Tom Gage: Tigers Won't Have Any Money to Spend This Winter

Maybe the Detroit News's Tigers beat writer is being a bit of a buzzkill, but he's also stating what many of us had already been anticipating.

Gage predicts a payroll approximating $119 million for 20 players. (Compare that to the $125 million Mack Avenue Tigers forecast.)

about 1 month ago Ian Casselberry 25 comments 0 recs |

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The way I see it...

If Magglio can produce consistently next year (30+ 2B, 15 HR, .310+ AVG) and Guillen puts up respectable numbers then we have a chance, at least on the offensive side of things. There are a ton of other question marks: whether Granderson can bring his AVG and OBP back up, how Sizemore will produce, Raburn’s role on the team, etc. But I think a lot of it will come down to how Maggs and Guillen perform.

Opening Day 2010:

1. Granderson CF
2. Ordonez RF
3. Guillen DH
4. Cabrera 1B
5. Raburn LF
6. Sizemore 2B
7. Inge 3B
8. Everett/Santiago SS
9. Laird/Avila C

SP- VJP, Robertson, & Bonderman or Galarraga
BP- Lyon (Closer), Seay, Ni, Perry, sigh Miner, Bonderman or Galarraga (garbage time), one other arm (maybe Zumaya, Figaro, Fien, ?)

and Clete will be around of course along with 1 more open roster spot

by ryan_matthews28 on Oct 15, 2009 3:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Can't say I disagree with Gage

I don’t think the Tigers are going to be spenders this winter, if anything they’ll be light sellers… maybe.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 15, 2009 3:46 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

if the difference between....

Being good and being bad is sold to mr I as either keeping lyon to close or letting him walk, they will sign him if it is at all reasonable. Someone has to close, and no one else can do it.

by rook34 on Oct 15, 2009 3:52 PM EDT via mobile reply actions 0 recs

I think we'll be seeing Lyon in a Tigers' uni again

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 15, 2009 3:58 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Yep, feel the same way

There are a plethora of closers on the market this offseason, the Tigers should be able to sign Lyon or somebody similar for 2 years at $12-14 million. The nice thing at least about us not being able to spend much is that most other teams are being frugal right now as well.

by ryan_matthews28 on Oct 15, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

if the difference between good and bad is one reliever

then someone is selling a bad bill of goods.

Mack Avenue Tigers

by MackAveKurt on Oct 15, 2009 4:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well, it’s rather like what Casey Stengel said about drafting catchers—if you don’t draft a catcher you’re going to have a lot of passed balls. Somebody has to close. If it ain’t going to be Rodney, and it ain’t going to be Lyon, then there is no obvious candidate for that slot. If we don’t have someone to pitch the 9th inning, we’re going to lose a lot of games by forfeit. :)

by rea on Oct 15, 2009 9:05 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

A nutjob would say Perry is ready

He’s at least another season out though, he was wild as hell early on. Six WP on the season. For some odd reason WP aren’t in splits, so I don’t know what the distribution actually was — only going from memory on that one.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 16, 2009 12:27 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I really hopr Illitch is at least getting some insurance $ off of Dontrelle

by ryan_matthews28 on Oct 15, 2009 3:54 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You think they would

I’d have insurance on all the major contracts- Guillen, Inge, Willis, Bonderman, Ordonez, Cabrera and Granderson.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 15, 2009 4:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So is it reasonable to assume that Illitch got some money off of Bonderman and Willis this season?

by ryan_matthews28 on Oct 15, 2009 4:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I dunno

I can’t find anything on insurance policies on them.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 15, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I certainly don't have experience in this line of insurance

but adjusters don’t usually like to throw around cash for manufactured diagnoses.

by cloud wall on Oct 15, 2009 5:01 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

And I don’t say that to belittle Dontrelle or what he’s been through. I have no idea if he’s sick or what. But I would have to think an insurance adjuster would look at the situation skeptically. And they write the checks.

by cloud wall on Oct 15, 2009 5:02 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Well then Mr I could surely cash in on some money from Zumaya

and I did hear that most owners do carry insurance on their players. They are investments just like our cars or homes are to us.

Tammy

by VegasTigers on Oct 15, 2009 5:55 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Maybe not Zumaya

But Bonderman, Guillen and Robertson.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 15, 2009 7:16 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not Zumaya?

Tigers Amateur Analysis

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 15, 2009 7:23 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Because . . .

Zumaya doesn’t make all that much money to begin with. The point of such policies is to cover the player’s salary if the player is injured.

by rea on Oct 15, 2009 9:07 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Exactly

We pay him roughly league minimum, so his salary is just part of operational costs.

President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.

by demondeaconsbaseball on Oct 15, 2009 9:12 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

That, and the moron has been self-inflicted injured for like two years now.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 16, 2009 12:28 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I am at a loss to see how Zumaya’s injuries are “self-inflicted,” unless you are buying into the rumors about falling off an ATV.

by rea on Oct 16, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Guitar Hero? General stupidity?

Let’s say he hurt his shoulder moving boxes. What the HELL was he doing moving boxes with the amount of money we were paying him? Find someone to move the big, heavy, potentially injurous things for you.

Sorry but Zumaya has brought his horrible career on himself.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 17, 2009 12:08 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Have we heard anything official about the payroll yet?

I’m tired of all this speculation.

Tigers Amateur Analysis

by SabreRoseTiger on Oct 16, 2009 6:19 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Nope

Probably won’t until after the WS is over and tenders are due/Winter Meetings etc. Keep an eye on the excellent MLB Trade Rumors for really detailed stuff about payroll etc.

2100 Woodward and Twitter

by john.kmiecik on Oct 16, 2009 11:33 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs