In light of Placido Polanco’s injury, the Tigers have traded for Neifi Perez. The player they sent to the Cubs is Lakeland Tiger Chris Robinson.
Neifi Perez is pretty much awful offensively with a career OPS of 677. Yet he is 33 and still in the big leagues, and teams have given him 5000 at-bats which tells you a little something about his glove. He can play 2nd, short, and 3rd base.
Now if they picked up Neifi to replace Ramon Santiago, not only on the roster but in his role as well, then this is a good move. While Perez isn’t good, he is an upgrade over Santiago. If it is an effort to find a new everyday second basemen, I’d just assume have Infante who has shown offensive glimpses and at 24 could improve.
Chris Robinson was the Tigers 3rd round draft choice last year. This year he’s hitting for a decent average (282) but with no power (357 slugging).
UPDATE: Shame on me. I didn’t even think to look into Neifi’s contract status. Turns out he’s signed for $2.5 million next year making this deal absolutely awful. The fact that the Tigers are taking on that contract should have meant giving up nothing.
Not only is it the money that is being committed to next year, but it’s a roster spot as well. In addition to sucking up a spot on the 25 man roster next year, a spot on the 40 man roster will need to be cleared this year.
Maybe it’s the losing streak making me grumpy, but I can’t see anything I like about this trade.
Wow, you are fast!!
Let hope the Tigers see him as the utility infielder, and leave Omar at 2B
I have a bad feeling that Perez is coming in to at least take a shot at being the everyday 2B. With 4 games against the White Sox coming I’m not sure they should be diminishing what little offense they have shown as of late.
How much of an upgrade is Perez over Santiago?
I don’t know anything about the kid we gave up, but he better suck for that kind of an upgrade.
From the Tigers website:
“Perez will likely replace Ramon Santiago as Detroit’s utility infielder.”
and
“Robinson, who was hitting .286 with one home run and 47 RBIs at Class A Lakeland, will move on to Class A Daytona. Dombrowski said that Robinson projected as a backup catcher at the Major League level.”
Neifi is one of the worst offensive players of all time, objectively measured.
Read this article:
http://www.hardballtimes.com/main/article/the-real-chase/
Seems like they got a little desperate! I thought the idea was to upgrade over Infante, not Santiago. I assume Vizcaino could have been had for next to nothing – he has got to be as good as Perez. Should have worked something out to get Grudzelanek or Counsel.
Hey, don’t be too hard on Neifi. His career OPS is 33 points better than that of Mags since the All Star break.
UPDATE: Oh my…..this deal stinks like a week-old bloated fish in diaper-filled garbage can. In mid-summer.
How is it that the Cubs took such advantage of us?
It’s expensive, but those with a “win now” approach should like this move. I don’t know what the other options were, but DD’s no fool, so it seems to me like he did what he had to do to stabilize the infield.
Those with a win-now attitude would have preferred a solid second baseman that cost more.
This deal reeks of desperation. But hey, maybe Neifi will prove us wrong, right?
Dave, that’s brutal!
Okay, I just read the update…
Nothing else to say. You all said it for me.
This deal is dookie.
Neifi is basically a potato with toothpick legs, but he’ll have some clutch hits for you – probably against the Sox. Keep an eye on how many times this guy adjusts himself during an at bat. If they had a stat for that…….
I really don’t think you have much to panic about. Garland and Contreras are the only two pitchers the Sox have with any consistency.
Ozzie will give up at least one of the four games by playing all the bench players at once.
It’s expensive, but those with a “win now” approach should like this move. I don’t know what the other options were, but DD’s no fool, so it seems to me like he did what he had to do to stabilize the infield.
More like those with a “win never” approach.
Chris J., that link is tremendous. Says all that needs to be said, thanks!
Ugghhh! Do we actually have to play him?
I love that we now have Sox fan rolling in here doing a Lou Holtz ca. 1988 impression.
“Michigan is a great team. Loaded with offense. They really have to be the favorites going in. We just have to gear-up, focus, and do our best. It’s going to be an uphill climb.”
I agree, the deal is awful. Perez is neither an upgrade offensively to Infante, or defensively to Santiago. Did they make a roster spot for him yet? Does this mean Clevlen is out? ARGH, I can’t find anything to like about it. Hopefully he’ll be packaged in a trade this winter.
Always a good deal when you can get one of the absolute worst offensive players in major league history…