71 thoughts on “Sanchez Resigned – 5 years for $80M”

  1. OK. Now Porcello and Boesch get traded for a decent RH OF bat and some prospects and we are good to go.

  3. I’m happy. He was expected to get $15m/yr all along. All he really managed to do was squeeze an extra year onto the original offer.

    1. I think you mean he squeezed an extra year onto the original expectation, not the original offer. The Tigers initially offered only 12 million per year on the 4 year proposal, which is 48 million total.

      So Sanchez squeezed an extra year for an additional 32 million dollars on top of the original offer.

      1. Sanchez didn’t have to do any squeezing. Team owners are ponying up big time for “name” FAs this year and it is a windfall offseason for those players. DD and Illitch are probably wiping their brows and thanking the heavens that they were lucky enough to outbid the Cubs and get him so cheaply. Whether this makes any sense or not doesn’t matter. It’s the way it is.

  5. Lynn Henning thinks the Tigers will move Porcello. http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121214/OPINION03/212140431/1129/sports0104/Rick-Porcello-obvious-odd-man-out-Tigers-will-look-trade-him

    What do you guys think? Check out the comments, looks like Henning hasn’t been right in a while.

    Think Tony Paul wants to take this back? http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20121212/OPINION03/212120346#ixzz2F3C7qBXP

    A few of the commenters in the 1st article suggest that the Rangers would be interested in Porcello for Andrus. Rangers need to do something to keep up with the Angels, but I don’t see a snowball’s chance of that one happening, but it would be glorious if it did. Maybe Porcello and Castellanos for Andrus or Profar. I’d do that in a second.

    1. I get all my info from DTW (and there sure has been a lot to digest lately!), so there is no reason for me to refer to the Detroit News’ version of the Clown Show.

      1. I’m really starting to think that Porcello to the Rangers could work. They just lost Mike Adams, and they already lost Uehara. Maybe Porcello, Castellenos and Rondon/Dotel for Profar or Andrus? The Rangers are planning on moving Kinsler to 1B already to put Profar at 2B, Castellanos could slide in nicely there. Problem is that Castellanos is likely a year away, and the Rangers need someone now.

    2. Yeah, both Porcello and Castellanos are talented guys that don’t happen to fit well on our roster. It’s almost a guarantee that they’ll be moved. Good chance it happens in a big deal like you suggest. Not sure I’d want to help the Rangers, though.

      1. I think they hold off on dealing Castellanos for several reasons:

        1) If he does well at Toledo his value goes up, in which case he can either be dealt for more at the trading deadline if need be, or perhaps next year. Or they could pencil him on the 25-man roster next year if he looks like he will reach the hoped for star status.

        2) Martinez’ contract is up after this year, so they will need another DH and they could rotate him, again if he pans out, or Hunter, or Dirks there for the last season on Hunter’s contract.

        3) Dirks could regress, turn out to be a one-year wonder, which they seem to be fearful of considering the desire to platoon him.

        4) For cost reasons, at some point (sooner rather than later I think) they have to stop trading the top farm guys for $10M per year, long-term contract vets. Eventually the talent is going to have to be promoted from within the farm system. Whether the bucks stop with Castellanos or not, we’ll see.

        As far as Porcello is concerned, I think the odds are that he gets traded. But I could also seeing them holding off on that through ST, waiting to see if Smiley or another invitee is competent to hold down the #5 spot or if P finally turns that corner all have been waiting for – there were some encouraging signs last year with a higher K rate, for example.

        The Rangers being virtually shut out and bleeding players this winter could be a potential trade partner. If DD could take advantage of that scenario (e.g. TX looks over their shoulder at LAA and panics) that might work, but I don’t particularly want to see the Rangers helped either. And the Rangers may be reluctant to deal Andrus to the Tigers for the same reason.

    3. I wouldn’t want to give up as much as it would take to pry Elvis Andrus loose. I’d go as far as prospect for prospect – Castellanos for Profar – and no further. I do think that Castellanos fits the Tigers’ plans, and this is the first scenario I’ve imagined where I’d part with him (and not very willingly at that).

        1. Is the general feeling here (I’m asking everyone) that Nick Castellanos might be a little overrated? Or merely that he doesn’t fit the plan soon enough to not use as a trade chip instead?

