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GOOD MORNING TIGERTOWN!!!
Those who believe Polanco should be offered arbitration are finding themselves in a group growing thinner as the days pass. Polanco has done nothing whatever wrong except get older and have a young kid who's ready for mlb nipping at his heels. I still don't have reasons to believe Sizemore can just jump to the major league level and hit enough to justify his defensive shortcomings. No doubt the Tigers are going to be much younger in 2011 and much lighter on the spending side of the ledger when the oldsters begin dropping off the payroll. I suppose in a perfect world Polanco remains for one year after accepting arbitration and then Sizemore has been gradually processed into the role of full-time 2nd baseman. This is not what Polanco wants and it's hard to blame him for that. The guy is 34, still at the top of the heap with another gold glove and good offensive second half. He's proved his consistency as a contact hitter and hit value with RISP or moving them up. He desires a longer pact. He sees Visquel still playing at 40 so why not give a three year deal? DD won't because of Sizemore, not because Polanco can't get a longer deal. Apparently, DD is not frightened of just declaring Sizemore "ready" and throwing him in. Either way, sooner or later, Sizemore appears to be the 2nd sacker. I'm all right with either route for 2010.
Ordonez must be limited to 120 games and less than 500 PA's?
What if he just creams the ball? What about Carlos and coming back strong in LF? Do you send Wells down again and let Guillen play the field or make him hit in the DH slot?
Those two in the outfield: Dumbo and Babar roaming the corners with Wiley Coyote in CF. Inge at 3rd on gimpy knees. 2010 shapes up to be a near "fracasso", a messhuga. And where is the SS? Dear me, Mr. I, do ya think there's any chance to contend without a closer?
On to fun stuff later in the day. If the Lions lose to the Cleveland Mistakes today, then Ford should send them to Mexico and South America where he put the rest of his NAFTA "stuff." Another push for midwest football dominance. Natural bottom-feeder rivalry.
Y'all have a nice day!
Great
Weinhardt strikes out the side! Quite a pitcher, it seems.
Dummies talkin' 'bout his setting up Rodney...hah....for what team?
Granderson/Jackson
First off, this hasn't been my only post on this topic and I don't like hearing words of trade for Granderson or Jackson. DD trades either one only for full value, if he trades one or the other at all. I don't believe Granderson was the best CF'er in baseball offensively in '09 for the reason that his K's and poor showing against LH'ed pitchers reduces significantly his overall value. No dispute about how well he hits RH'ers. No dispute either about his being at least a top 5 CF'er. Granderson is not a platoon player. He proved he can be adequate against lefties when he applies a few skills he forgot to use in '09. His civic and clubhouse contributions cannot be underestimated. I am underwhelmed by rumors of his impending departures and the likely scenarios because it makes no sense whatever to deny his teammates and the fans of his powerful approach to the game. He is also a bargain at the contract price he will get.
Jackson is not quite the same situation. Trading him will weaken the pitching rotation which was one of the best in AL last year and actually kept the Tigers in first place nearly single-handedly during the season. In Jackson's case, he's improved every year in the majors, he's young (26), has a nice approach and good stuff. Why his effectiveness slipped in the second half is an issue. He seemed to be up and down most of the way from the All Star break but could easily have finished with 16 or 18 wins with some offensive support. Trading Jackson demands the return of another starter or a decent SS to fill the hole on the left side. I look at the staff now and see Verlander, Porcello and Jackson as a solid three some with high hopes for surgical comebacks by Bonderman and Robertson. Lurking is Crosby, Galarraga and a couple others who can fill in where needed. Promoting any of the lurkers by trading Jackson is nothing but a mistake unless we get value in the infield in return.
I am liking the looks of Casper Wells, Scott Sizemore and Ryan Strieby. There'll be more heard from these three as spring training approaches but they appear ready. I will be pretty sore if Polanco is not re-signed. It's only because I am anxious about putting a rookie in charge of the pivot, especially one with so many errors in so few chances at a decidedly easier position to play like 2B is.
