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Some More Thoughts On Granderson Trade
- My biggest issue is the Tigers doing this after giving Ordonez his $18 million option. Granderson will make $5.5 million next season. His contract is not out of line. So the Tigers are carrying a number of ill-advised contracts, so they dump one of their better players in his prime.
- For all that is being made of Granderson’s failure’s to hit left-handers, did anyone notice Austin Jackson is a right-handed hitter? Who is going to hit left-handed in that lineup? Other than a couple video clips, and in this year’s Triple-A All Star game, I have never seen Jackson play.
I do wonder why, though, if he is so good, why the Yankees didn’t just plug him into their lineup.
Don’t say they haven’t done it with young players before, They have. Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano, in addition to rebuilding their bullpen around young arms.
- Granderson didn’t have his best season last year, but the notion he had a "bad" year just isn’t true.
- I don’t understand why Arizona made this trade. Max Scherzer has star potential. And soon.
- I still anticipate the Tigers being in the American League Central race. There is a chance their starting pitching could be dominant. It is the most important facet of the game. And the division stinks. But a key for their staff is defense. Who is going to be playing outfield at spacious Comerica Park behind these guys? Magglio in right, Guillen in left and Raburn in center? Ouch. Phil Coke is pretty good and should help the bullpen, but it is still a work in progress.
- One of the things I’ve come to understand about baseball is the value of a genuine major league player. In an average season, Curtis Granderson, who will only be 29 next season, produces 25 home runs, 72 RBI (as a leadoff hitter), 14 triples and 30 doubles. Despite what I’ve read from a couple anonymous scouts the last couple days, he at least plays above-average center field. It’s very difficult to draft and procure that type of player. When you get one, you keep him. You don’t just hand him to the Yankees. Maybe Austin Jackson will be a quality major league player. I am not saying he won’t be. I’m talking about the odds. Right now he has a chance, but it’s just a chance. He is far from a sure thing. Curtis Granderson is a proven commodity.
- For all that is being made of Granderson’s failure’s to hit left-handers, did anyone notice Austin Jackson is a right-handed hitter? Who is going to hit left-handed in that lineup? Other than a couple video clips, and in this year’s Triple-A All Star game, I have never seen Jackson play.
I do wonder why, though, if he is so good, why the Yankees didn’t just plug him into their lineup.
Don’t say they haven’t done it with young players before, They have. Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano, in addition to rebuilding their bullpen around young arms.
- Granderson didn’t have his best season last year, but the notion he had a "bad" year just isn’t true.
- I don’t understand why Arizona made this trade. Max Scherzer has star potential. And soon.
- I still anticipate the Tigers being in the American League Central race. There is a chance their starting pitching could be dominant. It is the most important facet of the game. And the division stinks. But a key for their staff is defense. Who is going to be playing outfield at spacious Comerica Park behind these guys? Magglio in right, Guillen in left and Raburn in center? Ouch. Phil Coke is pretty good and should help the bullpen, but it is still a work in progress.
- One of the things I’ve come to understand about baseball is the value of a genuine major league player. In an average season, Curtis Granderson, who will only be 29 next season, produces 25 home runs, 72 RBI (as a leadoff hitter), 14 triples and 30 doubles. Despite what I’ve read from a couple anonymous scouts the last couple days, he at least plays above-average center field. It’s very difficult to draft and procure that type of player. When you get one, you keep him. You don’t just hand him to the Yankees. Maybe Austin Jackson will be a quality major league player. I am not saying he won’t be. I’m talking about the odds. Right now he has a chance, but it’s just a chance. He is far from a sure thing. Curtis Granderson is a proven commodity.
Labels: Curtis Granderson Austin Jackson Max Scherzer Phil Coke Detroit Tigers New York Yankees
posted by Pat Caputo at
2:34 PM
16 Comments:
Your point about the Ordonez contract shows how schizo this whole thing is. It reminds me of when -- much to Phil Garner's surprise-- Mike Illitch instructed Randy Smith to build the team on the Twins cheap model. Has this idea snuck back into the pizza man's thinking after is overpaid team got humiliated by the Twin's late season dominance and surge? For three seasons we are trading prospects. Suddenly we are desperately collecting them. In 2007 we go for a murderer's rwo line-up. Last year we opt for big D and give away 3 spots in the order. Schizo. Leyland will be the first scapegoat, but then our GM will have nowhere to hide.
