Welcome back to Motown, Jeremy Bonderman!

RotoWorld reports that Detroit recalled Jeremy Bonderman from AAA this afternoon.  This news comes a few weeks after Bonderman re-signed with Detroit, and recently it was reported that he'd be transitioning to a bullpen role in an attempt to rejoin the big club.  His hard work paid off, and the Tigers' clubhouse will soon feature another familiar face.

Bonderman was originally drafted out of high school (as a junior!) by Oakland #26 overall, which pissed off GM Billy Beane something awful in a famous scene described in the oft-misunderstood Moneyball.  He must have really despised the pick because he sent Jeremy packing in a deal about as soon as he could the following year--the three-way deal with the Yankees and Tigers that sent Jeff Weaver to New York, Ted Lilly and others to Oakland, and Bonderman (as a PTBNL) and Carlos Pena to Detroit.

"Bondo" headed to the Majors very, very early in his young career--he was all of 20 when he made his debut in 2003, going 6-19, which was actually tied for SECOND in wins for the almost-historically awful 2003 squad that won just 43 games.  Things generally improved for him the next four seasons, though, and he totaled double-digit victories (always 11 or 14, oddly enough) as a solid member of the rotation, including the 2006 World Series team.  Unfortunately, 2008 and 2009 were forgettable for Bonderman due to a blood clot issue and other injuries.  He did return to a decent 8-10 record in 2010, but his limited effectiveness and projected price tag ended his tenure in Detroit.

It took a couple years but he managed to latch on with the Mariners, which was a homecoming of sorts for the Kennewick, Washington native.  Unfortunately, while he didn't pitch especially poorly, the Mariners decided to cut ties with the 30-year-old--seriously, this is his ninth MLB season and he's only 30!  This was a blessing in disguise as it allowed the Tigers, a team with a questionable bullpen all year long, to give him another shot in the Minors, and that all culminated in his call-up today.

Congratulations to Jeremy for his persistence paying off; may his second go-round in Motown be as eventful as his first, and more successful!  Seriously, the bullpen could use the help!