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** Official ** Detroit Tigers 2007 Thread (1 Viewer)

They obviously need a big bat and I hear they are interested in Texieria, which would presumably mean that we aren't resigning Casey, and Soriano. I also hear that the Tigers were one of 3 teams to inquire about A-Rod, but that's probably unrealistic. Who should they target? Who is expendable? Seems like Granderson would command a lot, and although I like him, I wouldn't mind seeing him go if they got something in return. I don't know Inge's value at all, but I can't stand him - can they get something for him? How about a lineup like this next year:SS Guillen2B PalancoLF Soriano1B TexieriaRF OrdonezCF GrandersonC RodriguezDH Monroe/Thames3B IngeWhat do you hope they do? What are you hearing? In my opinion, the Tigers are here to stay. We have young pitching and (hopefully) the ability to attract some talent in FA. We should be contenders now for a long time.
I like Inge, but only as a backup. Guy can play any position in a pinch. Would like to see Tigers get a leadoff hitter that's better than Granderson, though I like Granderson to stay in centerfield, but bat him 9th, like a 2nd leadoff hitter. Either Carlos or Mags could play DH, maybe get a better athlete to play at least one of those positions. I would keep Casey, he was the best hitter toward the end of the playoffs. Pitching is solid, could even trade one for a hitter now with Miller now on the team.They WILL get another bat or two, they will have to to get back to this level.
 
Word is they will be looking for a special assistant for the pitching staff. His sole job will be to teach the pitchers how to throw fielded groundballs to first base, second base, third base, and home plate.

:P

 
I would like to see them go after Zito. That would give them a rotation of Rogers, Zito, Bondo, Verlander, and Robertson. If Rogers starts to act his age (he is 41) then you do have some others with starting experience in your pen (Moroth, possibly Miller). I have heard the Texeria talk, but I think it would take Bondo to get him. Maybe Sanchez is available?

I can see a new 1B, and look for the team to decide if Wilson is capable enough should Pudge miss time.

 
The Tigers were 2nd in run differential in the AL last year, and the team that was in first has a $200M payroll. I wouldn't say that a major overhaul is needed.

That said, don't even bother worrying about Zito. Great as he is pitching in Detroit, he's apparently set on signing with a team in a location where he can *cough* further his acting career.

 
The Tigers were 2nd in run differential in the AL last year, and the team that was in first has a $200M payroll. I wouldn't say that a major overhaul is needed.That said, don't even bother worrying about Zito. Great as he is pitching in Detroit, he's apparently set on signing with a team in a location where he can *cough* further his acting career.
:goodposting: The Tigers do not an overpriced pitcher and the suggestion of Zito is one that I don't understand. They have Andrew Miller and Humberto Sanchez who both will compete for the #5 job next year, and Mike Maroth coming back from injury. Plus Zach Minor and Wilfredo Ledezma also are possibilites so the one thing the Tigers do not need is a Barry Zito and his 50 million dollar salary. That's a waste of money and Dombrowski is not dumb.Jones and Zumaya will likely swap responsibilities but the bullpen is set as well. Where the Tigers need help is in the power/fearsome hitter department and I see them paying to bring in a high priced player at 1B. With Monroe playing the way he did down the stretch it is likley he will get a three year deal. I don't understand how Brandon Inge didn't prove himself to Tiger fans either. The guy is a gold glove quality 3B with power. He isn't going to hit .320 but who cares. If you hit 27 HRs playing in Comerica you have a lot to give a team and his defense is worth keeping. He's not a backup. He's an above average thirdbaseman.Casey might be brought back as a DH next year but I doubt he'll be the firstbaseman. That position needs to have power and Casey although a good hitter is an average firstbaseman on his best day and over the season won't provide the necessary power. But he would fit nicely into a rotation with Marcus Thames. And any talk of trading bonderman for Texiera should cease. The Tigers have a chance to be good for a long time like the Braves were because of VErlander, Bonderman, Miller, and Sanchez. Add in Robertson and a vet like Rogers and they are gonna be tough to beat in any season, in any series, for many years. With Cameron Maybin coming in 2008, with Granderson getting better, and with a good core of position players the future is bright. This team was never suppose to be in the World Series this year but expectations just got a whole lot bigger and I like it. :thumbup:
 
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Ghost Rider said:
Word is they will be looking for a special assistant for the pitching staff. His sole job will be to teach the pitchers how to throw fielded groundballs to first base, second base, third base, and home plate. :P
.
 
