Tigers Rumors

Detroit’s 2011 Payroll Situation

By Mike Axisa | March 13, 2010 at 11:29am CDT

Once the Tigers traded Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson for four pre-arbitration eligible players, the thought was that owner Mike Ilitch was trimming payroll after the recession hit Detroit especially hard. However, he then approved a massive extension for ace Justin Verlander as well as the signing of Johnny Damon, and now his team's Opening Day payroll is expected to be somewhere around $130MM, up from $115MM last year.

Lynn Henning of The Detroit News wrote about the payroll savings GM Dave Dombrowski will enjoy after the season, which are pretty significant. Here's a look at the money the Tigers have coming off the books after the 2010 season…

Jeremy Bonderman, $12.5MM salary in 2010
Dontrelle Willis, $12MM
Nate Robertson, $10MM
Johnny Damon, $8MM
Brandon Inge, $6.6MM
Gerald Laird, $3.95MM
Bobby Seay, $2.475MM
Adam Everett, $1.5MM

That's $57.025MM in savings right there, and the team would be wise to avoid letting Magglio Ordonez reach the 540 plate appearances needed for his $15MM option to vest.

Ilitch isn't shy about spending big on the free agent market, and he'll have the money available to add a big bat to complement Miguel Cabrera (Jayson Werth, Aramis Ramirez if he declines his option?) as well as another elite starter to a rotation that already includes Verlander, Rick Porcello, and Max Scherzer (Josh Beckett, Cliff Lee?) after the season. Keep in mind that I was just throwing some names out there off our 2011 free agents list, and that the Tigers have not been linked to any of those players in any rumors we've seen.

The Tigers are already in a position to compete in the AL Central, and once they shed some dead money after the season, they'll have a chance to jump ahead of the pack if they spend wisely.

Polanco Probably Would Have Accepted Arbitration

By Mike Axisa | March 11, 2010 at 5:26pm CDT

Placido Polanco certainly won't be hurting for money after signing a three-year deal worth $18MM with the Phillies this offseason, but if the Tigers had offered him arbitration, he probably would have accepted it according to MLB.com's Jason Beck.

"You know, if they would've offered me arbitration, I probably would've accepted it," Polanco said. "Probably. I didn't know what was out there. Most teams were waiting on that. Most teams wait on that, because the type of free agent I was, they have to give up a Draft pick. So that kind of worked out well for me."

After earning $4.6MM during his final season in Detroit, Polanco was probably looking at a $6MM salary or so if he had accepted arbitration and gone to a hearing. As a Type-A free agent, a team would have had to surrender a high draft pick to sign him if he turned down the offer. The Tigers had to weigh the pros of possibly landing two high draft picks against the cons of having Polanco on a one-year contract, likely at more money than they were comfortable paying him.

Several players, including Rafael Soriano, Carl Pavano, and Rafael Betancourt, accepted arbitration this winter instead of exploring the free agent market. They went for the guaranteed pay day over a shot at bigger money as a free agent. Several teams, such as the Dodgers and Yankees, chose not to offer arbitration to any of their free agents to avoid getting stuck with a player on an expensive contract, even if it was only for one year.

Odds & Ends: Clark, Twins, Granderson, Sizemore

By Mike Axisa | March 10, 2010 at 3:41pm CDT

Some links for Wednesday…

Former big leaguer Tony Clark has been named the MLBPA's director of player relations, reports MLB.com's Bailey Stephens. Clark hasn't played since being released by the Diamondbacks last July, and his duties with the union are "expected to play a large part in future collective bargaining discussions."
FoxSports.com's Ken Rosenthal says one of the Marlins' many non-roster relievers could become a low-priced option for the Twins if Joe Nathan ends up needing surgery. That group includes Jose Veras, Mike MacDougal, Derrick Turnbow, and Seth McClung.
In an interview with John Lowe of The Detroit Free Press, Curtis Granderson said he never wondered why the Tigers traded him only to sign Johnny Damon less than three months later.
Jon Paul Morosi of FoxSports.com writes that even though the Indians are in full rebuilding mode, the front office is adamant Grady Sizemore isn't going anywhere. Sizemore is under contract for the next two years, and Cleveland holds a $9MM option for 2012.
Baseball America's Ben Badler goes back five years to look at how successful each team has been at developing players from outside the United States.
In response to Milton Bradley's interview with ESPN's Colleen Dominguez about his time in Chicago, GM Jim Hendry and former teammates basically said that Bradley had to look in the mirror, according to The Chicago Tribune's Paul Sullivan and ESPN Chicago's Bruce Levine.

