--RHP Fernando Rodney was not impressive in his first four winter league appearances, not a good sign because the Tigers are in need of a closer. Rodney, who will be 32 in March, had an 8.10 ERA covering 3 1/3 innings with one save in his first four games for Escogido of the Dominican Winter League. Detroit looked for Rodney to close last year when RHP Todd Jones was hurt, but he was inconsistent, at best. Rodney has posted 4.26 and 4.91 ERAs the last two seasons. His changeup is one of the best in baseball, but his fastball is inconsistent.
--LF Carlos Guillen apparently has his bad back in shape after it forced him out of the last month of last season. Guillen, 33, slated to be the Tigers' starting left fielder this year, recently appeared in four games with Navegantes del Magallanes of the Venezuelan Winter League, going 5-for-16 (.313) with two home runs and six RBI while playing left field and shortstop. He is not scheduled for much more action but might play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic this spring. He opened last season at first, switched to third, played a couple of games in left and was shut down in August because of his sore back. He played only 113 games, hitting 10 home runs and driving in 54 runs. His batting average was .286, a decline for the second consecutive season. --CF Curtis Granderson is progressing in his goal to get his strikeout total down to size. Granderson fanned 174 times in his first full season in the majors but cut that total to 141 two years ago. He missed the first month of the 2008 season because of a broken finger and had a chance to keep his whiff total to less than 100 until a late season slump caused him to boost his strikeouts to 111 and miss a .300 batting average. Granderson still is expected to lead off for the Tigers this year.
--RHP Zach Miner should find out in spring training whether he will be a starter or a relief pitcher with Detroit this season. Miner opened last year in the bullpen but finished in the rotation after injuries and ineffectiveness hit the Tigers' starters. He prefers to start, but the figures show roughly the same results. In 13 starts last year he had a 4.30 ERA, while his ERA for 33 relief appearances was 4.23. He gave up 77 hits in 73 1/3 innings as a starter and 41 in 44 2/3 innings out of the bullpen. Miner believes he can use more of his pitches when he starts.
--DH Gary Sheffield will reach the 500 mark when he hits his first home run of the 2009 season. Sheffield finished with a rush to reach 499 before the end of last season. He ranks sixth among active players (those who appeared in a game last season) and 25th on the all-time list. He could move up five or six places on the all-time list this year.
--CF Kyle Peter has put himself on the Detroit prospect list. Peter, who will be 23 when spring training starts, elevated his status with a strong Hawaii Winter Baseball season, batting .370. He also stole eight bases and walked eight times for a .416 on-base percentage. The 6-foot-2 Peter was a 34th-round draft choice out of Washburn University in 2007, so last season was his first full year as a pro. He hit .263 for low Class A West Michigan but stole 42 bases and kept improving as a hitter throughout the season. Players drafted in Peter's range typically are organizational players, but he has worked hard and projects as a possible major-leaguer.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1 -- Home runs needed by Detroit DH Gary Sheffield to become the 25th player in major league history to reach 500 for his career.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "He's a free agent in a year. You know he's driven to be successful and do whatever he can." -- General manager Dave Dombrowski on why he thinks RHP Fernando Rodney, who might end up as the Tigers' closer, will have a good 2009 season.
