Fuck.

I was hoping we could go a few more weeks before we had to start this thread.

Give me a day to rid myself of this overwhelming depression and I'll type a huge writeup tomorrow on what the Tigs situation should be for next year.

For now, let's just say 2010 will be better since the Twins will be playing in an outdoor stadium.

I'll leave it at that.

FUCK!

Well, my guess is that since we'll be paying Magglio his money now, we won't be making any big splashes in free agency.

All the useless contracts that we have, still are on the books for at least another season.

We absolutely have too add offense to either the SS or catching position.

Thames and Huff can go, Guillen needs to be the full time DH and someway, somehow, we need to get a LF that can play.

Lyon and Rodney need to be resigned.

I highly doubt that we sign a Pitcher so it's gonna take a lot of praying that 2 out of Willis, Bonderman, Robertson, and Galaragga become servicable. (or a minor leaguer)

I'd probably resign Polanco unless Sizemore is ready.

It really is ridiculous that we NEVER have any position prospects in the minors.

Willis, Robertson, Bonderman, Inge, and hopefully Magglio all expire after next season. I doubt we do much until than.

Positives...

J Verlander
Porcello
Cabrerra

I think Jackson will be fine.

Inge will be fine another year.

Grandy in Center

Jesus Christ.

The least Magglio could do is grow his hair back. He could at least earn some tiny fraction of that money by twisting balloon animals for frightened children at Comerica.

Maggs hit like .400 in the second half. Get off his ass and complain about Guillien, Everett, Laird and all the other guys hitting sub .250 with no power.

Mags is the man. I'm glad we have him next season.

I don't mind having Mags the player but that Contract is going to prevent us from doing much of anything.

I'm pretty sure that Wil's report is going to tell us otherwise, when published.

I'd like to see Mags and Guillen be the only DH's (so only one is in the field at a time).

Also, what about getting Tejada or Beltre and moving Inge to SS? We need a better bat at SS or 3B.

I'm also wondering how Availa looked (never saw him in the half dozen games I got to see out here). Any hope of him being a regular next year? His bat seems to be a lot better than Laird's.

Let's go get an OF or 2 and let Maggs DH, his fielding is just pathetic.

Mags will be in a contract year.

Avilla is a keeper.

cabrera's behavior is 100% unacceptable. reports were last year's clubhouse was a joke. if he was part of the problem, then i would accept DD dealing him. crazy, i know. but you make moves before you have to, and he'll never have higher value. i have no interest in watching an immature wunderkind squander his talent. IF its strike 2 and IF theres an A++++ deal for him, i'd be fine moving him.

bringing back mags sux. they better not let him get the ABs again next year.

I think polanco could be moved to 3rd. i think both infielders get called up, and inge's future is nebulous.

outside of the bp, i suspect therell be few additions. maybe LF but isnt W Ramirez ready?

Isn't this the 2009 offseason, Wil?

It's really 2009-2010, faggots.

Ok here we go...

2008 salaries are in ( )

FREE AGENTS

Jarrod Washburn ($4M)
Aubrey Huff ($2M)
Gary Sheffield ($15M)
Brandon Lyon ($4.25M)
Adam Everett ($1M)
Fernando Rodney ($2.7M)

Off The Books = $28.95M

Now, the unoffical Elias rankings are out, and only Polanco projects as a Type A free agent. Fernando Rodney just missed the cutoff line and is a Type B along with Brandon Lyon. Jarrod Washburn was so bad in his 2 months here, he went from having an outside shot at Type A status to completely unranked. The rankings are based on production in 2 year intervals, btw.

We will absolutely offer Polanco, Lyon & Rodney arbitration. Polanco would be the only one who might consider accepting it, although I don't think he will. In all, we are going to be net some solid compensation extra picks next June.

Both Aubrey Huff and Jarrod Washburn will almost certainly be gone. Neither put up the type of production to warrant a new contract here in Detroit.


NON-TENDER CANDIDATES (arbitration eligible; likely to be non-tenders and become free agents)

Marcus Thames ($2.275M)- poor display of power is probably what did him in, even with all the opportunites with Maggs getting benched and Guillen missing 3 months, he couldn't carve out a niche'. Time for him to move on.

Matt Treanor ($750K)

Off The Books = $3.025M + $28.95M = $31.975M


ARBITRATION ELIGIBLES

Justin Verlander ($3.675M)
Edwin Jackson ($2.2M)
Gerald Laird ($2.8M)
Ramon Santiago ($825K)
Bobby Seay ($1.3M)
Joel Zumaya ($735K)

Dombrowski may explore signing Verlander & Jackson to long-term deals, but I'm not sure what route he will go. I'd say there's more incentive to get a deal done with Justin right now and let Jackson pitch out '10 to see if his '09 wasn't a fluke. Laird could fetch a nice raise, and so will Santiago & Seay. Zumaya may get around $800K or so. Dombrowski will probably settle all these guy's contracts without using the arbitration process, which is customary.


