Bless You Boys

Tigers Add Four Players to 40-Man Roster

2009-11-20T20:14:01Z

Tigers Add Four Players to 40-Man Roster

The Tigers had four spots open on their 40-man roster, with six players eligible for free agency. And today, when rosters had to be finalized, the team filled each spot.

Second baseman Scott Sizemore, shortstop Audy Ciriaco, and outfielders Ryan Strieby and Brennan Boesch were added to the roster.

(Bill Ferris has more at The Detroit Tigers Weblog)

Morning Prowl: Bourquin Banned, Organizational Trees, Top 10 Prospects, and Goodbye Hessman

2009-11-20T13:15:18Z

[Updated at 9 a.m.]

Tigers minor league third baseman Ronnie Bourquin received a 50-game suspension yesterday, after testing positive for an amphetamine. Good timing, with the team having to decide who to keep on the 40-man roster. He'll serve the penalty at the beginning of next season.

Bourquin played in 118 games between Single-A and Double-A this year. He batted .267/.361/.408 with eight home runs and 77 RBIs.

The Arizona Fall League plays its championship game tomorrow afternoon at 2:45 p.m. ET. And the Peoria Javelinas, with several Tigers prospects, are playing for the title. So here's one last chance for you to get a look at Casper Wells, Robbie Weinhardt, Andrew Oliver, and a few others before next spring. The game will be shown on MLB Network.

(via The Detroit Tigers Weblog)

At Take 75 North, Matt Wallace has thoughts about the 40-man roster, listing 11 players who could be protected by the Tigers. But maybe they shouldn't be, as they could also be replaceable within the organization.

The Freep has a photo gallery of 10 free agents the Tigers should take a look at this offseason. There are a couple of interesting names suggested (Endy Chavez, Frank Catalanotto) and one that makes me - and I'm only speaking for myself - want to pull my hair out (John Smoltz).

With the 40-man roster needing to be finalized today, it's worth checking out the Organizational Tree that Bill Ferris has set up at The Detroit Tigers Weblog. How did each player on the roster end up with Detroit? Some had a pretty direct route, others took a more winding road.

At The Hardball Times, Matt Hagen listed his Top 10 Tigers prospects. The list is headed by pitcher Jacob Turner, Detroit's first-round draft pick this year. He's followed by second baseman Scott Sizemore, who Tigers fans will probably get a good look at next season.

(Thanks to Dberg for posting this in the comments yesterday.)

Jason Beck gives a slow clap to Mike Hessman, who became a minor league free agent on Wednesday. His days in the Tigers organization are very likely over. In five years with the Mud Hens, Hessman got the call up to Detroit for 29 games. He batted.256/.330/.615 with nine homers and 19 RBIs, playing first base and third base.

Other familiar names who became free agents were Dane Sardinha, Macay McBride, and Brent Clevlen.

If you've seen the term "BABIP" get bounced around from time to time in the comments and wondered what that was all about, Big League Stew provides a thorough explanation.

The Royals will add powder blue hats to their day-game ensemble next season. I think they should've gone back to the powder blue pants. Of course, you can't sell uniform pants to fans like you can sell hats.

An Uneasy Thanksgiving Coming Up For Edwin Jackson?

2009-11-19T20:46:21Z

Trade rumors surrounding Edwin Jackson aren't going away. They may even be picking up heat. USA Today's Bob Nightengale posted the latest rumblings he's been hearing on his Twitter feed:

Keep and eye on developing three-way trade talk with Tigers and Mariners and mystery team involving M's Brandon Morrow and Dets Jackson

If anything, this corroborates what Jon Paul Morosi and Ken Rosenthal reported at the beginning of the week. The Mariners are interested in Edwin Jackson, and the Tigers might be looking to get Morrow in return. Although a "mystery team" making this a possible three-way deal is a new development.

As something of a follow-up on ESPN's Rumor Central (Insider), there's an implication that this deal could end up setting the market for starting pitching this offseason. If the M's got Jackson, they wouldn't pursue a free agent like John Lackey or Rich Harden. But this would also establish a price for acquiring a starting pitcher in trade.

(Keith Law thinks highly of Jackson and believes that Morrow's problems with developing into a starter are due somewhat to mismanagement by former Seattle GM Bill Bavasi).

If the Tigers are going to make a deal, is it possible they'd make it before the Winter Meetings in the second week of December? A few days ago, Peter Gammons wrote that many general managers are still waiting to hear what their budgets are going to be for next year. So if Dave Dombrowski believes he can only work with what he already has, perhaps he needs to have payroll freed up before GMs get together in Indianapolis.

I guess we'll be keeping an eye out for a potential deal between now and December 7, when the Winter Meetings begin.

(Thanks to granderson28 for posting this in the comments of our last post.)

Playing With the Tigers' 40-Man Roster

2009-11-19T13:30:10Z

With major league teams having to finalize their 40-man rosters by Friday, the Detroit Tigers have some decisions to make about which players they want to protect and which to leave exposed for the Rule 5 Draft that takes place at the end of next month's Winter Meetings.

If you look at Detroit's current 40-man roster, you'll notice 42 names are listed. However, six of those names will be free agents as of Friday. That leaves four openings. But at least two of them are already spoken for, as Scott Sizemore and Ryan Strieby will need to be added.

(Jason Beck and Lynn Henning seem to be high on Brennan Boesch, who hit 28 homers for Double-A Erie this year. Me, I think he looks a bit like Number Two's son on The Prisoner. He could take up a third opening.)

So the Tigers will probably have to make some moves to create more room on the roster. Who else should go? And which prospects need to be protected?