Odds & Ends: Fielder, Young, Pierzynski Dice-K

By Tim Dierkes | March 9, 2010 at 9:08pm CDT

Links for Tuesday…

Brewers GM Doug Melvin tells MLB.com's Adam McCalvy that there's "no sense of urgency" to the Prince Fielder extension talks, since Fielder's "not going anywhere" for now.
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports tweets that Chris Young (the Padres' version) could be a trade candidate this year, but that the right-hander would be better served staying in the National League.
Morosi also lays out the decision facing the White Sox as A.J. Pierzynski's contract approaches its end. We discussed the catcher's next contract here.
Daisuke Matsuzaka wants to play in the majors for at least another decade, according to WEEI's Rob Bradford.
SI's Tom Verducci explains a radical floating realignment concept that was discussed by Bud Selig's "special committee for on-field matters."
Joe Posnanski describes Aroldis Chapman's spring debut in this SI column.
Matthew Cerrone of MetsBlog reports that the Mets re-signed pitcher Kyle Snyder to a minor league deal. Snyder posted a 4.23 ERA, 6.4 K/9, and 2.8 BB/9 in 104.3 Triple A innings last year.
Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch explores the recent pattern of the Cardinals acquiring rejected Red Sox players.
ESPN's Keith Law opines that "if the season started this week, [Kyle Farnsworth would] have to be a candidate for unconditional release."
MLB.com's Jason Beck caught up with Blue Jays pitcher Casey Fien, who bounced around between three clubs in a short span this winter.
Clark Spencer of the Miami Herald says the 2007 Marlins-Tigers Miguel Cabrera blockbuster hasn't panned out as planned so far.

2011 Vesting Options

By Tim Dierkes | March 9, 2010 at 4:33pm CDT

Vesting options are always fun for hot stove junkies to follow during the season. Last year we had Kevin Millwood's $12 Million Out and the Tigers allowing Magglio Ordonez's pricey option to vest. 2011 vesting options to watch this year:

Brian Fuentes, Angels: $9MM option vests with 55 games finished. Fuentes has finished 55+ three times in his career, last year included. Fernando Rodney will be lurking.
Billy Wagner, Braves: $6.5MM option vests with 50 games finished.
Trever Miller, Cardinals: $2MM option vests with 45 games, but reverts to a club option with a left arm or shoulder injury.
Matt Cain, Giants: $6.25MM option vests with 182.3 innings or 27 starts. The Giants will exercise this even if it doesn't vest, as the alternative will be going to arbitration with Cain and potentially paying him more.
Kerry Wood, Indians: $11MM option vests with 55 games finished. A trade into a non-closing job could affect Wood's bank account. That's three closers whose GF totals we'll be monitoring.
Alex Cora, Mets: $2MM option vests with 80 starts.
Darren Oliver, Rangers: $3.25MM option vests with 59 appearances.
Ramon Hernandez, Reds: $3.25MM option vests with 120 games played.
Magglio Ordonez, Tigers: $15MM option vests with 135 starts or 540 plate appearances.
Note that a game finished is given to the last non-starting pitcher of record. Also, thanks to Cot's Baseball Contracts for the info.

Brandon Inge Enters Walk Year

By Ben Nicholson-Smith | March 5, 2010 at 10:36am CDT

Take a quick look at Brandon Inge's numbers and he doesn't seem that different from Pedro Feliz. They're both strong defensive third basemen in their early thirties who will give you an OPS close to .700. Feliz signed a $4.5MM deal with the Astros this offseason, but when Inge hits the market next winter, he can hope for a little more.

Granted, Inge strikes out about 30% of the time he steps up to hit. That limited his OBP (.314) and slugging (.406) last year, despite his 27 homers. But Inge saves about ten runs a year with his third base defense, and he can also catch and play all three outfield positions. Plus, Inge will be 33 when he hits free agency, a year younger than Feliz was this winter.

