Eric Young?

[Trots]

I see EY got released yesterday. With the Tigs looking for some speed and an upgrade at second, while spending only mid to low free agency dollars, why do I think Young might be wearing an Olde English D next season?

[~*TiGeRs f@N*~]

I don't know much about him Brian... his numbers are decent? :umm

[Tigers#1]

I'd love to see Young here. He's a quality vet, with speed.

[Trots]

Jen, I am not sure what his '03 numbers ended up looking like, but they won't make you overly excited.

[Baseball Guru]

Young is usually around a .285 type of hitter with 30 sb's....

He absolutely did horrible after he was traded to San Fran....
I believe he hit under.200 while he was a Giant...

Did you guys hear that Jose Cruz is also available;)

[Tigers#1]

J.T. Snow is as well. I'd like the Tigers to sign a guy like Eric Young, because he's a quality vet, who's still got talent, and it'll make the younger players have to come in and earn their positions, instead of having them given to them.

[Calder]

Doesn't it strike you as odd though that we're salivating over guys like Eric Young and JT Snow after Ilitch suggested he's going to finally going after free agents? I hope these are the types that he WON'T be going after, but rather the high-profile names. As Tiger fans, we've been settling for guys like Young and Snow for too long, because we're convinced that is the best we're gonna get. Shoot for the stars!

[Trots]

Calder, I am all in favor of shooting for the stars, however there are two major problems with that. First, I doubt many big stars will come here. Bad team, bad ballpark, bad city. That's not my opinion, check the SI poll of MLB players this summer. Detroit came up near the bottom in everything. Elite players probably aren't even going to consider playing for the Tigers.

Problem two, Ilitch simply isn't going to shell out enough money to get the type of guys you are talking about. Yes, he said he would spend money this off-season. He also said that he enivisioned Minnesota as a team the Tigers should strive to be like. The Twins are a small market, homegrown team. How many BIG free agents have the Twins signed recently. Sure they do get one or two mid-level guys to fill out a spot or two, but big names? No. The organization has spoken half-truths to us for years. No reason to think any differently now.

Also, I know a number of Tiger fans that believe spending that kind of money is just stupid. They believe the big money, long term contracts have been part of the team's problem that last several seasons (Easley, Higgy, Palmer, etc...). Most of them are in favor of cautious FA spending, feeling even a couple of big names would only make the Tigers an 85-90 loss franchise still without a nucleus for the future. Again, that's their opinion, not mine, but it just gives the organization a built in, fan accepted excuse for "staying the course".

Personally, if you give the Tigs Guerrero and Tejada, hope Pena and Munson continue to progress and Young can hit close to his '03 numbers again next year, I think you've got a pretty good offense in a pretty weak division. However, I just don't think anything like that is going to happen.

I do expect Mr. I. and Denise to authorize the signing of about three mid-level free agents and hope Dombrowski can trade for another 3-5 guys. They will try to fill in some terribly weak roster spots and push the "new look, better chemistry, anything can happen in baseball" Tigers of 2004.

The organization will then point out how the Red Sox grabbed guys like Millar, Ortiz and Mueller very late and for less money than the big names and look what happened. Of course, those who say that fail to point out the Red Sox already have big names in Manny, Nomar and Pedro. The Tigers have no one close to their level.

Trust me, I am not overly excited about Young or Snow. It's just that's what I think the Tigers are realistically going to pursue.

[Calder]

I take no issue with what you said Trots, and that's why I am so frustrated. NOBODY will come here. Ilitch can spout off about how he's gonna spend money, because he knows he won't HAVE to, because he'll get no one to come, and he knows that. And you know what, we don't have to be like the Twins, we're a bigger market than the Twins. Please Ilitch, start acting the part. He'll play the "Aw shucks" role because he "tried" to sign free agents, but he just couldn't do it. Randy Smith really messed up this organization, but this mess has been there since there since Ilitch took over. Get a few more Dimitri Young's in here, this team may be halfway decent next year.

[Trots]

I'm glad to see we are on the same page, Calder. You are correct, I do not like the Twins comparisons anymore than I liked the Cleveland analogies prior to Comerica Park opening up. The only team I hear the Wings compared to is the Yankees.

It is, however, becoming increasing obviously that the Ilitch we need to rail against is not Mr. I, but Denise. Seems the heir to the pizza throne is, and has been, running our local MLB team. Unless we can get Mr. I's daughter to treat the team like a MLB franchise and not a Little Ceaser's franchise, we may be in continued trouble.

[Tigers#1]

Originally posted by Calder
NOBODY will come here. Remember though, a lot of big franchises aren't going to be spending this offseason. The Giants are the obvious #1 team on that list, the Yankee's owe like 60 million i beleive in luxury tax alone so i can't see them spending a lot, Florida is expected to reduce payroll, Boston's not going to spend anymore than they are already spending and a lot of other middle-of-the-road teams are problably going to focus more on their minor leagues, or foreign players, than free agents. Remeber last year, everyone was astonished how little amount of money was being spent in free agency.

[Trots]

I agree. I think the market will be flooded with available players, but if offered $3.5 million to play for a decent team or 4 to play for the Tigers, I believe most FAs will toss away the half million and play for a better team.

I still have hope that your theory holds, #1. I'd love to see the Tigers bring in a couple of good free agents, but I'll have to see it to be convinced.

[Tigers#1]

Catcher: Javy Lopez, Ivan Rodriguez, Benito Santiago, Brad Ausmus, Sandy Alomar

First base: Scott Spiezio, Rafael Palmeiro, J.T. Snow, Fred McGriff, Andres Galarraga

Second base: Luis Castillo, Roberto Alomar, Todd Walker, Miguel Cairo, Eric Young

Shortstop: Miguel Tejada, Rich Aurilia, Jose Valentin, Tony Womack, Jose Hernandez

Third base: Tony Batista, Joe Randa, Vinny Castilla, Robin Ventura, Todd Zeile

Outfield: Vladimir Guerrero, Gary Sheffield, Shannon Stewart, Mike Cameron, Juan Gonzalez, Jose Guillen, Reggie Sanders, Brian Jordan, Raul Ibanez, Carl Everett, Kenny Lofton, Rondell White, Jose Cruz Jr., Raul Mondesi

Utility: John Vander Wal, Jose Vizcaino, Wil Cordero, Matt Stairs, Eduardo Perez

Designated hitter: Edgar Martinez, Rafael Palmeiro, B.J. Surhoff, Ben Grieve, Ruben Sierra

Right-handed starters: Bartolo Colon, Kevin Millwood, Kelvim Escobar, Sidney Ponson, Greg Maddux, Cory Lidle, Jeff Suppan, Rick Reed, John Burkett, John Thomson

Left-handed starters: Andy Pettitte, Kenny Rogers, Brian Anderson, Shawn Estes, Ron Villone, Glendon Rusch, Wilson Alvarez

Relievers: LaTroy Hawkins, Mike Williams, Mike Timlin, Shigetoshi Hasegawa, Mike Fetters, Scott Sullivan, Curtis Leskanic, Todd Jones, Turk Wendell, Terry Adams, Julian Tavarez, John Franco, Dan Plesac

Closers: Keith Foulke, Eddie Guardado, Ugueth Urbina, Tom Gordon, Trevor Hoffman, Antonio Alfonseca, Armando Benitez