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Gio Gonzalez sounds good for the Tigers, but...
The winter meetings are baseball's version of a trip to the mall at Christmas time. Some teams buy on impulse (this year it is the Marlins), most teams shop around carefully before buying because they have a limited budget and others just window shop because, well, they are the type that have pretty much what they need.
The Tigers are in the latter category. They don't have to purchase any big ticket items this off season, and will still go into next season as the favorite to win the American League Central.
They solidified their starting rotation by acquiring Doug Fister at the trade deadline last season. The core of their team is in the prime years of their careers, 27-to-33 years old, or younger. That includes two potential Hall of Famers, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera.
The Tigers did dump a lot of salary after last off season, but it''s made up by raises due in current contracts.
There is one prize that admittedly is tough to resist. That's Gio Gonzalez, the Oakland A's left-hander. The A's always look to dump somebody when they become arbitration eligible, even a pitcher as gifted as Gonzalez. He'd fit the Tigers perfectly, although a word of caution here: His ERA was nearly a run higher on the road than at home in a pitcher's park in 2011.
The issue is cost. Do you give up Rick Porcello and Brennan Boesch for him? That would be the starting price, but would undoubtedly rise. Do you dare part with Jacob Turner? Do you throw in their best position player prospect in the minor leagues, third baseman Nick Castellanos, after they traded third baseman Francisco Martinez to acquire Fister?
The Tigers need a lefty, true. But they don't need to shake up the deck to do so. They need wiggle room - seeing where they stand on the field next year and tweaking their roster at the trade deadline. It worked to perfection last year, didn't it? The Tigers don't have that deep of a farm system after already moving top prospects last summer. They should keep a chip or two available for when they need them at trade deadline this summer.
The Tigers are in the latter category. They don't have to purchase any big ticket items this off season, and will still go into next season as the favorite to win the American League Central.
They solidified their starting rotation by acquiring Doug Fister at the trade deadline last season. The core of their team is in the prime years of their careers, 27-to-33 years old, or younger. That includes two potential Hall of Famers, Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera.
The Tigers did dump a lot of salary after last off season, but it''s made up by raises due in current contracts.
There is one prize that admittedly is tough to resist. That's Gio Gonzalez, the Oakland A's left-hander. The A's always look to dump somebody when they become arbitration eligible, even a pitcher as gifted as Gonzalez. He'd fit the Tigers perfectly, although a word of caution here: His ERA was nearly a run higher on the road than at home in a pitcher's park in 2011.
The issue is cost. Do you give up Rick Porcello and Brennan Boesch for him? That would be the starting price, but would undoubtedly rise. Do you dare part with Jacob Turner? Do you throw in their best position player prospect in the minor leagues, third baseman Nick Castellanos, after they traded third baseman Francisco Martinez to acquire Fister?
The Tigers need a lefty, true. But they don't need to shake up the deck to do so. They need wiggle room - seeing where they stand on the field next year and tweaking their roster at the trade deadline. It worked to perfection last year, didn't it? The Tigers don't have that deep of a farm system after already moving top prospects last summer. They should keep a chip or two available for when they need them at trade deadline this summer.
Labels: Tigers Gio Gonzalez Pat Caputo
posted by Pat Caputo at
11:49 AM
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