Trumbull and Michigan

A New Home.

2008-11-25T15:25:00.003-05:00

Thank you to everyone who has supported me here. I have moved to a new home at trumbullandmichigan.com.

The good folks over at the MVN network will be hosting me now. There are still some technical kinks being worked out, but everything should be up and I should be posting again soon.

See you over there!

-s

Be Back Soon...

2008-11-23T13:57:00.003-05:00

This weekend Trumbull and Michigan is making the transition to a new hosting site. I will be moving over to the Most Valuable Network where I will be setting up shop. I am a little behind in updating because I am trying to make the switch, but I should be back bright and early tomorrow.

When all is said and done, we will have a new address: trumbullandmichigan.com.

See you soon!

So Long Moose.

2008-11-20T14:34:00.013-05:00

Mike Mussina has officially retired.

We have all seen this coming. He was very open about the possibility of a retirement at the end of this year. He made it no secret. And yet it didn't actually hit me until today. I am saddened by the fact that I will never get to see him pitch again. The end of baseball for him, has become very real for me.

To me, Mussina was all that was good with baseball. He played hard. He played well. He played often. Never missing lengthy times of a season, never complaining about a contract. Mussina was a private person who never went out of his way to find conflict. He never showed up in the headlines. He loved playing baseball. He was one of my idols of the game.

His career started in 1991. I was 8, and my love of the game was never stronger. I was infatuated with exciting names like Griffey Jr., Ripken, Trammell and Puckett. Moose wasn't flashy. He seemingly had little a young boy would cling onto. He was just a professional. He just pitched.

I saw him throw live for the first time in 1993 when he started a game for the Orioles in Spring Training. The Twins had an intimidating lineup; Dave Winfield, Chuck Knoblauch, Kent Hrbek, and one of my heroes, Kirby Puckett. Moose quietly took the mound for the O's, and pitched a brilliant game. Most of my memories from that day have faded. I don't remember who won, or how most of the game went. But I can remember sitting next to my father and watching Mussina dominate Kirby Puckett.

A lot of questions will be raised five years from now about Mike Mussina's Hall of Fame credentials. He never won a Cy young. He never won a World Series. He never was the most dominant pitcher in his league, in any year he pitched. But he never won less than 11 games or pitched under 150 innings since his first full season in 1992. His two teams - the Orioles and Yankees - are part of the toughest division in the last 20 years of baseball. He finishes his career with a .638 winning percentage and a 3.68 ERA. His numbers weren't gaudy, but that's not what Mussina was about.

In a time where dollars rule the game, and grace takes a backseat to popularity, Mike Mussina lived outside the mold. I have had the honor of watching a brilliant career unfold from day one, and Mike Mussina will always be one of the greats to me.

It's been a pleasure, Moose.

-s

Notes and News.

2008-11-20T13:26:00.003-05:00

- Tim Brown says crazy things, like "Hey, I know you underachieved with a ridiculous payroll last year. You should add to it Detroit!"

- The Tigers and Darren Oliver continue the dialogue.

- Wondering what's been going on with Clete Thomas? Spot Starters take a look.

- Ian Casselberry takes a closer look at the Japanese 22 year old pitcher Junichi Tazawa.

- Former Tiger backup Mike Rabelo has been placed on waivers. Could he venture back to Detroit?

- The Tigers have added 5 prospects to their 40-man roster.

- Joel Zumaya's rehab will quite obviously have a large effect on the team's plans next year.

-s

By golly, it's Bei-mel!

2008-11-19T00:43:00.011-05:00

Joe Beimel is the latest name to surface as a possibility in the Tigers search for bullpen help. I must admit; this possibility really intrigues me.

Beimel is 31. He has bounced around the majors and minors since his debut in 2001 with the Pirates. He has a career ERA of 4.31 and has never had "dominating" stuff. So why would he command such an interest?

