Being a minor leaguer may force Mantei to retire...

[Fishercat]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/5356920

Reliever Matt Mantei, trying out for the Tigers as a non-roster invitee, says he'll retire if he can't stick with a major-league team. Mantei, 32, says he changed his workouts and throwing mechanics in his latest attempt to stay healthy. If all goes well, he could emerge as closer Todd Jones' setup man. That's a big "if," but true to form, Mantei is throwing hard in early workouts . . .

Mantei had the speed in Boston's camp a little while ago, and I had high hopes for him after a somewhat erratic hard-throwing Williamson had success in Boston, but it never seemed to click up here. I still thinks he has the stuff, but his control is still a problem as is his pesky injury history. Leyland has some choices to make. He's already given center to Granderson and made Rogers the Game 1 starter, but how he handles the bullpen with some scary arms (Percy if he plays, Mantei, Todd Jones) and the offense may make the difference between 10 games back of Minnesota and 12.

[RockSports17]

Mantei's pitching problems in Boston were caused from a broken ankle. It's pretty much been known that Mantei either stays healthy and plays, or he retires. Det. will probably be his last stop. But I have faith in Leyland, because Leyland knowns Mantei from the Florida days. Mantei is comfortable with Leyland and knows that Leyland won't overwork him.

Leyland already gave Granderson center? Where's the article or proof on that? Actually it's between Granderson and Nook Logan.

You can't base a bullpen on just three pitchers, yah all three that you named are old, and possibly have "scary arms." If I remember correctly, Leyland says he's going to have some depth in the bullpen. Todd Jones is primed to have a nice season. We also have Jamie Walker, Franklyn German, Fernando Rodney, Chris Spurling, Ledezma, Roman Colon, etc.

As for our offense, it was inconsistent last season. But inconsistency is something you can build off of and make it more consistent. We can possibly have a healthy Magglio. We have Monroe out there. Brandon Inge and Chris Shelton are primed to have bigger seasons. You have Placido at 2b with Guillen at SS. You have Pudge at Catcher. Pena & Thames on the bench. The offense is fine, as long as they stay healthy and consistent. Which I think they will this season. We're primed to have a big season in Det. if outsiders believe it or not.

[Fishercat]

Mantei's had injury problem for ages. And while the ankle ended his season, it wasn't because of the ankle he sucked beforehand. His arm simpyl isn't doing well.

I misread the Detroit Free Press article on CF. He just wants the CF etched in stone, and when I saw Rotoworld's name of Granderson at the top, I assumed. My bad.

I said the bullpen has some scary arms. I never said there weren't some good ones. It should be a good bullpen if German and Rodney and such keep it up.

There's no indication that Inge will improve. He's never been anything more than an average hitter, and while he could get better, his stats don't indicate much of anything due to a lack of data. 108 OPS+ in 2004, 100 in an extended 2005.

I'll believe this big season when I see it. I'll believe it if Bonderman can actually get his stuff together and be this elite pitcher everyone expect, and if Ordonez actually comes back, if the hitters and pen keep it up, etc.

[RockSports17]

Mantei has had arm problems, but he was a really good pitcher when Leyland was his manager. Leyland knows how to use pitchers very well, and it's half the reason Mantei decided to sign for less money with Det. than some other teams offered him.

Really, I expect great things out of our young arms this year. Bonderman, German, everyone. Chuchk Hernandez is one hell of a pitching coach, and he's been working hard to get these pitchers improved.

You can pull out all the stats you want, but watch the games. Inge at his best has the ability to be an all star. It's his inconsistency that's a problem, something that I hope he gets together.

I believe in the Tigers, I see how they've changed their attitude. Leyland has been doing some good things while in that clubhouse. I hope everybody can stay healthy on the Tigers. I'll keep my optimism until a reason comes by and shows me that these Tigers are same old Tigers.

[Fishercat]

We'll see, I'll buy it when I see that they can be better than the defending WS champs, the best young team (IMO) in the AL, and maybe even the Twinkies.

Inge was inconsistant...if you believe that declining for four months straight, improving, then dropping again is inconsistant. It may be, but a .350 point drop in OPS from April to July isn't so much inconsistancy rather than two extremes to a mean of an average hitter.

I'll believe it when I see it. The one real hope for the Tigers is that their hitters will all be healthy and all will perform. No mid-season switches, 500 ABs+ from each of them.

I'll see if their SPs improve, because every single one was mediocre at best last year.

[RockSports17]

Stats are overrated, because stats can't cover the bright spots you see in players. The bright spots that tell you that there is a lot more to that player. The bright spots I see in Inge, Thames, Shelton, Ledezma, etc.

I'm not a huge stats person, it's baseball, yes I know. But I much rather say, "So and so is going to have a good season", then "Statistics show that Inge is average at best." Really, how depressing is the latter statement. I much rather have optimism that there is a better player in Inge then perhaps some stat shows.

Maybe we won't be better than White Sox or Twins, but we'll surely beat them. It's all matter of luck, timing, and talent. Tigers surely have the talent, hopefully lucky and time fall their way this season.

You look at the Tigers last season, and saw mediocre at best starting pitchers. I watched the Tigers last season, and saw some bright spots in the pitchers that point that they'll be better.

Don't look at the glass half empty, look at it half full. Don't let statistics determine what you think. Have some optimism, and some enjoyment in one of the best games in the United states.........baseball.

[realmofotalk]

Mantei has had arm problems, but he was a really good pitcher when Leyland was his manager. Leyland knows how to use pitchers very well, and it's half the reason Mantei decided to sign for less money with Det. than some other teams offered him.

Mantei had one good season with Leyland, but Mantei took off after Leyland left and John Boles appointed Mantei as the full-time closer before he was traded to Arizona.

[RockSports17]

Well, Leyland gave Mantei his first opportunity is what I'm hearing.