LAKELAND, Fla. -- This early in camp, the Tigers have been very healthy, knock on wood.
But manager Jim Leyland said after Sunday's workout that Joaquin Benoit did not throw as planned.
"He had a stiff neck," Leyland said. "He's fine, but we're not taking any chances with him."
Benoit said he was fine when he arrived Sunday morning.
"When I got out there and started warming up and throwing a little bit, it got tighter and tighter," Benoit said. "It got to a point, I couldn't even turn my neck to the right.
"I've been through it last year and the year before, too, in spring training.I guess it's something normal that I have to go through."
Benoit said he's not too worried, considering they haven't started the games yet. He expects to give it a little time and get treatment until his neck relaxes a bit.
Poor Zumaya
The news is not as encouraging for Joel Zumaya as it is for Benoit.
On Saturday, reports came out of Minnesota Twins camp that the oft-injured former Tiger had to leave his throwing session early because of pain in his right elbow.
On Sunday, the report came out that an MRI revealed Zumaya has a torn ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and will have to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.
"He's one of those guys that, he threw the ball so stinking hard," said Brandon Inge, Zumaya's former teammate." Over time, you had to think that maybe it was going to go.
"You wish it wouldn't. I feel for him. I really do.
"You have to have perfect mechanics to throw that hard and stay healthy for that long."
Manager Jim Leyland hadn't heard the extent of the injury when reporters gathered in his office Sunday afternoon and didn't want to say much.
But Leyland did say, "It'll break my heart if he's hurt again. It's been one thing after another."
Base-stealing threat
Leyland believes Austin Jackson, who's working on a new batting stance, could steal more bases if he gets on base more.
Jackson, who had 27 stolen bases in his rookie season and 22 last year, is one of the few Tigers with legitimate speed.
"I think he's got a chance to be pretty good at it," Leyland said. "He has to learn the pitchers that slide step. He has to know the pitchers that are slow home. He has to know the moves -- who's got a good move, who doesn't have a good move.
"A lot of times the good base stealers, they're good at it but it's also sometimes tougher for them because people pay more attention to them."
When asked to name a player who might not have been known for speed but was a good base stealer, Leyland cited Larry Walker, whom he managed in Colorado.
Walker had 10 straight seasons of double-digit steals from 1990-99, including a career high 33 in 1997.
"I thought Larry Walker could be real good at it when he wanted to," Leyland said. "He's the most instinctive base runner I ever saw. Not necessarily totally base stealing, but the combination of running the bases.
"He's the best I ever saw. Him and Andy Van Slyke are two of the best."
Maybe a longshot?
Leyland has said that the Tigers don't have a lot of open roster spots this season, but that doesn't mean someone unexpected won't make the club.
"I think there's a real chance for a longshot to make it this year," Leyland said without naming names. "I don't want him to be thinking about making the team. I want him to think about getting himself ready for 100-something games, whether it's 162 at the big-league level or 140 at the minor-league level.
"In other words, take the pressure off yourself, not focusing so much on making this team. Don't come in here like a bull in a china shop, 'Oh, I've got to make this team. I'm going to make this team. I got a feeling.'
Because a lot of times that backfires on guys."
