2012 Detroit Tigers Talk

**rjk** · January-17-12, 05:55 PM

Well, it looks like Dombrowski has some work to do in finding a replacement for Martinez.

http://www.wxyz.com/dpp/sports/martinez-suffers-torn-acl-probably-lost-for-2012-season

**401don** · January-17-12, 06:24 PM

I was going to start a 2012 Tigers thread today and comment on how much harder it will be to repeat last season than people think. Whenever you finish first several guys have career years. You are just not going to get 25 wins from Verlander, a perfect season from Valverde, a .300 batting average from Peralta, etc. this season.
Martinez had the best clutch rbi season I can ever recall last year. Now we know how Twins' fans feel. There is nobody who can replace him. We may have to trade a top pitching prospect for a left fielder or 2nd baseman. This would allow Young to be the DH with Rayburn moving to left if we sign an infielder. Cespedes will probably still sign with the Marlins but the Tigers' increased interest just put an extra 20 million in his pocket. The good news is the division sucks and Martinez may be back for the playoffs.

**Big Dog** · January-18-12, 12:03 AM

This is a serious blow to our tigers. Let's hope that he can return without sugery.

**sirrealone** · January-18-12, 08:47 AM

Victor was my catcher in fantasy baseball last year. Guess I can cross him off my list of potential keeper candidates [[he wasn't a top candidate anyways, but might as well make it official)

V-Mart will be out for a year, and then he has two more years remaining on his contract if memory serves. Therefore, I wouldn't break the bank or go out and sign someone to a long term deal. Vlad Guerrero sounds like a good option to fill in for a year. Will he match V-Marts production? No, but if he had been expected to, then he would have gotten the four year deal last year. But, he can fill in adequately I would think, enough to hopefully keep the pitches coming to Miggy, which is really the point of our DH spot.

As far as fall-off the guy I'm most worried about is Avila. He surprised me big time last year, but down the stretch and in the playoffs he definitely had some tough spots. You certainly can't pencil him in for what he did last year. With Fister and a more mature Scherzer in place, the rotation could handle a bit of a return to earth with Verlander. Same goes with Valverde, now that we have Dotel who as long as he stays healthy, is about 100x less wild than Ryan Perry [[cya!) and can keep things more steady this year and even fill in for Valverde now and then as he has been a closer in the past.

**401don** · January-21-12, 11:11 AM

Carlos Pena has signed to return to the Rays. Lots of people wanted the Tigers to get him but Cabrera would be walked every time to get to Pena and go for the strikeout. We need a guy with decent power who makes contact and doesn't strike out a lot behind Cabrera. Unfortunately nobody on the current roster fits that criteria.

**Thruster315** · January-21-12, 02:07 PM

Originally Posted by 401don

Carlos Pena has signed to return to the Rays. Lots of people wanted the Tigers to get him but Cabrera would be walked every time to get to Pena and go for the strikeout. We need a guy with decent power who makes contact and doesn't strike out a lot behind Cabrera. Unfortunately nobody on the current roster fits that criteria.

I'm thankful we didn't sign Pena. I agree with you. It wasn't like Victor Martinez hit homeruns constantly and scared you with that sort of power. He could get a hit consistently and that was his value in protecting Cabrera. Sure, Pena could go yard but he could also strike out just as easily. The VMart position needs to be replaced with a pure hitter- not necessarily a long ball sort of threat.

The closest we have on the team IMHO is probably Brennan Boesch but seeing as how he's got some wheels and on-base percentage I like him ahead of Cabrera. We just need the follow-up to that duo.

**Roq** · January-22-12, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

I'm thankful we didn't sign Pena.

You and me both.

VMart's injury is really depressing news, especially with the names being thrown around for a replacement. Pena? Johnny F*cking Damon? Then we have the most laughable name of all, Prince Fielder. I mean, really people, you think Fielder is going to sign here for a year and take the chance of injury and/or shitty season bringing down his market value? Not to mention the Daddy issues. I highly doubt it.

**rjk** · January-24-12, 03:10 PM

Wow, ken rosenthal [[twitter) saying that Prince fielder close to signing with tigers?

If true, wow x100.

Edit:I'll be eating a Little Caesars Hot n Ready tonight. The pizza kind of sucks, but I'll be eating it with huge ass smile on my face.

**gnome** · January-24-12, 04:19 PM

Originally Posted by Roq;

Then we have the most laughable name of all, Prince Fielder. I mean, really people, you think Fielder is going to sign here for a year and take the chance of injury and/or shitty season bringing down his market value? Not to mention the Daddy issues. I highly doubt it.

somebody is laughing all the way to the bank.

**Roq** · January-24-12, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

somebody is laughing all the way to the bank.

I know, right? I am still in shock -- as I prepare my crow flambe'

**401don** · January-24-12, 05:49 PM

Originally Posted by gnome

somebody is laughing all the way to the bank.

His name is Scott Boras. Nobody wants your guy? Every GM in the league is laughing when you ask for 9 yrs and 200 million+? Better call Mikey.

**kenp** · January-24-12, 03:53 PM

This Fielder rumor is valid.
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_yl...tigers-fielder

**401don** · January-24-12, 04:25 PM

Nine years? Is Ilitch insane? Can't say how incredibly disappointed I am if it's true. Another slow, one dimentional player. Anyone else remember how Cecil was booed the last couple of years of his 5 year contract when he'd lost his bat speed? Whatever happened to signing athletes who can run and throw, especially on a team with no 2nd baseman, no 3rd baseman and no left fielder? [[Delmon Young is a DH standing in left). Are they going to force Cabrera, the best player in the majors, to DH at his age? What happens to Martinez the last two years of his contract? Trade away the guy with the highest batting average with runners in scoring position last year?