At Mack Avenue Tigers, Kurt Mensching listed the players he thinks should go, and the ones that could stay. In his article on the subject, Beck also suggested a couple of other players Detroit could protect. (Just to clarify, players generally don't have to be protected until they've played four minor league seasons, which is why prospects such as Casey Crosby, Cody Satterwhite, or ~~Brett Jacobsen~~ Scott Green aren't being mentioned.)

[EDIT: Take 75 North's Matt Wallace reminds me that Jacobson was traded to Baltimore in the Aubrey Huff deal. My mistake. I keep trying to forget that trade ever took place.]

Almost two weeks ago, demondeaconsbaseball requested that we have a 40-man roster discussion thread, so this is probably the best time to do it. I know some are more familiar with the Tigers' minor league system than others. (I'm probably not as familiar with some prospects as I should be, either.) But I think plenty of you have an opinion on this.

Just to get the thread started, four names immediately stood out as players who could be cut when I looked over the roster. I'd send off Freddy Dolsi, Clay Rapada, Don Kelly, and Dontrelle Willis. (All but Willis have minor league options remaining, however, and could stay in the organization. As Kurt pointed out in his post, Eddie Bajek has listed who still has options at his blog, Detroit Tigers Thoughts.)

So what moves would you make? Is there anybody else you'd cut loose? Who's an important player for the Tigers to protect? Play with the 40-man roster!

Tigers Won't Increase Ticket Prices Next Season

2009-11-19T05:51:42Z

Tigers Won't Increase Ticket Prices Next Season

The Tigers announced a freeze on ticket prices today, also lowering the prices in certain sections for season tickets and individual game tickets.

The Lower Baseline Box (sections 112-114, 141-143) seats will be reduced by $7-9 and the Upper Baseline Box (sections 334-337) seats will be reduced by $5 next season.

5,800 seats will still be available for $12 or less. The highest ticket prices are $77 for premium games in the On-Deck Circle tickets ($70 regular). The lowest are the Skyline seats (section 345) for $5.

Evening Prowl: Voting Verlander, Ernie Harwell, and Granderson's Hitting

2009-11-18T22:00:13Z

MLive.com's Steve Kornacki was the one voter who put Justin Verlander on the top of his AL Cy Young Award ballot. (25 went to the winner, K.C.'s Zack Greinke, with two going to Seattle's Felix Hernandez.) Kornacki based his vote on Verlander showing toughness under pennant race pressure, something Greinke and Hernandez didn't have to worry about.

Jason Beck transcribed highlights from last night's interview between Bob Costas and Ernie Harwell on MLB Network (which I forgot to post a reminder about). As you might imagine, Harwell was warm, funny, and poignant. Perhaps the most impressive part of the interview was Ernie reciting his Hall of Fame induction speech completely from memory.

Unfortunately, I don't know when (or if) MLB Network will replay the show. If I find out anything (or if anyone else knows), I'll try to post that information (or any clips that pop up online) here.

UPDATE: Two clips are on now on MLB.com. In the first, Harwell remembers Jackie Robinson. The second is Ernie's Hall of Fame speech. (via True Blue L.A.)

At The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Bill Ferris tries to figure out why Curtis Granderson's batting average slid so far in 2009. Did he try to pull the ball too much, as some believe? Hit too many fly balls? Bill compares his spray charts over each of the last three seasons to get some answers.

Baseball Prospectus' Christina Kahrl got to vote for the AL Rookie of the Year, and explains her ballot in this article. She was one of eight who didn't vote for the Tigers' Rick Porcello.

(I have to admit, when I first heard about so many writers leaving Kid Rick off the ballot, I was baffled. But then I remembered that only three players go on the ballot. So while I don't necessarily agree with it, leaving Porcello off under those circumstances is more understandable. I'm kind of biased, of course.)

Matt Wallace chimes in on recent trade rumors at Take 75 North, and likes the idea that the Tigers are trying to get younger (and don't intend to trade away prospects for veterans). But he's not down with trading Curtis Granderson.

At Baseball Musings, David Pinto is writing profiles for the 968 players who pitched at least 20 innings or had 50 at-bats in the major leagues last year, going from "A" to "Z." Yesterday, Tigers catcher Alex Avila was featured.

Chris Jaffe of the Hardball Times has written a book called Evaluating Baseball's Managers, 1876-2008, which will be available in December. You can read an excerpt about former Tigers manager Billy Martin at the HT website, which includes how hard he rode pitchers such as Mickey Lolich.

Talking Chop knows it won't happen, but would love to see the Braves (and their surplus of starting pitching) make a run at Miguel Cabrera.

Brew Crew Ball has a trade suggestion between the Tigers and Brewers (fueled largely by the idea of trimming payroll), but I don't think any Tigers fans would be on board with this one.

The general manager of the Tigers' Class A Lakeland team, Zach Burek, was interviewed by A Penny's Worth about the business of running a minor league franchise and the considerations that need to be made for the offseason, weather, etc.

(via The Detroit Tigers Weblog)

The Minnesota Twins will be sporting some fancy new threads to go along with their new ballpark next season. Big League Stew has a look at the retro 1961 uniforms that will be worn on Opening Day and home Saturday ballgames. The Twins will also get new road uniforms, which also have a bit of a retro touch.

No Fire Sale? Media Links Closers to Tigers

2009-11-18T17:20:15Z

This might qualify as a news flash: a couple of writers in the traditional baseball media aren't suggesting the Tigers trade off players to reduce payroll (or subsidize the Yankees and Red Sox). Instead, they think Detroit should stay in contention by adding a key piece to their bullpen.

First, FOXSports.com's Dayn Perry lists 10 moves that teams should make this offseason to improve themselves. His suggestion for the Tigers? Sign Billy Wagner:

Detroit is in contending mode, so the wise play would be to resist the temptation to sell off and instead take calculated risks. Since the AL Central is so winnable (and since the Tigers came within a hairsbreadth of a division title this past season), tweaks at the margins might be enough. One tweak could be adding Wagner.

