Wednesday Walewanders

I certainly expected to get some work done while up north this week but I didn’t expect to get this much work done. It’s been cold and rainy since I got here. The weather conditions require me to serve up The Walewanders from a study room here in the Charlevoix Public Library.

• So Aquilino Lopez is headed to the rotation eventually? I like the idea; he’s been reliable out of the bullpen this year: 2-1, 2.67 and 24 strikeouts, and he appears to have a rubber arm. If the Tigers claw back into the race, as they appear to be doing, it would be nice to have pitching help from within the organization and not have to make deadline deal. We’ll have to keep an eye on the Toledo box scores to see how Lopez fares at Triple-A.

• If you had to choose the two Tigers bloggers least likely to meet up for a cup of coffee, chances are you’d select yours truly and Kurt from Mack Avenue Tigers. What are the chances a guy from Arizona and a guy the U.P. would cross paths? But that’s what happened on Sunday in a (the?) Marquette Starbucks. ‘Twas great meeting Kurt in person. If you get a chance to meet him, do!

• Last week I brought up the name Kevin Ritz and how he was the last Tigers pitcher — in my memory, at least — to mirror Dontrelle Willis‘ wildness against the Indians. Ends up I was right.
  

  And according to Elias, only one other starting pitcher in the past 20 years has had more walks than outs in two of his first four starts in any season. That was another Tiger — Kevin Ritz — in 1990.

  If you’re curious about how much money Ritz made in his nine seasons (four in Detroit, five in Colorado), how’s this? $10,663,223. Not bad for a guy whose career numbers include 45-56 record and a 5.35 ERA.

• If you scratched your head when the Tigers signed Casey Fossum this spring, you weren’t alone. Now, though, it appears this gamble may payoff. Lynn Henning thinks Fossum is the answer for the five-slot in the rotation.

  Seems unbelievable that the Tigers rotation next month could feature Justin Verlander, Kenny Rogers, Nate Robertson, Armando Galarraga and Fossum. And, they could be in the hunt. (Let’s not forget the aforementioned Lopez — or maybe even Freddy Garcia. Bizarro.)

• Speaking of Freddy Garcia, if the Tigers pick him up he’d be the second Freddy on the club…presuming F. Dolsi sticks. I need to see when the last time two Freddy’s played for the Tigers at the same time. Stand by.

Hey, I see blue sky outside. I better take advantage…