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On Stephen Drew, Eugenio Suarez and the Detroit Tigers
Count me among those who felt the Tigers badly needed Stephen Drew. The free agent shortstop, foolishly as it played out, turned down a $14.1 million qualifying offer from the Red Sox to test the free agent market, but re-signed with Boston this week.
Drew kills right-handed pitching (.876 OPS last season) and is very good defensively. He also struck out a ton in the postseason last season, which is mostly what Tigers' fans remember about him.
The Tigers have gotten away with their lack of left-handed hitting this year, mostly because Rajai Davis is outperforming his career track record vs. right-handed pitching, and Victor Martinez is off to a torrid start. They have problems at shortstop, but Andrew Romine and Danny Worth are good defensively, and the Tigers have been scoring runs.
But it's a long season. The idea is to win in the playoffs. The Red Sox knocked the Tigers out of the playoffs. They just re-signed Drew, a player who would have helped the Tigers.
I do like prospect Eugenio Suarez, the SS just promoted from Double-A Erie to Triple-A Toledo. He has far more potential as a hitter than Romine and Worth and is a solid defender. But don't be mislead by numbers from Erie. It's a hitter's ballpark. The talent in Triple-A isn't as gifted physically as Double-A, but there are more savvy veterans. If Suarez has a weakness as a hitter, Triple-A pitchers are more likely to expose it.
Also, while the right-handed hitting Suarez had a very .850 OPS at Erie, he hit just .215 against right-handers. He is a completely different hitter vs. left-handed pitching (1.191 OPS) than right-handed pitching (.625 OPS).
What that means is if he were
to arrive in Detroit at some point this season, it'd unlikely be as an every day SS. He'd platoon with Romine, a left-handed hitter, who struggles at the plate. It'd make his presence less enticing, at least based on what we know so far.
My column. Wish Stan Gundy luck because he needs it given the state of the Pistons: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140521/wish-stan-van-gundy-luck-with-the-detroit-pistons-because-he-sure-needs-it-pat-caputo-writes
My column. Ndamukong Suh many things, but a great leader for the Lions not one of them: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140519/ndamukong-suh-many-things-but-great-leader-for-detroit-lions-not-one-of-them-pat-caputo-says
My column. It's a new era of MLB and the Tigers have adapted well: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140518/its-a-new-era-of-mlb-and-detroit-tigers-have-adapted-well-says-pat-caputo
My column. Why the Tigers and Red Wings win, and the Lions and Pistons lose: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140517/why-the-tigers-and-red-wings-win-and-the-lions-and-pistons-lose-writes-pat-caputo
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| Eugenio Suarez |
The Tigers have gotten away with their lack of left-handed hitting this year, mostly because Rajai Davis is outperforming his career track record vs. right-handed pitching, and Victor Martinez is off to a torrid start. They have problems at shortstop, but Andrew Romine and Danny Worth are good defensively, and the Tigers have been scoring runs.
But it's a long season. The idea is to win in the playoffs. The Red Sox knocked the Tigers out of the playoffs. They just re-signed Drew, a player who would have helped the Tigers.
I do like prospect Eugenio Suarez, the SS just promoted from Double-A Erie to Triple-A Toledo. He has far more potential as a hitter than Romine and Worth and is a solid defender. But don't be mislead by numbers from Erie. It's a hitter's ballpark. The talent in Triple-A isn't as gifted physically as Double-A, but there are more savvy veterans. If Suarez has a weakness as a hitter, Triple-A pitchers are more likely to expose it.
Also, while the right-handed hitting Suarez had a very .850 OPS at Erie, he hit just .215 against right-handers. He is a completely different hitter vs. left-handed pitching (1.191 OPS) than right-handed pitching (.625 OPS).
What that means is if he were
to arrive in Detroit at some point this season, it'd unlikely be as an every day SS. He'd platoon with Romine, a left-handed hitter, who struggles at the plate. It'd make his presence less enticing, at least based on what we know so far.
My column. Wish Stan Gundy luck because he needs it given the state of the Pistons: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140521/wish-stan-van-gundy-luck-with-the-detroit-pistons-because-he-sure-needs-it-pat-caputo-writes
My column. Ndamukong Suh many things, but a great leader for the Lions not one of them: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140519/ndamukong-suh-many-things-but-great-leader-for-detroit-lions-not-one-of-them-pat-caputo-says
My column. It's a new era of MLB and the Tigers have adapted well: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140518/its-a-new-era-of-mlb-and-detroit-tigers-have-adapted-well-says-pat-caputo
My column. Why the Tigers and Red Wings win, and the Lions and Pistons lose: http://www.theoaklandpress.com/sports/20140517/why-the-tigers-and-red-wings-win-and-the-lions-and-pistons-lose-writes-pat-caputo
posted by Pat Caputo at
11:40 AM
1 Comments:
Pat, I think Worth has turn the corner as a ballplayer. He never could hit but I think he is improving on that can hold his own. I was a little worry about his D at SS but he seem to be fine.
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