Jose Valverde

Did fine the last two days.

YES.

I napped through the end of the game so was fine with him today.

Yes!

everysingletime

but thinking back 28 years, so willie hernandez and he went 34 chances 34 saves which is a pretty good percentage

Gawd, don't remeind me of Hernandez. The very next year he signed what was at the time a huge contract for like a million dollars and absolutely stunk. He was like a batting practice pitcher after that.

He's Jose Mesa, version 2.0.

Might be OK during regular season, but don't let him close any post-season games unless the Tigers have a 5 run + lead!

I've seen enough UGH

I rest my case!

It was U-G-L-Y again tonight!

I retract my earlier statement----get rid of him!

oldhometown quoting oldhometown:

He's Jose Mesa, version 2.0. Might be OK during regular season, but don't let him close any post-season games unless the Tigers have a 5 run + lead!

ESPN: Tigers 6, Yankees 4

Detroit was coasting to a 4-0 win before the Yankees rocked Tigers closer Jose Valverde in the ninth. Three batters after Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run homer off Valverde to cut the Yankees' deficit in half, Ibanez connected for his second tying drive of this postseason, a two-run shot to right-center.

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Leyland needs to leave this guy off any potential World Series roster. The Tigers seriously need to rely on someone else. ANYONE else. I can't take this shit for the rest of the post-season....

Guy makes millions of dollars and all he has to do is get 3 outs. I did some screamin at the TV the last few games.

oldhometown's May 29th prophecy should go down in the Toledo Talk Hall of Fame. Good foresight!

You're not thinking long term. He put Valverde in to force extra innings, knowing the Yankees have played a lot of extra ball, and wore down Jeter's ankle to the point of shattering. See? Long term plan.

Or Valverde is not good at throwing baseballs and Leyland almost cost himself a job.

Leyland gave him one last chance to show anything. Best to do it in the first game and not the 5th or 6th. We won't see him again. Tigers have 4 pitchers who can Finnish the 9th. Maybe not as a true closer - but they can get through the 9th.

No way he pitches again this series. Closer by committe the rest of the way

Agreed. I did feel sorry for him...if you saw the shot of him walking through the dugout into the tunnel leading to the locker rooms. That is a lot of pressure. I am sure he did not want to let down his team mates.

leland did something very important however. by going back to valverde again last night after the previous meltdown, he told every person on the tigers roster that he is behind them - he still has the clubhouse. now, yes, he can do as hoops says and close by committee and with the committee he can have a shorter leash... pull a pitcher who is not "on."

fielder's contribution of chatting everyone up and laughing and keeping people loose should be noted as well. cabrerra needs to remain engaged with prince and not feel too compelled to prove his "triple-crown" status.

OHT - i generally agree with keeping him off the roster but i might keep him on to pitch middle relief innings if we are getting blown out - a team always needs that pitcher on staff. give him a chance to work some so the last taste in his mouth is not those two blown saves. tigers need to salvage some value for him next year.

I think Cabrerra was just releasing the frustration everyone was feeling. Wasn't really that big of thing. As for proving his triple crown status....the message I got from the articles I read (numerous) was that Cabrerra was always more about the team, and was apologetic about the distraction it was causing. Guys a gamer!

Valverde is throwing 90 mph fastballs belt-high with no movement. He needs to be left off the World Series roster and the Tigers need to add Villareal in his place.

No way Tigers can trust Jose Valverde with ninth inning again

Tigers can't afford to let Jose Valverde close anymore

In Game 4 against the A's, the Tigers led 3 to 1, going to the bottom of the 9th. The A's scored three runs off Valverde to win the game. After the loss, Valverde said, "This is the toughest moment in my whole career. I had everything. These guys hit it. There's nothing I can do."

Because Valverde could not close Game 4 against the A's, it meant Verlander pitched Game 5 against Oakland instead of Game 1 against New York. The Tigers have a fine group of starting pitchers, but it's ideal if the ace could start Game 1 of a series.

Possible starting pitching lineups for rest of series:

Game 2, Sun, Oct 14
DET: A. Sanchez
NYY: H. Kuroda

Game 3, Tue, Oct 16
NYY: P. Hughes
DET: J. Verlander

Game 4, Wed, Oct 17
NYY: C. Sabathia
DET: M. Scherzer

Game 5, Thu, Oct 18
NYY: A. Pettitte
DET: D. Fister

Game 6, Sat, Oct 20
DET: A. Sanchez
NYY: H. Kuroda

Game 7, Sun, Oct 21
DET: J. Verlander
NYY: C. Sabathia

I watch the games on TV, but I mute the sound and listen to Price and Dickerson call the game. For sometime now Price has been pointing out that Valverde, for whatever reason, rarely uses his splitter anymore, and that the hitters are teeing off on his fastball. In the last few weeks, interestingly, Price has indicated Leyland is now calling his pitches from the dugout, via the catcher. It sure looks like Valverde either can't throw a decent splitter anymore, or more likely Valverde is going to throw what ever pitches he feels like throwing. In either case he has to go at this point.