First, he is a left-handed pitcher, which draws interest in itself. Last year in Los Angeles he compiled a 5-1 record with a 2.02 ERA in 71 innings. Good stuff. To add to that, he has only given up one homerun in the last 2 years. He won't command a huge salary, never having been an arm that a team could truly depend on until last year. And finally, look at those locks. Imagine having a team with the hair of Joe Beimel AND Magglio Ordóñez.

Beimel's would be role is yet to be determined. Given his lack of closing experience, and the absence of the aforementioned "dominating" stuff, I can't see him working in the closer's role. He could, however, serve as a bridge to whoever fills that spot, and thus allowing the Tigers to explore the possibility of trading Fernando "I can't wear my hat straight or they might think i'm soft" Rodney.

This makes all the sense in the world to me.

-s

All is quiet on the Mid-Western front.

2008-11-18T13:23:00.003-05:00

Could it be? Have talks seemingly died down? Have the GM's decided to take a step back and reevaluate their interest in dealing with the Tigers?

It has been a few days since a new rumor has surfaced, and in this otherwise busy offseason, it feels like an eternity. All the previous ideas are still on the table, and it could still be a very busy winter for the Tigers. But for the time being, we can reflect and each of us can catch our respective breaths.

Right?

Is it possible that this is just the calm before the storm. Last year, very little was speculated when DD dropped the blockbuster Miggy/Dontrelle for the farm trade. Many of us thought that after we acquired Renteria from Atlanta we were done. No one expected to sign a future hall of famer.

Take the time to enjoy your time of peace. Try not to worry about what could or could not happen. Because before you know it, the clouds will open up the deals begin to flood.

-s

Nooooooooooooo......

2008-11-16T12:25:00.006-05:00

It seems the Julio Lugo to Detroit rumor just won't die. It keeps on attacking my hopes and dreams like a plague of cyber-robotic vampire zombies that cannot be killed by human measures.

It was first mentioned in the Freep, back in September, and now it is being reported as a possibility in Boston.

I would like to officially go on record as saying, "NO. Please, please no. For the love of God, stay away from Julio Lugo."

Now that I have overdramatized the issue, let's take a look. Lugo is comong off a season where he hit .268 with 1 homer and 22 RBI in 261 at bats. He lost playing time to Alex Cora of all people, and then lost his job outright to Jed Clampet-Lowrie. He plays mediocre defense at best, has lost a step or two on the bases, and has not always been the most positive impact on society. (Note: He was cleared of these charges, but so was Brett Myers in his assault case.)

Statistically, Lugo hasn't seen a good season since 2005, when he was with Tampa. I understand that to get him, we would probably only have to give up Nate Robertson or Dontrelle Willis, but I still feel we would be giving up too much. It's not even a matter of that though; what would he bring to the table?

Wouldn't we theoretically just replace Edgar Renteria with a slightly less talented clone of himself, with less power? I just feel like making this deal would be, as my father said, putting a bandage on the situation instead of fixing it. In this case, however, the bandage would be made of very poor defense and light hitting, and would most likely leak all over the situation.

Stepping down of my high horse...

...now.

-s

Wood will "find my niche somewhere."

2008-11-14T16:56:00.004-05:00

It appears as though the Cubs were much more willing to part with Kerry Wood, than he was to part with them.

He say's he would have "done anything" to stay with the team, including signing a one-year deal. He is determined to make his mark next year, he just doesn't know where.

The Tigers, in need of bullpen help could look to the flame-thrower.

Hey, he's open to anything.

-s

Call me crazy...

2008-11-14T01:15:00.006-05:00

I was talking to a Tigers fan tonight at the bar I work at. His name was Rob, and he was very knowledgeable. These are the people I like to talk to. The one's who have suggestions beyond, "Move Inge to short." "Inge can pitch, can't he?" "Fire Leyland, Inge can manage!"

