Free agents? What free agents?
Hate to say it, but I don't see how the Tigers are going to have ANY money to spend this winter. Sorry.
The payroll numbers I come up with so far is that they'll be at $119 million for 20 players (including Dontrelle Willis).
That's figuring at least $7 mil for Justin Verlander, which might be low, and at least $5 mil for Edwin Jackson, both of whom are arbitration eligible.
The elephant in the off-season room, of course, is the long-term contract they'll have to come up with for Verlander. I can't imagine he would go for a four-year contract and give up two years of free agency, but the Tigers will try. If the fourth year is lucrative enough, he might take it. However, they might not be in position to offer such a fourth year.
His success this ssason clearly redefined the parameters of what he's about to earn.
As it stands, getting him signed for three years will take huge bucks for that third year. I'm thinking it's going to take more than $35 million for three years (something like 8-13-16). But again, I might be low
As for those 20 players included in the $119 million, that includes 10 pitchers (not factoring in Willis as part of the staff), but doesn't take into account a starting second baseman (so you almost assuredly can pencil in Scott Sizemore because even more than major-league ready, he'll be major-league cheap.
Also no experienced closer, no Brandon Lyon-like expensive setup, plus no shortstop (althoughI imagine Adam Everett will come back for about $1.5 mil).
And, of course, I see no way at all they're bringing Marcus Thames back as an extra outfielder.
So I don't think either Fernando Rodney or Lyon will be back because of inaffordability.
Having Willis' $10 million on the books hurts immensely, but as Dave Dombrowski said last week, they're still going to try and get something productive out of him.
Without that $10 million, they'd obviously be in a better position to spend.
Kind of a gloomy report, I know, but unless they're willing to go back to $130 million after taking a hit at the gate, there's a big off-season challenge ahead of them.
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Willis' contract
Willis hit .234 as pitcher with 8 hrs.,so let him swing away and chase some flies. Maybe he can relax like the guy on the Cards.
Tigers to move
I love Granderson and it behoves us to try and keep him, but I am not sure of our farm system to date for Center Fielders, but he is not a lead off hitter with an avg of around mid 240's, either that or we need a serous new hitting coach, our avg this year was horrible. The player we do need to move is Inge. Yes he has an arm, yes he is great defensively, but his career batting avg is around 220-230. We lost this year because of hitting, or lack there of. Polanco is getting old and gets stuck too far behind in counts this year, everyone wanted Mags gone but he ended up with the 2nd highest batting avg on the team, how bad is that. Outfiled is set with Mags, Granderson, and Raburn. We need a better hitting 3rd baseman and a better hitting catcher, both of who hit around 230 or not far off. And the obvious, better middle relief. We don't need an overhaul, like most are starting to say.
Free Agents
I think that the Tigers can be buyers but only if they can backload the contracts so that the average is there but the big $ comes after 2010 when the dead contracts are off the books. If DD is creative, he can get it done. This doesn't seem to be the way he operates however.
What Free Agents?
Exactly: (Here comes the broken record):
NO AL Team has signed fewer free agents, or spent less money on free agents over the past three seasons than the Tigers.
DD has not signed a single free agent player multi year contract since he signed Todd Jones and Kenny Rogers before the 2006 season. Not one.
The FULL list of major league free agents that DD has signed in three years:
Jose Mesa, Francisco Cruceta, Brandon Lyon, Adam Everett, and Matt Treanor. That's IT! They also gave one year extensions to Rogers, Jones, and Sean Casey.
So, if the Tigers were inactive when times were good, I can't see them getting active now.
They COULD trade Inge, sign Figgins, and MAKE money on the deal, because the team would be that much more productive. They COULD add some relatively inexpensive bullpen arms that would reduce those 24 blown saves- games that we had the lead after 7 innings but couldn't get the ball to the closer, but then, they could have done that last year, or the year before, or the year before that. Nope, they'll come back with a bullpen even weaker than last year's 10th ranked bullpen. More Seay, more Zumaya, more Miner, more failed starters shoved into bullpen roles, as if they'll be any better not starting. I can't wait to read the glowing reports of how Willis, and Robertson, and Zumaya have been working hard all winter and they're ready for huge seasons. Please spare me!
I will say this- if DD lets Polanco, or Lyon, or Rodney go because of money while he gives Ordonez $ 18 million, and he gives a total of $ 53.5 million to Ordonez, Guillen, Bonderman, Robertson, Willis- then he should be fired!
Willis' contract
Put Dombrowski in the Lake at Erie.
Willis' contract
Dontrelle? Put him in the outfield at Erie.
Willis' contract
Sure be interesting to know whether the Tigers received some insurance relief with the "anxiety" approach.I've not seen anytning on this.
This disaster is a result of Dombrowski's "heady" days and not too heady decisions when he thought he had a powerhouse on his hands and every baseball mind had the Tigers as THE team.
Willis' contract
Those insurance deals are always confidential, and they almost always are limited to a "total loss" for at least a full season. If he's even able to pitch a few games like last year, the club probably can't put in a claim. The premiums aren't cheap, because the pay out is so steep, and the risk is significant.
The problem with Dontrelle, apart from the whole performance anxiety deal, is that he can't pitch.
Willis' contract
Any chance the Tiger's have an insurance policy to cover all/some of Willis' contract since he supposedly can't pitch due to a medical issue (anxiety)? Would be nice to free up some money to help the bullpen.
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