The Tigers have signed Ugueth Urbina and outrighted Matt Anderson to Toledo. Details of the contract are being withheld until a physical is completed. During the offseason I was against this signing. However, between Anderson’s failure, and Fernando Rodney’s injury the Tigers didn’t have a solid option to close games. I wouldn’t be surprised if this is only a one or two year deal and if Urbina is traded later this summer (hopefully once Rodney heals and shows us something).
UPDATE: This article says it is a one year deal worth $3.5 million. It also indicates that Pudge was instrumental in Urbina coming here. It looks like it didn’t take long for the Pudge Halo Effect to kick in.
I think this is a good signing. At least they will have somebody at the end that won’t blow the few leads they have. It’s not anywhere near the 3-4 years 12-15 mil that Urbina supposedly was holding out for. And they can, as you point out, flip him for some talent at the trading deadline. Hopefully Rodney and German will both have improved by then. It looks like German will be closing in Toledo, and Rodney could become the set-up guy in Detroit. Adding Urbina sure makes the pen look a lot better. They continue to add talent that will make them less horrific than last year, and they still are at about $60 mil in payroll, with no one except Pudge due any money after 2005. Hopefully they will have a couple of prospects by then. Realistically they aren’t even at the beginning of a rebuilding project yet; they don’t have enough young talent. They are just buying a little time.
It’s not money so why not? It’s not blocking anybody worthy for a bullpen role. And it should help by moving guys into roles they’re more suited for. Levine as a mop-up long guy, Walker and Patterson as a left/right one out team, Rodney as set-up. Much improved off one signing,