Like Stripes on the Fur Coat of a Tiger - 09/19

Apparently, today is Links Day in the Tigersosphere, so there could be some crossing streams between each of us.  I probably should've checked for the memo on that.  Ah, whayagondo?  This stuff happens.

  Over at Tiger Tales, Lee takes a look at the in-house candidates for next year's starting rotation, while also listing the free agent pitchers that will be available and which would cost a draft pick with Type A status.

  An outside hire that appeals to the Freep's John Lowe is the Dodgers' Derek Lowe.  (No relation, I assume.)  My first reaction was, "Say what?"  Mike McClary called him "the pitching version of Edgar Renteria" in an IM conversation, as his ERAs during his last two seasons in Boston were 4.47 and 5.42.

John supports his case by mentioning that Derek has never been on the DL (way to jinx him), only two other pitchers have won more games over the past six years, and that he's won 12 games in seven straight seasons.  After reading that, I responded much like Seth Rogen in The 40-Year-Old Virgin when he finds out what a creepy stalker Paul Rudd has been to his ex-girlfriend: "Well, I didn't know all that, so I'm sorry!"

  In a mailbag column at SI.com, Tom Verducci advocates the Tigers considering Ben Sheets, A.J. Burnett, and Ryan Dempster for free agent pitching help.  (via Cutoff Man)

  As part of its Offseason Outlook series, MLB Trade Rumors looks at the Detroit Tigers today.

  Ken Rosenthal reports the Brewers might want to trade J.J. Hardy this offseason to make room for top prospect Alcides Escobar.  Doesn't that sound kind of like what the Braves did with Renteria last year?

However, Hardy is much younger, a presumably better fielder,  and has much more pop in his bat.  This season, he's batting .283/.344/.481 with 24 homers and 72 RBIs.  Could the Tigers offer the pitching that Rosenthal says they'd want in return?

(via MLB Trade Rumors - two links for them today!)

  Freddy Garcia says he likes "the guys" and coaching staff in Detroit, and their commitment to winning.  He sure sounds like a guy interested in re-signing with the Tigers next season.  It'll be interesting to see how Garcia's price could be affected by other teams if he pitches well in his last start of the season.

  In the same notebook, Jim Leyland seems very intrigued (to the point of smiling) by the thought of using Brandon Inge at third base when he's not catching next year.

  I know the Freep's Michael Rosenberg is busy promoting a book these days (and I'm really looking forward to reading it - and perhaps meeting him - once the Tigers' season ends), but he's better than the column he mailed in today.