Tigers Not Trading Starter?

by FLATigersFan on Dec 12, 2005 11:09 AM EST in Detroit Tigers News

The Tigers have made some moves over the last week, securing a closer (Todd Jones) and help in the starting rotation (Kenny Rogers). After these moves it seemed that many Tiger fans felt the team was going to make a couple more moves and the starting rotation was going to look a little different. Nate Robertson seemed to be the consensus pick as who was going to be shipped before it was all said and done. Well, the last reports are stating that the Tigers are standing still in terms of their rotation at this point, as it's been expressed the team will not trade any of their starting pitchers:

It doesn't add up that the Tigers signed starting pitcher Kenny Rogers with the idea of trading another starter. Even with Rogers, the Tigers are banking on Justin Verlander -- or Roman Colon -- breaking spring camp as part of a five-man rotation. Verlander is the better bet, but he only signed a big-league contract 13 months ago and it wouldn't be selling Verlander short to think he might, at some point next spring, need a tune-up at Triple A. Colon is a better bet to fill another need on this team: long relief.

In any event, this doesn't look like a team planning to trade a top-five pitcher.

Everyone wonders if a trade is brewing, whether it involves a pitcher, or if it's some sort of package containing Craig Monroe and Carlos Pena. Doubtful, it seems. Monroe and Pena aren't going to bring a starting pitcher in return -- not by themselves -- and neither by dangling that pair will you pry Adam Dunn from Cincinnati. Most likely scenario: Pena is swapped for a lower-profile left-handed reliever.

I still believe we're in the free agent market for a pitcher (Millwood), although this article states differently. I would rather slowly work Justin Verlander into the rotation rather than throw him right in with only 2 start experience last season. I'm not an expert on how the mind of a young pitching prospect works, but I want the Tigers to be as cautious with their prospects (Verlander, Zumaya) as possible.

That being said, it's just exciting to be talking about the Tigers having talent in the system.

Finally, I may need someone interested to help out here at BYB. In trying to make this a great place to read and chat about the Tigers, I would like it to be updated as much as possible. With some pretty giant life changes coming up (I'm graduating college soon), I may not be able to post game open threads and such everyday. If you're interested in writing and putting some thoughts in, express it in a comment and I'll contact you through e-mail.

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