I'm only kidding, but maybe not stretching it too much. Rob had some solutions that maybe made too much sense. Catching problem? There is this kid, maybe you've heard about him - James Skelton. At 5' 11'' and 165 pounds soaking wet, he is an unassuming looking catcher; but the kid can play. He hits for average, he throws well, he calls a good game, and he can run to boot. Why not give him a shot and platoon him with Ol' Dusty. Because it makes too much sense. (And to be fair, he is probably not ready for such a jump just yet, but stay with me, I will make a point eventually.)

We need a closer, right? So why not give Rick Porcello a shot? No, you don't want to rush him? Even though he is mowing people down and has big league stuff already. Even though David Price proved that if you're ready, you're ready. You still insist on putting the game in the hands of Darren Oliver? Or David Weathers? Or - gasp - Fernando Rodney? Why not give the kid a shot? Because it makes too much sense. (Point coming, I promise.)

So that got me thinking. What makes more sense than anything in the world? Who should the Tigers go after? Who could we trust to take over the closer's role until Rick Porcello or Ryan Perry is ready? And that's when it hit me.

John Smoltz.

Let it sink in.

Why not? John is coming off surgery on his right shoulder. He will be 43 years old next year, and has only seen major league action with one club his entire career. But to me, John Smoltz makes more sense than any other possibility you can throw at me.

John is from Warren, Michigan. He was originally drafted by El Tigres in 1985, but then traded to Atlanta in that infamous playoff hunt swap for Doyle Alexander. When he failed to reach 200 innings last year for the Braves, his contract that was set to run through 2010 expired. On October 31 he filed for free agency. He has expressed interest in playing in Atlanta next year, but no contract has been discussed as of yet.

I fully believe that if he were to return to his home state, and return to the closer's role, he could be an All-Star again, despite the injury concerns.

Two months after undergoing surgery, Smoltz was playing golf and shooting in the low 70s.

Florida manager Freddy Gonzalez once said of Smoltz

"I wouldn't be surprised to see him return as a left-handed pitcher if that's what he wants to do."

The point it, Smoltz is a gamer. If he wants to play again, he will battle back. He is a future first ballot hall of famer, and was dominant as a closer. I would love to see him in a Tigers uniform, where he belongs. Get on the horn Dave. Make the call.

This is most likely nothing more than a pipe dream, but like I said, call me crazy...

-s

Gregg dealt to Chicago.

2008-11-13T14:22:00.003-05:00

One reliever can finally be scratched off the Tigers list of possibilities.

Ken Rosenthal is reporting that the Marlins shipped the reliever to the Cubbies today. Seems like an odd move to me for the Cubs. They are facing the very real possibility of losing Kerry Wood, but I was under the impression that the job belonged to Carlos Marmol in that scenario.

Will Carlos Marmol set up Kevin Gregg, or will Gregg set up Marmol. And now that they have both, that make Wood leaving the Cubs almost a certainty in my eyes. Could the Tigers now make a play for Wood? Add him to the list, because with this team you never know.

What is definately not know yet is who the Fish will receive in exchange for Gregg. 22-year old Jose Ceda has been speculated, but not confirmed.

I am a bit relieved. When Gregg was rumored to be Detroit-bound I feared for our already flailing bullpen. Gregg blew nine saves for the Marlins in 2008. I'll take my chances somewhere else.

-s

Next Year's Odds.

2008-11-12T16:24:00.002-05:00

BetOnline.com has set its early odds for next year's World Series winners.

As expected the Tigers are not near the top. They unassumingly float somewhere near the middle at 25-1 favorites.

