Outfielders Report

As we continue are good, the bad, and the ugly series. We'll start off taking a closer look at the Detroit Tigers outfield during the 2009 season.

It's been a group of players that had the opportunity to showcase their skills during the 09 campaign.

Not two outfielders are the same on the Tigers. Many of these players bring a different set of skills when it comes to the game of baseball.

We're going to look at their current numbers, ages, 2009 salaries, projected stats, analysis based on their play and finally I am going to give them a grade on their season thus far.

(Note: grades will be based on expectations most experts had at the beginning of the season.)

The Good

Curtis Granderson (Age 28) 2009 Salary (3.5 Million)
Current 09 Stats .267 AVG 14 HR 37 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .267 AVG 38 HR 100 RBI

Granderson has manned the center field position for the Tigers the past three seasons. He continues to improve as a player as he is about to head into his prime years of his career. This season he has really improved on his power numbers from past seasons and is on pace to break his record for homers in a season (23) and rbi's (74) which he put together back in the 2007 season. Granderson has been a true backbone of this team willing to due whatever is necessary for team success. This year manager Jim Leyland has moved Granderson around in the lineup with him batting third, fifth, sixth, and of course leadoff. Leyland has never tried to hide the fact that he sees Granderson as a prototypical number three hitter in the lineup. The only problem is right now the Tigers don't have a leadoff hitter and Granderson is their best bet until they find one.

Glaring stats-only batting .223 at home and .227 during day games. Granderson only has two triples this season. Back in 2007 he collected 23 three baggers and tallie up 13 last year. No errors through 59 games this season. Ranks ninth in the American League (AL) in home runs.

Grade: A-. The reason for this grade is Granderson has been stellar in the outfield this season and has produced terrific power numbers. Granderson needs to continue to improve his batting average in an effort to get it near .280. as well as his hitting against left handed pitchers. Granderson has come a long way from his days of playing college ball at the University of Illinois-Chicago. The Tigers will need him to continue to play well in hopes of returning to the playoffs in the 2009 season.

Clete Thomas (Age 25) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Current 09 stats .237 AVG 4 HR 17 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .237 AVG 16 HR 70 RBI

Thomas has been a solid contributor to the Tigers team this season both offensively and defensively. No hit was bigger for him in his career than his grand slam against the Los Angles Angels on June 7 which powered the Tigers to a much needed series victory. Defensively Thomas has the best arm in the outfield on the team showing both strength and accuracy. He also runs the bases well, can lay down a bunt, and can spray the ball all over the field. He will be a solid backup outfielder at worst for the Tigers for years to come. If he can stay out of hitting slumps, Thomas could start for the Tigers on a consistent basis starting next season.

Glaring stats- On May 11 he was batting .306 and after last night's game on June 10 he stands at .245. Thomas has a better batting average versus left handed pitchers at .259 compared to his .241 average versus right handers. Not a usual statistic to see for a left handed batter.

Grade: B. Thomas has had a solid second year season with the Tigers. Thomas has to consistently get better at the plate and continue to make adjustments throughout the second half of the season. He brings versatility in the outfielder and youthfulness something Magglio Ordonez nor Carlos Guillen have.

Josh Anderson (Age 26) 2009 Salary (400,000)
Current 09 stats .252 AVG 0 HR 10 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .252 AVG 0 HR 32 RBI

Anderson has been a nice pickup at the start of the season from the Braves. Anderson is undoubtedly the best base stealer on the team. Right there with Thomas and Granderson as the best base runners on the squad as well. Anderson is a versatile player who has a lot of tools to help manufacture runs. He can bunt, run, and as we have talked about steal.

Glaring stats- Anderson's next steal this year which will be number 11, will be his career high in a season. His average has dropped from .341 on April 29 to .252 now. Anderson is batting .421 in day games in 36 at bats this season.

Grade: C. Anderson still has a long ways to go in order to be a consistent everyday player. Anderson fits the mold of a leadoff hitter but doesn't quite have the tools yet to be a successful one.

Ryan Raburn (Age 28) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Current 09 stats .229 AVG 3 HR 13 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .229 AVG 14 HR 60 RBI

Raburn has the most power at the plate of the three backup outfielders (Anderson and Thomas) but he has the less range in the outfield than those two. So as a result Raburn is not as dependable in the outfield. Raburn does one thing they can't do. That is play multiple positions in the infield. Raburn could play every position there if need be including first base, second base, shortstop, third base, and catcher's role.

Glaring stats- All of Raburn's three home runs have come against left-handed pitchers. Raburn batted .300 in the month of May in 40 at bats.

Grade: C. He has been relegated to a utility player in the major leagues. He just has to take advantage of every opportunity he gets and make the most of it. It appears that if Guillen comes back? Yes that is a big if. Raburn would be the likely one to get sent down to Triple-A Toledo.

