Five Moves Tigers Could Make That Could Help

The Tigers are a great team and have a great chance to win the World Series but they have some small holes and here are some moves that may help some, but I wouldn’t make all of them or maybe none but all could work.  I would only do 1 of the following trades for sure too.

1. Sign a Slugger for the Bench Magglio Ordonez needs a team and the Tigers need a DH, it may be his best option and he could just start 3 or 4 times a week and be a pretty good player.  Marcus Thames could do the same , except on a smaller scale and has done very well in Detroit and could have a great year for the Tigers.  Xavier Nady is a good bench player to think about too.  If I signed on of them it’d be to a minor league deal with an invite to Spring Training and my choice of player would be Ordonez, Thames then Nady
2. Sign A Relief Pitcher- Just as an insurance option, especially with Albuquerque out until mid-July.  Michael Wuertz is one of the better options, but David Aardsma is younger and better and then there is always Mike Gonzalez who is pretty good and could have a good year.  I’d take Aardsma, Gonzalez and then Wuertz in that order and sign them to a minor league deal with an invite once again, if I signed one of them
3. Trade for Chone Figgins in exchange for 8 million dollars and SS Cale Iorg- The M’s may dump him but it seems as if he may hit leadoff, which may help him get better but if he falters during Spring this could work, the M’s get a once promising prospect who may just need a new teams and dump Figgins and the Tigers get a great second baseman and a guy who has speed and could return to his old self, for the most part
4. Tigers Acquire Jeff Baker from Cubs for RP Dan Bennett and 1B Ryan Strieby- The Cubs get a power hitter who may do well at Wrigley and a guy who could contribute to the bullpen in a few years and the Tigers get a good hitting, decent fielding second baseman who has some pop too and could play other potions and hit well second or at the bottom of the order.
5. Tigers get Carlos Lee from Astros for OF Jamie Johnson, RP Kenny Faulk, and SP Kyle Ryan- Some good prospects for a slugger the Tigers need, biggest deal but wouldn’t go down until July and if the Tigers really need him.

Ranking The Tigers DH Options

Soon will be a write-up on the best guys and why they should come here or not

1. Prince Fielder
2. Yoenis Cespedes
3. Carlos Pena
4. Johnny Damon
5. Vladimir Guererro
6. Johnny Gomes
7. Hideki Matsui
8. Derrek Lee
9. Cody Ross
10. JD Drew
11. Raul Ibanez
12. Magglio Ordonez
13. Juan Pierre
14. Wilson Betemit
15. Miguel Tejada
16. Carlos Guillen
17. Xaiver Nady
18. Manny Ramirez
19. Brad Hawpe

1-5 would be great, 1-2 being the best obviously and 5-14 are good to okay and the rest won’t probably cut it.

Tigers Offseason Need List

A little late but here we go…
Needs: (In Order)

1. Starter
2. Second Baseman
3. Reliever
4. Third Baseman
5. Corner Outfielder

FAs To Target (In Order)

1. 3B Aramis Ramirez
2. SP Mark Buehrle
3. 2B Kelly Johnson
4. OF Josh Willingham
5. OF Coco Crisp
6. RP Octavio Dotel
7. RP Chad Qualls
8. RP Michael Wuertz
9. RP Mike Gonzlaez
10. SP Ted Lilly

Trade Options

1. 3B Chase Headley
2. 2B Orlando Hudson
3. RP Ramon Ramirez

Untouchables: Jaocb Turner, Nick Castellanos, Casey Crosby, Drew Smyly, Bruce Rondon, Rob Brantly
Touchable: Andrew Oliver (High numbers, sell while you can because I smell bust but could be an okay MLB pitcher)
Bullet Points

