Tigers Did A Poor Job Improving Their Roster

After an incredibly surprising 2006 season, where the Tigers not only had a winning season, but were in position to win their first World Series in 22 years, has the front office backed-off from presenting a team with fewer holes in it? Oh, they will be competitive, but is that enough after an abysmal performance in the World Series, where Detroit gift-wrapped the championship for the St.Louis Cardinals? There were many players that the Tigers expressed interest in who would have improved their roster; was it all lip-service? Doesn't Detroit's needs remain the same, while the improvements seem marginal?

Soon we will be thinking about our Detroit Tigers again on a daily basis, as spring training will be beginning in about a month. Today, I'm feeling letdown that Dave Dombrowski didn't do much to improve the roster over last season. I'm happiest over extending Jeremy Bonderman's contract, and it was money well spent. I'm happy with extending Brandon Inge's contract too, along with resigning Sean Casey for next season; more money well spent. I'm not so sure about the trade for Gary Sheffield, along with the lucrative extension Detroit gave him. It would appear that he'll be the Tigers' most feared hitter in the lineup, but there is still a big hole as far as lineup diversity goes. This signing actually created more diversity problems, as there aren't enough spots on the active roster for those who fielded the team last season, and nothing has been done as yet to resolve that. Clearly, Jim Leyland wanted Sheffield, and that's why he's here. He's no longer in his prime, and while he brings a competitive fire, he also brings risks. I would have taken those risks elsewhere, in a player like Aubrey Huff. Huff would have come cheaper, and filled the left-hand power void, along with bringing a backup glove in LF, 3B, and 1B.

Going into spring training, the starting lineup, along with the bench, has the same problem since Dmitri Young was released last season; it is totally devoid of a left-hand power hitter! With the dimensions of Comerica Park, why in the world doesn't this team have more of a left-handed flavor to it? The pitching staff is built to take advantage at home, but why isn't their offense? Let's review the current starting lineup:

C - Ivan Rodriguez
1B - Sean Casey
2B - Placido Polonco
3B - Brandon Inge
SS - Carlos Guillen
LF - Craig Monroe
CF - Curtis Granderson
RF - Magglio Ordonez
DH - Gary Sheffield

Casey, Guillen, and Granderson are the only left-hand sticks, and I'd only give Granderson a shot at hitting 25 HRs, if he can cut down his strikeouts.

The outlook for the four reserves is confusing at best, with these as the top candidates:

C - Vance Wilson
OF - Marcus Thames
UT - Omar Infante
IF - Neifi Perez

None of them hit from the left-side; I'm sorry... Neifi Perez should be fined anytime he even tries to! Why is he still on the 40 man roster? This is one of the reasons why I'm entering this season pessimistic! It's a ongoing mistake that likely is going to negate a roster spot for the Tigers' best infielder, who also happens to hit left-handed, and has more upside than Perez - Ramon Santiago!

Several teams expressed interest in Craig Monroe and Marcus Thames, but Dombrowski declined on moving them, when there was opportunity to invest in either a better left-handed lead-off center fielder, a power-hitting, left-handed corner outfielder, or even a good left-handed catcher prospect for Toledo; there isn't any roster space for adding improvements. Craig Monroe won Detroit a few games last season with late inning heroics, while Marcus Thames lead the team in SLG% in limited time. Why did Detroit acquire another right-handed power hitter who doesn't play the field well, if you don't want to part with these two, when at the same time, you have two other right-handed outfield prospects in Brent Clevlen and Cameron Maybin? This is what is so confusing about the Sheffield acquisition and healthy extension of his contract. It would appear that the Tiger GM might be lacking some confidence in how the Sheffield acquisition is going to unfold. Sheffield could make the lineup more potent, but you have to cut bait somewhere, and that hasn't happened.

Why is Chris Shelton still on the 40 man roster? While he wasn't the worst regular on the 2006 team, he certainly hasn't a future here. It's already been established that he ranks lower on the food chain than Neifi Perez, so Detroit clearly has TWO wasted spots on the 40 man roster! Deal Shelton to Texas as a pre-payment for signing Mark Texiera next fall, and send Neifi anywhere for a bat-boy! I believe Shelton got a raw deal last season, but after that, he needs to be moved; there is no room for him any longer. Shelton is a better 1B than Carlos Guillen, and on his worse day, a better hitter than Neifi Perez. With Omar Infante and Chris Shelton playing down the stretch and in the playoffs, instead of Perez, Detroit wouldn't have lost any more games, and just may have won more.

Speaking of Infante, I'm not sure why he wasn't dealt this winter either. It's not that I don't like him, he just doesn't seem to fit here anymore; like he'll never get the chance. There were plenty of left-handed infielders available this off-season that Detroit could have added, if they had the roster space. Omar still has enough upside to make him attractive to a lot of clubs. If the front office didn't think he was worthy enough to fill 2B when Polanco went down last year, then it's time to deal him for a left-hand hitting infield prospect, catcher, or corner outfielder. Frank Catalanotto was availble to fill Omar's spot, and could have given Detroit that extra left-hand stick offensive improvement, while rotating around filling both infield and outfield positions.

The Tigers' strength is still their pitching staff. I expect that Mike Maroth could be moved to the bullpen, with Wilfredo Ledezma joining Bonderman, Robertson, Verlander, and Rogers in the rotation. I'm also skeptical about the Jose Mesa signing, but it would appear that the rest of the filled-out bullpen will include: Jones, Zumaya, Rodney, Miner, Edward Campusano, and either Grilli or Ramon Colon, if they indeed carry 13 on their pitching staff again; they might not need to on a regular basis. With Campusano being a Rule 5 acquisition, there isn't a need for another leftie in the pen at this time; how he and Maroth fare in spring training will determine that.

I wish I was more optimistic about this season, but the front office just doesn't seem serious about putting the best team out there this season. I truly believe Mike Illitch wants to taste a championship, and he'll remain loyal to his baseball people. There's time for more moves, and I hope this happens. Until then, the mere additions of Jose Mesa, Edward Campusano, and Gary Sheffield, coupled with the failure to delete some unusable parts, and add the needed ones, I don't see the Tigers making it back to the World Series in 2007. They might not even make it to the playoffs this year, but baseball is back in Detroit, right? Ticket sales will be; that's for sure.

Jim Leyland helped raise this team from the dead, but he still has some unfinished business. He was lucky many times on his decisions, and horrible on ones that meant a lot. I hope, most of all, that the Skipper isn't too proud to think that there isn't anything left for him to learn. It sure would be nice, not having to think about the Detroit Lions again until after October!

garold