Maroth hits DL

[Steve Buffum]

Maroth's sparkling three-homer inning in KC was the
precursor for him hitting the DL:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2459516

Maroth was never Super Dominant or anything, but this
could have serious repercussions on Detroit's long-term
success if he's out for anything more than three weeks.
I don't think they have anyone to step in who isn't
Plain Bad or a Chancy Yoot. (They called up Chris
Spurling, who is a reliever and not a replacement for
Maroth: my guess is that Zumaya gets a couple starts.)

[ACrank]

They won't take Zumaya out of the pen - he wants to stay there and is better suited for the pen. (I caught the Yankees/Tigers game that Verlander started and Zumaya came in to relief - Zumaya wearing #54 looked like Goose Gossage's long lost son. Zumaya is built for the pen.)

Here is a name to remember: Humberto Sanchez.

[swerb]

I saw that game too Crank. Zumaya is nasty. I've had a chance to see him throw 4-5 times this year, and have come away very impressed each time.

He and Fernando Rodney could be a potent back end of the bullie for them for the next 3-4 years.

[ACrank]

I got a lot of chances to see Zumaya the last couple of years - and a few chances to see Verlander last year. You couldn't see two different pitchers - Verlander is probably the hardest thrower i have ever seen with a minimal amount of effort - throwing 95-97 without any effort at all, and hitting 100+ without breaking a sweat. Zumaya, on the other hand, grunted with each pitch similar to that female tennis player.

I had a feeling seeing Zumaya pitch early last year that he was better suited for the pen - he was never that hot with his secondary pitches and seemed to get hit the second or third time thru the lineup. Give him credit tho - he could hang in and pitch 6-7 innings and sitll hit 95-97 on occasion.

I've heard some speculation that the Tigers might call up Humberto Sanchez to replace Maroth at some point during the year. When you guys see him you will shake your head at the young pitching the Tigers have. Dombrowski must know something about what he is doing - LOL.