Pitchers: Al Alburquerque, Collin Balester, Duane Below, Joaquin Benoit, Phil Coke, Casey Crosby, Octavio Dotel, Doug Fister, Matt Hoffman, Luis Marte, Andrew Oliver, Jose Ortega, David Pauley, Rick Porcello, Max Scherzer, Daniel Schlereth, Tyler Stohr, Jacob Turner, Jose Valverde, Justin Verlander, Brayan Villarreal, Adam Wilk.

DETROIT -- When a team goes out and signs one of the top free agents on the market like slugger Prince Fielder, it's no wonder that's all anyone wants to talk about. But the Detroit Tigers wouldn't have won the American League Central Division last season without the spectacular pitching of Justin Verlander in the rotation and of Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit out...

Detroit -- When a team goes out and signs one of the top free agents on the market in slugger Prince Fielder, it's no wonder that's all anyone wants to talk about. But the Detroit Tigers would not have won the American League Central Division last season without the spectacular pitching of Justin Verlander in the rotation and of Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit out of the...

All general managers have strengths and weaknesses, some of which are easier to observe than others. When it comes to the Diamondbacks’ Kevin Towers, the ability to construct a solid bullpen without breaking the bank is clearly the feather in his cap. Towers first worked that magic during his 15-year tenure with the Padres, before bringing it with him to Arizona in September...

It's no secret that the Tigers are looking for a veteran reliever to pitch the seventh inning setting up Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde.  They have been linked to Octavio Dotel and Luis Ayala over the last few days.  The list of free agent relievers is long though, so we can probably expect more names to show up in coming days. In a recent post, I introduced the shutdown ...

The Detroit Tigers have been treading water so far this offseason, watching the market, waiting for their moment. It’s time to get busy. Last year the Tigers had an opportunity to bring in a few substantial free agents to attempt reaching the next level, and they did. Adding Victor Martinez and Joaquin Benoit were two huge reasons why the Tigers came within 2 games of the World...

That last loss, 15-5 to the Texas Rangers, has really soured my outlook on what this team was able to do during the 2011 regular season. I said it all year that they were a flawed tam, and all of those flaws came to be in one inning in Texas. Otherwise this was a great year for the Detroit Tigers, and they finally have a young core of talent from which to build around. In the end...

Miguel Cabrera is nominated for best everyday player, Justin Verlander for starting pitcher, Joaquin Benoit for setup man and Jose Valverde for closer in the 2011 GIBBY Awards. Fans can vote until Dec. 4.

As most people around baseball probably suspected, the Detroit Tigers finally succumbed to the Texas Rangers in Game 6 of the ALCS on Saturday night. A 15-5 series clinching blowout by Texas leaves Tiger players, management, and fans with a bitter taste in their mouths that will last for a good 4 months, until pitchers and catchers report to Lakeland, Florida yet again. Joaquin Benoit...

I was prepared for lots of Tigers winning scenarios tonight.  I saw the good Max Scherzer showing up.  I envisioned the Tigers bats picking up where they left off in game five.  I pictured scoreless innings by Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde with Valverde dancing after the last out.  At the same time, I was prepared for plenty of bad scenarios.  Most of them involved a tight game and a heart

Going into the game last night there was a collective feeling of cautious optimism enveloping Tiger town.  While we knew that our Detroit Tigers would have Justin Verlander at the helm, we also knew that we were going into the game down 3-1 to the Texas Rangers.  Jim Leyland also declared that Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit were inactive for the game so he was really going toÂ...

Manager Jim Leyland is a man of his word. He said he wasn't going to use his best two relievers, Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit, Thursday even though the Tigers were facing elimination in the American League Championship Series. Leyland knew it was a gamble, but he also knew it was the right thing to do.

Down three games to one, the Tigers had their second "must win" game of the playoffs today.  They had their ace pitcher Justin Verlander on the mound, but their two top relievers Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde were unavailable after pitching three straight days including two innings apiece in last night's loss.  So it wasn't going to be easy. Verlander was not his...

Score and situation: With their season hanging in the balance, the Detroit Tigers used a big sixth inning to beat the Texas Rangers 7-5 in Game 5 of the ALCS. Right-hander Justin Verlander benefited from a 5-3 double play after the Rangers had loaded the bases in the top of the sixth, and Miguel Cabrera lined a double off the third-base bag to key Detroit's four-run rally in...

Phil Coke is the Tigers' go-to reliever Thursday, with Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde unavailable for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland says relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit won't pitch in Thursday's fifth game of the AL championship series.

With manager Jim Leyland ruling out both closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit after three straight days of pitching, the only opponent that's going to knock Justin Verlander out of Game 5 in the ALCS is his own pitch count.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland says relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit won't pitch in Thursday's fifth game of the AL championship series.

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland detailed that relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit are unavailable for Thursday's Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Texas Rangers. Both hurlers have pitched three consecutive days, the veteran manager reasoned. Valverde pitched 4 1/3 innings over that span, and took the loss in Wednesday's 7-3 setback...

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland announced that closer Jose Valverde and setup man Joaquin Benoit will not be available out of the bullpen Thursday in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against the Texas Rangers.

The Detroit Tigers will be a few arms short in the bullpen for Game 5 of the American League Championship Series against Texas, as both Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit will be unavailable.

The Tigers will not use Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde this afternoon. It looks like Justin Verlander needs to go the distance against Texas. No pressure there.

DETROIT (AP) -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland says relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit won't pitch in Thursday's fifth game of the AL championship series.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland says relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit won't pitch in Thursday's fifth game of the AL championship series. Detroit trails the Texas Rangers 3-1 in the ALCS but sends ace Justin Verlander to the mound for Game 5. Leyland says he hopes the Tigers can make it through this game using just Verlander and reliever Phil Coke. Valverde, Detroit...

DETROIT (AP) -- Tigers manager Jim Leyland says relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit won't pitch in Thursday's fifth game of the AL championship series.