Boys

With the bullpen by committee experiment having come to an end, Leyland is one happy man tonight. But I’ll guarantee you the Tigers’ fan base isn’t happy. They will react to the return of Valverde by with a complete and utter overreaction.

Think of the Tigers as the voice of reason, reminding everyone to, “REMAIN CALM, ALL IS WELL. WE HAVE A CLOSER.” The fan base will not listen and react by steamrolling Kevin Bacon and riot during the homecoming parade.

Tigers Call Up Rondon….and Valverde – Matt Wallace – Tigers in Words

They always say it’s who you know. In the Tigers’ case, it’s good to know the guy with the Marlboros. Jose Valverde can vouch for that. After a few innings against Canadian teenagers and 20-year olds, he gets to skip not only Toledo but any type of major league audition. Flying Tiger one day, Tiger closer the next. Literally. The Tigers signed Papa Grande to a one-year contract and made room by sending Brayan Villarreal down to Toledo.

‘Grande’ reentrance: Relief pitcher Jose Valverde returns to Detroit Tigers, will be used as closer – Chris Iott – MLive

Surprised that Valverde is back? You probably should be. The Tigers expressed no interest in re-signing him following the 2012 season and took him back earlier this month only after he and agent Scott Boras agreed that Valverde would sign a minor-league contract with no major-league guarantees.

The Tigers had until May 8 to kick the tires. Obviously, they didn’t need that long. They clearly believe they are getting the 2010-11 version of Valverde and not the 2012 model. Valverde turned into a one-pitch pitcher at times last season even before his postseason implosion. But he’s been throwing the ball “extremely well,” according to Dombrowski.

Jose Valverde is officially back as ‘new’ Tigers’ closer – Tony Paul – Detroit News

This has the makings of a Hollywood-type ending for the Tigers and Valverde, who appeared certain to part ways after his disastrous run in the playoffs. It also could end up being a significant public-relations gaffe for a Tigers club that put its chips on youngster Bruce Rondon, only to send him to the minors out of camp.

Interestingly, Rondon and Valverde could make their 2013 debuts in the same game, as Rondon also got the callup, earlier Tuesday.

Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland have spoken recently to Valverde, who wanted to pitch once more, Monday, before deciding if he was ready. On Tuesday, he said he was.

“One thing you know about him,” said Leyland, “he’s done it before and he’s not afraid. We know that. Those are two things we know.”

Oct 13, 2012; Bronx, NY, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Jose Valverde (46) heads back to the dugout in the 9th inning against the New York Yankees during game one of the 2012 ALCS at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

The idea of resigning Valverde in general has not been popular with Tigers fans or the Tiger-internet, prior to or following Dave Dombrowski’s decision to actually sign the guy. His numbers in Lakeland haven’t been that amazing (though they haven’t been bad) but the decision to call him up was apparently made based on scouts and coaches that liked his stuff and his conditioning. They are usually right about these things, so I’ll try to be calm and hope for the best. For me, and probably most other Tigers fans, if Jose Valverde comes out missing bats and getting 1-2-3 innings last postseason will be quickly forgotten and it will simply be nice to have our closer back (especially at a bargain price). After all, Valverde was a fan favorite before we all turned on him.

Now, the problem is that the realistic best case scenario would just be a Jose Valverde that approximately duplicated the averages from his 3-year tenure in Detroit. And while he racked up quite a few saves, it isn’t as though he never blew one and it certainly isn’t as though he never got himself into jams on the way to saves. Valverde is going to start his season here guilty until proven innocent, he’ll have zero margin for error as far as Tigers fans are concerned. Joaquin Benoit has not looked very good so far this year, neither did Octavio Dotel, but those guys don’t see fans calling for their heads every time they give up a run. I think Valverde will, from fans that never stop grumbling about the fact that that idiot GM brought him back to begin with.

It’s entirely possible that Jose Valverde is “back”, and the Tigers could use the old Valverde right about now. Even last year’s regular season version had some value. It’s just as possible that he won’t look particularly good the first few weeks that he’s back in Detroit – so I’d say to just bear with him and hope for the best. I don’t think that I agree with the idea of installing him as closer, but I certainly don’t like the idea of counting on Benoit, Rondon or Coke right now either. Mainly I don’t like it because if he pitches badly that means the team loses a game and it gets pinned on him (that’s the nature of the closer role). If he gave up a run or two when the team was already down, there wouldn’t be anything like the rage against the Potato that we’re going to see. He would have a chance to earn back a little bit of the trust from Tigers fans that he lost in game 1 of the ALCS. As it stands, when he comes into the game against KC tomorrow just grit your teeth, pour a stiff drink and try to pretend you still trust him. If you do, you’ll probably start to remember why you liked this guy and in the end maybe you will again.