Leyland rationally believes, as do I, that his team’s starting pitching will be more important than his team’s relief pitching in 2008:
“I’m not as concerned with bullpen as much as everybody else is,” Leyland said during TigerFest. “I think it’s going to be fine.
“Assuming that Todd Jones is going to do another good job for us and Fernando Rodney continues to be a quality major-league pitcher, not a great pitcher, but a quality pitcher, I think those looking at the bullpen are probably looking at the wrong area.”
Then what’s the right area?
“We need to extend our starting pitchers more,” Leyland said. “I think the big keys will be (Jeremy) Bonderman, (Nate) Robertson and (Dontrelle) Willis. If those guys can take you an extra out or an extra 2/3 of an inning, that’s going to be the key to this team.”
Thanks for the support, Jim. I also enjoyed your labeling of Fernando Rodney as a “quality pitcher,” but not a “great pitcher.”
4 responses so far ↓
MJ // February 14, 2008 at 11:36 am |
Leyland needs to pray that Robertson, and especially Willis, are able to do that for him. Otherwise, he may as well just keep a carton of smokes in the dugout and puff openly. I predict Dontrelle will be a giant steaming turd in the AL. In fact, I’m rooting for that.
John Stevens // February 14, 2008 at 12:05 pm |
I think Bonderman is also a key. If he can be the Carmona to Verlander’s Sabathia, the Tigers will handily win the Central this year.
John Stevens // February 14, 2008 at 1:58 pm |
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080214/SPORTS0104/802140378
MJ // February 14, 2008 at 2:40 pm |
Yes, Bonderman is an important piece of the puzzle. However, outside of fantasy baseball, Bonderman’s been less than a revelation. Asking him to pitch as well as Carmona did last year is a touch unrealistic.
And since they’ve got Gary Sheffield, Kenny Rogers, and Ivan Rodriguez on that team I’ll be blunt about it – I’m rooting against Detroit big time.