Tag: Anibal Sanchez

Evaluating the Tigers Starting Rotation for 2013

The Tigers rode their starting rotation to a Central Division title and an appearance in the World Series. The Tigers have insured they will have the same rotation (more or less) that pitched a great postseason for Detroit.

They do have several questions facing them for the 2013 season, can they stay healthy, can Porcello or Smyly take a hold of the fifth job, and can recently re-signed Anibal Sanchez pitch as well as he did down the stretch and in the playoffs.

Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer finished 2012 leading all of baseball in strikeouts. What can we expect from them and the other Tigers starters in 2013?

Lets take a look and see.

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4 Reasons Chicago Cubs Were Wise to Avoid Anibal Sanchez

While the Detroit Tigers outbid the Chicago Cubs and signed right-hander Anibal Sanchez to a five-year, $80 million deal, it will prove to be a blessing that the Cubs did not end up acquiring the 28-year-old.

Cubs fans have to be excited that chairman Tom Ricketts and team president Theo Epstein were active in their pursuit of Sanchez and that they nearly signed the biggest pitcher left on the market.  However, they may also feel sick to their stomachs because Sanchez and his agent might have used the Cubs as leverage to get Sanchez a better deal to return to the Tigers—this year’s AL Champs.

It seems like this is a strategy the 101-loss Cubs may endure more from free agents and their agents to get them more money from a winning team.

Even though Cubs management felt Sanchez would have been a good fit for the team’s future plans, there are several reasons why it will be beneficial they did not acquire him. Let’s take a look at the reasons Sanchez didn’t need to become a Cub.

 

 

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Detroit Tigers: Anibal Sanchez and the Dominoes He’s Knocked over

We all remember musical chairs. It was a simple numbers game—there was no other way to look at it, unless you grew up spittin‘ game like me and always lined up behind the cute girl in class so that as soon as the music stopped you swooped right underneath her so her backside conveniently landed right in your lap—but that’s neither here nor there. There weren’t enough chairs to go around.

A baseball roster has only 25 spots on it, and the Detroit Tigers have a problem similar to the level of suaveness of Arthur Fonzarelli: something we call a surplus.

The Tigers just re-signed RHP Anibal Sanchez to a reported five-year, $80 million contract. There’s a lot to like in Anibal’s game, but shelling out $80 million on a guy without a “stellar” year to his credit is a lot like handing the role of Superman to Brandon Routh. Let’s hope this was more of a Dave Dombrowski move than a Mike Illitch move.

The problem with the Sanchez signing may not lie in the numbers—since Illitch literally has as much care for his finances as Charles Montgomery Burns—but it does create a riddle of space and volume within the Tigers organization.

As mentioned, we have 25 spots, and more than 25 names with which to fill them. Let’s look at the numbers, and see how this Sanchez signing may affect the overall landscape of the Tigers’ Opening Day Roster.

 

What the Team Looks Like Today

If we drew up the 25-man roster today, here’s what we would have:

The batting order: 1. Austin Jackson, 2. Torii Hunter, 3. Miguel Cabrera, 4. Prince Fielder, 5. Victor Martinez, 6. Andy Dirks, 7. Jhonny Peralta,  8. Alex Avila, 9. Omar Infante.

The starting rotation: Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, Anibal Sanchez, Rick Porcello.

The bullpen: Bruce Rondon, Joaquin Benoit, Octavio Dotel, Bryan Villareal, Al Alberquerque, Phil Coke, Drew Smyly.

The reserves: Ramon Cabrera (backup catcher), Quintin Berry (utility OF).

Here is where it gets tricky. We’re already at 23 players are there a few names you already know are missing.

Don’t forget that the Tigers just drafted two players from the Rule 5 draft: Kyle Lobstein and Jeff Kobernus. If you’re not familiar with the rules regarding this draft, it’s very simple: any player you draft must remain on your 25-man roster for the following year or he is forfeited. Basically, you can’t send anyone you draft down the minors. 

Another detail is that you actually do not have to draft, if you so choose. So, by following simple logic, the Tigers did draft these players and, therefore, must like them. They will be on the roster this season.  And, what a coincidence, they round out the 25 men.

If you aren’t familiar with either of these players, don’t be ashamed. Lobstein is a LHP who will come out of the bullpen, and Kobernus is an infield version of Quintin Berry (speed for days, decent bat and good defense).

