OT: Big Trade for the Tigers

Submitted by Yinka Double Dare on

... if you like guys with stupid spellings for a normal name or guys whose names sound exactly like a current major leaguer.

Tigers have acquired Jhonny Peralta from Cleveland for A-ball lefty pitcher Giovanni Soto.  Yawn.

pdgoblue25

July 29th, 2010 at 9:37 AM ^

Sorry guys, but I'm a lifelong Tribe fan, and Jhonny Peralta was without a doubt my least favorite Indian of all time.  He's slow, he has zero range in the field, he only hits well when there's no pressure on him, and he's dumb.  You can have a nice little side game and count how many times he swings at a breaking ball low and away that he has no chance of making contact with.

Steve Lorenz

July 28th, 2010 at 6:48 PM ^

This definitely means they think they can win this season still (otherwise why make the trade in the first place), but it's not nearly enough to help them achieve that. I'd bet there's at least one more trade on the horizon for them. 

CalJr3000

July 28th, 2010 at 7:29 PM ^

I disagree that this signals that they think they're still in it (though they're certainly in a close enough race with Chicago and Minnesota for now), I think it's more of a move to improve a dismal offense (that was already streaky) so the team doesn't look like it was giving up on the season.  It definitely is a nice improvement over anybody else we could have legitimately stuck at third, and a seemingly low-risk trade to keep the club's and fans' hopes alive (and a zillion times better than the trades for Huff and Washburn last year).  I don't get the impression that we'll regret trading Soto like we might with Mauricio Robles when we got Washburn.

Steve Lorenz

July 28th, 2010 at 7:43 PM ^

they must think their fans are idiots if that's what they believe though. 

The Washburn trade was terrible, but not the Huff trade. He's a good major league player who should have been given full time ABs after we acquired him. Instead he sat the bench half the time and was used almost primarily as a pinch hitter. Now he's in San Fran raking right now. He'd arguably be our second best hitter right now behind Cabrera and that's with a healthy Maggs. 

MAgoBLUE

July 28th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^

I thought for sure you were gonna be talking about Chone Figgins as the guy who has a stupid spelling for a normal name.  He was involved in a scrum with teammates in the Mariners dugout earlier this week for not backing up an errant throw from the outfield.  I know he's in the first year of a big deal but I thought that incident combined with his bad season would be enough for the M's to try to move him.

Maximinus Thrax

July 28th, 2010 at 7:04 PM ^

He will definitely provide more immediate pop than any of the crop of backups and recent call-ups we have up right now.  A lifetime .264 hitting everyday player is much more dependable than somebody hitting .250 like Worth with just 100 at bats to his credit.  Worth could use a little development.  If we could move Santiago to 3rd for the time being, we might be able to remain in contention until some of the bigger bats come back.

GBLforlife

July 28th, 2010 at 7:18 PM ^

as much as i would love for the tigers to remain competitive, this deal is completely stupid. peralta wont solve enough problems and this soto kid has a chance to be really solid. i live on the west side and have seen him throw a few times for the whitecaps and has great stuff. i just don't understand it.

HAIL-YEA

July 28th, 2010 at 7:43 PM ^

...our local baseball team aint exactly big time either. Besides Cabrarra, the rest of the lineup should be 2 years away.  They're calling them Miggie and the Mudhens now. People need to lighten up, the injuries have ended our season. Just accept it and get ready for some Football!!

ckersh74

July 28th, 2010 at 7:54 PM ^

To make room for Peralta on the 40-man, the Tigers DFA'd Wilkin Ramirez. While that's not a big deal at all (the kid was striking out left and right and was looking like the latin Brent Clevlen), I was hoping we could sucker some other sorry GM into taking him in a trade this coming fall for something better.

MI Expat NY

July 28th, 2010 at 7:58 PM ^

Pretty low-risk deal here.  It's being reported that the Indians are continuing to pay his salary, and there's a $250K buyout on a $7.5M club option next season. 

Tigers trade an A ball pitcher with health issues for a ML hitter that the club desperately needs in the short term.  If the change of scenery helps him return to form, pick up the still cheapish option for next year at either 3B or SS, if not, he's still better than what we got and the tigers are out $250K, a total that may be made up in ticket sales if it keeps the Tigers in the hunt, relatively speaking, as opposed to being the Pirates for the rest of the season.

Blue boy johnson

July 28th, 2010 at 9:56 PM ^

whether the Tigers are in it or not, an upgrade at short was in order, and I think Peralta is an  upgrade.

Can Peralta play third? he may be able to help there in the short term as well

mfan_in_ohio

July 28th, 2010 at 10:05 PM ^

I love this trade.  I've been ready to get rid of Peralta for about 2 years.  He ate his way out of being a legitimate shortstop, and is now a decent-fielding third baseman with the streakiest of bats.  Maybe Leyland can coach him into focusing more on going the other way, but I'm sick of watching him take outside pitches and try to pull them over the left field wall.  Tigers fans will learn to fear any pitcher that can throw a slider off the outside corner, as Peralta is guaranteed to swing and miss at those pitches, unless there is a man on first, in which case it will be a double play ball to short.  At this point, I'm convinced that Peralta could find a way to hit into a double play with nobody on and two outs.  So, Tigers fans, good luck with that.  I'm surprised the Indians got more in return than coupons for half-price hot dogs at Comerica Park.

Griff88

July 28th, 2010 at 10:47 PM ^

The Tigers traded away a 19 year old Lefty with potential, for Peralta. Peralta makes Devi Cruz look like Brooks Robinson.

What is also disturbing is that Wilkin Ramirez, who not that long ago was considered a top prospect within the organization, was designated for assignment.

The fact that the Tigers don't have anybody in their farm system, better then this Peralta option... and a once prized prospect is now DFA, speaks volumes.

M.I.Sicks

July 28th, 2010 at 10:33 PM ^

Considering what DD gave the Tribe in return this isn't as bad a move as some are making it out to be. Is this a BIG move? Obviously not! But it's a low risk move, and I'd rather see Peralta out there than the some of the AAA players they have been playing lately. Also, I don't think DD is completely done. DD will add another major league bat by the deadline.

Edward Khil

July 29th, 2010 at 1:12 AM ^

One advantage to the trade is that the Tigers can pick up Peralta for $7M in 2011.  Even if they do re-sign Inge instead, they're negotiating with him from a position of strength, and can probably get him for less than the $6.6M they paid him this year.