ShortStop - What are the options?

[sabretooth]

Upton is coming off a horrible season, Scherzer is not. There is a lot of room between the two.

Would I trade a SS with a 90 OPS+ for a potential #1/2 starting pitcher? Uh yeah!!

It depends. If the Tigers are intent on keeping Sanchez and JV, then you've got three excellent SPs left on the team without Scherzer. It's difficult to evaluate Scherzer's plus potential without keeping in mind his delivery/health issues and the fact that he's turning 29.

If you look at ALL of the SS in baseball from 2010 - 2012 with a plus UZR, Tulo is the ONLY one with a wOBA over .330...and Andrus is in the .315-320 range, right there with the rest of them. Peralta is one of the few SS along with Hardy with the potential to hit a lot better, but frankly at this point I'd rather have the sure-shot D at SS over the chance to catch lightning offensively, and leave the offense up to an OF acquisition. Of course, Hardy would provide both the chance at good offense and the sure-shot D if we could get him instead.

[tigerfn1]

Why not Castellanos at short ???
With all our outfield 'options' and Peralta's lack of range and average dipping why couldn't Castellanos slide over from 3rd to short???

[RatkoVarda]

Why not Castellanos at short ???
With all our outfield 'options' and Peralta's lack of range and average dipping why couldn't Castellanos slide over from 3rd to short???

Because he cannot competently play the position at a major league level.

[Yoda]

"Sliding over" from 3B to SS isn't exactly something any 3B could do.

[TigersSlappy]

"Sliding over" from 3B to SS isn't exactly something any 3B could do.

Well I did it in SlowPitch, so if Castellanos can't do it he must not be all he's cracked up to be.

[TigersSlappy]

From the not really news department:

DKnobler ‏@DKnobler
Diamondbacks have shown interest in Jhonny Peralta. But Tigers won't trade him unless/until they get someone better at shortstop.

[tiger337]

I think that's actually pretty interesting news.

[ballmich]

I think that's actually pretty interesting news.

So do I because it indicates a real willingness make a change at the position, which I didn't think was really in the cards and was more of a point that fans wanted to banter about. But perhapas there's more here. I do think the Tigers prefer Drew, if they can get him on a contract they like.

[TigersSlappy]

I think that's actually pretty interesting news.

OK. I thought we'd previously heard that the Diamondbacks might be a taker for Jhonny if we decided to trade him.

[STLTiger69]

DKnobler ‏@DKnobler
Diamondbacks have shown interest in Jhonny Peralta. But Tigers won't trade him unless/until they get someone better at shortstop.

I don't read a whole lot into this, I mean the Tigers would probably trade Verlander or Cabrera if the Tigers thought they could "get someone better" to replace them too. Also keep in mind Arizona needs a SS, so if they had someone "better" than Peralta as a trade chip, why would they deal him to Detroit anyway for Peralta (who's got one year left on his contract with the Tigers anyway)?

[tiger337]

OK. I thought we'd previously heard that the Diamondbacks might be a taker for Jhonny if we decided to trade him.

I'm not sure, but I think it was previously just fans guessing rather than a report that they actually were interested.

[tiger337]

DKnobler ‏@DKnobler
Diamondbacks have shown interest in Jhonny Peralta. But Tigers won't trade him unless/until they get someone better at shortstop.

I don't read a whole lot into this, I mean the Tigers would probably trade Verlander or Cabrera if the Tigers thought they could "get someone better" to replace them too. Also keep in mind Arizona needs a SS, so if they had someone "better" than Peralta as a trade chip, why would they deal him to Detroit anyway for Peralta (who's got one year left on his contract with the Tigers anyway)?

Because the shortstop could come from another team. It wouldn't be the first three-team trade involving AZ, DET.

[STLTiger69]

Because the shortstop could come from another team. It wouldn't be the first three-team trade involving AZ, DET.

lol, I got it, but think about this for a second;

The Tigers will give up Peralta (with just one year left on his contract BTW) in exchange for Arizona going out and getting the Tigers a "better" shortstop, of which the whole idea of Arizona trading in the first place is to upgrade at the SS position?

I can undertand the whole Arizona gives an OF and the Tigers give a minor league pitcher to a 3rd team that gives the Tigers a SS and the Tigers give Peralta to Arizona, but why wouldn't Arizona want someone "better" than Peralta too and do it without the Tigers help?

Anything is possible, but to me it just doesn't seem likely that's all...

