Tag: Jhonny Peralta

Boston Red Sox Players Reportedly Upset Jhonny Peralta Allowed to Play in ALCS

According to baseball writer Peter Gammons, some Boston Red Sox players are upset about Jhonny Peralta‘s inclusion on Detroit’s postseason roster after a 50-game suspension for his connection to the Biogenesis scandal.

From early August through the last week of the regular season, Peralta accepted and served his suspension by Major League Baseball. When the 50 games were completed, it was up to his organization, the Detroit Tigers, whether to include him on the postseason roster.

Unlike the San Francisco Giants’ decision to leave Melky Cabrera home last October under similar circumstances, Detroit chose to bring Peralta’s bat to the postseason party.

Thus far, the decision has paid major dividends. With a 1.200 OPS, four extra-base hits and six runs batted in, Peralta has been a difference-maker for Detroit against both Oakland and Boston. As the series continues in Detroit, Peralta’s ability to hit Red Sox pitching will continue to play a role in the outcome of this series, but the narrative around his inclusion in the ALCS should not be a story.

Simply put, any Boston player who publicly or privately complains about Peralta’s inclusion in this series is a hypocrite. Under the current CBA, players are eligible for the postseason roster if a suspension is completed prior to the start of play.

As Tigers manager Jim Leyland told Gammons, Detroit isn’t doing anything wrong, nor should the Tigers’ accomplishments be sullied if they continue to win baseball games this month.

“All we’re doing is abiding by the rules,” Leyland said.

Those came about through a ratified collective bargaining agreement between the Major League Baseball Players Association and MLB. Every member of the Red Sox roster is in the union, thus accepting of the rules and regulations they fought to bargain and earn.

Of course, this shouldn’t come as a surprise out of Boston. During a Yankees-Red Sox series in August, just weeks after Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez‘s return to the field while appealing his 211-game suspension, John Lackey had this to say to The Boston Globe:

I’ve got a problem with it. You bet I do. How is he still playing? He obviously did something, and he’s playing. I’m not sure that’s right…It’s pretty evident he’s been doing stuff for a lot of years I’ve been facing him.

While the Rodriguez and Peralta situations are slightly different (Rodriguez was playing during a suspension through an appeal, while Peralta has already served his full suspension), the bottom line remains the same: The MLBPA argued for these rights. John Lackey and every other member of the Red Sox roster belongs to the MLBPA.

If they don’t like the rules, petition to change them during the offseason. If they think Rodriguez’s bat impacted the pennant race or Peralta’s current hot streak is changing the postseason, there are two simple and distinct solutions: Get them out at the plate or complain to the union at the appropriate time.

Although the Red Sox are easy to beat up here, this sentiment seems to be floating around the game, perpetuating the thinking that rule-breakers should be treated differently if the games they are participating in have extra meaning.

Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria had similar sentiments as Lackey in August, no doubt stemming from the fact that Rodriguez’s production could have cost Tampa a postseason spot. During an interview with Sports Illustrated‘s Jimmy Traina, Longoria said of Rodriguez’s return, “I don’t think it’s fair for the other teams, because I’m in the American League East.”

Not only are players like Lackey, Longoria and the unnamed Red Sox players questioning the merit of the CBA they ratified, they are admitting the only reason it matters is because the player in question is appearing in meaningful games. If the New York Mets have activated Jordany Valdespin after his 50-game, Biogenesis-related suspension was completed, it’s hard to believe anyone would have said a word.

Furthermore, a story like this wouldn’t have come out of Boston if a current member of the Red Sox’s 25-man roster was implicated in the Biogenesis scandal, served a suspension and returned. The same can be said for Longoria’s view if a suspension was handed down to one of his Tampa Bay teammates.

Inconvenience shouldn’t trump logic, but when it comes to baseball players attempting to justify a rule they put into place, anything goes.

The idea of suspended players returning and producing in October is uncomfortable for the sport, but consistent within the rules of the game right now. Until those rules change during a collectively bargained contract, stories and questions about Jhonny Peralta’s bat tainting or changing the Tigers’ run through October are nothing more than sour grapes.

 

Do the Red Sox have a valid point?

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Should the Detroit Tigers Activate Jhonny Peralta for the Playoffs?

In an interview with MLB Network Radio, Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski confirmed that he’s in the process of determining whether or not Jhonny Peralta will be welcomed back to the roster when his Biogenesis-related suspension expires (h/t James Schmehl, MLive.com).

It’s a sensitive situation and one without a definitively “correct” resolution, but we’ll dig a little deeper into the pros and cons.

Peralta served as Detroit’s everyday shortstop prior to accepting a 50-game ban. At the time, the Tigers sat comfortably atop the AL Central, and with a 81-59 record entering Friday night’s action, they’re extremely likely to participate in the playoffs.

As an accomplished veteran and free-agent-to-be on a contending team, Peralta has plenty in common with Melky Cabrera, who starred for the San Francisco Giants in 2012. He flunked a midsummer drug test, and the Giants declined to utilize him that October. They won the World Series anyway.

One slight difference is that Dombrowski‘s troublemaker will regain eligibility with three games remaining in the regular season.

Let’s consider whether that—or any other factor—can sway the longtime GM one way or the other.

 

Why They Should

Peralta was a .305/.361/.461 hitter with a 121 OPS+ in 2013 prior to taking his punishment from Major League Baseball. He has a .275/.332/.434 batting line (106 OPS+) since joining the Tigers in 2010, and a .268/.330/.425 line (101 OPS+) in parts of 11 MLB seasons.

Whichever way you slice it, he would be an asset to the Tigers roster, both in late September and the postseason. The 31-year-old is simply better than Don Kelly or Ramon Santiago.

Although Peralta’s defense isn’t graceful, do not dispute its overall effectiveness. His strengths include strong hands and a accurate throwing arm, hence six separate seasons—2006-2008 and 2011-2013—ranking among the American League’s top three in fielding percentage at shortstop.

Baseball-Reference.com values him at 2.4 dWAR over the past three seasons, while FanGraphs gives him a 25.5 UZR. For comparison’s sake, Jimmy Rollins of the Philadelphia Phillies has compiled -0.8 dWAR and 8.5 UZR with comparable playing time in that span.

Peralta could serve as an alternative at third base should slugger Miguel Cabrera continue to battle nagging injuries. He has 203 career starts at the position, including some as recently as 2010. Miggy will return to Detroit’s lineup on Friday, but he missed four of the five previous games due to abdominal pain, not to mention a handful in late July and early August.

In James Schemhl’s write-up, Dombrowski praises Peralta’s work ethic and notes that the All-Star was “apologetic” about his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs.

If the front office respects him as a player and a person, why not activate him upon serving the full 50 games?

The organization has to pay Peralta during those final days of the season. Might as well get some production for it.

 

Why They Shouldn’t

Let’s say that Cabrera heads down the stretch in solid health and Jose Iglesias continues to supplement his Gold Glove-caliber defense with .300 hitting (albeit a powerless one). That would relegate Peralta to a reserve role.

Not only will he show rust after nearly two months away from the majors, but the Tigers would be asking him to leave his comfort zone and try unfamiliar tasks.

Namely, pinch hitting. Peralta has only 22 plate appearances coming off the bench (two since 2012); his .921 OPS in such situations is meaningless considering the small sample size. Requiring a longtime starter to overhaul his normal mental and physical preparation seldom benefits the team.

Future Hall of Famer Jim Thome is a terrific example. His lifetime .956 OPS was dragged down by a .730 OPS in 163 pinch-hitting opportunities.

The upshot—Peralta won’t necessarily make the Tigers better given their current roster composition.

Meanwhile, allowing him to return would certainly offend fans. NPR rounded up some surveys that suggest that the majority of the baseball-loving population holds low opinions of cheaters and wants steroids out of the sport.

Perhaps the biggest question on Dombrowski‘s mind concerns how Peralta’s presence would affect the clubhouse. Would the Tigers embrace the return of a familiar face or feel angry about being lied to? MLB.com’s Jason Beck asked around in the immediate aftermath of the suspension announcement, and let’s just say there wasn’t consensus support.

 

Our Verdict

Let him play.

Dombrowski and manager Jim Leyland probably won’t approach him with open arms, but how about firm handshakes for someone who has contributed so much on the field?

Winning is the Tigers’ No. 1 objective, and Peralta is more likely to help in that pursuit than he is to weigh them down.

 

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Selecting the AL Central’s Position Player First Quarter All-Star Team

The American League Central is one of the most interesting divisions in all of baseball this season.

The Detroit Tigers once again entered the year as runaway favorites to take the division crown, and are once again struggling at the first quarter mark, trailing the Cleveland Indians by 2.5 games.

The Indians, who finished 20 games back in the division last year with only 68 wins, are on pace to reach close to 100 wins this season, and are the hottest team in baseball, winning 18 of their last 22 games.

But unlike the Tigers, the Indians aren’t doing it with star power.

The Tigers lead the AL in runs, average and on-base percentage, but have struggled lately, going 4-6 in their last 10 games, with two of those wins coming against the dreadful Houston Astros.

Yet, most of the players on this list are donning the Old English D.

It has been a fun first quarter to watch, and has definitely been unexplainable at times, but here is my list for the AL Central Position Player All Stars at the first quarter mark:

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Detroit Tigers: Danny Worth Is a Threat to Jhonny Peralta’s Starting Position

Many fans were speculating throughout the offseason that the Detroit TigersJhonny Peralta could be replaced due to a perceived lack of range at shortstop. It seems the Tigers might have found a replacement internally.

It got to the point where even Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski needed to address it with MLB.com‘s Jason Beck on Dec. 6, 2012:

“We’re happy with Peralta,” team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said after Thursday’s Rule 5 Draft. “What happens is a lot of times, people talk about getting more athletic with our club. There are very few positions we can get more athletic. That is one of the spots that is often discussed, but we’re happy with Jhonny Peralta. When you look at his numbers over the last couple years, we’re very happy with him.

Dombrowski tried to quiet speculation with that comment, but the rumors about the Tigers attempting to find a new shortstop continued.

On Jan. 8, 2013 there was a report by Roch Kubatko of www.masnsports.com that the Tigers wanted to trade for Baltimore Orioles shortstop J.J. Hardy, who won a Gold Glove in 2012 and is known for his great range at shortstop.

Nothing transpired from the Hardy rumors and eventually the speculation went away. However, during spring training, Peralta, 30, has raised questions again due to his struggles at the plate.

Peralta hit a feeble .239 at the plate in 2012 and has started poorly in spring training by batting .182 in 34 plate appearances. The Tigers could probably forgive Peralta’s hitting if his range were greater, but it’s not.

In Peralta’s defense, he has great hands. He had a .988 fielding percentage in 2012, which was second among major-league shortstops. He also only had seven errors, which was the second fewest among shortstops. The issue comes into focus when Peralta’s range is measured. His range factor per game at shortstop last year was 3.95, which is below the league average of 4.40. That is why the Tigers need to have a defensive upgrade.

In the meantime, Tigers prospect Danny Worth, 27, was always known for his fielding, but not his hitting. That is slowly starting to change. 

Worth is hitting .333 in 33 plate appearances and may have finally solved the last piece in becoming a Tigers starter.

Worth has played 112 games in the major leagues, but his career average of .244 has held him back.
It looked like Worth was competing with Ramon Santiago for a roster spot on the Tigers this spring training, but could the Tigers consider him as their everyday shortstop, making Peralta expendable?

Worth, who can play second base, third base and shortstop, has played 201 games in six minor-league seasons as a shortstop and has a great range factor per game.

Worth’s range factor per game at shortstop is 4.56, which helps him get to a lot more balls than Peralta does. While Worth’s fielding percentage in the minor leagues is only .960, the Tigers would take the tradeoff with a lower fielding percentage than Peralta’s.

The lower fielding percentage from Worth can also be explained by his range. He can get to more balls, some of which are deeper in the hole, making it harder to get off an accurate throw.

With the Tigers being a serious World Series contender, they might need to gamble and take a chance on Worth as a starting shortstop if Peralta doesn’t pick up his batting average.

Peralta’s biggest benefit to the Tigers was his bat, and if he doesn’t pick up his average and show an improvement, then he won’t help the Tigers in 2013.

Normally, spring training statistics shouldn’t be overanalyzed. An example of this is in 2011, when Peralta only hit .197 during spring training before hitting .299 during the regular season. However, due to his struggles at the plate in 2012, this year’s spring-training stats have become more meaningful.   

Peralta, who is a free agent after this season, is now on the clock to prove he can be a factor in 2013.

 

*All statistics are as of March 15

**All statistics are from baseball-reference.com, espn.com and mlb.com

 

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Detroit Tigers, Jhonny Peralta Beat Chicago White Sox in Grand Fashion

There is not a better immediate feeling than whacking a walk-off home run before a full house at your home ballpark.

There is not a worse feeling than pitching a gem of a ballgame, only to watch your hard work sail over the right center field wall.

Such is the beauty and cruelty of baseball, as it were on full display at Comerica Park in Detroit on Friday night.

Tigers shortstop Jhonny Peralta sent 30,000-plus fans home happy with a 5-4 victory when he hit a two-run walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning.

All Chicago White Sox hurler Jake Peavy could do was peer into chaos with his piercing blue eyes, as the Detroit Tigers snatched victory from defeat.

Gut-wrenching as it were, Peavy should be applauded for his performance. The right-hander pitched 7 1/3 innings, giving up three earned runs on seven hits. Peavy left the game in the eighth inning with a 4-3 lead.

But left-hander Matt Thornton, perhaps filling in until ace Chris Sale can settle in as the new closer for the White Sox, could not hold the lead for Peavy.

While Tigers closer Jose Valverde got the win, rookie 22-year-old left-hander Drew Smyly put forth yet another quality start. The Little Rock, Ark. native gave up two earned runs and struck out seven in six innings of work.  

On the season, Smyly is 1-0 with a 1.23 ERA in 22 innings of work. He has given up just three earned runs, while striking out 22 and walking eight.

Tigers second basemen Ryan Raburn got the scoring started in the second inning with a fly ball that scored Alex Avila. The Sox responded when Gordon Beckham doubled to left, scoring Dayan Viciedo.

After Avila hit a solo shot in the fourth inning, Adam Dunn scored Alexei Ramirez with a sacrifice fly in the sixth. The Sox struck gold again in the seventh inning when Gordon Beckham hit a two-run homer.

But the Tigers would have the last laugh, for after Don Kelly scored in the eighth inning on a Miguel Cabrera single, Peralta won the game in the bottom of the ninth in dramatic fashion.

With the win, the Tigers move to 13-12, which is good for second place in the American League Central.

The White Sox, now losers of three straight, fall to 12-14. The Sox are now three games back of the Central Division-leading Cleveland Indians.

The Tigers and Sox will play again tomorrow at Comerica Park. Game time is 4:05 p.m. ET.

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Justin Verlander Throws No-Hitter: Will It Spark Detroit to Make a Division Run?

Around 6:45 p.m. EST, Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander threw a no-hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays, facing the minimum 27 batters in leading his team to a 9-0 victory.

It is Verlander’s second no-hitter of his stellar six-year career and the seventh in franchise history. He threw the team’s most recent no-hitter in Detroit’s 4-0 victory over Milwaukee on June 12, 2007. 

