Tigers Promote Nick Castellanos to Erie

[Eric Cioe]

Sounds like Young and Boesch this year.

Every year.

[Gehringer_2]

Sounds like Young and Boesch this year.

the only thing that gives me mixed feelings about the prospect of the Tigers finally getting one of them out of the line-up is the possibility the move will create more playing time for the other!

[pyrotigers]

I don't think any of the Tigers minor league outfielders are any good, but it's really a Quintin Berry situation. How good do you have to be to be a better option than a guy who is one of the worst defensive players in MLB, doesn't hit for much power, and has a sub .300 OBP?

I feel like just about everyone is better than that, whether it's Guez, Young, whoever else is in AAA I don't even remember, or just about anyone claimed off waivers or signed as a minor league free agent

[Shinzaki]

They have OF's in they system...but they seem to be at High A or lower.

[Mr. Bigglesworth]

Every year.

How can you say that? Delmon was 10th in MVP voting in 2010!

[RobSk]

I don't think any of the Tigers minor league outfielders are any good, but it's really a Quintin Berry situation. How good do you have to be to be a better option than a guy who is one of the worst defensive players in MLB, doesn't hit for much power, and has a sub .300 OBP?

I feel like just about everyone is better than that, whether it's Guez, Young, whoever else is in AAA I don't even remember, or just about anyone claimed off waivers or signed as a minor league free agent

Yeah, exactly. It's even worse to see Leyland do almost the worst possible thing. (almost). We have Boesch playing RF and Raburn at 2b. Horrible defenders, Boesch isn't hitting at all, and Raburn is on a "hot streak" of .300 over 20 AB. I'd far rather see Guez in RF than Boesch or Raburn. At least he'd get to the ball well.. And heck, we're playing Young at DH. Why? To make sure we get his .650 OPS in the lineup. :( Sure is a good thing we didn't give Brad Eldred a shot, so we could keep trying to harness the elemental offensive force of nature that is....Delmon Young. He was the first pick in the draft once, you know...

Rob

[RobSk]

See I don't see him having good on-base skills in MLB. He's a free-swinger with holes in his swing and his lack of true power means pitchers are going to go right at him.

Yeah, no argument here- But at least he fields the position decently, right?

Do you see him as a complete non-contributor offensively in MLB (.400-.600 OPS), or just well below average (.650-.700)?

Rob

[RobSk]

Everything in his game comes up a little short for me. Decent runner, fringy hitter, below-average power, solid defender, good arm....he's a really nice org guy for me. A blazing hot streak could get him a look as an extra outfielder for a brief stint.

Duh, you already answered my defense question. I saw him in person at Toledo a couple of times, and he looked very solid defensively. The situation is so crappy at this point in the majors that someone who manages Clete Thomas contribution level would be very welcome.

Rob

[Microline133]

I think Guess would be well below average offensively.

[Yoda]

2 for 4 with a double and a walk, finally!

[Yoda]

2 for 5 with 2 doubles last night. .313/.310/.518 (.828) since being promoted to Erie.

Over the last 10 days he's hitting .391/.391/.767 (1.159) including 5 doubles, a triple, and 3 HR's.

[Yoda]

Nick will also be representing the Tigers in the Futures Game, along with Brantley and Rondon.

[drownwithyou]

Thanks for the updates Yoda, I'm getting pretty excited about this kid's future!

[Yoda]

At what point should we become concerned that he isn't walking at all (1 BB in 84 PA's) since being promoted?

[Walt]

At what point should we become concerned that he isn't walking at all (1 BB in 84 PA's) since being promoted?

I'm not sure. As long as he is hitting pitches, there isn't a huge need for him to be taking them. If he starts getting into Boesch or Delmon territory swinging at pitches out of the zone, I will be worried. As he continues to hit, I am sure opposing pitchers will give him less to hit and his walks will increase.

[ChrisBrown]

At what point should we become concerned that he isn't walking at all (1 BB in 84 PA's) since being promoted?

I'm not concerned unless he starts striking out a lot or his average starts to suffer. He seems to be able to make pretty consistent hard contact all over the field (I think his three AA homers are to RF or right-center). I don't think he's gonna be a Delmon-level hacker or anything like that, but I don't ever expect him to be a guy who walks 100 times a year.

[Shinzaki]

Can Jordan Lennerton play OF...he's 26 and at AA....but he was older coming out of college. Seems to have hit well enough at every level...

[Microline133]

No, Lennerton cannot play the outfield.

[ChrisBrown]

I'm not concerned unless he starts striking out a lot or his average starts to suffer. He seems to be able to make pretty consistent hard contact all over the field (I think his three AA homers are to RF or right-center). I don't think he's gonna be a Delmon-level hacker or anything like that, but I don't ever expect him to be a guy who walks 100 times a year.

And of course he has 3 Ks in 4 ABs tonight.

EDIT - Make that 4 Ks in 5 ABs. Rough night.

[Chili Mac Davis]

I think Guess would be well below average offensively.

I give up. Who?

[keyser343]

And of course he has 3 Ks in 4 ABs tonight.

EDIT - Make that 4 Ks in 5 ABs. Rough night.

I watched the game. After the first inning single, the Senators just threw him breaking balls out of the zone and he hacked away. It looked really bad, but maybe it was just a bad game.

[sabretooth]

I'd like to pop in and suggest that Miguel Cabrera is not an average defensive 3B in the majors, nor do I think Nick projects out to be an good fielding 3B.

I second this....I really admire Cabrera's hutzpah and effort this year at 3B, but his results are pretty poor....

Plus, in the couple of games that I saw Castellanos play 3B with the WMWCs last year, it looked to me that he'd be somewhere in Cabrera's territory defensively at this point. I think he could grow into the position and be just below average, but even to an amateur like myself, Nick's range was poor, his footwork clunky, and his arm decent but hampered by bad footwork.