[tiger337]

lol, I got it, but think about this for a second;

The Tigers will give up Peralta (with just one year left on his contract BTW) in exchange for Arizona going out and getting the Tigers a "better" shortstop, of which the whole idea of Arizona trading in the first place is to upgrade at the SS position?

I can undertand the whole Arizona gives an OF and the Tigers give a minor league pitcher to a 3rd team that gives the Tigers a SS and the Tigers give Peralta to Arizona, but why wouldn't Arizona want someone "better" than Peralta too and do it without the Tigers help?

Anything is possible, but to me it just doesn't seem likely that's all...

I don't think it's funny at all. The Tigers would be the team that finds the shortstop and then works out the trade. Or they could sign Drew (since DD has always liked him) at the same time they trade Peralta to AZ. Why would AZ want Peralta? That's their problem.

[RatkoVarda]

I don't think it's funny at all. The Tigers would be the team that finds the shortstop and then works out the trade. Or they could sign Drew (since DD has always liked him) at the same time they trade Peralta to AZ. Why would AZ want Peralta? That's their problem.

AZ could put Peralta at SS or 3b.
Peralta has 1 year $6.0m left on his contract;
JJ Putz has 1 year $6.5m left on his contract
With Bell and Hernanzez, Putz could be moved.

[STLTiger69]

I don't think it's funny at all. The Tigers would be the team that finds the shortstop and then works out the trade. Or they could sign Drew (since DD has always liked him) at the same time they trade Peralta to AZ. Why would AZ want Peralta? That's their problem.

Yea, Napoleon Bonaparte said:

"Never interrupt an enemy while he's making a mistake"

And it‘s still very applicable today. If Arizona has it in their head that Peralta for one year is their guy and reason and cost be darn,…fantastic, we'll work something out. But I think it's more likely Arizona is saying to Detroit "IF you get another SS this off season, we'll work out something to take Peralta off your hands" than, “We in Arizona need a Peralta and we will help you get a better shortstop to replace him”.

LoL, I could be wrong, but I don’t think Arizona will help the Tigers get a better shortstop unless it’s going to be like a 5-9 player deal between 3 teams or something really crazy. Possible, yes, likely,…um…I don’t think so…but it's just my 2 cents....

[irvink]

Yunel is aways an option...

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan
How excited are the Marlins to have Yunel Escobar? They were calling around shopping him last week, before the mega-deal was even official.

Meanwhile, Henning continues to believe/insist that the Tigers will not start 2013 with Peralta as the SS. He thinks there's a better chance that Worth is the guy...


With infield defense top priority, Tigers likely to weigh offers for Jhonny Peralta | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

[will the thrill]

Yunel is aways an option...

Jeff Passan ‏@JeffPassan
How excited are the Marlins to have Yunel Escobar? They were calling around shopping him last week, before the mega-deal was even official.

Meanwhile, Henning continues to believe/insist that the Tigers will not start 2013 with Peralta as the SS. He thinks there's a better chance that Worth is the guy...


With infield defense top priority, Tigers likely to weigh offers for Jhonny Peralta | The Detroit News | detroitnews.com

Henning is an idiot. There is zero chance Worth starts the season at shortstop over Peralta

[tiger337]

Yea, Napoleon Bonaparte said:

"Never interrupt an enemy while he's making a mistake"

And it‘s still very applicable today. If Arizona has it in their head that Peralta for one year is their guy and reason and cost be darn,…fantastic, we'll work something out. But I think it's more likely Arizona is saying to Detroit "IF you get another SS this off season, we'll work out something to take Peralta off your hands" than, “We in Arizona need a Peralta and we will help you get a better shortstop to replace him”.

LoL, I could be wrong, but I don’t think Arizona will help the Tigers get a better shortstop unless it’s going to be like a 5-9 player deal between 3 teams or something really crazy. Possible, yes, likely,…um…I don’t think so…but it's just my 2 cents....

Why does AZ have to help the Tigers get another SS in order for this to happen? That is DD's job. If AZ wants Peralta for one year (which I don't think is unreasonable at his salary), I would expect DD to try to find another team to make a three-team deal or find a SS independently of AZ. Do I expect it to happen? No. it's hard to make deals no matter who is involved. It seems plausible to me though.

[Charles Liston]

Well I did it in SlowPitch, so if Castellanos can't do it he must not be all he's cracked up to be.

Agreed. I played all 9 in a 35-and-over hardball league. Nothing to it.

[irvink]

Heyman reporting the Tigers have interest in Stephen Drew.