UNDER CONTRACT: 2010 salaries in "()"

Magglio Ordonez ($18M)
Miguel Cabrera ($20M)- $5M pay raise from '09
Jeremy Bonderman ($12.5M)
Carlos Guillen ($13M)- $3M pay raise from '09
Dontrelle Willis ($12M)- $2M pay raise from '09
Nate Robertson ($10M)- $3M pay raise from '09
Brandon Inge ($6.6M)- $300K pay raise from '09
Curtis Granderson ($5.5M)- $2M pay raise from '09

Total Committed = $97.6M


OTHERS WHO ARE NOT YET ARB. ELIG

most of these guys are making south of $500K and are hardly a blip on the payroll...

Zach Miner
Fu-Te Ni
Ryan Raburn
Armando Galarraga
Alex Avila
Ryan Perry
Eddie Bonine
Clete Thomas
Jeff Larish
Wilkin Ramirez
Freddy Dolsi
Alfredo Figaro


DFA CANDIDATES (free up 40 man roster spots)

Don Kelly
Clay Rapada



2010 POSITION BY POSITION

Catcher: For everything Gerald Laird was defensively this year, he was equally as poor offensively. His 0-6 performance yesterday was an appropriate way for him to end his season. How many times this year did we have to see him popout in the infield or in foul territory? He wasn't nearly this poor of a hitter in Texas. All that being said, he's still a dead lock to be back next year, and Leyland loves him. Let's hope his poor hitting was just a fluke. I'll even take a .250 avg next yr and be pleased. Alex Avila might be the back-up, but I could also see the team wanting him to get reguar AB's in AAA for the first few months. If that's the case, they might have Dusty Ryan start the year as Larid's backup, not that he did anything to deserve it.


First Base: Miguel Cabrera. Our best player. I thought he became a very underrated defensive player this season. I don't think we've seen his best baseball yet.


Second Base: There are some people in this town (Lynn Henning) who don't think Placido Polanco will be back next year. I find it hard to believe Leyland won't be begging Dombrowski to re-sign his favorite player, but it's entirely possible he could get a lucrative 3-4 yr deal elsewhere at a price the Tigs just can't afford to pay him. If he turns down arbitration, it will kill his FA value since half the league won't want to give up their 1st Rd Pick to sign him. It might be the Tigs best chance at getting him back next year. He's a plus defender, and he's still more than capable of hitting above .300. He even drove in 70+ RBI this past year. If he does leave, the Tigs could look to replace him from within (Scott Sizemore) or move Ramon Santiago to second.


Shortstop: The duo of Adam Everett and Ramon Santiago drove in over 70+ RBI this season combined. Couple that with the plus defense and all the sac. bunts they each had, not to mention the fact they made less than $2M combined, and I'd say this duo was great this season. Adam Everett will probably be back, perhaps earning a slight raise from the $1M he made this past year.


3rd Base: Brandon Inge. Remember when we couldn't give him away just two years ago? Suddenly the $6.6M he's due to earn in a contract year could be a mega bargain. He made some strides at the plate but started to revert back to the "Old Brandon" (the one that hits under .200) after his 0-for in the HR Derby. I guess we can only hope that was due to his knee injury, so at least we have an excuse to convince ourselves that the Inge who hit .270 was indeed, legit.


Left Field: It will be interesting to see what the Tigs decide to do for LF next year. Most people seem to think that Carlos Guillen will move to full-time DH, leaving the position void. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing Ryan Raburn get a chance to win the job. The guy had a great season at the plate (.288, 16 HR in just 257 AB). He has his moments in the OF, but he's overall a solid athlete. I'm just not sure Dombrowski would feel comfortable taking him out of that 'utility' role and finding a FA to plug there instead. Wilkin Ramirez probably isn't a possiblity. Could they seek a trade for Carl Crawford, who the Rays will probably make available?


Centerfield: Curtis Granderson may have had one of the oddest seasons in recent memory. He hit a whopping 30 HR, stole over 20 bags, made some special defensive plays, but also took a huge step back hitting vs. lefties, struck out a ton, and hit under .250. On one hand it's impressive to see how much the guy is capable of doing, but consistency is needed when he's hitting leadoff, and he couldn't give us that this year. Regardless, I don't think the Tigs will try and trade him like some rumor mills have suggested this summer. He's still relatively young and a fan favorite.