Boston Red Sox 3-1
Chicago Cubs 5-1
Los Angeles Angels 5-1
Philadelphia Phillies 6-1
New York Yankees 6-1
Tampa Bay Devil Rays 10-1
Chicago White Sox 10-1
New York Mets 12-1
Milwaukee Brewers 15-1
Minnesota Twins 15-1
Los Angeles Dodgers 15-1
Toronto Blue Jays 20-1
Detroit Tigers 25-1
Florida Marlins 30-1
Houston Astros 30-1
St. Louis Cardinals 30-1
Cleveland Indians 30-1
Atlanta Braves 30-1
Arizona Diamondbacks 40-1
Colorado Rockies 40-1
Texas Rangers 50-1
Cincinnati Reds 50-1
Oakland Athletics 50-1
San Francisco Giants 80-1
KC Royals 100-1
Baltimore Orioles 100-1
Seattle Mariners 100-1
San Diego Padres 100-1
Pittsburgh Pirates 200-1
Washington Nationals 300-1

-s

Notes and News.

2008-11-12T15:14:00.002-05:00

- The likelihood of Ramon Santiago starting at short this year isn't so good. Mr. Dowbrowski does not see it as a possibility.

- K-Rod is not on the Tigers radar. You can listen to an interview with Dombrowski here: Dowbrowski Interview.

- Josh Bard keeps popping up as a name the Tigers may want to pursue. Ian Casselberry takes a look.

- Kenny Rogers officially filed for free agency but has made no plans for next year.

- Jamie Samuelsen does not like the idea of Trevor Hoffman wearing the D.

- A sweet story about a Tigers fan giving back with her talents.

- Miggy and Curtis have received Negro League Baseball Museum awards for their contributions on and off the field.

- The Twins Pat Neshek will miss all of the 2009 season to have surgery. Not that I wish harm on any player, but Neshek is a Tiger killer. It will make a trip through the Twins bullpen a little easier.

- A quick plug for my friends over at Baseball Blend. They continue to provide in-depth coverage of both leagues every day.

And as always, for your viewing pleasure:

-s

What role will Larish play in 2009?

2008-11-10T22:38:00.003-05:00

Jeff Larish could play a very interesting role in the Tigers plans next year. He is a big, strong, left-handed bat who is learning to adapt to a logjam at first base.

Larish has been working out at third for the Tigers in the Arizona fall league to increase his chances of playing time. He has spent his career as a first baseman, but as we know, Miggy is not going anywhere. With Carlos Guillen moving to left field next year, Brandon Inge will serve as the everyday third baseman, so it appears as though Larish is blocked there as well. Although he has been adequate at the hot corner, his bat may not be enough to steal substantial amounts of playing time from Inge, who is far superior defensively.

The question then, is where does Larish fit in? As of November 10 he is leading the AFL in RBI with 27, and has shown the type of power the Tigers love from him. Gary Sheffield is the DH incumbent next year, but I would like to see Larish fill that spot a lot more. His bat, especially being from the left side, could provide a lot of pop and mix up a mostly right-handed attack. Sheffield has looked vulnerable in the last year, and I think Larish might be the answer.

In recent days, speculation has arisen that Larish could be a hot commodity on the trade market, most recently being mentioned as a speculation in a J.J. Putz deal. So, if he brings over an arm he could prove effective in another way. But whether it be through an offensive onslaught or bringing over a key piece of the puzzle via trade, here's hoping Jeff Larish will prove to be a vital component of the 2009 Tigers.

-s

A New Lyon in Detroit?

2008-11-10T18:05:00.004-05:00

The stove continues to burn.

The Tigers have added another free agent reliever log to the fire. Jason Beck reports that the Tigers have shown interest in former Arizona Diamondback Bryandon Lyon. He posted a 4.70 ERA this past year as a 29 year old. He is probably better than those numbers suggest also, so that paired with the decently low salary he will command - $3.125 million in 2008 - and his young age make for a decent option for Detroit.

What do you think about Holliday to Oakland? Good move on both parts? That's how I see it. But who is going to protect Matt in the lineup? Jack Cust? Yikes.

-s

More pitching rumors.

