Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2013 Thread

[Cleaves2000]

And why couldnt we had traded dirks for gregerson? Throw in a prospect? Seth smith? Really?

 

[Ronnie]

You and I don't know what the financial situation actually is. It seems apparent that someone's wallet is getting thinner, so moves are being made with that in mind. Gregerson is arbitration eligible and will get over $5mil for next year and is a free agent after 2014. Perhaps adding that was not in the books...or Dirks was not what SD wanted.

 

[adrian2]

Nobody knows what the tigers financial flexibility is outside of the owner and GM. The I's net worth according to Forbes sits at 3.2 billion. As long as the Tigers are increasing in value as he paid 82 mil and they are now worth 643 mil. So that means the franchise is appreciating in value around 20 mil or so a season. lets not pretend on these boards to know what a billionaire is going to do with his $$. If he wants to spend it on the Tigers, so be it.

 

[adrian2]

according to DD today Nick C will be at 3b with Cabrerra moving to 1B. As most figured. Threre are really no FA 3b options out there.

 

[Ronnie]

Nobody knows what the tigers financial flexibility is outside of the owner and GM. The I's net worth according to Forbes sits at 3.2 billion. As long as the Tigers are increasing in value as he paid 82 mil and they are now worth 643 mil. So that means the franchise is appreciating in value around 20 mil or so a season. lets not pretend on these boards to know what a billionaire is going to do with his $$. If he wants to spend it on the Tigers, so be it.

Correct....no one knows the exact situation of the Illitch businesses. However based on the Tigers' moves in the last few weeks, I think it is safe to ''guess'' that player salary is now a concern to ownership. If it wasn't, Fielder would still be a Tiger, and Robinson Cano would be the 2B. Appreciation for the franchise is great for the Illitch's as it concerns future loans and long term investments....but translating the club's ''value'' into a cash value may be difficult considering the condition of the city. I doubt there are many local investors willing to anti up $643 million for a sports team in Detroit, especially if several long term, 9 figure, contracts are connected to it. Detroit is VERY fortunate that Detroiter, Mike Illitch, owns the club or Miggy might be a Memphis/San Antonio/Raleigh/Name your place Tiger.

 

[broncosmitty]

Tigers weren't and aren't going anywhere. That's ridiculous. Little Caesars isn't the only business in Michigan that makes money. Good grief...

 

[jalopy]

Keeping last year's team together wasn't feasible. To try would have raised the payroll from $150mm to around $180MM given the raises built into contract, raises via arbitration, and costs to keep free agents like Peralta, Benoit, and Infante. Given the state of the Tigers farm system, it was imperative that the Tigers trade some assets and try to get younger. To some extent they have done that but the Scherzer issue is still there. Boras isn't going to let him sign for less than $25MM per year and the Tigers can't afford that. With Fister getting traded for peanuts, DD's options are limited. I would like to see the team go after Tanaka and then trade Max, possibly for Cespedes. Tanaka would cost about the same as Choo and Cespedes is cheaper than Max.

 

[burfboy]

.....but burf? Dirks in LF? Nicky C at 3B? .
That was a question......It looks like from what DD said today that is where they are right now. Can't always take him at his word....Can't a $10 million player at every position.....VMart doesn't just have to hit HRs to protect Miggy, hitting .300 will go along way to do that too.....DD said they weren't going to sign Benoit either....

 

[burfboy]

There should be an up grade at every infield position on D.... 3rd.Nick C +, ss Iggy +. 2nd Kinslar+ , 1st Miggy +....Alex who knows???

 

[broncosmitty]

Not sure about Nick being an upgrade just yet. Not all that good at third in the minors.

 

[burfboy]

There sure a lot of ragging on Miggys play last year.....LOL range was a biggy....still over all this D has to move the Tigers out of the D basement....

 

[broncosmitty]

There sure a lot of ragging on Miggys play last year.....LOL range was a biggy....still over all this D has to move the Tigers out of the D basement....

