Scenery changed, Rogers rejuvenated
Kenny Rogers didn't make the snap judgment on Detroit that many free agents do. He hopes the fans in Detroit can do the same when looking at him.
The Tigers introduced their newest starting pitcher via conference call with local writers on Monday afternoon after agreeing to terms with Rogers on a two-year, $16 million contract on Thursday. He did not try to run from his past, nor would he characterize his new deal as a fresh start after his last season in Texas was marked by contract talk and a confrontation with a television cameraman. Instead, he thanked the Tigers for looking at his career as a whole rather than one incident.
"On the field, everyone knows what I'm all about," Rogers said. "That hasn't changed, nor will it ever change. I don't apologize for being the type of guy I am. I have many quirks, without a doubt. I would hope people would get to know me, see what I'm all about, see what type of person I am and make their own decisions. That's what I try to do."
What the Tigers saw was one of the better track records available on the free agent market. Rogers' 14-8 record last season earned him his 13th double-digit win season in his 17-year career. His 190 victories rank him 11th among active Major League pitchers. He's coming off the lowest ERA (3.46) in seven years and the third-lowest WHIP ratio (1.32) of his career.
The flip side of that track record, of course, is that he's 41 years old. Given Rogers' recent stats and his reputation for work ethic, the Tigers believe he has something left.
"I think what everybody is missing, the point here, is Kenny Rogers made the All-Star team in the American League," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We're getting a pretty good pitcher here. He brings a lot to the party."
The city is well aware of Rogers' All-Star appearance. The last time Rogers pitched in Comerica Park, he was booed when introduced and cheered when he gave up hits. Many fans resented him for what they saw was an All-Star spot earned over Tigers staff ace Jeremy Bonderman. The other reason, of course, was the aforementioned incident, when he shoved two cameramen while taking the field for batting practice back in June. Major League Baseball suspended him 20 games for the altercation before an arbitrator reduced the penalty to 13 games.
Rogers knows that's how many people will remember him, but he isn't going to let it define him.
"It doesn't bother me," he said. "For the most part it's not, the first mistake I've made in my life. I've made many and I don't profess to be anywhere close to perfect. So it's not something I dwell on, and I think the people who know me have no doubt what type of guy I am. I hope the fans see what type of guy I am and what I'm all about, and make their decisions from there."
Until that incident, Rogers had a pretty solid reputation as a veteran leader. The worst he was known for was a couple of postseason hiccups during his younger days.
President/general manager Dave Dombrowski liked Rogers enough to pursue him as a free agent two years ago, but Rogers wanted to stay with Texas then.
That's how the Tigers see him now, and that's part of what appealed to Rogers.
"As I spoke with [Leyland] and [scout] Dick Egan and the staff, I felt very comfortable and also very confident that their personalities meshed with mine," Rogers said. "I think they accorded me a certain amount of respect that I appreciated greatly."
Said Leyland: "I just want Kenny to be himself. I hope our young pitchers have enough common sense to ask Kenny a lot of questions. I think we got a tremendous deal here. We just don't call Kenny up and say we'd like to sign him. We did our research. I think we got an outstanding pitcher and an outstanding person."
Rogers should have the experience to give some answers. He's more than a dozen years older than any of the other three pitchers currently in Detroit's rotation -- Mike Maroth, Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson -- and has over 1,000 more career innings than the trio combined. Rogers said he knows a decent amount about them from watching them in the other dugout the past few years.
In turn, Rogers believes he can gain something from them -- at the very least, energy level.
"They all have a lot of upside," Rogers said. "I wish I had that kind of upside still. I think getting around those guys and seeing their routine could benefit me, too. I'm trying to pick their brains just as they're trying to pick mine. I never try to force what my kind of thinking is on everyone. It's valuable experience they have at the young age they're at."
If they can learn some of what Rogers knows now, all the better.
"I think for the type of pitcher I am now lends itself to being consistent, and I think that adds to my success," Rogers said. "I do know how to locate, I do know how to pitch, and I do know to change speeds. I guess it's something I learned later in my career, but it's something that has benefited me greatly. I feel like I have plenty of years left as long as I'm willing to compete."
