Tigers building up for another World Series Run

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Today the Tigers traded for Miguel Cabrera AND Dontrelle Willis. The deal has been agreed in principle and should be finalized soon.

The only real player of note gone that the Tigers had a good contribution from last year that was lost is starter Andrew Miller. Cameron Maybin is another excellent prospect they had to give up, but this is clearly a move to get to the World Series now! Another negative is they did have to send some minor league talent that fuels the Florida Marlin machine.

The Tigers got another NL East talent in Edgar Renteria (former Marlin) earlier in the year in a must trade situation for the Braves, because of Yunell Escobar’s play.

The Tigers have acquired 3 big time names, and three players that are all all-star caliber so far, and with it looking like the Twins will be hurting in pitching next year, Detroit looks like it can not only take the Central but go back to the WS.

PS, they also added Denny Bautista from the Rocks.

EDIT- Here’s link to a story from the Tigers Website: http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20071204&content_id=2317414&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp&c_id=det

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Don’t discount Cameron Maybin. Barring injury, he should be a stud corner OF.

However, given what the Tigers are up against in the AL (Yanks and Red Sox and I guess the Indians), I think they had make this trade.

If I were a Tigers fan, I’d be a little concerned about Willis’ performance last year, but he didn’t have much of a team around him.

It does shape up to be a fairly wicked offense

LF- Jacque Jones (okay, maybe he’s the weak spot) .285 , 5 HR
CF-Granderson .302, 23 HR, 23 triples
RF-Ordonez .363, 28HR
3B-Cabrera .320, 34 HR
SS- Reneria .332, 12 HR
2B-Palonco .341
1B-Guillen .296, 21 HR
DH-Sheffield 25 HR
C-Pudge only 11 HR

If Bonderman can recover from the last half of '07 (he royally sucked), they are locked and loaded.

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[QUOTE=SilvioDante;273696]Don’t discount Cameron Maybin. Barring injury, he should be a stud corner OF.

However, given what the Tigers are up against in the AL (Yanks and Red Sox and I guess the Indians), I think they had make this trade.

If I were a Tigers fan, I’d be a little concerned about Willis’ performance last year, but he didn’t have much of a team around him.

It does shape up to be a fairly wicked offense

LF- Jacque Jones (okay, maybe he’s the weak spot) .285 , 5 HR
CF-Granderson .302, 23 HR, 23 triples
RF-Ordonez .363, 28HR
3B-Cabrera .320, 34 HR
SS- Reneria .332, 12 HR
2B-Palonco .341
1B-Guillen .296, 21 HR
DH-Sheffield 25 HR
C-Pudge only 11 HR

If Bonderman can recover from the last half of '07 (he royally sucked), they are locked and loaded.[/QUOTE]

Wow, you left out Brandon Inge. There’s NO possible way that Inge doesn’t start. Cabrera or Inge will move to the OF. If I were Jim Leyland, Inge (stud at 3rd) will be staying at 3rd while Cabrera goes to the OF.

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[QUOTE=Ninerballin;273699]Wow, you left out Brandon Inge. There’s NO possible way that Inge doesn’t start. Cabrera or Inge will move to the OF. If I were Jim Leyland, Inge (stud at 3rd) will be staying at 3rd while Cabrera goes to the OF.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]It is not known how Cabrera’s arrival affects the status of third baseman Brandon Inge, who is under contract through 2010 for a combined $19.1 million. By mid-evening Tuesday, neither the Tigers nor the Marlins had made themselves available for comment or to address how the trade might affect their future lineups and plans.

It’s possible Inge could be traded, although his market value has suffered following a bad 2007 season at the plate. It also is possible Cabrera could play in left field, which would induce the Tigers to trade a hitter they just acquired to play left field: Jacque Jones. Or, they might choose to deploy Jones as a fourth outfielder, given his ability to play all three outfield positions. [/QUOTE]

http://detroitnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/UPDATE/712040427

I’m not so sure, I’d say “NO possible way” yet.

FWIW, I like Inge.

ALSO, found this

[QUOTE]As a result of the deal, Detroit is now willing to move third baseman Brandon Inge, outfielder Marcus Thames and right-handed pitcher Chad Durbin in order to free up money in the Tigers’ payroll.

Inge, who will be displaced at third base by Cabrera, is owed $19.1 million over the next three seasons. Durbin and Thames were due to receive raises in arbitration.

The Tigers entered the week without needing to upgrade their offense, but they could not resist the opportunity to land Cabrera — especially since the team’s front office has a long history with him. [/QUOTE]

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071204/SPORTS02/71204065/1048/SPORTS

Obviously, until the team speaks it is just speculation, but it does sound possible that Inge is not in their 08 plans.

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Well, looks like the Marlins will be completely terrible again. Their #1 hobby is getting rid of their stars.

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I have heard that the Tigers like Inge to play catcher in the future. I believe Pudge only has a 1 year deal so they might start grooming Inge at catcher and have him platoon in the outfield and sometimes at 3rd.

All this talk about Santana to the Red Sox…the Tigers moves concern me more as a Yankees fan.

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[QUOTE=Charlotte2002;273710]I have heard that the Tigers like Inge to play catcher in the future. [/QUOTE]

From 2001-04, Inge played between 39 and 104 games per season at Catcher for the Tigers.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/i/ingebr01.shtml

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[QUOTE=Ninerballin;273699]Wow, you left out Brandon Inge. There’s NO possible way that Inge doesn’t start. Cabrera or Inge will move to the OF. If I were Jim Leyland, Inge (stud at 3rd) will be staying at 3rd while Cabrera goes to the OF.[/QUOTE]

[QUOTE]
Brandon Inge has informed the Tigers that he would rather start at third base for another club than accept a reserve role and remain in Detroit.

“He’s loved his time here,” president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said Friday. “He loves the city. He loves the organization. But at this point in his career, he would like to continue playing third base on an everyday basis.”

Inge, 30, does not want to become a catcher again, Dombrowski said.[/QUOTE]

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071208/SPORTS02/712080366/1048/SPORTS

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[QUOTE]Dombrowski said the Tigers have made “a lot of efforts” to trade Inge over the past month, but it does not appear they are close to a deal. And with spring training roughly one month away, they are approaching a stage when they must begin planning for what role Inge will have if he is not dealt.

"At some point, there will come a time – relatively soon – when we’ll pick the phone up and talk to Brandon and his representatives about, ‘Now that this has settled in, this is how we see you with our ballclub,’ " Dombrowski said.

If Inge stays, Dombrowski envisions that he would have a super-utility role by filling in at third base, in the outfield and at catcher. Dombrowski said he would expect Inge to be “very receptive” to that plan if he is not traded.
[/QUOTE]

Brandon Inge update

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080113/SPORTS02/801130680