At least with Polanco we have a known quantity: a 2B man with a gold glove and a contact bat who hits over .300 most years and well with RISP. Letting PP walk would definitely smack of payroll considerations and you can't dismiss the possibility of that looking attractive to DD this season. In 2011, there's no reason for it at all. By then Polanco will look like a wizened old man next to all the rookies and younger guys in the line-up and manning the diamond.
Three years is too long for PP and one year, too short.
Problem: PP won't take a two year deal without a lot of cash being promised.
Of Interest/Gold Glove????
Thanks....that's the truth of it. Gold Glove, Silver Slugger, whatever.....good post. Sure puts the awards in a better perspective for me.
GOOD MORNING TIGERTOWN
Polanco will not be re-signed soon. IMO Dombrowski believes Sizemore is capable of doing the job at 2b and in the line-up because he's produced offensively well at each level. I question his fielding skills and doubt he will ever be in contention for a gold glove or even a leaden one. Polanco won't be much good after one or two more years. I think he'll want 3 or 4 years especially watching a 40 yr old Visquel continue to produce, he'll use that to push for longer term. DD knows that and rightly so will rather wait Polanco out to test the market, maybe offer arbitration (and the galvanized pail may be a great idea), but at least get something for Polly if he goes elsewhere. Polanco had one bad half season in 2009 but otherwise demonstrated he's still capable of playing to a high level. DD ought to re-sign him if he can get him for one or two seasons. Sizemore is very questionable defensively and he really needs another season at least to hone those skills although he could do it at the major league level. Polanco unfortunately can't just do one year....he's 34 and I can see why he'd rather strike for 3 or 4 now than take the shorter time.
RE-SIGN POLANCO!!
Of the four contracts purchased and players added yesterday, Ciriaco was a surprise. Other than he, no doubt the others were right on. I certainly would like to see Strieby, Wells or Boesch or two of them make the team going north. A small roster implosion or at least a good trial run for one or two of the prospects would set up a more informed 2011 spring training and winter hot stove action.
GO GIT 'EM TIGERS!!
Y'all have a nice day!!
Wells in LF
I'd support that move in a heartbeat. Move Guillen to DH or 3B supporting Inge or backing him up.
I am enjoying his bust out in the AFL. 25 rbi and near the league's lead. Quite a nice resume going along with last season into spring training. His D isn't any slouch either.
Closer
It's rather a problem for DD with Fernando Rodney probably looking for some length to his contract (3yr) and with Brandon Lyon likewise jumping in with demands for a longer contract at the same time. In all honesty, I would take a chance on Lyon before I'd take the leap with Rodney. IMO FRod had more than his share of lucky moments last season leading me to the summation of his season as "....rather be lucky than good." In Lyon's case, after the first couple of months and but for one little slip, his performances (though not as a closer) were formidable during the rest of the season. I would rather DD focussed on Lyon if he plans on in-house closer procurement.
Going from the outside would be rather expensive. I like Wagner for a shorter term. Valverde is pretty decent. Now if he wants cheap and short-term, perhaps he could grind Guardado away from the Rangers....lol. Seriously, Soriano, Gregg and others would be quite expensive and maybe not such a hot fit.
Ideally, DD could re-sign Rodney to a shorter term for $5-6M per season or Lyon for a similar sum. I don't understand Lyon not being listed as a closer. As just a reliever he doesn't even get a type status...which might be good actually for him. More desirability. I'd like DD to offer arbitration to all the players. This is probably why he hasn't actively yet signed any of the fa's. Well, I'll just wait to see how y'all can criticize this post. I don't know exactly how the status of these guys goes but I suppose DD could sign any one of them before 12/1 if they wanted to be back bad enough and DD's offers were good enough. The latter is probably unlikely....giveaways ended last year, I think!
Left Handers
The Tigers are imbalanced. Few lefty hitters and even fewer lefty starters (who are any good). COPA is not a hitters park, but a lefty would supposedly do better power-wise hitting there than a right hander.
Looking at the 40 man with 42 on it, there needs to be quite a bit of shuffling going on today. Bears watching.
Y'all have a nice day!