          Kevin, since you are obviously more attuned to the Rangers than I, what is your take on how highly the Rangers value Profar relative to how the Tigers value Castellanos? I mean, Texas has Andrus. Doesn’t that kind of put Profar in the same boat as Castellanos if not more so?

          I see the two as roughly equal with maybe a slight edge to Profar based on the position he plays. Highly touted as they are, they are still only prospects.

          1. Oh, I misunderstood the Rangers situation. (Thanks, travisfrymanfan.) Profar isn’t necessarily “behind” Andrus at all. Never mind. Though Profar at 2B would also be of great interest to the Tigers.

  6. I’m less enthusiastic about the signing of Anibal Sanchez than I would have been 6-7 weeks ago, but hey, it’s nothing to complain about. My doubts aren’t such that I could reasonably claim “I told you so” if it goes awry. For my idea of the worst-case scenario (other than catastrophic injury) with Sanchez, see A.J. Burnett 2006-2010. Not a disaster.

    I don’t think the Tigers need to trade Porcello or Smyly. I’d keep ’em both, and keep ’em busy.

  8. Profar 2B ,Kinsler 2b, Andrus SS.
    That wont change.
    Porcello for Andrus ? Not way. Scherzer to begin talks

  11. Re-watching game 4 of the ALCS (I know, I know).

    “…that’s why Jim Leyland said Avisail Garcia will be in right field every day next year.”

    1. Yes, but he didn’t say WHICH right field, now did he. He might have meant the one in Toledo.

    1. It freed up a spot on the 40-man. That’ll probably come into play at some point over the next couple months.

    2. Yeah it’s definitely a head-scratcher not knowing the terms of the sale. Maybe Mitt Romney got a job to do consulting for the Tigers and explained to them how much profit there is in shipping jobs to Asia.

    3. That one might have been a mistake. Although Wilk did poorly in his brief stint with the Tigers early in the season, he was probably the best starter at Toledo last year. Since they didn’t bother to give him a recall after rosters expanded, maybe he was in the dog house for some reason. I thought he was at least a valuable trade chip, so this surprised me.

    1. The Mariner fan base (aka baseball’s least savvy BB fans) are not sure what to make of this, sounds like he is hungry, and in better shape… we will see

    3. Yeah it helps to be a handsome man if you are going to bilk an old man out of a billion bucks or so. And DD is a handsome man! 😉

      1. What I’d like to know is how Kevin Towers finishes ahead of Dave Dombrowski. Kevin Towers? Give me a break.

        I think a deal with the Diamondbacks may yet be in the offing. The invisible precursor was DD agreeing to let Towers have half of his sexy votes in exchange for a discount on… well, who do we want from Arizona?

  16. Gustavo Nunez, SS prospect is back. Also:

    http://www.freep.com/article/20121221/SPORTS02/121221016/1050/rss15

    Not so interested in trading Porcello, but it’s worth contemplating what I (or you) might want (in terms of any trade) from those 3 teams rumored to be interested.

    Mariners: Casper Wells, Brendan Ryan, (IF prospect) Nick Franklin

    Orioles: J.J. Hardy, Jake Arrieta, Nolan Reimold

    Padres: Huston Street, Everth Cabrera, Jesus Guzman

      1. Yes, if the trade with the Mariners had to involve Porcello, I’d want some pitching back, Furbush or Wilhelmsen at the least. Good call.

        1. From http://www.mlbtraderumors.com

          “The Tigers are reconsidering trading Rick Porcello, who has drawn attention from the Padres and several other clubs since Detroit re-signed Anibal Sanchez. If Porcello is available, Center feels it would take more than a rumored trade package of Luke Gregerson and Jesus Guzman for the Padres to acquire the right-hander.”

          That’s interesting, especially the Gregerson part. True that the above mentioned package wouldn’t be enough for Porcello. Throw in Everth Cabrera and it would be. I’d do that, but I don’t know if the Padres want Porcello that badly. Who else to add to make it worthwhile for them? Santiago, maybe?

          1. Agreed, we should hold Porcello until a good deal comes along. I want to know what the Padres price is for Yasmani Grandal now that his stock took a hit due to being suspended 50 games for testosterone, plus the Tigers could live without those 50 games during what will be potentially a pointless regular season. That’s the deal I want from the Padres.