Now, let’s see how this roster affects all those little rumors swirling around out there.

 

Rick Porcello Will be Traded

According to media reports, there are as many names about to replace Porcello‘s in the fifth rotation spot as there are actors who have portrayed Dr. Who (personally, I find it a shame Christopher Eccleston doesn’t hurl the pill, but the Brits never did like “the baseball”). The question still begs: Is it worth it to trade Porcello? Let’s watch the dominoes fall if that in fact were the case:

Consequence 1: Drew Smyly fills his spot.

Consequence 2: Tigers have to trade Porcello for a LH relief pitcher.

Consequence 3: Tigers farm system is even more depleted.

Alternative? Roll out the all-righty rotation with Porcello at No. 5. Smyly returns to the bullpen where he shined in the playoffs, and the Tigers have protection in terms of depth in case one of their aces (here’s lookin‘ at you, Fister) succumbs to injury.

Let’s also not forget the dreaded 2014 offseason. Both Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer become free agents at that time, and it’s hard to believe that even Illitch (likely exiled to a full-bodied respirator a la Arthur Digby Sellers, Lebowski-style) will have the pockets to retain both of their services. 

In the likely instance the Tigers lose one (most likely Scherzer to the Yankees), they will be counting on Sanchez and Fister filling the holes while Porcello and Smyly represent a bright future. Without one of them, I don’t see another pitcher in the system ready to handle a role like that.

 

The Tigers Will Acquire an Established Closer

Herman Boone once handed the reins to the offense of the T.C. Williams football squad to a quarterback who had never played a down (at least in the movie), and look what happened? Sunshine rode them golden locks to the state title. It can happen. Youth can be a lighting rod.

Look around the league. Atlanta, the Yankees, Boston with Papelbon, Texas and Neftali Feliz. What do they have in common? Homegrown bullpens. If there is one subdivision of a baseball team that needs to be homegrown, it’s a bullpen. Why do think teams are so quick to flip successful middle relievers for young prospects? Because they’re a dime a dozen. 

High-octane arms with a two pitches are not hard to come by for those who look for them in the draft. 

Closers? Difference story. But you know what? It’s time for the Tigers to sack up and roll the dice.  Bruce Rondon needs to be the closer this year. Come out and say it, Dave. Make no doubt about it.  Either that, or you send $15 million for a one-year deal for Rafael Soriano? C’mon

Rondon is going to get his chance sooner or later. Might as well be now. If he blows it, that’s why MLB invented a trade deadline. Make a move then. This is one of those rare occasions where the right move and the thrifty move are one and the same.

 

The Tigers Need an Upgrade at Shortstop

This one goes back to Rick Porcello. Dave Cameron wrote a very interesting piece on Kid Rick (found here) where he astutely outlines that if Porcello had a decent defense behind he would actually be a very valuable pitcher. Sorry, Jhonny Peralta, but that means you gotta go. Stephen Drew rumors have been swirling around forever, but nothing’s happened. 

Time to change that, Dave. Grab the defensive whiz and start saving some runs for Porcello—who could become the best fifth starter in baseball.

So, say Drew is added. Where does Peralta go? Send on the prospects! Where do the Tigers need the most prospects? In the infield. Hitting machine Nick Castellanos and Avisail “the Tool Man” Garcia are waiting in the wings in the outfield, and, with Austin Jackson, pretty much have the Tigers covered pole-to-pole for the foreseeable future. A project at 2B or 1B would be ideal since either FIelder or Cabrera will switch to DH once Martinez’s contract is up after 2014.

 

Where in the World Will Brennan Boesch Land?

Boesch was likely the most notable name left off the 25-man roster above. Once a fan favorite for this ability to hit, he has now slipped into afterthought status due to a string of mediocre performances. The man is on his way out, it’s just a matter of when or for what price. Personally, I can’t say these words enough: MORE PROSPECTS!

There are rumors of Boesch to the Mariners for a LHP (Charlie Furbush doing his best Darth-Vader-return-to-the-light-side impersonation, anyone?), which I’m personally fine with. It may be best to trade him for Brendan Ryan and have Ryan he a platoon guy with both Drew and Infante in the middle. Ryan hit .234 against LHP last season and is considered the best defensive SS in the game. Any upgrade to the defensive side of the baseball should be a welcomed one.