If you guys want Teix, you're giving up Bonderman and a minor-leaguer, at least.
Tejada would come cheaper and they could move Guillen to first. Trading a 23 year old pitcher with Bonderman's ability for a position player is crazy to me. Carlos Lee and Soriano can also be brought in if they can move people around. Why pay for a Teixera when you can get compariable talent and not give up anything? This is a question Dombrowki will answer and I guarantee they do add one of the bigger FA name or someone like Derrick Lee in the offseason.
 
If you guys want Teix, you're giving up Bonderman and a minor-leaguer, at least.
Tejada would come cheaper and they could move Guillen to first. Trading a 23 year old pitcher with Bonderman's ability for a position player is crazy to me. Carlos Lee and Soriano can also be brought in if they can move people around. Why pay for a Teixera when you can get compariable talent and not give up anything? This is a question Dombrowki will answer and I guarantee they do add one of the bigger FA name or someone like Derrick Lee in the offseason.
Carlos Lee is going to Houston.Doubt Soriano wants to play in Detroit.
 
If you guys want Teix, you're giving up Bonderman and a minor-leaguer, at least.
Tejada would come cheaper and they could move Guillen to first. Trading a 23 year old pitcher with Bonderman's ability for a position player is crazy to me. Carlos Lee and Soriano can also be brought in if they can move people around. Why pay for a Teixera when you can get compariable talent and not give up anything? This is a question Dombrowki will answer and I guarantee they do add one of the bigger FA name or someone like Derrick Lee in the offseason.
Doubt Soriano wants to play in Detroit.
Why not?They'll pay him and their most important core players are latino.
 
If you guys want Teix, you're giving up Bonderman and a minor-leaguer, at least.
Tejada would come cheaper and they could move Guillen to first. Trading a 23 year old pitcher with Bonderman's ability for a position player is crazy to me. Carlos Lee and Soriano can also be brought in if they can move people around. Why pay for a Teixera when you can get compariable talent and not give up anything? This is a question Dombrowki will answer and I guarantee they do add one of the bigger FA name or someone like Derrick Lee in the offseason.
Doubt Soriano wants to play in Detroit.
Why not?They'll pay him and their most important core players are latino.
Soriano is going to whomever pays him the most. Whoever that is will be overpaying.
 
From Baseball Prospectus:

Break the bank for a big First Baseman (Carlos Lee?)
No More Mr. Nice Guy, Leyland
Sign Barry Bonds :eek: LINK

 
I really hope Walker comes back. I'm a big fan. :wub:

The Tigers are expected to move aggressively to try to re-sign Jamie Walker, also a first-time free agent who has been Detroit's lefty relief specialist for the past five years. The two sides pursued a contract extension earlier this year but couldn't reach an agreement.
Casey and Stairs also file for FA. I'd imagine if they can secure a firstbaseman with power prior to Casey signing elsewhere, there is a good chance he'll be back.
"For me, it's a once-in-a-lifetime team," an emotional Casey said afterward. "I've enjoyed it, man. This is a great bunch of guys. It's been the best three months of my career, no doubt about it."
 
Kenny Rogers and Ivan Rodriguez added to their trophy collections Thursday, winning Rawlings Gold Glove Awards as the American League's top pitcher and catcher, respectively.
:banned: :thumbup:
 
Dombrowski also given a four year extension. Here is an article from ESPN on what the Tigers may need to do:

