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by Elmer Valo on Jan 17, 2012 5:46 PM EST

This makes sense to me -- Sign Kotchman (.393 OBP vs. RHP's and gold glove defense at 1B) to one year deal with a team option. I guess 3.5 million gets it done. Miggy goes on a one year sabbattical as the DH. If Victor can't come back for 2013, extend Kotchman and do it for another year. This locks the AL Central. The only way to have a chance to get past the first round in the playoffs is to sign Oswalt in the $8 - $10 million range for one year and try to outpitch everyone. This way no prospects are sacrificed and the net money after Victor's insurance pays out won't cripple us for mid-season moves (that could include dealing Oswalt if Turner, Smyly, et al show they are ready by June).

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bless You Boys writing staff.

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Kotchman sounds like an interesting choice

Of course, I’m not sure he can sustain his offensive production…

"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz

"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching

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by David Tokarz on Jan 17, 2012 6:01 PM EST reply actions

Can't DH Cabby

No way is moving him to DH a good decision. He’s one of the most feared bats in the league and we’ve learned that becoming a DH can mess up ones rhythm a la Adam Dunn, Posada. Plus, give him a year off and may not be able to bounce back and play first. I think we attack this from a different perspective, maybe a two player swing to bring in a guy like Damon, maybe bring back Mags, and now make a deal for Headley. It’ll be an expensive year, but just a year and gives the lineup much more versatility.

TEA Baseball Experience

by TEABaseballTour on Jan 17, 2012 6:26 PM EST reply actions

Kotchman best of the lot, time to make a trade

We need a left handed bat in the line-up unless Dirks can hit regularly while playing 80 to 100 games. Trade for left handing 2B if possible. Are there any Angels available?

by Barry2 on Jan 18, 2012 9:42 AM EST reply actions

Kotchman

His career OBP against righties is .340. Pass.

by Bigpaw on Jan 20, 2012 7:58 AM EST reply actions

Aside from VMart, Cabrera, and Avila

.340 OBP is as good or better than everyone else on our team.

Assuming that Avila doesn’t get the #5 spot, a .340 OBP slides in better at #3 or 5 than anyone we currently have.

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

by momotigers on Jan 20, 2012 10:20 AM EST up reply actions

Yup

Could we do better? Maybe. But Kotch isn’t a horrible choice.

"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz

"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching

by David Tokarz on Jan 20, 2012 12:32 PM EST up reply actions

Kotchman worries me

His OBP has been all over the place from year to year and I don’t see any reason why. I don’t think he is the 800 OPS guy that we saw last year. I think he is much closer to a low to mid 700’s guy and that doesn’t really do us much good.

by wilsonm24 on Jan 20, 2012 2:17 PM EST up reply actions

I'd say those concerns are reasonably justifiable

But I’d take him over guys like Abreu.

"You, on the other hand, make Eeyore look like Rainbow Brite." -johnmoz

"I think of you more as the blue book style essay of sports journalism."-Kurt Mensching

by David Tokarz on Jan 21, 2012 3:59 PM EST up reply actions

In a heartbeat.

by wilsonm24 on Jan 22, 2012 12:40 PM EST up reply actions

Aside from VMart, Cabrera, and Avila

When you lose Victor, you don’t replace him with Dave Bergman, which is almost precisely what Kotchman is – Bergman had a better OPS+, and was a better fielder. I’d rather test Ryan Strieby, and I’m no Strieby fan.

by Bigpaw on Jan 20, 2012 1:47 PM EST reply actions

I didn't realize Kotchman was only 28 (he turns 29 in February)

Still, I think he’s a 4th or 5th option for the Tigers at this point.

Detroit4Lyfe

by Rob Rogacki on Jan 20, 2012 9:42 PM EST reply actions

I like Kotchman

A singles hitter, that doesn’t strike out much. Leyland would probably love to have another guy like that. It’s just too bad he only plays 1B. We could do worse.

by Keith-Allen on Jan 21, 2012 9:17 AM EST reply actions

I like Kotchman circa 2011

but going forward I would feel safest projecting his season to resemble his 2009 year (.268 / .339 / .382 ) though probably with a bit more power. So he’s not real high on my list.

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by Kurt Mensching on Jan 21, 2012 2:16 PM EST up reply actions

Baseball Nation thinks that the Tampa turf aided Kotchman's numbers

Kotchman, though, has a career .280 batting average on balls in play, and he posted a .335 mark in 2011. The turf helped this extreme groundball hitter — Kotchman has the kind of groundball-to-flyball ratio that makes pitchers jealous — pick up more infield hits than usual. More than that, though, his grounders just had eyes: his career BABIP on grounders was brought up to .194 in 2011, in part due to the .250 mark he posted last year. Grounders were a problem in the past — Kotchman has been nearly 90 percent worse on grounders relative to his other batted-ball types over the years — but in 2011 he was 10 percent better on them.

Link

Detroit4Lyfe

by Rob Rogacki on Jan 21, 2012 2:44 PM EST up reply actions

Good catch here

Kotch just dropped a few spots on my list.

The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

by momotigers on Jan 22, 2012 2:21 PM EST up reply actions

kind of early...

imo for the Tigers moves. Might be waiting to see if they get Cespedes, before doing anything.
Elmer Valo, great name from the past. I remember him playing.

by KalineCountry on Jan 21, 2012 2:28 PM EST reply actions