622 replies to this topic

[Hockeytown0001]

Thought it would be appropriate to make a new one since we're just a few months from the start of Spring Training.

Interesting to see what the Tigers will do now that V. Mart might miss most of if not the entire season.

[8 Legged RedWing]

Losing V-Mart is a huge blow. He had an amazing season last year so hopefully we sign someone to help soften the blow. Maybe Vlad Guerrero? He's old but veteran players always seem to do well in Detroit. Plus we mainly would just need him for DH. I just hope Dombrowski does something and doesn't think this current roster is enough to win a World Series because it's not.

[Travis]

According to Bless You Boys – Jon Morosi reports that the Tigers are showing interest in Johnny Damon and are 'on the fringe' of talks with Roy Oswalt. I would really hope to see more production out of our DH than I think Damon could provide, given what he did in 2010. That said, leadership and base running are pluses for him. I worry, though, that his signing still doesn't protect Cabrera unless they go Damon, Jackson, Boesch and slide Young down to bat behind Cabrera. Even still, he's not as dangerous as Victor Martinez.


Sigh.

[GoWings1905]

Damon doesn't excite me in the least. I would rather Dombrowski just throw everything at Oswalt and see if a bat or two is available at the deadline to upgrade. The offense has gaping holes with or without Damon, but adding Oswalt gives the Tigers arguably the deepest starting rotation in baseball.

I think at this point Leyland really needs to consider moving Avila and/or Peralta up in the order. I would feel much better having one of those two along with Boesch on either side of Cabrera than Delmon Young.

Edited by GoWings1905, 22 January 2012 - 05:15 PM.

[Travis]

Damon doesn't excite me in the least. I would rather Dombrowski just throw everything at Oswalt and see if a bat or two is available at the deadline to upgrade. The offense has gaping holes with or without Damon, but adding Oswalt gives the Tigers arguably the deepest starting rotation in baseball.

I think at this point Leyland really needs to consider moving Avila and/or Peralta up in the order. I would feel much better having one of those two along with Boesch on either side of Cabrera than Delmon Young.

I don't think Peralta, Avila, or Young is going to convince anyone to pitch to Cabrera. I would have really preferred Pena to anyone else on the market, but he's a Ray now.

[Travis]

Oswalt has informed the Tigers that he is not interested, per Danny Knobler.

Knobler also reports that the Tigers are (obviously/understandably) underwhelmed with the market for replacement of Victor Martinez. Interestingly, however, he does contradict Morosi's reports - saying that the Tigers are not all that interested in Johnny Damon and are more so interested in the likes of Matsui or Ibanez. Personally, I'm not thrilled with any of the options. I would choose Derek Lee over any of the above if I absolutely had to, but I wouldn't rush out to overpay him.

He also reports that the Garza-to-Detroit deal is a real longshot.

At this point, I'd be fine with Jacob Turner rounding out the rotation, though he likely won't provide us the innings that you like to get out of a 5 spot guy - it'd be a nice introduction to the show for him. Going into this season, I thought a bat would be their biggest necessity and that fact has only been magnified by the absence of Victor. There isn't anyone from within the organization that can fill that role unless they are packaged up and sent elsewhere.

What does our opening day line-up even look like at this point?

Jackson
Boesch
Young
Cabrera
Avila
Peralta
Santiago
Inge
Laird
?

Yikes.

[GoWings1905]

I don't think Peralta, Avila, or Young is going to convince anyone to pitch to Cabrera. I would have really preferred Pena to anyone else on the market, but he's a Ray now.

Definitely agree. None of the three are anything like what V-Mart can do to protect Cabrera, but Young is the worst option of them IMO. I like Boesch hitting third way more than second. He has some power and the ability to drive in runs should Jackson and whoever bats second ever get on base. The only part I really like about possibly getting Damon back is he fills a need to bat second and despite declining, still has some speed to be the Tigers best option there. Just a random January idea:

Jackson
Damon/Santiago
Boesch
Cabrera
Avila
Peralta
Young
Santiago/Raburn
Free out from Inge/Kelly

That's not a powerhouse lineup by any stretch, but it's probably decent enough to win the Central still provided the Tigers get strong starting pitching. There are about five players there that could turn the offense into really good or very bad depending on their production. I have very low expectations for Jackson and Young. Pretty confident in Boesch and Avila being reliable. Peralta is going backwards from last season based on his career, but he is still going to hit. Maybe it all balances out and the offense is as mediocre as it looks on paper.

As far as the DH rumors, the only real scenario I would be happy with is signing Cespedes and moving Young to DH. Even then, from what I have read, Cespedes may need some time in the minors to start. All of the other DH options being mentioned right now are all the same to me. I won't be upset if the Tigers sign any of them, but none will excite me either.

I'm fine with the Tigers filling the 5th spot in the rotation internally too. If Turner isn't ready, then there's also Below, Wilk, Oliver (among others I'm probably forgetting) to start until Turner comes up for good.

Edited by GoWings1905, 23 January 2012 - 04:34 PM.