 

Who Gets the Scraps

Unfortunately, a fan favorite of mine, Ramon Santiago, is another odd man out. He, along with Danny Worth, do not have a job come the beginning of April and need new homes. Ship them for prospects and hope we get lucky is all I can say. Poor Ramon.   

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Life After Sanchez: What Moves Come Next for the Detroit Tigers

Just like that, the Detroit Tigers shocked their fans and national pundits—not because they re-signed pitcher Anibal Sanchez, but because of the cost they paid to do it. The reported five-year, $80 million deal (via ESPN) gives the Tigers one of the best rotations and highest-paid No. 3/4 starters in all of baseball. 

Instead of signaling the end of the Tigers’ work, this deal signals the need for at least two more deals before the start of the 2013 season. The Tigers are fully in win-now mode, and they’re going to make deals to win now and worry about the future in the future. 

The first and most obvious move revolves around Rick Porcello. While in theory it is possible—and maybe even rational—for the Tigers to hang on to Porcello as insurance against an injury, it won’t happen. Porcello will be dealt. ESPN has reported that teams interested include Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Seattle, New York (Mets), San Diego and Colorado.

Pittsburgh may be the most likely destination, with relief pitcher Joel Hanrahan being the return. Hanrahan seemed to lose his ability to locate pitches last year, but he still struck out over 10 batters per nine innings.

This is a deal that has been rumored for a little while, with ESPN’s Buster Onley speculating on it even before Detroit re-signed Sanchez. 

I think there would be more to a trade with Pittsburgh then just Porcello and Hanrahan.

First, starters have more value than closers currently. Porcello is relatively inexpensive and is under team control until 2015, while Hanrahan is a free agent after this season. The Tigers may also ask for minor league prospect Brock Holt—a SS/2B who would give the Tigers some depth if there is an injury at the major league level. 

The other deal I think the Tigers will pursue involves left field.

The Tigers want a right-handed bat to platoon with Andy Dirks. I think the Tigers will chat with a former trade partner in Seattle and possibly try to acquire former Tiger Casper Wells. Wells has some power and speed and defends well. He is probably not a full-time player, but in addition to platooning with Dirks in left, Wells is capable of defending all three outfield positions.

Brennan Boesch is the player most likely to be discussed, but it’s possible that both Porcello and Boesch could be included if the Tigers get back an arm or two in addition to Wells. 

Signing Sanchez shows the Tigers aren’t afraid to spend, and one other player they may decide to spend on is shortstop Stephen Drew. Drew was an above-average shortstop until an ankle injury two years ago. Now, two seasons removed from that injury, Drew looks like he is getting back to the player he was before. He’d give the Tigers a little bit more range at short and could be a slight improvement with the bat. 

Moving Porcello and Boesch would allow Detroit to address other needs before the start of next season. The Tigers could acquire a proven closer and a plus defender who bats right-handed to platoon with Dirks.

The Tigers are in a win-now mode, and these deals would allow the Tigers to be in the best position to compete.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com


5 Free Agents the Minnesota Twins Should Splurge on

Unlike my previous articles which focused on the Pioneer Press‘ Tom Powers’ idea that the “Minnesota Twins need more useful players, not stars,” this article looks at a different side to Minnesota’s typical strict budget roster moves.

It is not normal for the Twins to rebuild by stacking their team full of proven stars.  However, after two horrible seasons, is it time to break this mold? The following article reviews five free agents the Twins should consider splurging on for 2013 (to rebuild their rotation and jump start the offense).

Note: All players were listed as Free Agents when this article was written, via BaseballReference.com and MLBTradeRumors.com.

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3 Detroit Tigers Who Will Be Key to Game 3 World Series Win

After watching the San Francisco Giants do a little bit of everything and a lot well to take a 2-0 series lead, the Detroit Tigers take solace in returning to their home field. Though history suggests a comeback is not in the offing, the club remains confident. 

To win the vital Game 3 though, Detroit has to improve in a few vital areas. First and foremost, they aren’t hitting. Give the Giants credit, they have played brilliantly at times. But the vital organs of their potentially explosive offense have not been functioning. Hitting just .167 in the series so far, Detroit must start producing at the plate or the Major League Baseball season could be done before the weekend ends. 

