Dave Dombrowski of the Tigers is a top general manager, but his struggles to assemble a good bullpen have been on display in his team’s ALDS series against the Orioles, Joel Sherman of the New York post writes. Notably, Sherman writes that the Tigers nearly completed a trade with the Red Sox for Andrew Miller in July. The Red Sox had asked for a package of players, and the Tigers agreed to that request. By that point, though, the Orioles had agreed to give up starting pitching prospect Eduardo Rodriguez, so the Red Sox sent Miller to Baltimore. Here’s more from throughout the American League.
- The Yankees are looking to get more from their minor league system rather than spending on outside talent. While there isn’t much impact talent on the immediate horizon, they might be able to fill several roster spots next season with talent from their system, Chad Jennings of the Journal News writes. Those include backup catcher (which could feature John Ryan Murphy or Austin Romine), lefty reliever (Tyler Webb, James Pazos or top 2014 draft pick Jacob Lindgren) and second base (Rob Refsnyder or Jose Pirela).
- The Indians could consider trading from their depth at shortstop, Terry Pluto of the Plain Dealer writes. Not only do they have top prospect Francisco Lindor, they also have 22-year-old Jose Ramirez (who made a good impression defensively at the big-league level this season) and 23-year-old Erik Gonzalez, who hit well at Class A+ Carolina and Double-A Akron. Pluto writes that Gonzalez makes the best trade candidate for the Indians, since he is older than the other two players and can play a variety of other positions.
I wonder what Detroit would’ve sent to Boston for Miller.
Eduardo Rodriguez looks real good though. Win-win for both teams.
Yeah, I initially thought Baltimore was giving up way too much. But considering that Miller fortified an already good bullpen and Detroit is proving a starting rotation in nothing in the playoffs without a good bullpen, it seems like a solid investment for Baltimore. They’re right now running on all cylinders and look like a championship team.
“While their isn’t much impact talent on the immediate horizon”
Might want to fix that.
When the Tigers lose playoff series, they don’t just lose. They fall apart. It’s hard to really advocate for DD’s dismissal, but he’s constructed a team that’s failed to execute with years of a weak AL Central and he’s made a team that will be increasingly top heavy as the years go on. A switch might be for the best.
It’s Ausmus and the pitching coach (and bullpen coach, and any other coach who interacts with the pitchers) who really need to go. Something must be up with their pitcher training, because Nathan and Soria were so much better in Texas, and Smyly got way better as soon as he went to Tampa.
But you can’t ignore the success of Verlander before this year, Fister, Scherzer, Sanchez. I wouldn’t let go of Ausmus because their rotation has been phenonimal over the years, it’s the bullpen that has always been terrible, even under Leyland.
With both Verlander and Cabrera, DD issued market value contracts well before he had to. Which in Verlander’s case has cost them dearly even if he turns things around.
I absolutely agree with you, I don’t necessarily believe DD should be run out of town yet, but he cannot be blamed for all of the bullpen woes, he has brought in several proven arms to anchor the bullpen, but something in the Detroit air makes them all flame out when they get there
I actually think he can be blamed for the bullpen woes. Nathan was an expensive choice for closer who ate up a larger portion of their bullpen funds than they should have allowed. He can’t be blamed for Nathan’s woes, but trading Fister to free up funds to sign Nathan was a poor choice when he left the rest of the pen vulnerable.
He wanted the flashiest toy in the store and he got it. And then it broke.
But how do you explain Soria who inexplicably flamed out as soon has he put on a Tiger’s uni?
He did get injured. Bullpens are volatile. That’s why you don’t put all your eggs in once basket.
Fair enough, but even so, year in and year out the bullpen is in shambles, i think that has more to do with the pitching coach than DD, although there is more than enough blame to go around
DD is captain of the ship and assembles a stinky bullpen each year.
At some point you have to place blame on the players themselves. DD went out and got Nathan, Soria, Chamberlain, etc. They have choked, not DD.
Nathan is at the end of his career. Soria is not what he used to be. Joba will never be the 98-mph fireballer again. These are not late-inning, big-time relievers. It’s not their fault they’re being put into positions they’re unsuited for. That’s on DD.
