OT: Placido Polanco NOOOO!!!!!!
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http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4709838
He's gone and we are out of another middle infielder. This is in all ways bad and I'm betting that we're in for a long season next year if one of the important components to last year's awful offense is going away and definite possibilities for losing more players exists.
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December 3rd, 2009 at 12:33 PM ^
M football, hockey, basketball, Lion's football, and Tiger Woods
It's a lot to handle at one time...
Damn.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:06 PM ^
and it's almost finals week for us still at U of M!!!!!
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:34 PM ^
We didn't have the money for him and he wanted a multi year deal. It wasn't going to happen. Poly is really really old and wasn't going to put up better numbers in 2010. What is the issue of letting him go in the professional manner?
Hello Scott Sizemore. Sizemore has been tagged for over a year now to replace Poly. Life will go on.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:38 PM ^
It just makes me sad. Sort of like the recent performances by every team I care about.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:52 PM ^
Sizemore has a normal-sized head, though.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:34 PM ^
Gotta understand that the Tigers are entering the offseason looking to cut costs. Hopefully they've got some worthwhile kids in the minors. Cabrera is going next.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:36 PM ^
The tigers will not be trading Cabrera unless a package is offered that can't be refused (ace pitcher + all star hitters + minor league players)
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:34 PM ^
But there is absolutely no way the Tigers would get an ace pitcher, all star hitters, AND minor league players for him. The guy can absolutely mash (and will continue to do so), but he's got a monster of a contract (hes got like 5-6 more years at close 20 mil per, right?), rapidly declining defensive skills, and fitness issues. IF the Tigers ate some of that contract, they could probably get a decent haul from an AL team for him (not an ace, all star hitters, and prospects, but maybe one of those three). If the Tigers weren't willing to eat that contract, the potential trading partners are basically the Yankees and Red Sox. And the Yankees aren't really hurting for corner infielders.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:38 PM ^
Do you watch the games? He's progressed from an absolutely terrible corner infielder into a respectable first baseman a good glove and a great arm (for a first baseman). His fitness has also improved since joining the Tigers and he is just entering his prime.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:47 PM ^
...I followed him a lot closer when he was on the Marlins (I'm a Braves fan). I'll retract the defensive skills comment (I meant it mostly in conjunction with the fitness comment, and I will defer to you, who has clearly watched him mor closely recently). I stand by the comment about what the Tigers could get for him though. His contract is huge (not necessarily bad, but not a steal either).
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 PM ^
I'd think about Montero, Bard, Lawrie, and that one really toolsy CF they have. Maybe not take it, but that Montero kid can MASH.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:39 PM ^
Tigers need to cut costs, yes, but trading Cabrera is a sign of a firesale, and I don't think the Tigers are by any means in that mindset.
The two guys that have seriously been floated as trade bait (Jackson and Granderson) are not high priced, relatively speaking, and are not indicitive of a firesale. Polonco not being offered arbitration is more an indication that they didn't want to risk spending a lot of money retaining another aging player when they have a ready-made replacement.
Another sign that they are not in firesale mode is that they offered arbitration to Rodney and Lyon. Both might be signed by someone else anyway, but the offer shows that they are willing to spend SOME money.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:36 PM ^
Strange thing is this will make neither fan base happy.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:37 PM ^
There wasn't a fire sale. Poly left via free agency.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:40 PM ^
is the same as a fire sale in my mind.
As for Cabrera,he won't do much to resurrect the corpses of Ortiz or Lowell and we will be left with less to pay in 2011 when we really should be hitting the market.
This is the weakest free agent class I have ever seen.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:44 PM ^
How is not re-signing an old old player that same as trading a young 'super star in the making'? Poly wasn't pursued because we have a minor league player ready to fill his role and he wasn't going to get much better (due to age). Cabrera is signed to a relative friendly contract (when considering his stats and age) and is going to get better and better and better over the next few years.
Boston, or anyone else, is not going to get Cabrera in a 'fire sale'. Get over it.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:40 PM ^
That said, it is clear that we didn't re-sign Polanco (or even offer arbitration) because we need to dump salary.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:45 PM ^
is what the marlins do every 5 years or so...
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:55 PM ^
I'll take the Marlin's cycle of firesale and suck in return for their two titles in the last decade.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
with you. but the marlins have lucked out with some of the prospects that they get for the players they trade away. they bought the 97 championship, but the 2003 one was done with a lot of players that came up through their minor league system.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:41 PM ^
Everybody but the Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Angels and Cubs are looking to cut costs this summer.
