Johnny Damon, Carlos Pena among options for replacing Tigers' Victor Martinez

hopefully we get good news next week

And then for Dunn to improve.

Although you sounded exhausted at the end of it and it seemed you really didnt fight for any one of them to be on the team

This is an accurate statement!

it’d still fall under the “Not going to happen” category.

do they Reds have a stud 2B prospect in waiting that I just don’t know about?

Because other than that… I see no reason why the Reds would trade Phillips. I know he has (or had, maybe they’re resolved?) contract issues, but still. The Reds have been gearing up this winter with Latos and Madson. They have a solid rotation and a pretty nice pen. With Votto and Phillips in the middle of that lineup, and both Pujols and potentially Fielder leaving the NL Central.. the Reds have a real shot at winning that division next year.

Don’t get me wrong, I’d love adding Phillips to this team. Just don’t see any real incentive for the Reds to trade him at this time.

I have at least pieces of four “second” languages, but none of them happen to be Spanish.

/Equum, le cheval, das Pferd, τος ’ιππος…

I was going to reply in French here, but it’s just too rusty to be conversational. Dammit.

Mais serieusement, j’aime Pena plus que Lee.

I pass, right?

Of old Mexican guys who dress up in sombreros and stand on the terrace. It’s pretty awesome. If we got him that would be the best part.

http://houston.astros.mlb.com/images/2007/05/23/esh6G3dj.jpg

I think he was just lucky when Damon was playing for the team.

He was a great player 2-3 years ago, but has just steadily declined. I’d look elsewhere. Good post, though.

but I don’t think it’s realistic.

How does he look?

if Cespedes isn’t there, I’d have the most faith in Carlos

But there are other options for the Tigers to be successful in 2012.

Wow. I didn’t think Manny had any fans left.

What, precisely, do you like about him?

Did you like him when he was a good baseball player and have forgotten he’s no longer that guy? Or, you’re referring to liking him as a person (no accounting for taste, I guess)?

Not accusing you in particular of anything, but I have never seen a Red Sox fan that likes him and I’ve never really seen why.

as you’ll get for suggesting that quote/unquote rosterbation (Hanley), I really think Miami would bite on a deal like that. Dombrowski is obviously the only guy in baseball with as good of a rapport with that front office.. if anybody could get it done, it’d be Dave.

I really don’t see them giving up a proven guy who can pass for a fan favorite on a team with no actual fans for a #3/4 starter and prospects.

They’re worth bringing up, even if some of them are ass bad. A phrase I’m going to start using, even though it was probably a typo.

wouldnt matter anyways because he’d DH

cross off Cody Ross for being a re-tread. And cross off Juan Pierre for not being very good at baseball

or are you just being intellectually lazy and assuming that any pitcher who changes leagues will automatically completely change?

BECAUSE I SAID SO

Also… ?

And I could see Turner for Brown.

and not read it as “Demonic.”

that everyone told me that after the 5th batter in the line-up for each team the game is over. I mean it isn’t like we are going to have Peralta (80+ RBI last year) and Avila (also 80+ RBI last year) hitting behind the 350+ OBP Pena to help hit him and Cabby (who will be in scoring position since Pena walked him to 2B…) in.

Vlad is not good at baseball anymore – he was replacement level last year by fWAR.
I don’t understand the support for Vlad here. He is worse than Andy Dirks and would cost money the Tigers could be giving to a better player (if Pena doesn’t happen, Oswalt or even Cespedes fit the bill).

About Pena’s patience potentially working against the Tigers: If Pena is walked after Cabrera was pitched around, that’s a good thing. Avila at the plate with at least two aboard sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? If they want to put more guys on base, why stop them? It all comes down to not making outs, which Pena does much better than Vlad (with a lot more power to boot).

But it’s not a bad idea. Much more patient hitter than Guerrero.

but I think Boston wouldn’t give up on him that soon

Boston would be fools to do it though. Crawford is much better than his numbers last year. I don’t know if he can hold up till the end of his contract, but he will probably perform too it for the next couple years.

But I agree that he would solve the problems that you mentioned. I was against signing him last offseason because I thought he would be overpaid, and he was. I think that Boston’s demands would start with Turner and/or Nick Castellanos though, so I don’t see a deal like that happening from our end.

I’m pretty sure Wright has only one year on his contract with an option that he can opt out of or gets voided if he is traded, so he would basically be a rental too. Also the Mets would ask for Turner and/or Castellanos plus other pieces in the deal. The lack of offense at 3rd can be made up by the fact the the Tigers get offense out of positions that the rest of the AL is weak in (C, SS, and if Raburn produces 2B) and having the best hitter in the AL helps a bit too. I think signing or trading for guys to get on base in front of Miguel would be more beneficial

But your setup is all wrong. Raburn and Santiago are platooning at 2B. This has already been decided by the Tigers’ brass. Young will be in LF unless Cespedes is signed and is actually the guy in these videos. Unless Oswalt is signed, the rotation won’t get us to the World Series, and I would question whether it would even win us the division.

Just don’t think it will happen. Mostly because I don’t believe Texas really wants Fielder for the amount of money and length of contract it will require. In fact, Fielder may have real trouble getting anywhere near the contract he wants simply because it carries so much risk for anyone to take on.

The idea of a long-term fix at second base is VERY appealing, however.

But I’d be very surprised if Texas would help a team that they’re likely to face in the playoffs again this season upgrade that significantly.