Apparently this is the e-edition of Tigers rumors, as both players have nothing but E's in their last name. Yeah, I'm reaching. I know. That's blogging for you.
Yoenis Cespedes
The Tigers have been cited as one of the teams showing interest in Cuban defector Yoenis Cespedes for awhile now. That was pleasing to many fans, I think, if for no reason other than it kept things interesting during a quiet November. As it turns out, there really was something to these rumors.
In fact, Tigers CEO/president/GM Dave Dombrowski decided to start his Winter Meetings shopping a couple of days early when he flew down to the Dominican Republic to visit with Cespedes personally yesterday.
Detroit News writer Lynn Henning wrote today:
Although his celebrity rose when he defected to the Dominican Republic last summer, Cespedes has been under the Tigers' eyes for years. He is considered a five-tool player - an athlete who can hit for power, for average, run, throw, and field.
"Arguably the best all-around player to come out of Cuba in a generation," wrote Kevin Goldstein, an analyst for baseball think-tank Baseball Prospectus.
Jose Reyes
I don't think the Tigers are really seriously in the running, but Jon Heymanfloated this on Twitter today:
market slow to develop, but #tigers viewed as outside late threat for reyes. 1 competitor: "they are good poker players.''
He remains pretty low on my list of players I'd like to see Detroit get. Not because I don't think he's a fine player. I just fear the contract he'll command could put a squeeze on the team when coupled with the contracts they've already made for the upcoming years.