I've told this story two or three times before, and I'm going to keep telling it until I've got one that's more current. A few months after the Angels won the 2002 World Series, I spoke to general manager Bill Stoneman in his Arizona spring training office. The Angels were planning to open the 2003 season with 24 of the 25 players who'd been on the World Series roster. I asked Stoneman if he worried that he hadn't made enough changes over the winter. In fact, Stoneman told me, he wished the 2003 Angels were more the same; he was unhappy about losing backup outfielder Orlando Palmeiro to free agency. You might recall what happened next. The Angels, who won 99 games in 2002, plummeted to 77 wins in 2003. Two things about this. One, the Angels were particularly unlucky in '03. And two, nothing Stoneman could reasonably have done after the World Series would have put the Angels in the playoffs the next season. Considering that the Angels have averaged 92 wins in the three seasons since, Stoneman's standing pat might have been the best thing for the franchise's long-term fortunes. My point is not that Bill Stoneman didn't know what he was doing after the 2002 season. My point is that the 25 players who win 97 games in one season will not necessarily win 97 games in the next season. The Detroit Tigers won 95 games in 2006. They won't win 85 in 2007 if they don't make some real changes before next April. Most obviously, the Tigers must improve at the hitter positions: first base and designated hitter. This season their first basemen totaled a .754 OPS ; their DHs, .768. Those figures ranked 11th and ninth, respectively, in the American League. Not awful, but certainly improvable. Detroit's second basemen (.698 OPS) ranked 11th in the league, due to Placido Polanco's oddly poor season. He's signed through 2009, so the easy thing, the terribly tempting thing, would be simply to hope this season was the exception. But GM Dave Dombrowski should be reasonably sure. And then there's left fielder Craig Monroe, who posted a .301 on-base percentage for an OBP-challenged team. The problem, if you're Dombrowski, is that nobody was terrible this season. That was essentially the secret of the Tigers' success. But just because nobody's terrible doesn't mean nobody's replaceable. To avoid getting worse next season, the Tigers have to get better (no, it's really not rocket science). Fortunately, they've got plenty of room to get better, because no team is thicker in pitchers than the Tigers, and just about every team except the Tigers needs pitchers. So it's become a matter of faith that the Tigers are going to trade one of their young starting pitchers. Assuming that faith is well-placed, the question then becomes, whom do you trade? Jeremy Bonderman? Humberto Sanchez? Nate Robertson? Jordan Tata? The problem with the question, though, is that there's not a correct answer. Or rather, there's no correct answer that we can know, now. Obviously, Bonderman is the best of this quartet and thus the pitcher whom the Tigers would most miss. But that works the other way, too, right? What if you could trade Bonderman for Mark Teixeira? Bonderman for Carl Crawford? Bonderman for Conor Jackson? I don't know. I do know that Bonderman has some value (x), and if another team wants to trade (x+1) for Bonderman, it's worth considering. Of course, the equations are not nearly that simple. If you trade Bonderman, you probably have to replace him in the rotation with Sanchez or Tata. Is either of them ready to give the Tigers 180-200 good innings? If you gain 40 runs at first base but lose 40 runs on the mound, why bother, right? But if I'm Dave Dombrowski and somebody asks me whom I'm going to trade, I've got a simple answer: "I'll make the trade that's going to improve my run differential to the greatest degree over the next two or three seasons." And if that trade includes Bonderman -- or Justin Verlander, or Joel Zumaya, or Andrew Miller -- well, so be it. Because a true "untouchable" doesn't come around often. And at this moment, the Tigers are neither blessed nor cursed with one of those rare beasts. Dombrowski just pulled off a miracle. To pull off another one, he'll have to be both lucky and good. And to be good, he'll have to forget about 2006 as quickly as possible, or at least forget about being more the same in 2007. Because the only thing lying at the end of that road is third place.
 
The Tigers announced today they had agreed to terms on a one-year contract with first baseman Sean Casey.“Sean did a good job after joining the club and he was tremendous during the World Series,” Dave Dombrowski, Tigers president and GM, said in a release. “We’re happy to have Sean back and look forward to having him for an entire season. A true professional, he brings a solid left-handed bat to our lineup.”Casey, 32, hit .272 (108-for-397) with 22 doubles, eight home runs and 59 RBIs in 112 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tigers in 2006. Acquired by the Tigers in a two-player deal on July 31, he batted .432 (16-for-37) with five doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs in 10 games during the postseason. He hit .529 (9-for-17) in five games against the St. Louis Cardinals during the World Series.
:banned: :thumbup: :banned:
 
The Tigers announced today they had agreed to terms on a one-year contract with first baseman Sean Casey.“Sean did a good job after joining the club and he was tremendous during the World Series,” Dave Dombrowski, Tigers president and GM, said in a release. “We’re happy to have Sean back and look forward to having him for an entire season. A true professional, he brings a solid left-handed bat to our lineup.”Casey, 32, hit .272 (108-for-397) with 22 doubles, eight home runs and 59 RBIs in 112 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tigers in 2006. Acquired by the Tigers in a two-player deal on July 31, he batted .432 (16-for-37) with five doubles, two home runs and nine RBIs in 10 games during the postseason. He hit .529 (9-for-17) in five games against the St. Louis Cardinals during the World Series.
:banned: :thumbup: :banned:
Looks like the trade for Sheff made this possible. Its not thrilling, for you'd like to have a bigger bat at 1B. Lets hope that Shelton can platoon there and add some pop -- if he can fix whatever the hell happened to him.
 
Word around the campfire is that Thames and Maroth are going to be sold for spare parts are necessary. Right now I think the #5 spot is going to be a competition between these four:

Minor

Tata

Miller

Ledezma

Of those I'd bet Ledezma wins the 5th starting spot out of the gate. If he doesn't I think he will be sent to the bullpen to assume Jamie Walkers duties as a lefthanded specialist. If Ledezma does win that job but Miller shows some control, I wouldn't doubt if he made the team. But if he is wild like he was in his first few ML outings he'll be pitching in Double A or in Toledo.