Pat,
I agree with everything you've said about the Granderson trade, and I liked the Colavito comparison. I am having trouble wrapping my head around it all and can't really come up with anything that hasn't been said. I will say this: it is definitely making me think twice about renewing my 27 game plan, and I have had the same seats with my dad since 2004. I haven't felt like this since the Cecil Fielder trade followed a season after by the Travis Fryman trade.
Travis
It really does make me want to puke watching the Tigers trade away Granderson. The tangibles are every bit as important in baseball as the intangibles. How many times have you seen the Yankees, Dodgers, etc. go out and spend a bucket of cash and then fall short on a championship. Maybe the Yankess learned something from their post-season success this year and they realized adding a "ballplayer" was more important than shelling out a mountain of cash in order to repeat last years success. It sounds like the Tigers picked up some arms, which is always very important to winning ballgames, but they have one of the largest outfields in baseball and now they have an even bigger gap in center. What about the loss of a quality personallity in the locker room? To me its not just about the skills they lost, but the person they lost. Maybe the Yankees just provided us another Matt Drews, or maybe we are just adding another Cameron Maybin. I just hope Jackson doesn't turn into the Yankees former future HOF prospect, the great Ruben Rivera. If the move was purely about helping the team win, then I'd be all for it, but doing it to cut cost really stings.
lil rob
I don't understand it from the standpoint who in the heck is going to hit? The Tigers had a hard time scoring a single run on most nights and now they lose two of the only guys who could put the ball in play? Who are your left hand hitters Clete Thomas, Carlos Guillen, and Santiago..
You got to believe the Tigers aren't done.. So I am going to be patient I just feel there is a lot more off season left unless dumbrowski is set.. I still feel there are a ton of players out there that can help us. I wouldn't mind seeing us maybe taking a stab at a Sheets or a Harden as a 4th or 5th starters. Heck if we can move Guillen then I wouldn't mind picking up a Dye or a Dunn as DH..
Hey Pat, just wondering if the Tigers lost a lot money the last two years. To save $10 million doesn’t make much sense to a guy that worth over half Billion. Beside in 2011, the Tigers will make back their $10 million when all the contract expire. Pat, the team that got the best player wins the trade but I think Scherzer will be a surprise and may be the best player in the trade. Why has Schlereth always been a reliever when he has three pitches? This guys breeze through the minors.
Pat, I saw Brian Cashman Yankee,GM almost gloating about how has tailored the Yankees to fit the dimensions of the new Yankee Stadium, with Granderson, as an example. Dombrowski has created a lineup for Comerica Park with 7 or 8 right-handed hitters. Their record at home will suffer greatly. Dave
Agree with just about all but might differ with you on Coke.
While his ERA (4.50) was not horrible, he gave up 10 home runs in 60 innings which is obviously horrendous and then gave up 2 more in the World Series.
Shades of Kyle Farnsworth.
Larry Baker,
That's my main problem with this: Ilitch knows better. He spent money early in his tenure (had the second highest payroll and one of the worst teams in 1993) and then would pull in purse strings. And then did it over and over again. Finally, he has a really good organization in place - and does this.
Caputo
Travis,
You want people to identify and buy into players. You have "Who's your Tiger" campaign. Then you trade their Tiger. It's nonsensical to me.
Caputo
Anoymous,
They aren't going to pick up any big salaries. That much is clear. Onky thing that could change that is if Ilitch reacts to the backlash to this - and it seems unlikely because there are enough fans who like the move, even if it isn't the majority.
Caputo
Barry,
They didn't lose money either year. They made a lot in 2008. They should a ton of tickets. Last season, their attendance was still good - 12 overall in MLB and best in the division.
Caputo
Core Contrarian,
Reason I think Coke might help is that has done fairly well against right-handed hitters. But you're right - that is a lot of homers. Was pitching in bandbox ball park, though.
Caputo
Dave,
Cashman has reason to gloat. Granderson was made to play in that ball park and that city.
Caputo
Lil Rob,
Yankee history is full of overrated prospects they pawned off on other teams. Hensley "Bam, Bam" Muelen,Jackson Melien, Drew Henson, Matt Drews.
Caputo
Pat, maybe this isn't so bad afterall - although it stinks sentimentally.
I'm gonna give this a chance. Apologies to Mr. Dave Dombrowski.
Fred Brill,
The trade might not be so good, either. What you are hear is spin.
Caputo
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