2010 Detroit Tigers

[sirrealone]

My guess is that the Granderson deal was not about salary so much as getting maximum return. Granderson has had problems hitting left handed for a while, especially last year. As a leadoff hitter, his average was unacceptable. I think Dombrowski & Co. thought that these problems might be persistent. He also knew Granderson still had a high reputation [[ie high return in trade value) but that another 'off' year would lower his value much lower than what it is now. He basically saw it as "Granderson had an off year but teams are willing to pay above market value given his performance" and jumped on the deal. The closest equivilent I can come up with is when he traded Jeff Weaver, whose numbers weren't great but had a high value, and got Bonderman, Pena, and Rodney in return. If he would have waited even another year, Weaver would have gotten much less in return.

The Valvedre signing puzzled me but it's making a little more sense. If they manage to compete, they look good. If they struggle, they can simply trade him mid-year and probably get a good return since closers are always in demand. Plus, depending on how things are going, the closers-in-waiting [[Zumaya, Perry, new young guys) could be trade bait to fill in holes if they're in a tight race as long as they stay healthy and perform.

I'm not sure about Damon. I wouldn't mind a two year deal at no more than $6m per year, but anything more than that and they're either committing too long or paying too much. Bringing in a veteran slugger looked pretty good when they signed Gary Sheffield, too, and that couldn't have turned out worse.

They have a lot of junk money coming off the books after this year. One thing to watch is whether Maggs hits his 540 at bats or whatever it is needed to trigger his 2011 option for $18mil. I firmly believe that there is NO, NO, NO way this should be allowed to happen.

[smogboy]

My guess is that the Granderson deal was not about salary so much as getting maximum return. Granderson has had problems hitting left handed for a while, especially last year. As a leadoff hitter, his average was unacceptable. I think Dombrowski & Co. thought that these problems might be persistent. He also knew Granderson still had a high reputation [[ie high return in trade value) but that another 'off' year would lower his value much lower than what it is now. He basically saw it as "Granderson had an off year but teams are willing to pay above market value given his performance" and jumped on the deal. The closest equivilent I can come up with is when he traded Jeff Weaver, whose numbers weren't great but had a high value, and got Bonderman, Pena, and Rodney in return. If he would have waited even another year, Weaver would have gotten much less in return.

In the long run, I agree that we might've actually gotten the better part of the deal here too. Emotionally we were pretty well connected to Granderson so I can understand the fans' dismay at sending this guy out of town. It just makes me wonder about the timing though. Were the Tigers actively shopping him or were the Yankees the ones calling first? Heck, if any team out there wants to offer us a great deal, I'd have no problem shipping off anyone. It does leave me to wonder if at some point early on, Mike Ilitch said to shave off some money from the payroll and then changed his mind later with the Valverde & Verlander signings. Also would Granderson's value still be just as high now as it was during the time of the deal? Would Granderson's value have dropped because the Yankees would've looked elsewhere for a center fielder?

The Valvedre signing puzzled me but it's making a little more sense. If they manage to compete, they look good. If they struggle, they can simply trade him mid-year and probably get a good return since closers are always in demand. Plus, depending on how things are going, the closers-in-waiting [[Zumaya, Perry, new young guys) could be trade bait to fill in holes if they're in a tight race as long as they stay healthy and perform.

With Rodney & Lyon gone I think we almost HAD to make this deal. I think Fernando Rodney caught lightning in a bottle last year in having the record he did. He was as painful to watch at times as Todd Jones ever was but he got the job done. I don't think Dombrowski & Co. trust Zumaya's health to completely hand over the closer's role to him just yet and Perry is still just way too young to take on that sort of pressure. Having a veteran presence in Valverde makes sense to me; now he just needs to perform!

I'm not sure about Damon. I wouldn't mind a two year deal at no more than $6m per year, but anything more than that and they're either committing too long or paying too much. Bringing in a veteran slugger looked pretty good when they signed Gary Sheffield, too, and that couldn't have turned out worse.

Personally I'd prefer a one year deal and with a club option for another. Front load the one year and have it filled with incentives for the second. I know negotiating with Scott Boras is like dealing with Satan himself at times but for whatever reason, he's done the Tigers fine. I think Damon would work out well here and would produce. But if we do sign him, what's it going to do to Carlos Guillen's role? I know he still fancies himself as an every day player [[except in left field and not at DH) but is this going to expose him as a primadonna and not a team player that's willing to accept a reduced role on this team?

They have a lot of junk money coming off the books after this year. One thing to watch is whether Maggs hits his 540 at bats or whatever it is needed to trigger his 2011 option for $18mil. I firmly believe that there is NO, NO, NO way this should be allowed to happen.

I wasn't too hip about him reaching his benchmark last year. Like Guillen, there has to be a point when some of these older players shouldn't be playing day-to-day and getting as many at bats as they do. That's not to say they still shouldn't be productive when they are inserted into the line-up but their glory days are behind them now. $18 million is just way too much to be paying a part time hitter too. Thank goodness for Maggs that his defense the last few years has been serviceable too.

[Knocturnal]

Any forumers have luck getting Opening Day tickets this year? My internet experience proved to be slow and trying, but I was able to get two. Unfortunately, they aren't together, but I'll still make the most of it.

[Danny]

Tigers will make the playoffs this year.

[d.mcc]

Any forumers have luck getting Opening Day tickets this year? My internet experience proved to be slow and trying, but I was able to get two. Unfortunately, they aren't together, but I'll still make the most of it.

Not opening day tickets, but I did make it to Lakeland yesterday to take in a spring training game. Sczcherzer [[sp?) got rocked, but Ni, Zumaya, and Willis [[!!!) came in an pitched pretty well. Willis most especially, even got a standing O on his departure.

[Ravine]

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[smogboy]

Can someone explain to me Johnny Damon's white cleats?

I haven't had much of a chance to keep up with the Motor City Kitties as of late as it's Red Wings playoffs and the NFL Draft is right around the corner. I just kicked on the Detroit Fox Sports feed and saw Damon sporting some bright white shoes. For a moment I thought it was an exhibition game or some oddball commemorative event.

[smogboy]

Alright, I'm slowly but surely getting back into following our Tigers a little more seriously now. 25 games into the season so far and I'm actually pleasantly surprised.

-A mere half game out of first place?
-The recent stretch of games against good teams on the west coast where they came out faring pretty well?
-The relief pitching being the strength of this team so far?
-Dontrelle Willis & Jeremy Bonderman throwing impressive games?
-Magglio's early power?
-Cabrera seemingly forgetting about last season's ills and hitting with authority?
-Austin Jackson nearly making the Tigers faithful forget about Granderson [[who just got put on the Yankees' DL)?
-Valverde not giving us Fernando Rodney or Todd Jones-esque fear in the late innings?

Again, I'm mildly impressed. It's a heckuva long season with a lot more to go, but so far they've seemed scrappy, have had some some strong pitching throughout and the hitting has been more than adequate to go the distance in shoot outs.