Right Field: I know I've said it more than once on here, but I'll say it again. Before this year started, didn't we all expect Magglio Ordonez to be on the team in 2010? None of us could've actually forecasted this production dropoff. Not after a year in which he knocked in over 100 RBI and was second to Joe Mauer in batting avg. I think the Magglio we saw in the 2nd half of this year is what we're going to see next year. He didn't have an injury to suggest he was washed up at the plate, and I think part of the reason his RBI numbers were so bad was because both Granderson & Polanco played absolutely brutal for the first 2 months of the season. The guy had nobody to drive in! Remember, he was hitting a modest .280 when Leyland decided to bench him back in the summer. Of course he'll be overpaid, but there isn't a team in this league that isn't paying someone more than he's worth. If Maggs can hit .315 with 15-18 HR and 85 RBI next year (a contract year, no less), I say we'll be fine. And no, Clete Thomas isn't starter material.


DH: As mentioned earlier, it seems Carlos Guillen will be given the DH job next year. He finished this past year with 11 HR despite not hitting his first one until late July. Don't read too much into his .245 avg. The first 3 1/2 months of the year were a total write-off for Carlos, so his percentage figures are a bit skewed this year.

I'll do the pitching staff and a list of potential FA/trade targets tomorrow ...

Also tomorrow I will hit on the rest of the AL Central and their personnel situations (impending FA's, spending $$$, team direction etc.)...

How will playing outdoors affect "Minnesota Twins" baseball?? Will they lock up Joe Mauer? Will they be able to afford to re-sign Orlando Cabrera, Jon Rauch and/or Carl Pavano?

Are the Indians done selling off their assets? Or will Hafner, Wood & Peralta be the next to go this winter?

Given the lack of talent in the minors and at the pro level, would KC trade Greinke for a kings ransom?

How much do the additions of Peavy & Rios hamper the ChiSox offseason flexibility?

Stay tuned!! =)

Informative Post but I have a few disagreements...

1.) I hate when people combine the stats of Everett and Santiago into one player and than say we got solid production from the SS position. They had damn near 700 plate appearance combined because Santiago played other positions as well. And we're supposed to be happy with an OBP under .300 and 75 or so RBI's?

2.) Inge is in now way a bargain at 6 million +. He is no where near a .270 hitter. Baseball has a funny way on balancing out on a player over the course of a long period of time.(a season) He batted .270 early on and than .180 the rest of the way. Poof, he is what he is and ended up to be. a .230 hitter with some pop that plays good defense.

Individually I have no problem with Laird at catcher, Inge at 3rd, or a Santiago/Everrett duo at SS. It's the fact that collectively we are not going to win if they all return unless we sign an in his prime Barry Bonds to play LF.

I expect Granderson and Guillen to be better but they still need to upgrade one of those positions severly.

Looking forward to your targets tomorrow.

agree with traiwreck.

i think everett is gone. with atleast sizemore coming up' we wont have room.

mags has lost speed and power. he hit like 370 down the stretch for us and yet we played our worst ball. i dont see why next year is better.

sign verl long, use atleast one of jackson's arb years.

demote inge if possible. good d and power, but most 3rd baseman play good defense. i dont see his 6m contract as a bargain at all.

i like rodney but wouldnt outbid for him.

sorry guys, I have a few corrections to make, I didn't really proofread my post...

at the top, I meant 2009 salaries in '( )', not 2008.

Zach Miner is arb. eligible this year...

and I don't mean to come off as an elitist or anything, so sorry if it seems like I'm coming off as one...all of it is opinion based/stating the obvious

However, Adam Everett will certainly be back next yr, that you can write in stone...

ill do the pitch staff/R5 eligibles/etc. tonite...gotta get back to work..

With that payroll, they won't fix more than 1-2 spots. I think they'll try to get another OF and move Carlos to DH exclusively (with Rayburn backing up when Maggs DH's). I bet they keep Laird (I didn't see great alternatives out there BTW). I doubt they sign a 3B and move Inge to SS like I want, but they should. There are a lot better options out there for bats at 3B. If Everett stays as a backup that's fine.

If they could replace Thames and Everett in the lineup with two bigger bats (LF and 3B) it could make a huge difference.

Judging by the Presser today, Polanco may not be brought back either. This team is in Deep trouble.

Judging by the Presser today, Polanco may not be brought back either. This team is in Deep trouble.

that is why they need to offer him arbitration. they would sign him at 8-9M if it was guaranteed a 1 yr deal, but the Tigs can't compete with a team offering 3-4 yrs...

If you offer him arb. and he accepts---that's a win for the Tigs as you'll get him for 1 yr

Offer him arb and he declines (as a Type A FA) then that will scare away many teams (especially those who were amongst the top 15 in wins this yr since they will forefit their 1st rd draft pick).

