Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

A quick reminder:

Quick point of housekeeping: the 2010 season thread will not begin until sometime in Spring Training. I already have decided on a thread title. I'll be in Florida from Feb 21-25, so it might go up before then.

The thread will go up somewhere around February 15th. Pitchers and catchers report shortly thereafter. And as I said before, there is an underlying theme going into this year's first title.

[streaker]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

A quick reminder:



The thread will go up somewhere around February 15th. Pitchers and catchers report shortly thereafter. And as I said before, there is an underlying theme going into this year's first title.

At my expense. (maybe)

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

From ESPNews:

Justin Verlander has agreed to a 5 year, $80 million extension.

[bueller]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this u

From ESPNews:

Justin Verlander has agreed to a 5 year, $80 million extension.

Wasn't he only asking for 9 mil or so a year?

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

That $9.5 mil was the arbitration figure. In arbitration, the player asks for one figure, the team submits their own figure, and the arbitrator decides on one figure or the other after a hearing, with no compromise whatsoever. Also, salary arbitration is for one year only, and it's not unusual for there to be hard feelings after a hearing, because the set-up is such that the team has to go into the hearing and run their own player down to explain why their figure should be the correct salary. It's quite a nasty process.

Felix Hernandez got 5 for $78, so I have no problem with this deal. It would have been much dicier to try to lock Verlander up long term after this season than before it. Better to get it done now than roll the dice this time next year. The Tigers would have had very little leverage next spring to get an extension done, as Verlander would have been a free agent after 2011. Sure, there's guys on the way, but one in the hand is worth much more than two in the bush when it comes to aces. Just ask the Twins fans about Johan Santana getting away.

[streaker]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

That $9.5 mil was the arbitration figure. In arbitration, the player asks for one figure, the team submits their own figure, and the arbitrator decides on one figure or the other after a hearing, with no compromise whatsoever. Also, salary arbitration is for one year only, and it's not unusual for there to be hard feelings after a hearing, because the set-up is such that the team has to go into the hearing and run their own player down to explain why their figure should be the correct salary. It's quite a nasty process.

Felix Hernandez got 5 for $78, so I have no problem with this deal. It would have been much dicier to try to lock Verlander up long term after this season than before it. Better to get it done now than roll the dice this time next year. The Tigers would have had very little leverage next spring to get an extension done, as Verlander would have been a free agent after 2011. Sure, there's guys on the way, but one in the hand is worth much more than two in the bush when it comes to aces. Just ask the Twins fans about Johan Santana getting away.

I agree, solid move by the Tigers. Now they have Miggy and JV long term. The Johnny Damon talk won't go away, either... I imagine Dombrowski might sign him if Boros becomes reasonable with his contract demands.

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

They had two options with Verlander: lock him up long-term this spring, or trade him sometime this season. You know which one I wanted.

I'd give Damon one year, but no more. They might be an outfielder short for the 2010 season as things sit now. Guillen has not been reliable, health-wise, for at least two seasons, and there's major question marks in center field. Raburn should push 400 at bats, and Magglio will get his in as well. I'd care not to see Don Kelly running around in left field in a big game like a drunk at Mardi Gras again.

Oh, and as you know, the words "Boras" and "reasonable" generally don't belong in the same sentence, unless the word "not" is somewhere in between.

I still have yet to see a good reason why we haven't kicked the tires on Orlando Hudson as at least a contingency plan at 2B. We're just playing with fire there, too.

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

Tom Gage's blog

I enjoy reading Tom Gage about 95% of the time. Whatever comes out of his mouth or out of his keyboard is bound to be intelligent, and he doesn't appear to take himself too seriously. I stopped what I was doing last night and listened to ESPNews last night when they interviewed him about Verlander's signing. For my money he's far and away the best Tigers writer around, bar none.

Reading between the lines in Tom's first message in the above blog, he's telling us that Ernie doesn't have much time left. AT ALL.

