Every March since 2004, Detroit Tigers’ pitcher Jeremy Bonderman has been primed for a breakout season. While the Tigers are sharpening their skills in Lakeland, that conversation takes place and you can set your watch by it. However this breakout season has never materialized, and now I believe that it never will.
While Bonderman has never shown much emotion on the field, last night he looked absolutely disinterested. After giving up four earned runs in the first inning, something that has been common throughout his career, Bonderman looked as if he would rather be at the dentist office than on the mound in Kansas City.
In 2002 Bonderman was the player to be named later in a three-player trade between the Tigers, Oakland and the Yankees, the trade that took Jeff Weaver to New York. He debuted for the Tigers at age 20 in 2003 and went 6-19, he sat out the last week of the season to avoid losing twenty games.
While some feel that he was rushed to the majors, Detroit was looking for any answer to salvage a dismal season. In 2004 Bonderman posted an 11-13, at 22 years old and coming off a losing season he was named opening day starter in 2005 going 14-13 for the season.
In 2006 Bonderman went 14-8 but is most remembered for his brilliant performance in game four of the ALDS versus the Yankees, he rode that game into a four-year $38 million contract extension. Since that extension he is 21-23 appearing in only twenty games in the 2008-2009 seasons combined.
A blood clot in 2008 and shoulder trouble in 2009 cut short both seasons. Bonderman has lost about six miles per hour off his fastball and doesn’t seem interested to become a finesse pitcher, as a lot of pitchers in the past have done.
There have even been grumblings of retirement, as it appears that if Bonderman cannot be the power pitcher that he once was he would rather not pitch at all. In reality he has only had over 200 strikeouts once in his career (202 in 2006) his next highest strikeout total is 168 in 2004, not exactly power pitcher numbers.
Bonderman was quoted as saying, “The game has become more like a job, and I would rather spend time with my family in Washington.”
The Tigers need to cut ties with Bonderman as soon as possible; he is not doing anything for the organization especially the young pitchers like Rick Porcello, Ryan Perry and Daniel Schlereth.
This total look of discontent has been around for some time but last night he looked like someone who hated his job. Let’s mark this as a bad investment, Bonderman is 66-76 as a Tiger, and make room for people that want to pitch in the major leagues.
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