              1. Yeah and I’m willing to offer to pay all of Brayan Pena’s salary so that should make him very enticing as a replacement catcher to add into the Porcello package.

                We could then see if they also want Peralta or Infante or one of the many other expendable guys on the team and then seek a 3rd team to find an upgrade at SS or 2B, and keep building from there.

    1. True, though that’s partly biased by how incredibly bad the Tigers scouting department was during the Randy Smith era.

      1. I’m inclined to believe that scouting has been better under DD. It could be that the most prominent evidence of that will be, not a higher percentage of successful careers (I would say Ramon Santiago was the one Class of 2000 success), but a better return in terms of prospects DD has traded away. I look forward to the other articles in the series as it moves forward in time.

        1. Absolutely. You can argue all day about the organization’s priorities, checkbook, etc. but the bottom line is that they evaluate talent as well as anyone in the business.

          In the Smith era, I was always hearing about such and such up and comers in the farm system that would “form the core” for the next decade while the national media remained politely silent about those mid-level prospects that we had mistaken for blue chippers.

          That doesn’t happen to Chadd & Co. I don’t think it’s happened since Cornejo.

        2. Make that two Class of 2000 successes. I overlooked Brandon Inge, arguably more of a (modest) success story than Santiago.

    2. Well don’t let a small sample size of ten names discourage you from appreciating the value of prospects. That’s just one tiny list in a sea of prospects and as Jeff pointed out arguably not a good list of researched and selected prospects anyhow.

      I tend to think most GMs undervalue prospects more often than overvaluing them. And hence many teams give away good stuff for risky expensive players or guys who don’t produce efficient value. It’s a common mistake to undervalue prospects that can really set back a franchise or keep them from achieving greatness.

      1. How many “Top 10” prospects, on average, all teams and all years, go on to – at a minimum – modest success in the majors over a career spanning at least 10 years? Take a guess. 5 in 10? 4 in 10? I would be surprised if it was more than 2 or 3 in 10.

        A clue to the “absolute” value of Top 10 prospect status lies in the fact that at any given time there are 300 Top 10 prospects for 750 MLB roster spots.

        I think MLB GMs know what they’re doing with prospects. They just lack prescience. So do we.

        1. Whoa, too cool:

          http://www.thebaseballcube.com

          No need to wait on the aforementioned series on Tigers Top 10 prospects through the years. The data is there to be sliced and diced to your heart’s content. Most of it seems to be sliced and diced for you. Cool. Neat resource.

  18. From Beck’s Blog:

    Here’s an interesting twist, though: When asked if Sanchez left money on the table by accepting the Tigers’ offer, Mato said he did, but not from the Cubs.

    “I can say he left money on the table at the Winter Meetings,” Mato said.

    That offer came before Zack Greinke signed, a move that supposedly set the market for him. It was from a team other than the Tigers and Cubs, but it was a team where Sanchez didn’t want to play.

    “He wasn’t comfortable with that team,” Mato said, “and it wasn’t the Cubs.”

    Yankees? Rangers? Red Sox?

  19. In other news, Ramon Santiago is doing well in Venezuela and DD says “Peralta is our shortstop.” Case closed, Peralta at SS and Santiago as infield bench to start 2013?

    I… don’t think so.

    1. Nobody to offset the removal of Denard Span, who is a career .342 hitter vs. Detroit (career .284 overall). That’s a Luke Scott-level difference.

      1. There was a time when it seemed like everyone in the Twins lineup became better against the Tigers. I’m happy to see the Twins rebuilding, and may they continue to do so for the next 20 years. It would also be nice if Jeffrey Loria would purchase the White Sox but not move them to Florida.

      2. Yeah, Luke Scott’s career split vs. Tigers is scary, incredible. But check out his career stats vs. current Tigers pitchers:

        64 PA, 19 K
        .161/.266/.286/.551 OPS
        1 HR, 8 RBI
        6 K in 8 PA, .000 OPS vs. Joaquin Benoit

        Weird, huh? He must have really scorched some former Tigers.

        1. Nate Robertson appears to have been his favorite: 8 PAs, for 4 walks, 1 sac fly, 1 double, and 2 singles (the walks seem to have been a good idea). For those of you keeping score that’s a batting average of 1.000 with a 2.208 OPS.

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