Tigers sign Brad Thomas, deal Rapada

Tigers sign Thomas, deal Rapada
Team executes switch of lefties, sends Simons to Toledo

By Jason Beck / MLB.com

12/07/09 3:04 PM EST

DETROIT -- The Tigers opened what should be an active Winter Meetings with a pair of minor deals Monday, trading lefty reliever Clay Rapada to Texas and signing free-agent lefty Brad Thomas.

Rapada was traded for a player to be named or cash considerations. Most likely, that return will be known after the Rule 5 Draft later this week.

Rapada, a Tiger for parts of the last three years after coming over from the Cubs for Craig Monroe in 2007, will get a fresh start in his third organization after seeing sparing time in Detroit over the last year and a half.

The 28-year-old sidearmer pitched in just three games for the Tigers -- two early in the year, then another as a late-season callup. He was originally left out of September callups until injuries left Detroit needing another arm in the bullpen.

Fu-Te Ni's emergence in Detroit essentially ensured Rapada's summer with the Mud Hens, for whom he went 4-2 with a 2.76 ERA and five saves while striking out 47 batters over 45 2/3 innings.

Thomas, who last pitched in the Majors with the Twins in 2004, returns to the states after pitching the past four seasons in the Far East. The 32-year-old went 5-11 with 44 saves and a 2.86 ERA over the past two seasons combined for Hanwha of the Korean Baseball Organization. He struck out 119 batters over 113 1/3 innings.

Prior to that, the Australian native pitched two years with the Nippon Ham Fighters in Japan, going 5-6 with a 4.21 ERA and 94 strikeouts over 94 innings.

"Thomas has performed well over the past two seasons in Korea and we are pleased to add a quality arm like him to our club," team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said in a statement. "He was a highly regarded prospect earlier in his career with the Twins organization, and we feel he will contribute out of the bullpen at the Major League level."

Thomas agreed to a Major League contract, meaning he goes immediately on the 40-man roster. To make room, Detroit outrighted right-hander Zach Simons to Triple-A Toledo.

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

Hmmm. Questionable, but only time will tell.