Mark DeRosa's versatility helped him land a two-year deal, even though he'll be 35 this season. Fellow 2011 free agents Feliz and Miguel Tejada are older than Inge and less versatile. There will be other competition, though. Garrett Atkins, Jorge Cantu and Adrian Beltre could all be free agents after the season.

Inge won't be the only Tiger whose contract is coming off the books. Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, Dontrelle Willis, Johnny Damon, Gerald Laird, Bobby Seay, Adam Everett and maybe even Magglio Ordonez will see their deals expire, too. That means the Tigers will have the flexibility to bring Inge back. Even if they choose not to, he should have other suitors if he is productive in 2010.

Latin Links: Anderson, Cuba, Venezeula

By Nick Collias | March 2, 2010 at 7:49am CDT

All the noticias de beisbol fit to imprimir…

Jorge Ebro at Nuevo Herald spoke to Leslie Anderson’s agent Jaime Torres, who repeated the familiar refrain that Anderson is “about to sign.” Anderson is currently playing for the Tigers of Quintana Roo in the Mexican League, and he has said he is willing to continue playing in Mexico if he doesn’t find the right offer in the majors.
In the same article, Ebro outlines how an increasing number of defections is affecting the level of play in the historically prestigious Cuban Serie Nacional. According to his sources, more than 300 players at various levels have left the island in recent years. Kendry Morales and Yunel Escobar tell Ebro that the league has greatly diminished since when they played in it.
This season, only the US and the Dominican Republic will have more representation on major league rosters than Venezuela. But more South Americans will be playing stateside soon, now that the Venezuelan Baseball Federation has signed a three-year affiliation with the independent Yuma Scorpions of the Golden Baseball League. According to the press release, the agreement is intended to showcase not only players, but also coaches and trainers to major league organizations.
Fresh from being bumped to DH and part-time left fielder duties by Johnny Damon, Carlos Guillen spoke with Carlos Valmore Rodriguez at the Venezuelan newspaper La Lider about his career as a position-hopping “Bedouin of baseball.” He lauds the Venezuelan winter leagues for forcing prospects to become more versatile, and passes along the advice he received from journeyman Stan Javier upon starting out with the Mariners: “Work hard in any position, because you know where you start but not where you end up.”

Red Sox Claim Casey Fien, Designate Gaby Hernandez

By Tim Dierkes | March 1, 2010 at 1:30pm CDT

The Red Sox claimed pitcher Casey Fien off waivers from the Tigers today, according to the Tigers' official Twitter feed. Fien was designated for assignment on Tuesday to make room for Johnny Damon. The Red Sox announced that they designated former waiver claim Gaby Hernandez for assignment to clear a spot for Fien. It's been a busy winter for Hernandez, who was designated for assignment by the Mariners when they signed Ryan Garko.

Fien, 26, posted a 3.41 ERA, 10.2 K/9, and 2.3 BB/9 in 58 Triple A relief innings this year. He struggled in 11.3 big league frames, which marked his Major League debut. Baseball America ranked Fien 27th among Tigers prospects, writing that he "profiles as a middle reliever." Still, his minor league command is intriguing.

Offseason In Review: Detroit Tigers

By Tim Dierkes | February 25, 2010 at 10:49am CDT

Next up in our Offseason In Review series, the Tigers.

Major League Signings

Jose Valverde, RP: two years, $14MM. Includes $9MM club option for '12.
Johnny Damon, LF: one year, $8MM.
Adam Everett, SS: one year, $1.55MM.
Brad Thomas, P: one year, $400K (estimated).
Total spend: $23.95MM.

Notable Minor League Signings

Phil Dumatrait, Enrique Gonzalez, Robinzon Diaz, Mike Rabelo, Kory Casto, Jason Stokes, Ruddy Lugo

Extensions

Justin Verlander, SP: five years, $80MM.
Ramon Santiago, IF: two years, $2.5MM.

