Who are the Tigers looking at for signing in 2009

bobrob2004 wrote:

Tigers interested in John Smoltz

LAS VEGAS -- The Tigers are engaged in trade talks with the Seattle Mariners aimed at bringing Trenton native J.J. Putz to Detroit. But he is not the only Michigan-raised right-hander who could be in the team’s 2009 plans.

The Tigers are among the clubs that have requested medical information on free agent John Smoltz, a gesture certain to stir emotion among fans across the state who remember ruefully the native son’s departure in a 1987 trade with the Atlanta Braves.

Smoltz, 41, appeared in only six games with the Braves this year before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery. But he has resolved to pitch again next year and threw “very well” in a workout Friday, according to his agent, Keith Grunewald.

“He was ecstatic,” he said. “He felt great.”

The Braves, Boston Red Sox and New York Mets are among the interested teams, but sentimentality and practicality could bring Smoltz to Detroit.

Smoltz would prefer to pitch as a starter in 2009, and the Tigers’ rotation remains unsettled after Justin Verlander, Armando Galarraga and the rehabilitating Jeremy Bonderman.

Smoltz was born in Warren, became a multi-sport star at Lansing Waverly High and maintains close ties to the area. He returned to Michigan recently to watch Michigan State’s basketball team play North Carolina at Ford Field.

Smoltz’s grandfather, the late John Frank Smoltz, worked on the grounds crew at Tiger Stadium. Nicknamed “Father John,” he was so recognizable at the old ballpark that Ernie Harwell was the first person to arrive at his funeral wake.

John Adam Smoltz, the pitcher’s father, played his accordion behind the bar at the venerable Lindell A.C. while Tigers players celebrated their 1968 American League pennant. He helped on the grounds crew and was an usher at the ’84 World Series.

Smoltz was drafted by the Tigers in 1985 and traded to Atlanta two years later in a deal that brought Doyle Alexander to Detroit and helped the Tigers win the AL East.

Smoltz has won 210 games and saved 154 others in a storied career with the Braves. More than two decades later, he has a chance to return to the place where it all began.

We should do a poll here


Whether the Tigers should get Smoltz or not?

Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Smoltz expresses interest in Tigers
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

LAS VEGAS -- John Smoltz has told Michigan acquaintances he would be open to re-joining his old team, the Tigers, which signed him and then traded him in 1987 in one of the most controversial deals in franchise history.

Smoltz, 41, a free agent who has spent the past 21 years with Atlanta, is recovering from surgery that ended his 2008 season with the Braves. But the Tigers have been privately interested in medical reports on Smoltz's future and would consider an incentive-laden contract that doctors are suggesting Smoltz can consider as he prepares for a possible return early in the 2009 season.

Smoltz and his representatives, Career Sports Entertainment, of Atlanta, have been dispensing videos to interested clubs. The Red Sox are believed to be interested, as well.

The Tigers signed Smoltz out of Lansing Waverly High and traded him to the Braves for right-hander Doyle Alexander in August 1987.

Smoltz at the time was a Double-A pitcher for the Tigers and went on to a stunning career at Atlanta, as a starter and as a reliever. He is expected to be a serious candidate for the Baseball Hall of Fame.

The Tigers are shopping hard for bullpen help and would almost certainly consider adding Smoltz -- if his potential for a comeback is convincing and his interest in Detroit remains strong.

Smoltz retains a long list of friends in the Lansing area whose understanding is that Smoltz would be interested in completing his career with his original big-league club.

Smoltz has 210 wins, 154 saves and a career 3.26 ERA.

He had 44 saves in 2004 in his last season as a full-time closer.

NOW WE KNOW WHY THE TIGERS ARE LOOKING AT SMOLTZ:

12/10/08 9:15 PM EST
Three-way deal could send Putz to Mets
Mariners and Indians also involved in trade talks

By Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com

LAS VEGAS -- The Mets, Mariners and Indians appear to be on the verge of a three-team deal in which J.J. Putz would go to New York as the setup man to the newly acquired Francisco Rodriguez.

The particulars of the deal were still being worked out Wednesday night at the Bellagio, but MLB.com learned that if the deal goes through, the Mariners would receive Indians outfielder Franklin Gutierrez and the Indians would receive Mets right-handed reliever Joe Smith and Mariners infielder Luis Valbuena.

Mets right-hander Aaron Heilman and Mariners outfielder Jeremy Reed are also believed to be involved, though it was unclear who would be headed where.