The difference between that performance and this one is the fact that today’s performance was oh so close to being a perfect game. In fact, Verlander’s lone mistake came with one out in the eighth inning when he walked Blue Jays catcher J.P. Arencibia on a 3-2 pitch after a back-and-forth 12-pitch at-bat.

With his performance today, he becomes the 28th pitcher in MLB history to throw multiple no-hitters.

Verlander improves to 3-3 on the season and lowers his ERA from 3.75 to 3.16. He is currently tied for fifth in the Majors with 55 strikeouts.

“I had really good control of my fastball,” said Verlander of his performance. “I was able to move the ball around, keep guys off balance and get some quick outs. Having been in this situation before, I was able to calm myself down a little bit better.”

The Tigers, who currently stand at 16-18, good for third place in the AL Central, were expected by many to contend for the division crown this season, yet have struggled through the first 34 games.

Who knows? This performance may be the spark the team needed to get them out of their early-season funk. Should Austin Jackson and Magglio Ordonez began to hit their stride, this lineup could look quite potent.

With a starting rotation that features three pitchers with an ERA under 4.00, it is reasonable to believe that the Tigers are on the verge of breaking out.

Detroit took a 3-0 lead in the third inning, scoring runs on a walk, a wild pitch and a groundout. Two home runs in the fourth inning pushed the lead to 6-0, effectively putting the game out of reach.

Verlander had some help from his teammates, as his defense came up with some stellar plays behind him.

In the fifth inning, after being hit on the forearm off a line drive from Edwin Encarnacion, Verlander picked the ball up and rifled a one-hopper to Miguel Cabrera, who handled it for the close out at first.

Cabrera outdid himself one inning later, jumping and catching a liner to end the sixth, and a great, back-handed scoop was made by shortstop Jhonny Peralta for the first out of the seventh.

The No. 2 overall pick in the 2004 MLB Draft, Verlander has been part of a resurgence in Detroit that has seen the Tigers go from perennial losers to legitimate playoff contenders year in and year out.

Going into today’s game, Verlander’s career stats showed that he had a 85-55 record with a 3.80 ERA in 1112.1 innings pitched with a K/BB ratio of 1016/370. Only once has he finished a season with an ERA above 3.66.

In just his short career, Verlander, with his second no-hitter, has etched his name with some of the game’s in the history books.

“It’s really amazing when you consider that Greg Maddux never pitched a no-hitter,” said ESPN Baseball Tonight analyst Tim Kurkjian. “Throwing two (no-hitters) puts you on a very special list in baseball history.”

And this may just be the beginning of greater things for the Cy Young candidate.

“Keep in my how young he is,” said Kurkjian. “It’s relatively safe to say at his age (28) that’s he’ll get another no-hitter.”

Could this be a signal that baseball is becoming more dominated by pitchers after an era that saw incredible performances from hitters in recent years.

There were six no-hitters last season, two this season, and we nearly had another one by Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Yovani Gallardo early in the day. Gallardo lost his no-hiiter when he gave up a single to St. Louis third baseman Daniel Descalso to lead-off the eighth inning.

“I’ve been charting this for years now,” said Kurkjian. “Pitching has been making a comeback for the last five years now. Look at how many players and how many teams are really struggling. Pitching is really close to being all the way back.”

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MLB 2011 Fantasy Baseball: Value RBI Options

When the top RBI guys are off the board, there are still value picks that can help you in that category.

Average Draft Positions are from Mock Draft Central.

Catcher

Kurt Suzuki, Oakland A’s: Suzuki had 71 RBI last year and 88 in 2009. Both years he had the fourth RBI among catchers.

With an ADP of 171, there are ten catchers that are (on average) going before him in fantasy drafts.

Yadier Molina, St. Louis Cardinals: Molina had the eighth most RBI (62) last year. He was 11th in 2009 (54) and 12th in 2008 (56).

He’s not going to win the RBI category for you, but he should be a nice value with his 189 ADP.

 

First Base

Adam LaRoche, Washington Nationals: LaRoche had the 10th most RBI (100) among first basemen last year. He has averaged 89.2 RBI over the past five years.