2008-11-09T12:37:00.002-05:00

According to Jon Morosi, the Detroit Tigers are interested in pitcher Junichi Tazawa, from Japan. The Red Sox, Mariners, Braves and Phillies are also interested. Tazawa is 22

MLB Rumors also jumps in on the J.J. Putz situation, speculating dealing some talent for the closer:

"Morosi also wonders whether the Tigers would part with Matt Joyce or Jeff Larish in a deal for J.J. Putz. Earlier this week, Morosi wrote that the Tigers would have to find bullpen help outside the organization."

I am also interested to see how Daunte Culpepper fairs today is his first action with the Lions.

-s

Scott Boras writes comedy.

2008-11-07T09:30:00.003-05:00

In case you didn't know, when Scott Boras tries to sell a client, he puts together a binder full of information and hands them out like raffle tickets to interested teams. Apparently this has been highly effective in the past. The thing is, Scott Boras likes to exaggerate the truth. He likes to polish off a rock and call it gold.

Oliver Perez is looking to make a splash in the free agent market, and Mr. Boras is trying to sell him like gold. Perez has been bad at times, and good at times, but never great. Last year he was 10-7 with a 4.22 ERA and 180 K's in 194 innings. Not bad, but he also had 105 walks. 105?!?

Boras breaks his binders up into chapters with catchy titles, because it seems that he thinks GM's are 9 year old girls.

In Perez's binder, one chapter is labeled "Perez is one of baseball's top 5 left-handed starting pitchers." Please, go back and read that title again.

Effective? Yes. Good? Yes. Valued? Yes. Top 5? No way in hell.

In attempt to discredit Mr. Boras, and honestly just for fun, I am going to list every left handed starter I would prefer over Perez. And guess what? He barely cracks the top 15.

- Johan Santana, Scott Kazmir, CC Sabathia, Cole Hamels, Joe Saunders, John Danks, John Lester, Francisco Liriano, Clayton Kershaw, David Price, Tom Gorzelanny, Cliff Lee, Mark Buehrle, and Ted Lilly.

That puts Perez at 15. And there is a possibility I would take Jeff Francis or Andrew Miller before him too, based on upside.

Anyone I forgot?

-s

Texas could offer some catching help.

2008-11-07T09:12:00.004-05:00

The Rangers have a surplus behind the plate; Taylor Teagarden, Max Ramirez, Gerald Laird and Jarrod Saltalamacchia (by the way, I would like to point out that I attempted to spell Salty's name without looking it up, and while I spelled "Saltalamacchia" correctly without help, I did misspell "Jarrod").

Obviously the Rangers need to address other issues, mainly pitching, and shipping off a backstop or two is probably the way to do it for them. The Tigers have been anointed the Rangers contingency plan.

The Red Sox have a lot more to offer. They have Clay Buccholz, Michael Bowden and Justin Masterson. There isn't room for all three of them next year, and the Sox need a catcher too, as Jason Varitek will apparently command Jorge Posada like figures.

What do the Tigers have to offer if they Rangers-Sox can't get anything done? The answer is, not much. The only major league ready arms the Tigers have that could be dealt are Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis. Yes, the same Nate and Dontrelle that were pulled from the rotation and sent to A-ball, respectfully.

I don't see Detroit as a match. Especially not with Nolan Ryan making decisions now. Is a hall of famer going to let his team ship out a catching prospect for Nate Robertson? Doubtful.

We'll see how this all progresses, but I see a very slim chance of this working out for the Tigers.

-s

Predicting the AL Gold Glove.

2008-11-05T22:33:00.004-05:00

Just for fun I am going to take a stab at the 2008 AL Gold Glove winners. The NL was announced yesterday, the AL on Thursday.