Anthony Castrovince is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I guess the Tigers were not willing to give up both Larish and Joyce!

NOTEBOOK: The Tigers have been in contact recently with the agent for Derrick Turnbow, who saved 63 games for Milwaukee between the 2005 and 2006 seasons.

Turnbow made only eight big-league appearances this year due to shoulder trouble and alarming wildness (13 walks in 6 1/3 innings). The right-hander’s agent, Damon Lapa, expects him to be healthy and throwing strikes at the start of spring training.

Why do the Tigers always look for the wild pitchers...

JON PAUL MOROSI | INSIDE THE TIGERS
Task at hand: Acquiring a closer

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • December 12, 2008

LAS VEGAS -- Within the past week, the Tigers traded for a starting catcher (Gerald Laird) and added a pitcher (Edwin Jackson) they believe will help settle their rotation.


They should announce the signing of shortstop Adam Everett any day. They added intriguing left-hander Kyle Bloom in Thursday's Rule 5 draft.

So, as baseball's winter meetings ended, president/general manager Dave Dombrowski wore the look of a satisfied man.

"We feel very happy," he said.

But would they feel even happier if they had left town with J.J. Putz?

After finding a shortstop and catcher, Dombrowski acknowledged that acquiring a closer was his biggest remaining priority. And there is little doubt that Seattle's Putz was his top choice -- especially after Kerry Wood agreed to a two-year deal with the Cleveland Indians.

Until Wednesday night, the Tigers had a very good chance of getting their man. The most likely scenario was a three-team deal involving the Mariners and Rays.

One proposal involved the Tigers sending Matt Joyce to Tampa Bay and outfielders Wilkin Ramirez and Casper Wells to Seattle. Putz was the only player the Tigers would have received. (Contrary to what was reported in Thursday's Free Press, infielder Jeff Larish and right-hander Freddy Dolsi were not involved at that stage.)

When those talks lost momentum, Mariners GM Jack Zduriencik sent Putz to the New York Mets in a separate three-team deal that included the Indians. Dombrowski salvaged something from the negotiations by trading Joyce to Tampa Bay for Jackson.

The Tigers were willing to trade three outfield prospects (Joyce, Ramirez and Wells) to get the closer they desired. In the end, they parted with one and landed a power pitcher who won 14 games this year.

In a vacuum, that's a good trade-off. But here's the catch: Fernando Rodney is still the closer -- something that doesn't put most Tigers fans at ease.

Dombrowski has pointed out recently that Rodney is entering a contract year and will be more motivated (translation: better conditioned) in 2009. Rodney could get the job and save 35 games. Or he could be as erratic as ever.

Without an upgrade from the outside, the Tigers will do a lot of hoping between now and April 6: They will hope Rodney is consistent, hope Joel Zumaya is healthy, hope young relievers Casey Fien, Rudy Darrow and Ryan Perry mature in a flash.
Brian Fuentes, the top available free agent, is shopping for a three-year, $33-million deal. The Tigers have met with Fuentes' representatives, so their interest is genuine, but Dombrowski has said he does not expect to pay $10 million or more per year for a closer. Unless Dombrowski is able to move other contracts off the books, he will have a hard time fitting Fuentes into the budget.

The trade market has thinned, too. Putz, Kevin Gregg and Huston Street have been moved this off-season.

The Toronto Blue Jays have a bounty of late-inning relievers, beginning with closer B.J. Ryan and including hard throwers Jeremy Accardo and Brandon League.

On Thursday, Toronto GM J.P. Riccardi said flatly that he is not going to trade Ryan. When asked about the others, Riccardi said, "That's our strength. I don't know if we can deal from it. We would listen but probably be less inclined to do something."

Dombrowski, to his credit, did a lot of listening this week. When he fell short in his bid for Putz, he regrouped quickly and fortified his rotation at a very reasonable price. That is not easy to do.

The winter meetings were not a runaway success for the Tigers, but the team is better now than it was one week ago. For that, fans should be pleased. Still, one big task remains. And it's going to take either a lot of money or plenty of creativity to complete it.

NOTEBOOK: The Tigers gained one player and lost another during Thursday's Rule 5 draft. They selected Bloom from the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Arizona Diamondbacks plucked Tigers minor league catcher James Skelton.

Bloom, 25, has spent most of his minor league career as a starting pitcher but will enter spring training with a better chance to make the roster as a reliever. His showing in Hawaii Winter Baseball -- 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in seven starts -- caught the attention of Tigers scout Dick Egan. Dombrowski said Egan told him that Bloom is "ready to be a big league pitcher."