Despite his consistent solid performances, he has an ADP of 178, which is 15th among first basement.

Carlos Pena, Chicago Cubs: Pena had 84 RBI last year and has averaged 101.8 the past four years.

He has an ADP of 181, which makes him a pretty strong value.

Gaby Sanchez, Florida Marlins: Sanchez is a boring pick, but he did manage 85 RBI last year. He has an ADP of 187, so he’s worth a look.

Ike Davis, New York Mets: Davis had 71 RBI in 147 games last year and should only get stronger.

He’ll turn 24 later this month and he has a ton of upside. Davis has an ADP of 201.

Derrek Lee, Baltimore Orioles: Lee had just 80 RBI last year, but has averaged 90.8 the past four years.

His ADP of 228 is a great value.

 

Second Base

Aaron Hill, Toronto Blue Jays: Hill had 68 RBI last year, despite a .196 BABIP. With 108 RBI in 2009, he is definitely worth a look, especially with an ADP of 160.

Juan Uribe, Los Angeles Dodgers: Uribe had 85 RBI last year, which ranked third among second basemen.

He likely loses some value with his move to the Dodgers, but makes up for it with multiple position eligibility. He’s worth a look with his 240 ADP.

 

Third Base

Ty Wiggington, Colorado Rockies: He’ll play a little bit of this and a little bit of that. He had 76 RBI last year, and his move to Colorado should be a favorable one.

Wiggington’s ADP is 215. Jose Lopez (ADP 199) should also get some work. Both should have value right away, as Ian Stewart will likely start the year on the shelf.

Kevin Kouzmanoff, Oakland A’s: Kouzmanoff had 71 RBI last year and has averaged 79.3 the past four years.

He has an ADP of 363, which means he’ll likely go undrafted in your league.

 

Shortstop

Alex Gonzalez, Atlanta Braves: Gonzalez won’t match the 88 RBI he had last year, but he should be a nice source for his position. His ADP is 147.

Jhonny Peralta, Detroit Tigers: Peralta isn’t a sexy pick, but he’s averaged 84.3 RBI the past three years and 78.5 the past six.

Not a bad option at shortstop, especially considering he also has third base eligibility and an ADP of 251.

 

Outfield

Adam Jones, Baltimore Orioles: Jones had 69 RBI last year and 70 the year before, but the Orioles have made improvements to their lineup.

He’ll turn 26 in August, so this could be the year he fulfills his promise. His ADP of 180 puts him at a nice value.

Carlos Quentin, Chicago White Sox: Quentin had 87 RBI last year. He always seems to be an injury risk, but his ADP of 193 makes him a good gamble later in your draft.

Michael Cuddyer, Minnesota Twins: Cuddy could be easy to overlook as the Twins seem to move him all around the field. Still, he remains productive.

He’s averaged  87.5 RBI the past two years and has first base eligibility. Cuddy has an ADP of 224.

Raul Ibanez, Philadelphia Phillies: I have no idea how he has anything left in the tank, but Ibanez had 83 RBI last year and has averaged 100.5 RBI over the past six years.

He’s worth a look with an ADP of 198.

Travis Snider, Toronto Blue Jays: You’d be drafting on potential if you chose Snider, but with an ADP of 247, there isn’t much risk involved.

 

Designated Hitter

Adam Lind, Toronto Blue Jays: He could possibly have first base or outfield eligibility, but with 186 RBI over the past two years, he’s a solid utility option. His ADP is 166.

David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox: He is slow out of the gate, but Big Papi has averaged 96.7 RBI the past three years.

Not bad for someone with an ADP of 173.

Hideki Matsui, Oakland A’s: Matsui left the Bronx, but still managed 84 RBI with the Angels.

I doubt he’ll be as productive, but he’s worth a look with an ADP of 261.

Also check out:

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Jhonny Peralta Signs Extension with Detroit: Tigers Now World Series Favorites?