Tigers are still going to make another move to get a bat IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Inge, Monroe, or any of the guys I mentioned as #5 starters outside of Miller would be included in the deal.

 
Word around the campfire is that Thames and Maroth are going to be sold for spare parts are necessary. Right now I think the #5 spot is going to be a competition between these four:MinorTataMillerLedezmaOf those I'd bet Ledezma wins the 5th starting spot out of the gate. If he doesn't I think he will be sent to the bullpen to assume Jamie Walkers duties as a lefthanded specialist. If Ledezma does win that job but Miller shows some control, I wouldn't doubt if he made the team. But if he is wild like he was in his first few ML outings he'll be pitching in Double A or in Toledo. Tigers are still going to make another move to get a bat IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Inge, Monroe, or any of the guys I mentioned as #5 starters outside of Miller would be included in the deal.
You'd have to get a pretty big name to move Monroe or Inge with Maroth.
 
Word around the campfire is that Thames and Maroth are going to be sold for spare parts are necessary. Right now I think the #5 spot is going to be a competition between these four:

Minor

Tata

Miller

Ledezma

Of those I'd bet Ledezma wins the 5th starting spot out of the gate. If he doesn't I think he will be sent to the bullpen to assume Jamie Walkers duties as a lefthanded specialist. If Ledezma does win that job but Miller shows some control, I wouldn't doubt if he made the team. But if he is wild like he was in his first few ML outings he'll be pitching in Double A or in Toledo.

Tigers are still going to make another move to get a bat IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Inge, Monroe, or any of the guys I mentioned as #5 starters outside of Miller would be included in the deal.
You'd have to get a pretty big name to move Monroe or Inge with Maroth.
:thumbup: I'm hoping this happens.
 
Word around the campfire is that Thames and Maroth are going to be sold for spare parts are necessary. Right now I think the #5 spot is going to be a competition between these four:MinorTataMillerLedezmaOf those I'd bet Ledezma wins the 5th starting spot out of the gate. If he doesn't I think he will be sent to the bullpen to assume Jamie Walkers duties as a lefthanded specialist. If Ledezma does win that job but Miller shows some control, I wouldn't doubt if he made the team. But if he is wild like he was in his first few ML outings he'll be pitching in Double A or in Toledo. Tigers are still going to make another move to get a bat IMO. I wouldn't be surprised if Inge, Monroe, or any of the guys I mentioned as #5 starters outside of Miller would be included in the deal.
You'd have to get a pretty big name to move Monroe or Inge with Maroth.
We know the Tigers are interested in the following guys;Aubrey HuffAdam LaRoucheCarlos Leeand still the longshot ofTodd HeltonI think they may have an idea of getting someone to play 1B and then moving Sheff to LF while having Casey be the primary DH. But then why trade Thames? Thames was rumored in St Louis to be on his way there with Maroth for Encarnacion and Looper which does make sense. I have one good source who told me taht something big besides Sheff was in the works. I have speculated on it but really have no idea what it is. I'm gonna try to ping him today to see if that info is still good and ask about this deal with St Louis.
 
Encarnacion and Looper?Boy I hope that isn't true.
Well considering we need good bullpen innings in the 6th and 7th and Walker gone, it would be nice to have Looper. And to me Encarnacion has more upside than Thames although I really like Marcus. Not for a boyfriend but just as a beisbol player.
 
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Encarnacion and Looper?Boy I hope that isn't true.
Well considering we need good bullpen innings in the 6th and 7th and Walker gone, it would be nice to have Looper. And to me Encarnacion has more upside than Thames although I really like Marcus. Not for a boyfriend but just as a beisbol player.
I wonder where those two are contract wise? Might be too expensive for platoon/situation guys. It used to be a CIRCUS with Encarnacion in CF.
 
Encarnacion and Looper?Boy I hope that isn't true.
Well considering we need good bullpen innings in the 6th and 7th and Walker gone, it would be nice to have Looper. And to me Encarnacion has more upside than Thames although I really like Marcus. Not for a boyfriend but just as a beisbol player.
I wonder where those two are contract wise? Might be too expensive for platoon/situation guys. It used to be a CIRCUS with Encarnacion in CF.
Encarnacion and Looper are about 3.5 mil each I have no idea when their contracts expire.
 
By Jon Paul Morosi

Detroit Free Press

(MCT)

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - The Detroit Tigers are close to signing third baseman Brandon Inge to a four-year contract extension.

The deal will be worth $24 million and could be announced within the coming week.