• Tender Delmon Young a contract, look what he did, sure he has his cons but he’s proven he can be a big offensive force and some of the other things the Tigers could get by signing a second or third baseman that offers those stats
• Do not trade Rick Porcello or Brennan Boesch.  Boesch looks as if he could be a good starter and Porcello can still live up to every bit of his potential and will have a great career
• If Magglio Ordonez stays on the market give him a look, but don’t do that with Carlos Guillen
• Wilson Betemit is a toss-up, he’s a good option but there is better so maybe if you can;t get any better because he could do well at 3B and give the Tigers more production there than Kelly or Inge likely
• Keep Brando Inge, he will be more productive this year

Free Agent Profile: Magglio Ordonez

OVERVIEW: An aging outfielder coming off a disappointing season, I believe he still has a lot left in his tank and something to offer with his bat and he could be a bargain and have a real good 2012 and maybe 2013 to close out his career, but his defense won’t be there, not that he couldn’t play right field but he won’t do that well out there.  He will do better than he did last year and could be the hitter he was but he may also disappoint.
STATS: He could be up to a .300 hitter maybe a little better but .280 or .290 sounds way more realistic at this point.  He could belt a few homers and when given the chance to get an RBI, he will get it a lot of times.  I really like him and what he does and his stats will show it.  His defensive stats won;t be there of course and he should be a little above average sabermetricly.
FITS:
Tigers- He fits best as a Tiger and I’d really like them to re-sign him but I doubt they will re-sign him, which is to bad for both sides
Rangers- He could play left and put Hamilton in center and Cruz in right and give Gentry playing time once in a while, he could revive his career here
Red Sox- They had interest last year and he could serve as a third or fourth outfielder here and do okay
Phillies- He could give Brown so more time and give some nice production without a long time commitment
Athletics- Could fill in a roster spot and play his game minus some pop
BEST FIT: Tigers, but most realistic is the Rangers

IS HE DONE?: I say no but there is a possibility.  If he isn’t going to drop in his production the will do a fine and be just a little bit under his usual production in 2012 and he may drop some in 2013 again or he could drop a lot in production this year, which is possible but not as much.  I say there is only a 30% he’s done and he will do okay this year.

BOTTOM LINE: He’s a good option as an outfielder and could still start

A Look At The Tigers Game 1 Line-Up

1. Austin Jackson CF- If he can get on than he can stay here and he found ways to get on even when he wasn’t hitting very well in the ALDS
2. Ryan Raburn 2B- A Ranger killer who does good in Rangers Ballpark and is doing well right now should stay here
3. Miguel Cabrera 1B- As long as he hits a few homers, gets on and gets RBIs he can hit third or fourth, third might be the better choice because he could get ane extra at-bat along the way but it doesn’t really matter a lot
4. Victor Martinez DH- I like him hitting fourth and should do a lot better this series and I have a feeling he will flash his power
5. Magglio Orodnez RF- He’s been hot and is a great postseason hitter, he should shit here or second but no lower
6. Alex Avila C- He needs to regain his swing and then he can hit a couple of homers and he can hit here with ease
7. Jhonny Peralta SS- A great number seven hitter who will contribute a lot
8. Ramon Santiago SS- When he gets a start he has some pop and can geta few hits here and on another note his defense is great
9. Brandon Inge 3B- He does well and will hit a few homers in the playoffs

Losing Delmon hurts but this line-up can still get a lot of runs and do well.  Betemit should hit a homer and get a few hits here and there if he stops swinging at everything.  Kelly can do some nice things for the Tigers with a few starts too

What The Tigers Line-Up Should Look Like For ALDS Game 5

Here’s what I’d do

1. CF Austin Jackson
2. RF Magglio Ordonez
3. LF Delmon Young
4. 1B Miguel Cabrera
5. DH Victor Martinez
6. SS Jhonny Peralta
7. C Alex Avila
8. 3B Brandon Inge
9. 2B Ryan Raburn

I’d do this because Jackson has been getting on and I’m not sure Dirks would do much better and Maggs had his best game in the two hole.  I trust Inge more than Kelly or Betemit right now and I’d put Avila in the seven hole because even though he’s struggling he can hit a homer just like that in Yankee Stadium.  Santiago will start doing worse and worse if he plays everyday and Raburn will come up better and I like Peralta in the six hole for some reason.  Betemit then Kelly then Dirks would be my pinch-hitting options in order of who I’d want up there the most.

