Bless You Boys

The End of 'Who's Your Tiger?'

2008-12-03T02:00:06Z

"Who's Your Tiger?" wasn't just a marketing slogan; it was an ice-breaker among fans. When the Detroit Tigers rolled it out for the 2006 season, the timing seemed perfect, as many more people began following the team and its success became watercooler chatter.

But these things never last. Gotta keep it fresh and exciting. Alas, "Who's Your Tiger?" has been retired, and the Tigers will unveil a new slogan for the 2009 season. What will it be? The Tigers aren't saying yet. But they give a hint at the team's official MLBlog:

The new slogan, is not a "stand-alone" slogan or question. It's more of a statement--about the history and relationship the Tigers have with the City of Detroit.

At several points last season, I found myself wondering if the Tigers were going to revamp their campaign. (Maybe because it was incessant during commercial breaks, to the point where it just became audio wallpaper.) And evidently, this has been under discussion for quite some time.

But three years is a good run for something like this. And even if it's no longer the "official" slogan for the Tigers, I imagine "Who's Your Tiger?" will live on among fans. Or we'll come up with different ways to express our admiration and support for Curtis Granderson, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander, and other fan favorites.

Of course, we can't put up a post like this and not solicit suggestions for new Tigers marketing slogans in the comments. Maybe we can put one of 'em on a BYB Gear t-shirt next season.

(Hat tip to Billfer)

Should We Let Go of Tiger Stadium?

2008-12-02T21:00:08Z

I've said my piece on the Save Tiger Stadium effort before, and would certainly like to see it succeed. But I was thinking some rather hopeless thoughts upon reading that the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy had been given yet more time (after yesterday's deadline) to submit its renovation plans to the city of Detroit.

But I don't think I could express my feelings on the matter any better than ShysterBall did earlier today, so I'll cede the floor to Craig:

The Conservancy has now blown through approximately 1,384 deadlines. Each time they claim to be just about there, only to fall short and thus requiring a new deadline. If it weren't for the massive amounts of Ernie Harwell-inspired goodwill, its efforts would have long ago failed and ceased. Good for Ernie, who is a bigger hero to me than Alan Trammell ever was, but I believe that the failure of the Conservancy would have been for the best.

[snip]

Look, if I ran the world the Tigers would still be playing in a lovingly restored cathedral to baseball on the corner of Michigan and Trumbull. That ship sailed long ago, however, and what has happened to Tiger Stadium in the past nine years has been nothing short of an atrocity. If any of the Conservancy's members had a loved one who was so abused, they would have called the cops. If my Uncle Harry had required the level of life support the Conservancy has demanded, we would have pulled the plug long before we did. I loved Tiger Stadium like I have loved no other building, but it's time to lop off the final bit that remains standing and begin remembering it for what it was rather than gawk at it with pity as we speed by on I-75.

It's been almost 10 years. I don't want to read any more stories from visiting writers expressing disbelief and dismay over the old ballpark being left to rot. And soon, we'll have a generation of Tigers fans that won't even remember that the team played someplace besides Comerica Park. I know this opinion won't make me popular with some people, but isn't it long past time to let go?

By the way, if you didn't know already, ShysterBall has moved to The Hardball Times site, which is the baseball equivalent of "you stuck your chocolate in my peanut butter, you got your peanut butter on my chocolate." Two great tastes that taste great together.

Signs of Hot Stove Rumor Fatigue

2008-12-02T16:00:06Z

Did anyone else see this article about A.J. Hinch in Sunday's Detroit Free Press and briefly think - even for a second - that the Tigers were looking at him to play catcher next season?

No? That was just me? Okay, I'm reading too many Hot Stove rumors. Or bad ones, anyway. With the Winter Meetings coming up, hopefully the good stuff is on the way. Just some action would be nice.

And if you're thinking, "A.J. who?" he was a catcher on the abysmal 2003 team. You might remember them from such horrifying memories as "The Team That Lost 119 Games." Or you don't remember at all because recall of that year has been scrubbed from your brain. If that's the case, good for you.