Here goes:

- C: Joe Mauer, Minnesota. Mauer is a very solid backstop. He calls a good game, throws well and makes good decisions. His bat puts him over the edge to give him the slight nod. Honorable Mention: Dioner Navarro, Tampa Bay

- 1B: Kevin Youkilis, Boston. Youkilis excelled as a third baseman before making the big switch. Since then his defese has been near flawless. He is a lot quicker than his frame would suggest, and he can make game changing big plays. Honorable Mention: Carlos Pena, Tampa Bay

- 2B: Dustin Pedroia, Boston. The kid can play. He hustles, he gets dirty, he throws himself around. I hate Boston, but I love this kid. Honorable Mention: Akinori Iwamura, Tampa Bay

- SS: Jason Bartlett, Tampa Bay. This is were the Rays get their love. One of the best defenses in the AL gets their representation with Bartlett. He came over from Minnesota to solidify the infield, and made some big plays for the Rays. Honorable Mention: Michael Young, Texas

-3B: Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay. Just a hunch here. I think he will be rewarded for his overall effort in 2008. Great with the bat, great with the glove, helped turn a team around and one of the most likeable players in baseball. The managers will see all this and speak accordingly. Honorable Mention: Adrian Beltre, Seattle

-OF: Carl Crawford, Tampa Bay. Very underrated in left field. Great speed with a good arm. Honorable Mention: Ichiro Suzuki

-OF: Torii Hunter, Los Angeles. In my opinion, one of the best defensive outfielders to ever play the game. He has made unbelievable play time after time. Game changer. Honorable Mention: Curtis Granderson

-OF: Grady Sizemore, Cleveland. A great young player who would run through a wall if asked. Can run down a ball in the gap better than anyone. He spent a lot of time at DH this year to save his legs, but when he played the field he was a force. Mainstay in the Gold Glove awards for years. Honorable Mention: Nick Markakis

- P: Kenny Rogers, Detroit. Kenny did not have a good year on the hill, but he can still field his position. He's like Maddux, who also had a bad year, but still brought home the hardware. Im taking a shot and going with the Gambler. Honorable Mention: Roy Halladay, Toronto

-s

What closer isn't on Tigers radar?

2008-11-05T15:06:00.005-05:00

Mr. Morosi hits us with another gem today. Kevin Gregg is the latest closer to appear as a blip on the Tigers radar screen.

Gregg is 30, a member of the Marlins, and made $2.5 million last season. He is reasonable cheap, but blew nine saves last year. Not Mr. Consistency by any means. Besides that, he and former teammates Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera might not be the best of pals anymore.

Last year Gregg was quoted as saying,

"(they) got away from being professional. Dontrelle and Miggy are great players, but they still have a lot to learn on their own end."

I see Gregg as a low-end option for now.

The main concern I see, aside from the blown saves, are his 37 walks in 68.2 innings. That ratio would not sit well with Rick Knapp.

Reuniting with Miggy and Dontrelle would bring add another former Marlin to the team. Former fish include Nate Robertson, Gary Sheffield, Cabrera, Willis, and Edgar Renteria, along with having a former Marlin manager and a former Marlin GM. Interesting.

In a related story, the Tigers are also planning on re-signing Mike Rabelo, and going after Carl Pavano, A.J. Burnett, Josh Beckett, Luis Castillo, Craig Counsell, and Cliff Floyd and bringing Charles Johnson, Jeff Conine, Orestes Destrade and Andre Dawson back from retirement.

-s

Burnett: Pure speculation.

2008-11-05T12:18:00.003-05:00

Listening to 97.1, the Ticket out of Detroit, A.J. Burnett's name apparently has been rumored to come to Detroit.

I have to admit, there was no source added, but it was announced the the Tigers are a darkhorse to land the potential ace. Updates will come if I hear anything more. Until then, chalk this one up to an unlikely hope.

Ordóñez news.

2008-11-05T11:44:00.005-05:00

This morning Scott Boras woke up and brushed his teeth with his solid gold toothbrush, ate a bowl of 50 dollar bills and then made a statement as to the future of one of his clients.

Magglio will be staying put.

