Will Ryan Perry pitch his way on the Major League Roster?

It’s in the open. Jim

Leyland has been given permision to use Ryan Perry at the major league level, if he feels he is ready. Management wants to start him closing games at AA Erie. So where will he end up? Ladies and Gentleman, that is the question.

Mr. Leyland has made it clear by saying, “If we run into another Verlander or Zumaya, he’ll be on the team.” There is no doubt that Perry has the stuff (fastball) to throw in the major leagues. Minus the addition of Brandon Lyon and possibly Edwin Jackson or Dontrelle Willis, the Tigers failed to do anything significant to this pen. Here is my theory:

Looking back early in the off-season, fans were waiting….. just sitting back and waiting for the Tigers to make a move on Kerry Wood, J.J. Putz, and even possibly Brian Fuentes. Sure we heard the name Brandon Lyon flirting around (of course he ended up signing), but were the Tigers thinking about taking the field in ’09 with Ryan Perry as it’s closer?

I think so.

Ever since June of 08, we knew that Ryan Perry was on the fast track. They thought he had the ability to make the 40 man roster when the rosters expanded in September. Alongside the 24 other pitchers taken in the draft that year, the concensous was getting home grown talent to the major leagues as fast as possible. That was evident when 44 of their 50 players drafted in 2008 had colliegate experience. After trading the likes of Cameron Maybin, Jair Jurrjens, Andrew Miller, Gorkys Hernandez, among others, it came clear that they would draft to restock the depth of the system.  But the point was to get studs (especially on the mound), who could make it to the bigs quickly. Perry is that type of pitcher. The next Joel Zumaya. The future closer of the Detroit Tigers.

It’s like an early Christmas present. Why not open it up and see what it can do? , this is a great way to evaluate the future. It gives you a solid first half closer (Brandon Lyon),  A pretty goo

Though I do not believe that Perry will be asked to take over as the closer anytime soond back end arm, when he can pin point his changeup and doesn’t overthrow his fastball (When was the last time we saw that from Fernando Rodney?), and two hard throwing right handers that can  blaze 100 on the gun when healthy. On paper, it looks good.

But so did the 2008 Detroit Tigers. Only time will tell if this is a group that can put the Tigers back in the hunt.