Some Saturday links from a few midwestern AL clubs…
- Paul Hoynes of The Cleveland Plain-Dealer says the Indians' Opening Day payroll projects to be just north of $42.4MM, the third straight season it's shrunk. Grady Sizemore, Travis Hafner, and Fausto Carmona account for close to 63% of that total. The payroll sat at $81.6MM just two seasons ago.
- The Tigers sent Danny Worth, Adam Wilk, and Andy Dirks to minor league camp today, indicating that Enrique Gonzalez has made the team. MLB.com's Jason Beck tweets that the club doesn't have to make a 40-man roster move to accommodate Gonzalez until next week.
- Noah Trister of the AP (via The Detroit Free Press) explains how the Tigers rebuilt on the fly thanks to the three-way trade that sent Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson to the Yankees and Diamondbacks, respectively.
Something is up with Edwin Jackson. Either something very good or very bad. I mean what…Dodgers, Devil Rays, Tigers, Diamondbacks, White Sox. What team is gonna be next for him to trade for him?
It’s because of his agent. Nobody wants to pay big bucks for an erratic pitcher.
Hey. He threw a no-hitter. And it was only with a billion walks.
That Granderson trade was unbelievable for the Tigers. Granderson and Edwin Jackson combined for nearly $13 mil in salary last year, and combine for over $18 mil in salary this year, while all 4 players the Tigers got are still making the minimum. If the salaries and ages were equal the Tigers still would’ve won. But getting younger, better, and vastly cheaper players in return made it an absolute steal.
Not only the money, but scherzer and Action! Jackson! appear to be better than the people they were replacing. Toss in Phil Coke ad Daniel schlereth and the tigers really came out on top in that deal.
If we were all honest I bet we all hated the Granderson deal at the time…I confess I did. But you guys are absolutely right. We got younger, better and saved payroll too. I’m beginning to love A.J. as much as I did Curtis (of course only if he continues to hit…lol). Max has stardom written all over him and Coke and Stink Jr. are certainly very serviceable players. Dumbrowski doesn’t get the credit he deserves for pulling off this one.