Yup, that’s a pretty drastic start.

Danny Knobler is reporting that the Tigers designated for assignment Jacque Jones and recalled OF Matt Joyce from AAA Toledo.

Jones, as anyone who watched the Tigers knows, wasn’t cutting it. He was a left handed batter. That’s about all you can say about him. His arm was inconsistent in left field. He did show a lot of effort, running himself into the fans in a painful looking attempt at a foul ball. That deserves praise. But he just wasn’t helping the team all that much.

This allows the Tigers to think with some flexibility about moving Gary Sheffield to the outfield, putting Carlos Guillen at DH and putting Brandon Inge at third base, for instance. That’s a popular opinion among Tigers fans though I’m not sure I agree with putting Gary Sheffield in left field. Besides, the Tigers didn’t call up a catcher, so I don’t think we’ll be seeing Brandon Inge at third base for good quite yet either.

I’m disappointed Clete Thomas didn’t get called back up. I loved his defense and he could hit fine. However, Joyce is a fellow left-handed batter.

23-year-old Joyce is batting .299 AVG, .367 on-base percentage and .536 slugging according to First Inning.com. (Updated 4:19)

In April, Matt at my favorite Tigers minor league blog, Take 75 North, opined:

Matt Joyce could be a very valuable outfielder as a left-handed power bat who plays a good outfield.

Matt also profiled Joyce further over the winter. (Update 4:25)

The big jump in strikeouts is a little worrisome, but if he can keep up with the walks and the power, his defense in the outfield (voted Eastern League’s Best Defensive Outfielder by Baseball America) should make him a very useful player for the Tigers. He’ll be one of the reasons I go to watch the Mud Hens in 2008.

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Some people may say the Tigers are better off without Jason Grilli — I don’t know, maybe they’re right, though I don’t think so. As quirks of baseball love to do, three days after the Tigers traded Jason Grilli, they placed setup reliever Denny Bautista on the disabled list. This resulted in the callup of right-handed minor league reliever Freddy Dolsi, who started the season in High-A Lakeland before moving north to Double-A Erie.

Jason Beck’s article added:

Dolsi … was the recommendation of player development director Glenn Ezell and pitching instructor Jon Matlack.

• Dolsi’s Baseball Cube entry
• Dolsi’s First Inning entry.
• Dolsi’s Baseball Minors Reference entry
  

After the 25-year-old gave up seven hits and 5 runs in 7.1 innings in Lakeland, along with 11 strikeouts and three walks, he moved up to Erie and made two appearances. There he had one strikeout, allowed one hit and one walk in three innings. So I’m thinking it’s quite a jump to the majors myself.

In Danny Knobler’s article, Jim Leyland said he will use Dolsi, fellow newcomer Francisco Cruceta, Bobby Seay, Clay Rapada, “whatever comes around.” So looks like the bullpen roles are still kinda up in the air.

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The Detroit Free Press is reporting Jim Leyland shuffled his 25-man roster today.

He sent Ryan Raburn to AAA-Toledo — a sign he really likes Clete Thomas — and called up relief pitcher Francis Beltran. Beltran had a pretty nice spring and was in the running — on paper anyway — to make the Detroit bullpen until the final week.

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Jon Paul Morosi reports that Dontrelle Willis and the Tigers have agreed to a contract that will keep him in Detroit through 2010. The reported salary will be 7M in 2008, 10M in 2009 and 12M in 2010 for a total of $29M.

That sounds reasonable to me. Keeping Willis around helps cancel out the fact the Tigers traded so many pitching prospects. But it’s not long term deal, so it’s a bit safer for both player and team.

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Danny Knobler is all over this story of Cameron Maybin’s promotion and the moves required to make it happen.

Up

• Maybin
• Ramon Santiago

Designated for assignment

• Craig Monroe

Sent to Triple-A Toledo

• Omar Infante

My thoughts:

Here’s what just happened: Detroit got better. Defensively, for sure. Offensively, maybe.

Ramon Santiago is a solid defensive player, if unremarkable batter. Omar Infante is kind of his opposite: a decent bat — though not great — and not such a good shortstop. As Ryan Raburn is a backup second baseman now, Santiago was called up to be the backup shortstop. Makes sense. Carlos Guillen stumbles at the position too often and has sore knees.

Craig Monroe, who I always like, is probably done as a Tiger. Detroit can trade or release him or he can be claimed on waivers. I believe he has the option of accepting a minor league demotion as well if he clears waivers. Ironic that Monroe’s Tigers career likely came to an end at the very site his career peaked — Yankee Stadium last year with a huge home run. Cameron Maybin has a better glove and arm, undoubtedly. He has more speed. It remains to be seen if the young prospect has a better bat at this time. But Monroe didn’t exactly do much this year, so it’s not that hard a challenge.

If Marcus Thames’ hamstring is still sore, and it probably is, Maybin probably starts in left field tonight.

Update: Knobler thinks Maybin starts anyway.

Update 2: Freep reports Monroe has already cleared waivers. Kind of wondered about that because teams like to put most guys on waivers to hide trades. Infante has cleared waivers, too. So that’s not an issue. Monroe may help decide his future with the organization, or the Tigers can trade him. And the Freep still speculates about trading (possibly both guys) to Pittsburgh for Jack Wilson. (note to Tigers: Uhm, no. And if it involves Jair Jurrjens or any minor league pitchers, REALLY NO. Please, really, no.)

