Like Vito stated, I will be interested to see where these guys play. What Detroit really needed was a replacement for Inge at 3rd base. I understand Inge has a great glove and he is a franchise guy, but the dude can't hit.
I get replacing Martinez.......(for a year). Go buy a hired gun for a one year contract to take up some slack. But tie up $214 mil over 9 years? I dont' get it. By the way Martinez will be 34 years old next time he plays. How much gas left in that tank (especially being a catcher)? Theyre a year or two from him not being an impact for that offense anyway.
So wouldn't getting another good bat help fix that issue? Illitch has money to spend. He always has, he just finally started putting some of it towards the Tigers, and not just the Redwings. When he started spending money again, the team got better. Take out the $214 mil from the equation, you have to admit Fielder makes them a better team right now, correct? This is their time to make a run at a championship. Why not go for it? Strike while the iron is hot? Its not my money. And if Illitch wants to up the price of a hot and ready Little Caesars pizza from $5.55 to $5.95, I'm okay with that. I'll do my part. If he starts selling stock though, I'm not buying.
Yeah its a bummer he's not a Brewer but being that I was born and raised in Detroit and a Tiger fan.....I LOVE IT!
Cant argue that they didn't become a better team (offensively). I just wonder if they could've put together an even better team with that kind of money and not dumped on one bat. Now they are into it for a long time which is going to hurt more opportunities down the road. Next 1-3 years? Yeah gives them a "better" chance with the move. Not sure if it was the best though. Pretty much ended up with another Cabrera. And they could have the worst defense at the corners in MLB. Defense and pitching wins playoff games. I know they have a solid rotation already. But can you imagine if they landed another ace to go behind Verlander with a one two punch? And then get a role player and another bat. I dont' know, time will tell.
Thats possible. I didn't pay a lot of attention to what was available. Without the Martinez injury, this trade wasn't even being discussed. Maybe a slight panic move, but it does make them better right now. Probably not the best business decision, and maybe not the best long term for the team either. Detroit has been close a couple times in the last few years. They really want to get over that hump, even if its only for one or two years. Cabrera actually isn't that bad of a first baseman. He doesn't have a ton of range, but he fields the ball decently and picks throws in the dirt pretty well. Third was more of a struggle for him. I really don't want to see him moved back to third. The Tigers still think Porcello can be that 1-2 punch with Verlander. He has the stuff, just not the consistency. Maybe that kept them from spending money on pitching? This still have one of the better staffs in the AL.
T I remember when AJ Burnett was supposed to be the 2 punch (or 1) lol. Don't even know if he'll be on the roster this year. It seems that is the philosophy behind this move. Go for it now. Almost like an impulse buy. Kind of like me yesterday going to the store. Was going to get some sub rolls and have some shaved steak sandwiches. I ended up buying 4 lbs of snow crab and a couple dozen little necks. Just because I walked by and felt like it They were a good little treat, but i could have got filled up just the same for a heck of lot less money and a lot more sub rolls and steak ums.
Yeah I guess my point was Martinez is a big part of that lineup for a world series run. They only have a couple years to get it done. Better make it snappy. And after that it's going to be hard for them to buy and replace a hitter and/or catcher like Martinez because their eggs are all in the Fielder basket
I think that owners do this sometimes just to show the fans that they are not about just sucking money out of the fan base. For the regular fans they are probably loving this and not really caring or thinking about 5 yrs from now. It never is reall a good idea to throw that kind of money into any player for 8-10 yrs. Teams never get 8-10 years of quality production from anyone unless it is at the beginning of their career and then it doesn't cost teams as much.
Who knows how many good years Martinez has left. He's 33 (thats 38 in Dominican years) and he's coming off a major knee injury. He only caught 26 games last year.
He also owns the Red Wings and Little Caesars, tried to buy the Pistons, deal fell thru! I'm willing to bet a lot of fans and players wish they had an owners like the Ilitch family!
