OT: Sanchez to stay with Tigers
Well, it looks like Dombrowski signed Anibel Sanchez for a 5 year hitch at $80M. I'm very curious to see what happens with Porcello now that Sanchez is wrapped up for the foreseeable future.
I thought Sanchez was (imagine Ernie Harwell voice here) long gone. Looks like more evidence to support the theory that Mike Ilitch is in "win now" mode. I wonder if this is a deal the Tigers will regret at their leisure - Sanchez is below .500 in W/L for his career, although sabremetricians will quickly point out there are better measures of a pitcher's worth than W-L. In any event, Ilitch gets a lot of credit for investing in his club and giving Dombrowski the ability to do deals like this.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:38 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 10:40 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 12:14 PM ^
Based on what? Your opinion?
December 14th, 2012 at 10:41 AM ^
Wow, that's alot of money for a fourth starter.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^
who would be #2-#3 in most rotations. Detroit has one of the best 4-man rotations in baseball locked down now.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:06 AM ^
I agree. There is no reason the Tigers shouldn't run away in the Central this year with a whole year of Sanchez, the return of VMart and the addition of Hunter. The only reason I might question the signing is that the fourth starter probably only pitches 2 or 3 games in the playoffs at most. 16 million a year could guarantee you a rock solid bullpen (if there is anybody worth it at the moment).
December 14th, 2012 at 11:17 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 12:03 PM ^
I don't know. With the addition of Hamilton to the Angels, I don't particularly like our chances against them in the playoffs with our current bullpen. The Angels are stacked right now.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:15 PM ^
The Angles have a much worse bullpen. Remember, they didn't make the playoffs last year at all.
December 14th, 2012 at 1:10 PM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 1:21 PM ^
game than Detroit and they split the season series. Come on.
December 14th, 2012 at 1:35 PM ^
Eh, the addition of Hunter and V-Mart replacing D Young improves our lineup more than Hamilton improves theirs. Of course, this depends on whether or not V-Mart can return to his pre injury 120 wRC+ level.
Plus, their SP has taken a hit.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^
to be the closer. Not sure if Leyland will trust a rookie to be the closer. Rondon has some arm talent and his stuff is electric. However, his command is very spotty which is a huge concern. My gut is Coke will get the first nod at closing out games.
They are hoping that Benoit will bounce back and Alberqueue to continue to improve. Hard to spend money on bullpen because the performance tends to fluctuate year to year.
December 14th, 2012 at 2:09 PM ^
Been performing well in Venezualan winter ball. Even when he's been roughed up it hasn't come on walks, which is the most important thing (imo) for a young, hard throwing reliever. I agree on Coke; he was auditioning for the job after Valverde imploded, and it might be a great fit for him.
December 14th, 2012 at 3:44 PM ^
First this solidifies the Tigers rotation as one of the best in ALL of baseball! They will eat a lot of innings and with that said the Tigers only need an average bully and a future all star closer (Rondon). I persnall feel like they will be above average which will make this signing look good. Second Sanchez is getting paid to get the Tigers to the post season. If he happens to be the #4 in our rotation and does not get the solid starts in the post season as you mention he will be a bull out of the bully. This is a great signing, wish it could have been for less but that is the way of american sports.
Go Blue!
December 14th, 2012 at 10:42 AM ^
His W-L record is a bit misleading, have to remember that he has spent his career pitching for the Marlins. His secondary numbers have always been pretty good. With that being said, $80 million is a lot of money, but hey it's not mine, so I am a happy Tiger fan today.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:48 AM ^
I just always think of what Doug Fister's W-L numbers were like before coming to the Tigers. When I saw that I was not impressed but when I looked at his ERA and that he was last in the league in run support I was happy with the deal.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^
Lots of dough, but his postseason ERA was microscopic--could be reaching his prime. Personally, I like this signing (it's not my money, though).
December 14th, 2012 at 10:44 AM ^
So Smyly at the 5 or do we just throw the best body in there regardless of whether or not we have a lefty in the starting 5?
December 14th, 2012 at 10:47 AM ^
I think Smyly is your fifth starter, and Porcello is very likely off to greener pastures as trade-bait. I hope there is some good result here for Porcello, as he's still pretty young and just never seemed able to put it all together in Detroit.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^
Is Porcello really bait? Not sure he has much value.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:01 AM ^
He could be a solid rotation guy in the NL. He would probably have a surprisingly good year in his first season in the NL.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:34 AM ^
If I were the Cubs, I would offer a middle of the bullpen pitcher for Porcello. Porcello has 4 or so years experience for a winning club, and is 23 or 24 years old I believe. He also doesn't make much. The switch to the NL will improve his numbers, as well as going to a team that can turn a double play or field a ground ball. The Tigers were a horrible team for a ground ball pitcher to play for.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
Porcello and a middling prospect could almost certainly get you Marmol. Cubs were going to trade him straight up for Haren (who only had one year left on his deal) before they got a look at Haren's medicals and backed out.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
December 14th, 2012 at 12:51 PM ^
Trevor Cahill got a solid return for the A's, and Porcello has similar value to what he had.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:56 AM ^
Porcello is only 23 with 4 years in the MLB already (makes him seem older) with no apparent arm damage. He's probably 4 years from his prime, he's signed and he's reasonably priced going forward. I hope he sticks at #5.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:10 AM ^
I disagree with some of the Tiger fans out there constantly thinking we need to get rid of/trade the 23 year old. He has some inconsistency issues and may never be that ace like we had initially hoped for, but he has great stuff and great poise. I guess there's not much more to add to my argument as it's just an opinion that I think we should hang onto Porcello and use him as the number 5 man in the rotation.