Brandon Inge and Matt Walbeck actually caught the majority of innings for the Tigers in 2003, however, so even if you did watch, but still don't remember Hinch (who batted .203/.247/.392), it's understandable.

Edgar Renteria's Hardly Arbitrary Arbitration Dilemma

2008-12-02T13:30:05Z

Our Thanksgiving holiday was extended a bit here at BYB, so pardon us while we catch up on some of the pertinent news over the next couple of posts. Could this be the last time I get to use this Edgar Renteria photo? I've grown kind of attached to it, you know.

The Detroit Tigers, however, would no longer like to be attached to Renteria, and cut the cord with him for good yesterday by declining to offer him arbitration. And in doing so, they lose out on any draft picks (two, to be exact) that would've been received as compensation for Renteria's Type A free agent status.

Smart move? Well...

There was obviously a risk in offering Renteria arbitration, in that he might pownce on a one-year contract in which he'd likely be awarded something in the $9 million range (the salary he was paid last season). If the Tigers were interested in paying Renteria that much - or interested in him being their shortstop again, for that matter - they might have just picked up his contract option. (Although not picking up the option would've saved Detroit at least $2 million, regardless.) And we wouldn't have ever had to deal with the words "Julio Lugo."

As Billfer points out, such a risk could've been lessened by releasing (or trading) Renteria during the spring if the Tigers decided they didn't want him. But really, why go through all that trouble if Renteria wasn't actually wanted in the first place? Would the draft pick compensation have been worth the hassle? Perhaps, but possibly bringing two starting shortstops to Lakeland in February seems excessive.

But if Renteria has more lucrative offers on the table (such as the rumored two-year deal from the Giants), he more than likely would pass on arbitration with the Tigers, take the bigger contract elsewhere, and Detroit would have themselves a couple of draft picks to stockpile the farm system with. Winner, winner, turkey dinner.

A more troubling possibility was brought up by Lee (and echoed by Big Al), who wonders if the Tigers didn't even flirt with paying Renteria $9 million because they can't afford it. Otherwise, why not at least offer a contract when the team hasn't found a replacement at shortstop yet? But maybe Dave Dombrowski is confident he'll get someone who's at least a defensive upgrade, and would therefore prefer to spend that money on that player (or on, say, the bullpen). Maybe.

The most vexing thing about this whole situation, of course, is that this now means that Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez were traded for one sub-par season from Renteria. A starting pitcher who surely could've helped the Tigers last season and for years to come (though I wonder if Armando Galarraga negates that loss), and a center fielder who could've instead been traded for pitching help were both squandered. Dombrowski took a huge risk, and when the end result wasn't a World Series championship, it blew up right in his face.

Maybe that's made him gun-shy on taking any risk at all this winter.

Tigers Say No to Lugo?

2008-11-29T20:00:06Z

Can we finally lay these Julio Lugo rumors to rest? According to the Boston Herald, the deal created in the minds of sportswriters might be dead:

Industry sources report that momentum for such a swap has slowed. The possibility of a deal is now considered remote.

No word as to what may have killed whatever momentum the trade presumably had. The headline of the Herald article says the Tigers lost interest in making such a deal, but the rest of the article doesn't detail why. Was there any attempt by either side to complicate the deal with additional players or contract provisions?

The idea of a challenge trade with Lugo's remaining $18 million of salary going to Detroit for either Dontrelle Willis's $22 million or Nate Robertson's $17 million seemed intriguing, as it would allow the Tigers and Red Sox to shed unwanted contracts. But ultimately, neither team would seem to benefit in such an exchange.

Could the Tigers get a better shortstop (at a cheaper price) than Lugo? Could the Red Sox get a better starting pitcher than Willis or Robertson? With the answer such an obvious yes for both sides, why make such a trade, if for no other reason than Dave Dombrowski and Theo Epstein said they made a deal this winter?