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

Verlander's new contract:

$500k upfront

2010: $6.75 mil
2011: $12.75 mil
2012: $20 mil
2013: $20 mil
2014: $20 mil

[streaker]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

Tom Gage's blog

I enjoy reading Tom Gage about 95% of the time. Whatever comes out of his mouth or out of his keyboard is bound to be intelligent, and he doesn't appear to take himself too seriously. I stopped what I was doing last night and listened to ESPNews last night when they interviewed him about Verlander's signing. For my money he's far and away the best Tigers writer around, bar none.

Reading between the lines in Tom's first message in the above blog, he's telling us that Ernie doesn't have much time left. AT ALL.

100% agree, and I am going to take Tom's advice about wishes to Ernie.

[streaker]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

This is the same question I have for the Tigers, too...

http://detnews.com/article/20100205/OPINION03/2050378

[bigmrg74]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

On the Ticket this morning, they had people calling in with people they would want to fight. One of the suggestions was Gerald Laird. I've got to ask, Hammer, was that you??

[streaker]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

On the Ticket this morning, they had people calling in with people they would want to fight. One of the suggestions was Gerald Laird. I've got to ask, Hammer, was that you??

Heh... where I can see that Hammer could probably hold his own in the manner of fisticuffs, I'd be more willing to bet he'd do more harm auditing that moron. After all, claiming your strikeouts as a valid business loss deduction is a no-no.

[Hammer]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

He'd get a million dollar refund if he could.

And no, that wasn't me. I quit listening to sports radio in general about 2 years ago, and the Ticket in particular long before that. I got tired of Caller Linda and a few other booger-eaters asking in mid-March about why Lloyd Carr wasn't recruiting another fullback to replace the backup that is going to graduate in 2 years, and how the entire program was about to go straight to hell in a rocket sled because of it. That and Jeff DiFran's bitter old man act. At that point I clicked elsewhere and never looked back. Same thing with WDFN.

I avoid most all shows that take callers. The average caller to a sports talk show has an IQ slightly below that of a head of lettuce and are barely qualified to be ketchup engineers at Hot and Now. I have no tolerance for people like that.

[streaker]

Re: Detroit Tigers, 2009, Part III: How long does it take for Leyland to screw this up?

He'd get a million dollar refund if he could.

And no, that wasn't me. I quit listening to sports radio in general about 2 years ago, and the Ticket in particular long before that. I got tired of Caller Linda and a few other booger-eaters asking in mid-March about why Lloyd Carr wasn't recruiting another fullback to replace the backup that is going to graduate in 2 years, and how the entire program was about to go straight to hell in a rocket sled because of it. That and Jeff DiFran's bitter old man act. At that point I clicked elsewhere and never looked back. Same thing with WDFN.

Well, I can't disagree too much with that. I listen rarely myself, but only to catch up on updates. I never cared for XYT, too much gloating after they "submarined" DFN. The morning shows are a waste, even though the Ticket replaced the channel 2 doosh, Towers, with Stoney. DFN's isn't any better, although I like Matt Shepard. Having Drew Sharp only lends to discredit what they think they are trying to do over there. He's a total azz. The rest of their lineup is a joke.

At XYT specifically, I can listen to Karsh and Anderson, but in small doses. Anderson doesn't rub his Sparticism in your face, and I've liked Doug since his days at TKA. It's the flaming bags of stink that follow them that did it for me. That unfortunately also discredits (somewhat smug) Matt Dery, although I think he does a decent job with the Pistons. I can handle Dennis Fithian, especially during roundball tourney time, but not that blowbag know it all, smart azz co-host of his. Too much spartan partisan-ism for me between 2-7 pm. So much that I refuse to type their names.

I agree about DeFran... it's what got him axed originally at TKA. I thought he was only bouncing between doing updates on WWJ and still stepping in over at WTKA in A2. I don't think he has his own gig in Detroit radio. I listen over there because it is specific to Michigan athletics, Berenson show, weekly interview with assistant coaches etc. And yes, Linda calls them, too.