The Rangers and Tigers are playing Game Six of the ALCS tonight, and Evan Grant of The Dallas Morning News looks at how the 1999 trade that sent Juan Gonzalez from Texas to Detroit is still helping the Rangers today. Here are some links from baseball's two central divisions…
- Regardless of how the rest of their season plays out, David Mayo of The Grand Rapids Press says the Tigers won't have many issues to address this winter. Second base and a left-handed starter figure to top their shopping list, and $23MM is coming off the books in the form of Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen.
- Tigers assistant GM Al Avila has been mentioned as a GM candidate around the league, but ESPN's Jerry Crasnick says it's probably a long shot (all four Twitter links). "I'm very happy here,'' said Avila, who recently signed a four-year extension. "I have a great relationship with the ownership, and I've worked for [Dave Dombrowski] for 20 years.'' Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com says Avila's new contract prohibits him from interviewing for a GM job (on Twitter).
- Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports says the Reds don't have to rush into a trade involving Joey Votto. They can wait until free agents Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols sign, which will give them an idea of what an extension for Votto would cost. It would also shed some light on potential trade suitors. GM Walt Jocketty recently shot down all the trade talk, however.
- While we wait for the Cubs and Red Sox to agree on compensation for Theo Epstein, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Chicago Sun Times says the GM will have a much tougher time turning the Cubs around than he did Boston nine years ago.
“the GM will have a much tougher time turning the Cubs around than he did Boston nine years ago.”
Wow, best analysis I’ve ever seen. Theo took over a team that won 93 games in Boston. Talk about stating the obvious…
Avila’s new contract prohibits him from interviewing for a GM job.
Well what about a Player Development Job? Although, I doubt he’s going anywhere, they have a good program up there in Tiger Town.
Just more propaganda from Charm City, I think some people just throw names out there for the heck of it. It’s like saying we had a shot to sign Victor Martinez.
You can say one thing for sure about Walt Jocketty and the Reds this offseason. They can’t crawl in a hole and hibernate till March like they did last year. The team has too many holes to simply hand out a few extensions and go take a nap.
It would be nice see the Tigers sign another SP to add to the rotation LHP would be nice. Some bull pen help would be nice too. I think the Tigers should stay with Ramon Santiago at second and try to get a hitting 3B (David Wright?) It would also be nice to see them get a solid OF as well. Not upgrading too much but what makes sense.
I wish people would stop saying the Tigers have $23M coming off the books. That money is pretty much already spoken for by raises to other players and the arbitration eligible players
But, Illitch came out and said there will be a payroll increase next year, and could be up to 140 million. So there should be some significant spending money for DD to go tighten up the bullpen and make a splash with another impact bat.
Illitch wants a world series badly and seems to believe this team can do it. And he may be right. A true leadoff hitter and a little more depth to the bullpen could make this team very scary and illitch isn’t afraid to open up the checkbook.
All I read is that Ilitch said, “Could you imagine another big bat in the lineup”. Not sure how that equates to a guaranteed payroll increase to that level. Unless there is something else out there.
Regardless, that is completely different than saying “$23M is coming off the books, spend some money.” If the Tigers don’t sign any FA and offer arbitration to all who are eligible, they will be at their 2011 opening day payroll.
the David Mayo piece is just lazy journalism by someone who refuses to research the payroll sitaution
It was in the Detroit free press and it was in tue same article as your quote. He said he will be increasing payroll to “continue to compete with teams like Boston, New York, and the increasing talent within our division”
Not disagreeing with your opinion of Mayo, because you are correct; with options and arb, this teams payroll will be just slightly under their opening day payroll this year