It isn't going to take Lester, Youkilis, and two prized prospects to get that deal done. If the Red Sox offered Clay Buchholz, Mike Lowell's corpse while picking up 75% of his remaining contract, and two mid tier prospects I don't see the Tigers saying no.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:42 PM ^
Considering our issues when it comes to hitting, we're not trading Cabrera unless we get an above-average bat and a very promising young arm in return. He's not going anywhere.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:47 PM ^
I have no idea why the hell the Tigers would go for this deal. If this were the case, the Red Sox would have pulled the trigger about 2 seconds after the World Series ended.
I mean, I generally think people overvalue what Cabrera would potentially bring back in a trade, but this is absolutely ridiculous. You couldn't get Halladay (IMO, an easier trade target this year) for this, what makes you think you could get Cabrera?
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:21 PM ^
"OMG, it's a FIRE... sale."
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:53 PM ^
Unless you play for the Red Sox or work in the organization do not say "we."
December 3rd, 2009 at 3:38 PM ^
You know what, people say this all the time to me when I refer to Michigan as "we" and it pisses me off. If you feel attached to the team, that's what naturally comes. It's YOUR team that you root for.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:39 PM ^
If he had to leave the Tigers I was hoping he went to Boston. This is a big loss for Leyland.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:41 PM ^
He was a great player, but he is getting old and I think its time for Scott Sizemore to step in. Plus the Phils are offering him a 3 year 18 million dollar deal. That is a little bit steep IMO.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:50 PM ^
polanco is good player but at his age he is not worth 6 mill a year, plus hes going to be playing 3rd and i doubt that he'll be batting 2nd.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:48 PM ^
I still can't believe the Tigers didn't offer him salary arbitration. We would've received the Phillies' first round draft pick if we had!! Not only that, but if being offered arbitration would have scared teams away, we still would have had him playing 2B next season.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^
That's the point, though. Offering him arbitration would have been too large a risk for the Tigers. They simply didn't want to pay him anymore. Nobody was giving up a first rounder to get an aging middle infielder who hits for contact well and doesn't do much else, e.g. .400 slugging%.
I may get negged for even suggesting Cabrera is next, but the guy has $100 Million + remaining on his contract and this team doesn't even offer Polanco arbitration for what, 5 mil a year? To an outside observer it looks like the writing is on the wall.
I hate the baseball financial structure as much as anyone, but that's just the way these things work. If an outsider wants to win the whole thing it has to happen with superior starting pitching and enough clutch hitters that don't break the bank. Cabrera simply doesn't fit that mold.
December 3rd, 2009 at 6:53 PM ^
Cabrera and Verlander are the cornerstones of the organization. They didn't resign Polanco because Verlander is fast approaching arbitration/free agency as well.
In the next few years, the contracts of Bonderman, Robertson, and Willis will be coming off the board. That'll help the financial situation out a good deal. Magglio is in the last year of his contract as well (something like 15 million), and I doubt we resign Guillen to anything approaching what he's making now.
So no, stop saying Cabrera will be traded. Making guesses like that without knowing the Tigers finances or Ilitch's drive to win is just dumb.
December 3rd, 2009 at 7:33 PM ^
IMHO Porcello and Verlander are the cornerstones of the organization. I would trade Cabrera for the right offer, I ain't trading the other 2
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:49 PM ^
while aging, still was one of, if not the most consist pieces of last year's offense and defense. While I do not know a lot about this Sizemore kid, if it allows us to keep Granderson, I am happy.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:51 PM ^
Can Polanco even play 3B? He is a heckuva 2B, but I'm not sure he has the arm strength to whip the ball all the way across the infield.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:52 PM ^
Didn't he hit in the .250's to .260's most of the year? I don't like seeing him go but his better days are behind him, I think.
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
with my official placido polanco tigers doll?
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:42 PM ^
Does it come with a removable open-faced ski mask to wear under the helmet/ hat?
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:44 PM ^
You don't think...
Just kidding.
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
only with models sold in Lansing
December 3rd, 2009 at 12:55 PM ^
"What's with all the extensions? Consider this: The last two years, the Tigers have paid P Jeremy Bonderman, 3B Brandon Inge, P Nate Robertson, DH/OF Gary Sheffield and P Dontrelle Willis, combined, nearly $89 million. Yeesh." -Tony Paul from the Detroit News
Combine that with Magglio's $18 million extension for this upcoming season.....
that is why we cannot keep polanco.
Dombrowski should be fired
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:19 PM ^
I agree with 99% of what you said but it drives me crazy when people lump Jeremy Bonderman into the bad contract talk. When they resigned him, they got a very good deal. He got hurt and now no one knows if he will be a contributor or not but his contract wasn't a bad signing.
Now all of the others.....you hit the nail on the head. Losing Polanco isn't a complete disaster but all of the talk of trading Granderson and Cabrera, that talk is all a direct result of poor contracts given out by DD. They can spin it any way they want but the only reason you would trade those guys away (after finishing one game out of the playoffs) is to make up for empty spending. That is poor management.
