GM: No mortgaging future to fill holes

GM: No mortgaging future to fill holes

By Alex DiFilippo / MLB.com

07/25/10 2:53 PM ET

DETROIT -- With outfielder Magglio Ordonez and second baseman Carlos Guillen landing on the 15-day disabled list on Sunday, Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski's job got a little bit harder.

The Trade Deadline is less than a week away, and the Tigers have some gaping holes in their lineup. Injuries to third baseman Brandon Inge and reliever Joel Zumaya have led the Tigers to dig deep into their farm system.

"We've lost our third baseman, our right fielder and our second baseman," Dombrowski said. "Plus, we'd already lost [reliever] Joel Zumaya. So we'll see who steps up for us internally. You're not going to trade for every one of those positions. It's just not going to happen. But we'll see if there's something that makes sense for us."

But Dombrowski was adamant that the Tigers aren't willing to dish out highly touted prospects to try and win now -- most notably pitchers Andy Oliver and Jacob Turner.

"Other clubs look at us and say, 'Well, they are desperate so maybe they will trade us Oliver and Turner,' " Dombrowski said. "Well we aren't. I'm not meaning to say that anyone is untouchable. I'm not going to give away blue-chip young players for a guy for two months. It just doesn't make sense. Will we be active in talking to people? Yes. If there is a deal that we think can be made that can help us, will we? Yes. Are we going to mortgage our future? No.

Dombrowski said most trade calls have revolved around the two young pitching prospects. However, he's not ready to dish them out or rush to any quick decisions.

"It just seems like every conversation we have starts with those two names," he said. "I don't care if it's a guy who's the 12 guy on your staff or your 25 players. They say we'd like one of those two guys. But sorry, I'm just not there. I'm not going to do that."

Dombrowski pushed aside a rumor that the Tigers may be interested in free agent Jermaine Dye to fill the void in right field left by Ordonez's injury.

"You are talking about signing guys and getting them into shape and batting," Dombrowski said. "You are probably talking a month. By then, you almost have your own guys back in some cases. I won't discount anything, but most likely that's not realistic for us. I haven't had a lot of luck with those guys coming back."

Dombrowski and his staff will travel with the Tigers on their upcoming road trip to Tampa Bay and will continue to work the phones, looking for a deal that could help pull improve and emerge out of the closely contested American League Central.

"These days are like weeks at other times of the year," Dombrowski said. "Things change daily at this time of the year. As you get close to the 31st, different things all of a sudden come up. I'm going to stay in contact with people and we will be prepared to see what happens."