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I'm okay with Illitch and Dave's decision to spend the money where they see fit, even if it's for a big time closer. Nothing like one when they're on, especially in the playoffs.

(10-31-2012 10:15 PM)MidnightBlueGold Wrote:  

(10-31-2012 03:02 PM)EA3 Wrote:  Rafael Soriano opted out of his last year with the Yanks.

I know Dombrowski, and even a few fellow Tiger fans, want us to resign Sanchez.

I'd personally rather see them get Soriano. He will cost more...but is ultimately worth it.

I hope we don't spend big money on a closer. I can't find it right now, but an E$PN the Magazine article from a year or so ago had a closer as one of the most overpaid positions in sports. The example it gave was Mariano Rivera - as one of the best closers ever - was paid a boat-load of money and had a save percentage of something like 97.xx% over 5-10 years (I don't remember exactly how long). The Pirates, meanwhile, had a save percentage of something like 93-94% and was paying guys A LOT less than Rivera. Why spend a ton of money for a guy to pitch 1 inning every couple days? I'd rather do a 'closer-by-committe' and go with whoever has the hot hand at the moment.

Closers are like health insurance. They cost a bunch of money, but when you need it, you are really glad you wrote the check every month.

Without a decent one, we will find ourselves hoping and praying that Coke can last more than one inning in a crucial game.

Difference between 2011 and 2012? Valverde. We don't need someone to be perfect, but we need someone who can be adequate.

Ask the brewers if their playoff hopes were impacted by axford and krod being horrendous.

Perfect analogy EA3.

I liked you better when I didn't like you.

(11-01-2012 10:40 AM)DesertBronco Wrote:  Perfect analogy EA3.

I liked you better when I didn't like you.

LOL...you just replaced me with Persky

Tori Hunter gets 2 years and 26 million from Tigers.

I like the veteran clubhouse presence...and he can produce some numbers.

Is ANYONE wondering if we would have been better off going with an OF of Jackson, Boesch, Dirks, Garcia, and Berry....and spending the 13 mill per year on a closer? Say Rafael Soriano for a 4 year - 52 million deal?


Hunter's stats for 2012:

.313 BA
140 games played
81 runs
167 hits
16 HR's
92 RBI's
38 BB
.365 OBP

He basically met or exceeded his career average numbers last year.

I have a few problems with this deal:

1. He's currently 37...he will turn 38 and 39 in his contract year. 13 mill per year for someone in their upper 30's who exceeded their career averages last year seems like fools gold. I'm very thankful this is only a two year deal.

2. We could have used the money to sign a legit closer, and a cheap right handed OF bat to platoon with Boesch or Berry.

3. Hunter is a free swinger that doesn't draw very many walks. ie-if he doesn't keep his average up, his OBP suffers. To give you an idea, he walks less than Peralta.

4. I seriously feel like Dombrowski's just got put together by Hunter and his agent.


I suppose I really don't care THAT much about what Hunter does in the next two years...as I am more concerned with our closer situation and I would have rather seen them spend the money on someone who can fill that void.

They're not signing a closer. They've already said they're letting Rondon start with it. I wouldn't really count Boesch as much of anything. He's around because they had one last option on him. Odds are he won't make it out of spring training.

Per Jerry Crasnick twitter:

"Torii Hunter had a .389 batting average on balls in play in 2012. His career BABIP is .307 in 1,947 games."

and

" #Tigers paid up for Hunter's leadership, clubhouse presence and all those things that might get you laughed out of a SABR meeting."

(11-14-2012 01:52 PM)bronconick Wrote:  They're not signing a closer. They've already said they're letting Rondon start with it. I wouldn't really count Boesch as much of anything. He's around because they had one last option on him. Odds are he won't make it out of spring training.

I was fine with letting Rondon get the shot in spring training. I also didn't think we had 13 mill to spend after picking up Peralta's option.

