The Tigers officially signed Jhonny Peralta to a two-year, $11.25MM contract today. MLB.com's Jason Beck reports that the contract will include a third-year option worth $6MM with a $500K buyout. ESPNDeportes' Enrique Rojas first reported that the two sides were close to finalizing a deal, while Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports and the AP also contributed.
Although the Tigers turned down Peralta's $7.25MM option less than a week ago, the team was always optimistic about bringing Peralta back at a lesser cost. In October, Detroit signed Brandon Inge to a two-year extension worth $11.5MM, so the Tigers have now made nearly identical commitments to both players on the left side of their infield.
As usual, the free agent market for shortstops is weak, so the Tigers had to pay full sticker price on Peralta.
Awesome. But This still isn’t considered the first free agent signing of the off-season.
For a guy that’s posted OPS’ around .700 for the past couple seasons, this looks to me like an overpay. If he was a defensive whiz it would make sense, but he’s far from it.
OPS isn’t an end all be all stat for a hitter like Peralta. You can’t deny that the guy has the clutch factor. How else did he have 81 rbis last year? (83 in ’09, 89 in ’08) That’s 1st among AL shortstops and 3rd among mlb shortstops. Not a bad option at a weak offensive position if you don’t mind sacrificing some defense.
ha better then Jeter, Hanley, or Asdrubal
Is this the same market that Felipe Lopez only got a 1 year 1 million dollar deal?
Why? He is below average at third and shortstop, and has been below average with the bat over the past two seasons (.304 and .309 wOBA, respectively). It seems like a waste of resources to me.
Are there any comparable resources in this years FA market?
Not many, but that doesn’t NOT make this an overpay. I really doubt Peralta would get that much money on the open market. The issue isn’t so much resigning Peralta as it is giving him $11.25MM.
Well, it was either
1) Pick up his 7.25 MM option
or
2) Decline his option and get him to sign multi-year contract, which he wanted, at lower pay
or
3) Forget him altogther and try to find a decent SS on the VERY thin FA market
or
4) Empty some of the little talent they have on the farm to get a SS in a trade.
I think they made the right move here. So far they have spent just over $10 MM and have locked up the left side of the infield. Inge and Peralta played well together down the stretch so we know this will hold up okay. Plus, by my claculations the Tigers have about 51.5 MM left to spend on the FA market to upgrade the OF, C, DH, Rotation and the BP.
Sign Vmart to play Catcher/DH
Sign Crawford to play LF
Bring in De La Rosa or Wolf or some other solid middle of the rotation LHP
Sign a couple good relievers (Downs, Gregg)
RF can be given to either Raburn/Boesch or whoever wins it in ST.
Guillen can play 2B and alternate DH with Martinez.
No, they could have declined his option then offered him arbitration. Had he accepted, they’d be paying him less than they are paying him now.
Definitely an overpay….though the Tigers are obviously banking on Peralta hitting like he did in 2008 versus the last 2 years. And maybe he can.
I agree it was an overpay but as a 23 year old this guy hit 280 with 25 HRs. I wouldnt be surprised to see him post career numbers in Detroit with mclendon at hitting coach and peralta is only 27. Like I said, it was an overpay but I think at the end of the year he will be worth it.
Ok, first off Peralta is not 27, he’s 28….and he’ll turn 29 in May of this upcoming season.
Second, people need to stop saying “but he was good in 2005″…that was 5 years ago. That was his best year…..had a good 2008, but 2 good seaons in a 6 year span don’t equal a 2 year $11+M deal. I think at the end of the year Tigers fans will be saying “we gave this guy 2 years why?….and an option?”….
But we’ll see. I love Peralta (been my fav player since he came up as a 21 year old SS)….but he’s not worth this much money. 1 year deal would have been perfect for him. See if he could rebound….if not, let him walk. If he did rebound he’d net you a draft pick. Now…..big gamble that he’s gonna be even worse in 2011 playing in the much more pitcher friendly park that is Comerica.
tigers will be better next year if they sign victor martinez and pick up a slugger
Yes, but they still need a SS. Got any slugging SS laying around?
Any way you look at it, they needed Peralta signed, and signed quick. Now they can concentrate on trying to load up the offense with the Crawford’s, Dunn’s and Martinez’s out there. Shouldn’t be too hard, with all the money DD has to spend this year.