(Thanks to SabreRoseTiger for posting this in the comments yesterday.)

Wagner missed most of the season with an elbow injury, pitching in only 17 games. But after he recovered (and was traded by the Mets), he posted a 1.58 ERA and 22 strikeouts in 13.4 innings for the Red Sox.

Given his injury history and age (Wagner will turn 39 next season), perhaps he'd be looking for a lower-cost, one-or-two-year deal on the free agent market.

The other suggestion is made by USA Today's Paul White, who lists the top 10 free agents and predicts where they'll end up. White's destination for Jose Valverde? Your Detroit Tigers.

More closers are on the market than teams willing to commit significant money for one. That gives the Houston Astros a shot at keeping him. In the end, a contender takes the plunge.

(Hat tip to Bill Ferris for passing this along.)

I don't think we have a match here. Yes, the Tigers want a veteran closer. And Valverde is the top one available. However, he's also a free agent for the first time, and will surely be looking to cash in. (He made $8 million last season to avoid arbitration.) That doesn't fit how the Tigers apparently want to do business this winter (nor was it their approach last year).

But if, as White believes, there aren't that many teams looking for a top-tier ninth-inning reliever, maybe Valverde would be willing to take a shorter, cheaper contract and try free agency again when the market improves. That didn't happen last year, however, and it probably won't this time around.

Valverde pitched in 52 games for the Astros this season, racking up 25 saves in 29 opportunities, along with a 4-2 record and 2.33 ERA. He struck out 56 batters and walked 21 in 54 innings, his lowest totals in three years. Ankle and calf injuries kept him out early in the season.

So while it might be refreshing to get a break from the fire sale scenarios that so much of the baseball media seems to be envisioning for Detroit, are these realistic options for the Tigers? Can they make these moves without dealing off some of the players that have been discussed?

Justin Verlander Finishes 3rd in AL Cy Young Award Vote

2009-11-18T01:35:36Z

Justin Verlander Finishes 3rd in AL Cy Young Award Vote

For the second day in a row, a Detroit Tigers pitcher finishes third in voting for a postseason award.

The Royals' Zack Greinke won the AL Cy Young Award, receiving 25 of 28 first-place votes. Seattle's Felix Hernandez finished second, getting two first-place votes.

Verlander finished a distant third, but did receive one first-place vote. That was from MLive.com's Steve Kornacki.

Mariners Interested in Edwin Jackson

2009-11-17T15:10:14Z

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

Edwin Jackson is definitely drawing interest around baseball, if the Detroit Tigers are truly interested in trading him. The Seattle Mariners are the latest team to inquire.

Browse more photos »

If the Detroit Tigers are serious about trading pitcher Edwin Jackson, add the Seattle Mariners to the list of teams that would like a shot at getting him.

According to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi (I wonder if they have a desk in which they sit across from each other), the Tigers and M's have been exchanging some names back and forth. However, the talks are reportedly "not all that serious."

But there have been discussions. And within them, Dave Dombrowski is looking for "minimum salary pitching," according to the source for the story. Two of the names suggested by Rosenthal and Morosi are Brandon Morrow and Shawn Kelley.

When healthy, Morrow has a great arm. But staying healthy has been a problem for him. This season, he pitched in only 26 games for Seattle, sitting down with forearm and shoulder injuries. The Mariners have also tried to figure out what role best suits Morrow. He throws hard enough (98 m.p.h.) to be an excellent late-inning option, and looks like closer material. Yet he might not have an arm suited for pitching multiple games in a row.

So Morrow might be better as a starting pitcher. Yet he might not have the stamina nor pitching repertoire for that role, either. Morrow is mostly a fastball-slider guy, and is trying to add a curveball and/or change-up to his arsenal.

Kelley is solely a reliever, also sporting the same fastball-slider combo, though he doesn't throw as hard as Morrow. But he also fought injury problems this season, missing approximately 50 games with a strained oblique muscle.

But this scenario once again raises the question of how exactly this would make the Tigers better. While Detroit might lack an established closer, bullpen depth is not a weakness in the organization. The Tigers have several young relievers, some of whom might be ready to make meaningful contributions next season. Trading Jackson would leave a hole in their starting rotation that this suggested trade wouldn't fill. Yet if the goal is primarily to reduce payroll (which is the premise fueling all of these rumors), then that would be accomplished.

Rosenthal and Morosi also write that the Mariners are interested in Curtis Granderson, though it wasn't clear whether Seattle had the resources to make that kind of deal happen. The M's already have Franklin Gutierrez in centerfield, however, and a handful of young outfielders who can play in left, so this may just have been an inquiry into what the Tigers are looking for.

That's a question I think we'd all like to know the answer to right now.

Rick Porcello Finishes 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year Vote

2009-11-16T19:35:50Z

Rick Porcello Finishes 3rd in AL Rookie of the Year Vote

Jason Beck reports on his blog that Detroit Tigers rookie pitcher Rick Porcello finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Oakland closer Andrew Bailey (13 first-place votes) was the winner (which, to me, is kind of a surprise). Texas shortstop Elvis Andrus finished second.

Porcello received seven first-place votes, but eight writers left him off their ballot entirely.

Trade Miguel Cabrera? Whatchoo Talkin' 'Bout, Ken Rosenthal?

2009-11-16T18:05:29Z

More photos » by Carlos Osorio - AP

Miguel Cabrera looks perplexed. Is it because he read Ken Rosenthal's column this weekend at FOXSports.com, with a perplexing trade suggestion?

