Tigers Blog

Category: Quick hits: 2009 spring training

Leyland: Verlander 'really looked good'

News and notes from spring training in Lakeland, Fla.

1. The Tigers skipped fundamentals - such as rundowns - on Thursday to assure that, ahead of predicted rain, they'd get in their first session of live batting practice. They'll double up on fundamentals as soon as weather allows. Batting practice was worthwhile watching, though - especially with the comfortable way Gary Sheffield was swinging.

2. Justin Verlander's different pace in the first session of BP was noticeable. "Outstanding," said Leyland. "You could tell he was really trying hard to slow things down a little bit. I thought he really looked good."

3. Leyland, by the way, made the day of pitching prospect Rudy Darrow, by taking Darrow aside and giving him some one-on-one attention. Darrow is a side-arming right-hander who's already made a favorable impression.

"I never thought I'd get some good feedback on the very first day of batting practice," said Darrow. "That was great."

With his funky delivery, Darrow held right-handers to a .166 batting average last year in combined stints at West Michigan and Erie.

"I was very impressed with him," Leyland said. "If someone is a little different, it catches your eye automatically."

4. Some sad news: Leyland's 40-year-old nephew P.J. Miller - one of his sister's sons - died, so Leyland will fly to Detroit on Sunday, then attend services in Perrysburg, Ohio, on Monday. He will not be at Monday's workout. Of the cancer that claimed his nephew, Leyland said "he put up a great fight, but didn't make it. Breaks your heart."

5. Often in the past, the Tigers' clubhouse has teemed with the sons of players, but so far not a one. What gives? "They'll be here eventually," said Leyland. "There's no new policy." Dave Dombrowski and his son, Landon, played catch on the field after Wednesday's workout, but that's about it so far.

6. Bobby Seay speaks his mind. Of the 2008 Tigers, he said, "as a unit, we just weren't very good. I think we kind of let up, honestly. I'm not saying we gave up but you look out there and you see guys kind of mailing it in a little bit. We are all embarrassed about last year. I think everybody here realizes we have a really good team. We just have to not put as much pressure as we did on ourselves last year."

7. And the difference in Seay's performance between 2007, when he had a 2.33 ERA, and last year, when it climbed to 4.47? "Part of it is that I gave up too many hits last year on 0-2 and 1-2 counts," he said. "That's something that really irks me."

His control wasn't exactly pinpoint after getting ahead in the count, either. In 2007, he went on to walk only one hitter after getting ahead with a 1-2 count. Last year, he walked six.

8. The annual Lakeland barbeque was held Thursday night. The Tiger who predicted he'd eat 50 shrimp wouldn't allow his name to be used. Could be a franchise record if he was right, though.

9. Just so there's no confusion, even if he has a good spring, Joel Zumaya will not be the Tigers' closer coming out of spring training. Zumaya was hoping to win the job down here, but Leyland said again "he will not be the closer to start with. I doubt very much we'd do that right now. I haven't spoken to him about it, though. We just want him healthy."

10. So you think Fernando Rodney's change-up is his most important pitch? Leyland disagrees. "His whole key, contrary to what everybody thinks, is not his change-up. It's his fastball," he said. "His change-up is his best pitch, but his fastball is his most important pitch. If he doesn't locate it with velocity, people start sitting on his change." Bottom line, as you know: Rodney needs both.