While we're all waiting for news on Johan Santana, it's Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis who are on the move to Motown, instantly making the Tigers the favorite to win the AL Central next year.The Marlins get Andrew Miller, a 6'6'', 22-year-old lefty who was the 6th overall pick of last year's draft. He's had some control issues at the big league level- 49 walks in 74 1/3 IP, but his upside is huge. He's definitely the centerpiece of this deal. Also included in the deal...Cameron Maybin a 20-year-old outfielder who was the 10th overall pick of the '05 draft. He got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last year and looked overmatched, punching out 21 times in 49 AB's. But he can hit, hit for power, and run. I read one website that said he was the most exciting position player to come through Detroit's farm system since Kirk Gibson. On top of that, the fish get Mike Rabello, a catcher who turns 28 in January and has just 169 big league at bats, with all but one of them coming this past season. He hit .256 with 13 extra base hits but also struck out 41 times. On top of those 3, the Tigers are also reportedly sending 3 other minor league pitchers south, including a 23-year-old fireballer named Eulogio De La Cruz. He threw 6 2/3 innings for the big club last season.
Now for Detroit. They get one of the best hitters in the game in Cabrera, who's only 24, and the get Willis, who turns 26 in April and already has 68 career wins including a 22-win 2005 season. On the flip side, D-Train's hit totals and walk totals have gone up every year he's been in the league and he's coming off of what was easily his most disappointing season (10-15, 5.17 ERA). Cabrera's defense has been much-maligned as well. He had the 3rd worst fielding percentage out of all big league third baseman last year, and only Ryan Braun had more errors than his 23. His weight issues have never hurt his bat and he's reportedly on a new off-season conditioning program designed to keep him slim.
Now let's examine what this deal does for Detroit. Their opening day lineup would look something like this...
CF Curtis Granderson
2b Placido Polanco
RF Magglio Ordonez
3b Miguel Cabrera
DH Gary Sheffield
1b Carlos Guillen
LF Jacque Jones
C Ivan Rodriguez
SS Edgar Renteria
And their rotation...
RHP Justin Verlander
LHP Dontrelle Willis
RHP Jeremy Bonderman
LHP Kenny Rogers
LHP Nate Robertson
The Tigers finished with 88 wins in '07, but were still a full 8 games back of the Tribe. Next year, the Cenral could be nearly as top-heavy as the AL East.
8 comments:
The Tigers are going to be money, there's no doubt.
On a side note, if I set the line on career era at
Bonderman +0.40 vs
Daniel Cabrera
Who would you take?
tough call...i'm inclined to thjink bonderman just because i kind of hate dc now.
Bonderman Career ERA: 4.78
DC: 4.99
Obvisouly DC's not as good, but JB has not been much better.
yeah, but i dont see cabrera getting any better, while i do for bonderman. i realy dont think cabrera cares about baseball at all.
I can't believe there is a major league baseball player named Eugoogily.
Um, am I crazy or are the Tigers pretty much the exact same team as the Yankees now? Great line up, questionable starting pitcher, pretty weak bullpen. We see how that's been working out for the Yankees.
While I give the Yankees the edge at 5 of 9 hitters (LF, 3B, SS, 2B and C), I think the Tigers are way better defensively. Other than 3B and RF, I think the Tigers win every other position. And Verlander is a better pitcher than anyone on the Yankees.
I think they win more games than the Yankees do next year unless the Yankees swing a deal for a stud pitcher.
And back to DC vs JB for a minute... Yes, DC is about 18 months older. But he's got 300 fewer big league innings than Bonderman. Bonderman has never had a sub-4 ERA in 5 years, and has been over 5 twice.
Bonderman's secondary numbers (K/BB, HR rate) are still better than DC's. But I'm beginning to think that Bonderman will be the next Javi Vazquez. Great secondary numbers that make you think he's way better than he actually is.
that may be the case about bonderman (javy-esque) but i'll take javy-esque over nuke laloosh-pre kevin costner any day of the week.
and i thought you made an interesting point about the detroit/new york thing. while the yankees may be stronger at 5 of 9 positions, it's not by much and i think i would rather have placido polanco than robinson cano...maybe not for fantasy, but on my actual team.
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