Browse more photos »

Up until this weekend, I thought the most absurd rumor surrounding the Detroit Tigers was that Brandon Inge was available for trade.

I'm not saying the idea of trading Inge is absurd. And Jon Heyman was presumably just passing along what he heard at last week's GM meetings. But what is another team going to give up for a near-$7 million player who hit under .190 in the second half of the season, largely due to two bad knees that just required surgery?

However, Ken Rosenthal's suggestion that the Tigers trade Miguel Cabrera to the Boston Red Sox for Jonathan Papelbon, Mike Lowell, and a minor leaguer might be even more senseless.

Rosenthal admits he was just "thinking out loud," doing what all baseball writers and fans tend to do at this time of year. And the idea of trading Cabrera in itself isn't crazy. If you believe the Tigers are considering trading Curtis Granderson or Edwin Jackson to help trim payroll, it stands to reason that their most expensive player might get shopped around too.

(That is, if you believe Dave Dombrowski is really trying to cut Detroit's payroll down. I think there's been a misunderstanding about his offseason intentions, because this doesn't really add up. Yet it fits the popular meme that much of the baseball media has been trying to promote about the Tigers since the economy collapsed last year, so it keeps getting pushed out there.

Yes, Detroit is more than likely limited by its payroll, which is why Dombrowski is exploring these options. If the team doesn't have the money to improve itself through free agency, trades are the only recourse he has. And the only players he can trade are those other teams want.)

But how exactly would the Tigers' payroll benefit from taking on the salaries of Papelbon and Lowell? Long-term, yes, their obligation to pay Cabrera's contract would be gone. But in the short term, they'd actually be paying more money, and for two players they arguably don't even need.

Yes, the Tigers would prefer a veteran closer, and will have to pay for one. And Papelbon is a very good closer. But for the salary they'd have to give him ($8-10 million), they could afford a lower-cost option and still address other needs on the roster. Re-signing Brandon Lyon or Fernando Rodney would fit in that category.

Where exactly would Lowell play? In Rosenthal's scenario, presumably at first base, replacing Cabrera. But Lowell has played less than 120 games for the past two seasons, hitting 17 home runs each o those years. They couldn't get that kind of production out of Jeff Larish - or maybe even Ryan Strieby - at a fraction of the cost? Taking on Lowell would just be doing the Red Sox a favor. How would that make the Tigers better?

If Dombrowski traded an elite hitter like Cabrera, he'd spend the rest of his life trying to get him back. It's why he gave up so much to get him (along with taking on Dontrelle Willis) in the first place. It's why he was willing to stand by Cabrera after picking him up from the police station on the morning of October 3. Players like Cabrera don't come around very often, and the Tigers are a far better team with him than without him (or with whatever they could get for him in a trade).

Both Mack Avenue Tigers and Tigers Tracks look at the folly of this thinking in further detail.

What bugs me more about this whole scenario is that if a blogger threw a trade suggestion like this out there, he or she would almost surely be ridiculed by their peers and readers.

Rosenthal himself might go on TV and shake his head with disgust at the irresponsibility of the writer, like he did back in June. Because the unlikelihood of this suggestion - along with the fact it's based on guessing, and not actual reporting - makes it extremely difficult to take seriously. And Rosenthal is supposed to be someone baseball fans (and Rosenthal's colleagues in the media) hold to such a standard.

"I don’t know, but I think Rick Porcello probably should win it. At 20 years old, or 21, to do what ...

2009-11-16T15:30:44Z

"I don’t know, but I think Rick Porcello probably should win it. At 20 years old, or 21, to do what he did—even if you take the numbers out, and look at the performances he had, he had a big performance in that last game that they played in. And to win 14 games at his age, it was pretty special to do that. It’s not easy to go up there and do that against hitters in the big leagues.

"So, if I had a vote, other than me, obviously, it would definitely be him. It would definitely be him. We faced each other in our first game, and to see him mature over the year, including when we faced each other a second time, and listening to guys talk about his stuff, he’s just pretty special."

-- Toronto's Ricky Romero, asked by Baseball Prospectus' David Laurila about the AL Rookie of the Year vote, which will be announced today.

(Hat tip to allikazoo)

Verlander and Cabrera Have DIBS on Tigers Awards

2009-11-16T05:05:11Z

More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP

With 19 wins and 269 strikeouts among his many impressive stats, Justin Verlander was voted Tigers Pitcher of the Year and Most Improved Player by the Detroit Independent Baseball Scribes for 2009.

Browse more photos »

After a two-year hiatus, the Detroit Independent Baseball Scribes (or "DIBS") have reunited to nominate their choices for the top Detroit Tigers performers of the season

DIBS is a grouping of blogs and websites that cover the Tigers. The endeavor was originally created by Brian Borawski, Bill Ferris, and Ryan Sosin, who wanted to gather the various fans and writers producing non-traditional Detroit sports coverage online. There wasn't an awards vote last year, but Kurt Mensching wanted to get the band back together this year, adding the many new blogs and writers that now regularly contribute to the Tigers blogosphere. Kudos to him for taking this on.

The categories are for Hitter of the Year, Pitcher of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player. And the winners are as follows:

Tigers Hitter of the Year: Miguel Cabrera

One of two unanimous choices in this year's voting, there was really no competition for this award. With a .324/.396/.547 average with 34 home runs and 103 RBIs, Cabrera put together a fine season overall. And on a team whose lineup struggled all year, those numbers stand out even more. No, it wasn't perfect. Cabrera seemed to disappear in several big games and series. And of course, there were the unfortunate events of October 3. But no one else was as consistent a threat throughout the year.