Jackson for Morrow
Were I DD and instructed to drop payroll, then I suppose taking the chance would be the way to go, especially if another player of some prospect were added. However, I like that warm cozy feeling of knowing what Jackson is capable of rather than what Morrow might bring. Gimme a good shortstop, too.
What we keep Forgetting....
Is Armando Galarraga a complete write-off? He once won 13 for the Tigers, didn't he? Hmmm. Sorry, Troyman, not what I meant you to take that as, but the practical result would be just that if Morrow ended up in a Tiger uni. I'm not too sure Jackson would command a ready made position player as well as Morrow, so our rotation would be weakened. I guess you could always plug the hole with AG if a Morrow didn't pan out. I sort of have a problem with getting rid of Jackson for anything. He's probably worth every penny of the arbitration award.
Jackson/Morrow
No upgrade or upside to that action. Tigers would be weakening their strong suit by ridding themselves of Jackson and his potential $5-6M salary (offer him arbitration?). Morrow is a gamble. Wouldn't I rather have Verlander, Porcello, Jackson, Bonderman and Crosby in 2011? Not Morrow....not today or To-morrow.
DD and Payroll/Budget
"If something is way out of whack, then I suppose there would be a big "NO" on an expensive decision."
I suggest you read between the lines, Kevets, because I doubt we'll see another Cabrera, Ordonez or Sheffield among other contract-gaffs. However, the fiscal responsibility of which DD speaks and Mr. I probably approves is that he no longer has latitude to do the big "NO" kinds of deals. But I hardly think that giving appropriate raises, doing $125-140M in payroll is out of line. This is exactly what DD ought to be thinking. Next year we have $60-70M coming off the line, too. So perhaps the unrestrained spending is over, but I doubt whether the spending at 2009 levels is going to change much in 2010 "between the lines."
DD and Payroll/Budget
I don't believe DD and Mr. I are as tight-fisted about the budget as many believed. My impression of the noises being made about trades and moving players is not that there is any move to cut payroll. I do believe that the prime motivating factor is improvement and secondarily there is consideration given to the economic factors including budget. As evidenced by other moves made in the past three years, I hardly think that Tiger management gives payroll more than a passing glance. If something is way out of whack, then I suppose there would be a big "NO" on an expensive decision. I think the feeling is that the players mentioned in trade talk would get moved ONLY because it would make the Tigers more competitive and improve their place in the AL scheme of things.
Cabrera
Not someone you pay and trade; he's a franchise player you build around. He's the clean-up hitter the Tigers hadn't had in some time; he's one of the best hitters in both leagues and has proven that and he's being molded into a fine 1B man. I can't believe with the size of his contract that any team would want to give back anything more than stop-gap fringe players or questionable prospects. My belief: the Tigers should count its blessings that Cabrera is the foundation of the team and get him whatever help he needs to stay personally and professionally focussed. No trade, I hope.
Hitting Lefties
Granderson has a whole load of problems with left-handers. I suppose hitting .183 against them is a telling statistic. ChrisD is correct in asserting that Granderson will play versus right-handed pitching 70-75% of his at bats. My solution in such a situation is to try and limit the player's exposure to left-handers when possible but not entirely. It would be my advice, especially with Granderson in the lead-off slot, that he take extra practice to hone a lost art: bunt singles vs left-handed pitchers when he does play against them. Sac bunts with men on base. Granderson has the speed to leg out many drag bunts, running bunts, just plain bunts. Granderson's value, IMO, is decent not great CF defense and the skills of a medium power hitter and good base-runner. His K's are atrocious so that I would believe his swing may be relatively long (seems so) and probably late against lefties. Trading Granderson would be a mistake unless there were someone better to lead-off, someone better defensively in CF. However, there is good reason to believe he would have significant value in obtaining a decent SS. In my opinion, obtaining a good shortstop trumps his presence in the line-up solely because we have outfield prospects for the position. Any SS should be able to lead-off. Perhaps this is why Castro appears a good fit. The latter scares the heck out of me. His fielding is plainly sub-standard. Well, whatever.....just some thoughts.
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