Wow. I heard the rumors this morning and kept up with them most of the day. I must say that when I first heard the possibility of a trade involving Andrew Miller and Cameron Maybin I pretty much rejected it immediately, particularly for Maybin.
Now that’s all past us and the Tigers have traded Miller, Maybin, Mike Rabelo, Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz and Burke Badenhop for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. That’s a heck of a package that the Tigers put together for those two as the minor leaguers aren’t exactly low-end prospects and a few have had a taste of the big leagues.
If this works out as Dave Dombrowski apparently believes it will, then this is a great trade for the Tigers. With Cabrera in the lineup the Tigers have a nearly unstoppable lineup of:
1) Granderson
2) Polanco
3) Sheffield
4) Ordonez
5) Cabrera
6) Guillen
7) Rentaria
8) Rodriguez
9) Jones
I’m not sure I can even venture to guess right now how that will turn out, though each outcome looks good :)
My concern mainly comes around Dontrelle Willis. Last year was not good and 2006 wasn’t grand but if he can return to form the Tigers have a young rotation that is locked in for a few years with Porcello due in a few:
1) Verlander
2) Bonderman
3) Willis
Coming to the American League won’t make it any easier on Willis and if he isn’t able to turn his game around this trade will ultimately be considered a bust. More thoughts on this later as I adjust to no more Andrew Miller or Maybin.. and DLC whom I am quite fond of though right now I’m happy with this.
D-Town Baseball
8 Comments
This has to be the biggest deal the Tigers have made since what? Kuenn-Colavito is the only one I can think of that comes close, and it’s not anywhere near as big as this deal.
With some good luck I think we may be looking at a possible multiple WS-winning team here.
Ya, shocking. I thought the Rentaria trade was big.. this is just huge :)
I’d agree, I like that these are younger players too. I wonder if we’ll see a longer term contract with one of them before the week is done.
They may not be done…rumor on another site has them going after Haren still. Is that even possible now? Inge/Robertson?
With who Beane is asking for for Haren, I don’t see they have a chance.
The only big talent they have they could get rid of is Bondo and he isn’t going to the A’s ;) and Dave believes in him anyway.
According to Jon Paul Morosi, they are looking to deal Inge, Thames and Durbin to free up some money. That’s not a heck of a lot of money though.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/SPORTS02/71204065/1050/SPORTS05
If they are that strapped for cash at this point, and so low on prospects Haren is out of the question. They still will be looking to sign Cabrera and/or Willis.
A friend of mine called me this evening and told me…I told him he was full of ____ . I am in shock!!! As much as I liked Maybin, I like this deal even more.
The only big talent they have they could get rid of is Bondo and he isn’t going to the A’s ;)
Remember the famous scene in Monyball where Beane learns that his subordinates have drafted Bonderman–and throws his chair through the wall in rage?
This is such a gutsy move which is what makes it so great. I promise right now to never say anything bad about this trade no matter how it pans out 20 years from now. Illitch and the Tigers saw an opportunity and they went for it. How many teams actually do that? The Yankees aren’t with Santana, the Angels didn’t with Cabrera and they all could have. If the Yankees had added Santana they would be terrific, ditto for the Angels. Now both of those teams head into next season with holes.
Not the Tigers.
Jim Leyland has so much flexibility with this lineup. Renteria seems destined for the seven spot, but he could easily slide up to the top of the order too.
Last year the top seven averaged an OPS over .900!
A few of those guys seemed primed for a little regression (Ordonez and Polanco both appeared to have ‘career years’ last year). But there are enough hitters in that lineup that 1,000 runs seem possible and 900 runs seem almost guaranteed.
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