Inge, 29, made $3 million this year and probably would have made $4 million to $5 million in 2007, his final year of salary arbitration. He was scheduled to enter free agency next year but should remain a Tiger through the prime of his career. He's expected to remain at third base over the lifetime of the contract, rather than return to catcher, the position at which he broke into the major leagues.

The contract's average annual value falls between recent free-agent deals for third basemen Pedro Feliz (one year, $5.1 million with the Giants) and Aramis Ramirez (five years, $75.5 million with the Cubs).

The signing could reveal much about the manner in which the Tigers plan to retain players on the pennant-winning roster. It's believed the team will consider contract extensions for right-hander Jeremy Bonderman and shortstop Carlos Guillen before the end of this off-season. Guillen will be a free agent after next season, Bonderman after 2008.

Inge is coming off a year in which he established career highs with 27 home runs and 83 RBIs. His batting average dropped slightly (.261 to .253) compared to his 2005 numbers, but so did his strikeouts (140 to 128).

Of equal importance, he improved greatly as a third baseman. Although he committed 22 errors during the regular season, he also led all American League third basemen with 398 assists - evidence of his superior range. Manager Jim Leyland has consistently lauded his defense, saying this season: "I don't know anybody that throws it better than Brandon Inge."

Inge also performed well in the postseason, hitting .273 with one home run and four RBIs. His average increased with each series, culminating with a .353 clip (6-for-17) in the World Series, although he committed three errors in the five-game loss to St. Louis.

Inge would have been one of several prominent Tigers to enter free agency after the 2007 season. The others are Guillen, first baseman Sean Casey, and pitchers Todd Jones and Kenny Rogers. The team also has a $13-million option on catcher Pudge Rodriguez for 2008.

Bonderman, left-hander Mike Maroth and leftfielder Craig Monroe will be free agents after 2008.

"These are guys coming up for free agency a couple years from now, and, hey, I want them to max out their financial power," Leyland said Wednesday. "I hope it's with us."

NO DEAL FOR THAMES: The Tigers and Orioles tried unsuccessfully to execute a three-way deal involving outfielder Marcus Thames during these meetings.

Baltimore has significant interest in Thames but couldn't produce the left-handed hitter the Tigers wanted in return. The Tigers have no interest in Jay Gibbons, and rookie star Nick Markakis isn't available.

So they tried to find a third team to supply the outfielder. Tigers officials have interest in Washington's Ryan Church and Houston's Luke Scott - two young, left-handed-hitting outfielders - but neither team was able to reach a deal with the Orioles.

The Tigers did add a left-handed outfielder this week, but at the Triple-A level, signing Brandon Watson to a minor league contract. Watson, 25, has hit .176 in 35 career games. He started in centerfield - and batted leadoff - for the Washington Nationals on Opening Day this past season but was sent to the minors after hitting .179 in nine games. He likely will begin this year at Triple-A Toledo.
Signing Bonderman and Guillen are very important. I think those re-signings are much more important than anything else from this point forward in the offseason.
 
1Delmon Young, OF, Devil Rays (491)

2006 stats: [AAA] .316 BA/ .341 OBP/ .474 SLG [TB] .317 BA/ .336 OBP/ .476 SLG

2006 Club: Durham/Tampa Bay ETA in Majors: 2007 2006 Pre-season Rank: 1

The bat-throwing incident clearly hurt his rep a bit, though acting as a perfect citizen after his Sept. callup helped restore it some. He's still the most talented player in the Minors.

2Alex Gordon, 3B, Royals (479)

2006 stats: [AA] .325 BA/ .427 OBP/ .588 SLG

2006 Club: Wichita ETA in Majors: 2007 2006 Pre-season Rank: 13

Many polled had Gordon in the top spot, and for good reason. He showed surprising speed to go along with expected power and should push Mark Teahen soon.

3Homer Bailey, RHP, Reds (407)

2006 stats: 10-6, 2.47 ERA, 138.2 IP, 99 H, 50 BB, 156 K

2006 Club: Sarasota/Chattanooga ETA in Majors: 2007 2006 Pre-season Rank: 32

The top pitcher on the list really took off in 2006, especially after a promotion to Double-A. The Reds did well not to push him to the bigs too soon, but he should get there at some point next season.

4Phil Hughes, RHP, Yankees (395)

2006 stats: 12-6, 2.16 ERA, 146.0 IP, 92 H, 34 BB, 168 K

2006 Club: Tampa/Trenton ETA in Majors: 2007 2006 Pre-season Rank: 30

Kudos to the Yanks for not dealing Hughes with everyone calling about him. Now, combined with newly acquired Humberto Sanchez, they've got a 1-2 punch in the making.