So, which FA SS out there is a better deal? They all look like retreads to me.
You have to pay market value, and in a down year for SS, that’s a market-value price.
A better deal would imply more wins per dollar. Nick Punto and Cesar Izturis are poor hitters, as is Peralta–if you don’t believe me, check their wOBAs over the past three seasons–but are significantly better fielders who would command lower contracts.
In short, you’re wrong.
peralta isnt a poor hitter
Yes he is. At least the last 2 years he has been.
A better deal would imply more wins per dollar. Nick Punto and Cesar Izturis are poor hitters, as is Peralta–if you don’t believe me, check their wOBAs over the past three seasons–but are significantly better fielders who would command lower contracts.
In short, you’re wrong.
DD said at the deadline that he was close to making a play for an impact player that we all know. DD thought it was a done deal and was upset they backed away at the last moment. It was widely believed that this player was Hanley Ramirez. However, with Florida moving into a new stadium it makes no sense that they would trade him. I believe this player was Prince Fielder. DD covets a left-handed bat to bat behind Cabrera. You heard it here first Tigers trade for Prince Fielder.
And give up what exactly to get him?
two of their abundance of pitching prospects, i.e. jacob turner and casey crosby or andrew oliver, plus Ryan Strieby
Prince Fielder is NOT worth Jacob Turner.
Crosby, Villareal, and maybe an OF guy like Casper Wells – yeah
Yeah, but that’s what the Brewers will ask for.
While Prince is a good fit in Detroit…..you should only trade for him if you fail to sign a guy like dunn. At least Dunn could play some OF for you (not advised obviously). Prince would be stuck at DH (or 1B with Cabrera DHing). Dunn will cost the same, but without a trade needed….plus you can lock him up beyond just 2011.
they can afford give up turner, crosby, and strieby if Fielder comes with a signed 6-7 year extension. They still would have furbush and oliver as prospects, who are both pretty damn good, as well as Verlander, Scherzer, Porcello, Gallaraga, and are considered the most likely to sign Jorge De la Rosa. De la Rosa could be lights out if he didn’t pitch half his games at Coors.
If you were talking about a hitter of the caliber of Hannly Ramirez or Miguel Cabrera, then yes, Giving up Turner, crosby and strieby would be fair. But Fielder is just a younger Adam Dunn.
Turner alone With Fielder locked into a 6-7 year extension might be okay. The thing is, Turner is so much better than any of the other pitching prospects that the Tigers have right now. AND if Detroit signs a couple of Type A’s and B’s, they are going to miss out on alot of good draft picks this year. They just rebuilt the farm system up to an average level, so I wouldn’t go and sell off the crown jewel of it right now when you can try to pick up a guy like Dunn on the FA market.
Oliver has to work on developing some kind of a ML calibur breaking ball. All he has right now is the fastball and its above average. After that, the other guys have just recently gotten good and there was a lot of promoting through the system this year.
In 1 to 2 years, the Tigers could have a rotation of Verlander, Scherzer, Turner, De La Rosa (or Whoever they pick up in FA), and Porcello. That is potential a lights out rotation, and would be tops or near the top in the league.
Given the questionable state of their farm system, I’m quite on the edge about the idea of dealing Turner for a DH.
I value Fielder as better than Adam Dunn. And so does Scott Boras. He had a poor season this year, but can hit for .300 and strikes out less than Dunn. I worry about long-term health concerns with Fielder more so than Dunn, but Fielder is by-far the superior player.
I think you’re slightly overrating that rotation there….very good 5-man rotation, but not close to the best (even if Turner reaches his potential). Agree, I would be very hesitate to deal Turner for a guy like Fielder……if you’re considering that, I’d go after A-Gon. Move Cabrera to DH. Just improved your infield defense (Peralta will look better with a better 1B) in addition to the lineup. Gonzalez is also used to hitting in a huge ballpark.
I’d definitely look to sign a free agent before I make any trade though. A trade for a bat should be the Tigers last resort.
