Headlines

Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tigers Rumors

Odds & Ends: Hill, Lowe, Renteria

By | at

Some musings from the central divisions:

  • In this piece by Gordon Wittenmyer covering Carlos Zambrano’s shoulder strain, the Cubs may be forced to shut down Rich Hill.  Hill failed to get through the first inning for Triple-A Iowa start on Friday, recording 2 outs while giving up 6 ER and 4 BB, and the Cubs simply want to give him an extended mental break.  This may turn up the flames even further on the Cubs pursuit of a front line starter.
  • For what it’s worth, Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press says Derek Lowe is unlikely to become a Tiger this season.
  • Will another AL club give up on Edgar Renteria after a year?  In another piece, Morosi thinks Renteria could wind up staying with Detroit despite his $11MM club option and his batting average dropping over .060 points. Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski and Manager Jim Leyland both speak favorably of Renteria as a player and as a guy in the clubhouse. Still, possible free agent replacements do exist so this is worth monitoring.

By Nat Boyle

Odds and Ends: Kouzmanoff, Ricciardi, Wilson

By | at

Today’s linkage…

Odds and Ends: Fujikawa, Inge, Haren, Jacque

By | at

Today’s collection of links…

Tigers Interested In Freddy Garcia

By | at

Who said the Tigers were sellers?  According to Jon Paul Morosi, they’ve contacted Freddy Garcia’s agent to express interest.  At 6.5 games out, the Tigers have roughly a 15% chance at making the playoffs (not unlike the Mets).

Garcia is coming back from shoulder surgery, and if all goes according to plan he could reach a Major League mound in late August.  It’s important that he makes it before September so that he’s playoff-eligible.  Morosi notes that Detroit is a good fit for Garcia, given his friendship with Carlos Guillen and the team’s Venezuelan leanings.

On May 16th, Buster Olney said at least seven teams were monitoring Garcia: the Mets, Red Sox, Braves, Yankees, White Sox, Rangers, and Mariners.  The Indians also had past interest.  We can probably take the Ms off the list now.

Odds and Ends: Viciedo, Broussard, Rincon, Threets

By | at

Time to round ’em up.

  • The A’s are leading the charge for international free agent pitcher Michael Inoa; they could offer him $4MM.  All teams have scouted him.
  • MLB.com’s Jim Molony names the Astros, Yankees, Cardinals, Angels, Mets, and Pirates as teams considering Cuban defector Dayan Viciedo (assuming he becomes a free agent).
  • The Orioles would like to sign Ben Broussard, if he’ll accept a minor league assignment.  Broussard if mulling his options and should sign within 24 hours.  He could step in if the Orioles trade Kevin Millar.
  • Jeff Weaver has been released by the Brewers.  Weaver’s lost it; he has a 6.22 ERA in nine Triple A starts.
  • The Twins have asked Juan Rincon to accept a minor league assignment.  If he refuses, the Twins will be on the hook for his salary and he’ll become a free agent.  Rincon’s last decent year was 2006.
  • No team was willing to keep lefty reliever Erick Threets in the Majors.  He cleared waivers and will head to Triple A as a member of the Giants organization.
  • Andy Pettitte wouldn’t commit, but admitted it’d be a "joy and an honor" to pitch at the new Yankee Stadium next year.
  • Tigers backup catcher Vance Wilson may retire after a setback in his elbow recovery.

Considering A Tigers Fire Sale

By | at

The Tigers are ten games out in the AL Central, 10.5 out of the Wild Card.  Jon Heyman talks of fire sale speculation, but he doesn’t know where they’d start.  Lynn Henning has ideas, though.  Let’s discuss the trade candidates.

  • Magglio Ordonez, RF.  Henning thinks dealing him makes sense, since the Tigers have replacement options.  He earns $15MM this year and $18MM in ’09 with possible expensive vesting options for ’10 and ’11.  He also has limited no-trade protection.  Brian Giles or Xavier Nady might be more sensible targets teams in need of right field help.
  • Ivan Rodriguez, C.  It appears that Rodriguez also has no-trade protection.  He’s been reduced to a platoon and earns $13MM.
  • Edgar Renteria, SS.  Renteria has an $11MM club option for ’09 with a $3MM buyout.  It appears that the Red Sox may be on the hook for the buyout though.  Renteria isn’t hitting much and his defense is not rated highly.
  • Todd Jones, RP.  Teams will be wary of his 0.82 K/BB ratio.  He wouldn’t bring much of a return.
  • Brandon Inge, 3B/C.  Unless the Tigers acquire a catcher have a free agent target in mind, they may want Inge around for ’09.
  • Placido Polanco, 2B.  He’s having a decent year and is signed through ’09 at $4.6MM per year.  He may actually have some trade value.
  • Nate Robertson, SP.  Robertson earns $4.25MM in ’08, $7MM in ’09, and $10-11MM in ’10.  He has a fairly respectable 2.2 K/BB despite his 5.88 ERA.  He has value, but a trade would mostly be a salary dump.
  • Kenny Rogers, SP.  He makes $8-10MM this year.  He’s made all his starts but has not impressed.
  • After this exercise I can see what Heyman meant.  The Tigers’ veterans don’t have much trade value.

Ivan Rodriguez To Lose Playing Time

By | at

Ivan Rodriguez, the Tigers’ $13MM catcher, will now be used in a platoon with Brandon Inge.  They’ll alternate starts behind the plate.

Rodriguez, 36, is hitting .245 (AVG)/.286 (OBP)/.349 (SLG) in 208 plate appearances.  This didn’t come out of nowhere – PECOTA had him at .267/.295/.390.  PECOTA is a projection system developed by Baseball Prospectus.  The PECOTA system uses comparable players to make its estimates.

Hot stove implications of Jim Leyland’s new plan: the Tigers will learn if Brandon Inge can be their everyday catcher in 2009 (Inge is signed through 2010).  If not, the Tigers seem more likely to explore the free agent market than to re-sign Pudge.  What a difference a few months can make – last offseason the Tigers exercised Rodriguez’s $13MM option and tried to trade Inge.

Have Injuries Knocked Tigers, Indians Out Of Contention?

By | at

Frustration continues to mount as both the Indians and Tigers lost a key starter to injury this week. Jeremy Bonderman is out with a blood clot, and Jake Westbrook will undergo Tommy John surgery; both pitchers are likely out for the season.

Since these two teams where once considered favorites to contend for the AL Central crown, it seems highly implausible that they would forfeit the season in early June. So, dear readers, what options do these two teams have? Do they trade for pitching and hope their offenses carry them through? Do they try to spark their offense via free agency? Do they give up and hope for a better 2009?

For one, as an AL exec told Jayson Stark, the Tigers seem to be out of prospects good enough to trade for big league talent.

And the Indians’ pitching has been good enough, but it’s been their inconsistent offense (with a punch-less Travis Hafner in particular) that has them six games out of first.

Arguably, the Indians seem to be the team with the best shot at a comeback, so what’s the plan? Do the Tribe get another bat to replace Hafner? Do the Tigers trade a couple of big names for an arm?

Alejandro Leal writes for UmpBump.com. You can reach him here.

Jayson Stark’s Latest

By | at

Jayson Stark’s latest column is up and as usual he dips into the rumor-mill several times…

  • Indians: According to other clubs, Cleveland is starting to float C.C. Sabathia’s name, but are making it clear that they are not ready to trade him. Stark says the Indians are scouting the Red Sox heavily. One executive says that it is hard to imagine somebody giving up prospects for a guy that will almost certainly test the free agency waters. That same executive says they would have a hard time giving seven years to a pitcher as big as Sabathia.
  • Tigers: One AL executive says the Tigers don’t have any prospects of value left, but wonders if they won’t do something crazy in the trade market because of their "all in" payroll. Stark wonders if they would be willing to trade Jeremy Bonderman or a big bat for an arm.
  • Braves: Atlanta might be more interested in bringing back Kevin Millwood as opposed to Greg Maddux, but Stark says that is very unlikely.
  • Rockies: In addition to Matt Holiday and Brian Fuentes, there is a slim chance that Aaron Cook would be made available, but his salary goes up $1MM per year if he is dealt.
  • A’s: Apparently the bounty sought by Oakland for Joe Blanton ("three young building-block players") has not been lowered since last summer.
  • Royals: The Royals have already started listening to offers for a number of players but one executive says that list does not include their relief pitchers and those are the pieces of highest interest.

Cork Gaines writes for Rays Index and can be reached here.

Show all

MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

hide arrows scroll to top