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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ?

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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
adrian82 Reputation:96 Level:Superstar Since:Oct 18, 2006
	May 15, 2008 5:07 pm Score: 95
	Just wondering who the Tigers call up when Gary Sheffield goes on the DL. I see where Mike Hessman is doing well(.307,18HR, 31 RBI in 40 games) and Jeff Larrish ( .278, 11 HR, 33 RBI in 41 games ). In my opinion I would prefer Larrish as that would provide some left handed pop. It would appear that Matt Joyce is being given the job in LF and producing decent numbers in his first week in Detroit. The wild card of course would be Wilken Ramirez ( .314, 9 HR and 24 RBI in 37 games at AA). Remember he got a long look in spring training hitting .438 with 2HR and 8 RBI in eight games before injuring his shoulder diving for a ball.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
iffy48126 Reputation:93 Level:All-Star Since:Sep 8, 2007
	May 15, 2008 5:19 pm Score: 92
	I'd rather not rush Ramirez or anybody to the majors if it can be avoided. IMO, there is no use taking a chance on damaging a young player in attempt to make a bad year look better. If the Tigers are going to be cellar dwellers all year (my guess is that we will see a late season "salary drive") let's take the lumps and start over next season. As for Mike Hessman, why not? Gary Sheffield needs to be given a choice....a long stint on the DL or the door.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
kevin070 Reputation:96 Level:Superstar Since:Dec 12, 2007
	May 15, 2008 6:20 pm Score: 93
	No one seems to be willing to put the screws to Sheffield about his shoulder. Even a little leaguer can tell he is lunging at the ball because of his shoulder. Until his shoulder is healed there is no chance of him being the slugger of his past days. Leyland is giving Sheffield to much respect in waiting for him to come to him. It is on Leyland to not wait until the season is lost. Dombrowski doesn't interfere with the daily workings of the club. He does need interfere in regards to Sheffield if this farce is allowed to continue. If Sheffield's shoulder isn't healthy he doesn't play period. No other discussion should be needed. I don't think they will rush Ramirez to the bigs this year. It might get a September call up though. They have plenty of able bodies waiting in AAA Toledo: Hessman, Larrish, Clevlen, and Thomas. Although Thomas is struggling right now.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
iffy48126 Reputation:93 Level:All-Star Since:Sep 8, 2007
	May 15, 2008 7:08 pm Score: 90
	You two guys seem to have a handle on the Tiger's situation. Let me run this by you. Send Leyland to the front office and put Pudge Rodriguez in the manager's seat. A player-manager like Mickey Cochrane. Now I'm not blaming Leyland for the Tiger's problems, I like him as a manger. (Maybe he got a little too much credit for 2006 however). Yet, it is just my gut feeling that the players might respond better to a guy that is their "peer". The fact that he's already considered a team leader (and a Latino) might smooth the transition. I'll grant you that Pudge has no experience, but the Tigers could find a bench coach that could help with some of the inning by inning managing. Sort of like Alou did for Pujols a few years back. Probably too radical of an idea for Dombrowski and Illitch.....but the team has not responded to Leyland so far this season.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
adrian82 Reputation:96 Level:Superstar Since:Oct 18, 2006
	May 15, 2008 9:00 pm Score: 97
	The main problem is Pudge wants to continue playing and it may not be with the Tigers. The main issue I feel is 2006. Going from nowhere to the WS brought on the Sheffield and Cabrerra trades as opposed to building a long term team. I personally think Sheff is done and may retire as opposed to surgery. As I posted this opens the door to revamp the outfield next season by looking at some young guys like Ramirez, Joyce and the forgotten man Brent Clevlen ( now actually hitting in AAA ). Should Pudge not return and Sheff retire ( which he said he would do instead of surgery ) along with the retirement of Todd Jones and Kenny Rogers would make this a much younger team with a little more speed. As for the manager I don't really put the blame on him but rather having too many ill fitting pieces. Fortunately with decent players in AA and AAA which is Dombroski's area of expertise that of building a system like in Montreal and Florida as opposed to a New York style of an open check book policy.By the way anyone notice Luis Marte's first start since his promo to AA. 8 IP and 1 ER. Going to be interesting next spring if both Rick Porcello and or Luis Marte get a crack at the starting rotation. You have one spot opening with Kenny Rogers and maybe 2 with Dontrelle Willis.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
goblue942 Reputation:94 Level:All-Star Since:Dec 7, 2007
	May 16, 2008 9:09 pm Score: 95
	Going to be interesting next spring if both Rick Porcello and or Luis Marte get a crack at the starting rotation. You have one spot opening with Kenny Rogers and maybe 2 with Dontrelle Willis. I'm glad that Marte has been able to emerge as a top Tigers prospect this year because it will probably help slow down Porcello's ride through the minor leagues. He will still only be 20 years old next year and I think they should give him at least 2 seasons in the minors before they bring him up full time.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
tigersfan728 Reputation:94 Level:All-Star Since:Feb 21, 2008
	May 17, 2008 12:49 pm Score: 91
	Forget just the DH. We might as well bring up most of our minor leaugers to play on almost the entire field. Keep Mags and Granderson and probably Polanco, but as far as I am concerned, I don't think we would do any worse putting younger players at the other positions.
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Time to give Mike Hessman a shot at DH ? -
Papa Craig Reputation:95 Level:Superstar Since:Apr 27, 2008
	May 17, 2008 4:26 pm Score: 35
	It is time to tell Gary, "Book your reservations for Cooperstown! Your time here in Detroit is over!" When Dave Dombrowski made the deal for Sheffield, he was hoping that he would get a Magglio Ordonez injury recovery. It didn't happen. Jim Leyland has shown great loyalty to Gary Sheffield hoping that the "magic" would return. It hasn't happen. I feel that not playing will cause the clubhouse problems that this team doesn't need. It is time for Gary Sheffield " man up" and retire!!! What about this lineup: 1B-Cabrera/Hessman 2B-Polanco SS-Renteria/Guillen 3B-Guillen, Inge LF-Thames/Joyce/Raburn/Thomas CF-Granderson RF-Ordonez, C-Rodriguez/Inge DH-Thames/Hessman/Guillen/Cabrera/G uillen What do you think?
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