Detroit Tigers 2012 Off Season Thread

[JackB]

Sure. Bring back Valverde. Are you serious? We have one of the best teams in baseball and we are going to hand over the closers job to him again? No thanks.
And what is the first round pick ? Are we guaranteed he makes it to the majors ? Are we guranteed he is worth losing out on a bonafied closer ? Just how many of these so called 1st round picks have been worth waiting for? Yes I would give up that pick if it meant winning a WS. by no means does signing Soriano gurantee us the title. But we have a hell of a lot better chance with him than without. Or with your idea of bringing back Mr. Heart Attack. You don't hang your season on a prospect. Not when we are this close to a title. I've been a Tiger fan a very long time. I can honestly say this is the best assembled team I have ever seen. A tweak in the bullpen. A couple of good bench guys and a solid lock down closer and they can start printing the WS tickets.
Screw Valverde. That train left the station .

[klane079]

So we're giving up a first rounder for 1 year of Soriano? It makes a whole lot more sense to me to bring back Valverde at half the price and no draft pick.

There's a reason we aren't bringing back Valverde...the same reason he is still a FA.

Valverde would be ecstatic to get half Sorianos salary this year....not gonna happen with Detroit, nor any other team.

[Dekker]

Valverde is like the ex girlfriend you know you should stay away from for the rest of your life. Good for her if she goes out with another guy, but you can't help but feel sorry for that guy and what he just got into. We're not running back to valverde. We're more comfortable with a guy who has never thrown to a major leaguer than valverde. At least Rondon might hit the strike zone

[sc8581]

Soriano walks just as many guys as Valverde, and allows just as many hits.

[GuySir]

Doubt he takes a $4 million cut just to be the closer.

So you're saying my couple pennies wouldn't help

[GuySir]

At least Rondon might hit the strike zone

Soriano walks just as many guys as Valverde, and allows just as many hits.

From what I've read Rondon walks a ton of guys too, as control seems to be his main issue. If I'm an opposing hitting coach I'm instructing my guys to take pitches and force Rondon to throw strikes, regardless of what relief role he's given.

[sc8581]

From what I've read Rondon walks a ton of guys too, as control seems to be his main issue. If I'm an opposing hitting coach I'm instructing my guys to take pitches and force Rondon to throw strikes, regardless of what relief role he's given.

That's what I heard as well, that and his fastball doesn't have much movement, but i've never seen him pitch.

[Dekker]

From what I've scene. Valverde has a lot of movement on his pitches. It goes from his hand and moves in the opposite direction of the strikezone. It just isn't there anymore man. He doesn't have what he used to have. Throwing the splitter as much as he did finally caught up to him, the same way it caught up to Ubaldo Jiminez

[ahoda]

Rondon has one of the best fastballs in the minors.

[MotownWebGuy]

Rondon has one of the best fastballs in the minors.

Exactly!
Plus I might add to the poster that said Rondon's fastball doesn't hardly move.

Well anyone that throws 100+MPH has only 60 feet to home plate. So don't expect much movement beyond the late sail at those speeds.

Rondon is ready for MLB. But Dombrowski never stated he is being assigned our next closer role. David did say Rondon will compete for a bullpen job - that may include closing.

I would have no qualms with Rondon working his rookie season like Zumaya did in 2006.... as a 7th-8th inning reliever, with an occasional closing role.

Rondon will only become our closer next April, (IF) he earns the job. Should Leyland use several different closers in 2013, that's fine by me. The closers role is overrated anyways. All it takes is a good reliever that has the mentality to get er' done in the last inning.

Lots of guys in our organization want the ball given to them in the 9th inning. Just a matter of finding the right few and the right time to use each one.

[klane079]

Rondon has a slider and change that flash as above average pitches, combined with his fastball he should be fine.

[GuySir]

almost time to close this thread up, that flew by lol

[TigerRulz66]

Any word on those 2 Cuban prospects?

[chacha77]

If we are still looking for an outfielder to platoon with Dirks, why not bring back Delmon Young on a one year contract for cheap. I think he realizes he won't get a big contract from anyone. We do not have a good fourth outfield option and he can platoon with Dirks and Martinez if he needs a day off. Plus he is outstanding in the playoffs which never hurts. Anyone else agree?

[Dekker]

I don't disagree. I just don't like the guy... or his porn stache