Leyland Not Always Getting Relief When He Calls For It

Detroit's bullpen has been more miss than hit this year, but it's still been guesswork when manager Jim Leyland calls for a relief pitcher. The relievers have missed bats more than they've given up hits but several have shown inconsistencies from game to game.

Like Wednesday, when Leyland got mixed results from Al Alburquerque, Daniel Schlereth and Joaquin Benoit before Jose Valverde came in to quiet Minnesota in the ninth inning of a 9-7 victory.

Alburquerque has 23 strikeouts in 13 innings, mainly due to his tremendous slider, but he walked three batters and gave up a hit in getting two outs spread over two innings.

"They were laying off his slider," Leyland said. Alburquerque has trouble locating his fastball, so he uses his slider almost exclusively.

Schlereth has largely been excellent for Detroit, especially in late inning work, but Wednesday he was brought in to face two left-handers and gave up a three-run home run plus a double. Still, he has a 2.57 ERA in 16 games.

Benoit gave up in three games as many runs as he allowed all season, nine, and Leyland is trying to ease him back into his setup role as he works on correcting his flaws and regaining his confidence. He allowed the tying run and three hits in 1 2/3 innings, but got a strikeout and fly out to strand a runner on third in the eighth.

Ryan Perry has been spotty enough that Leyland hasn't given him regular work, while Brayan Villarreal has pitched like the promising rookie that he is. Brad Thomas has a 9.00 ERA but much of that stems from three bad appearances.

Leyland would like to have Benoit approximating his 2010 form while setting up Valverde, with some combination of Perry, Alburquerque and Schlereth giving him sturdy six and seventh inning corps.

Thomas pitches best as an early man while Villarreal has been used in a variety of roles.

What they haven't been is reliable; more like consistently inconsistent.

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