Tigers Pitcher of the Year: Justin Verlander

Once again, a unanimous choice. The Tigers wouldn't have been in a pennant race, let alone played in a one-game tiebreaker for the AL Central, without Verlander putting together a Cy Young Award caliber season. He led the majors in strikeouts (by a notable margin in the AL), and was one of four pitchers to finish with 19 wins. It was the dominant season expected of him, and had the Tigers' lineup provided better offensive support, those numbers would have been even more impressive.

Breakout Player of the Year: Rick Porcello

A 20-year-old rookie who was expected to pitch in Double-A to begin the season ended up the Tigers' second-best pitcher and the starter for their most important game of the year. If that's not a breakout season, what is? Porcello wasn't a unanimous choice, with votes going to Ryan Raburn and Edwin Jackson. And I understand those choices.. But at this time last year, I don't know if Porcello was even projected to be on the major league roster for 2009.

Most Improved Player: Justin Verlander

A jump from 11 wins to 19? A drop in ERA from 4.84 to 3.45? An increase of 39 innings pitched? And how about an increase in strikeouts from 163 to 269? Any of those improvements by themselves might have warranted Verlander getting this award. But he did all of the above. Verlander won 11 of 20 votes, with Fernando Rodney, Raburn, Brandon Inge, Brandon Lyon, Jackson, and Ramon Santiago also receiving consideration.

Each of the websites that participated in this year's DIBS voting are listed after the jump:

Bless You Boys -- Ian Casselberry
Daily Fungo -- Mike McClary
DesigNate Robertson -- Scott Rogowski
Detroit Tigers Den -- Austin Drake
Detroit Tigers Weblog -- Bill Ferris
Eye of the Tigers -- J. Ellet Lambie
Fire Jim Leyland -- Mike Rogers
It's Just Sports -- Patrick Hayes
Jamie Samuelsen's Blog (Freep.com) -- Jamie Samuelsen
Mack Avenue Tigers -- Kurt Mensching
The Cutoff Man (MLive.com) -- James Schmehl and Scott Warheit
Old English D -- Jennifer Cosey
Roar of the Tigers -- Samara Pearlstein
Spot Starters -- Blake VandeBunte
Take 75 North -- Matt Wallace
Tigers Amateur Analysis -- Erin Saelzler
Tigerblog -- Brian Borawski
Tiger Geist -- John Brunn
Tiger Tales -- Lee Panas
Tiger Tracks -- John Parent
Where Have You Gone, Johnny Grubb? -- Greg Eno

Weekend Prowl: Hendry Wants Grandy, What Dombrowski Wants, Arizona Fall League, and the Tiger of the Year

2009-11-15T14:00:27Z

The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers heard from a source close to the Cubs that said general manager Jim Hendry is "absolutely" interested a package full of prospects to the Tigers for Curtis Granderson. (And really, if he wasn't, would Hendry be doing his job?)

The key word in Rogers' second paragraph, however, is "if." If Dave Dombrowski is willing to trade Granderson, Hendry wants a shot at him.

(via MLB Trade Rumors)

At The LoHud Yankees Blog, Sam Borden doesn't think Granderson is necessarily a fit for the World Series champs. And if the Tigers want Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain in a deal, he believes the Yanks should pass.

That kind of pitching might be exactly what Dombrowski is looking for, judging from what Brewers GM Doug Melvin told the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel about conversations regarding Edwin Jackson.

As Jason Beck points out, that's more than just seeing what other teams have to offer. But it might also indicate that these trades aren't being considered simply to reduce payroll.

The Detroit Tigers Weblog posted some Arizona Fall League updates. Reliever Robbie Weinhardt and outfielder Casper Wells continue to be standouts. (Wells left Thursday's game after legging out an infield hit, but turned out to be fine.)

The Washington Nationals could have an opening at shortstop (they'd like to move Cristian Guzman over to second base), and one of the guys on their wish list to fill it is Adam Everett, according to Ken Rosenthal and Jon Paul Morosi. The note makes it sound, however, as if the Nats' first choice is Alex Gonzalez.

For all those Tigers fans who hope Placido Polanco doesn't end up with the Minnesota Twins next season, maybe you shouldn't read this post at Twins Target. Andrew Kneeland is another Twins blogger who thinks Polanco would be a great fit for them, giving them a #2 hitter they've rarely had.

Speaking of Everett, Jeff Zimmerman at Beyond the Box Score projects him to be the leader in UZR at shortstop for 2010.

(via @MackAveTigers on Twitter)

This is a few days old, but if the Tigers are truly interested in trading Jackson, Bucs Dugout wants the Pirates to get in on that action (and thinks closer Matt Capps, along with a couple of prospects, could do it).

At The Spot Starters, Blake VandeBunte has been ranking the Top 109 Seasons in Detroit Tigers history. Team 92 on his list is the 1999 Tigers. Reading through Blake's post, I recalled quite a bit of affection for that squad. Maybe because it was the last team to play in Tiger Stadium?

ESPN.com's Keith Law made his picks for five of the six postseason awards (Insider). (He passed on the NL Cy Young, because he actually cast a ballot in that vote.) Tigers fans will probably agree with his choice for AL Rookie of the Year.

Lost in all the trade rumor and speculation that unexpectedly exploded this week? Justin Verlander was unanimously voted Tiger of the Year by the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America.

Jayson Stark wonders if Cliff Lee was the greatest trade deadline starting pitcher acquisition ever (Insider). If he was listing the worst, where might Jarrod Washburn rank?

"My personal feeling is that Detroit is not going to trade Curtis Granderson. He’s like (...

2009-11-14T15:08:57Z

"My personal feeling is that Detroit is not going to trade Curtis Granderson. He’s like (Cleveland’s) Grady Sizemore. They don’t come along very often and Detroit is blessed to have him.

"If you let a guy like that go, you have to have a replacement, and the Tigers don’t have that player in their system at the higher minor league levels.