Here's an idea for Mr. Ilitch to toss around. Instead of trading away All Stars to make up for lost wages, why don't you fire the guy who gave out those stupid contracts. DD makes good money, that would be cutting cost too, right?
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:57 PM ^
I agree with the Bonderman observation - he might never be an elite pitcher, but at his age and his productivity at the time of the contract it was a good decision.
As for Dombrowski, I think people are jumping on him a bit too much. Sure, he's made some dumb decisions (signing Robertson and Willis to extensions chief amongst them), but he also turned a horrible franchise into a competitive one again. Sure the Twins have had the Tigers' number in recent years, but this team is finally relevant nationally after more than a decade of being an afterthought. In today's game, you really do need to spend money to be competitive (the twins being the one exception, though I think their success is due to a combination of great drafting and having a really homefield advantage that will disappear next year), or you will become the Pirates or the Royals and the fans will just give up on you. Then when you are playing in front of 1/2 filled stadiums all year, the cost cutting and penny-pinching won't seem so prudent.
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:35 PM ^
Granted, I thought Bonderman was a good signing. I just included him because of how much they spent on him and how they all have not produced for the money. I should have put that disclaimer in my post, but I have included him as money paid for little result.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:50 PM ^
He only managed to transform the Tigers from a perennial cellar-dweller into a legitimate contender.
Dombrowski's success has come because unlike most GMs, he's willing to take risks when giving out contracts. Of the contracts you listed, only Sheffield and Willis seemed scary at the time. Inge was overpaid, but that happens when you have a player up for free agency after a World Series run. As for Bonderman and Robertson, Dombrowski was trying to secure a young rotation that had made a breakthrough and ranked among the best of the nation. Robertson seemed to be something of an injury risk (like the Pudge and Ordonez signings) but the Bonderman signing seemed great at the time.
The Tigers found success by going after questionable players. We're now having problems with some of these contracts. I'll take that any day over what we went through before Dombrowski showed up.
December 3rd, 2009 at 4:44 PM ^
Look, give Ilitch credit for allowing dombrowski to go out and try to put a winning team together. He failed though, this team has choked away two division titles in four years. That is not good enough. Granted, its a hell of a lot better than the 90's, but I refuse to sit here and be content with choking away divisions and trading away our young core. I want more, I want a championship. He had his chance and the signings blew up in his face. That means its time to move on. Just because dombrowski brought this team back, does not mean another good baseball man will bring us back to the dark ages. Thanks for 2006 (which i still consider a choke job on two fronts...no way they should have blown that division, no way they should have lost to the cardinals. and that was one of the best summers/falls of my life thanks to the tigers.)
He can try all he wants, I am sure a lot of GM's are trying to put together good teams, but when your moves completely screw your team and are forced to explore trades for two of your young core, you deserve to be fired. Enough of living in 2006. Its time to expect more from our baseball team like a normal fan base. I don't just want to contend, I want a championship.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:07 PM ^
I think everybody is overreacting a bit. I loved Polanco but he is only getting older and less agile in the infield, and with Sizemore looking like he is capable of playing in the majors, it was the right move to make. It about time we got some new blood on the field.
Pointing to the Phillies deal and saying we should have offered him arbitration is stupid though. Why do you the Phillies snatched him up so quickly, because there was no draft pick attached to him. No way the Phillies would pay him $18M and give up a first round pick for a 34 year old 3B who doesn't hit for power. With that said, Domborwski still should be fired.
Polanco will be a really good defensive 3B IME.
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:33 PM ^
Well, with all the money we're saving by not giving him a contract, maybe we can win the Lebron James sweepstake?
/s/
December 3rd, 2009 at 1:48 PM ^
Polanco is about to fall off the map. He's not fast enough to continue to hit at his pace with so little speed or power. Not to mention he will be forced to play out of position at philly. His fielding numbers in limited time at 3B are quite bad, and he's not getting any younger. If anyone regrets the tigers not resigning Polanco, it will be Philly.
December 3rd, 2009 at 2:51 PM ^
I loved Polanco, but I'm not really that surprised or troubled that he was let go. He was falling off quite a bit the past few years, and defensively he isn't the player he was a couple of years ago, irrespective of what the numbers say. I wish him the best in Philly.
The bigger issue is with the possible trading of Granderson and/or Cabrera. I do think that Granderson is a bit overrated - he doesn't get on base enough to really maximize his steal potential, and he still struggles against lefties. I'd be fine letting him go if a team offers a really nice package of prospects and at least one potential starter. My bigger issue is with Cabrera - yeah the guy has had some problems, but he is a legit centerpiece in this offense for years, and is the only consistent young bat they have left. Keeping him is a must.