Last year Orlando Hudson declined arb, as a Type A, and went unsigned through late Feb before taking a measley 1 yr deal w/ the Dodgers---Orlando Cabrera went through the same when he signed w/ the A's...

It would be a shrewed move by Dombrowkski, but it's also the one that makes the most sense...

worse comes to worse- you offer him arb- he declines- you get two extra 1st rd picks next June

Asking Inge to move to SS is crazy.

With that payroll, they won't fix more than 1-2 spots. I think they'll try to get another OF and move Carlos to DH exclusively (with Rayburn backing up when Maggs DH's). I bet they keep Laird (I didn't see great alternatives out there BTW). I doubt they sign a 3B and move Inge to SS like I want, but they should. There are a lot better options out there for bats at 3B. If Everett stays as a backup that's fine.

If they could replace Thames and Everett in the lineup with two bigger bats (LF and 3B) it could make a huge difference.

Is it out of the realm of possibilities for Illy to sign someone BIG in FA knowing HUGE money comes off the book after 2010?

I mean, we were fuggin close this year. He knows that. He does what it takes for the Wings. Why not for the Tigers?

i dont think we were that close (figuratively). this was a smoke and mirrors mediocre team. and if we lose rodney, lyon, and polanco, goodnight 2010. i think we go budget for atleast one year.

I'm not sure but I kind of feel like we underperformed for the talent we had. A lil bit underperformed anyway.

With Granderson, Cabrera, Verlander, Jackson and Porcello, we have an elite core that most teams would dream for. We just need to spend the money around them a little better.

(Captain Obvious out...)

VanSlyke is out (pursuing "other opportunities").

Is it out of the realm of possibilities for Illy to sign someone BIG in FA knowing HUGE money comes off the book after 2010?

I was thinking this same thing the other day...

idk why none of the local beatwriters have brought it up...

I wonder what the ETA is for Jacob Turner. He's hogging a 40 man roster spot, so I wonder if he'll be on the fast track like Porcello was.

OT...if we release a player, we have to pay that player his full salary even if he signs for big bucks elsewhere, right?

OT...if we release a player, we have to pay that player his full salary even if he signs for big bucks elsewhere, right?


yep, we paid Sheff $15M this year...

PITCHING

STARTING ROTATION

Justin Verlander, Edwin Jackson, and Rick Porcello are locks. But the last 2 spots are up for grabs for whoever sucks the least in March: Armando Galarraga, Jeremy Bonderman, Nate Robertson, Eddie Bonine. I imagine these are the only 4 who will be seriously considered. Alfredo Figaro's future may be in the bullpen, and Jarrod Washburn will absolutely not be back next year. It's not really fair to call Armando Galarraga a 'bust' or a 'fluke' since he's making pennies compared to his SP peers. It is a bit baffling however, that he was so dominant in April (3-0, ERA was sub 2.00), yet finish with such horrible numbers. The Tigs also have a unique situation, in that their 3 higest paid pitchers are all in a contract year. Unfortunatley none of those 3 would be able to earn more than a minor league contract on the market this year, so they really don't have much to play for that would give fans like us a reason to think they will revert to their glory years simply because they're due for a contract. Eddie Bonine, is he really a candidate for the rotation? The team would prefer Bondo, Nate, or Armando win the job over Bonine, so he's got that going against him. Even if he pitches slightly better than them during the spring, he'll probably get jobbed in favor of the guys making more dough. It's flawed reasoning, but it's not uncommon. Oh yeah, what about Dontrelle Willis? 60-Day DL. I don't think he'll see the majors this year. They might even just release him in the spring like they did with Sheff.


CLOSER

I don't think Fernando Rodney's coming back. The Tigs have never really poured a major investment into a closer in years past, and I don't expect that to change. I think it's a good move because it's just not worth paying somebody $8-$12M a year to pitch in the 9th inning. Brandon Lyon could be tabbed for the job if he's re-signed, but I also wonder if they'd rather keep him in the 8th inning role since that was where he thrived this yr. The front office would probably love Ryan Perry to claim the job, but it'd be more than a stretch to say his play this year warranted him being the closer for 2010. He's got a heater, but he still needs to harness his pitches and show more consistency. Unless he's that dominant in spring training, I'd hold off another yr before considering Perry an option for the 9th. Personally, I think Joel Zumaya could be our best in-house replacement for Rodney. Back in '06 we all knew he was destined to pitch the 9th. Unfortunately he hasn't really done much since '06, but it's a low risk move since he's not making big money and he's still young.