But in all fairness, the problems have not just been limited to the Tigers’ woes at the plate. With an ERA of 5.63 thus far, the pitching hasn’t been playoff-caliber either. And for once, the blame can’t all be heaped on Jose Valverde. So here are my three key players that have to deliver for the Tigers to get back into this series.

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Miami Marlins: Five Keys to a Successful 2012

Every season for the past four or five years, Marlins owner Jeffery Loria has said that if his team “does not make the playoffs, they have fallen short of the front office’s expectations.” While that might have been considered an unrealistic goal given the budget the past few seasons, using that criteria to analyze the team’s productivity the past few years means that the Marlins have fallen well short of expectations.

In an attempt to make sure this team at least competes within their division during the upcoming season, the Marlins’ front office core has made significant moves that have dramatically improved their roster.

While bringing in names such as Jose Reyes and Mark Buehrle, the success of the Marlins in 2012 will most likely depend on players that have been on the roster for several years, such as Hanley Ramirez and Josh Johnson.

An injury-plagued Marlins team struggled in 2011, however the new Miami Marlins might only be five keys away from making the playoffs and becoming a contender once again.

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Florida Marlins: 5 Reasons Management Is Finally Serious

The Florida Marlins are well-known for dealing players such as Dontrelle Willis, Miguel Cabrera, Gary Sheffield and Edgar Renteria.

In fact, tracing back to 2004, the Marlins have been talking about becoming a spender once the new ballpark is constructed.

Unfortunately, despite placing clauses in player contracts such as Mike Lowell, the deal was delayed and the Marlins continued to gut the roster of talent throughout the years.

Surprisingly, there have been five moves during 2011 that indicate that the Marlins may finally be dedicated to build a contender for years. 

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Florida Marlins’ Anibal Sanchez Nearly No-Hits Colorado Rockies

For the second time in five days, the Rockies were fighting not for a victory, but for a single hit.

Anibal Sanchez, who threw a no-hitter in his rookie season of 2006, took a no-hitter into the ninth inning before Dexter Fowler slid a ground ball into right field to break up the no-hit bid.
Ironically, after the top half of the first inning, the Rockies held the lead. Fowler led off with a walk, then moved up to second base on a passed ball, then moved to third base by Jonathan Herrera, and scored when first baseman Gaby Sanchez dropped a perfect throw from third base on Troy Tulowitzki’s grounder.
The Rockies were in a similar boat on Monday, when Tim Lincecum was given a five-run lead in the first inning and was able to relax and dominate the Rockies offense.
Jhoulys Chacin started on the mound for the Rockies and showed his age. The 23-year old has been impressive so far in 2011, however, at his age, he still is going to have tough outings.
Without his best stuff, Chacin was able to grind through five innings. He struggled to find the strike zone, throwing just 55 of his 95 pitches for strikes.
Chacin gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings. He walked three and stuck out four.
Outings like that are going to happen for Chacin. It is going to be tough for Rockies fans to understand, because he has shown such promise.
He is going to win his fair share of games, and he is going to be dominant and continue to grow up and learn how to pitch, but there will be a learning curve along the way.
He will have to find out how to adjust from pitching at Coors Field to pitching on the road.
The game was certainly not how the Rockies were looking to start their six-game road trip. After a dominant 7-1 road trip to begin the season, the club was looking to build on that and show they can win on the road.
With just one hit on Friday night, and the prospect of facing Marlins ace Josh Johnson on Sunday, the Rockies are already in a tough spot.
As early as it still is, it will be telling to see how the Rockies bounce back from a tough loss in which they struggled to score on Saturday night.
In 2010, this loss would snowball and get into the hitter’s heads. During the first road trip, one bad day at the plate wouldn’t set the tone for the next few games.
The Rockies have shown maturity and promise so far in this young season, but they haven’t had such a poor performance on the road yet.
If the Rockies can turn the page and hit well on Saturday, and at least put runs on the board and play the game the way that they have been, it will show that they have the maturity to play well one day to the next, despite their struggles the previous day.

For more on the Rockies visit RockiesReview.com
This article is also featured on INDenverTimes.com

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Fantasy Baseball: 5 Widely-Available Starting Pitchers Worth a Look

I took a look at starting pitchers available in at least half of Yahoo! fantasy baseball leagues. Most guys in that range are either hurt or unproven, but there are some viable options in case the back end of your rotation is still shaky. Here are five guys I would consider.

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