5Brandon Wood, SS, Angels (381)

2006 stats: [AA] .276 BA/ .355 OBP/ .552 SLG

2006 Club: Arkansas ETA in Majors: 2008 2006 Pre-season Rank: 3

There was no way he could duplicate his 2005 numbers, but he still was extremely good as a young regular in Double-A. The Angels can afford to let him spend a full year in Triple-A if needed.

6Cameron Maybin, OF, Tigers (334)

2006 stats: [A] .304 BA/ .387 OBP/ .457 SLG

2006 Club: West Michigan ETA in Majors: 2008 2006 Pre-season Rank: NR

Despite battling some injuries, Maybin had a very successful first season, capping it off with a Midwest League title. A jump to Double-A next season puts him on the fast track.
C May also is the #6 MLB prospect according to MiLB.com. He will likely be in Toledo to start the season but his off-season is going very well and he is projected to be ahead of schedule for 2007 development. Keep in mind this will be our CF in 2008 and if there are injuries, maybe sooner. Probably the best position player prospect the Tigers have had in twenty five years.

 
6Cameron Maybin, OF, Tigers (334)

2006 stats: [A] .304 BA/ .387 OBP/ .457 SLG

2006 Club: West Michigan ETA in Majors: 2008 2006 Pre-season Rank: NR

Despite battling some injuries, Maybin had a very successful first season, capping it off with a Midwest League title. A jump to Double-A next season puts him on the fast track.
C May also is the #6 MLB prospect according to MiLB.com. He will likely be in Toledo to start the season but his off-season is going very well and he is projected to be ahead of schedule for 2007 development. Keep in mind this will be our CF in 2008 and if there are injuries, maybe sooner. Probably the best position player prospect the Tigers have had in twenty five years.
Could easily see him in September. Very exciting stuff!With the way FA salaries are, locking up your young guns is a really good move. The Inge contract is very reasonable for an excellent defending 3b with good pop. I suspect Guillen will be a big contract, though he did sign VERY reasonably the last time. Bonderman? Ugh, that'll be a big one.

 
By the way, with every nutty Juan Pierre-like signing, the Sheffield extension looks better and better.

 
6Cameron Maybin, OF, Tigers (334)

2006 stats: [A] .304 BA/ .387 OBP/ .457 SLG

2006 Club: West Michigan ETA in Majors: 2008 2006 Pre-season Rank: NR

Despite battling some injuries, Maybin had a very successful first season, capping it off with a Midwest League title. A jump to Double-A next season puts him on the fast track.
C May also is the #6 MLB prospect according to MiLB.com. He will likely be in Toledo to start the season but his off-season is going very well and he is projected to be ahead of schedule for 2007 development. Keep in mind this will be our CF in 2008 and if there are injuries, maybe sooner. Probably the best position player prospect the Tigers have had in twenty five years.
Could easily see him in September. Very exciting stuff!With the way FA salaries are, locking up your young guns is a really good move. The Inge contract is very reasonable for an excellent defending 3b with good pop. I suspect Guillen will be a big contract, though he did sign VERY reasonably the last time. Bonderman? Ugh, that'll be a big one.
Well considering where Bonderman is in his career, and the salary he'd be looking at in 2007 I think he'd be willing to deal. I'd like to think we could lock him up for five years at around 9 mill a year. How does that sound? I think they really have to push this forward or we might see Bonderman dealt since so many teams are interested. I didn't like the way he was used in the playoffs and that is my #1 complaint with Leyland. He's the #2 guy right now and he treated him like a #4. Hopefully Bonderman will put that under the bridge and sign a fat contract now. I have a feeling the Tigers get it done. As far as your comment on Sheff I couldn't agree more. The JD Drew signing just confirmed what a great GM Dombrowski is by getting Sheff before the madness. I gotta feeling Monroe will be dealt because of Maybin also. I've read in several places that Maybin is ahead of schedule. Monroe just won't have a spot in 2008 so he either walks after next year or gets dealt beforehand. I think Maybin is as "can't miss" as the Tigers have ever had and it's nice to make a big trade and still look at the farm system and feel content. Say what you want about Leyland but Dombrowski has brought this franchise back. His signing, and subsequent re-signing in the off-season cannot be under-appreciated. :manlove:

 
LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Ken "Hawk" Harrelson was general manager of the White Sox for one lamentable year, 1986, which was long enough for him to fire Tony La Russa as manager, trade future All-Star Bobby Bonilla to the Pirates, and, oh yes, fire an assistant general manager named Dave Dombrowski.

