The Tigers are continuing to scan the market for center field upgrades, Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports tweets. Detroit has been looking around for more options throughout camp, though perhaps the time isn’t quite ripe to make a move with other organizations holding onto their depth until their own situations are resolved. Rosenthal notes that JaCoby Jones has shown most impressively thus far among the in-house competitors with a .346/.393/.615 batting line. Alex Presley has also hit well this spring, though he has spent most of his time in the majors in a corner spot, while fellow competitors Tyler Collins and Mikie Mahtook have each struggled at the plate in game action.
Here’s more from the central divisions:
- Miguel Cabrera left yesterday’s WBC action with back tightness, but Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said he’s not concerned with his star’s health, as Evan Woodberry of MLive.com reports. Team Venezuela skipper Omar Vizquel, who’s also a member of the Detroit coaching staff, notified Ausmus that it’s nothing more than a minor issue.
- The Indians received positive health updates on two critical players, as MLB.com’s Jordan Bastian reports. Carlos Carrasco is ready to begin throwing again, with the organization expressing optimism that his elbow soreness was little more than a blip. Meanwhile, outfielder Michael Brantley “feels good” after a five-inning appearance on the minor-league side of camp. His shoulder health remains a major variable for the defending American League champs.
- The Brewers pulled center fielder Keon Broxton from the team’s game today after he experienced soreness in his surgically repaired wrist, as Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports (Twitter links). Fortunately, though, it’s just a minor bone chip that’s said not to represent a significant concern. Broxton impressed in his limited time in the bigs last year and is hitting a scorching .395/.489/.737 in 14 games this spring, so the club is undoubtedly relieved that it can still look forward to a full season from the 26-year-old.
- Of course, the Brewers are also hoping that another wave of young outfielders will push Broxton and others before long. The organization plans to field a Triple-A outfield of Lewis Brinson, Ryan Cordell, and Brett Phillips, Haudricourt further writes. That’s at least somewhat surprising in the case of Phillips, Haudricourt notes, given his rough 2016 campaign at Double-A.
- Twins GM Thad Levine spoke with MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand about a variety of topics in his first spring with his new organization. He says the Twins are hoping to avoid the lengthy rebuilding processes that some other organizations have pursued in recent years, citing the “wealth of young talent” the club will field at the major league level. The 103-loss 2016 campaign was something of an anomaly, he suggests, given the talent level. While the hyped Minnesota position players are well known, Levine also suggests there’s some cause for optimism in the pitching staff. He suggests there’s “some burgeoning pitching talent” on hand and also notes that he expects better health — and results — from Phil Hughes and others. There’s plenty more to digest from the interview for the Twins’ faithful.
If only there was a center fielder out there under 30 who hit .315 last year and will steal 20 bags and make $9M.
Your welcome angels. Fire Avila
Career year that he won’t come closer to repeating and the injuries are a serious issue. I’ve no problem with the move.
And yet here they are, still looking because they didn’t replace him. Meanwhile the Angels have Cameron Maybin with Ben Revere, which is exactly what the Tigers should’ve done.
Yes, because the Angels have done so well with their choices for platoons in LF. Is last year already a distant memory to you?
That has nothing to do with anything. We’re talking about 2017 and a team that traded an OF and is still trying to replace him 2 weeks before the season, while the team said player was traded to not only has that player, but also has the player the Tigers could or should have gotten in addition so they wouldn’t have to worry about this. The Angels’ platoon situations the last few years are an entirely different discussion.
Career year that he won’t come close to repeating and the injuries are a serious issue. I’ve no problem with the move.
Theres a reason the tigers have traded Maybin twice now
Lol
Lol
There is always Jank
Moving Maybin isn’t the problem. The return is. After putting up those numbers, Avila should have been selling high. Alcantara is not the return that was expected.. As to the salary being 9MM, the Tigers don’t have that much in the budget for a CF. That’s why he was moved to begin with.
The return is what 30 general managers thought he was worth to them contrary to your expectations.
I think part of the deal was getting out of $9 million. So they couldn’t have been expecting much in return
Yep
Trading Maybin wasn’t a mistake. Not replacing him was the mistake.
So far, the only young player that Neil Huntindon has traded that has amounted to much has been Brock Holt.
But it looks like JaCoby Jones and (particularly) Keon Broxton could change that.
Did you look at Broxton’s K numbers last year? Yikes!
I want the Brewers to sign Lincecum and add him to the rotation.
Why?
Why? The guy has nothing left in the tank. Plus miller park is not a pitchers park
In hopes of getting the first overall pick in the draft? Maybe?
Matt Szczur is available. If give the chance to play everyday he will produce.
Time for the Tigers to start looking for a 1B to replace Miggy, before Romine becomes the starter. If Miggy goes down, they have absolutely no backup plan. I understand, no one can replace Miggy. Having someone that can produce even a little would be nice though.
They V-Mart can step in at 1B, so can Avila. Plus they have enough depth in the minors with Efren Navarro, he’d just be like Jefry Marte
V-mart, who just went o for the WBC, is too much of an injury risk to be move to 1B for any significant period. Avila faces only RH pitching and is lucky to hit .200 (yes, I like a 1B that puts the ball in play, preferably with power). Navarro is more likely to be the next Matt Crouse, than Jefry Marte.
Forwhomjoshbelltolls: Jose Bautista has had some success since Huntington traded him from the Pirates to Toronto.
Indeed. But, I said “young player”. Jose was 27. Jose had been around…
“The Pirates drafted Bautista in the 20th round in June 2000, but he did not sign with the team until nearly a year later. Bautista was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles in the 2003 Rule 5 draft.
Between April and the end of July 2004, Bautista had been cut by Baltimore, claimed by Tampa Bay, traded to Kansas City and dealt to the New York Mets. The Pirates re-acquired Bautista July 30, 2004, as part of the deal that sent pitcher Kris Benson to the Mets.”
So, NH was hardly the only one who gave up on Jose.
In fact, it’s a testament to just how bad Bautista was here in Pittsburgh that NO ONE ever faults the Pirates for that deal. There are people here who fault the Pirates for the sun setting. There is no history they won’t revise to pretend their hindsight was 20/20 and even they can’t claim with a straight face to have seen anything in him.
Jose went to TOR and starting using…a leg kick…and suddenly he was Sammy Sosa. Good for him. Not going to fault Huntingdon for that.
He is a bargain.
Yeah, it has to do with who the Angels decide to play in LF. You can keep Revere, punch and Judy hitter who doesn’t walk, and is a poor CF.
I wasn’t expecting much for Maybin, but Avila got so little.