We finally traded Ryan Perry!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

**tigernut** · 12-09-2011, 05:53 PM

Finally,Dave D. traded Perry to the Washington Nationals this afternoon for Collin Balester.I couldn`t be happier!No more having to cringe when Jim L. beings him and having to watch him blow game after game.They could have traded him for the St. Louis squirrel and I would have been OK with it.

**Gehringer_2** · 12-09-2011, 05:58 PM

Originally Posted by tigernut

Finally,Dave D. traded Perry to the Washington Nationals this afternoon for Collin Balester.I couldn`t be happier!No more having to cringe when Jim L. beings him and having to watch him blow game after game.They could have traded him for the St. Louis squirrel and I would have been OK with it.

Regardless of how it looks now, I imagine that by June there will at least one pitcher on the staff whose entry into the game will have us cringing. The names may change but the story remains the same.

**alwaysthrowheat** · 12-09-2011, 06:00 PM

Why not lambardozzi? ugh.

**mmwatkin** · 12-09-2011, 06:00 PM

Not really getting this move.

**froggyvk** · 12-09-2011, 06:00 PM

Given that we didn't get a good player in return, I'd have preferred we just keep Perry and see how he did in non-pressure situations.

**alwaysthrowheat** · 12-09-2011, 06:01 PM

We basically got their version of Ryan Perry.

**alwaysthrowheat** · 12-09-2011, 06:02 PM

Scouting report via Jim Bowden a couple years ago: MASNsports.com - Orioles, Nationals, Ravens on MASNsports.com

**Sports_Freak** · 12-09-2011, 06:06 PM

Collin Balester's stats aren't overwhelming. He is under team control until thru the 2016 season though. It looks like the Nats used him as a SP early but as a BP pitcher the last couple of years. I thought we could get more for Perry, maybe a position player?

Collin Balester Statistics and History - Baseball-Reference.com

**Gehringer_2** · 12-09-2011, 06:08 PM

Originally Posted by mmwatkin

Not really getting this move.

They haven't had a real long reliever since Minor. I think they will use Balester as someone who can go longer in a game.

**catswithbats** · 12-09-2011, 06:13 PM

Might've been better off keeping Perry.

**The Truman Show** · 12-09-2011, 06:14 PM

The similarities between Balester and Zach Miner are astounding. Just go about your business assuming that they are the same pitcher.

Really don't know what the objection is at this point. Ryan Perry walked a Pittsburgh relief pitcher on 4 pitches once. They didn't get anyone better than Balester because no one wants Ryan Perry.

I wish I remembered all the people that told me about how they were going to trade Perry in packages for Brandon Phillips or BJ Upton because "he has potential." I don't really like the "told you so" game, but I'd make an exception for that.

**IdahoBert** · 12-09-2011, 06:16 PM

Maybe they just got tired of waiting for Perry to get it together. Like Sizemore.

**Sports_Freak** · 12-09-2011, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by catswithbats

Might've been better off keeping Perry.

Too inconsistent. Whenever Leyland used him, we never knew what we would get.
I blame much of this on the fact he wasn't used enough to stay sharp. With the Nats, he should get plenty of work.

**mmwatkin** · 12-09-2011, 06:17 PM

Originally Posted by IdahoBert

Maybe they just got tired of waiting for Perry to get it together. Like Sizemore.

How'd that work out?

**C03BRA** · 12-09-2011, 06:18 PM

their stats are pretty similar...Balester has more Ks/9 and fewer walks

He'll likely be long relief (a position of need)

**TWolve** · 12-09-2011, 06:30 PM

Does Balester have any option years left or will he have to get through waivers to go down to Toledo?

**cruzer1** · 12-09-2011, 06:31 PM

Balester had a pretty good year, although he doesn't have the ceiling of Perry. I think this is win-win for both sides.

**catswithbats** · 12-09-2011, 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by TWolve

Does Balester have any option years left or will he have to get through waivers to go down to Toledo?

Out of options.

**Verlander MVP 2011** · 12-09-2011, 06:38 PM

Does David Pauley have options left? He would be a nice depth guy in AAA....

**New_Age_X** · 12-09-2011, 06:39 PM

Man I'm pissed we didn't trade him for that STL squirrel. But yeah we totally got tired of waiting for Perry to get his head right. If he didn't learn how to pitch by going down and coming back up all these times he never will. I would have been cool if they kept him as well but they didn't and I'm not sad to see him go either.

**toadhunter911** · 12-09-2011, 06:47 PM

Ryan Perry's problem is above his shoulders. The kid has tons of physical tools, but no tool box to put them in. He seemed more concerned about his hairstyle and tattoos...

**DaYooperASBDT** · 12-09-2011, 06:53 PM

Strange trade. I guess the Tigers think they can "fix" Ballester and couldn't "fix" Perry.

**Charles Liston** · 12-09-2011, 07:09 PM

Someone has to do the Grilli innings I guess.

**TheCouga** · 12-09-2011, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by toadhunter911

Ryan Perry's problem is above his shoulders. The kid has tons of physical tools, but no tool box to put them in. He seemed more concerned about his hairstyle and tattoos...

That's the impression I got from Perry.

**mmwatkin** · 12-09-2011, 07:26 PM

Meh. I'm over it. Hopefully Balester can contribute to the 'pen. Good Luck to Perry in the NL

**The Ghost of Neifi** · 12-09-2011, 07:27 PM

Originally Posted by mmwatkin

How'd that work out?

