Here's the latest from Jon Morosi of FOX Sports:
- The Tigers' recent trade for Andrew Romine suggests that they will not pursue Stephen Drew even though he's the best free agent available at shortstop. As owner Mike Ilitch ages, he may involve himself less with team business, and the team may be less likely to splurge when an opportunity arises. And the loss of a first-round draft pick is a high price to pay.
- As Opening Day approaches, the Angels still haven't signed Mike Trout to an extension. Players and teams sometimes treat Opening Day as a deadline for extension discussions. That doesn't mean the Angels won't sign Trout, Morosi notes, but as of now, a signing does not appear to be on the immediate horizon.
- With Aroldis Chapman out and with Jonathan Broxton and Sean Marshall returning from injury, the Reds have at least a temporary vacancy at closer. One trade option to fill it could be the Diamondbacks' J.J. Putz, who has closing experience and who worked with current Reds manager Bryan Price when both were with the Mariners.
bobbleheadguru
Tigers fans should be happy that the team is not in a panic mode and is built for 4-5 years now, not just 2014.
Drew for one year would be fine. But players available with the #23 pick in recent years include Porcello, Castellanos, and Trout. Tigers need that pick badly with their weak farm system.
Illitch aging does not have much to do with this. I just think the Tigers now have “Moneyball with Money” philosophy.
They are like the As with league minimum (or slightly above), young acquisitions (Lombardozzi, Krol, Ray, Romine), BUT they also have a 3-4 big money players (Cabrera, Verlander, Sanchez, Scherzer).
stl_cards16
While building for sustained success is the ultimate goal, I’m not sure I agree with it for the Tigers. They likely will not have have a better chance to win a championship in the next 10 years than they do this season. The line-up and pitching staff is loaded. Verlander, Martinez, Hunter and Cabrera aren’t getting any younger, who knows if Scherzer will be back next year. The time to win is now for Detroit.
bobbleheadguru
Once you are in the playoffs, it is luck. The Cardinals had some luck in the playoffs, the Tigers have not… especially last year v. the Red Sox.
1. Their best player (Cabrera) could barely walk.
2. Hunter slightly misjudged a ball and missed having one of the best playoffs catches of all time by 18 inches.
3. Fielder (arguably) cost the Tigers 3 games in a series they lost 4-2 (Beached Whale Belly flop back to 3rd in game 6, striking out with the tying run on 3rd in a 1-0 game in game 3, missing a ball completely on defense and allowing the winning run to get to second in game 2).
The fact that they consistently get to the playoffs is much more controllable. What they do once they get their is largely luck.
Mr Pike
bobbleheadguru has it right. The Bobby Cox era Braves are the model for this team. Three great starters and a big bat locked up long term with the rest of the pieces moving in and out.
Verlander, Cabrerra, Sanchez and Scherzer are all about 30 years old. Not getting any younger, but with lots of good years still ahead of them.
They are financially stable going forward now. Even if Hunter retires and Scherzer leaves, they have the money they would have spent on them available to sign their replacements.
2013 was a rare opportunity to have an all star at nearly every position so they went for it. It didn’t work out and wasn’t sustainable. Now the focus is on extending Miggy and Max and building the organization with good, cheap team controllable players the way the Cardinals have.
stl_cards16
The Cardinals and Red Sox, two bigger markets that have relied on development, haven’t done it by trading away guys that would start on their team while trying to win a World Series. Sure, they value draft picks and prospects, but they’re not going to hurt their chances at winning by doing it like the Tigers did by trading Fister.
Mr Pike
Didn’t the Red Sox trade Carl Crawford, Josh Beckett and Adrian Gonzalez?
Fister was traded to make room for Smyly. Cards make room for younger cheaper players all the time.
stl_cards16
Yes, the Red Sox did when they had no shot at winning. Gonzalez was the only player with any value that the Sox moved in that deal. The Cardinals might trade to make room for a younger, cheaper player, but they do it because the younger, cheaper player is better. Not just because they wanted younger, cheaper players.
