Rumor - Tigers Looking To Trade For Closer

[spockmaster]

The Tigers raised eyebrows across baseball this offseason with their decision to install rookie Bruce Rondon as their closer. Now, they are having second thoughts about that plan and pushing hard to find a closer via trade, major league sources tell Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com.

The Nationals could afford to part with a reliever, after the signing of Rafael Soriano bumped back Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard, but so far they are telling teams that they have no interest in moving anyone in the pen. The Red Sox have an extra closer in Andrew Bailey but the Tigers have yet to contact Boston about him.

Detroit could use Rick Porcello to land a ninth-inning option, but they'll want a strong closer in return given his strong play in spring training. There are also two unsigned closers in Jose Valverde and Francisco Rodriguez, but they don't seem terribly interested in either one.

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2013/03/tigers-looking-to-trade-for-closer.html




also: Tigers now want to trade for a closer, but it won't be easy

Spring training trades aren't easy. Spring training trades for closers might be even tougher.

But the Tigers now realize they have little choice.

With hard-throwing rookie Bruce Rondon already showing he can't handle the job, and with no other good options available in their own camp, the Tigers are already pushing hard to find a closer on the trade market, according to major-league sources.

Now, will they be able to find one?

The Nationals would seem to have an extra closer, after signing Rafael Soriano to add to a bullpen that already includes Drew Storen and Tyler Clippard. But the Nationals are telling teams that they have no interest in moving any of their late-inning relievers, because they want to be able to match up with the rival Braves at the end of games.

The Red Sox have an extra closer after trading for Joel Hanrahan. But it's not clear how much the Tigers think of Andrew Bailey. As of Tuesday morning, the Tigers had yet to contact the Red Sox about him.

The Tigers have six starting pitchers, so they could make Rick Porcello available. But Porcello has looked very good this spring, so it's unlikely the Tigers would want to deal him for anything but a proven closer.

And there might not be any of those available.

Two closers remain unsigned on the free-agent market. But the Tigers have basically ruled out a reunion with Jose Valverde, not surprising considering Valverde's stay in Detroit ended with an ugly postseason failure last October. And as of yet, the Tigers don't seem that interested in Francisco Rodriguez.

They do realize they have to do something.

Rondon has been so bad that the Tigers decided this week to hold him out of spring training games to get extra work on the side. Manager Jim Leyland said at the start of camp that none of his other late-inning options (Joaquin Benoit, Octavio Dotel, Phil Coke, Al Alburquerque) profiled as a full-time closer, and nothing has happened to change that opinion.

It's a problem, one that was predictable when the Tigers decided not to pursue a closer last winter.

They're looking for one now. And they know it won't be easy.

http://www.cbssports.com/mlb/blog/d...ant-to-trade-for-a-closer-but-it-wont-be-easy







Apparently a few bad outings from Rondon was enough for the team to start second guessing their decision and go into semi-panic mode looking for a closer. I really hope we dont make a snap decision to trade Porcello for someone and get ripped off.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

I still don't understand why we don't just install Al Al or Porcello if it's such a big need. Al Al is the best option, but I can see questions about durability. Porcello in his first time through a lineup has better numbers than most of our relievers already.

 

[kalinecountry]

Rondon is not only young, he is a big 'husky' kid. Taking out for a couple of or few days to work on the side on his mechanics makes sense. Those tree trunk thighs and his size caused some of the problems with the walks in the few innings and games he has pitched in so far, less degree in minors.
Jones and Rondon through his interpretor said as much.
If he can correct this and pitch like he did in the minors.
Maybe or maybe not he is the closer.

if they decide to get another experienced bullpen arm then maybe this is the route they take. Or they just mix and match.

The 4/5 pitchers that have been discussed as to 'why don't they just go with' Al Al, Benoit, Coke, Dotel......it has been said by Leyland that Al Al can't pitch consecutive games or more than 2 in a row and his slider is a pitch that has caused the discomfort he experienced. Benoit doesn't want to or feel as comfortable closing as he does as the setup man and he is 36, Dotel could close but probably not regularly and he is 39. Coke outside of the playoffs last October, doesn't have great numbers in his righty splits, Villarreal from past hasn't shown he can't close either, maybe in his head.

 

[tomdalton22]

this is why I think the BP is a mess. Even though it is only the closer the rest of the pen scares the crap out of me. I have no faith in any of them.

 

[byco42]

this is why I think the BP is a mess. Even though it is only the closer the rest of the pen scares the crap out of me. I have no faith in any of them.

We heard you the first 15 times.

 

[Thumb]

I would rather see a best guy for the situation style closer role (committee) but if Jim absolutely needs a man he calls his "closer" and Rondon can't be that, why not just let OD do it? He has closer experience, and has pitched well for us last year, and seems like he'd be an obvious decision.