So what's next? San Diego says they don't anticipate trading Khalil Greene now, though perhaps Kevin Towers is just waiting for the shortstop market to clear up. There's also talk the Tigers could now be interested in Orlando Cabrera, though he doesn't seem to fit the short-term criteria they're looking for.

Has It Really Come to Alex Cora?

2008-11-28T19:30:06Z

We've been reading for months about the Detroit Tigers holding back on spending big money on player contracts this off-season. And for the most part, I think everyone's on board with that in Tiger Town. The team seems to have enough stars, but needs some role players - some "glue guys" - to help it run more smoothly.

So there won't be a Francisco Rodriguez in the Tigers' future. Okay, we get that. No Rafael Furcal, no CC Sabathia, no Brian Fuentes, or Adam Dunn, either. Fine, we understand.

But if Detroit is going to let Edgar Renteria go, the reasonable expectation (unless the intent is to blatantly dump salary from the payroll) is to get someone better. Even if the improvement is only on the defensive side. This is why many fans are fine with the Tigers starting Ramon Santiago at shortstop next season. And it's why so many turned up their noses at the idea of trading for Julio Lugo. (We might not have to worry about that anymore, however.)

For all the fretting over getting Jack Wilson from Pittsburgh, at least the numbers say his glove is better. And he'll give you some offense.

But now, Jon Paul Morosi is reporting that the Tigers are thinking of signing Alex Cora, and pairing him with Santiago next year. Really? Alex Cora? Another Red Sox cast-off? Should we expect to see Mike Greenwell in left field next season?

Seriously, has it really come to this? Is the free agent cupboard that bare? Is the trade market that dry? Are the extremes of the available shortstops so wide apart that the alternative to signing a potential superstar like Furcal is picking up a slap-hitting journeyman who wouldn't beat out Lugo or Jed Lowrie?

Cora hit .270/.371/.349 with no home runs and nine RBIs, in 179 plate appearances last season. His defensive range is far below the league average. This is what the Tigers are thinking of playing at shortstop next season? And apparently, he'd play quite a bit, because Dave Dombrowski has already made it clear that he doesn't see Santiago as an everyday player.

You've got to be kidding. And I'm going to tell myself that Dombrowski is actually kidding with this. That this is his smart-ass way of responding to all the squawking about trading for Jack Wilson. "Oh yeah? You don't think Wilson's any good? Let me show you how bad it could be. I got your shortstop right here!"

Or perhaps the Tigers' intentions have been misinterpreted, and they see Cora as the utility infielder he actually is, and like him as someone who could back up at shortstop, second base, and third base. That might be the most logical assumption to make. It was Morosi who speculated that Cora could be paired with Santiago as the shortstop tandem.

Let's hope that's what's really happening here. Otherwise, if that's how little the Tigers are going to spend on shortstop, they'd better shell out some cash for that bullpen. Or something's going on financially that we just don't know about.

Thank You, and Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T20:00:07Z

I meant to write this post after the season ended, but after briefly getting over Tigers-related burnout, hangover, or whatever you want to call it, the off-season began and there hasn't really been a slow period. (At least for me.) With Thankgiving here, however, and a long holiday to unwind, I wanted to take the opportunity to thank each of you who takes the time to stop over and read BYB each day.

Even more so, I'd like to thank everyone who's contributed to the community we've been building over the last couple of years. Comments, e-mails, Facebook and Twitter notes, and most importantly, participation in the GameThreads has made writing for BYB a really enjoyable experience, regardless of how the Tigers played this past season.

That sense of camaraderie, of shared joy and pain, is what I hoped for when I took over this blog back in the spring of 2007, and I just hope that you've been having as much fun as I am.

I have a few different things I'd like to try next season, hoping to make BYB run a bit more smoothly and consistently, but we'll get to that when it matters. One idea I had for the winter was to maybe try and have five-question interviews with various regulars here and post one or two each week. I thought it might be a fun way to get to know each other, outside of our comments and rants. What would you think of that?