"Magglio's a great, extraordinary hitter, and everybody wants him," Boras said Tuesday during the second day of the general managers' meetings. "It would be a big loss and a very difficult guy to replace.

"I think it's very unlikely that Magglio would be moved. The fact is he has control over where he goes, for the most part."

Maggs help turn the franchise around when he came to Detroit coming after surgery. He has a no-trade clause that allows Magglio to stay put and block a trade to all but 10 teams.

Jon Morosi believes that in the event that Boras was lying though his diamond encrusted teeth, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the state of California in the west coast of the United States of America of North America on the third planet from the sun would be a good fit.

The Phillies also could be interested in Maggs if their current left fielder decides to ship out.

-s

Interest in Putz?

2008-11-04T13:47:00.004-05:00

Happy election day!

Larry LaRue of the Mariners Insider dropped an interesting piece of information. J.J. Putz could be available, and the Tigers have mentioned his name. At this stage in the game, this could be nothing, but the possibility is intriguing.

Magglio Ordonez is on the trading block, but it is hard to imagine the Mariners wanting to pay his salary. I suppose he could be a replacement for Ibanez if and when he leaves, but a Maggs for Putz trade would be pure speculation at this point.

Putz is owed $5 million next year. That would be a steal if he could return to his 35-40 save status. He has an option for '10 of $8.6 million that isn't terribly hard to digest either.

My guess is that the Tigers would have to eat a chuck on Magglio's contract in order to ship him out for Putz, if this is even on the table at all. A lot of crap is thrown around in the GM meetings. We'll all have to bide our time.

Putz converted 36 of 43 saves in '06 while putting up a 2.30 ERA. In '07 he was 40 of 42 while putting up a mind melting 1.38 ERA and striking out 82 in 71 inning. If we could put that at the end of our bullpen, it would make me completely forget about a man named Cordero and a man named Street.

-s

Greener pastures ahead?

2008-11-03T14:11:00.000-05:00

Khalil Greene is the latest name to be thrown about in Tiger speculation. According to the San Diego Unino-Tribune, The Orioles, Red and Tigers have expressed interest in Sean Penn's lost twin brother.

Keep in mind, the blond haired wonder had an abysmal 2008. He hit .213 with 10 bombs and 35 RBIs. Horrid. But he has a great deal of raw talent and has game changing ability. He would be a huge risk, but one that I would like to see the Tigers take.

Rumbling of the Red Sox offering Coco Crisp for Greene have been heard, but I don't see that working out. What do the Tigers have to offer? They are a bit depleted of young talent, and the Padres won't take on any high salaries. They are treating 2009 like a scrap heap of a season, so dealing Greene would probably be a matter of cutting costs. Greene is set to make $6.5 million in 2009, and will be a free agent after that.

Blake over at Spot Starters looks at it like this:

He’s basically a 2006 version of Brandon Inge, except at SS. Greene is never going to get on base a lot. He’s always going to strike out a ton. However, he fields his position very well and has some serious pop in his bat when his swing is right.

If the Tigers could get Greene for peanuts (low grade prospects) I really think they should consider a deal like this one. If Greene flops the Tigers can go back to playing Ramon Santiago there and wash their hands of Greene once the season ends.

I have to agree. This is a possibility I like.

What do you think?

Also, in an unrelated story: What the hell? Why? Why? Why?

-s

Notes and News.

2008-11-01T13:55:00.004-04:00

- Huston Street is on the trading block again. Are the Tigers in his future?

- Dave Dowbrowski knows the Tigs have a lot to do this offseason. He will not throw money at people however, he will get...creative.

- Freddy Garcia is a free agent. He still might want to pitch for Detroit next year, but he awaits an offer.

- The Free Press presents the 10 scariest sports headlines. Number 7: Another Tigers coach rehired - Chuck Hernandez.

- Is Ramon Santiago our 2009 SS? Ian Casselberry over at Bless You Boys looks at both sides.

