Offseason Outlook: Detroit Tigers

Unless Guillen and Ordonez have circa 2006 seasons, this team will just be middle of the pack. The outfield is too old and unproductive. The infield plays defense but doesnt hit (except MCab). Rotation should be great 1-3 and could be quite good 1-6. But you still can't win with an offense of M-Cab and defensive specialists/worndowns.

The Tigers will be in great position in 2011 to make some serious moves with all of that cash coming off the books. Next years free agent class is pretty nice and they could make some major splashes.

Good thing they play in the worst division in baseball, it's the only way Dombrowski looks even halfway passable as a GM at this point.

In Dombrowski's defense most of those contracts looked good at the time (other than Willis)

Almost $35 mil tied up in Willis, Bonderman, & Nate Robertson. Brutal. Just brutal. There's going to be a bidding war for Chapman, so I don't see the Tigers riding that out. Sorry, but the Tigers are not looking very set for 2010, even in a weak division.

An interesting proposal could be trying to trade Ordonez to the Yankees who could move Swisher to LF if the Tigers are willing to eat half of the 18 million owed this year. Yay? Nay?

Slick, let me get this right. You want the Tigers to give up one of 2 possible ineffective pitchers and get a damn good player in return. You also want the Rays to give up a damn good player and get a headache in return.

Normally I'd just ask if you were dropped on your head as a child or recently had a lobotomy, but I'm in a slightly good mood today and I'm going to ask you if either you forgot to add prospects or were trying to make a funny.

yeah i forgot to add that there should be additional prospects in that deal i just couldnt think of who would be good for this deal. but, every team would be getting about the same amount in return contract wise

Here's one of my favorite statistics from 2009:

Ordonez: 2.1 WAR, $18M
Bonderman: -0.3 WAR, $12.5M
Guillen: 0.1 WAR, $13M
Willis: -0.1 WAR, $12M
Robertson: 0.5 WAR $10M

The Tigers owe these five players a combined $65.5M for the 2010 season. In 2009, they posted a total WAR of 2.3, which is worth about $9.97M in total value.

AND NONE OF THEM ARE FREE AGENT CONTRACTS.

That's $65.5M for five players that were valued at a total of $9.97M in 2009. Think about how bad at offering contract extensions you have to be to make that many mistakes.

Damn.

Nice synopsis Tim.

The Tigers have that Polanco decision coming up - whether to offer him arbitration or not. I sort of assume they will, and then I sort of assume he'll take it and make $8-$10 million next year, but I haven't researched it. Anyone else have thoughts on that?

ok, someone tell me if this sounds crazy.

trade robertson and either ramirez, wells, or boesch to the dodgers for furcal. the dodgers have chan hu waiting to play short, and they'll be looking for an outfielder to replace manny soon. plus, they need starting pitching depth; robertson had a strong september and, with the exception of the last two, has some good years under his belt. might benefit from a jump to the NL, too. tigers would get a gold glove, switch-hitting shortstop who could bat leadoff and bump granderson down in the order. more speed on the bases, too.

sign coco crisp to play LF. can't imagine he'll demand too much, and you might be able to get him at a one or two year deal. he gives you better defense in left, and again more speed on the bases.

make guillen DH or possibly play him at 3rd (i know, but its better than left), considering inge had surgery on both knees.

if casey crosby is ready, or if galarraga is good to go (or if by some miracle of god, dontrelle willis turns back the clock to 2005 - or hell, anywhere close), think about putting bonderman in the bullpen, maybe even at closer. he's only ever had two pitches anyway, and they're both dynamite - especially the slider. this move could possibly save you from having to sign rodney.

as for polanco, i'd like him back, but he'll probably be too much. the only way i see them signing him is if they think this sizemore injury could turn into something worse. cause lets face it, they always say they'll be ready by spring training no matter what the problem is.

all of this, combined with a better year from maggs and a refocused (again, god willing) cabrera and we might be able to make some noise next year.

Sorry I rather keep a oft injured SS than oft injured SP who isn't all that special. Furcal is still a decent player, but should be allowed to lead off.

i understand why you'd wanna keep furcal, but robertson actually hasn't been injured that much. from 2004 to 2008, he made at least 30 starts and pitched an average of 189 innings per season. its just that in 2008, he suddenly forgot how to pitch; but he bounced back during his starts in 2009. this year was the first year he spent time on the DL in six seasons. if the tigers had scored more runs for him in those earlier seasons, he'd look like a much better pitcher. but again, i'd rather have furcal too. the tigers need more than just all or nothing right handed hitters that can't run in their lineup.

Figgins and Scutaro? Not going to happen.

Figgins will be WAY too expensive. He will get 45-50M.

Scutaro? Are you serious? A career journeyman that has had one good season. He turns 34 in another couple of days.

Marco will likely be in the $20M range. Yuck.

Tigerdog, this isn't your fantasy baseball team.

Your moves would put the Tigers up in the $150-160M range. That isn't going to happen.

Figgins could only happen if they could unload Inge and his 6.6 mil, which is problematic because he's having surgery next week on both knees.
Figgins wants 4 yrs, 40 mil, but more likely will get 30 mil. We'll see.
Scutaro could only happen if Polanco were to decline arbitration, and then I'd go two years with him. Yeah, he's coming off a career year, but he's the only player in the league with a better contact rate than Polanco, he can get on base, has some speed, and can play shortstop. There aren't many SS options out there, but please tell me that Adam freaking Everett won't be back in the lineup!
Chances of either move are very remote. NO AL club has signed fewer free agents, or spent less money on free agents in the past three seasons than the Tigers. Not one multi year contract to a free agent in three seasons. I don't even trust DD to spend much of the bad contract money coming off the books in 2011. He still thinks Cale Iorg is a future all star. I think he's the next Adam Everett. Yikes!

quick question for tiger fans, what do you think the chances are for trading granderson to relieve future payroll? what might be his value to other teams?

Fire Dave Dombrowski.

I really think what the Tigers do this off-season is to pick up Dave Duncan and Rudy Jaramillo as their Pitching Coach and their Hitting Coach. With all of the Kids ready to come up they really need both of them.

I know it would take a lot to get Dave Duncan here, but.....Promise him he'll be the next Manager of the Tigers, anything to get him here. With the ability of both of them Coaches the Team will be better off.

What do you Guy's think??

Thanks, Rick

Listen, I love Polanco and all he's done for us over the years but haven't we learned anything about contract extensions for these older veterans? It's high time we cut bait and get younger. Sorry it has to start with Polly but good or bad we have to run with Sizemore at 2B.