Jon Paul Morosi is covering the GM meetings from California and he caught up with Dave Dombrowski. Among the nuggets Dombrowski spoke about the 2010 closer situation and the payroll.
On a closer for the year-after-next, Dombrowski believes the candidate is in house. Given the college-reliever heavy draft this summer, that isn’t surprising. Among Ryan Perry, Cody Satterwhite, and others (Casey Fien, Joel Zumaya, Freddy Dolsi) I’d hope that’s a safe bet. It also makes it unlikely, as Morosi points out, that the Tigers are going to go after a top shelf free agent closer who will command multiple years.
Dombrowski also revealed that the 2009 payroll would not see “a significant difference” from 2008. With the team already committed to spending a little over $100 million on 11 players, that means the Tigers have about $25 million left to find a shortstop, a catcher, resign Justin Verlander, bolster the bullpen and rotation, and fill in the rest of the spots with league-minimum players under club control (like Matt Joyce).
Thanks, this is good to know
How much are a lot of the free agent pitchers going to be asking?
(Where do you think the market has set the prices)
Ie Sheets? 15mil? too much too little?
“It also makes it unlikely, as Morosi points out, that the Tigers are going to go after a top shelf free agent closer who will command multiple years.”
I think the Tigers have to go after this guy. Maybe not Fuentes-level top shelf, but someone established, ready to roll, plug and play. They have no closer right now. Also, that the young guys could be ready for the bigs in 2010 doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be ready to jump into the closer’s role, or that a guy signed for 3 years now would really “block” them for too long.
Personally I think the 7th and 8th innings of games are usually more crucial
In any event, I think it’d be wise to go after a few different guys
One guy besides Fuentes who might come on the cheap (due to his first poor year in awhile) Jason Isringhausen
http://www.baseball-reference.com/i/isrinja01.shtml
just a thought
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2007/12/2009-mlb-free-a.html
pick someone from there, its a nice list
“I think the Tigers have to go after this guy.”
The idea of paying big money for a closer actually seems kind of silly to me. Our problem last year wasn’t so much that we couldn’t close out 1 or 2 run ball games in the ninth. Our bigger problem was that we fell behind early or blew games in the 7th and 8th. I would prefer that we spend the money on replacing Nate Robertson to be quite honest. Maybe we could move him to the closer role. You can’t put icing on the cake until you bake it, and right now we don’t have enough bakers. Mostly just butchers and candlestick makers. All I’m trying to say is that you can’t close the door unless it was ever open. Know what I’m sayin. I’m just sayin, you can have a sandwich without ham, but you can’t have a ham sandwich without ham. It’s simple math. Y’naw what I’m sayin. Wait..what am I sayin?
I would prefer that we spend the money on replacing Nate Robertson to be quite honest.
YES
Our bigger problem was that we fell behind early or blew games in the 7th and 8th.
YES
Maybe we could move him to the closer role.
NOOOOOO
http://hellnohellno…………………….ytmnd.com/
take out all the periods in the above link between no and ytmnd except 1
You can’t put icing on the cake until you bake it, and right now we don’t have enough bakers. Mostly just butchers and candlestick makers. All I’m trying to say is that you can’t close the door unless it was ever open. Know what I’m sayin. I’m just sayin, you can have a sandwich without ham, but you can’t have a ham sandwich without ham. It’s simple math. Y’naw what I’m sayin. Wait..what am I sayin?
Yep
another link (again fix the periods) does this say what your sayin’?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uX7byj0MU-I
i wonder why
sad i can’t post anything with links =( without being moderated
and they were funny 2
Ken, I guess the Tigers can’t afford a big money closer (more and more it seems they can’t afford much of anything), but maybe they can afford a good money closer on a 2 or 3 year deal. Whatever that distinction is and whoever it might be – I’ll try to find out.
Otherwise, I know exactly what you’re saying, but I don’t know exactly what you’re saying.
A closer isn’t all they need for the bullpen, and the lack thereof wasn’t the whole problem after the break in 2008, but it’s part of the equation. I don’t see Rodney on the team or Zumaya as part of the equation anymore. Not on my team anyway. I can’t help what the (mere) Tigers do. I won’t be held accountable for it!
I forgot about resigning Verlander. Checking account dwindling…
David,
The youtube link worked for me. I’m glad that you’re on board that we need a baker, but I’m just not sure Swedish Chef is the answer. For one, we have enough damn chef hats in the stands with Sheffield on the roster. Secondly, he’s washed up. I mean the clip you posted was probably from the 80’s, if not the late 70’s. Moreover, there are rumors that he has a communication problem in the clubhouse. People just don’t understand what he’s mumbling and ranting about all the time. Yeah, we get it, chef. Gobbla Gobbla. And think about this…..If we can’t see his eyes, then what do you think HE can see.
Looning Smoke,
I too feel like the Tigers checking account far too resembles that of my checking account. Which basically means, don’t expect any big signings, much less paying the utility bill on time.
Andre, what say we pick up Juan Cruz and Chad Cordero without delay? Also, I’m talking with the Padres about Guillen, Thames, Raburn, and maybe Larish, for Jake Peavey. More players involved, talks still in the early stages. Want to take a chance on Juan Rincon?
You gave me an idea, Ken. I think I’m going to be Looming Scone next. I just like the idea of being an ominous, threatening, and yet obscure pastry.
