Several sources are posting on Twitter (including Jason Beck) that the Detroit Tigers have traded Josh Anderson to the Kansas City Royals for cash. Straight cash, homey.
I don't suppose including Mark Teahen or David DeJesus in that deal was an option. Probably not.
After bringing some versatility to the Tigers' lineup with his speed (stealing six bases), along with added range in the outfield during the first month of the season, Anderson's batting line steadily declined. Eventually, he became a hole in the lineup, not able to get on base or do much more than slap the ball to infielders.
His final average with the Tigers was .242/.282./.315, far too low to justify being used as anything other than a pinch-runner or defensive replacement. But Anderson's defense and baserunning also became surprisingly unreliable, with notable mental mistakes such as letting balls get past him in the outfield or getting picked off trying to take a chance.
Put all that together and you had a player who the Tigers had no choice but to designate for assignment last weekend when Carlos Guillen was activated from the disabled list.
I asked this on Twitter, and might as well pose it here. Is Anderson the 2009 version of Chris Shelton, starting out with such promise only to burn out quickly?
This isn't the only deal the Tigers are going to make today, is it?