Skelton, 23, is known for his plate discipline. He had a .456 on-base percentage between Class A Lakeland and Double-A Erie this season, but some doubt that his small frame will enable him to be an everyday catcher in the majors.

Contact JON PAUL MOROSI at 313-223-4097 or jmorosi@freepress.com . Check out his Tigers blog at www.freep.com/sports

JON PAUL MOROSI'S BLOG
Chances of Tigers landing Joe Beimel increase

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • December 13, 2008

All along, I have believed that Joe Beimel is the Tigers’ top choice among left-handed free agent relievers.

Over the past several days, the odds that Beimel could end up in Detroit grew stronger.

Free agent Alan Embree agreed to a one-year deal with the Colorado Rockies. Then, Arthur Rhodes signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds. On Friday, left-hander Scott Schoeneweis was traded from the New York Mets to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Why are those moves significant?

Several days ago, I was told that Arizona, Cincinnati, Colorado and Detroit had shown interest in Beimel.

Since then, Arizona, Cincinnati and Colorado have found different left-handers.

That leaves Detroit.

After failing in their attempt to acquire closer J.J. Putz from Seattle, perhaps the Tigers will shift their near-term attention to settling on a left-handed specialist.

At the very least, that approach would be more cost-effective. Brian Fuentes, the top closer still available on the market, is expected to command a salary around $11 million per year. Top late-inning left-handers – and Beimel is one of them – are available for about $4 million per annum.

Detroit could lock in Beimel now and then revisit the closer market at a later date. Is that ideal? No. At this point, though, that may not be a bad strategy. After all, what good is a closer unless the lefty specialist can preserve your lead in the eighth?

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

TIGERS NOTEBOOK
Agent: Tigers looking at Darren Oliver

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • November 13, 2008

The Tigers are one of four teams interested in signing free-agent reliever Darren Oliver, the left-hander's agent confirmed to the Free Press on Wednesday.

Mike McCann said Detroit and the Los Angeles Angels, for whom Oliver has pitched since 2007, are among the clubs that plan to pursue Oliver this off-season. Oliver, 38, went 7-1 with a 2.88 ERA in 54 appearances this year. He held left-handed batters to a .229 average.

Upgrading the bullpen is one of the Tigers' chief priorities this winter. They already have contacted representatives for right-handers Trevor Hoffman, Brandon Lyon and David Weathers, as well as left-hander Arthur Rhodes, and have expressed an interest in Florida right-hander Kevin Gregg.

Sign of the times: One day after Kenny Rogers filed for free agency, club president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said the left-hander has yet to tell the team whether he plans to pitch in 2009. Even players who intend to retire file for free agency when their major-league contracts expire. Rogers went 9-13 record with a 5.70 ERA in 30 starts this year. ... Left-hander Macay McBride has agreed to terms with the club on a 2009 contract that will pay him the league minimum in the majors ($400,000) or $113,300 in the minors. McBride, 26, missed most of the 2008 season because of surgery on his throwing elbow.

Contact JON PAUL MOROSI at 313-223-4097 or jmorosi@freepress.com.

Whatever happened to the Tigers interest in this guy?

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

JON PAUL MOROSI'S BLOG
Chances of Tigers landing Joe Beimel increase

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • December 13, 2008

All along, I have believed that Joe Beimel is the Tigers’ top choice among left-handed free agent relievers.

Over the past several days, the odds that Beimel could end up in Detroit grew stronger.

Free agent Alan Embree agreed to a one-year deal with the Colorado Rockies. Then, Arthur Rhodes signed a two-year contract with the Cincinnati Reds. On Friday, left-hander Scott Schoeneweis was traded from the New York Mets to the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Why are those moves significant?

Several days ago, I was told that Arizona, Cincinnati, Colorado and Detroit had shown interest in Beimel.

Since then, Arizona, Cincinnati and Colorado have found different left-handers.

That leaves Detroit.

After failing in their attempt to acquire closer J.J. Putz from Seattle, perhaps the Tigers will shift their near-term attention to settling on a left-handed specialist.

At the very least, that approach would be more cost-effective. Brian Fuentes, the top closer still available on the market, is expected to command a salary around $11 million per year. Top late-inning left-handers – and Beimel is one of them – are available for about $4 million per annum.

