Ross is a sleeper, and we should be hearing more about him over the next few months. As you mention, he is putting up intriguing power/speed numbers this year at Double-A Erie. He’s hitting .289/.353./.540 through 79 games, with 15 steals to go with his 16 homers and 21 doubles. He isn’t extremely patient, drawing just 26 walks so far in 328 plate appearances, but he doesn’t strike out excessively, which gives him a good chance to control the strike zone at higher levels. At age 21, he has lots of development time left. His walk rate was a bit higher in A-ball than it has been in Double-A, and in the long run, I don’t think plate discipline will be an insurmountable problem for him.

Ross was drafted in the fourth round in 1999, out of high school in New Mexico. At 5-11, 180, he isn’t a big toolsy physical monster that makes scouts sweat. But he has good athletic ability, works his tail off, and shows sound baseball instincts. I like him quite a bit.

He committed 48 errors at Dayton, and the Reds also didn’t believe that his footwork and actions were a natural fit at shortstop. He has made 26 errors in 95 games at second, and some scouts believe his ultimate destination will be center field. An aggressive switch-hitter with power potential from the left side of the plate, he’s hitting .245-7-44. He has made some strides with his plate discipline, drawing 64 walks, but his 104 strikeouts point to his need to make more contact. If he can do that, he’s a potential leadoff hitter. Espinosa has good speed, though he’s still a work in progress on the bases as well, having been caught 17 times in 43 steal attempts.

Dombrowski could have handled things differently. He could have courted Higginson early, and won himself the most important possible ally on this team. He could have explained quite clearly to the veteran players what direction he thought this team had to go in, and asked for their support even as he tried to trade them.

Espinosa presents some problems for the Reds and now the Tigers. He has tremendous physical tools, but he’s still very raw. There’s definite upside there, but along with Dane Sardinha, Espinosa signed a major league contract and at the rate he’s progressing, he’ll be out of options before he’s close to being ready to the majors.
We’ll see who the PTBNLs are. I’m still impressed that the Tigers got someone who is thought of as a prospect for a guy in Brian Moehler’s position.

Jamie Walker,1-0 with a 3.52 ERA in 27 games with the Tigers earlier this season, was recalled from Triple-A Toledo, where he was 0-1 with a 1.98 in 10 games.
To make room on the roster, right-hander Jose Paniagua was outrighted to the Mud Hens. Paniagua cleared waivers and has 72 hours to report. If he doesn’t, the Tigers don’t have to pay the remaining $550,000 of his $1.325-million contract.

If you didn’t know already, it’s pretty clear now. Dave Dombrowski is all about himself, not the team.

Former hitting coach Dave Engle is a special assignment scout for the Mets and has been a frequent attendee of recent Tigers games in Detroit. According to a person familiar with his assignment, Engle has been in the Motor City looking carefully at left fielder Bobby Higginson, a player the Mets have had interest in before.

The A’s won the big three-way trade, although I’m not sure I see any losers. The Tigers may be less of a winner, but Carlos Pena is already their best player, and gives them someone around which to build a lineup.