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Top prospect Cameron Maybin will be promoted to the Tigers, the Freep reported. Jon Paul Morosi did not know the corresponding move, but reported Maybin is already in New York.

I did not see this one coming. (I know enough to disregard what the Tigers actually say in the media about roster moves, as GM Dave Dombrowski denied the possibility earlier in the week, but I simply didn’t see it coming!) Is he ready? Who even knows. In just his second year of pro ball, he’s got to be pretty raw. But he did tear up Double-AA pitching to the tune of four home runs and a 1.500+ OPS in six games.

The move certainly gives Jim Leyland an interesting tool. Maybin is fast on the basepaths. He plays good defense. He can probably help Detroit off the bench and give guys some rest. Most importantly, this move makes his eligible for the postseason roster if he sticks the rest of the month.

Is this a temporary move due to illness and Marcus Thames’ hamstring or is this for real? I doubt the corresponding move involves Ryan Raburn or Marcus Thames. Both are too valuable. Raburn gives Detroit an infielder and outfielder who is batting great, as does Thames. Thames, by the way, limped a bit after running out a grounder, but remained in the game and appeared fine. So I think this may be the end of Craig Monroe’s time in the D. But we’ll have to see. He’s certainly struggled enough.

It’s pretty exciting, yet still curious, and I don’t think we should expect too much out of Maybin just yet. As cool as it would be if he did to the MLB what he did to Double-A, it’s got to be unlikely. But, who knows, teenage superstars (ok, so he’s a few months over 20, but still) have to start somewhere.

Credit to the Ashville Citizen-Times for the first report and the family’s perspective. (hat-tip Knobler)

Update: Monroe was DFA’d. More here.

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A couple of announcements that came out today.

1. Virgil Vasquez will officially get the start in the double header tomorrow. (Freep)
2. And promptly be sent back down to Toledo, probably for lefty Tim Byrdak to come back up.
3. Timo Perez was sent back to Toledo. Whew. Nothing against Timo, but I like Ryan Raburn, personally. (Per Jason Beck)
4. Infielder Mike Hessman, having a career year in Triple-A, was called up. (Per Beck)
5. And Hessman will start. (per Knobler, hat tip to Ian)
6. And Matt Wallace of Tigers minor league blog Take 75 North is skeptical.

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Jason Beck first reported late last night Toledo OF Ryan Raburn is reportedly being called up to the Tigers. Raburn (man not typing that ‘y’ is gonna be hard) reported this news himself following a Toledo Mud Hens game. The Tigers haven’t said a word about it yet officially, but John Lowe and Jon Paul Morosi wrote this morning that a Tigers source confirmed it.

However, we’re left out to dry what corresponding move(s) will occur.

The most likely occurrence, it seems to me, is Raburn replaces a position player. The Tigers hardly have the playing time to go around in the outfield as it is, I don’t think they can juggle another too easily. After Craig Monroe’s poor play lately, and the injury that kept him out of the lineup, this seems to be the most popular idea. I don’t think Monroe alone could command enough on the trade market for a stopper relief pitcher, so I’m not going to disagree with those who think he goes to the DL…though he did play yesterday.

Is this a showcase for Raburn then, a legitimate injury to Monroe, or who knows?

Raburn isn’t on the 40-man roster, but he can easily be added by moving someone to the 60-day DL, so that’s not a worry.

Raburn has an OBP of .394 and SLG of .540. His power comes nearly equally against righties and lefties on the mound. He has 17 HR, 3 triples and 21 doubles.

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Just as I thought, Nate Robertson is hurt. The Tigers didn’t disclose what. Just said the mysterious “tired arm.” I don’t know what that means. I have no clue if the Tigers know what that mean, but the last time we heard that Kenny Rogers had surgery for a possibly life-threatening blood clot within days. I’m certainly not saying we’re going to find out Nate has an injury that severe. But I do mean to say, this can pretty much mean anything at all is wrong with him, from light to severe. So who knows. But I’m glad he’s on the DL to find out what’s wrong and rest it.

The good news is Andrew Miller got that call back to Detroit and will start at least twice, depending on the severity of the injury. I always pictured Miller replacing one of the weaker guys at the bottom of the order. But his replacing Robertson is probably not a dropoff at all. Miller pitched great against the Cardinals earlier. If I counted right, he’ll start against the Mets this weekend. Remember, the plan was for Miller to be on the World Series roster if the Mets had taken down the Cardinals in the seventh game of the NLCS, so that is sort of interesting.

In any case, I don’t mean to get excited over an injury to Robertson, but I am tickled — hee hee, like Jim Leyland! — to have Miller back up in the majors.

UPDATE

Long as I’m at it, let me add that Zach Miner also went to the DL, per Danny Knobler:

Rather than go short in the bullpen, the Tigers put Miner on the disabled list. They recalled both Yorman Bazardo and Aquilino Lopez from Triple-A Toledo.

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I thought of using this in a roundup, but I figured I’d just toss it out there right now. Jose Mesa did put the Olde English D on a few more times, but he never got into a game after blowing yet again against the Indians Thursday.

At last, Mesa  is gone. Fernando Rodney will come off the disabled list Tuesday.

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