"And then, you have to look if it’s being done because the club is financially strapped like Minnesota was when Torii Hunter (left as free agent) and Johan Santana (traded) moved on. Go ahead and look at Granderson’s contract and tell me it’s a problem."

An anonymous American League executive, talking to MLive.com's Steve Kornacki

Interest in Curtis Granderson? Oh, Yes

2009-11-13T18:45:10Z

More photos » by Danny Moloshok - AP

Curtis Granderson hits really well at Angel Stadium in Anaheim. Might he be wearing the home whites for the Angels next season?

Browse more photos »

If Dave Dombrowski wanted to see what kind of interest he could draw for Curtis Granderson this week, he most certainly accomplished that objective. He may have opened a floodgate worth of interest.

Add the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim to the list of teams that would like a shot at Granderson this offseason. According to Newsday's Ken Davidoff, the Angels and Tigers have had discussions about a possible deal. Davidoff also cites a friend of Granderson's, who said he'd love to play for the Yankees. (Here's a link to the article, but Newsday keeps its content behind a paywall now. I bet Davidoff is thrilled.)

If the Angels were somehow able to get Granderson, he'd likely defer centerfield to Torii Hunter and play in left. Grandy has mentioned in the past how much he enjoys hitting at Angel Stadium. And the numbers back him up. In 21 games at Anaheim, he's batted .353/.415/.718, with eight homers and 12 RBIs.

And if Granderson isn't really an everyday player, as Keith Law said on ESPN.com, because of how badly he hits left-handed pitching (.183/.245/.239), the Angels have Juan Rivera on hand to platoon with him.

But in Tiger Town, we don't really want to hear about why Granderson is so appealing to other teams, do we?

Having said that, what could be going through Dombrowski's mind as his GM counterparts seemingly line up to make offers for the Tigers centerfielder? Is he thinking about how much Grandy might be able to yield in a trade? Or is he interpreting that interest as affirmation that Granderson is the type of player that the Tigers should keep around?

Everyone loves Curtis, it seems. This winter, he could be the belle of the ball, trade-wise.

Both of Grandy's hometown teams would love to have him. The Chicago Tribune's Phil Rogers says the Cubs "must do everything possible to get" Granderson. ESPNChicago's Bruce Levine says he'd be a good fit for the White Sox, too. But really, what are the chances the Tigers would trade him within the division?

If Granderson could hit 30 home runs (the fourth-most by a left-handed hitter in the AL this season) playing at Comerica Park, Joel Sherman wonders, how many would he hit with Yankee Stadium as his home ballpark?

Also, with the Yankees' seemingly limitless payroll, would trading Granderson provide an opportunity for the Tigers to piggyback one of their bad contracts onto a deal? If the Yankees took on Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordonez, or Nate Robertson, however, they wouldn't be getting as much back, in terms of prospects. What would be more important, at this point?

(Thanks to peazgrl for posting this in the FanShots.)

Buster Olney adds the Red Sox, Mets, and Orioles to the list of possible suitors for Granderson. But could his bat splits against lefties affect what the Tigers could get for him?

UPDATE: MLB.com's Lyle Spencer thinks Edwin Jackson is a more likely trade target for the Angels, if they end up losing John Lackey through free agency.

Phillies Looking at Polanco to Play Third Base

2009-11-13T14:00:38Z

More photos » by Hector Mata - AP

Placido Polanco is willing to move his Gold Glove over to third base, if it's for a contending team.

Browse more photos »

Could Placido Polanco play third base for the Phillies next season?

The Philadelphia Inquirer's Jim Salisbury reports that Polanco is one of three players the National League champs are looking at to take over for Pedro Feliz. (Chone Figgins is out of their price range, apparently.)

Polanco played for the Phillies from 2002 to 2005, before coming to the Tigers in a trade for Ugueth Urbina. He was the Cardinals' primary third baseman from 2001 to 2002, and as part of the deal that send Scott Rolen to St. Louis, he took over for Rolen at that position. Overall, he played 95 games at third for the Phillies before getting moved over to second base.

Despite just winning a Gold Glove for his play at second base, Salisbury reports that Polanco is willing to move to third base if it's for a playoff contender. The Phillies would prefer to sign Polanco to a one-or-two year contract, close to the $4.6 million he made this year with Detroit.

You'd think Polanco could get a raise (even if it's a small one), given the season he just had, along with the market for second basemen. But playing for a team that could make another World Series run would obviously have an appeal.

Looking at this through Tiger-striped glasses, however, watching Polanco play third base for another team would drive me temporarily nuts. I understand that his career in Detroit is likely over. That's not my problem. I think letting Scott Sizemore take over at second next year is the right baseball move.

But near the trade deadline, it appeared that the Tigers were looking at players who could possibly fill in for the increasingly aching and injured Brandon Inge at third base. Guys such as Marco Scutaro and Freddy Sanchez. A solution may have already been on their roster, yet the option was never even discussed. Would the Tigers' late-season offense have had a bit more punch, had Polanco been moved over to third, with Ramon Santiago taking over at second? Or perhaps giving Sizemore the September call-up he deserved?

Maybe Detroit thought their defense at third would suffer. But the Phillies sure seem to think they'd be okay with Polanco over there.

2009 SBN Baseball Awards: AL Most Valuable Player

2009-11-12T17:00:36Z

This week, we've been posting the results for each of Major League Baseball's regular season awards, as voted upon by the SB Nation baseball bloggers. On Monday, the Manager of the Year awards went to the Angels' Mike Scioscia and the Rockies' Jim Tracy. Tuesday, the Rookie of the Year winners were the Rangers' Elvis Andrus and the Braves' Tommy Hanson. And yesterday, the Cy Young Awards went to the Royals' Zack Greinke and the Giants' Tim Lincecum.

