The Tigers have placed veteran lefty starter Kenny Rogers on the 15-day disabled list with left elbow inflammation.  He has only started 6 games this season for the Tigers and he is 3-2 with a 5.23 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP.  In 32.2 innings he has allowed 34 hits, walked 12 batters and whiffed 17.  The Tigers have recalled Jordan Tata to replace Rogers in the rotation.  Tata has started 11 games in AAA ball this season and he is 3-3 with a 3.29 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.  Tata has thrown 63 innings this season and he has allowed 54 hits, walked 19 batters and whiffed 30.  The Tigers really need Rogers back as this is a huge dropoff in talent to Tata. 

The Tigers have recalled Mike Hessman from the minors.  In his first game with the Tigers he was 2 for 4 with 1 run scored and 2 RBIs.  He has played in 97 games in AAA ball this season and he was 91 for 356 (.256 avg, .902 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 27 homers and 86 RBIs.  Hessman has replaced Timo Perez on the roster who has been sent back to the minors.  Perez only played in 3 games for the Tigers and he was 1 for 7 (.143 avg) with 2 runs scored.

The Tigers have placed Marcus Thames on the 15-day disabled list with a injury to his left hamstring.  He has played in 54 games this season and he is 39 for 155 (.252 avg, .807 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 11 homers and 32 RBIs.  Look for Sean Casey to play firstbase all of the time now instead of sharing.  The Tigers have recalled outfielder Timo Perez from AAA Toledo.  He has played in 91 AAA games this season and he was 120 for 373 (.322 avg, .855 OPS) with 64 runs scored, 10 homers, 48 RBIs and 7 stolen bases.  He will likely be nothing more than a bench player for the Tigers.

The Tigers have traded Roman Colon to the Royals for a player to be named later.  It’s possible that the Tigers just wanted to get rid of him because of the trouble he has caused in the minors while rehabbing from neck surgery.  He was suspended and charged with felonious assault after an incident in Toledo’s clubhouse (AAA ball).  The Tigers must not think much of him anymore as they traded him to a division foe.

Nate Robertson, Todd Jones, Fernando Rodney and Jason Grilli have all pitched pretty poorly so far this season and the Tigers need them to right the ship in the 2nd half.  Robertson is 5-6 with a 4.92 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP so far this season.  Robertson has allowed 99 hits and 11 homers this season in 82.1 innings.  If Robertson doesn’t get better soon the Tigers could replace him in the rotation with Chad Durbin who pitched pretty well earlier in the season for the Tigers.  Todd Jones is 1-4 with 22 saves, a 5.22 ERA and a 1.57 WHIP so far this season.  If Joel Zumaya wasn’t injured right now he probably would have taken over as the stopper by now.  Look for the Tigers to make a trade for bullpen help in the next couple of weeks.  Fernando Rodney has been injured off an on this season but he hasn’t pitched well at all.  Rodney is 1-5 with 1 save, a 5.40 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP so far this season.  Jason Grilli has also had a rough start to the 2007 season as he is 3-2 with a 5.95 ERA and a 1.58 WHIP so far this season. Grilli will need to pitch better soon because his roster spot will likely be on the line in the 2nd half.