**Lowell** · January-25-12, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by 401don

Nine years? Is Ilitch insane? Can't say how incredibly disappointed I am if it's true. Another slow, one dimentional player. Anyone else remember how Cecil was booed the last couple of years of his 5 year contract when he'd lost his bat speed? Whatever happened to signing athletes who can run and throw, especially on a team with no 2nd baseman, no 3rd baseman and no left fielder? [[Delmon Young is a DH standing in left). Are they going to force Cabrera, the best player in the majors, to DH at his age? What happens to Martinez the last two years of his contract? Trade away the guy with the highest batting average with runners in scoring position last year?

Agree completely. Another lead-footed slugger that does not fill a weak position does not make sense. I hope I eat my words but this seems senseless.

**softailrider** · January-25-12, 03:42 AM

Originally Posted by Lowell

Agree completely. Another lead-footed slugger that does not fill a weak position does not make sense. I hope I eat my words but this seems senseless.

I like the signing a lot. Yes, they're paying way too much and the contract is too long. They'll probably regret it in the end. Give M.I. credit for wanting to win now, If Fielder says healthy, pitching holds up, rivers don't rise too high, they're in contention for the next few seasons, maybe longer

It's a stadium built for small ball, Tigers aren't a small ball club. That's just the way things are.

Sports salaries are beyond insane, M.I. wants to compete. To me, it's hard to fault him on this one.

Should be an interesting Summer. My boycott of Comerica Park has been over for a while. Lookng forward to April.

**Roq** · January-25-12, 08:31 AM

Originally Posted by softailrider

I like the signing a lot..

I woke up this morning and thought about whether this is a horrible mistake and should I be angry and bitching -- Nope, I'm still on cloud nine! Hell yeah and kudos to Illitch for making the ballsy move of the year! GO TIGERS!

**kenp** · January-24-12, 04:58 PM

Ok so the guy hit .299 with 39 homers and 120 rbi's last year, whats the problem?
Thank you Ilitch

**Roq** · January-24-12, 05:03 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

Ok so the guy hit .299 with 39 homers and 120 rbi's last year, whats the problem?
Thank you Ilitch

I LOVE this signing! #Tigers #Beastmode

I will listen to no Captain bring downs -- Tigers made a WORLD class move in the offseason.

Hell yeah, see ya's at the park!

**Thruster315** · January-24-12, 06:32 PM

I'm still agog at this signing. Not exactly for the amount but for the length of the contract.

No one can ever say that Mike Ilitch isn't willing to take a chance to win it all.

**Thruster315** · January-24-12, 07:02 PM

Rumor has it that pitcher Edwin Jackson might come back here for a year too.

Meh.

**Downriviera** · January-24-12, 08:07 PM

Beers at Copa just went up to $15.

**Thruster315** · January-24-12, 08:27 PM

Originally Posted by Downriviera

Beers at Copa just went up to $15.

And that's for the sampler cup.

I'm afraid to see how the Tigers [[and more so the Ilitch empire) is going to pay for this in the long run. Again, the length of Fielder's contract is scary to me.

**rjk** · January-24-12, 09:22 PM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

And that's for the sampler cup.

I'm afraid to see how the Tigers [[and more so the Ilitch empire) is going to pay for this in the long run. Again, the length of Fielder's contract is scary to me.

He probably wouldn't have signed here without a couple extra years.

Let's say his numbers come tumbling down after 5 years and his contract hampers the Tigers ability to field a competitive team. I can live with that since this team has sucked most of my life anyways.

**sirrealone** · January-25-12, 07:32 AM

Cecil was 30 when he signed that deal. If he was getting booed the last year or two, that means he still go three years out of it that were worthwhile. Prince is 27 so if you do that math, that means we could reasonably expect six years of great production?

I'm fine with that and if there are issues the last three, who cares about that now?

This year, I could see Prince and Cabrera platooning at 1B and DH, Inge staying at 3rd and Young in LF. Next year when V-Mart comes back, Inge goes away, Prince is at 1B, Cabrera is at 3B and Martinez DHs.

When Castenellos is ready, Cabrera could move to LF.

Defensively, we take a big step back. But for the middle of the lineup to potentially look like: Fielder, Cabrera, Martinez, well I can tell you that opposing teams are going to have nightmares trying to plan around that hitting them a few times a game. In other words, the defense is a good problem to have to worry about.

Here we were sitting around wondering if Johnny Damon was coming back or if we might take a flier on Vlad Guerrero or Hideki Matsui, and we end up getting the best slugger on the market. Dombrowski is carrying around basketballs size cajones and I guess it's not surprising at all for Illitch to buy off, I mean look at how he signed players before the NHL salary cap took hold. He has never bought into the 'small market' mentality in any sport, so in all actuality, this signing shouldn't come as a great surprise.

And, since the bank has already been broken, do you really believe that the Tigers are out of the Cespedes sweepstakes?

**kenp** · January-25-12, 08:58 AM

Damned if you do damned if you dont. Its the owners money to spend and he is doing it to win.
Fielder is a big time gamer, teamates love him, fans love him [[except the Brewers now) and he is very competitive. The guy wants to win, never misses a game and works his butt off.
He also is a an elite player. Geez