mlive.com

DETROIT -- After three years of basically ignoring baseball's free-agent market, the Detroit Tigers are planning to rejoin it in a big way.

From Our Advertiser

 

 

A huge way, if they can.

 

Rather than settle for low-level players who would make a minimal impact on a team that lost 119 games, the Tigers have targeted the two biggest names on the board, according to a club source who asked not to be identified. Starting Monday, when the free-agent market opens, the Tigers hope to join the bidding for outfielder Vladimir Guerrero and shortstop Miguel Tejada.

 

It's a longshot that the Tigers could actually sign either of this winter's big prizes. Even if owner Mike Ilitch is willing to make the top bid, president and general manager Dave Dombrowski would have to convince Guerrero or Tejada to come to Detroit (baseball's least popular city among players, according to a Sports Illustrated poll) to join the Tigers (baseball's least successful team).

 

But it's stunning that the Tigers are even willing to make the effort.

 

Dombrowski has told his staff that he plans to try, and is prepared to offer more than $10 million a season, which would seem to be the starting point in the bidding for the two stars. Guerrero, the four-time All-Star from Montreal, is his first choice, the source said; Tejada, the 2002 American League Most Valuable Player from Oakland, is close behind.

 

If the Tigers are shut out on Guerrero and Tejada, they still plan to be active in the free-agent market. They want to add an outfielder who can hit, a shortstop and/or a second baseman and two veteran starting pitchers.

 

The Tigers plan to pass on the big-name free-agent pitchers, targeting cheaper options such as Pat Hentgen and Brian Anderson. That would leave the bulk of their available money (which could total $20 million) to add hitters.

 

It's also possible the Tigers could improve via trades. Trade discussions figure to pick up next week, when baseball's general managers meet in Phoenix.

 

But as the Tigers found out at the non-waiver trading deadline in July, the players they're willing to move aren't in great demand. To make substantial improvement next year, they'll have to sign free agents.

 

Dombrowski said Thursday he wouldn't discuss his free-agent strategy, or any specific players. He also wouldn't confirm the club's stunning change of direction, although he did hint at it.

 

"I'm not ruling anything out at this point," he said. "But I'm not going to say anything more. I don't think it's wise to tip my hand."

 

Ilitch has spent money on the Tigers in the past, but he has authorized almost no free-agent offers over the last three winters, and the Tigers' payroll has dipped into the bottom third of major-league teams. The only major-league free agent the Tigers signed in that time was Craig Paquette, who got a two-year, $5 million deal in 2001 and was released in April.

 

But after this year's team set an American League record for losses, Ilitch told Dombrowski and manager Alan Trammell that money would be available this winter. Even then, it seemed that options like Guerrero and Tejada were out of the question.

 

That could still turn out to be true, if the Tigers are outbid or if the players simply don't want to come to Detroit.

 

But the Tigers have decided they're going to try.

 

With no Guerrero or Tejada on the ballot, choosing a Tiger of the Year was easy. And the Detroit chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America announced Thursday that Dmitri Young was a near-unanimous choice. Young received 30 of the 31 votes cast, with the other vote going to Alex Sanchez. . . . The Tigers lost a promising young major-league scout when Jeff Wetherby left to join the New York Yankees. National cross-checker Rob Guzik was promoted to replace Wetherby.

Go for it Dave! Players that are with you aren't with Atlanta, Philly, or the Mets and that helps us big time.

Man if they got Tejada and Guerrero, they could win, like, 65 games next year!

 

Seriously though, that would be a good thing. Detroit's one of those teams that should always be good. Don't need to be great, but they should be perennial contenders.