Considering A Tigers Fire Sale

The Tigers are ten games out in the AL Central, 10.5 out of the Wild Card.  Jon Heyman talks of fire sale speculation, but he doesn’t know where they’d start.  Lynn Henning has ideas, though.  Let’s discuss the trade candidates.

• Magglio Ordonez, RF.  Henning thinks dealing him makes sense, since the Tigers have replacement options.  He earns $15MM this year and $18MM in ’09 with possible expensive vesting options for ’10 and ’11.  He also has limited no-trade protection.  Brian Giles or Xavier Nady might be more sensible targets teams in need of right field help.
• Ivan Rodriguez, C.  It appears that Rodriguez also has no-trade protection.  He’s been reduced to a platoon and earns $13MM.
• Edgar Renteria, SS.  Renteria has an $11MM club option for ’09 with a $3MM buyout.  It appears that the Red Sox may be on the hook for the buyout though.  Renteria isn’t hitting much and his defense is not rated highly.
• Todd Jones, RP.  Teams will be wary of his 0.82 K/BB ratio.  He wouldn’t bring much of a return.
• Brandon Inge, 3B/C.  Unless the Tigers acquire a catcher have a free agent target in mind, they may want Inge around for ’09.
• Placido Polanco, 2B.  He’s having a decent year and is signed through ’09 at $4.6MM per year.  He may actually have some trade value.
• Nate Robertson, SP.  Robertson earns $4.25MM in ’08, $7MM in ’09, and $10-11MM in ’10.  He has a fairly respectable 2.2 K/BB despite his 5.88 ERA.  He has value, but a trade would mostly be a salary dump.
• Kenny Rogers, SP.  He makes $8-10MM this year.  He’s made all his starts but has not impressed.
• After this exercise I can see what Heyman meant.  The Tigers’ veterans don’t have much trade value.