- Here's a scary thought: Jeff Jones might not be the only Tiger we bring back.

- Kenny Rogers is the recipient of a 2009 "Fielding Bible" award.

- I swear to God, you can find almost anything on youtube.

-s

How free agent compensation works.

2008-10-31T14:47:00.004-04:00

Yesterday I wrote an article about how I feel the Tigers should make a strong play for reliever Chad Cordero.

One comment asked "but what kind of draft picks do we lose if we get him?"

Great question. And one I will try to answer.

Here is the gist. All players are lumped into one of five groups:

Group 1: first basemen, outfielders, and designated hitters
Group 2: second basemen, third basemen, and shortstops
Group 3: catchers
Group 4: starters
Group 5: relievers

Weighted stats are then used for each group to determine how each player ranks against the rest of the league for the respective position. Confused yet?

These categories are:

Group 1: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI
Group 2: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding %, Total chances at designated position
Group 3: PA, AVG, OBP, HR, RBI, Fielding %, Assists
Group 4: Total games (total starts + 0.5 * total relief appearances), IP, Wins, W-L %, ERA, Strikeouts
Group 5: Total games (total relief appearances + 2 * total starts), IP (weighted slightly less than other categories), Wins + Saves, IP/H ratio, K/BB, ERA

Yep, i'm not kidding. Other factors come into play too, like time spent on the disabled list or suspensions. I will never try and sit down the formula myself, that is left for better minds.

Based on the status a player is given - type A, type B, no classification - a team loses a draft pick with his signing. Tim Dierkes at MLBTradeRumors.com laid it all out in plain English for us:

Here's a reminder of how free agent compensation works in baseball, with Adam Dunn as the example (for this example, pretend Dunn was not traded and remained with the Reds).

The Reds have the choice of offering Dunn arbitration after the season. If Dunn accepts, the Reds get him for '09 at a salary determined by the arbitration process. He's earning $13MM in '08 and having a typical year, so the process would result in an even higher salary for '09. (Occasionally a player accepts arbitration when the team didn't expect him to, like Greg Maddux and the Braves in '02.) If the Reds don't offer Dunn arbitration, he becomes a free agent and the Reds get nothing.

A player can either be classified as Type A, Type B, or nothing based on his stats from the previous two seasons. Dunn should rank as a Type A since the classification formula looks at PA, AVG, OBP, HR, and RBI for 1Bs, OFs, and DHs (4 out of 5 ain't bad for Dunn).

If the Reds offer Dunn arbitration, he may decline because he prefers to play elsewhere or prefers to seek a multiyear free agent contract. If he declines the Reds' offer and signs elsewhere, the Reds will receive two draft picks.

Let's say the Yankees sign Dunn. The Reds will then receive one '09 draft pick from the Yankees. If the Yankees have, say, the 22nd overall pick next June, the Reds get that in addition to their own normal first round pick. The Reds also get a supplemental draft pick squeezed in between the first and second round of the draft.

The Reds only get the Yankees' first-round pick if it falls between #16-30. The first 15 picks are protected. So if the Nationals sign Dunn, the Reds are kind of screwed because they do not get the Nats' #2 overall pick. Instead, they get the Nats' second round pick and the supplemental pick.

A free agent can also be classified as a Type B based on his stats from 2007-08. This might happen with Jon Garland. Say the Angels offer him arbitration and he declines and then signs with the Dodgers. The Dodgers would not give up any draft picks, but the Angels would get an extra pick between the first and second round. Another rule to consider: the "losing" team can receive draft pick compensation without offering arbitration if their free agent is signed before December 1st.

Third possibility - the free agent is not classified as Type A or B, and there is no draft pick compensation.

With that in mind and referring back to Tigers Thoughts, Chad Cordero has no classification. Therefore, the Tigers would lose no draft picks when signing him, thus making him all the more appealing.

My brain hurts now.

-s