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Pondering Robertson's Future With The Tigers
As it stands, Jim Leyland's decision to drop Nate Robertson from the Tigers' rotation and send him to the bullpen is a strategic move to help the club now, but its impossible to look at the situation without an eye on 2009.
Robertson acknowledged to reporters that his offseason plans will have to accommodate some kind of adjustment to his mechanics, pitching repertoire, or workout regimen. The slider is his signature pitch, but it hasn't been as effective this year, causing his ERA to hover around 6.04, the highest its been since his rookie season with Florida.
The Tigers also have to consider the financial repercussions of having a multi-million dollar reliever if he's unable to rebound to form and reclaim his spot on the rotation. Robertson is scheduled to make $7MM (before incentives) in 2009, the second year of his 3-year contract with the Tigs, $10MM in 2010.
Its possible the club decides to trade Robertson in the offseason as a salary dump.
Alejandro A. Leal writes for UmpBump.com. Comments? Rumors? Email me: alexo (at) umpbump (dot) com.
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I'm not sure I follow - if he's a salary dump, why would a team give up good prospects in return?
Posted by: dproc0219 | August 23, 2008 at 11:38 AM
Well if the Tigers ever decided to move Robertson, I'm not sure they would go for the blockbuster deal first, rather than trade him to another team willing to take his salary for prospects.
We see that all the time; a team unloads an overpaid vet for prospects.
Posted by: Alejandro Leal | August 23, 2008 at 11:47 AM
Seems unlikely anyone would want to take a chance on Robertson even though he had 1 or 2 decent seasons a couple years back, even if the asking price was just a couple of low to mid-level prospects - who would you think would be possible suitors? Also, his conversion to a bullpen guy would seem to hurt his value a bit, no?
Posted by: cjhel | August 23, 2008 at 12:02 PM
Someone would bite, Tigers could simply dump his salary or eat some of it and get a prospect back.
He is signed relatively cheaply and if he comes at a discount with the potential to offer near league average production you should have some takers.
Posted by: Meoveryouok | August 23, 2008 at 12:24 PM
Good point, Meoveryouok, but the assumption that he could produce "near league average" is a somewhat unreasonable one at this point as he has a 6.09 ERA in 23 starts. Maybe throwing out of the bullpen will help him out, but he's been inconsistent at best this year and over his career. Still, if he can be at least serviceable, who would you guys see as potential trade partners? Yankees (always in search of rotation and bullpen arms)? Anyone else?
Posted by: cjhel | August 23, 2008 at 12:31 PM
If the Yankees didn't want Paul Byrd, why would they even consider Nate Robertson?
Hopefully for the Tigers' sake he can bounce back, but the fact is that the Tigers made a not-great move in committing $21 million to a guy whose only year where he was above-average was his age-28 season. And the Tigers only signed him to the deal after a predictably bad 2007 season.
Of course, this move is made worse by the fact that the Tigers are going to have to cut payroll next year, and Nate Robertson isn't helping matters.
Posted by: AndrewYF | August 23, 2008 at 03:42 PM