-In a move that suprised me, the Tigers sent Marcus Thames to minor league camp. This means that Nook Logan will be the back-up centerfielder. Most surprsingly, this means that Bobby Higginson has made the team. The Tigers may just be buying more time to try and deal him. Or, Trammell may just value his left hand bat and on base ability. He could also be used as a late inning defensive sub.
-The 11th pitcher has yet to be determined. What has been determined is that it won’t be Doug Creek. He was cut today as well. The candidates still in camp are Gary Knotts and Steve Colyer. I have to believe that it will be Knotts.
Update: Knotts and Colyer were placed on waivers. The last spot will go to someone the Tigers pick up off waivers, or one of the previously cut players. This last player will only be holding down the fort until Fernando Rodney comes off the DL (assuming that German has some degree of success).
–MotownSports is back up and running for all of you needing a forum fix
-Baseball Prospectus has their AL predictions up in the free section. The Tigers are picked to finish 3rd in the AL Central. Nate Silver gave Jeremy Bonderman a 3rd place vote for AL Cy Young.
-The Tigers announced their Opening Day Festivities. Marvin Winans will sing the National Anthem and it will include a fly over by Selfridge jets.
howabout Nate Cornejo for long relief?
Today’s FreeP has an article about Higgy making the team and Thames being sent down. I can’t help but agree with the quote from Dmitri about this decision.
“This really stinks,” Young said. “Marcus is a totally good person on and off the field, and when you see someone screwed like that, you react.
“He’s just been destroying a baseball the way teams like to see. … We talk about trying to win, but that was a mistake — a major league mistake.”
The only possible rationale I can come up with is that the front office still holds out hope of trading Higgy somewhere and dumping at least part of that monster salary. Even so, I think this is a mistake.