The Quest For Relief: Take a Chance on These?

There have been disagreements in Tiger Town thus far this off-season as to what the Tigers should do at catcher or shortstop, but one thing we believe everyone will agree upon is the need for a closer.  Of course, the ideal candidates for the job might differ among fans and bloggers, though most seem to feel that giving big money to Francisco Rodriguez or Brian Fuentes might not be the best way to go.

Trumbull and Michigan kicked off the discussion with a post suggesting the Tigers look at Chad Cordero, who opted for free agency over an assignment to Triple-A Syracuse.

The big red flag with Cordero, of course, is that he's coming off surgery to repair a torn labrum.  The procedure was performed in July, and Cordero is expected to be ready to pitch by Spring Training.  Tigers fans saw with Freddy Garcia just how long a recovery from such an injury can take, but Cordero will be only 27 years old in March.

Is a closer with 128 saves (converting 84% of his opportunities) and a 2.72 ERA for his career worth taking a chance on?  Absolutely - for the right price.  Cordero won't get the $6.2 million he earned last season from any team, but giving him a minor-league deal (much as the Tigers did with Garcia) loaded with incentives looks like a low-risk/high-reward type of proposition.

Someone I'm very interested in is Arizona's Juan Cruz, who just filed for free agency.  I made my case for him back in late August, dazzled by his 55 strikeouts in 36 1/3 innings (12.8 Ks per nine innings).  Cruz's walk rate of 5.8 per nine innings is a concern, and as a Type A free agent, he'd cost the Tigers a draft pick.  And I understand the suspicions that come with giving the closer's job to someone who hasn't really shown he can handle the responsibility before.

Another name that seems to be drawing a lot of interest around baseball is Jeremy Affeldt.  Tigers fans may be more familiar with him as Kyle Farnsworth's tackling dummy, but with the Reds this year, he notched 80 strikeouts in 78 1/3 innings.

But maybe you worship at the Church of What's Happening Now, and want someone with fewer question marks. 

How about Huston Street?  Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle doesn't think he'll be with the Oakland A's next year, after losing the closer's job this past season, and mentioned Detroit as one of four possible destinations for him.  Despite his struggles, Street still posted a 3.63 ERA and 69 strikeouts in 70 innings.  Maybe he could be the 2009 version of Brad Lidge, benefiting greatly from the proverbial change of scenery. 

(Blake makes the case for Street over at The Spot Starters.)

Kevin Gregg is another former closer who lost his job this year, and from all accounts, the Florida Marlins are looking to trade him.  Before getting demoted to middle relief, Gregg compiled 29 saves and a 3.41 ERA in 72 appearances.  (In 2007, he saved 32 games.)  One problem with Gregg, however, might be his control.  This past year, he threw 37 walks, averaging 4.8 walks per nine innings. 

Should any other names be tossed out there?  Eric Gagne?  Jason Isringhausen?  David Weathers?  Or are we just tossing bologna slices at the wall, going this far down the list of prospective relievers?  Care to add anyone we may have missed?