Dombrowski's firing took place June 5 -- it is the Tigers president and general manager's day of infamy -- and was followed later that day by a job offer from another big-league club.

It was Jim Campbell, president of the Tigers, calling to invite the then-29-year-old to Detroit. Campbell hadn't had time to figure out a job title, but he wanted Dombrowski in the organization.

"I wanted to come to Detroit," Dombrowski said Wednesday at the end of the winter meetings. "But it wasn't a definite job."

Dombrowski was being paid for the duration of 1986, so he could take his time. At the winter meetings later that year, he joined the staff of Montreal Expos general manager Murray Cook.

"That was 20 years ago," Dombrowski said, looking at a white-haired man who last month joined the Tigers (Cook is Detroit's East Coast scouting cross-checker).

Four years later, Dombrowski ended up as GM of the Expos, well after Cook departed to become GM of the Cincinnati Reds.

Note that many of Dombrowski's top commanders -- Jim Leyland, Al Avila, John Westhoff, David Chadd -- were with him in one capacity or another during his stint with the Marlins.

Cook, likewise, was with Florida as a scout for the past 11 years.

The Montreal experience sticks with Dombrowski in ways both pronounced and subtle.

Dombrowski, for example, can still speak passable French because of his five years in Montreal.

The Tigers GM can also speak quality Spanish -- a product of his time in South Florida.

Tigers are atypical

It was reported a few weeks ago that Dombrowski and Tigers owner Mike Ilitch had agreed on a four-year contract extension that will keep the top front-office executive in town through 2011.

Ilitch probably receives too little acknowledgment for doing what -- say, the Lions -- have all but found impossible to do for nearly 50 years:

Ilitch eventually installs good people to run his two organizations. He pays them and the players who successfully perform.

He pays for scouting and high-level staffers who his GM believes to be essential to putting together a winner. He has taken care of Jimmy Devellano and Ken Holland through some terrific years for the Wings, and has spent mightily to make the Tigers solid following a failed first effort that contributed to too many years of misery.

The reason Dombrowski's contract extension was important is obvious. He straightened out a bad organization. He got help from the owner -- thanks to some key free-agent checks -- but the organization's overall strength is a product of front-office architecture.

Dombrowski is expensive. He made $2 million a year his last contract -- by far the highest-paid club executive -- and probably got a nice bump on his extension. Likewise, his top staffers (Avila, Westhoff, Chadd) are paid handsomely and didn't hurt themselves, professionally or financially, in 2006.

Put it all together, and it points to a baseball team that should be competitive for the rest of the decade and, probably, beyond.
Love this article. :lmao: F'n White Sux. 87 years of ineptitude and one miracle. :lmao:
 
Pudge to leadoff? Thames to first? Interesting stuff.

Tigers' Leyland: Pudge may bat leadoffLynn Henning The Detroit NewsLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Pudge Rodriguez is in the mix as a potential leadoff batter in the Tigers' 2007 lineup, and outfielder Marcus Thames may become Sean Casey's back-up at first base, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Wednesday at baseball's winter meetings.Leyland said he was undecided on a No. 3 hitter -- generally considered to be a team's best offensive player -- but that it would likely be Carlos Guillen or newly acquired Gary Sheffield."I wrote out some lineups last night," Leyland said, speaking at the Disney Dolphin Hotel, where the winter meetings are being held. "We've got some nice flexibility."Leyland said he was tinkering with thoughts about using Rodriguez as a leadoff hitter because of Rodriguez's brief, but successful, stint there in 2006 -- "He did a nice job," Leyland said -- and because he is uncertain if regular leadoff batter Curtis Granderson will be his automatic choice at the top of Detroit's batting order.Placido Polanco is also being considered as a possible leadoff choice.Thames, who hit 26 home runs for the Tigers in 348 at-bats in 2006, will soon be introduced to a ground-balls regimen, Leyland said, as the Tigers manager tries to find room for a right-hand power-hitter who figures to get minimal work in the outfield with Sheffield now on hand."That's what you have to do is be creative," Leyland said of his lineup considerations. "(Thames) is a big hitter. Can he do it (play first)? I don't know. But this is a guy who hit 26 homers in (348) at-bats. I'm not gonna forget about Marcus Thames."The Tigers as of Wednesday afternoon were no closer to making any kind of trade for a left-handed reliever or to boost another position. The winter meetings wrap up Thursday
 
Pudge to leadoff? Thames to first? Interesting stuff.