Of course, I'd love to hear any suggestions you have to offer. This is your site. Without you guys, I'd just be talking to a wall. (And don't forget, you have a voice in the FanPosts and FanShots, as well, if there's anything you'd like to post to the BYB community at-large.)

But for now, when we're supposed to remind ourselves of what to be thankful for, I just want to express my appreciation for your participation and support. It's been awesome.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. And give yourselves a hand.

Giving Thanks With 'On the DL'

2008-11-26T17:45:06Z

It's that time of year when we say what we're thankful for, and Dan Levy of the awesome On the DL podcast invited me to chat for a few minutes about what I'm thankful for in sports.

Strangely enough, I don't think the Detroit Tigers came up once in my conversation with Dan and his co-host, Nick Tarnowski. Though maybe that shouldn't be a surprise since it was such a disappointing baseball season in Detroit.

But we talked a bit about those Honolulu Blue-clad gridiron heroes, the Detroit Lions, and since I'm in Ann Arbor, we also discussed the coaching performances of Rich Rodriguez and John Beilein at the University of Michigan. You might be surprised which of them I'm thankful for.

The whole show includes five interviews with bloggers such as AJ Daulerio of Deadspin and Dan Steinberg of DC Sports Bog, which you can download here. (What am I doing among those guys? Good question.) Or you can choose among the individual interviews, as Dan created separate downloads for each of them. Mine can be found here.

Thanks to Dan for inviting me on the show, which was a very pleasant surprise in my inbox yesterday. On the DL is one of my favorite podcasts, and if you haven't listened to it yet, give it a shot. Dan and Nick talk to personalities from all throughout sports media and the blogosphere, and have some great conversations about the inner workings of the media and the sports world at-large.

What Do the Pirates Want For Jack Wilson?

2008-11-26T06:00:06Z

On his blog, Pat Caputo of the Oakland Press writes that Jack Wilson would be a nice fit for the Detroit Tigers next season:

He is solid defensively and still has above average range. He’s a pretty good hitter. Wilson had some injury issues last season and missed a lot of games, but there is no reason to believe they will linger. He is not cheap, but not necessarily overpriced. A lot of issues would be solved for the Tigers if they were to acquire Wilson. The question is the cost to trade for him.

If Pittsburgh asks for Cale Iorg, that would obviously be a deal-breaker. But they might be looking for that type of prospect in return for Wilson. FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal reported that the Dodgers are also interested in the Pirates' shortstop. (As Zappatista wrote to me, it's nice to see another team mentioned in trade rumors with Wilson.)

However, it appears any potential deal may have fallen through because the Dodgers didn't care for the PIrates' asking price. According to Rosenthal, Pittsburgh wanted Chin-Lung Hu (a shortstop prospect ThaWalrus9 touted in a recent post), along with two other young players, and the Dodgers thought that was way too much to give up for Wilson. So instead, they might move onto pursuing Edgar Renteria.

Rosenthal also acknowledged that Detroit doesn't have a shortstop prospect in its system that could likely start in the major leagues next season. (Could Danny Worth be that guy, if his shoulder was fully healed?) But since the Pirates also wanted Delwyn Young as part of that package from the Dodgers, maybe the Tigers could make one of their young outfielders the centerpiece of a deal?

Renteria to the Giants? Premature Exclamation

2008-11-25T04:15:35Z

Shall we file this one under "And That Happened"? (With appropriate nods to ShysterBall, of course. And John Mayer.)

How badly do fans of the Detroit Tigers want to get rid of Edgar Renteria? The Tigersosphere surged with reports of Renteria signing a two-year, $18 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. Oh, the draft picks that would follow! (Two, to be exact, since Renteria is a Type A free agent.)

To quote football savant Lee Corso, not so fast, my friend. What we had here was a case of premature exclamation.

Just so there's no misunderstanding, I'm not saying I wouldn't have posted something about this, and also followed with an update/retraction later. The only reason I didn't was because I wasn't near a computer from about 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. EST.