[hail2mich]

Jim Bowden is also saying the same thing.

@JimBowdenESPNxm: Tigers working on signing Stephen Drew to play SS then would trade Peralta to Arizona or Boston

[MC24]

What could we realistically get in a Peralta trade?

[socaltiger]

Is Drew really a good fielder ? Can he hit ?.he seemed like a crybaby during the playoffs...

[TigersSlappy]

What could we realistically get in a Peralta trade?

I'd take Bauer.

[MC24]

Matt Dery ‏@deryNBA

Stephen Drew is a Boras client. #Tigers fans know what is up.

lol, well. Looks like we have our new shortstop.

[MC24]

I'd take Bauer.

As would I but I doubt the D Backs would do that. I wonder if we could package Peralta, NC, Garcia + for Upton?

[TurnerHasHYPE]

Porcello, Peralta, and another prospect for Bauer please.

[RedRamage]

I just don't see Stephen Drew as an upgrade. His fielding doesn't really look better than Peralta's from what stats I've looked at. And his offensive is pretty much the same from what I can see.

[tiger337]

I just don't see Stephen Drew as an upgrade. His fielding doesn't really look better than Peralta's from what stats I've looked at. And his offensive is pretty much the same from what I can see.

I agree they are pretty similar, but Peralta looked really old to me this year. Drew was coming off a major injury and might bounce back next year. I think Drew has a little more upside and they would also get somebody for Peralta, so I'd be in favor of the move.

[Alex]

As would I but I doubt the D Backs would do that. I wonder if we could package Peralta, NC, Garcia + for Upton?

DD may explore several things involving combos of Upton, Putz, Bauer... ex for Peralta, a top prospect or 2, Porcello, etc.

[ballmich]

I just don't see Stephen Drew as an upgrade. His fielding doesn't really look better than Peralta's from what stats I've looked at. And his offensive is pretty much the same from what I can see.

I think three years ago, getting Drew and having him on a long term deal would have seemed like a pretty awesome move. I'm not so sure about that anymore. I wonder if this is one of those situations where DD has been fixated on the idea of Drew for a number of years, and despite that he's not the player he used to be, still wants him.

I will keep an open mind if this plays out, but trading 1 year of Peralta for a long-term and theoretically 'expensive' deal for Drew seems like a poor trade-off at this stage. Neither looks to be ideal, so I'd probably lean towards the one that I'm not locked into for multiple years. But maybe Drew's contract won't be that bad. Or maybe we get something great in return for Peralta.

[Shelton]

If you can trade a contract (peralta) for anything of value and replace the contract with another one of comparable value (drew), that is a deal you absolutely have to do if possible.

[ballmich]

One of the nice things about Drew, is that he's a LHB. I think it evens out our line-up (though we're not as RHB heavy as in the past). And our division doesn't have a ton of left handed starters anymore. Drew's career splits are almost 100 OPS higher against RHP.

I actually think he would be the better 2-hole bat than Hunter. Or Drew vs RHP, Hunter vs LHP, that's probably the best.

[ballmich]

If you can trade a contract (peralta) for anything of value and replace the contract with another one of comparable value (drew), that is a deal you absolutely have to do if possible.

What is comparable value? Do you think Drew signs for one year at $6 million? If so, then I completely agree.

But, what if it takes 3/$27 million? Is that comparable?

[irvink]

I wouldn't expect much of a bounty for Peralta. Maybe an okay prospect or an arm for the Pen or a 4th OF type. There's value in all of that though and would like to see it happen as long as Drew's commitment is reasonable... Ideally a 1 year deal and hopefully no longer than 2. What was the option price that Oak turned down? I believe it was 10 mil.

[benrush]

Could we swing this deal off:

Detroit Sends
Peralta SS
Dirks RF
Porcello SP
Castellanos 3b
Garcia RF

Arizona Sends
Justin Upton RF
Trevor Bauer SP
Brad Ziegler RP
I think this would be a good deal for both teams.

[Shelton]

No. Stop it.

[Motor City Sonics]

Don't want Drew. It just feels like he's a guy that is going to spend a lot of time on the DL - like his brother. Plus, I'd stay away from Upton. Why is Arizona so desperate to trade him if he's so great? There's something wrong there.

I wish they could swing a deal for J.J. Hardy, but that is highly unlikely.

[Shelton]

What is comparable value? Do you think Drew signs for one year at $6 million? If so, then I completely agree.

But, what if it takes 3/$27 million? Is that comparable?

Close enough for me.