Scott Sizemore remains a player who isn't missed in Detroit. We already have a player who can hit against the White Sox and his name is Raburn.

Perry was really good for a month or so(I think in '09) before getting hurt and has been utter crap since then. I view this as a lateral move with a change of scenery for both guys.

In addition, I still believe Zumaya will attempt once last comeback in Detroit before looking elsewhere.

**Scottwood** · 12-09-2011, 07:33 PM

Another classic example where one should read very little into any DD quote. There were several articles the past few days talking about how DD and Leyland were expecting improvement from Perry this year. Now, he's gone w/o any rumors or warnings that he was even being shopped. If DD says the roster is basically complete and Inge is the primary 3B, he basically means that statement is true on December 9th, 2011. It might not be true on December 10th, 2011.

**Yoda** · 12-09-2011, 08:05 PM

Originally Posted by Scottwood

Another classic example where one should read very little into any DD quote. There were several articles the past few days talking about how DD and Leyland were expecting improvement from Perry this year. Now, he's gone w/o any rumors or warnings that he was even being shopped. If DD says the roster is basically complete and Inge is the primary 3B, he basically means that statement is true on December 9th, 2011. It might not be true on December 10th, 2011.

How do people still not get this?

**MC24** · 12-09-2011, 08:14 PM

Woo! Thank you Nationals!

**catswithbats** · 12-09-2011, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by Yoda

How do people still not get this?

They'd rather freak out about 2B/3B platoons, I guess.

**MotorCityKitty** · 12-09-2011, 08:21 PM

I'm just glad to see perry go, I think his problems were mental, hopefully a change of scenery will help both of these guys.

**tigermojo** · 12-09-2011, 08:34 PM

**berneree** · 12-09-2011, 09:08 PM

Perry's problems in my opinion....

1) Absolutely no command of any pitch he throws. He will need to get command of 2 pitches in order to be an 8th/9th inning guy.

2) A straight fastball

I don't really think it has anything to do mentally. By the way......how many relievers have the Tigers now drafted in the first 10 rounds of the draft in the last 5 or so years still left in the organization? How many have actually made the 25-man roster? How many have actually panned out?

**T.O. Tiger Fan** · 12-09-2011, 09:08 PM

I think the team just got frustrated with Perry's inconsistency, to the point where they didn't want to deal with it any longer.

**Eric Cioe** · 12-09-2011, 09:21 PM

This looks like a change of scenery trade for both teams. Hopefully for everyone involved it works.

Balester and I share a birthday and a facial hair style.

**Scottish caveman** · 12-09-2011, 09:28 PM

He always seemed , like Sparky said of Mike Ivie..." Million dollar airport...ten dollar control tower", great arm, no think !!!

**Scottwood** · 12-09-2011, 09:39 PM

Balester's numbers look much better as a reliever. In his 56 2/3 career innings as a reliever, he's K'd over a batter an inning; a significant jump from his strikeout numbers when he was a starter (9.8 SO/9, 3.81 ERA vs. 5.7 SO/9, 5.87 ERA). He also is probably better suited to go multiple innings than Perry would be in low leverage situations. Its probably worth a shot and its not a Sizemore-Purcey type trade where we have no real chance of winning or even breaking even with the other team in the trade.

The draft full of relievers that was supposed to stock our bullpen with young, cost-controlled arms for years to come instead will end up being a draft known for the Avila pick and our current bullpen is now entirely comprised of acquisitions from FA or trades. It could be a darn good bullpen anyway, but we need to develop relievers better from our own farm system. This may be one of the reasons there were several organizational changes to the pitching coaches last season.

**tiger337** · 12-09-2011, 10:02 PM

Originally Posted by Yoda

How do people still not get this?

I actually think DD does most of the stuff he says he's going to do. He lays out his plan A (what he's definitely going to do) at the beginning of the off-season and usually follows it pretty closely. Some years, an opportunity comes up where he is able to do something additional. He also drops some hints - like saying that Young is probably the left fielder, but not committing 100% to it.

I guess I usually trust what he says, but don't believe that he tells us everything.

**Motor City Sonics** · 12-09-2011, 10:07 PM

Taking relief pitchers with your number one pick. I'm not really into that. Doesn't seem to work out too much, does it?

Aren't most of the best relief pitchers guys that were originally drafted as starters?

**john doe** · 12-09-2011, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by Scottwood

Balester's numbers look much better as a reliever. In his 56 2/3 career innings as a reliever, he's K'd over a batter an inning; a significant jump from his strikeout numbers when he was a starter (9.8 SO/9, 3.81 ERA vs. 5.7 SO/9, 5.87 ERA). He also is probably better suited to go multiple innings than Perry would be in low leverage situations. Its probably worth a shot and its not a Sizemore-Purcey type trade where we have no real chance of winning or even breaking even with the other team in the trade.

The draft full of relievers that was supposed to stock our bullpen with young, cost-controlled arms for years to come instead will end up being a draft known for the Avila pick and our current bullpen is now entirely comprised of acquisitions from FA or trades. It could be a darn good bullpen anyway, but we need to develop relievers better from our own farm system. This may be one of the reasons there were several organizational changes to the pitching coaches last season.

Phillies sign former Tigers pitcher David Purcey to minor-league deal | MLive.com