How is Soria not what he used to be? He was a monster not 3 months ago when he was on the Rangers
He got injured. Can’t be too surprised, given his recent injury history. Hardly Soria’s fault.
Just trying to show that it’s not really the players’ fault. They can only perform as best they can. It’s up to management to put players in a position to succeed. DD has consistently failed to do so.
Nathan was lights out all last year. Rondon was a huge loss. Chamberlain was great the first half, then fell apart. Soria was terrific until his first inning as a Tiger.
That’s not on the GM or pitching coach.
I could see the Tigers going after David Robertson. At 30 years old, he’s actually the youngest closer on the FA market.
I honestly can’t believe K-Rod is only 33.
I agree they will go after Robertson. It would also be an interesting choice. There seems to be an culture of failure surrounding closers in Detroit and Robertson is not lights out. I mean the man’s nickname is Houdini– which is only funny when he gets out of the trouble he seems to put himself into all the time. In Detroit, where closers seem to lose their confidence–maybe it’s a coaching thing?– I could see Robertson being a danger to implode.
If anything, it’s the pressure to perform and win a World Series for an aging, deserving owner.
If they went after Miller once – a pitcher they had and traded in the Miggy deal, then rest assured they will be going after him hard this offseason.
They could very well go after both.
With the Tigers pen, it is not a one pitcher fix. They are running out of time to win with this group, which is a team built to win now. As is, they will lose Scherzer, but they’ll have Price and I’m pretty sure the Royals not about to turn into a juggernaut. Their owner is not getting any younger, so he should spend some money on fixing the pen. That means at least two arms. Robertson and Miller, or Robertson and Gegerson, or Miller and Gregerson, or others. (I haven’t seen the complete list of available relievers.) What they have now is broke.
With Boston last year and the Royals and Orioles this year, it’s apparent that teams are going to prioritize relievers more than ever this winter. They’re the new “heroes” as it were. Andrew Miller is going to be making more money than he probably ever dreamed about.
who do you think was that package Boston was going to receive from Detroit?
Could the package have involved a combination of Nick Castellanos, Ian krol, Melvin Mercedes, Corey Knebel, and Jake Thompson for Steven Drew, Jon Lester/ John Lackey, and Andrew Miller
You are completely right about his numbers. He is really good, and I want the Yankees to re-sign him. I just meant that when you watch him close games it isn’t ever a quick and easy thing. He puts guys on base. He rarely lets them score, but he throws a lot of pitches before he’s done. It takes a lot of confidence to put guys on at the rate he does and still get the outs he needs to. If, as I believe, there is something going on in Detroit (an attitude about closers that isn’t supportive enough) then he would be a guy who might be in trouble. But, hopefully the Yankees sign him and I never have to find out.
Ahh, I see. I thought you were a Tigers fan trying to figure out how to fix their bullpen! From the Yankees perspective, their bullpen is one of the few things that has gone right. I’d resign Robertson and add in Miller to Betances, because with their hitting (or lack of it right now), they need to win all the close games. I can’t get a read at all, however, on what the Yankees plan to do with Robertson. I suspect at minimum they’ll give him a qualifying offer, which will limit his market, and then they’ll try to negotiate a longer term deal. Yet Robertson still might walk, figuring this is his one chance to really cash in. I think the Yankees will pay him, but some team may want to pay him more, as happened with Cano last year. These are not George Steinbrenner’s Yankees anymore, so the assumption the Yankees will always sign a player they have an interest in is no longer true.
I am fascinated by the Tigers’ bullpen problems. It seems like good pitchers go there and get worse. So, in a way, yeah I am trying to figure out why. My latest theory is that there is something rotten with psychological training or attitude there. They need either a psychologist or a medicine man in there to straighten things out.
As I said, it might be just a case of bringing in the wrong relievers at the wrong time. I do believe the Tigers are trying to fix their bullpen, but they just haven’t had much luck over the last year. (BTW I just noticed that my original response to you was deleted for no specific reason. It wasn’t by me. This happened to one other note I posted. I wonder who I “complain” to about that?)