The Roster Shuffle Continues

The Tigers continue to have to tweak their roster, as they have recalled Austin Jackson to play in today’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. In another move, the Tigers have also put SS Jhonny Peralta on the maternity list and recalled 2B/SS Hernan Perez from Lakeland. The Tigers will have to make a corresponding move for Jackson later on today, and more than likely it will mean the end of Matt Young for the time being.

With Jackson’s return to the lineup, it means that Quentin Berry is going to the bench, and I am okay with that, even if the majority of Detroit isn’t. The clock is getting closer to striking twelve, and if people haven’t noticed, Berry is starting to look very human all of a sudden. He is 3 for his last 22.

The Tigers might have to make another move very soon as well. It seems that Octavio Dotel is dinged up, as he wasn’t able to pitch last night when the Tigers could’ve really used him. Instead, Jim Leyland elected to go with Jose Ortega in a tight spot, and of course that backfired. At that point in the game, with Dotel nursing a sore elbow and Leyland wanting a righty-righty match up, there wasn’t much choice there. Especially after he had used Luis Marte already, and had abused Joaquin Benoit and Brayan Villarreal recently.

Leyland isn’t the first or only manager to want to use a right-handed pitcher against a right-handed batter. Still though, it does seem like most of what he is doing this season isn’t working. Would anyone be surprised to see Hernan Perez pinch-hitting in the 9th down by one tonight?

If anything screwy is going on these days with Tigers roster management, it seems to be coming from the top of the chain. The Omir Santos call up was strange, as was Matt Young in my opinion. Justin Henry is a similar player, but has a little more versatility. Why the Tigers called up Jose Ortega instead of just bringing back Luke Putkonen is a little strange as well. It’s not like Ortega was lighting the world on fire in AAA, and Putkonen, despite his failures, at least would’ve brought a little bit of experience to the table for two similar pitchers. I’m a little surprised the Tigers went with Bryan Holaday instead of Rob Brantly as well. Brantly is a much better hitter, and a left-handed one at that, basically supplanting the bat of Alex Avila. Instead they brought up Holaday, who is essentially a clone of Gerald Laird, though not as good defensively.

Obviously, not a lot of good things are happening for Detroit on the injury front, and when they play baseball games. It’s not good when last night they played one of their better games more recently and still lost. Or maybe it’s just sad that last night was one of their more well played games lately.

One good thing to come out of the Tigers poor play is the wives of Tigers fans everywhere are happy. Lawns are getting mowed regardless of whether the Tigers are playing or not.

Keep checking the box scores though guys. Don’t forget, this is the A.L. Central, and it takes one 7 game winning streak to get back into the thick of things.