 

[tomdalton22]

We heard you the first 15 times.

Then don't respond...pretty simple!

 

[Mitchrapp]

Might as well mark Fister a bust since he's pitched bad as well. 3 runs is not earth shattering. Granted, the walk total sucks..Porcello would be a poor choice as a closer and unless he is a can't miss dynamite closer his value will go way down.

As always just pick the best guys you have and go closer by committee. Reb posted earlier that the best to worse closer's are usually 1-2 a season and that looks right.

 

[Rebbiv]

Might as well mark Fister a bust since he's pitched bad as well. 3 runs is not earth shattering. Granted, the walk total sucks..Porcello would be a poor choice as a closer and unless he is a can't miss dynamite closer his value will go way down.

As always just pick the best guys you have and go closer by committee. Reb posted earlier that the best to worse closer's are usually 1-2 a season and that looks right.

No Mitch....the best to average is 1-2 saves a year.

Saves come with 1-run, 2-run and 3-run leads. Most blown saves come with only 1-run lead. Rarely, but it does happen, does a blow save come with a 3-run lead. So, if a team has 45 save opportunities, about a third (15) come with 1-run leads. Conversely, the same closer will get 15 save opportunities with a 3-run lead. So really, save totals are misleading unless you know how they were obtained.

 

[byco42]

Then don't respond...pretty simple!

Better yet, come up with a different observation you can repeat over and over again.

 

[tomdalton22]

Better yet, come up with a different observation you can repeat over and over again.

Here's an observation....You're a dick!

 

[Mitchrapp]

No Mitch....the best to average is 1-2 saves a year.

Saves come with 1-run, 2-run and 3-run leads. Most blown saves come with only 1-run lead. Rarely, but it does happen, does a blow save come with a 3-run lead. So, if a team has 45 save opportunities, about a third (15) come with 1-run leads. Conversely, the same closer will get 15 save opportunities with a 3-run lead. So really, save totals are misleading unless you know how they were obtained.

My bad. Nonetheless, going from Valverde to say Rondon - probably isn't too big of a leap. Assuming he's average of course.

 

[byco42]

Here's an observation....You're a dick!

That made me laugh. For many reasons.

 

[kalinecountry]

http://motorcitybengals.com/2013/03/05/detroit-tigers-free-agent-target-francisco-rodriguez/
Detroit Tigers Free Agent Target: Francisco Rodriguez.
from mcb-tb

 

[Mitchrapp]

http://motorcitybengals.com/2013/03/05/detroit-tigers-free-agent-target-francisco-rodriguez/
Detroit Tigers Free Agent Target: Francisco Rodriguez.
from mcb-tb

I wouldn't mind Francisco Rodriguez. He'd be cheap and something to prove.

 

[tigersofjustice]

Considering the Tigers have 3-4 guys better than anybody they could get in a trade I don't see why this is an issue. I'm so sick of hearing dumb garbage from old senile managers like "There is no full time closer on the roster" yada yada. You have a handful of decent guys at the back of the bullpen and you're not going to find a great option now, pick somebody and be done with it.

Should be Villarreal's job IMO.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Considering the Tigers have 3-4 guys better than anybody they could get in a trade I don't see why this is an issue. I'm so sick of hearing dumb garbage from old senile managers like "There is no full time closer on the roster" yada yada. You have a handful of decent guys at the back of the bullpen and you're not going to find a great option now, pick somebody and be done with it.

Should be Villarreal's job IMO.

I'd like a closer that has better control than Villarreal. He was about 4.5/game last season. No thanks.

 

[byco42]

In the past Benoit has demonstrated his effectiveness in leveraged situations. I hope that last year was an anomoly. He has the sand, but I don't know if his stuff measures up to it anymore.

 

[durtymrclean]

http://motorcitybengals.com/2013/03/05/detroit-tigers-free-agent-target-francisco-rodriguez/
Detroit Tigers Free Agent Target: Francisco Rodriguez.
from mcb-tb

Ive been saying this guy for the past two months, and people called me an idiot. Now its a good idea...

 

[Rebbiv]

Ive been saying this guy for the past two months, and people called me an idiot. Now its a good idea...

Did you even read the article all the way through.

"Do the Tigers NEED him? Of course not ? in my opinion at least. But? that?s because, in my opinion, the Tigers don?t need to add a closer. If the Tigers are dead set on adding a closer, I?d much rather have them sign this guy than trade Porcello or top prospects to get a guy who put up better numbers in 2012 but probably won?t in 2013."

He isn't saying that it is a good idea. He is saying that if the Tigers are still after a closer, that he would rather they sign Rodriguez than to trade for a closer.

My take will be if you can sign K-Rod for a minimal amount of money, I would be OK. But, I don't believe signing K-Rod improves the team any more than maybe 1-2 wins, if that.