But today is the big trophy. M-V-P! M-V-P! M-V-P!

The 2009 SBN balloting for the American League Most Valuable Player can be seen after the jump:

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Pts
1	Joe Mauer	Minnesota Twins	24	3	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	371
2	Ben Zobrist	Tampa Bay Rays	-	10	6	2	2	1	-	1	-	-	172
3	Mark Teixeira	New York Yankees	2	3	2	4	3	2	7	1	-	-	158
4	Derek Jeter	New York Yankees	1	5	3	4	4	2	1	1	2	1	157
5	Evan Longoria	Tampa Bay Rays	-	2	4	1	2	3	2	3	2	1	106
6	Zack Greinke	Kansas City Royals	2	3	2	1	1	-	2	-	-	-	92
7	Miguel Cabrera	Detroit Tigers	-	-	3	1	2	4	-	2	-	5	74
8	Kevin Youkilis	Boston Red Sox	-	2	-	-	1	3	1	8	1	-	69
9	Chone Figgins	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	-	3	4	1	-	1	3	1	60
10	Jason Bay	Boston Red Sox	-	1	-	4	2	-	-	1	-	2	54
11	Kendry Morales	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	4	-	-	1	-	-	1	-	39
12	Ichiro Suzuki	Seattle Mariners	-	-	1	-	2	-	1	2	2	3	37
13	Franklin Gutierrez	Seattle Mariners	-	-	-	1	1	1	3	-	1	2	34
14	Justin Verlander	Detroit Tigers	-	-	-	2	1	1	1	-	1	1	32
15	Felix Hernandez	Seattle Mariners	-	-	-	2	-	-	1	3	2	-	31
16	Jason Bartlett	Tampa Bay Rays	-	-	1	1	1	-	-	-	-	1	22
17	Alex Rodriguez	New York Yankees	-	-	1	-	1	-	1	-	-	-	18
18	Roy Halladay	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	1	-	1	1	-	-	-	16
19	Adam Lind	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	-	1	4	16
20	Dustin Pedroia	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	4	1	13
21	Bobby Abreu	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	1	-	12
22	Aaron Hill	Toronto Blue Jays	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	-	-	12
23	Mariano Rivera	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	1	9
24	Torii Hunter	Los Angeles Angels	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	8
25	Brian Roberts	Baltimore Orioles	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	-	-	7
26	CC Sabathia	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	-	6
27	Carl Crawford	Tampa Bay Rays	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	6
28	J.D. Drew	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
29	Jon Lester	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
30	Jonathan Papelbon	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
31	Robinson Cano	New York Yankees	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
32	Victor Martinez	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	5
33	Michael Cuddyer	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
34	Shin-Soo Choo	Cleveland Indians	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
35	Michael Young	Texas Rangers	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	3
36	Jacoby Ellsbury	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
37	Jason Kubel	Minnesota Twins	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	2
38	Alex Gonzalez	Boston Red Sox	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
39	Nick Markakis	Baltimore Orioles	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1

Picking 10 guys on the ballot seems crazy to me, but that's how the Baseball Writers Association of America voters do it. And I suppose it provides a chance to acknowledge those who also had great seasons.

Here's how I voted:

Joe Mauer
Kevin Youkilis
Derek Jeter
Justin Verlander
Kendry Morales
Ben Zobrist
Mark Teixeira
Miguel Cabrera
Michael Young
Jason Bay

Did Cabrera slide down my ballot after the events of October 3? Yes. But I don't know if I would've put him much higher than I eventually did. Maybe fifth. I don't think I'd have put him ahead of Morales. I wonder how many other voters put him in 10th place in light of what happened?

Here are the National League results:

Rk	Player	Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	5th	6th	7th	8th	9th	10th	Pts
1	Albert Pujols	St. Louis Cardinals	31	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	434
2	Hanley Ramirez	Florida Marlins	-	6	8	11	2	1	2	-	-	-	220
3	Chase Utley	Philadelphia Phillies	-	7	11	2	3	1	-	1	-	1	192
4	Prince Fielder	Milwaukee Brewers	-	5	4	4	7	7	1	-	-	-	186
5	Troy Tulowitzki	Colorado Rockies	-	4	1	5	2	3	3	4	1	2	134
6	Tim Lincecum	San Francisco Giants	-	4	1	-	1	2	2	3	1	-	79
7	Ryan Howard	Philadelphia Phillies	-	4	-	1	4	1	-	-	3	1	79
8	Ryan Zimmerman	Washington Nationals	-	-	1	3	3	3	3	1	-	2	79
9	Adrian Gonzalez	San Diego Padres	-	-	1	-	3	3	2	4	3	4	71
10	Pablo Sandoval	San Francisco Giants	-	-	-	1	2	2	2	3	4	3	57
11	Matt Kemp	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	-	1	1	1	1	5	3	-	1	56
12	Ryan Braun	Milwaukee Brewers	-	-	2	-	-	2	2	1	1	-	39
13	Chris Carpenter	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	-	-	2	1	1	-	1	2	25
14	Derrek Lee	Chicago Cubs	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	1	3	2	25
15	Andre Ethier	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	-	-	-	1	2	2	-	-	-	24
16	Adam Wainwright	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	-	1	-	-	1	1	4	1	23
17	Javier Vazquez	Atlanta Braves	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2	1	16
18	Matt Holliday	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	1	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	12
19	Joey Votto	Cincinnati Reds	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	11
20	Mark Reynolds	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	1	2	10
21	Todd Helton	Colorado Rockies	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	7
22	Jayson Werth	Philadelphia Phillies	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1	1	6
23	Adam Dunn	Washington Nationals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	3	5
24	Juan Pierre	Los Angeles Dodgers	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	-	4
25	Justin Upton	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4
26	Raul Ibanez	Philadelphia Phillies	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4
27	Ubaldo Jimenez	Colorado Rockies	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	1	4
28	Brian McCann	Atlanta Braves	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	4
29	Dan Haren	Arizona Diamondbacks	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2	-	4
30	Michael Bourn	Houston Astros	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3
31	Yadier Molina	St. Louis Cardinals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	-	-	3
32	Nyjer Morgan	Washington Nationals	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1
33	Yunel Escobar	Atlanta Braves	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1	1

Brandon Inge on the Trade Block, Too?