Mr Pike
No shot at winning? The Dodgers won with them and will win a lot more going forward.
Nobody knows a younger player is better until they play. Who was better than Albert?
They traded 2 years of Fister for 16 years of the three guys they got in return for basically the same money. We’ll see in due time which was better value. I do like their track record. Cabrera, Fister, Sanchez, Pealta, Jackson, Scherzer, Infante.
Bronx Bombers
Don’t forget Kinsler and Hunter, they aren’t playing for the league minimum. The Tigers have a big payroll.
Tigers72
It is good that the Tigers are not getting Drew. Next years draft is very good and a good draft could really help the Tigers farm system. I do like the thought of getting Ruben Tejada though. He just needs to leave New York and that front office. He is a perfect buy low candidate and does anybody know what they would have to give up for him?
Tigers72
Would Danny worth be enough for Tejada? He would give them an above average defender at short. Then another piece from the Tigers, maybe Casey Crosby.
tune-in for baseball
I don’t see Ruben Tejada as an upgrade from the Romine/Worth platoon we have now. He slumped at the plate in 2013 from his 2011-12 numbers but why gamble that he would regain his bat. Right now we only need a one year fix.If we needed a shortstop for the future, it could be worth it. I am sure the Tigers will be very fluid as the season progresses to any need that pops up. They need to hold on to whatever assets they have to possibly use going forward.
Nuxall
Reds have JJ Hoover…they will stay in house.
jill
Sam LeCure too.
EightMileCats
Glad to see the Tigers’ passing on Drew. He’s expensive and would cost us a draft pick in a rather deep draft.
Not to mention, Drew didn’t hit great last year(around league average) and has some very recent injury issues.
Alex K.
He was also BRUTAL in the playoffs. He went something like 1-for-20 against us with 10 strikeouts, right?
Lefty_Orioles_Fan
JJ Putz? Hahaha, no. At least I wouldn’t do that.
Alfredo Simon could do it for the Reds.
Last time I checked, he did have a tremendous fastball, a splitter, a curve, and something else. I remember looking forward to seeing him as an O in 2011 and then he ad the off the field issue, which to this day not sure how I feel about it.
Anyway, Simon could close. However, I would not do the D’backs any favors by trading for him.
jill
Except the Reds are starting with Simon in the rotation because Latos won’t be ready when the season opens.
DarthMurph
Drew needs to stop thinking he’s getting 14.1 million. I know Boras is trying to save face, but all of this is good for the Qualifying Offer. Now next year, middle tier free agents will consider it which will drastically cut out the middle tier FA’s from the process. Spring Training safety nets are no good.
Tigers72
Would Putz and Gregorgius for Verhagen McCann and Collins be good or naw.
Tigers72
Sorry my comment didn’t display so of it repeats sorry. Would Putz and Didi Gregorgius for McCann, Verhagen and Collins. Maybe the Tigers include Worth to replace Didi as utility player with good defense.
Rook
I mentioned Puts for McCann the other day when your closer went down. I think it’s a fair deal.
I don’t think giving Didi up for the other two is a good deal for the Dbacks. No need for Worth either with Pennington as our utility guy and Ahmed in the minors.
BTW, the last name Put(z) is most likely why your comment didn’t show up for a while. Same thing happened to me the other day.
Tigers72
Okay thank you. Yea I agree with your trade proposal and I posted that but put z wouldn’t work.
Tigers72
Tigers do McCann for Putz?
Cory Trenkamp
The Reds have enough closers
JMO 6
Hoover, LeCure, Parra can handle it until Chapman, Broxton and Marshall get back
Guest 3566
Did I miss something, isn’t Broxton still with Milwaukee?
craigf
Lord have mercy, the Reds don’t need to trade for a closer. The save stat is the most overrated stat in the history of sports.