Tigers loaded with arms, and they can't slack off

BY DREW SHARP
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST

Joel Zumaya sought solitude "underground" in his southern California home during the off-season. But he quickly discovered there's little refuge when pop culture stamps your 15 minutes worth of attention.

He couldn't escape his new role of The Man Who Made A-Rod Look Silly. Zumaya's profile rose as quickly as his 100-plus-m.p.h. fastball in the strike zone. Newsweek briefly mentioned him in the magazine's popular Conventional Wisdom barometer, placing a rookie pitcher in the same room as world power brokers and rehabbing entertainers.

It's not outrageous suggesting that the colorful Zumaya was the most recognizable player's name on the Tigers pre-Gary Sheffield.

And he's merely the set-up man for the set-up man in the bullpen.

It's a good thing Major League Baseball doesn't share pitching like it does revenue, because a wealth of hearty arms is as good as currency in this game. And the Tigers are happily and selfishly hoarding pitching, much to the envy of adversaries and anxiety of those fighting for a spot.

Zach Miner deservedly won accolades for his emergency rotation stint after Mike Maroth's elbow injury last season. The rookie notched six victories in six consecutive starts, amassing an ERA of 1.69 during that period. One would assume such a baptism would prove invaluable this season.

But there's no guarantee that Miner will even make the team because there might be only one bullpen spot open for competition in Florida.

New York Yankees first baseman Jason Giambi wondered out loud to reporters in Tampa recently why the Tigers would let a 95-m.p.h.flamethrower like Humberto Sanchez leave.

President and general manager Dave Dombrowski packaged Sanchez and two other minor league pitching prospects for Sheffield. What was truly interesting about the trade was that Dombrowski could pry away a nine-time All-Star from a perennial contender like the Yankees without it costing one player from his major league roster.

"I'm sure there are a lot of teams (that) would like to be like us," said Zumaya. "I know everybody says that you can't have enough pitching because you never know if injuries become a problem. But having a lot of good pitching creates a lot of competition, and that's good news."

Miner attached a codicil to Zumaya's assessment. "I'm sure it's good news if you make the team," he said a wry grin.

The Tigers hold their own version of "American Idol" every day in Lakeland with a half dozen guys on the mound at any given time, side by side, hoping to impress the arbiters of their fate standing in the distance.

It's not coincidental that manager Jim Leyland voluntarily tosses out bouquets about how much he likes how the ball pops out of top prospect Jair Jurrgens' hand. It's meant as a confidence booster to the young man, but it's also a message to everybody else that if you're not pushing yourself even harder than before, there's always somebody else lurking in the wings for a chance at dazzling.

"You can't toss a rosin bag in this clubhouse without hitting a quality arm somewhere," Miner said. "And it helps you through association. People think so highly of this staff that it doesn't hurt you in other people's eyes if you don't make the team. It pushes you to work even harder, and that's something that could benefit you elsewhere."

Elsewhere is always a possibility when you're as loaded with arms like the Tigers.

That's why you stockpile. For every 10 pitching prospects, you hope one-third pan out into players you can use on the major league roster. Another third will wash out, and the other third will serve as bait to lure other valuable commodities.

This is how the Tigers will find Pudge Rodriguez's inevitable replacement at catcher. Instead of drafting and developing one of their own, they'll apply their organizational pitching depth to pry one from another team.

The Tigers' pitching situation creates the perfect balance of confidence and competition. Despite all the praise showered upon him, Zumaya isn't overly comfortable. He hears all the talk about him becoming a future closer.

"But there are two pretty good guys (Todd Jones and Fernando Rodney) already ahead of me there," he said. "But that's cool. That just keeps you hungry and wanting to get better."

An even hungrier Zumaya isn't something the Yankees want to contemplate.
Source: Detroit Free Press