FILLING OUT THE REST OF THE BULLPEN

Zach Miner did fine in his 6th-7th inning/long-relief role. Miner's job shouldn't be judged on ERA and WHIP, but rather innings pitched and holds. He's probably the 4th best starter on the team too, but Leyland doesn't seem interested in taking him out of that role (otherwise he probably would've started last Saturday rather than Alfredo flipping Figaro). Bobby Seay was pitching great until September. My guess is it was that injury that kept him out for a bit down the stretch. He's solid in his lefty role. Fu-Te Ni, Ryan Perry are locks for the pen next yr. Joel Zumaya & Brandon Lyon, if neither are the closer, will be in the pen. There's not much else to get excited about: Freddy Dolsi, Casey Fien, Cody Satterwhite, Zach Simons will all duel it out in the spring for a mop-up role.


FREE AGENT TARGETS

- guys who make sense that the Tigs could explore

I don't think they'll be in the market for a starter...not this year anyway. But they could seek a reliever to fortify the pen and replace either Lyon or Rodney or both...

Octavio Dotel
Joaquin Benoit- missed season w/ Texas, solid reliever before injury, buy low?
Danys Baez
J.J. Putz- buy low?/high reward, born in Mich, closer?
Russ Springer
John Grabow


Or maybe they can strike gold with a guy they sign to a minor league deal. Each year, 7 or 8 teams are able to get a big time season out of a guy who they paid pennies for...

Maybe they'll try Nate or Bonderman as a closer?

Maybe they'll try Nate or Bonderman as a closer?

Yeah, Bondy's always good for that first inning.

I like Bonine a lil bit. I'd give him a good look.

Would it help for Zoom to learn how to pitch instead of just throwing smoke? It doesn't appear his body can handle just throwing smoke.

Perry should improve and I'd give Lyon another chance.

the fact bonine is developing a knuckle ball intrigues me. if that shows any promise id keep him in the organization for sure, since 28 is a preteen for knuckleballers.

I hate to say it, but I really like this idea:

http://myespn.go.com/blogs/sweetspot/0-6-35/Would-Bonderman-for-Bradley-help-Tigers-.html


Would Bonderman for Bradley help Tigers?

October 9, 2009 7:04 PM

Patrick Hayes' prescription for the Tigers? Trade for Milton Bradley, and give him the right-field job. Sign free agent Justin Duchscherer. Oh, and give a couple of Gerald Laird's plate appearances to prospect Alex Avila.

Wait, what? Milton Bradley in right field? Really? Yes, really:

Right Field: The outfield needs a makeover, and it's going to start here. Trade Jeremy Bonderman to the Cubs for Milton Bradley. Both make roughly $10 million per year. Bradley is signed for one more year than Bonderman, but the Cubs are desperate to get rid of him, so it's conceivable they'd pay that final year if the Tigers take him.
Jim Leyland is known for working well with head cases. Gary Sheffield didn't produce in Detroit, but he didn't make waves either. So what you say? Well, in NY he was calling Derek Jeter "not all the way black" and Joe Torre a slave master. He's had nothing negative to say about his Detroit tenure. Bradley is not as crazy as Sheff, this can work.

Before signing with the Cubs, Bradley had a career-year in Texas, with a .999 OPS. Once he escapes the racism in Wrigleyville and comes to the more laid back environment in Detroit, he'll be just fine.

Maybe that "racism in Wrigleyville" link is supposed to be sarcastic, but if you actually read the story you'll find that nobody's got any evidence for any sort of racial abuse being heaped on Bradley at Wrigley Field. Leaving aside the intangibles, though, I'm fascinated by this notion that Milton Bradley might be someone's every-day right fielder for some extended stretch of time.
He's been in the majors for 10 seasons. He's started more than 110 games in the outfield exactly once. Players don't generally get healthier as they age; in fact, they generally get less healthy. Which doesn't mean the Tigers couldn't use Bradley. Hayes has slotted Magglio Ordonez as the Tigers' DH, but he's not a terrible outfielder and could simply continue playing right field.

Would adding Bradley and Duchscherer really make a difference next season? Probably not. Even if Bradley stays healthy enough -- physically and emotionally -- to play 140 games and the Duke gives the Tigers 175 good innings, the Tigers would still need a bit of luck to reach the 90 wins it will likely take to capture the AL Central. The basic problem is that in 2010 the Tigers will spend $50 million on Ordonez, Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis, and Nate Robertson ... and only one of those fellows is likely to be more than just moderately useful.

It's not easy to win that way, particularly without a great deal of creativity. Maybe Dave Dombrowski will surprise us.




Signing the Duke would definitely solidify the pitching staff, imo. Just make sure we don't lose much from the bullpen...

I don't want Bradley anywhere near this team. He's a complete nutjob. I'd rather keep Bonderman and hope he rebounds or find a better deal for him.
Not sure if that's realistic, but Bradley is a cancer with a capital C.