I agree with a lot of the comments above. I feel for Valverde, he's a professional who wants to succeed and Leyland had to use him period. If you do not put your closer in at that stage you basically stated you have no closer for the rest of the ALCS and potential WS. (Now that is a truism but the process had to work itself out)

I've been a fan of Detroit sports for over a quarter century. Had they lost that game last night that would have been the most demoralizing loss in Detroit history despite it being only game one of a seven game series. I have to believe the God's are on the Tiger's side now.

And in truth - that game was a back breaker for the Yankees.

You folks might want to read Mitch Alboms' article: http://www.freep.com/article/20121014/COL01/121014002/Mitch-Albom-No-way-Tigers-can-trust-Valverde-ninth-again?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Sports

....that game was a back breaker for the Yankees.

Well...it certainly was an ankle breaker.

I don't count anyone out at the first game...especially since the 2004 Red Sox came back from 3 devastating losses to win 4 straight in the ALCS. And the Yankees, even without Jeter, are still a dangerous lineup.

Baseball. Still love it. Still 10 years old when I watch.

Sorry, jr. already posted the link!

i'd read that article if weren't by mitch albom

Anyone know a way to watch the Tigers this round without cable tv (and going to a bar...)?

mlb.tv $5 for the AL playoff-you can watch 4 camera angles at once

How are the camera angles on that? I've heard it is not as good at the tv broadcast.

They're ok. It's not a broadcast feed, but it is pretty easy to follow. It's still a great alternative to cable

I watched the game with another Tiger fan. He told me Valverde was going to blow it and he DID! This guy is an imposter as a closer. For what were paying him we should get better, MUCH better! Why cant we find another Cuban Missle like the Reds did in Alrodis Chapman. Why Vaverde?

Why cant we find another Cuban Missle like the Reds did in Alrodis Chapman[?]

As much as I'd like to...

1.) It's a little hard to scout Cuba at the moment.
2.) Arms that can tear off 25 consecutive 100 MPH pitches (including a 105 MPH pitch!) don't exactly come along every year...decade....century....

Phil Coke did fine yesterday. Might not need a closer until Wednesday.

The Tigers had a chance to sign Alrodis Chapman but passed on the opportunity. I think the Tigers will either go with Al Alburquerque or Octavio Dotel as their closer. Dotel would be the safe pick out of the 2 with all of his years of experience. Al has been dominate lately but he could falter under pressure like last year against Texas. I just hope the win it all this year! GO TIGERS!!!!!

I just hung a picture of Jose Valverde on my office door...........now it won't close

There's a reason (besides his injury history) that Dotel hasn't been a full-time closer for a number of years.

Here are your outside options for 2013 (age is in parentheses):

Grant Balfour (35) - $4.5MM club option with a $350K buyout
Jonathan Broxton (29)
Matt Capps (29) - $6MM club option with a $250K buyout
Brandon League (30)
Ryan Madson (32) - $11MM mutual option with a $2.5MM buyout
Brett Myers (32) - $10MM vesting option with a $3MM buyout
J.J. Putz (36) - $6.5MM club option with a $1.5MM buyout
Mariano Rivera (43)
Fernando Rodney (36) - $2.5MM club option with a $250K buyout
Joakim Soria (29) - $8MM club option with a $750K buyout

There are some other FA relievers out there, but none that have closed recently or, IMO, would probably be suited for closing games.

Of the above, Mariano won't happen. The A's will pick up Balfour's option.

I think Rodney's 2012 was a fluke. But I'd expect the Rays to pick up that option. Myers option will be declined.

Soria or Broxton would be an interesting signing. It sounds like the Royals are going to decline that option (coming off of surgery)

Or go with Alburquerque.

Pretty good article from Jeff Seidel of the Detroit Free Press today re: Valverde. Quite a few good points (IMO)

http://www.freep.com/article/20121015/SPORTS02/310150171/Jeff-Seidel-Here-s-why-you-should-cheer-not-boo-Valverde