– Can you play 2B? GIve it a shot.
– At least someone thinks 2010 1st half Brennan Boesch is the real BB.
– Check out this interview with Patrick Leyland, son of Ol’ Smokey. I really enjoyed the part about Paws being a better manager than JL (it may have been removed by the time you get to it).
– Henning’s column title today caught my eye – the Tigers need a big bat? I’m pretty sure the boys are aware of several other pressing needs. But a full read reveals that Henning is looking for one of the guys we already have to step up.
– I’m really, really into this Michael Young thing. Full post on him coming tomorrow.
Michael Young is a horrible idea for 2011 for the Tigers. Ignore the cost, both in terms of prospects and salary, which is extremely prohibitive.
In the last 4 years, his OPS is .774 (.679 on road), .892 (.848 on road), .741 (.681 on road), .784 (.759 on road). In essence, his numbers are significantly aided by the bandbox in Arlington. In other parks, he is an average hitter at best in my mind, and I believe he is in decline as well. He’s awful in the field, though he would fit right in with out infield.
Now look at the potential replacements, Young’s road OPS average is about .740 the last 4 years, Rhymes/Sizemore combined was .697 last year. Rhymes in the minors is around .740, while Sizemore in the minors is .850ish. I give Sizemore a real shot this year. I think last year he was hindered by the ankle injury and was never quite up to speed. I think he has something to offer at a bargain basement price.
But I would still take Rhymes over a declining and vastly more expensive Young.
No Michael Young, unless Texas will eat huge dollars and want little in return.
Lynn Henning is such a joke, I love how his Top 50 prospects column made it seem like everyone in the top 15 was on the verge of a breakout all-star campaign, when in reality only Turner (and to a lesser, younger degree) Castellanos is on anyone’s radar that looks at prospects on a league-wide level.
And I’ve now seen the first (of what will be many) “best shape of their career” articles with Sizemore today. Spring has Sprung, baseball-wise everyone is in the best shape of their career.
Did you guys see this about Raburn: http://www.freep.com/article/20110211/SPORTS02/102110436/1050/sports02/Productive-Tigers-Ryan-Raburn-receives-more-preseason-praise
Ridiculous article or premise. Scherzer and Porcello and probably a couple others would be protected before Raburn. As a fantasy player, it terrifies me to see the Raburn hype, not a jinx or anything that would affect him mentally, just that these flavors of the Spring tend to rarely pan out.
Henning is an idiot and consistently is wrong in whatever he says.
Run prevention was and is this team’s problem.
That BB article they list Fernando Martinez as a top prospect, but he is property of the Mets.
There is also a Francisco Martinez on our roster, but he has only a .341 SLG on 800 atbats in 3 minor league seasons. What did that guy do to step up?