Leyland said Kelly and Maggs will start so I’d put Kelly hitting ninth and Raburn seventh in that case and the lien-up Leyland is putting out there is decent but could easily win more importantly.

Ranking The Tigers Hitters From Who’ll Do Best To Worst

1. Miguel Cabrera
2. Victor Martinez
3. Delmon Young
4. Johnny Peralta
5. Magglio Ordonez
6. Alex Avila
7. Wilson Betemit
8. Austin Jackson
9. Ryan Raburn
10. Brandon Inge
11. Ramon Santaigo
12. Andy Dirks
13. Don Kelly
14. Omir Santos

Most of these guys should do very well.  The first nine will make some contirbutions and Inge could do something big and Satiago is sneaky, very sneaky

Is Scott Sizemore an Everyday Option Now?, Tigers Line-Up, Boesch’s Power

• I think he couldn’t do better so far and he will be hot for a while.  I think you could see him doing what he did last September all year.  He’s a decent hitter and he will be a really good hitter.  If Rhymes improves him and Sizemore would make a great platoon.  Sizemore will always be an above average big leaguer and do a good job.  He can hit second but he should also be big at the bottom of the order in some games.  Sizemore will have a lot better season this year and just do a great job all around.  He will step up and is a legit option.
• I like the batting order tonight but Ordonez should move back up pretty soon because when he does good he will do his best in that spot.  Boesch’s numbers will get better third and he will be slightly more productive.  Martinez is fine and will rack up RBIs.  It will be a good line-up for now.
• Brennan Boesch may not have as much power as last year but soon he will breakout and hit a lot of homers, but for now he will keep it up and when his power breaks out his average will go down a bit.
• Al Albuquerque is going to be a great late innings power pitcher, this year.  He’s a great talent.

Tigers Re-Sign Magglio Ordonez

They need him and without him they would be in trouble.  Magglio will be back for one year and I think they might even need him in 2012.  He will perform big and have a great season.  He won’t decline at all and he will do everything he has and will hit awesome in front of Cabby and make him better.  Maggs will decline a bit on defense but his production will be big and with him and Martinez around Cabrera this offense could be very dangerous.  He will have a season about as good as 2010 would have been.  This is his best fit and he will hit very well at times with at least 20 homers and 100 RBIs with some of the biggest production on the Tigers.  He’s going to have a pretty big year and will be great for the Tigers it was a good season.  As far as hitting he could actually have one of his best seasons ever and he still has a good ability.  The Tigers are getting back a great player.

Rumors and Ideas: Tigers- Day 3

• They are battling for Magglio Ordonez.  I would get him at all costs because he’s not too old yet and he will keep the Tigers offense running.  He wouldn’t hurt them at all and might do better than he was in 2010.  Ordonez will keep a high average and everything in his game will stay the same if he comes back.  Without him the offense is a lot weaker and it’s the best fit for him to come back.  NEED METER: 10
• The Tigers had interest in Ryan Ludwick, who wouldn’t be bad and have a decent year but wouldn’t fit in all that well and might have more struggle plus I think the Tigers need a better hitter like Maggs or Willingham.  he just isn’t as good and even though he would be above average I don’t think he would have that much success in Detroit, I just don’t like him that much.
• The Tigers need a starter and I would be happy with Gorzelanny.  They need to get a decent one though and if they get a top market or middle market free agent they should make a run at Pavano
• I would re-sign Maggs and get a guy like Gorzelanny with the time left in the meetings.  If they pick in the Rule V Draft I would try to get Aneury Rodriguez.