Bradley is not as crazy as Sheff

This guy clearly hasn't been paying attention. Bradley is garbage, he's had one good half a season. No thanks.

I wouldn't mind improving our outfield just not with Milton.

I guess I'm the only one that would take a chance on him. It would be better if we could trade Nate or Dontrell instead, but I'd be willing to bet the Cubs would take a lot of Bradley's salary on, plus the Tigers get rid of one of their big salaries...

If it doesn't pan out, cut ties with him.

You are wrong and have learned nothing.

I deserve that.

Henning thinks the Tigs should trade Granderson for 2 players although he completely fails to mention two players or a team that could fit as a trade partner.

Ever since 2 years ago when he wrote an article about why he wasn't going to submit a HOF vote for Alan Trammell despite doing so for the decade prior to it---Lynn Henning continues to spew pessimistic garbage in regards to the Tigers...

Why trade a player like Granderson unless you can't sign him? Granderson is top tier talent, you don't trade top tier talent. Mid tier talent is easy to find.

Granderson just needs to learn how to battle the count with 2 strikes like Maggs and Polanco do.

Granderson is signed throuh 2015 and at a relatively fair price...I don't see how dealing him makes sense...especially when you have all this money coming off the books in 2010

i think the premise is we could get alot for granderson.

im kind of down on him. he seems to have gone backwards. hopeless vs lefties, a plumetting ba, bad base running instincts, so many strikeouts. this year he was a liability at leadoff.

I'd take a starter and a up-and-comer for him.

Granderson is signed throuh 2015 and at a relatively fair price...I don't see how dealing him makes sense...especially when you have all this money coming off the books in 2010

I agree. Why not just use the money and get better corner OF's? Your CF really shouldn't be one of your best hitters anyway. The Tigers were sorely lacking hitting in the 3-5 spots all year (until Maggs got hot). With proper hitting there it masks the offensive liabilities Granderson has at times.

Tigers second baseman Scott Sizemore needs ankle surgery. http://bit.ly/EHoHE

If he's any relation, it serves him right.

Not a big Tom Sizemore fan, eh?

I was looking at the FA list and found some good "buy-low" guys for this yr the Tigs should consider...

Most of these guys are coming off injury-plagued seasons, and could probably be had well below the market value they were at prior to the start of last year...

J.J. Putz - can fill the absence of Lyon or Rodney

Xavier Nady - can play RF & LF while Guillen & Maggs rotate at DH

Bobby Crosby - if Everett cannot be re-signed

Relief Pitchers: Kelvim Escobar, Joaquin Benoit

I've come to the realization that we're probably not going to add any significant free agents, so it's likely we'll be subject to the buy-low guys...

Thames, Treanor taken off Tigers roster. They'll become free agents.

Polanco is a Type A free agent, Rodney and Lyon are Type B. No other Tigers qualified, though Washburn and Huff just missed. Magglio, had he been a free agent, would've been a Type A.

See, this is going to end up hurting Polanco and is a big flaw in the system. He's going to end up getting a worse contract because teams are afraid of giving up the draft pick. He'll end up taking arbitration I assume.

Marcus was kind of fun for a while, until I figured out that it was Rod Allen that was actually kind of fun and Marcus just wasn't very good at baseball.

I think the Tigers will really miss Misty May's husband's bat. His .000 average was key to this team's success.

Tom Brookens is new 1B coach for Tigers, replacing Andy Van Slyke. Brookens managed at AA Erie last 2 yrs and W. Michigan before that.

I hope he still has the stashe.

Rumors have shown the Tigs possibly dangling Edwin Jackson & Gerald Laird as trade bait so far.

Phillies have shown some preliminary interest in Rodney.

Ouch. Edwin?

Rumors have shown the Tigs possibly dangling Edwin Jackson & Gerald Laird as trade bait so far.

Phillies have shown some preliminary interest in Rodney.

I've heard about this, too.

I think it's a bad idea to let Edwin go. The Tigers have a big payroll, but a lot coming off next year. Bite the bullet for a year and lock him up. You need a solid top 3 rotation if you are going to win anything in the playoffs. Verlander/Jackson/Porcello gives you that. Hopefully Bondo can get back in the mix too, but you can't count on him, Nate or Dontrelle at all.

If you think the Tigers have a revenue problem now, then this franchise hasn't even seen the worst of it if they trade Jackson, Granderson while also letting Polanco, Lyon, and Rodney walk.

You couldn't get equal value for Granderson...it'd be impossible and a Crawford for Granderson trade doesn't make sense.

Trading Jackson is stupid. He's still arb. eligible, so we aren't committed to him long-term, and he's only gotten better in each of the last 3 years. Plus he's only 26.