When he was hurt, sure, there was plenty and rightfully so. In general though, Miggy wasn't that bad of a defensive third baseman, imo. Not great by any means though. But I never was convinced Nicky C moved from third on account of Miggy anyway. Maybe we'll find out this spring, maybe we won't. Im glad Peralta isn't at short, that's for sure. And hopefully Miggy won't roam too far towards second this go round. That seemed like an issue in the past. (He's much better there than Prince, that should be a help. No idea if Kinsler is better than Omar.)

 

[Howie115]

No idea if Kinsler is better than Omar.

Kinsler was in the Top 5 for Range Factor at 2B in all of the last 6 full seasons (three seasons ranked #1, but those were the first three). Omar didn't crack the Top 10 ever.

 

[broncosmitty]

Is that the same metric that says Peralta has decent range?

 

[burfboy]

London Knights 3 - SSM Greyhounds 2.....
Smitty a good name for Jhonny would have been" Free Range".......he could sure roam....lol

 

[burfboy]

MORE: FA tracker: position players | FA tracker: pitchers
Ever since the blockbuster swap that sent Prince Fielder to the Rangers in exchange for second baseman Ian Kinsler, it's been anticipated that the Tigers would shift AL MVP Miguel Cabrera across the diamond from third base to first base. Doing so would move the defensively challenged Cabrera to a less demanding position and perhaps mitigate the nagging injuries that afflicted him down the stretch last season. To fill the gap at third, the Tigers, the thinking went, would give some thought to returning top prospect Nick Castellanos to his original position.
Now, GM Dave Dombrowski has confirmed that those are indeed the official plans moving forward. Here's the relevant tweet from MLB.com's Jason Beck:
As previously noted in this space, Cabrera is completely on board with the position switch.
As a side benefit of all their recent moves, the Tigers have drastically improved what was the worst infield defense in baseball for most of last season. In 2014, they figure to have a full season of Jose Iglesias at shortstop, at worst they've held serve in going from Omar Infante to Kinsler at second, and they've achieved substantial upgrades at the corners.
As for Castellanos in particular, he was moved to the outfield in 2012, but he was drafted as a shortstop and has played 210 games in the minors at third base. He's got the range and arm to stick at the position at the highest level, and his bat is highly regarded (he's a career .303/.359/.445 hitter in the minors).
The 21-year-old Castellanos entered the 2013 season ranked as the no. 21 overall prospect by both Baseball America and MLB.com, so he figures to be a cheap solution for the Tigers next season.

 

[broncosmitty]

London Knights 3 - SSM Greyhounds 2.....
Smitty a good name for Jhonny would have been" Free Range".......he could sure roam....lol

While he was roamin', Prince was grazin'. I'll never understand where people (not you, the guy that you quoted) came up with Detroit having the worst infield in baseball. Can't attest for every team, in every division..... However..... The Chicago White Sox were definitely worse than our Tigers last year. If stats show otherwise...... I still don't want to see 'em.

 

[kengel6]

London Knights 3 - SSM Greyhounds 2.....
Smitty a good name for Jhonny would have been" Free Range".......he could sure roam....lol

Hounds lose? Thanks for the update Burf

 

[gvsulaker82]

Yeah he fister trade was dumb as shit. We trade a #2 / # 3 starter for a bunch of nobodies. We had to trade our top prospect to get sanchez. This leaves a hole in the pen, krol is no smyly, hes really another phil coke. Then we go and sign a closer for more money than fister costs. Ugh. Fielder trade good, this trade awful.

 

[MI Nightmare]

While he was roamin', Prince was grazin'. I'll never understand where people (not you, the guy that you quoted) came up with Detroit having the worst infield in baseball. Can't attest for every team, in every division..... However..... The Chicago White Sox were definitely worse than our Tigers last year. If stats show otherwise...... I still don't want to see 'em.