The news was initially broken by Sweeny Murti of New York's WFAN. Should that have raised an eyebrow? Not Murti's reporting, but a New York radio station getting the story on a San Francisco baseball team signing a shortstop. Maybe not, but it doesn't seem like something you see (or hear, as it were) very often.

Then the San Francisco press did their own reporting, and our old friend Henry Schulman of the Chronicle talked to the Giants' director of player personnel, who said that no such deal had been agreed upon. Strike one.

ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick then passed along a message to MLB Trade Rumors, noting that Renteria's agent was telling him the same thing. There was no contract. (However, there may have been a proposal, which could be how this whole rumor developed.) Strike two.

Finally, both Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted the unlikelihood of Renteria signing before December 1, by which time the Tigers will have to decide whether or not to offer him arbitration.

If Renteria were to sign before next Monday, if I'm understanding this correctly, the Tigers would then offer arbitration, knowing full well that it wouldn't be accepted, and get the Giants' second-round pick, in addition to a sandwich pick between the first and second rounds. (Goold was also told by Renteria's agent that he'd check back with the Cardinals before accepting any contract offer from another team.) Strike three?

(All of this comes from MLB Trade Rumors, which became very busy chasing this story.)

Given the amount of smoke swirling around the Giants and Renteria, I'd be surprised if a deal didn't still take place between the two sides. That depends, however, on where Rafael Furcal decides to sign. If it's not with San Francisco, Renteria immediately becomes the next choice. (The same thing might also happen with the Oakland Athletics, though they appear to be the early favorite to win the Furcal auction.)

Regardless, it certainly looks like Tigers fans can now comfortably accept that Detroit will have a new shortstop next season. Renteria appears to be set on returning to the National League, where he's had his most success, and there hasn't been any talk of the Tigers making an offer to him (though they would surely wait until after Dec. 1 to do so).

I'm just grateful for the opportunity to run that photo of Renteria at least one last time. That's one of my favorites.

Skelton Draws Notice Elsewhere

2008-11-24T20:00:08Z

Last Friday, we had a good discussion over whether or not the Detroit Tigers made a mistake by leaving catcher James Skelton off their 40-man roster, thus allowing another team to select him in the upcoming Rule 5 draft.

Some think the Tigers could regret not protecting a promising young catcher. Others believe Detroit is taking the correct risk, given the unlikelihood of another team picking up a third catcher that would have to remain on the major league roster next season.

The first side might find it interesting to see who our SB Nation broham Bucs Dugout highlighted as the best position player available among Rule 5 eligible players:

This year, the best position player available that I've seen is catcher James Skelton of the Tigers. He's worth considering because he's not old and he looks like he might become a plus hitter if he stays behind the plate, but his defense is apparently not very good, and he's pretty small, so his power may not come along. Also, he's a lefty, so he wouldn't really complement Ryan Doumit.

However, the second side would note that Charlie didn't say the Pirates would (or should) select Skelton. He prefers Rays reliever Eduardo Morlan as someone who could stay on the major league roster and make a contribution.

So whose point is better supported by this? Is it notable that another blogger thinks Skelton is the best position player available? Or does the assertion that pitchers are more likely to be drafted mean the Tigers probably made the right decision in not protecting him on the 40-man roster?

Dave Dombrowski's Trade History

2008-11-24T15:30:04Z

If you read MLB Trade Rumors regularly, you know they have a regular series that follows the trade history of each major league general manager. On Friday, it was Dave Dombrowski's turn in the spotlight.

The spreadsheet provides a pretty fascinating reminder of just how many names Dombrowski has been involved with over his career, and it's also interesting to see certain players who pop up in more than one transaction.

Sayonara to Tazawa

2008-11-24T14:30:23Z

Wow, things move fast in the Far East. We don't know if the Detroit Tigers were ever really in on Junichi Tazawa, despite sending two scouts to meet with him last week. But the Boston Red Sox were always the perceived favorite to sign Tazawa, and they confirmed that status by stepping forward with a $6 million offer.

