During the offseason, many of us rolled our eyes when the Detroit Tigers implied that Fernando Rodney was likely to have a good season because he was on the verge of free agency.
The same Fernando Rodney who couldn't stay healthy the past two seasons? Who crumbled every time he'd been given the responsibility of closing games?
Yet here's Rodney with 32 saves in 33 opportunities. Sure, several of those saves have been treacherous affairs. The man's given up 51 hits and 30 walks in 60.2 innings. He hasn't been the ideal "lights-out" closer, though his final results look that way. And he might get to cash in because of it.
Last winter, Francisco Rodriguez got $37 million from the Mets. Kerry Wood signed a $20 million deal with the Indians. What sort of contract could Rodney expect to attract on the open market? (Jose Valverde will apparently be the big fish among closers.) Could the Tigers match a big offer? Would they really want to?
If Detroit feels they need a proven closer, Brandon Lyon might be the cheaper option. (Unless another team also prices Lyon out of the Tigers' range.) But there are also plenty of other in-house options, though none of them are proven. Could Ryan Perry be the guy? Casey Fien? Someone we haven't seen yet, like Zach Simons or Cody Satterwhite?
But ultimately, there are other areas in which the Tigers will have to spend whatever money they'll have available. This could end up being one of Detroit's more interesting offseason dilemmas.
Should the Detroit Tigers re-sign Fernando Rodney?
You can find the poll on the right sidebar below the FanPosts block. Or you can vote here. And if you have suggestions for future poll questions (which I clearly need), shoot me an e-mail. Please add your thoughts in the comments.
And check out Detroit4lyfe's thoughts on this very same subject, which they examined in greater detail.
How did our last poll go?
Is it wrong that a coach won this, instead of a player? I guess my instinct to include Gene Lamont in this poll was a good one. But thanks to everyone who participated in this poll, all in good fun.Which Detroit Tiger do you think could eat the most eggs?
20% Miguel Cabrera
27% Gerald Laird
13% Brandon Inge
4% Alex Avila
33% Gene Lamont