Since you asked, yes, it is true that I did always used to think that the line from Led Zep’s “Misty Mountain Hop” was “Hey boy, do you wanna scone?” Well, you know how it is.
Now the Padres are saying they want Verlander. Verlander, Thames, and Raburn for Peavey. But it might have been a prank phone call. I heard a munching sound that sounded suspiciously honey-roasted.
Just in case you thought my ideas were stupid, a proposed 3-way trade I came across:
Padres get:
Escobar and prospects from Braves
Braves get:
Ordonez and Peavy
Tigers get:
Greene and prospect from Braves
Such a deal for the Tigers! Khalil Greene! Wowie zowie! And a prospect. For the mere price of Maggs.
Peavey would not approve a trade to the Tigers, so phooey on him. I didn’t want him anyway. Turned out he was the one who made the prank call about Verlander.
Scone,
no thanks on Greene, he failed my AL fantasy team last year. he’s dead to me.
“You gave me an idea, Ken. I think I’m going to be Looming Scone next. I just like the idea of being an ominous, threatening, and yet obscure pastry.”
Ok well, put your scone where your mouth is. Your name changing could become a fantastic game of telephone, whereby it morphs into something completely different. By the time the Tigers reach the playoffs again, your name could be Flopping Balls or just Frank.
BTW, who said looming can only be associated with that which is ominous and threatening. Couldn’t success be looming on the horizon?
‘Couldn’t success be looming on the horizon?”
Only in a benevolent universe. Besides, I have seen scones, and I feel threatened by them indeed. They look very dry, and I am a xerophobe. Actually, a recovering xerophobe. But still.
What about a trade with the Mariners for J.J Putz, as suggested in one of the above linked-to articles?
Andre, surely you saw that I didn’t think much of Greene. I have a hard time believing the Tigers could be interested, as rumored. What were you doing with him on your fantasy team anyway?
OK, upon further review I’m not so surprised the Tigers might be interested in Greene. They wouldn’t even have to trade for him, contrary to the weird trade suggestion (not mine) I posted back there. I think I’d still rather have Everett as the low-cost middle infielder/Santiago competitor for SS.
“What were you doing with him on your fantasy team anyway?”
ouch…hurts so bad. damn espn’s projections!
You can’t trust ESPN. You oughta know better. They’re a bunch of scone-eaters.
No, really, I wouldn’t have known any better about Greene myself. I’m advocating going after Adam Everett, after all, which may be worse than eating scones.
I’ve read so much trade rumor stuff today, I can’t keep it straight. So the Tigers would have to trade for Khalil Greene. And his 6.5MM salary.
Hey this post got linked to by Neyer over at ESPN. Of course, he hates the Tigers, but I digress.
And BTW Khalil Greene is awful.
Which post, Chris? You mean billfer’s, up top?
Neyer: “The Tigers’ great leap forward (GLF) in 2006 was due, at least in part, to Dombrowski (and Illitch) committing huge amounts of money to Kenny Rogers, Edgar Renteria, Ivan Rodriguez, and Magglio Ordonez. Obviously, that strategy worked brilliantly as the Tigers reached the World Series. ”
dammit, Renteria was a sleeper cell, planted back in 06!
“In 2008, the Tigers committed lots more money, this time to holdover Carlos Guillen and newcomers Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. That worked out even less well.”
well of course it didn’t work out, most of us knew all along that trading for Guillen, past his prime, was a mistake.
That Neyer guy is really up on things.
bilfer might want to put up a Neyer-disclaimer lest somebody associate Rob’s nonsense with this site. wouldn’t want ESPN to ruin a good thing.
For what it’s worth, I think Cabrera worked out fine so far.
Well, it’s understandable that Neyer would link to this post. There is some really edgy and thought-provoking social commentary on scones and those that fear them. They do look dry, don’t they? I remember first hearing them in the books of fantasy animal world writer Brian Jacques, because apparently that is all that those animals would eat. I remember thinking “Man those sound good. Dripping in honey and laced with cinnamon.” I was so disappointed when I finally saw one. Just looked like a triangular, petrified, muffin.
BTW, how did Neyer overlook our Damion Easley signing as a contributor to the World Series run?
Cool. Thanks Chris, I hadn’t seen that yet. As for Neyer, I don’t think he hates the Tigers. I don’t know that he hates any team. He’s been down on them lately, but I don’t think that is entirely unfounded. The Renteria comment was a mistake but I’m not going to kill him for that.
As an aside, Neyer is one of the indirect reasons that this blog exists in the first place. He was one of the catalysts for bring sabermetrics mainstream and he helped open my eyes to a lot of the stuff. I also discovered Neyer at a time when my interest in baseball had lulled. This math approach to baseball intrigued both the engineer and sports fan in me.
So thanks for the link Rob.
Ken – at last, someone who understands, someone I can talk to about scones. Do you know how long I’ve kept this inside me?
“The Renteria comment was a mistake but I’m not going to kill him for that.”
Gee whiz. Now you’ve got me thinking that Rob Neyer is, like, a real person or something, and that I shouldn’t be so casually insulting. Buzzkill, man. 🙂
billfer: I always respect Neyer’s opinions – he’s one of the good ones out there. He’s been pretty hard on the Tigers in recent times, though (of course it’s worth mentioning that he also pegged them to win 90-92 games this season, so I guess he’s not really that down on them).