Apparently, that was enough to convince Tazawa, who agreed to sign with the Red Sox some 24 hours later. According to Fire Brand of the AL, the deal is a three-year major league contract, to be signed in the next couple of weeks. Tazawa will begin in Double-A and pitch as a starter.

UPDATE: The reports of a $6 million contract appear to have been incorrect. NPB Tracker says Tazawa's contract will play him $1 million a season. Though maybe there's another $3 million in bonuses and incentives written into the deal.

The Price For Tazawa Has Been Set

2008-11-24T04:00:05Z

The Detroit Tigers made their interest in Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa official last week, sending two scouts to meet with the 22-year-old while he played in a national tournament. But in the auction for his services, expressing interest and demonstrating interest just became two different concepts.

According to NPB Tracker, the Boston Red Sox have offered Tazawa a $6 million contract. It's unclear whether or not it's a major league deal, like the one the Atlanta Braves reportedly offered, but at that price, that seems like a reasonable conclusion to draw.

The Seattle Mariners have also apparently put in a bid, with a contract offer that includes incentives based on appearances and innings pitched.

Meanwhile, there's no word on whether or not the Tigers (or the Indians, who also met with Tazawa last week) have discussed any sort of contract yet.

(via MLB Trade Rumors)

The Jack Wilson Rumors Return - Now with a Bonus Player!

2008-11-23T13:00:07Z

You probably thought you were done with Jack Wilson rumors. So I apologize for pulling you back in. But the waters might be bubbling again. And this time, we can't even blame Jon Paul Morosi.

Whether or not the Detroit Tigers and Pittsburgh Pirates are currently talking about a deal for Wilson is open to interpretation. We know the two teams have had discussions in the past. But Bucco Blog struck steel against flint on Friday by passing rumors of a possible three-way trade involving the Florida Marlins that would end up sending Wilson to Detroit.

Ken Rosenthal bounced this off one of his major league sources and was told the rumor was "inaccurate" and had "no foundation." Yet he initially spoke to another source who said the Pirates were trying to acquire catcher Matt Treanor from Florida, and would then try to spin him and Wilson to the Tigers.

So... which is it?

Treanor's career numbers (averaging 67 starts a season) form the profile of a back-up catcher, so if the Tigers were to get him, it would seem to imply they think Dusty Ryan can be the starter next year, and just needs a veteran understudy. Treanor also is pretty good at throwing out baserunners and blocking pitches, so maybe he could be a late-inning defensive replacement.

Plus, he'd come rather cheaply, having made $700,000 this year, with one more arbitration-eligible year. Maybe that's the sort of player who would need to be paired with Wilson (set for $7.25 million next year) to match up with the salary of, say, Dontrelle Willis or Nate Robertson.

But if they want someone to platoon with Ryan, however, the right-handed Treanor doesn't seem like an ideal candidate. A catcher who's recovering from off-season hip surgery would seem to be a concern, as well (though three to six weeks is the normal recovery time for the procedure Treanor underwent).

One important fringe benefit of bringing Treanor to Detroit that should be mentioned, however, is the possibility of Misty May-Treanor sightings around Comerica Park. Perhaps Treanor's gold medal-winning wife can rehabilitate her ballroom dancing Achilles tendon injury in the metro Detroit area. (That may have been a blatant attempt to get more hits. I'll let you be the judge.)

So would adding a catcher to a Jack Wilson deal make it more enticing to you? Or is the problem still that any trade for Wilson means he would be the Tigers' shortstop next season?

UPDATE: In this morning's Freep, Morosi says an "industry official" confirmed Detroit's interest in the Pirates' shortstop. And here... we... go.

Walbeck Walks the Plank to Piratesville

2008-11-23T03:30:07Z

Over the past year at BYB, I've spent a handful of posts wondering if Matt Walbeck will eventually succeed Jim Leyland as manager of the Detroit Tigers. He was a fast-riser in the Tigers' minor league system from 2004 to 2007, quickly moving from West Michigan to Erie, highlighted by being named Baseball America's Manager of the Year for the '07 season.