Tigers' Leyland: Pudge may bat leadoffLynn Henning The Detroit NewsLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Pudge Rodriguez is in the mix as a potential leadoff batter in the Tigers' 2007 lineup, and outfielder Marcus Thames may become Sean Casey's back-up at first base, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Wednesday at baseball's winter meetings.Leyland said he was undecided on a No. 3 hitter -- generally considered to be a team's best offensive player -- but that it would likely be Carlos Guillen or newly acquired Gary Sheffield."I wrote out some lineups last night," Leyland said, speaking at the Disney Dolphin Hotel, where the winter meetings are being held. "We've got some nice flexibility."Leyland said he was tinkering with thoughts about using Rodriguez as a leadoff hitter because of Rodriguez's brief, but successful, stint there in 2006 -- "He did a nice job," Leyland said -- and because he is uncertain if regular leadoff batter Curtis Granderson will be his automatic choice at the top of Detroit's batting order.Placido Polanco is also being considered as a possible leadoff choice.Thames, who hit 26 home runs for the Tigers in 348 at-bats in 2006, will soon be introduced to a ground-balls regimen, Leyland said, as the Tigers manager tries to find room for a right-hand power-hitter who figures to get minimal work in the outfield with Sheffield now on hand."That's what you have to do is be creative," Leyland said of his lineup considerations. "(Thames) is a big hitter. Can he do it (play first)? I don't know. But this is a guy who hit 26 homers in (348) at-bats. I'm not gonna forget about Marcus Thames."The Tigers as of Wednesday afternoon were no closer to making any kind of trade for a left-handed reliever or to boost another position. The winter meetings wrap up Thursday
Been visiting motownsports.com again?
 
Pudge to leadoff? Thames to first? Interesting stuff.

Tigers' Leyland: Pudge may bat leadoffLynn Henning The Detroit NewsLAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- Pudge Rodriguez is in the mix as a potential leadoff batter in the Tigers' 2007 lineup, and outfielder Marcus Thames may become Sean Casey's back-up at first base, Tigers manager Jim Leyland said Wednesday at baseball's winter meetings.Leyland said he was undecided on a No. 3 hitter -- generally considered to be a team's best offensive player -- but that it would likely be Carlos Guillen or newly acquired Gary Sheffield."I wrote out some lineups last night," Leyland said, speaking at the Disney Dolphin Hotel, where the winter meetings are being held. "We've got some nice flexibility."Leyland said he was tinkering with thoughts about using Rodriguez as a leadoff hitter because of Rodriguez's brief, but successful, stint there in 2006 -- "He did a nice job," Leyland said -- and because he is uncertain if regular leadoff batter Curtis Granderson will be his automatic choice at the top of Detroit's batting order.Placido Polanco is also being considered as a possible leadoff choice.Thames, who hit 26 home runs for the Tigers in 348 at-bats in 2006, will soon be introduced to a ground-balls regimen, Leyland said, as the Tigers manager tries to find room for a right-hand power-hitter who figures to get minimal work in the outfield with Sheffield now on hand."That's what you have to do is be creative," Leyland said of his lineup considerations. "(Thames) is a big hitter. Can he do it (play first)? I don't know. But this is a guy who hit 26 homers in (348) at-bats. I'm not gonna forget about Marcus Thames."The Tigers as of Wednesday afternoon were no closer to making any kind of trade for a left-handed reliever or to boost another position. The winter meetings wrap up Thursday
Been visiting motownsports.com again?
I say nothing there. NOTHING! Look in the baseball thread though. I posted something there that may be of interest.
 
my lineup:PoloncoGuillenSheffieldmagsMonroeCaseyPudgeIngeGranderson
The problem is, they don't have any high OBP guys. Polanco is a pretty ideal #2 hitter. I actually think Inge is a pretty decent leadoff hitter when he had the shot.IngePolancoGuillenSheffieldMagsPudgeMonroeGrandersonCasey
 
Tigers rule 5 Gomez

Gomez was Detroit's lone non-tender victim. The Tigers extended contracts to the rest of the roster, including all five of their arbitration eligible players -- Jeremy Bonderman, Omar Infante, Craig Monroe, Nate Robertson and Fernando Rodney.
Bonderman and Robertson should both get longer term deals. Rodney may also but I think it depends on what their plans for the bullpen are. If they are going to keep Rodney give him set-up guy money would be wise. Signing Bonderman to a long-term deal is still priority one right now.
 
The crisp pace of the club’s winter business continued Tuesday, as Detroit announced it had agreed to one-year contracts with its remaining arbitration-eligible players: outfielder Craig Monroe ($4.775 million), left-handed starter Nate Robertson ($3.26 million), infielder Omar Infante ($1.3 million), and right-handed reliever Fernando Rodney ($1.05 million).
:banned: I love paying guys one year contracts.
 

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