Detroit Tigers

Possibly the most uneventful free-agent auction of the offseason is over: Johnny Damon has signed a one year, $8 million deal with the Detroit Tigers, pending a physical scheduled for sometime on Sunday, Feb. 21.

Other clubs that had shown interest in the 36-year old outfielder are the Chicago White Sox, the Tampa Bay Rays, the Atlanta Braves, and early on the Toronto Blue Jays.

Well, the prick finally signed.

Good News: We finally have a left handed batter and a guy that can lead off.

Bad News: We're paying this clown $8 million, around $4 million more than the next highest reported offer. And there's a no trade clause. Ugh.

Good News: Damon put up excellent numbers last year.

Bad News: He played in that bandbox in New York where most of his homers were hit.

In 2006, rookies Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya helped the Tigers to their first World Series in 22 years.

The inexperienced tandem matured as the season progressed and led a suprising Detroit team to the playoffs after the franchise's worst ten year stretch in history.

Who has the potential to repeat this performance in 2010?

Let's look at 10 baby Tigers who may be called to task this season:

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Johnny Damon has a more than fair offer on the table from Detroit: one year for $7 million.  If that's not enough, he has a second offer from Detroit for an additional year and an additional $7 million.  He's old, he has the arm strength of an eight-year-old girl, and yet he is still not signing on the dotted line.  Detroit just isn't enough. 

I’ve learned to expect nothing from Joel Zumaya.  I also feel as though I made this exact same post each of the last two years.  If the Tigers are able to get anything out of Zumaya in 2010, we should all just consider it a bonus.

In spite of all of his injuries, Zumaya remains one the hardest throwers in the big leagues.  If he is on and healthy, there are very few batters that can catch up with what he features.  From ESPN's  Jerry Crasnick:

Point: Yes, I hope the Tigers bring Johnny Damon in. It makes perfect sense.

Counterpoint: The Tigers might as well turn over left field to Ryan Raburn.

P: Raburn? I like Raburn as a fifth outfielder. He won't put up what Damon will.

CP: Signing Damon would make the Tigers awfully crowded with outfielders. They have Raburn, Clete Thomas, Austin Jackson, Wilkin Ramirez, Magglio Ordonez, and possibly Carlos Guillen.

CP: Forget Ramirez and Thomas. Now you are down to four guys. Guillen could play a lot at third base considering Brandon Inge's injuries.

How ironic: The Man of Many Positions for the Tigers may soon be the Man of None.

If the Tigers sign Johnny Damon, as has been widely speculated, and insert him in left field, there doesn’t seem to be any place for Carlos Guillen to play—at least, no position that involves putting on a mitt.

Gerald Laird and his little brother were arrested in Arizona for getting into a fight after a Phoenix Suns game.  This just doesn’t seem right, does it?  Laird seemed reasonably mild mannered during his first season with the Tigers, but I guess I don’t really know the guy.

Alright, my thoughts on the moves so far this offseason are late. At any rate, hate them or love them, here they are.

It would be an understatement to simply say that the Detroit Tigers have entered a rebuilding phase.

It has become a reality that we are all dealing with in our own ways. Common solutions include denial, rage, optimism, sadness, and/or the bottle of your choice.

Our offseason activity thus far has done everything but confirm that a fire sale would not be taking place.