With the Tigers in Arlington to take on the Rangers, second baseman Ian Kinsler reflected on the November 2013 trade that sent him from Texas to Detroit for first baseman Prince Fielder, whose career ended this week because of neck problems. “It’s the best thing that’s happened,” said Kinsler of the deal (via Jason Beck of MLB.com). “Toward the end of my time in Texas, things got kind of stale, so to be able to be traded to an organization like Detroit really allowed me to kind of reflect on who I was as a player and what I needed to do to improve.” The 34-year-old’s two-plus-season run with the Tigers has been a resounding success. Dating back to 2014, his first year with the club, Kinsler ranks eighth among major league position players in fWAR (13.8) and has hit .287/.331/.441 with 49 home runs in 1,906 plate appearances. Kinsler, who’s slashing a robust .291/.347/.488 with 21 homers and 13 stolen bases this season, regards Detroit as the “perfect place” for him and hopes to finish his career there. Going forward, Kinsler is due a reasonable $11MM next year and the Tigers have a $10MM club option for 2018.
More from Detroit and one other major league city:
- Dodgers Triple-A outfielder Yasiel Puig spoke Saturday about the mini-controversy he created earlier this week after posting videos online of him and some Oklahoma City teammates drinking alcohol and shouting curse words into the camera. “I really didn’t know how to use Snapchat,” said Puig (per Doug Padilla of ESPN.com). “I was just playing around with my teammates. I just did something that was wrong.” Puig added that he believes the Dodgers demoted him to the minors to become “a better teammate,” which is his goal. On whether the Dodgers are prepared to sever their relationship with the 25-year-old Puig, manager Dave Roberts told Bill Shaikin of the Los Angeles Times, “I think that’s up to Yasiel. If he chooses to continue to grow as a baseball player and as a man, then he’d be welcome back here.”
- The Tigers haven’t gotten great early returns on their investment in right-hander Jordan Zimmermann, whom they signed to a five-year, $110MM deal in the offseason. Not only has the ex-National posted disappointing numbers – 4.44 ERA and a career-low 5.55 K/9 in 97 2/3 innings – he’s also on the disabled list for the second time this season because of back and neck issues. “It’s been the most frustrating year of my career,” said Zimmermann (via Evan Woodbery of MLive.com) “Going on two months on the (disabled list) and we still don’t really have a true answer.” Zimmermann missed all of July and then returned to start Aug. 4, but he lasted just 1 2/3 innings and allowed six earned runs on six hits and two walks before heading back to the DL. The 30-year-old is currently making progress in his recovery, but there’s no timetable for his return, writes Woodbery.
- Another injured starter, the Dodgers’ Rich Hill, could debut for Los Angeles next Saturday, according to Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register. Hill, whom the Dodgers acquired from Oakland at the non-waiver trade deadline, has been out since mid-July on account of blister problems on his pitching hand. The left-hander is scheduled to make a rehab start Monday with Triple-A Oklahoma City, and he’ll join the Dodgers if that goes well. However, the Dodgers have already had to postpone his first start in their uniform twice. Hill is confident that won’t happen again, though. “It’s healed and 100 percent ready to go and I look forward to getting out there,” said the 36-year-old.
Rich Hill’s blister really is an enigma to me. Why they didn’t rest him for a long while for it to heal is beyond me. Constantly throwing bullpen sessions was only going to make it worst. Honestly, what were they thinking?
Apparently it did heal but it came back.
If I recall, Hill may have developed a blister on another finger after the first issue had healed enough for him to either soft toss or throw a bullpen.
To be fair, the article about Puig also states that Puig believes that the Dodgers position is for him to improve as a hitter athlete and become a better teammate. Not just become a better person.
What got stale in Arlington for Kinsler was his crap attitude because he wanted what was best for Ian Kinsler and not what was best for the team. The Tigers can have him. Enjoy his hitting while you can because it won’t last.
Kinsler has been great since he’s been with Detroit. Tigers got the best of that trade for Prince Fielder. Hate to see his career come to a end, but his entitled attitude was worse than Kinsler when he was a Tiger. Kinsler is one of the best 2nd baseman in baseball. so I’ll take it.
Exactly right, Kinsler had a horrible lackadaisical attitude and when Profar was ready for the majors the 1st time, Kinsler was looking for a way to get out of town. As I recall, he was approached about changing positions (1b or OF) and had no interest because it didn’t better Kinsler even though it would have helped the team. Sorry to hear of Prince’s injury, but it was well worth the risk to get Kinsler out of town.
I will take the 22 year old with a funny last name and a heavy right jab
He refused to go to left, makes you appreciate mikey young even more, he was moved all over the damn place in the prime of his career and never bitched about it.
Tigers sure will enjoy Kinslers hitting for a lot longer then Texas enjoyed a few off and on months of Fielders hitting. And Texas is paying tens of millions to him still. Rangers got had. Got taken. So cry me a river Schroeder
Rangers are only having to pay him 9 million a year ..tigers are still stuck with 6 million a year
That’s a fair opinion. Another fair opinion is Texas got rid of Kinsler’s bad attitude and got a great, young 2B who is currently helping Texas to the best record in the AL. Maybe Detroit did technically win the Fielder for Kinsler swap, but Texas has benefited greatly since getting rid of Kinsler
The Dodgers regret this trade. Hill has a history of being injured and he’s a 36 year old who’s going to be a free agent at the end of the season.
I meant Will regret this trade.
They traded for a pitcher that hasn’t pitched even close to a full season in the majors in nearly a decade. No one should be surprised.
I guess he must have weak skin. Or at least so say the Internet MDs.
Depth in rotations,whether as starter,a setup guy, or as a closer benefits the team overall.
JD saw that staleness too (like everyone else). But no credit from Ian to JD for doing the trade after having called him a sleazeball. Stay classy Ian.
I kind of feel like Kinslers attitude kind of gets a bad rap
Profar was not a good hitter in his callups in 2012 and 2013 (.176 and .234 respectively) and they wanted Kinsler to move positions for Profar even though he was batting at a lower level than Ian, so Kinsler was understandably ticked, and he got traded, and honestly the Tigers got a plus defender/bat for Prince, who is already out of baseball
Plus defender? Kinsler?
$11m for a top-ten position player is “reasonable?” Maybe in a world where the Dodgers have a $80m payroll… In the actual business environment of MLB I’d call it a major bargain.