[Travis]

I think the most attractive free agent option for DH has got to be Derrek Lee at this point. He had a rocky year last season bouncing between the AL and NL, but was good for 19 HR / 59 RBI despite having a terrible time in Baltimore. He's a career .281 hitter and could provide the pop and offense that we'd miss if we signed someone like Damon.

I agree that I'd rather have Young ahead of Cabrera than behind and am really fine with either he or Boesch hitting in the 2 or 3 spot. As long as one of them gets on base so Cabrera can do what he does.

Going:
Jackson
Young / Boesch
Boesch / Young
Cabrera
Lee
Avila
Peralta
etc
etc

Scares me a lot less than some of the other possibilities out there. Maybe at this point, even Cespedes. I've heard similar things about him not being ready and I'd hate to have our big signing not make an impact until half-way through the year. That said, they should still sign him.

...

Buster Olney just posted SPECULATION (his caps) from a baseball VP that the Tigers and Prince Fielder could make a 1-year deal happen, since Prince apparently hasn't quite found what he's looking for on the market yet. Obviously this is super far-fetched, but they go on to talk about how the Tigers could offer him a boat-load of cash since they get as much as 75% of Victor's contract back in insurance. I'd be surprised for a million different reasons if the two sides could agree on anything, but damn that would be cool.

[cusimano_brothers]

I'm going to miss that face.

More pitching for New York; good, except it's a shame they gave up Montero.

[Travis]

!!!!!!!!

9 years / $ 215 million to wear the Olde English D.

[Tim.D]

!!!!!!!!

9 years / $ 215 million to wear the Olde English D.

I'm excited!! His dad was af****** beast here and he should be too.

[GoWings1905]

WOOOOOOOOO! I can't believe this is fricking real. How bad does Mike Ilitch want to win?

This was such a dismal off-season and then DD signs Prince Fielder out of nowhere. I've had my fair share of complaints about Dombrowski before, but he killed it today. He plays everything so close to the vest -- I think everyone fantasized about Fielder coming to the Tigers, but no one truly expected it to happen.

How sick is the nucleus of this team now? Verlander, Cabrera, Fielder, V-Mart in a year again, and Fister. I want April here tomorrow.

[Rice]

Unbelievable. Ilitch is the man.

[Travis]

WOOOOOOOOO! I can't believe this is fricking real. How bad does Mike Ilitch want to win?

This was such a dismal off-season and then DD signs Prince Fielder out of nowhere. I've had my fair share of complaints about Dombrowski before, but he killed it today. He plays everything so close to the vest -- I think everyone fantasized about Fielder coming to the Tigers, but no one truly expected it to happen.

How sick is the nucleus of this team now? Verlander, Cabrera, Fielder, V-Mart in a year again, and Fister. I want April here tomorrow.

MLB.com is reporting that Cabrera will likely DH with Victor out, but I'd be happy to see Cabrera move to 3B. He'll need to get in better shape, of course, but I think it'd be a waste to DH him. Let's not forget that the Tigers were already toying with this - having him field 3B last year in the event of a World Series birth. Additionally, his splits show him batting much better when he plays the field than when he doesn't.

So much for thinking Derrek Lee would be good. Leave it to Dombrowski to blow us all away. Illitch is motivated for a Tigers World Series and not even the biggest doubter can say that now.

If they do hold on to both Cabrera and Martinez, you're looking at the best 3-4-5 in baseball and someone like Young - who often hit 2nd and 3rd - batting 7th or 8th.

[dropkickshanahans]

There's your protection Cabrera haha. Man I'm so stoked!

[8 Legged RedWing]

This is the greatest possible signing after the V-Mart news. I can't wait for April now. Even more than normal. We could be world series contenders for the next couple years let alone next year. Thank you Illitch! Thank you Dombrowski! Welcome to the D Prince!

[NeverForgetMac25]

Kind of interesting that I'm a Brewers fan and he goes to the team in the same city as my beloved hockey team.

Gofigure.

[Hockeytown Red Wings]

I was cruising along and had the local Columbus sports radio on when they announced breaking news, the Tigers sign Prince Fielder. I was pretty shocked and immediately called my brother who said he couldn't find anything on ESPN about it yet.

I did not see this coming, and now we have the two best bats outside of Pujols in baseball. Unbelievable.

[Travis]

Venezuelan sporting outlet, Líder has the following:


"I will return to third base," adding that Cabrera was not surprised by the signing. "It was something we were talking from the fan fest. Return to third base - that is my natural position. Fielder's arrival will benefit us."

[dropkickshanahans]

I can't wait to watch them. Really sucks that Vmart is hurt too.

I'm not high on Peralta playing like he did last season. Don't get me wrong, he played great, but that was a fluke year from him IMO. As for Young, some people aren't high on him repeating too but he's still young at 26 and he could pick up where he left off. I mean he played great after trading for him and kept it going in playoffs, I don't see why he couldn't keep the production going.

2012:

Jackson
Raburn/Santiago
Young
Cabrera
Fielder
Boesch
Avila
Peralta
Santiago/Inge

2013:

Jackson
Raburn/Santiago
Young
Cabrera
Fielder
Martinez
Boesch
Avila
Peralta

Edited by dropkickshanahans, 24 January 2012 - 07:40 PM.