Kind of changes things don't you think?

http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_...rii-hunter

Schoenfield lays it out much better.

Don't ever listen to a word I say about the Tigers.

(11-14-2012 12:51 PM)EA3 Wrote:  Tori Hunter gets 2 years and 26 million from Tigers.

I like the veteran clubhouse presence...and he can produce some numbers.

Is ANYONE wondering if we would have been better off going with an OF of Jackson, Boesch, Dirks, Garcia, and Berry....and spending the 13 mill per year on a closer? Say Rafael Soriano for a 4 year - 52 million deal?


Hunter's stats for 2012:

.313 BA
140 games played
81 runs
167 hits
16 HR's
92 RBI's
38 BB
.365 OBP

He basically met or exceeded his career average numbers last year.

I have a few problems with this deal:

1. He's currently 37...he will turn 38 and 39 in his contract year. 13 mill per year for someone in their upper 30's who exceeded their career averages last year seems like fools gold. I'm very thankful this is only a two year deal.

2. We could have used the money to sign a legit closer, and a cheap right handed OF bat to platoon with Boesch or Berry.

3. Hunter is a free swinger that doesn't draw very many walks. ie-if he doesn't keep his average up, his OBP suffers. To give you an idea, he walks less than Peralta.

4. I seriously feel like Dombrowski's just got put together by Hunter and his agent.


I suppose I really don't care THAT much about what Hunter does in the next two years...as I am more concerned with our closer situation and I would have rather seen them spend the money on someone who can fill that void.

Baseball is best because it has always been a "thinking man's sport". It is intellectual in so many respects; and by far it is the best "off season" sport, because team development can be such a mathematical and scientific process. This kind of stuff is fun to watch for me in baseball, but bores me in all other sports.

Having said all that, sometimes we over analyze the numbers in baseball. The bottom line with the Hunter acquisition is that we got a player who has had a tremendous career to fill a conspicuous week spot on the team. Jackson and Dirks are solid outfielders. Any of the other outfielders that played last season are either week defensively, offensively, or both. Berry had a nice cup of tea on the team for a while, and has some value in terms of speed, but he is a career 270 hitter in the minors, and is adequate at best in the field. Boesch is one of the most undisciplined hitters I have ever seen, and has turned into a head case at the plate after Leyland ruined any potential he had by playing him every day, allowing him to strike out under the great tutelage of LM.

Hunter is a nine time gold glove guy, who will instantly turn one of the worst outfields in the majors into one of the best (Jackson is great, and Dirks is a very capable, if not excellent outfielder). Couple that with good offensive abilities (I admit to being only cautiously optimistic of guys coming of a career high batting average, as they tend to follow with flops), and this move was a no-brainer. He is older, but is obviously still capable at that age because he hit 313, with 16 homers, and 90+ RBI's last season. He can still play.

I like what I hear about him being a good clubhouse guy too. We need someone like that. Paid some bucks, but didn't have to mortgage the future for him.

5 years and 80 mill for Sanchez.

Not sure the Tigers made a wise decision on this one. Some are saying they felt threatened by the Royals getting Shields.

16 mill per year for our 4th starter.

a 4th starter that would be at least a #2 on just about any other team. However, you can blame both LA teams on this one. They wrecked the market value of anything for this year

(12-14-2012 11:16 AM)SilentStryk09 Wrote:  a 4th starter that would be at least a #2 on just about any other team. However, you can blame both LA teams on this one. They wrecked the market value of anything for this year

I agree about the market getting whacked.

Not sure he would be a #2 on most other teams...maybe a handful.

Sure, he has the potential...and he's pitched well in stretches...but he's also pitched poorly along the way too. I just hope we don't regret this contract in 2 years.

5 years for Sanchez, plus a club-option for the 6th. Those are my favorite kind of options.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/31...87575.html

Oh Torii Hunter....how disappointing.

Meh, it is what it is. Can't control how people feel. Ask these guys who are trying to control me here.....