Trades and Claims

Acquired CF Austin Jackson, P Phil Coke, RP Daniel Schlereth, and SP Max Scherzer; gave up CF Curtis Granderson and SP Edwin Jackson
Traded C Dusty Ryan to Padres for a player to be named later or cash considerations

Notable Losses

Curtis Granderson, Edwin Jackson, Fernando Rodney, Brandon Lyon, Placido Polanco, Aubrey Huff, Jarrod Washburn, Marcus Thames, Dusty Ryan, Freddy Dolsi, Dane Sardinha, Matt Treanor

Summary

The offseason began with stories about the Tigers needing to trim payroll. Saddled with many bad contracts, GM Dave Dombrowski unloaded two good ones in Granderson and Edwin Jackson. After the December blockbuster it was confusing to see the Tigers commit $22MM to Valverde and Damon in win-now moves (Valverde can contribute beyond 2010, of course).

However, the Edwin Jackson-Scherzer component might provide the best of both worlds – decent savings with no downgrade in production or talent. And as Joe Pawlikowski explains in this FanGraphs article, the Tigers will gain a lot of payroll flexibility in 2011 due to Dombrowski's offseason moves as well as expiring extensions.

Still, moving Granderson hurts the Tigers in 2010. If his 2011 salary was a problem, he could've been traded after this season. Even optimistic projections (i.e., no injuries) have the Tigers' 2010 offense as below-average. The rotation looks shaky too – Scherzer and Rick Porcello must pile up innings, while the #4-5 spots are huge question marks.

I understand attempting a run in 2010, since there is star talent in Verlander and Miguel Cabrera and no real way to unload the overpaid veterans. I just think you keep Granderson as part of that 2010 run and find payroll space for a starting pitching addition. I'm not sure if Scherzer-Edwin Jackson could've been facilitated without the Yankees' contribution. But if you make that swap and keep Granderson (as opposed to signing Damon) that's more than $5MM to play with toward a free agent starter. The extra three to five wins gained from keeping Granderson and adding, say, Joel Pineiro, might've pushed the Tigers into contention.

Cuban Links: Ruiz, Anderson, Serrano

By Nick Collias | February 25, 2010 at 12:50am CDT

Get out the Spanish-English dictionary and put on Raekwon's Only Built 4 Cuban Linx…

Morgan Campbell at the Toronto Star posits that Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos' recent scouting trip to the Dominican Republic could mean the team is "closing in" on Jose Julio Ruiz. Yesterday, Ruiz's trainer told the Nuevo Herald that the first baseman's most recent tryout, his "last before signing," was against Blue Jays players. The blog cubanballplayers.com also reported on Tuesday that Ruiz had a private tryout with the Jays. Both the team and Prestige Sports Agency, which represents Ruiz, remain mum on any communication.
Cuban first baseman/outfielder Leslie Anderson tells Angel Mazariego of the Mexican newspaper Sipse that he is willing to play in Mexico this season if nothing materializes for him in the majors. Anderson lists the Red Sox, Yankees, Mariners, Dodgers, Giants and Brewers as the teams he knows to have scouted him recently. Mazariego adds the Dodgers and Tigers to the list.
Amaury Perez Torres at the Cuban baseball blog Las Avispas cites a "source close to" pitching prospect Juan Yasser Serrano saying that the right-hander has worked out for 10 major league teams this winter. Most recently, the source says, Serrano struck out four in a two-inning simulation for the Cubs on February 19, with a fastball that touched 93.
If it seems like there is more chatter about Cuban defectors than ever before, that's no coincidence, writes Campbell in the Toronto Star. In a lengthy article, he outlines how more Cuban players are now aiming at the major leagues thanks to the success of Kendry Morales and Yunel Escobar, neither of whom was a starter in Cuba. Equally significant was the contract that third base prospect Dayan Viciedo signed with the White Sox in 2008. A Cuban baseball expert in Canada tells Campbell that Viciedo made players on the island think, "If he can get $10 million, then what am I worth?"
Speaking of Morales, Jorge Arangure Jr. adds a new dimension to the first baseman's recent switch from Hendricks Sports Management to Scott Boras in an article in ESPN the Magazine. Rodney Fernandez, who recruited both Morales and Aroldis Chapman for Kendricks, is being investigated by the MLBPA and Florida police in regard to $300K that disappeared from Morales' bank account.

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