(Satire) Less than a week after declining his $7.25 million option for 2011, the Detroit Tigers relieved many angry fans by announcing they had locked up do-it-all shortstop Jhonny Peralta to a new two-year, $11.25 million steal of a deal.

“I’m very excited to stay here in Detroit,” Peralta said.  “Actually, I’m just very excited to actually still have a job in the majors.”

Peralta was acquired before last year’s trade deadline from the Cleveland Indians, where he was batting a putrid .246 in 91 games.

However, after the trade he lit the Motor City Kitties on fire with a whopping .253 average and .314 on-base percentage that nearly rallied the Tigers to an above-.500 record in the bloodthirsty American League Central Division.

Detroit general manager Dave Dombrowski couldn’t have been happier with Peralta’s second-half performance.

“The scouting report coming out of Cleveland was that this guy had a hole in his glove,” Dombrowski said.  “We sent our best scouts to investigate, and despite the 19 errors he had last year, we were unable to locate an actual hole.”

Peralta acknowledged that, while he is incredibly happy to be in Detroit, he would always call Cleveland home.

“It’s where I broke in, where I grew up,” he said.  “Where I complained about switching positions, where I put on forty pounds, where I continued to swing and miss at the low outside breaking ball…”

Tigers skipper Jim Leyland is also a fan of Peralta’s.

“It’s not often we can add a player of his consistency to our lineup,” Leyland added.  “He was so close to averaging a strikeout a game in Cleveland, and I feel like, with a little work, he can finally accomplish that here.”

The extension no doubt pushes the Tigers into the World Series discussion, now with such an intimidating bat in the middle of their order for the entire season.

So look out Giants, Jhonny Peralta and his lifetime .263 average is roaring to take a bite out of you.

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Detroit Tigers Bring Back Jhonny Peralta

Less than a week after the Detroit Tigers declined Jhonny Peralta‘s $7.25 million option, they have decided to bring him back.

According to the Associated Press, the Tigers have signed Peralta to a two-year, $11.25 million contract. Peralta hit .253/.314/.396 with eight home runs in 57 games for the Tigers last season after being acquired from the Cleveland Indians in July.

$5.6 million for Peralta is a fair deal. It’s not terrible, but its not great either.

After hitting .276/.331/.473 with 23 HR in 2008, Peralta has really fallen flat on his face the last two years. In the last two years, Peralta has hit .252/.313/.383 with 26 HR total.

It will be interesting to see what the Tigers do with Peralta. Remember, he played third last year for the Indians and Tigers, and the Tigers just resigned Brandon Inge to a two-year deal similar to the one Peralta just signed a couple of weeks ago.

The most likely scenario is that the Tigers will leave Inge at third and move Peralta back to short where he played on a full time basis from 2003–2008. My concern with this scenario is that Peralta really isn’t a shortstop anymore.

He has very limited range, and usually once a guy moves off of SS, he doesn’t get moved back. With Inge at third (two bad knees), Peralta at short (limited range) and Miguel Cabrera at first (below average defensively), the Tigers don’t look like they will be sporting the best defensive infield in 2011.

The Tigers have a boatload of money to spend this offseason and so far, they have used it, for better or worse, to secure their left side of their infield. I think their next targets will be C Victor Martinez, LF Carl Crawford, and I think they will be a sleeper for LHP Cliff Lee.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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MLB Free Agency: Ranking Adrian Beltre and The 10 Best Third Basemen Available

With the 2010 regular season coming to a close and the playoff picture starting to become a little clearer every day, there are some teams that will focus on free agency and which players they are going to bring back or which players they could possibly land this offseason.

One of those players that will hit the free agent market is third baseman Adrian Beltre, who seemed to reinvent himself this season as a member of the Boston Red Sox.

Beltre has hit .325 with 28 home runs and 102 runs batted in, his best combined numbers since his 2004 season as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Beltre isn’t the only third baseman that will be on the market. Here are 10 of the top third basemen that will be looked at in free agency.

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