The Bad

Magglio Ordonez (Age 35) 2009 Salary (18.97 Million)
Current 09 stats .279 AVG 2 HR 21 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .279 AVG 6 HR 62 RBI

It's been a disappointing season for Ordonez thus far especially for a player who is nearly making 19 million during the 2009 season. The power numbers stick it like a sore thumb. Ordonez is a player who has hit 20+ home runs eight times and hit 100 rbi's seven times during his career. He is not on pace to do either of those this season, a year in which he will make more money than any other previous one during his 12 years of Major League Baseball (MLB). He did have a 16-game hitting streak going in the month of May. That showed some signs of improvement, although during that same streak Ordonez failed to hit a home run.

Glaring stats- His average has jumped from .241 on April 29 to .279 now. Ordonez hit .315 in the month of May but did not hit a home run. Has not hit a home run since April 27.

Grade: D+. This is based on his power numbers in combination with the amount of money he is making this season. He has not lived up to that money so far. Tigers fans must hope Ordonez finds his groove as the summer months arrive. They will need him if the Tigers have any chance of making some noise come October.

Marcus Thames (Age 32) 2009 Salary (2.3 Million)
Current 09 stats .297 AVG 1 HR 3 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .297 AVG 10 HR 29 RBI

This season has been a tough one for Thames. He has only played in 11 games and missed seven weeks of baseball due to a rib injury in which he sustained in mid-April. This injury came after the announcement that the Tigers were letting longtime designated hitter Gary Sheffield go. Thames had to think it was his season to breakout with finally collecting 500 at bats and having a chance to hit 30 home runs on top of possibly driving in 100 runs. Then he got injured.

Glaring stats-Thames has only played one game in the outfield this season. Has played in five straight games since coming of the disabled list. Thames is batting .375 during home games this season.

Grade: D. During a year where the Tigers were ready to depend on Thames, he hasn't produced. Thames will get an opportunity to produce numbers throughout the summer. Will it be enough for him to come back another year with the Tigers? He is a free agent this offseason.

The Ugly

Carlos Guillen (Age 33) 2009 Salary (10 Million)
Current 09 stats .200 AVG 0 HR 6 RBI
Projected Season Numbers .200 AVG 0 HR 32 RBI

Currently Guillen is on the disabled list. An all too friendly place for Guillen's career. Tigers head athletic trainer Kevin Rand and Jim Leyland do not know when Guillen will be back. They have moved on from him defensively. They are clearly missing his bat though. A career .288 hitter who has hit 19+ home runs and 80+ rbi's three times in a Tigers uniform

Glaring stats-In 90 at bats this season Guillen has yet to hit a home run. At home this season Guillen is batting .136. Has not played since May 4.

Grade: F. Forget Ordonez and Thames, Guillen has had the most disappointing seasons among them. Before the season it was announced Guillen would play left field. Many people were skeptical, he had a lot of critics to prove wrong, and has yet to prove anything other than the fact he is injury prone. His career could possibly be coming to an end due to injury problems. We'll see when and if Guillen can come back to the Tigers lineup this year.

In Minors

Wilkin Ramirez (Age 23) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Current 09 stats .333 AVG 1 HR 1 RBI
Numbers in the Minors .275 AVG 6 HR 18 RBI

Ramirez made a brief appearance with the Tigers this season back on May 20 against the Texas Rangers. In his third big league at bat, Ramirez hit his first MLB home run. Currently he is playing in Triple-A with the Toledo Mudhens. Ramirez is a player who has the capability of being a five tool player. Meaning he can excel at hitting for average, hitting for power, baserunning skills and speed, throwing ability, and fielding abilities.

Ramirez has also stolen 18 bases in 43 games with the Toledo Mudhens. He will bring great speed to an outfield when he becomes an everyday MLB and base stealing threat to every big league pitcher out there. Ramirez must cut down on his strikeouts though. Right now in my mind Ramirez is the No.1 prospect in the Detroit Tigers organization. I the Tigers look to pick up a big name player at the trade deadline this year, look for Ramirez to packaged in because many teams will be interested in talking then.

Brent Clevlen (Age 25) 2009 Salary (league minimum)
Numbers in the Minors .250 AVG 5 HR 20 RBI

Clevlen is currently with the Toledo Mudhens and has played for them during the entire 2009 season. Clevlen has had three separate stints with the Detroit Tigers ranging from the 2006-2008 seasons. Clevlen excelled in limited at bats back in 2006 but due to inconsistency he could never stay up with the big league club. In his career he has compiled 73 big league plate appearances in 55 games. Clevlen has always been great in the outfield and has an arm on the same level as Clete Thomas. Although he has struggled with slump after slump at the plate. Clevlen may be best suited for a change of scenery with a fresh start with a new MLB team. He may get that chance during the trade deadline this year.