[ChrisBrown]

I watched the game. After the first inning single, the Senators just threw him breaking balls out of the zone and he hacked away. It looked really bad, but maybe it was just a bad game.

Two more whiffs today...maybe the book is getting out on him. I still expect him to make the necessary adjustments eventually. Just takes time.

[Yoda]

Opponents pitchers also had 14 k's yesterday and 10 today. Nick also had one of the team's 5 hits, for what it's worth. It may just be that they ran into good pitching the last two days.

[TigersSlappy]

1-4 today with 2 K's

[Yoda]

You're a few hours late there Slappy :)

[Motor City Sonics]

At what point should we become concerned that he isn't walking at all (1 BB in 84 PA's) since being promoted?

I don't know if you should be all that concerned. It's not like the Tigers are going to play the Cubs all that much, so they will probably never get to see Nick play.

[Yoda]

You're like the new Jon Benke :)

[Motor City Sonics]

You're like the new Jon Benke :)

Is that a compliment or an insult........oh wait, its an insult........I think.


I just like to temper people's enthusiasm sometimes - especially on prospects. They need to teach this guy how to play right field (with that arm of his). Otherwise, I don't see the point in keeping him in the organization.

[Yoda]

There's no big rush in doing that. He'll have all offseason/spring to work on the OF, if they decide to keep Cabrera at third. As of now, who knows what will happen.

[tigerbomb13]

It also keeps his value higher by leaving him at 3rd right now. I don't know how tempted the Tigers would be to trade him, but I would believe a good hitting 3B prospect could fetch more than a corner OF. This isn't to say they are looking to deal him, but keep where he has the most value until it's time to cross that bridge.

[PuNk42AE]

It also keeps his value higher by leaving him at 3rd right now. I don't know how tempted the Tigers would be to trade him, but I would believe a good hitting 3B prospect could fetch more than a corner OF. This isn't to say they are looking to deal him, but keep where he has the most value until it's time to cross that bridge.

Plus you never know what could happen, just think if Miggy wasn't wearing the sun glasses in ST.

[Dawgs]

There are reports today that the Phillies are gauging interest in Cole Hamels and are loooking for a 4 or 5 prospect package centered around a 3rd basemen. Would anyone here trade Castellanos and Oliver/Crosby plus a couple B/C level prospects for a 3 month rental of Hamels? What if he agreed to a long term deal before the trade was made?

Im not sure I would in either case although with a long term deal in place it would be tempting. I just dont think you can add another pitcher, especially another groundball pitcher, without first adressing the holes we have at 2b, outfield and DH.

[Turnbuckle]

There are reports today that the Phillies are gauging interest in Cole Hamels and are loooking for a 4 or 5 prospect package centered around a 3rd basemen. Would anyone here trade Castellanos and Oliver/Crosby plus a couple B/C level prospects for a 3 month rental of Hamels? What if he agreed to a long term deal before the trade was made?

Im not sure I would in either case although with a long term deal in place it would be tempting. I just dont think you can add another pitcher, especially another groundball pitcher, without first adressing the holes we have at 2b, outfield and DH.

If we were able to get a long-term deal out of it? Definitely. Rental? Absolutely not.

[Yoda]

Hamels isn't a long-term option here. The have to extend Verlander soon and already have a ton of money invested in the future. They need to hope for JV, Fister, Scherzer, Turner and Smyly to succeed. I just don't see them wanting to pay him what they'll need to pay when they have MUCH cheaper options in Turner and Smyly, nor do I see them giving up Castellanos for a 3-month rental.

[RedRamage]

Hamels isn't a long-term option here. The have to extend Verlander soon and already have a ton of money invested in the future. They need to hope for JV, Fister, Scherzer, Turner and Smyly to succeed. I just don't see them wanting to pay him what they'll need to pay when they have MUCH cheaper options in Turner and Smyly, nor do I see them giving up Castellanos for a 3-month rental.

I will be disappointed if they trade Nick for Hamels.

I'm certainly not opposed to trading Nick if the deal makes sense, but this doesn't make sense to me. 3 months for a guy like this when we're floundering this season. No. If we were leading the Central and looking at what we'd need to compete with the Yanks and Rangers for the the AL crown... then maybe, but even then just maybe.

[RedRamage]

Plus you never know what could happen, just think if Miggy wasn't wearing the sun glasses in ST.

I don't like to use that sort of thinking when evaluating trades/positions. While it's definitely true that you never know what could happen, to try to plan for unknown circumstances is a bad way to do it in my opinion.

Yeah, if Cabby wasn't wearing sunglasses we might have needed Nick a lot sooner. But what it JV slips walking up some stairs and breaks his ankle? Then people will say: Should have traded for Hamels.

[Yoda]

I will be disappointed if they trade Nick for Hamels.

I'm certainly not opposed to trading Nick if the deal makes sense, but this doesn't make sense to me. 3 months for a guy like this when we're floundering this season. No. If we were leading the Central and looking at what we'd need to compete with the Yanks and Rangers for the the AL crown... then maybe, but even then just maybe.

The Tigers will be looking for whatever they need to compete with the Yankees and Rangers and Angels. If they make it to the playoffs, that's what they'll be doing. But they won't mortgage the future to do so and I don't believe they would if they were 5 games up instead of 3 behind. It makes no difference in this division.

[Nastradamus]

No thanks on Hamels. We can't afford him long term and he'd be too expensive in trade. Sign him as a free agent if you really do want him.

If I'm giving up Nick C I want someone for the long haul. I'd flip him for Altuve or something, but not a rental.

[TigersSlappy]

You're a few hours late there Slappy :)

Yeah, I noticed after I posted that I'd missed it being here.....I was sun struck I think.