It would probably take one of Oliver or Turner, then a next tier pitching prospect like Villareal or Furbush, and then maybe a Strieby or Wells but more likely their top hitting prospect Fields. I personally wouldn’t do trade because your only guranteed one year of him and don’t think he would sign long term to DH but think this is a splash that Dombrowski could make. Likes to acquire talent via trade more so than free agency. It seems like Fielder can be had at less than his true value because teams prefer a better fielding option at first. Would be fun watching Cabrera and Fielder bat 3 and 4 though. That would be reminiscent of Manny and Ortiz in prime,
No way prince would play in his fathers shadow in detroit. On top if that prince WILL NOT DH so there is no place for him.
And I’d check your sources because the scuttlebut in Detroit was that is was Greinke, not Hanley they were after at the deadline. DD ha already wiped out the marlins once and there is no way they let it happen to them again.
The thing is he wouldn’t have a choice with him being under contract for 2011. Now he may not sign an extension with Detroit because he doesn’t want to DH but I don’t think his father playing in Detroit would be the reason. You may be right that it was Greinke (Never heard that) but heard a lot of speculation that it was Hanley. Don’t see Hanley getting traded because of moving into new stadium and signed to a relatively affordable extension and Greinke might get traded but why would they trade him within division when their will be multiple suitors.
You should read about prince and Cecil–to put it lightly they do not speak. Prince HATES his father and any comparison to him. I would love o see prince in Detroit but I’m telling you it won’t happen. He would just as soon hold out a year than be in the same uniform as his old man. It’s a sad story between the two, but there is entirely too much hostility for prince to come to Detroit and always be “cecils boy”
Prince has no say in the matter. NONE.
If he’s traded to Detroit (agree, not super likely), he’ll have to play there, period. You are acting like Prince has a choice in the matter. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause and isn’t a free agent.
while that is true that he has no say in the matter, DD is not about to unload the farm for a one-year rental. He will insure the player wants to play there long-term. Remember how he immediately signed Miggy and Dontrelle after acquiring them.
Well Dontrelle wasn’t a free agent for a while, same with Cabrera, so was a little different situation. That said, I agree. Simply stating that this whole “Prince doesn’t want to play in Detroit” thing is a moot point (and I think overblown, as showing Detroit fans that he’s better than his dad would be one way to stick it to the old man). Though disagree that trading Turner is a farm “unload”. Now if you trade Turner and another top pitching prospect…..that’s a different story, and agree don’t see DD doing that this winter.
With so many lefty-power options available via free agency (Victor, Dunn, Branyan, Thome, Pena, Matsui), a lot would have to go wrong for the Tigers to get in on Fielder (or A-Gon).
Yeah it probably wasn’t Greinke…..I mean, yeah I’m sure DD wanted Greinke at the deadline, but the Tigers would have to give up basically their entire farm system to get Grienke since they’re in the same division. Never was a prayer of it happening. Like how you need to “check your sources”….when the person uses “scuttlebutt” as his source, lol.
Also agree on Fielder. Yeah he may not want to DH, but when you’re under contract, you really have no choice.
Solid signing. He could easily hit 20 Homers in Tigers lineup and Comerica (which is a better hitter’s park than Progressive Field), and he’s good friends with Victor Martinez and Cliff Lee. It’s also great when a player WANTS to play in Detroit, which he said he did. He was a good fit and the best SS the Tigers were going to get this offseason, period. Perhaps that’s all part of some master plan, I wish
Comerica is not a better hitters park than Progressive. Progressive just looks like a poor hitters park due to the fact that the Tribe lineup is horrible. Peralta is also not that good of friends with Lee.
I don’t see a 20hr season from peralta with the current Tigers lineup. .270 15hr would be a good year for him realistically speaking. I say they must add a couple more middle of the order bats to see those numbers from Peralta.
Yeah, 20 HRs at Comerica….is a bit of a stretch for JP. I mean, yeah he hit 8 HRs in just over 2 months for the Tigers…..7 of those 8 HRs came on the road.
I think 30-40 doubles for JP is well within reason as he has good gap power, especially to right centerfield…..but 4 of those 8 HRs came in 2 games. He’s a very streaky hitter.