Detroit could lock in Beimel now and then revisit the closer market at a later date. Is that ideal? No. At this point, though, that may not be a bad strategy. After all, what good is a closer unless the lefty specialist can preserve your lead in the eighth?

I don't think they NEED another lefty specialist. They've got Seay, Rapadas, Bloom, McBride, and even Nate. They need a righty bullpen guy and a closer.

right now they just need a very good closer!

01/05/09 12:01 AM EST
Tigers have plenty to do before camp
Adding to relief corps, dealing with arbitration cases left on list

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

The Tigers filled a good portion of their offseason wish list with a busy few days at last month's Winter Meetings. Now that the holiday season is over, their list still isn't quite filled, but they have some work to do with a good number of players already on their roster.

Looks like it could be a busy January. And as the Hot Stove heats up following the holidays, the next week or so could be particularly important.

With baseball heading into the back half of the Hot Stove season, the back end of the pitching staff remains a question mark, not just at closer but in the innings before the ninth. Fernando Rodney is returning, whether at closer or another role, and Bobby Seay will be one of two likely left-handed specialists. After that, it's difficult to pin any name as a certainty for any of the other five spots in the relief corps.

Realistically, the bullpen as a whole probably won't take shape until the Tigers head north at the end of Spring Training. Determining a closer, however, would be a big step, whether it's an offseason addition or a Rodney return. With the free-agent closer market depleated and several teams still looking, however, the shopping season is wrapping up.

Free agents include Trevor Hoffman, Takashi Saito, Jason Isringhausen and Brandon Lyon -- all with proven talent, all looking to rebound. Michigan-born John Smoltz is another, but his preference has been to remain a starting pitcher. The Tigers have shown past interest in Hoffman, baseball's all-time saves leader, but Jeffrey Moorad's newly announced attempt to buy the Padres could conceivably change the prospects of a Hoffman return to San Diego after a less-than-amicable split from current owner John Moores.

Detroit has had talks regarding Isringhausen, according to an industry source, but so have other teams still looking for closers, leaving a half-dozen clubs in the running for the former Cardinals reliever's services. Isringhausen, meanwhile, has been working out as normal for the past month after being cleared by doctors following September elbow surgery.

The Tigers have had talks on Lyon, but not in recent days. The former Arizona pitcher, too, has drawn interest from the closer-needy teams, but other clubs have stepped into the mix for Lyon as a possible setup man. Whatever his role, he's expected to draw a multiyear contract.

Detroit could also scour the trade market, where rumored options at various times this offseason have included Houston's Jose Valverde, Baltimore's George Sherrill, Pittsburgh's Matt Capps and new Colorado Rockies reliever Huston Street. Asking prices on all of them have been high, though, and the Tigers have fewer prospects to deal after trading right-hander Guillermo Moscoso and outfielder Matt Joyce last month.

The next couple weeks should also tell whether the Tigers make a move to bolster their lefty relief corps. Though Detroit has been linked to veteran free-agent southpaw Joe Beimel for much of the offseason, those talks seemingly quieted around the holidays. They could pick up with the new year having arrived and the vast majority of free-agent lefties still on the market.

The market in general is expected to take better shape this coming week with teams returning from the holiday. But with Monday also starting the arbitration filing period, the Tigers will have another priority on their hands as they try to grapple with the financial implications of a maturing roster with a half-dozen players up for arbitration.

That list includes Detroit's staff ace and pitching cornerstone, Justin Verlander, who's in line for a big raise after winning 46 games over the last three years and topping the 200-innings mark in each of the last two. With salaries for top free-agent starters still on the rise despite the economy, the Tigers must decide whether their payroll situation will allow them to sign Verlander long-term now or force them to wait. They could also agree on a one-year deal now and negotiate a longer deal in Spring Training.

Rodney is another looming arbitration case after he spent the final two months last season as Detroit's closer, racking up 13 saves in the process. So is Marcus Thames, whose 25 home runs last year trailed only Miguel Cabrera on the club despite just 342 plate appearances. New Tigers starter Edwin Jackson, coming off 14 wins for the American League champion Rays last season, is also eligible. Joel Zumaya could be an intriguing case after two injury-shortened campaigns following his breakout 2006 season. Seay, a Scott Boras client, rounds out the Detroit arbitration list.

The Tigers have not gone to arbitration with a player since Dave Dombrowski took over general manager duties in 2002, in no small part through the work of vice president/legal counsel John Westhoff.

