This Week's Poll: Should the Tigers Re-Sign Rodney?
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 8, 2009 2:00 PM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
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PrintDuring the offseason, many of us rolled our eyes when the Detroit Tigers implied that Fernando Rodney was likely to have a good season because he was on the verge of free agency.
The same Fernando Rodney who couldn't stay healthy the past two seasons? Who crumbled every time he'd been given the responsibility of closing games?
Yet here's Rodney with 32 saves in 33 opportunities. Sure, several of those saves have been treacherous affairs. The man's given up 51 hits and 30 walks in 60.2 innings. He hasn't been the ideal "lights-out" closer, though his final results look that way. And he might get to cash in because of it.
Last winter, Francisco Rodriguez got $37 million from the Mets. Kerry Wood signed a $20 million deal with the Indians. What sort of contract could Rodney expect to attract on the open market? (Jose Valverde will apparently be the big fish among closers.) Could the Tigers match a big offer? Would they really want to?
If Detroit feels they need a proven closer, Brandon Lyon might be the cheaper option. (Unless another team also prices Lyon out of the Tigers' range.) But there are also plenty of other in-house options, though none of them are proven. Could Ryan Perry be the guy? Casey Fien? Someone we haven't seen yet, like Zach Simons or Cody Satterwhite?
But ultimately, there are other areas in which the Tigers will have to spend whatever money they'll have available. This could end up being one of Detroit's more interesting offseason dilemmas.
Should the Detroit Tigers re-sign Fernando Rodney?
You can find the poll on the right sidebar below the FanPosts block. Or you can vote here. And if you have suggestions for future poll questions (which I clearly need), shoot me an e-mail. Please add your thoughts in the comments.
And check out Detroit4lyfe's thoughts on this very same subject, which they examined in greater detail.
How did our last poll go?
Is it wrong that a coach won this, instead of a player? I guess my instinct to include Gene Lamont in this poll was a good one. But thanks to everyone who participated in this poll, all in good fun.
Which Detroit Tiger do you think could eat the most eggs?
20% Miguel Cabrera
27% Gerald Laird
13% Brandon Inge
4% Alex Avila
33% Gene Lamont
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Rodney Suspended:
USA Today is reporting Rodney got suspended for three games for throwing the ball into the crowd-actually hit the press box. This seems real harsh to me. I do think Rodney should be resigned by the Tigers. He has been good for the most part this year.
yeah, they're appealing it
i personally think we should try to resign him. i’ve always been a fan of loyalty in sports. if a guy plays well, he should try to stay with the team that he plays great for, especially if that team is successful. he might try for a big payday, and if it’s too much for the tigers, then that’s that. of course, never been a fan of players that play for the money. it should be more about the love of the game than for multi-millions of dollars.
I Like Pie
I thought I needed to save something for this afternoon. :-)
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 8, 2009 2:56 PM EDT up reply actions
Rodney is entertaining
I’ve always liked him, and STILL feel he is pitching way below his potential. However, if he goes for $7 million or more, we should definitely use that money elsewhere in the bullpen, or to offer arbitration to washburn/polanco.
As much as I hate to say it, with next year being a big contract year and the tigers needing the money, we have enough reasonable alternatives that they shouldn’t pay more than $5-6 million for another year of Rodney.
A lifelong Tigers fan
Let Rodney walk.
First of all, I don’t think the Tigers should pay double-digit millions for ANY closer. In my opinion, the closer is the most overrated position in sports, and the save is the most overrated stat. I like what Billy Beane does: take a cheap reliever, turn him into a closer, and sell him to someone else for more than he’s worth. A good reliever is a good reliever, regardless of what inning he pitches in. The fact that a pitcher can come into a game with a 3 run lead and no runners on base and then get credit for doing something good if he allows two runs or fewer seems ludicrous to me.
Whew… there’s my rant for the day. Also, Fernando is more valuable to the Tigers if they offer him arbitration and get a compensation pick in the draft. I’m guessing he would probably be a Type B free agent, though I don’t have anything to confirm this. Anyone know more on this?
although...
What if Rodney accepts arbitration and we end up shelling out $9 million bucks? Ouch.
A lifelong Tigers fan
That is always a risk,
but given the typical market for closers, given how well he has pitched this year, I’d be willing to bet a good deal that Rodney declines arbitration and goes somewhere else. I think the Tigers have made it clear that Ryan Perry is the closer of the future, so Rodney probably knows that he has no longterm future with the Tigers.
Type B
According to Eddie Bajek’s rankings.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 8, 2009 3:02 PM EDT up reply actions
+1
Really, this is about perfect.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
What's Brandon Lyon's contract?
Did we sign him for next year? He can be our closer. I like 1-2-3 innings in the ninth. Seay can do the 8th and we will not disrupt the Seay-Lyon thing.
Tammy
Lyon
He’s signed at $4.25 million for this year, but you can bet he’ll make more next year, because he’s going to be someone’s closer. I feel the same way about Lyon as Rodney: $6 million or more, and we should let him walk.
A lifelong Tigers fan
Offer him arbitration
It may scare him into staying (especially if he gets to type A status). Otherwise forget him too.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
Closers are overvalued
I say let him walk and try to find another closer. One decent season to good season is not worth what Fernando may make (though with the economy down he may make less than expected but still too much for an aging closer).
FYI
Lots of great arms coming available this offseason. For instance:
Jose Valverde
Trevor Hoffman
Rafael Soriano
My personal pick would be Billy Wagner for a 1-2 year deal, just to help bridge the gap to Perry/Fien/Zumaya. It would be a risk because of Wagner’s health, but if we can get him for less than the above three, it might be worth it.
A lifelong Tigers fan
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