Tigers target Putz, Wood for closer vacancy By JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • December 8, 2008

LAS VEGAS — Now that the Tigers have acquired catcher Gerald Laird from Texas, they will be able to focus attention on perhaps their biggest off-season need: a closer.


The team has shown interest in free agent Kerry Wood in recent days and had preliminary trade discussions with the Seattle Marinershttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.freep.com/article/20081208/SPORTS02/81208061/0/SPORTS03#) about J.J. Putz.

Both right-handers have been targeted by the New York Metshttp://images.intellitxt.com/ast/adTypes/mag-glass_10x10.gif (http://www.freep.com/article/20081208/SPORTS02/81208061/0/SPORTS03#), so Detroit officials may need to move quickly in order to have their pick.

Putz, 31, would certainly make for a compelling storyline if he were to become the Tigers’ closer: He grew up in Trenton and pitched at the University of Michigan.

More importantly, he’s also shown the ability to be dominant in the late innings.

Putz might have been the best closer in all of baseball (http://www.freep.com/article/20081208/SPORTS02/81208061/0/SPORTS03#) in 2007. This year, though, both he and the last-place Mariners had forgettable seasons.

Putz spent 49 games on the disabled list, first because of inflammation on his right side (at a point where cartilage attaches to a rib) and later due to a hyperextended throwing elbow.

He returned from the elbow injury in late July. From that point until the end of the season, he converted 8 of 13 save opportunities, maintained a 2.96 ERA and held opponents to a .240 batting average, according to STATS LLC.

He’s scheduled to earn $5.5 million in 2009, followed by a team option worth $9.1 million (or a $1 million buyout) in 2010.

I'd love J.J. Putz. He's a U of M grad and when he's healthy, he's dominant.

Although, we'd have to give up something to get Putz, so I'd rather we focused on Wood...

Yeah, what would the price be to get Putz?

Probably a Casey Crosby or Luis Marte.

A top 10 prospect for sure.

And when you consider we just gave up a top 10 prospect (Moscoso was #10 per BA) to get Laird, than you can imagine what an All-Star like Putz would require...

The only thing that makes Putz intriguing is that he's not eligible for Free Agency yet, so he wouldn't add payroll...

would adding a current player help? Someone like Thames maybe? Seems like we have enough OF's that Thames is only going to get partial playing time anyway. They may want to give Larish some good PT.

Their top 4 OF's combined for 27 home runs last year in 1347 at bats. Thames had 25 in 316 at bats. None of them besides Ichiro hit for average either.

would adding a current player help? Someone like Thames maybe?


perhaps, although Seattle is likely going into rebuild mode, after last years abortion, and a new manager & GM, plus losing Raul Ibanez, they're probably looking ahead...but who knows...

It's possible they could like Larish since they need a 1B

I'm intrigued by these Putz rumors. Apparently there's some substances to these reports...

I hope we can pull something off by the end of the meetings.

perhaps, although Seattle is likely going into rebuild mode, after last years abortion, and a new manager & GM, plus losing Raul Ibanez, they're probably looking ahead...but who knows...

It's possible they could like Larish since they need a 1B

Isn't Thames a young bat they can build with?

Thames is like 31 I think.

(edit...He'll be 32 in March, just looked it up...)

Wow, didn't think he was that old.

Indians are close to signing Kerry Wood, per MLBTR...

This will pressure DD to get a deal done for Putz, or explore Hoffman/Fuentes...

I heard Mets were after Fuentes

I heard Mets were after Fuentes

Apparently the Mets are hours away from signing K-Rod to a 3 yr/$37 million deal. With the Mets having their guy and the Indians potentially getting their guy I would think the market is getting a little more slim by the day.

I know we like Zumaya in the 8th and probably Rodney in the 7th, but if we were to trade for Putz and there were still guys like Fuentes and Hoffman on the market would there be anyway we would go after one of them or another guy like Brandon Lyon to bring in and challenge Rodney/Zumaya and just make us better overall?

Well, I know there are only a half dozen teams that need closers at all (due to promotions on other teams). We could get a good discount for sure.

Fuentes > Putz > Hoffman > Lyon

Fuentes- K-Rods deal is going to hurt Fuentes the most. K-Rod didn't even get close to what he was hoping to get, so Fuentes asking price will surely take a hit. Perhaps he becomes more affordable for us.

Putz- The only downside is we'll have to trade for him. You could make a case he's better than Fuentes.

Hoffman- He's not great anymore. He doesn't strike guys out, and he blew a ton of saves last year despite pitching in the most pitcher-friendly park in the NL. He's basically Todd Jones with more career saves.

Lyon- Nothing spectacular, but better than having Zoom or Rodney close, I guess.

Borowski- LOL!

Wood can straight dominate scary style. The problem is if he's not in that zone, the next step down isn't nearly as awesome. I'm sad the Cubs let him go though, and if I were you guys I wouldn't be the least bit disappointed if he is signed.

I see that the Brewers are interested in Putz and Prince Fielder's name is in the mix.

We're not going to compete with that.

I see that the Brewers are interested in Putz and Prince Fielder's name is in the mix.

We're not going to compete with that.

If that is the case I say forget Putz.

Lock up Fuentes. He pitched in a hitters park and he'll probably get less money based on K-Rod as mentioned, and the low demand for closers.

Apparently the Tigs are talking to Fuentes agents.


The Putz thing can still happen too. It's in the Tigs ballpark really, if they want to give up both Joyce & Larish, than they can get Putz.

The Prince Fielder stuff wasn't true, and it wouldn't have been Prince for Putz, Seattle would've had to given up much more. Probably Putz along with Wladimir Balentien or Jeff Clement, both of whom are A-level prospects.

I've never been impressed by Larish, so if anyone wants him, they can have him. I think Joyce might be a solid player. Give up Thames instead.

I've never been impressed by Larish, so if anyone wants him, they can have him. I think Joyce might be a solid player. Give up Thames instead.


I agree, I'm not high on Larish, he's older (by minor league standards) since he played 4 years in college, so I don't know if his ceiling is that high. However, I agree with you as well on Joyce. I liked what Matt Joyce did last year, for awhile he was hitting around .280 before hitting a wall in September (which can be expected from rookies), but he played solid defense and has left-handed power.

I'm not sure the Mariners would want Thames as a substitute for Joyce, I doubt it, but I have read that Dombrowski is shopping Thames to save about $2 million in payroll.

I've never been impressed by Larish, so if anyone wants him, they can have him. I think Joyce might be a solid player. Give up Thames instead.
Nevermind that idea.