Let's hope its just rumors

Yeah that's what ESPN is yakin' about... other GM's saying the Tigers are going into cost cutting mode... names offered are Grandy & Jackson so far.
Wonder if we could get any value for Mags.

^absolutely not. or atleast, not without paying most of his salary. this is sort of the other end of letting maglio pick up the option.

but im not even that bothered by it. if we get good prospects for the 2, no big deal. streight salary dumps would really hurt, but thats not what we're doing, i think.

the tigers seem to have a nack for getting the most out of pitchers. and i suspect trading jackson would be selling high. next year wont be pretty (these rumors suggest pol, fer, and lyon wont be back), but its better than bringing back an overpriced, old, not quite good enough team like we did this year. we'll be back sooner than later if DD does his job well.

the tigers cannot out yankee the yankees. the time of us desperately overpaying good talent to come to detroit is also over. getting good players out of the farm system is a reallity the tigers need to embrace. and imo, in the drug testing era, its probably the best way back to the world series.

Tigers offer arbitration to Rodney and Lyon, not to Polanco.

I heard this morning that the Phillies want to bring Polanco back to play 3B.

If he goes to Philly, he loses me.

If he goes to Philly, he loses me.

Then he also loses God.

I hate Philly sports just as much as Cleveland sports, if not more.

Their fans are some of the biggest assholes in tha wurl.

Does he really have the range/speed to play 3B?

The arm is the bigger question too.

Tigers sign former Twins LHP Brad Thomas and trade Clay Rapada to Texas. http://bit.ly/81Cdk9

Tigers officially announce Phil Nevin as manager at Double-A Erie, replacing Tom Brookens.

Tigers sign Ramon Santiago to 2-yr deal. He would've been a free agent next winter.

Tigers lose reliever Freddy Dolsi to White Sox (http://rds.yahoo.com/_ylt=A0WTTkpidS1LwywBaxTQtDMD;_ylu=X3oDMTBjdmNoOTV jBHBvcwMyBHNlYwNzcg--/SIG=12rvqd7vg/EXP=1261356770/**http%3a//www.detnews.com/article/20091219/SPORTS0104/912190342/1129/rss15)
Dolsi was 1-0 with a 1.69 ERA in six appearances for the Tigers this past season, after going 1-5 with a 3.97 ERA in 42 games for Detroit in his rookie year of 2008.
Detroit News

how could we not afford that guy? We already cut salary in the previous trade (didn't we?). Plus we let Lyon walk and Rodney will too (I haven't paid attention this weekend, so sorry if he already did). I don't get why we can't keep a cheap asset.

bad link

Dusty Ryan traded to San Diego for prospect to be named later.

Whatever, that guy sucked anyway.

^jilted

The MoTown flag flies at half mast.

I'm not sure why the Tigers wanted to trade away the future of baseball for a player to be named later.

Zoom resigned on a 1 year deal (no terms released).

If he's being paid on a per-game basis, it could be the cheapest deal in MLB history.

verlander filed at $9.5 mil, #tigers at $6.9 mil

Hearing Tigers settled with Bobby Seay on 1-yr contract.

What does the Verlander thing mean. "filed"?

Arbitration.

Tigers settle with Seay, Miner and Laird. They exchange numbers with Verlander.


Seay gets $2,475,000. Waiting to get the rest.

IC

No way Tigers win vs. Verlander. They'll either have to settle or lose.

If Carl Pavano gets $7m, how are you gonna award Verlander $6.9m?

Seems like a lowball offer.

Arbitration numbers are nothing like FA numbers Glenn. Howard set the record a couple years ago at 10 million. The Giants just offered Tim Lincecum 8 million, and he won back-2-back cy youngs.

Hopefully the low offer is just part of a grander negotiation on an extension.

Hopefully the low offer is just part of a grander negotiation on an extension.
:emo kid:

Detroit Tigers to offer all-you-can-eat seating at Comerica Park: http://bit.ly/dx8K3P

lol

They've been doing that at US Cellular for a few years now, It's kind of a sweet deal there. They're called "scout seats" and they're like the best seats in the house and come with all you can eat gourmet food and I think beer too. Like 250 a pop though.

No way Tigers win vs. Verlander. They'll either have to settle or lose.
http://www.freep.com/article/20100129/COL08/1290324/1089/col08?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

I don't want this to happen by any means, but the way they've agressively targeted young starting pitching, it's very easy to see the Tigers trading JV for prospects in about a year.

In a non capped sport, I don't see why you wouldn't pay JV. Maggs will be off the books soon, we already let Polanco, Pudge and others get their paydays elsewhere. I assume Nate's salary will be gone soon too. They really only have a few players that are way overpaid now. If they let JV go they better pray they have a few young pitchers that are ready or they risk losing a lot of fans (after dealing Curtis and letting Polanco walk).