The Tigers don’t need a SS with great range with Inge playing next to him, if they platoon a healthy Sizemore and Ramon Santiago/Ryhmes at 2b the infield will hold their own defensively and offensively. Inge finally looked like he was getting healthy at the end of the year so I expect a return of his power stroke. A 789 combo of Peralta, Inge, and whoever plays at 2B won’t be too shabby. If the Tigers do use some of their young pitchers to pry away a good young talent I will be happy. I just hope DD learned from past mistakes and won’t go after any fading stars. On the free agent front, I’d be wary of Jayson Werth, his numbers seem to have been helped a lot by his home park and he is going to be 32 next spring, even though he has been a bit of a late bloomer.
I agree, stay away from Jayson Werth unless he goes to a hitter’s park. VMart has proven he can hit in a pitcher’s or hitter’s park. That’s the guy they should grab.
Peralta is also Inge insurance….if Inge’s play deteriorates over the term of his new two year deal, or if he is injured, Peralta can play third and Santiago/Danny Worth can handle short.
Worth was hurt and missed the last two months….he still might prove to be a major league shortstop offensively. If he is, he’s homegrown and a significant asset. If he isn’t, no big investment and the signing of Peralta makes even more sense.
I think this is a bit of an overpay, but there isn’t much out there.
And this is why the Twins would be stupid to let go of Hardy. The guy needs to be extended (3/18). He’s one of the better SS in MLB.
That’s the bottom of the order settled then. I like that it was done quick. Now there is enough time (and money) to focus on the top of the order and bullpen.
Oh and please trade Gallarraga for a LHP.
Respectable move by DD. Lock up a relatively rare SS who could provide 17-20 Homers in a better lineup than the Indians and slightly better ballpark that wants to play in Detroit. His defense is rather suspect, but Sizemore covers a lot of ground at 2b as does Inge at 3b. He also could help lure in Victor Martinez and could play 3b if Inge gets hurt. Overall, with cost included, I prefer him to Uribe who will most likely cost more or Tejada, who will also most likely cost more and may provide similar numbers. They already tried the defense-only approach at SS with Everett and that was too much of a liability.
Now VMart is the crucial signing for postseason hopes. While Crawford would be great, due to the relatively weak free agent class, he may be slightly overvalued. Tigers have plenty of excellent OF prospects with Ryan Strieby and Casper Wells in addition to serviceable OFs like Boesch, Carlos Guillen and Ryan Raburn.
What would be ideal for the Tigers is a quality power threat from DH i.e. Carlos Pena or Adam Dunn. Perhaps if the Tigers emphasize that Dunn could spend some time in RF rotating with Guillen and Raburn, like they did last year with Damon in LF or vice versae, that might be enough to lure him away from places offering him 1b jobs. On days Dunn plays the field, VMart could move to DH and Avila could catch. Then let Casper Wells, Ryan Strieby, Ryan Raburn or Brennan Boesch fight it out for the last OF spot, with Raburn and Guillen getting some spot starts at 2b to preserve Sizemore’s fragile ankle.
Not sure I agree with the “excellent” description Wells and Strieby. Strieby has to show that his wrist can, stay healthy and regain his power; no sure thing.
Wells is a favorite but I am not positive he will hit at a good enough pace to be more than a fourth OF. To be honest, not sure there is anyone at AA or above that is a sure thing much less an “excellent” prospect when it comes to the OF.
fair enough about Strieby and Wells. However in recent history, wrist injuries haven’t sapped too much power from hitters. Both Rickie Weeks and Vernon Wells rebounded very well from wrist injuries this season and Derek Lee did last season, despite having a poor season this year.
Wells has plenty of tools to be an asset, it will be interesting to see if he can replicate his success in 2010. Even Raburn has done well in his limited playing time.
And the real wildcard is Boesch. For all we know, with lots of offseason work and tune-ups, Boesch recaptures his first half 2010 form. From what I have read, at the trade deadline, the Tigers almost traded Boesch and another prospect for Dan Haren.
You may be correct regarding the wrist injuries of the players you mentioned, however, Strieby’s wrist has had problems healing with some in the organization wondering if he can make it back.
I really like Wells, good d (good arm), good speed and has plenty of gap power can he do it consistantly….I don’t know….at this point a 4th OF in my book.
I hadn’t read that about Detroit and AZ.
Sizemore is a horrible defender, and he would be the 3rd option at 2nd base. Will Rhymes should be the head of the list, he hit .300 and provides some nice speed, but they need to find time for Carlos Guillen since he is owed so much money so unfortunately he will probably play 2nd.