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The Detroit Tigers deal with the Baltimore Orioles, trading 25-year-old cost controlled utility man Steve Lombardozzi for 37-year-old shortstop and spring training non-roster invitee Alex Gonzalez, caused quite a stir.
But it was all the wrong reasons, the trade completely and utterly lambasted in the media. On Twitter, the usual baseball media suspects were baffled, asking what in the Hell was Dave Dombrowski thinking?
@Chris_Iott If you can help win a World Series for Dave Dombrowski in 2003, you can help him win one 11 years later.
— Dave Brown (@AnswerDave) March 24, 2014
After Lombardozzi trade, Tigers' return for Fister now a lefty RP, mid-level pitching prospect and non-roster SS they could have signed.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 24, 2014
Difficult to grasp Lombardozzi-for-A. Gonzalez for #Tigers unless DET getting another piece. Lombo solid UTL. AGon is 37, 65G last 2 years.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 24, 2014
Fister trade somehow looks even worse now. RT @danconnollysun: Orioles have acquired Steve Lombardozzi from DET for Alex Gonzalez.
— David Cameron (@DCameronFG) March 24, 2014
Alex Gonzalez, 2013: 118 PA, -1.1 WAR. And he’s now 37. http://t.co/Ucv4n2I9QI
— David Cameron (@DCameronFG) March 24, 2014
The most surprising thing about this Steve Lombardozzi-for-Alex Gonzalez trade is that one of the Alex Gonzalezes is still active.
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) March 24, 2014
Alex Gonzalez played a combined 65 games the past two seasons in MIL, batting .177 and .259. In 2011, he played 149 with ATL, hitting .249.
— Brad Galli (@BradGalli) March 24, 2014
If the Tigers are allowed to play Alex Gonzalez and that dude they got from Anaheim at the same time their shortstop problem could be OK.
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) March 24, 2014
"Screw you, Boras. We'd rather have Alex Gonzalez than Stephen Drew. And just wait to see what we trade Scherzer for!" -- Tigers, probably.
— Craig Calcaterra (@craigcalcaterra) March 24, 2014
#Tigers go young by trading for 37-year-old Alex Gonazalez rather than bringing Omar Vizquel out of retirement.
— Jerry Crasnick (@jcrasnick) March 24, 2014
Discussing the trade internally at BYB, our own reaction was similar in tone.
Catherine: I agree, this doesn't make sense. Lombardozzi could at least cover several positions well enough. Gonzalez BA isn't encouraging at all and his F% leaves some to be desired.
Al: (Wakes up, reads about ridiculously dumb trade in email, debates going back to bed in hope it was only a nightmare)
Jon: Neifi Perez is loosening up and getting ready to report!
Rob: This trade is so dumb. So, so dumb.
Grant Bisbee of SB Nation shredded the Tigers' recent moves, the ridiculous Gonzalez deal piling on to what has been a very confusing few months.
It was a jack of all offseasons, master of none. The Tigers just traded for Alex Gonzalez. It doesn't matter which one. It was a cry for help. The ambiguous offseason is even stranger when you think of how unambiguous it should be. The Tigers are the win-nowiest team that ever tried to win now. Their best hitters are all 30 or over. They have a good rotation now, when in three years it could look like Halladay/Hamels/Oswalt does now. If the Cardinals or Red Sox lost their starting shortstop for the season, they would have Stephen Drew right now, draft pick be damned. It's what the Braves did with Ervin Santana.
Sports Illustrated's Cliff Corchoran called the trade a "gift" for Baltimore, who have an unsettled situation at second base. Corchoran doesn't see Gonzalez being a solution for the Tigers' problems at short, especially when Stephen Drew is still available the open market and supposedly willing to sign a one-year contract.
Gonzalez, who was in Orioles camp as a non-roster player, is 37, has played in just 65 games over the last two seasons, and hit .177/.203/.230 for the Brewers in 118 plate appearances last year before being released in early June and failing to catch on with another team. A career .246/.290/.396 hitter, he would seem to be beyond his sell-by date as a major leaguer.
While media and fans were eviscerating the trade, the Tigers were busy putting their own spin on the deal, via ESPN. Obviously, Dave Dombrowski defended the move. But his calling Gonzalez a "key guy" stretches the limits of credulity.
"I'm not looking at 150 games. He's an older guy. But we do think he can be a key guy for us.''
Manager Brad Ausmus went to an old and worn out trope, playing the "experience" card.
"He's always had great hands, and I can't imagine his hands have gotten any worse. I've heard great things about him in spring training, as far as how he's moving. And I think his experience is a huge advantage.''
Regardless of the naysayers, one local media member seems to be buying what the Tigers are selling.
Tigers wanted more security at shortstop. Lombardozzi wasn't a shortstop. Lombardozzi, a Fister trade throw-in, was sparest of spare parts.
— Lynn G. Henning (@Lynn_Henning) March 24, 2014
@mjm52372 A shortstop on this team has one basic assignment: play solid everyday defense. Drew hits, but that deal would be suicide -- now.
— Lynn G. Henning (@Lynn_Henning) March 24, 2014
Tigers wanted more security at shortstop. Lombardozzi wasn't a shortstop. Lombardozzi, a Fister trade throw-in, was sparest of spare parts.
— Lynn G. Henning (@Lynn_Henning) March 24, 2014
The reason you trade for a player soon to be on waivers is because you doubt that player will get to you. Alex Gonzalez, in other words.
— Lynn G. Henning (@Lynn_Henning) March 24, 2014