The payroll may not be officially "capped" but it is still "capped" by team revenues and how much of a loss Ilitch is willing to take. As great and generous of an owner as he's been, his resources aren't unlimited.

Of course, but how do you know how much ticket revenue you lose with 2 of the 3 biggest stars on the team gone?

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AmjUJ6q2iJ8AN9fdDCJFczsRvLYF?slug=jp-verlander012910&prov=yhoo&type=lgns


The Detroit Tigers (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/teams/det/;_ylt=AtA_InhmYc8DfcdQTzmrFrwHU84F) and ace Justin Verlander (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7590/;_ylt=AmF9r39QtLnZXMXmKZhPOOAHU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7590/news;_ylt=AmETwQSwKmTRlK1c.TZG14oHU84F) have discussed a five-year contract extension worth around $75 million, though the right-hander is staying firm in his desire for a sixth year, sources told Yahoo! Sports on Friday.
More From Jeff Passan

The ultimate free-agent tracker (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Asz_PLi8KvCR4AdoYxTSLhcHU84F?slug=jp-freeagenttracker111909&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) Jan 30, 2010
The Orioles might be movin' on up (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=Ahs3k2fgGUy76CQ352TEuAgHU84F?slug=jp-hsdorioles012010&prov=yhoo&type=lgns) Jan 20, 2010


Verlander, who will turn 27 near the beginning of spring training, finished third in the American League Cy Young voting last season after going 19-9 and leading the league with 240 innings and 269 strikeouts. He is currently scheduled to go to arbitration with the Tigers, asking for a $9.5 million salary in 2010 with Detroit’s counteroffer at $6.9 million. He also will be arbitration-eligible a year from now and could become a free agent after the 2011 season.
The proposed extension, first reported by Yahoo! Sports, would mirror the five-year, $78 million deal Seattle gave to Felix Hernandez (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7487/;_ylt=Au_nW3ztMPqMruKvqez1Lk4HU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7487/news;_ylt=AtbJBTjCxc0muORVKFge_uYHU84F) this month. The Tigers, as Seattle did, would buy out three free-agent years with a five-year deal.
Verlander would prefer the security of a sixth season, which would take the value of the deal in to the $93 million to $95 million range. The Tigers certainly will have the financial flexibility to make it happen. Following 2010, starting pitchers Jeremy Bonderman (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7106/;_ylt=Aq7XcLAVRdECkhIPqhECZSgHU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7106/news;_ylt=AhDyfUtIe6.UNYOEEG81RwcHU84F) ($12.5 million), Dontrelle Willis (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7133/;_ylt=AtFKHkmphNjsBQ0O3.Y1o_oHU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7133/news;_ylt=Api4W9pJaNSVWZ6cHhTZl.gHU84F) ($12 million) and Nate Robertson (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7014/;_ylt=AsTGmf6UKHAP.Jd5OsFw0OUHU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7014/news;_ylt=AseLD6D6klJ3z8CtVtfL0ZoHU84F) ($10 million) will be free agents. Should outfielder Magglio Ordonez (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5889/;_ylt=Avkp76S46eOkiGI_ExJzna8HU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/5889/news;_ylt=AkEKXbRai8lmiP6LM83a6Q0HU84F) not trigger an at-bat-based option, his $18 million would come off the books as well.
The anchor of a strong young rotation featuring Rick Porcello (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8419/;_ylt=AmZFYjQAtifT9PX5E7Xf1DoHU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8419/news;_ylt=Atr1qxAtambXs4phipm7Y3cHU84F) and Max Scherzer (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8193/;_ylt=Atx0SDykG05KSxnJdOgVeLcHU84F)(notes) (http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/8193/news;_ylt=AoftR4SXp8jliEzLr_IVhoMHU84F), Verlander recaptured his top-of-the-line-starter status last year after a down 2008. His fastball, which had crackled at 100 mph when in 2006 he won Rookie of the Year, regained velocity, and his command sharpened.
Verlander has expressed his desire to stay with Detroit – “I want to be here for a long time,” he told reporters this week – and the Tigers have reciprocated the feelings.
“We’ve said all along,” Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski said recently, “that we’re hopeful to keep Justin Verlander part of our organization for a long time.”
A sixth season would ensure that happens.

Tigers have scheduled a press conference for 3pm. What's up with that?

Verlander's extension?

Do they really have a press conference for an extension? Seems like they only do that for new players/coaches, etc.

Casey Fien was claimed by the Red Sox.

Who cares.

I took a shit today.

I looked down, and said "Fien."

flusshhhhhhhhhhhh