But maybe that's an idea I need to let go of now. At least that's what I'm left to ponder after Walbeck was dismissed from his job as the Texas Rangers' third base coach, and will now be a manager in the Pittsburgh Pirates' organization next season. (At which level he'll be managing has yet to be determined.)

Is Walbeck on the outs with the Tigers? Or am I just trying too hard to read into this? According to Walbeck, anyway, I might be imagining things:

After the Rangers fired him, Walbeck said the Tigers were the first team he contacted.

"I talked to them, but they just didn't have any openings available,'' Walbeck said. "I was open to any opportunity, but managing is probably what I'm best at.''

Well, maybe it's just that simple. You can't hire someone for a job opening that doesn't exist. (Presumably.) It looked like there was an opportunity to bring Walbeck back when Jeff Jones was fired as bullpen coach. But then Jones was re-hired, seemingly because he and new pitching coach Rick Knapp meshed.

Walbeck also mentioned in that GoErie.com story that the Rangers' General Manager hired him for Ron Washington's staff, not Washington himself, which might better explain why he was let go.

Of course, none of this means that the Tigers couldn't just hire him after Leyland decides to step down, is told to step aside, or isn't given a new contract after the 2009 season. But really, how could you not want a guy who institutes a policy like "Call Everybody By Their First Name Fridays"?

Leyland Not on Board the D-Train?

2008-11-23T00:00:06Z

SI.com's Jon Heyman is the latest writer to throw another log into the Julio Lugo-to-Detroit ring of fire. (It burns, burns, burns...!)

But perhaps the most interesting nugget in his blog post is the rumored reason why the Tigers might be looking at making this deal.

One more thing to consider: Tigers manager Jim Leyland is said not to be all that fond of Willis. Maybe it's just his pitching because he always seemed to me to be a gentleman.

Uh-oh. Looks like one Tiger has claws. Mee-YOW!

Just don't tell Samara. The poor girl is kicking over appliances. Gonna break your toe like Brandon Inge if you keep that up, kiddo.

And didn't I just finish lamenting the Tigers being thought of as the Red Sox trash heap?

Detroit is Not a Landfill For Washed-Up Red Sox

2008-11-22T19:00:07Z

Why have the Detroit Tigers suddenly become the suggested dumping ground for Red Sox cast-offs? First, it was Jason Varitek. Then, Julio Lugo. Now, Ken Rosenthal lists Detroit as one of four possible trade partners if Boston signs Mark Teixeira and no longer has a need for Mike Lowell.

The Dodgers, who could lose Casey Blake in free agency; the White Sox, who currently project the unproven Josh Fields at third base; the Tigers, who could move Brandon Inge back to catcher; and the Brewers, who would need to trade third baseman Bill Hall.

Apparently, I should've added a third option to this week's poll question.

I can see why a national observer such as Rosenthal would look from afar at the Tigers' roster and see Lowell as fitting there. But someone closer to the situation would see that Detroit has no interest in putting Inge back at catcher.

Otherwise, that's exactly where he would be penciled in, and we wouldn't be talking about Varitek and Gerald Laird, or journeyman like Josh Bard, Gregg Zaun, or Mike Rabelo. (Or freaking out over James Skelton being left off the 40-man roster. But hey, all this stuff certainly keeps the blog current.)

Lowell has $24 million owed to him over the final two years of his contract. Given what we've heard about the Tigers keeping their payroll in check next season, does that sound like salary they'd want to take on?

And how about Lowell's increasingly creaky health? He was limited to 113 games last season, battling thumb, oblique, and hip flexor injuries, while posting his lowest average and power numbers in three years. That hip, by the way, required off-season surgery.

Lowell will turn 35 before Spring Training next year, and that might not be as old in baseball terms as it used to, but his injury history seems to make him an "old" 35.

Could the Tigers Shoulder Adam Everett at Shortstop?

