Tigers in trade talk with Marlins

[GBBob]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

Let me show you something in simple terms so you will understand.
Tigers starters and ranking by 2006 ERA (starters with more than 12 starts)
Verlander ERA 3.60 11th in AL ( solid ace of staff)
Rogers ERA 4.43 41st in AL ( was hurt but is going to be 43 years old)
Durbin ERA 4.72 48th in AL
Robertson ERA 4.76 49th in AL
Bonderman ERA 5.01 52nd in AL
Maroth ERA 5.06 53rd in AL
Willis ERA 5.17 65th in NL

I understand ERA is influenced by outside factors but considering they play in a pitching friendly park those numbers are pretty scary. Verlander is a topline number 1 starter but outside of him there are giant question marks. Rogers has had some pretty good years but is very hittable, coming off an injury and is old. Durbin is less than average, same with Robertson. Bonderman was awful late in the year after a good start and was shutdown with a bad elbow for the 2nd time in three years. Maroth is not good and Willis has regressed as stated before. This is a staff with a lot of question marks and injury risks. Matched up to Boston, LAA, Cleveland or the Yankees and they are easily the worst of the bunch.

Jones is not overpowering, is far from the prototypical closer and occasionally gets hammered but had the same amount of blown saves as KRod and Jenks and less than Borowski. He aint great but they could win with him.

As a Chi-Sox fan, I'm not as concerned that Detroit got these guys..ok Cabrera, but concerned that the Sox didn't..if that makes sense. Cabrera would have shined under Guillen, fit like a glove at third base and opened up Fields and Crede as trade potential to get another stud. The Sox pitching, or at least the starters and closer, is very good by AL standards and usually gets them to the 6th, or through the 9th if they can survive the 7th and 8th. With a 24 yr old Cabrera, a solid starting staff with good prospects and trade bait left, there was hope. Now we still have an aging core, a team hoping Rowand will accept 4 yrs and not 5 and about 6 shortstops and second basemen.

[whodey17]

Each year it is proven that pitching wins World Series. Colorado was swept by some good pitching by the Red Sox. This trade will definately make them (Tigers) contendars for the playoffs. This really puts pressure on the Yanks and Red Sox to make the wild card. Angels will win the west, Indians, White Sox and Tigers are going to be in a year long batter and then it is the Yanks and Red Sox in the east. A team could win 100 games and miss the 08 playoffs.