You can start Smyly in the bullpen, but on of the SPs will naturally get hurt and miss some starts, and Smyly can fill in for him.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^
Porcello is a ground ball pitcher, and in case you haven't noticed, the Tigers aren't the greatest defensive team in the MLB. His style is of much better use on some other team and we could trade for someone who is of much better use to us than the team they are being traded from.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:28 AM ^
Is the next Smoltz we trade away. I am a big fan regardless of recent struggles.
That said, if you can get a legit closer for him like the Pittsburgh guy and win now (next two or three years), I think a GM would have good reason to do it. My loose unscientific theory is that guys like Smoltz would have had difficulty becoming who he ultimately was had he stayed and not been traded. So, its false logic to hoard potential talent (when you might actually be surpressing it, diminishing its value and not addressing an area of weakness). Trade him and give him a chance to get his wings and us ours.
...not sure if this makes any sense and have no idea why I am randomly commenting on this...anyway
GO BLUE....back to wistful thinking on 5 star recruits and dreams of crushing Gamecocks.
Ahh...that's better.
December 14th, 2012 at 12:57 PM ^
Saying Porcello has great stuff is, well, laughable.
He doesn't have one plus pitch, not even his sinker is a plus pitch.
His slider is god awful, and his changeup is also very poor, which is why he gets crushed by LHH to the tune of .324/.381/.503.
December 14th, 2012 at 9:02 PM ^
Think we should at least break him in as a set up man before we deal him. I'm still sick about Rodney.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:49 AM ^
Pretty steep, but 5 years isn't too bad for a guy who's only 28.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:57 AM ^
Frankly it doesn't even take a sabermetrician to point out the irrelevance of the W/L record when evaluating a pitcher's future. People have been banging that drum for a very long time. Roger Craig used to say it takes a darn good pitcher to lose 20 games.
December 14th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^
important
December 14th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^
and someone else to Pittsburgh for their closer Joel Hanrahan.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:00 AM ^
Thanks Mr. I for the best starting rotation in baseball! I would think if we land a closer next...
December 14th, 2012 at 11:01 AM ^
Cubs were apparently the competition at a rumored 5 yr/$75 million price tag. Lots of cash to outlay for #4 starter, but will be worth the monetary risk if he solidifies the rotation for the next few years a la (injury-free) Fister. And he would probably be a #2/#3 starter for many other MLB teams.
I don't know Porcello's trade value. But he's still so freakin' young, has good stuff (preferably with an athletic infield to back him up) and has pitched in a lot of big games. He seems to be the odd-man out - unless he learns to pitch left-handed.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^
We (Cubs) were the first team to offer Sanchez 5 years from what I heard. Tigers had been hoping to stick at 4 years, but the Cubs offer of 5 years 75 mill, and eventually 5 years 77.5 mill is what made the Tigers up their offer.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:02 AM ^
Sanchez will be making more money than the best pitcher in all of baseball? Not sure how this sits in Verlander's mind.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:08 AM ^
I don't think JV is that kind of dude.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^
20 mil a year vs 16 mil a year for Sanchez
December 14th, 2012 at 11:13 AM ^
The contracts on their face are both 5/$80 but Verlander's was structured at $8 and $12 the first two years, then bumped to $20/year the last 3 years so Verlander is making $20 million this year. Unless Sanchez' deal is structured to be getting more than that this year, and teams very rarely frontload contracts, he won't be making more than JV.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:59 AM ^
So both are 5 for $80 (sorry I thought JV didn't make as much) and I know that Verlander is not the type to get pissed. My point that I don't like having Sanchez make as much as the best in the game.
December 14th, 2012 at 1:00 PM ^
Verlander wasn't a FA when he signed his contract.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
I like this move but don't expect the Tigers to sign Max Scherzer after 2014 because of this deal.
December 14th, 2012 at 11:10 AM ^
I wish everyone would stop complaining about overspending. There is no salary cap in baseball and no one has any idea how much owners have. Money doesn't carry over when you die. I for one want the tigers to spend more and go all out for the next two seasons to try and win a WS. Plus little ceasers is making a crap load.