The Tigers introduced their newest starting pitcher via conference call with local writers on Monday afternoon after agreeing to terms with Rogers on a two-year, $16 million contract on Thursday. He did not try to run from his past, nor would he characterize his new deal as a fresh start after his last season in Texas was marked by contract talk and a confrontation with a television cameraman. Instead, he thanked the Tigers for looking at his career as a whole rather than one incident.
"On the field, everyone knows what I'm all about," Rogers said. "That hasn't changed, nor will it ever change. I don't apologize for being the type of guy I am. I have many quirks, without a doubt. I would hope people would get to know me, see what I'm all about, see what type of person I am and make their own decisions. That's what I try to do."
What the Tigers saw was one of the better track records available on the free agent market. Rogers' 14-8 record last season earned him his 13th double-digit win season in his 17-year career. His 190 victories rank him 11th among active Major League pitchers. He's coming off the lowest ERA (3.46) in seven years and the third-lowest WHIP ratio (1.32) of his career.
The flip side of that track record, of course, is that he's 41 years old. Given Rogers' recent stats and his reputation for work ethic, the Tigers believe he has something left.
"I think what everybody is missing, the point here, is Kenny Rogers made the All-Star team in the American League," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We're getting a pretty good pitcher here. He brings a lot to the party."
The city is well aware of Rogers' All-Star appearance. The last time Rogers pitched in Comerica Park, he was booed when introduced and cheered when he gave up hits. Many fans resented him for what they saw was an All-Star spot earned over Tigers staff ace Jeremy Bonderman. The other reason, of course, was the aforementioned incident, when he shoved two cameramen while taking the field for batting practice back in June. Major League Baseball suspended him 20 games for the altercation before an arbitrator reduced the penalty to 13 games.
Rogers knows that's how many people will remember him, but he isn't going to let it define him.
"It doesn't bother me," he said. "For the most part it's not, the first mistake I've made in my life. I've made many and I don't profess to be anywhere close to perfect. So it's not something I dwell on, and I think the people who know me have no doubt what type of guy I am. I hope the fans see what type of guy I am and what I'm all about, and make their decisions from there."
Until that incident, Rogers had a pretty solid reputation as a veteran leader. The worst he was known for was a couple of postseason hiccups during his younger days.
President/general manager Dave Dombrowski liked Rogers enough to pursue him as a free agent two years ago, but Rogers wanted to stay with Texas then.
That's how the Tigers see him now, and that's part of what appealed to Rogers.
"As I spoke with [Leyland] and [scout] Dick Egan and the staff, I felt very comfortable and also very confident that their personalities meshed with mine," Rogers said. "I think they accorded me a certain amount of respect that I appreciated greatly."
Said Leyland: "I just want Kenny to be himself. I hope our young pitchers have enough common sense to ask Kenny a lot of questions. I think we got a tremendous deal here. We just don't call Kenny up and say we'd like to sign him. We did our research. I think we got an outstanding pitcher and an outstanding person."
Rogers should have the experience to give some answers. He's more than a dozen years older than any of the other three pitchers currently in Detroit's rotation -- Mike Maroth, Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson -- and has over 1,000 more career innings than the trio combined. Rogers said he knows a decent amount about them from watching them in the other dugout the past few years.
In turn, Rogers believes he can gain something from them -- at the very least, energy level.
"They all have a lot of upside," Rogers said. "I wish I had that kind of upside still. I think getting around those guys and seeing their routine could benefit me, too. I'm trying to pick their brains just as they're trying to pick mine. I never try to force what my kind of thinking is on everyone. It's valuable experience they have at the young age they're at."
If they can learn some of what Rogers knows now, all the better.
"I think for the type of pitcher I am now lends itself to being consistent, and I think that adds to my success," Rogers said. "I do know how to locate, I do know how to pitch, and I do know to change speeds. I guess it's something I learned later in my career, but it's something that has benefited me greatly. I feel like I have plenty of years left as long as I'm willing to compete."
posted by Kevin at 10:58 AM
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