Breaking Down – Mets Needs – Detroit Tigers

Players Under Contract past 2012:

1B Miguel Cabrera

C-1B Victor Martinez
IF Ramon Santiago
RHSP Justin Verlander
RHRP Joaquin Benoit
RHSP Jacob Turner


Free Agents After 2012:
SS Jhonny Peralta
3B Brandon Inge
LF Delmon Young
C Gerald Laird
RHRP Jose Valverde
RHRP Octavio Dotel

ARB-Eligible Players:
3B Danny Worth
C Alex Avila
LF Brennan Boesch
LF Ryan Raburn
LF Andy Dirks
CF Austin Jackson
RHSP Doug Fister
RHSP Max Scherzer
RHSP Rick Porcello


ETA - 2012: Jacob Turner RHP - Born: 5/21/1991 - Highest Level Reached: MLB Detroit Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: MINORS: 4-5, 3.44ERA, 131IP, 35BB, 110K, .238BAA - MAJORS: 0-1, 8.53ERA, 12.2IP, 4BB, 8K, .315BAA

Andy Oliver LHP - Born: 12/3/1987 - Highest Level Reached: MLB Detroit Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: MINORS: 8-12, 4.71ERA, 147IP, 80BB, 143K, .272BAA - MAJORS: 0-1, 6.52ERA, 9.2IP, 8BB, 5K, .289BAA

Casey Crosby LHP - Born: 9/17/1988 - Highest Level Reached: Double-A Erie Seawolves - 2011 Combined Stats: 9-7, 4.10ERA, 131.2IP, 77BB, 121K, .253BAA

Drew Smyly LHP - Born: 6/13/1989 - Highest Level Reached: Double-A Erie Seawolves - 2011 Combined Stats: 11-6, 2.07ERA, 126IP, 36BB, 130K, .227BAA

Jose Ortega RHP - Born: 10/12/1988 - Highest Level Reached: Triple-A Toledo Mudhens - 2011 Combined Stats: 1-3, 6.30ERA, 50IP, 27BB, 44K, .310BAA

Matt Hoffman LHP - Born: 11/18/1988 - Highest Level Reached: Triple-A Toledo Mudhens - 2011 Combined Stats: 2-5, 3.45ERA, 62.2IP, 25BB, 46K, .252BAA

ETA - 2013: Brenny Paulino RHP - Born: 2/21/1993 - Highest Level Reached: High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: 4-5, 4.41ERA, 51IP, 27BB, 52K, .222BAA

Avisail Garcia OF - Born: 6/12/1991 - Highest Level Reached: High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: .264, 16(2B), 6(3B), 11HR, 56RBI, 14SB


ETA - 2014+ : Nick Castellanos 3B - Born: 3/4/1992 - Highest Level Reached: Low-A West Michigan Whitecaps - 2011 Combined Stats: .312, 36(2B), 3(3B), 7HR, 76RBI

Aaron Westlake 1B - Born: 12/27/1988 - Highest Level Reached: Short-A Connecticut Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: .250, 5(2B), 1(3B), 3HR, 19RBI

James McCann C - Born: 6/13/1990 - Highest Level Reached: Low-A West Michigan Whitecaps - 2011 Combined Stats: .146, 2(2B), 1HR, 7RBI (7 hits in 48 at-bats) (2nd Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

Tyler Gibson OF - Born: 6/17/1993 - Highest Level Reached: Rookie League GCL Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: .143 (2 hits in 14 at-bats) (15th Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

Brian Flynn LHP - Born: 4/19/1990 - Highest Level Reached: Low-A West Michigan Whitecaps - 2011 Combined Stats: 7-2, 3.46ERA, 67.2IP, 23BB, 57K, .235BAA

Brandon Loy SS - Born: 5/3/1990 - Highest Level Reached: High-A Lakeland Flying Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: .250, 2(2B), 5RBI (14 hits in 56 at-bats) (5th Round Pick 2011 Draft)

Danry Vasquez OF - Born: 1/8/1994 - Highest Level Reached: Rookie League GCL Tigers - 2011 Combined Stats: .272, 8(2B), 1(3B), 2HR, 30RBI

Research:

http://topprospectalert.com/2011/10/30/2012-detroit-tigers-top-15-prospect-rankings

https://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=tEZvMIXrj8vgGMsajr8pR0g&output=html

Needs: 2B, RF

Thoughts: The Tigers will have six of their top pitching prospects graduate to the majors at some point of the 2012 season. The current projected 2012 team will have three catchers, four leftfielders, and 11 starters.

Summary Suggestion: First, I’m going to assume that Delmon Young remains the starting left fielder and Boesch, Raburn and Dirks will compete for the right field job if Detroit doesn’t sign the Cuban dude.

This leaves the need for a second baseman who could also DH once in awhile. Got anybody in mind?

The Mets have an opportunity to add to their starter stable by dealing away Daniel Murphy. You can assume that Verlander and Smyly are untouchable. I’ll let you pick one.