Tigers#1
07-18-2003, 09:54 PM
Rookie Tiger Petrick part of trade talks
Friday, July 18, 2003
By Danny Knobler
CHICAGO -- The newest Detroit Tiger joined the team Thursday, and will likely make his Tiger debut tonight. But Ben Petrick may not remain the newest Tiger for long.
The Tigers are involved in trade talks with the Texas Rangers, which makes sense because the Rangers are desperate to find some pitching and the Tigers are desperate to find someone (anyone!) who might be able to hit. The Tigers have scored the fewest runs in baseball, despite Thursday night's 10-9 win over Chicago, while the Rangers have given up the most.
Sources said the Rangers have interest in Joel Zumaya, who emerged as a top prospect this year at Class A West Michigan. The Tigers wouldn't want the big-name free agents-to-be that the Rangers are trying to deal (e.g. Juan Gonzalez), but Texas is also shopping to part with top outfield prospect Ryan Ludwick.
Ludwick started in the outfield for Texas Thursday night at Tampa Bay, with a Tigers scout in attendance. Ludwick, 25 years old and coming off a fractured hip, has hit only .215 in 107 career major-league at-bats. But he was hitting .303 with 17 home runs at Triple-A Oklahoma, before joining the Rangers after Carl Everett was traded.
Petrick, who the Tigers acquired Sunday from Colorado in exchange for Adam Bernero, has a career .264 average. The Tigers hope he can become at least a part-time catcher, but scouts say his confidence has been beaten down because the Rockies kept telling him how bad he was behind the plate.
"I think I'm more of an outfielder now," Petrick said. "I don't know if I can say I'd see myself as an everyday catcher (in the future), to be honest."
Manager Alan Trammell said he wants to see how Petrick looks as a catcher, and it's a good bet that bullpen coach Lance Parrish will spend some time working with Petrick on his defense behind the plate.
****Mike Maroth, who attracted a Cincinnati scout to his last start before the All-Star break, pitched well Thursday before a crowd that apparently didn't include anyone sent specifically to scout him. Actually, the one special assignment scout sent to watch a pitcher in Thursday's game was Ted Uhlaender of San Francisco, who was watching Chicago's Bartolo Colon.
The loss Thursday left the White Sox eight games behind first-place Kansas City, and if Chicago's slide continues, the Sox could be shopping Colon, reliever Tom Gordon and others by the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
****Bobby Higginson traveled with the Tigers to Chicago, but it's very unlikely he'll come off the disabled list during this eight-day trip. Higginson said the strength in his left hamstring has improved, but not to the point that he has been able to sprint.
"I don't want to rush him," Trammell said. "Ideally, I'd like to say we might have him in a week, but I don't know. I know I'd like to have a healthy Bobby Higginson."
****A.J. Hinch left Thursday's game after suffering a left groin strain in the fifth inning. The injury didn't appear serious, but Hinch will be reevaluated today. . . . Trammell said he plans to play Petrick tonight, either as the designated hitter or in left field. Trammell also said he'd like to get Danny Patterson into tonight's game. . . . To make room on the 40-man roster for Patterson, who was activated from the disabled list Thursday, the Tigers designated David Espinosa for assignment. Espinosa, who was hitting .241 at Class A Lakeland, is significant only because he was the best-known of the players acquired in last July's trade that sent Brian Moehler to Cincinnati. . . . Thursday's game, which lasted 3 hours, 17 minutes after a 3-hour, 6-minute delay, was the Tigers' longest nine-inning game of the year. It ended a streak of 33 consecutive nine-inning games played in less than three hours.
Friday, July 18, 2003
By Danny Knobler
CHICAGO -- The newest Detroit Tiger joined the team Thursday, and will likely make his Tiger debut tonight. But Ben Petrick may not remain the newest Tiger for long.
The Tigers are involved in trade talks with the Texas Rangers, which makes sense because the Rangers are desperate to find some pitching and the Tigers are desperate to find someone (anyone!) who might be able to hit. The Tigers have scored the fewest runs in baseball, despite Thursday night's 10-9 win over Chicago, while the Rangers have given up the most.
Sources said the Rangers have interest in Joel Zumaya, who emerged as a top prospect this year at Class A West Michigan. The Tigers wouldn't want the big-name free agents-to-be that the Rangers are trying to deal (e.g. Juan Gonzalez), but Texas is also shopping to part with top outfield prospect Ryan Ludwick.
Ludwick started in the outfield for Texas Thursday night at Tampa Bay, with a Tigers scout in attendance. Ludwick, 25 years old and coming off a fractured hip, has hit only .215 in 107 career major-league at-bats. But he was hitting .303 with 17 home runs at Triple-A Oklahoma, before joining the Rangers after Carl Everett was traded.
Petrick, who the Tigers acquired Sunday from Colorado in exchange for Adam Bernero, has a career .264 average. The Tigers hope he can become at least a part-time catcher, but scouts say his confidence has been beaten down because the Rockies kept telling him how bad he was behind the plate.
"I think I'm more of an outfielder now," Petrick said. "I don't know if I can say I'd see myself as an everyday catcher (in the future), to be honest."
Manager Alan Trammell said he wants to see how Petrick looks as a catcher, and it's a good bet that bullpen coach Lance Parrish will spend some time working with Petrick on his defense behind the plate.
****Mike Maroth, who attracted a Cincinnati scout to his last start before the All-Star break, pitched well Thursday before a crowd that apparently didn't include anyone sent specifically to scout him. Actually, the one special assignment scout sent to watch a pitcher in Thursday's game was Ted Uhlaender of San Francisco, who was watching Chicago's Bartolo Colon.
The loss Thursday left the White Sox eight games behind first-place Kansas City, and if Chicago's slide continues, the Sox could be shopping Colon, reliever Tom Gordon and others by the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
****Bobby Higginson traveled with the Tigers to Chicago, but it's very unlikely he'll come off the disabled list during this eight-day trip. Higginson said the strength in his left hamstring has improved, but not to the point that he has been able to sprint.
"I don't want to rush him," Trammell said. "Ideally, I'd like to say we might have him in a week, but I don't know. I know I'd like to have a healthy Bobby Higginson."
****A.J. Hinch left Thursday's game after suffering a left groin strain in the fifth inning. The injury didn't appear serious, but Hinch will be reevaluated today. . . . Trammell said he plans to play Petrick tonight, either as the designated hitter or in left field. Trammell also said he'd like to get Danny Patterson into tonight's game. . . . To make room on the 40-man roster for Patterson, who was activated from the disabled list Thursday, the Tigers designated David Espinosa for assignment. Espinosa, who was hitting .241 at Class A Lakeland, is significant only because he was the best-known of the players acquired in last July's trade that sent Brian Moehler to Cincinnati. . . . Thursday's game, which lasted 3 hours, 17 minutes after a 3-hour, 6-minute delay, was the Tigers' longest nine-inning game of the year. It ended a streak of 33 consecutive nine-inning games played in less than three hours.