2009-11-12T02:25:47Z

Okay, this may be getting out of hand now. First, the Detroit Tigers let it be known that Edwin Jackson was available for trade. Then, Curtis Granderson was also dangled out there for interested teams. And now, perhaps Brandon Inge is being offered up, as well?

That's what SI.com's Jon Heyman posted on his Twitter feed, reporting from the GM meetings in Chicago:

#tigers surprise sale: brandon inge may be available, as well as curtis granderson and edwin jackson, sources say

This one is a bit more difficult to believe. You can see why other teams would be interested in picking up a starting pitcher like Jackson or a centerfielder like Granderson. And the Tigers should see what they might be able to get for those players in trade.

But Inge? Sure, he brings a glove, one of the best in the league at third base. And since the Tigers don't seem to have anyone who could replace him at that position, Inge might be more valuable to Detroit than to any team they could trade him to.

Yet he swings a bat that's hit under .240 for three straight seasons (and under .260 for four). And as this rumor is being floated out there, Inge is sitting in two straight-legged casts, unable to put weight on his feet after having surgeries on both of his knees.

Inge is also coming off a year in which he hit 27 home runs and drove in 84 runs. Had he not developed patellar tendinitis in both of his knees, who knows what those final numbers would've been? He ended up batting .186/.260/.281 in the second half of the season, with six homers and 26 RBIs.

One more year remains on Inge's contract, in which he's set to be paid $6.6 million.

Could Curtis Granderson Be Available For Trade, As Well?

2009-11-11T22:01:08Z

More photos » by Duane Burleson - AP

What might the Detroit Tigers get in return for Curtis Granderson in a trade? It appears they're interested in finding that out.

Browse more photos »

If the Detroit Tigers are making Edwin Jackson available for trade offers in hopes of trimming payroll, should it be a surprise that they could be doing the same with centerfielder Curtis Granderson?

The New York Post's Joel Sherman heard from a National League executive (Lynn Henning in disguise?) that the Tigers are dangling Granderson around baseball, telling teams that he could be theirs in return for the right trade package. And as someone who covers the Yankees, Sherman believes the World Series champions might be extremely interested.

(via MLB Trade Rumors)

The Yankees will very likely have a vacancy in the outfield with Johnny Damon's contract expiring. And along with the seemingly imminent departure of Hideki Matsui, Sherman thinks Granderson would provide a much needed left-handed bat. Not to mention that he'd be an upgrade over Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner in centerfield.

Sherman did clarify in his report, however, that the Tigers don't want to trade Granderson or Jackson. But as we said in last night's post about Jackson, you can only trade players other teams want. And no one wants any of the bad contracts Detroit would love to shear off their bloated payroll. So if the Tigers need to make a deal to fit players they need under their budget, maybe it's worth checking out what other teams might offer in return.

What could be in this for the Tigers? If they want to shed some payroll, Granderson is scheduled to be paid $5.5 million next year (and $25.75 million over the next three seasons, with a $13 million option for 2013). Perhaps Detroit is also worried about his regression at the plate this season, especially against left-handed pitching, and just isn't sure he can turn it around.

Granderson hit .183/.245/.239 against lefties this year. (There's a word for that, and "good" isn't one of them.) He also had a .234 batting average in August and September combined. And while he did hit eight home runs in that same span (and 30 for the season), that's probably indicative of an approach far too inconsistent (and strikeout-prone) from someone expected to be one of the Tigers' best hitters. For the year, he batted .249/.327/.453.

But it's not just about the bat with Granderson. He provides excellent outfield defense (though it didn't look that way at times, late in the season), in arguably one of the more difficult centerfields to play in the majors. UZR ranks him among the top centerfielders in baseball.

That's not something easily replaceable. Especially when there don't appear to be any suitable replacements in the minors. (Maybe Casper Wells disagrees with that.) A replacement centerfielder might be part of the return trade package, of course. Sherman names Austin Jackson as a top prospect that the Yankees would presumably give up in a Granderson deal.

You're also talking about someone who's made an impressive effort to help out the local community. Granderson won the Marvin Miller Man of the Year Award for the work he's put in with his Grand Kids Foundation, as well as through the Detroit Tigers Foundation, to raise funds that help provide books, supplies, and athletic equipment to inner city schools in Detroit and throughout Michigan.

Those efforts might not be tireless, unfortunately, as Lynn Henning and Jim Leyland both raised concerns that Granderson wore himself down with his off-field work, and perhaps needs to devote more of his focus to baseball.

No, that charity work might not result in wins on the field (and ultimately, maybe that's what matters most). But you'd like to think that sort of thing goes a long way toward a team ingratiating itself with a community, and building some support and devotion among fans. Trading a player who's arguably the face of the team to many fans (especially the young ones Granderson helps) isn't something that should be taken lightly. Surely, the Tigers know that.

Once again, this raises the worst fears about next year's budget. What exactly are the Tigers looking to do? What figure are they looking at? On one hand, I'd like to say this is smart business, looking to see what a marketable young player might yield in return. On the other, it sends a pretty bad message to your fanbase.