Pretending To Be Tigers
From Lynn Henning of The Detroit News:
In the span of 45 days this offseason, the Tigers radically depleted their stash of blue-chip prospects by way of trades that cost them these players: OF Cameron Maybin, LHP Andrew Miller, RHP Jair Jurrjens, OF Gorkys Hernandez, RHP Dallas Trahern, RHP Eulogio de la Cruz and RHP Burke Badenhop.
Don’t panic: Blue-chippers aren’t always sure things
Under the direction of Dave Dombrowski, the Marlins and Tigers have had 10 top-10 picks. With the Marlins, Dombrowski took RHP Josh Beckett, 1B Adrian Gonzalez, OF Mark Kotsay, OF Jaime Jones and SS Josh Booty. With the Tigers, he has been at the helm for SS Scott Moore, RHP Kyle Sleeth, RHP Justin Verlander, OF Cameron Maybin and LHP Andrew Miller.
The occasional extraordinary first-round pick carries significant promise from the get-go, as was the case with Beckett, and as is almost certain to be the case with Maybin, Miller and [Rick] Porcello. But the probability any prospect will exceed the production of established big league talent — particularly when it is as young as Cabrera and Willis — is why trading minor league stars generally is considered good business.
The Tigers knew the percentages in making this deal.
Trading Maybin, Miller, Jurrjens, and Hernandez this winter would probably be the same as if the Yankees traded Austin Jackson, Phil Hughes, Alan Horne and Jose Tabata.
Still, the Tigers did get some interesting talent in return for their prospects.
So, what do you say Yankees fans? What players out there would you be willing to accept in return from a package of Austin Jackson, Phil Hughes, and some other young Yankees hurlers? Would you trade that for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis?
How about Alan Horne and Jose Tabata? If you had a chance to move Derek Jeter to first base (as the Tigers are doing with Carlos Guillen) and then get Edgar Renteria for Horne and Tabata, would you do it?
Don’t be shy now, ya’ hear!
I wouldn’t touch Dontrelle Willis or Edgar Renteria with a ten foot pole. Dontrelle was a TRAINWRECK for the Marlins the past two years in an NL pitcher’s park. What the hell would he be like in the AL? Everything I’ve read said that he’s got mechanical flaws out the ying-yang.
As for Renteria, I remember him in the AL in 2005 and I was happy to see him flounder.
The sooner people stop pining for Jeter to move off SS, the better. It’s not going to happen so quit wasting your time wishing for it.
The sooner people stop pining for Jeter to move off SS, the better.
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The sooner he moves off SS, the better… But, I agree that if it hasn’t happened by now, it’s going to be a while before it does.
Raf, I’m not saying it shouldn’t happen. All I’m saying is that it’s never going to happen so putting it out of our minds will create the most peace and harmony.
Yeah, I agree completely with MJ. I want nothing to do with Willis and Renteria. Willis has had a few nice seasons, but he’s totally inconsistent and I think overrated because of his great personality.
The Tigers may say they wanted to flip Willis to the Mets because of salary concerns, but it probably had a lot more to do with his ability.
The Tigers trade is like every other “big” trade during the off-season: someone makes a splash — be it the Sox, Tigers, Yankees — and suddenly everyone thinks they are the best team in baseball and that they will win the World Series. Yeah, the Tigers added an all-world (hitting) third baseman, but Willis is a fifth starter in the AL. Their pitching is still suspect, and their bullpen stinks. They didn’t even make the playoffs this year.
And as it’s been pointed out, they completely depleted their farm system. They better hope Porcello is everything he is supposed to be, because he’s the only pitcher they have left apparently.
Look ,Willis got a 5 ERA in the JV last year what is his ERA going to be this year….a 7?The Tigers getting Cabrera is a brilliant move BUT getting Willis negates that move,unless Leland wants another DH in Willis!At this point,could Willis pitch 5th on AL East teams like the Yankees,the Jays,and the Sox?Those teams would have use for Willis as a Sixth if anything!Renteria was another head stratcher.I mean he is a NL player and his one attempt at the Al was a flop(that was putting it lightly)!The Tigers have a great team but all this hype about them being so great is exactly that hype.Because they took one foot forward and two steps back with this trade.
I have no interest in Willis or Renteria. I hope that Jeter, as the captain, will soon demonstrate that he is truly concerned about the best interests of the team and volunteer to change positions.
As for Cabrera, if you are going to trade a top young talent like Hughes, Tabata, etc, that’s who you trade them for. The health of pitchers is too fragile to mortgage.
Actually, I would trade the above prospects for some combination of 1 of these starters Santana, Bedarad, Haren, Burnett or Sheets and 2 of these relievers Nathan, Street, Neshek, Turnbow, Frasor, and there are some other I cant think of right now. I basically agree with Dombrowski especially for the Yankees. We wont get the opportunity to get a difference maker through FA anymore because everyone signs extensions before the hit the market and when they finally do become unrestricted they are too old or too expensive to make a difference. The only way to get a true difference maker is to trade young cheap prospects and all the better if you have plenty of those because we know the success rates of prospects arent too high. I would say we have a chance of maybe getting 2 guys who will be great from all the hyped guys we are hearing about. So why not trade them and get someone who has actually proven to be an above average player on the major league level.
If you are talking Hughes and Jackson plus some other prospects (Horne? Montero? Gardner?), there are a number of players I would do that for. Cabrera for one. Pujols. David Wright. (I am talking about the level of talent, not necessarily the need.) Utley. Sizemore. I don’t think I would do it for any pitcher.