BREAKING NEWS...just kidding.
Deep in the middle of finals week it is tough to keep really up to date with all of the news coming out of Detroit, but to tell you the truth it hasn't been too hard to keep up with the almost non-existant rumors flying around now concerning the Tigers. That being said, I was amazingly shocked when I heard the news that the Tigers had signed RHP Jose Mesa to a one year deal worth $2.5 million.
Mesa, a 40-year-old right-hander, ranks 13th on baseball's career list with 320 saves. He went 1-5 with a 3.86 ERA last year for the Colorado Rockies in his 18th major-league season.
I should have known that the moves regarding the bullpen would not be finished with the Rule V acquisition of Edward Campusano, especially considering the Tigers lost one of their most important relievers in Jamie Walker. I figured we would be seeing some sort of small trade that would bring a reliever to the Tigers, perhaps even another lefty. But an 18 year veteran right hander?
Bilfer can't explain the acquisition either, stating that Mesa is just another Jason Grilli at 6 times the cost. Lee doesn't really understand the move either.
With Mesa this seems to be what we will be seeing next season out of the Tigers' bullpen:
Zumaya, Rodney, Jones, Mesa, Grilli, Campusano, Miner (?), Colon (?), Ledezma (?)
Overall I don't know what to think about this signing. I'm just shocked by it. Other than that I guess the Tigers could be setting up a move, but I doubt it. I just think that this was a move that the Tigers made in order to bring some of that veteran presence to a bullpen that lost Jamie Walker.