2008-11-21T20:45:06Z

FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal has a suggestion for the Detroit Tigers' shortstop opening:

Free-agent shortstop Adam Everett could be a low-cost option for several clubs; the Tigers, in particular, would make sense. Tigers third-base coach Gene Lamont knows Everett from their days together with the Astros, and the Tigers are strong enough offensively to carry a light-hitting shortstop.

I had much the same thought about Everett as this past season was ending. The words "best defensive shortstop in baseball" often seem to be attached to his name. But I don't know if that will apply to him after he fought a shoulder injury all year. (I believe it was Billfer who talked me out of this, via IM.)

See if this excerpt from a May story in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reminds you of anyone on the Tigers' roster:

Everett has had two cortisone shots for his strained right shoulder, and the second one helped. He tested his arm before the game and made several strong throws.

Well, we know what Everett and Gary Sheffield could talk about in the clubhouse.

Everett would bring a great glove to Detroit (even if he had trouble making some throws), and he'd come cheaply (he made $2.8 million this year). But he wouldn't help the Tigers much with his bat. He hit .213/.278/.323 this past season, with one home run and 20 RBIs in 150 plate appearances. We could presume that Brandon Inge wouldn't be hitting ninth with Everett in the lineup.

But this seems like another player with whom you wonder why his former team wouldn't want to keep him, if his skills were in such demand. Don't the Twins want to upgrade over Everett? Why could that be?

And if Detroit was to sign a light-hitting shortstop with a good glove, why not just play Ramon Santiago? Yet the Tigers just aren't that into him.

So what do you think? Could the Tigers do better? (At least Cesar Izturis would give them some speed, stealing 24 bases this year.) And if not, would Everett be around to sign later on?

Notable Omissions From the 40-Man Roster

2008-11-21T17:15:05Z

I'm behind my fellow Tigers bloggers on posting something about the 40-man roster that the team officially released yesterday. Fortunately, a few of you took it on yourselves to discuss in the comments of yesterday's last post. (Thank you for that.) As it turns out, however, being slow may have worked out, since more information has since been released and one player's status needed to be clarified.

Presumably, the big news was the five players the Tigers added to the roster: Starting pitchers Guillermo Moscoso and Alfredo Figaro, reliever Zach Simons, and outfielders Wilkin Ramirez and Casper Wells.

Those additions put 38 players on the roster, which leaves some wiggle room for any transactions or signings to be made in the next few weeks.

Of course, the natural impulse is to focus more on the snubs, the players left off the roster and thus eligible to be taken by another team in next month's Rule 5 draft. I thought Will Rhymes was a surprising omission, given how well he played last season (.307/.363/.392 average) and his participation in the Arizona Fall League. But since pitching often seems to be at a premium in the Rule 5 draft, perhaps Detroit thinks a small infielder with not much power will slide through without being claimed.

That's why the Tigersosphere was up in arms when Luis Marte wasn't listed on the 40-man roster. Starting pitchers who throw 78 strikeouts in 103 innings (along with 22 Ks in 17 1/3 innings in winter ball) aren't in abundance throughout the Tigers' organization. After further review, however, Detroit didn't need to protect Marte. He isn't eligible for the Rule 5 because he was 18 years old before signing with the Tigers.

But the one omission that's raising the most eyebrows in the Tigersosphere is catcher James Skelton. Skelton is perhaps the most intriguing Tigers prospect, not just because of the dearth of catchers in the minor league system, but due to a small body type (5'11", 165 lbs.) not normally associated with that position.

Perhaps his physical measurements are the reason Detroit left him unprotected, thinking the other teams in baseball would look at Skelton's height and weight and write him off. But Skelton has shown a gift for throwing out basestealers (28 of 73) and getting on base (.416 OBP in five minor league seasons), two skills that should be coveted. He also bats left-handed, which makes him a possible platoon partner with Dusty Ryan, if the Tigers felt they could go young at that position next season.

Leaving Skelton unprotected is a decision the Tigers could end up sorely regretting if he's drafted by another major league team and ends up as their starting catcher down the line. For an organization in need of young catching talent, it's a curious, almost baffling maneuver.