Still questions at 2nd and LF, do Tigers trade for a bat in March?
Written by Greg Piatt, Thursday February 10 2011
Over the next seven weeks baseball teams determine what positions new players will occupy. Pitchers will try to work out the cobwebs in their arms and find if they can put their pitch where they need to get outs.
Pitchers and catchers will report this week and by the end of March, teams will determine their strengths and weaknesses.
It is no different for the Detroit Tigers, which seem to have put together a very good baseball team. But this doesn’t mean the Tigers don’t have some serious questions with their lineup.
They should be competitive if the team’s pitching remains healthy and Tiger hitters outside the three, four and five holes put together good seasons.
But Detroit will be depending on several young bats and few older ones that need to deliver this season if the team is to be successful. Furthermore, the Tigers will need another big bat outside of the middle of their order.
Whether a big bat steps up among the players on the roster or through a trade, the Tigers won’t capture the American League Central without one.
Second base is the first position where there is a question mark. Carlos Guillen, who played there last season before getting hurt, doesn’t look like he will be ready to start the season.
That leaves the position up for battle between youngsters Scott Sizemore and Will Rhymes.
Sizemore is the favorite because he was handed the position last season after the Tigers, albeit mistakenly let Placido Polanco walk after 2009 and later signed with the Phillies.
Sizemore, who shatter his foot in the Arizona Fall League in 2009, was never healed to take over the position and was sent to Toledo early last season.
Will Rhymes, a 27th round choice in the 2005 draft, held down the position later in 2010, hitting .304 in 54 games.
While Sizemore is the favorite for his bat and not his glove, I believe Rhymes will eventually become the man by having a scrappy bat and high on base numbers along with a good glove.
Next up is Brandon Inge. He needs to hit more that 20 home runs and something near .250. That will be difficult. Jhonny Peralta will need to knock in about 80 RBIs and at least 15 homers.
Another big question will be leftfielder Ryan Raburn. He has been given the full-time position this coming season after having been a successful part-time player for the last two seasons—hitting 15 homers and 62 RBIs in 371 at bats in 2010 and 16 homers and a .291 average in 2009.
After second base, leftfield could be the biggest problem. Raburn is a streaky hitter, who hits well against lefthanders. That’s why Brennan Boesch, who had a phenomenal first half last year and flopped in the second half, will need to show he has a power bat to be a major leaguer.
If not, then prospect Casper Wells, the team’s best fielding outfielder not named Austin Jackson, and perennial Clete Thomas will be slotted into leftfield.
But don’t rule out a trade for a left-handed hitting, power guy for leftfield at the end of spring training. Do I hear Luke Scott?
Scott could be expendable because the Orioles have signed Vladimir Guerrero as DH. Scott also will move to left, where Felix Pie and Nolan Reimold platoon. Scott agreed to a $6.44 million Thursday, avoiding arbitration.
However, the Orioles might trade Scott because in 2012 he will become a fourth-time eligible arbitration player. His salary earned in next year's arbitration could outstrip his production. So instead of cutting him loose after this season, Baltimore might want to get something for Scott while he still has some worth.
Scott, who hit 27 homers with 72 RBIs last year, would be the perfect platoon mate for Raburn since Scott destroys right handers.
The next question is catcher Alex Avila. Will he develop into a major league hitter? He hit .228 last season, but will need to bump that up to .260 to .270 with about 15 homers in 2011.
If Avila doesn’t hit in the first 40 games, look for him to ride the pines as Victor Martinez takes over most of the catching responsibilities and Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez handle the DH duties.
Don’t expect Avila to meet those numbers and Martinez will catch 100 games or more. It might be the best scenario as Guillen and Ordonez at DH will allow the Tigers to get better fielders in the outfield and at second.
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