The new year also brings fans the chance to see many of their favorite players in person for the first time since the season ended. TigerFest, the team's annual offseason celebration, returns to Comerica Park on Saturday, Jan. 24, with a list of participating players due out shortly. The Winter Caravan is also back, taking players and coaches around the state and region. Dates and stops have yet to be released.

From there, it's just a few days until pitchers and catchers report to Spring Training on Feb. 14, with the full squad gathering Feb. 17 in advance of their spring opener Feb. 25 against Atlanta. The Tigers will get a good idea just how many players will be leaving camp for the World Baseball Classic when preliminary rosters come out in mid-January.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

- Jan. 5-15, 2009 - Salary arbitration filing period

- Jan. 19, 2009 - Exchange of salary arbitration figures

- TigerFest, the team's annual offseason celebration, returns to Comerica Park on Saturday, Jan. 24

- The Winter Caravan - Dates and stops have yet to be released.

- Feb. 1-21, 2009 - Salary arbitration hearings

- Feb. 14, 2009
• First date injured players, pitchers and catchers may report to Spring Training.
• All pitchers and catchers for other World Baseball Classic teams must report to Spring Training.

- Feb. 17, 2009
• First date all players may report to Spring Training
• Remaining World Baseball Classic position players must report to Spring Training.

- Feb. 22, 2009
Mandatory Spring Training reporting date for all players.

- Spring opener Feb. 25 against Atlanta.

- March 5-23, 2009 - World Baseball Classic

- April 6, 2009 - Opening Day - Tigers @ Blue Jays

- April 10, 2009 - Home Opener - Rangers vs Tigers

01/07/09 6:25 PM EST
Tigers expected to monitor Cordero
Former Nationals closer set to throw for scouts this week

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

The Tigers, still on the lookout for a closer and other relief help, are expected to keep track of free-agent reliever Chad Cordero as he starts working out in front of scouts.

The former Nationals closer, who racked up 113 saves in a three-year span from 2004-2007, will be throwing for teams starting this week. To characterize it as a showcase, however, would be a little too formal. At this point, Cordero and his representatives are encouraged enough about his progress from labrum surgery last summer that they've invited teams to send scouts and watch his regular throwing sessions at a training facility near his home in Anaheim.

Cordero is currently throwing from distance off flat ground on a schedule that should put him on a mound in early February and throwing side sessions when pitchers and catchers report to camps later in the month.

The Tigers are one of several teams who have expressed interest in Cordero this offseason, and they're expected to watch him. The Brewers, Rangers, Diamondbacks and Nationals will also scout him, according to various reports.

A slow-moving market for free-agent relievers arguably works to Cordero's advantage, allowing him to progress and prove himself before getting a deal, potentially with a chance to close again if he can be ready for games around the start of the season.

With several names off the market and Trevor Hoffman expected to decide between the Dodgers and Brewers in the coming days, the Tigers continue their search for a closer. Cordero is one of a few free-agent pitchers on the market who have proven their effectiveness as a closer but are coming back from injury woes last year.

In Cordero's case, he went from 37 saves in 2007 to none last year. His shoulder problems limited him to just six appearances, all in April.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

I would love to see Cordero in Detroit. He still is young and definitely has stuff we need. I hope he is healthy!

Rodney is not a closer!

JON PAUL MOROSI'S BLOG
Tigers eyeing left-hander reliever John Parrish

BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • January 11, 2009

The Tigers have maintained contact with the agent for John Parrish in recent weeks, an indication that they are pursuing low-cost upgrades to their bullpen.

Parrish, 31, would be a less expensive option than Joe Beimel, who was once thought to be Detroit’s top choice among situational left-handers. Beimel’s agent, Joe Sroba, said Sunday that he has not heard from the Tigers since the winter meetings ended Dec. 11.

Parrish went 1-1 with a 4.04 ERA in 13 appearances (six starts) with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2008. He also pitched in 17 games at Triple-A Syracuse last season and went 10-1 with a 2.97 ERA.

The Tigers have been conservative in their spending this winter, partly because of the uncertain local economy and national recession. The team has not signed any player to a multiyear contract since last March.

Between the 2007 and 2008 regular seasons, by comparison, four players signed long-term deals totaling $221.5 million: Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Curtis Granderson and Miguel Cabrera.

Quit "Eyeing" and get to "signing!!!"

Someone doesnt like the Eye of the Tiger. Lol!

gdennis59 wrote:

Someone doesnt like the Eye of the Tiger. Lol!

Do too! Just gotta sign them before they have the Eye of the Tiger!!!