Baseball Blog

Archive for November, 2007

Not long after the World Series had ended, the Tigers made their first big move of the off-season. Coming off a disappointing season in which they barely missed their second straight playoff appearance, the Tigers filled a big hole by trading for All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria.

Now at first glance, one might not think that the Tigers actually need a shortstop. Carlos Guillen, their shortstop from last year, was an All-Star too. But Guillen, while an excellent hitter, committed 24 errors at the shortstop position last season. Far too many for a contending team to swallow. And Guillen can still play first base, an easier position to field, for the team next season.

On the other hand, Edgar Renteria has won two Gold Gloves at the shortstop position and only committed eleven errors last year. He should shore up any defensive problems that the team might have had last year. In addition, he adds a bigger bat to the lineup than former first-basemen Sean Casey ever did. Renteria batted .332 last season with twelve home-runs and fifty-seven RBIs. He should flourish in the Detroit line-up.

All in all this was an excellent trade for the Tigers. Their already potent line-up just got better and they should be better defensively as well. But is Edgar the final piece? Probably not. The team still has major pitching issues, especially in the bullpen, and will need to spend more money to become a contender again.

With millions left on his record-breaking contract, Alex Rodriguez opted to take his chances at a pay raise and more security on the open market. His agent, Scott Boras, has made it clear that the asking price for a new contract will be around thirty-million dollars a season. And his personal talent, immense popularity, and potential for breaking home-run records makes him worth that amount. But who exactly wants to step up and sign him? Early signs are that no one does.

He can’t go back to the Yankees. Hank Steinbrenner already said his goodbyes. And why would the Red Sox want him when they have a cheaper option in Mike Lowell, a player that just won World Series MVP? And the other New York team, while certainly interested, has nowhere to put A-Rod. How could Mets management justify moving Jose Reyes or David Wright? Would A-Rod be able to play second or first?

Some teams, like the Cubs, Angels, and Dodgers seem like they might be willing to dish out to make a splash. But all three teams have already expressed no interest in engaging in a high-priced bidding war for A-Rod. The Tigers might want him, but they already added Edgar Renteria and have an excellent batting line-up. Intuition tells us they may opt to spend their money on pitching, especially after Joel Zumaya was injured in the California wildfires.

So whose left? The San Fransisco Giants? The Texas Rangers? Who has thirty million dollars per season to burn and needs a marquee player like A-Rod?

For Rodriguez to get the full potential of his next, and possibly last, big contract, he would need a bidding war to ensue. He would need a couple of teams who were willing to pay anything to get him. But that fantasy just doesn’t exist right now. Look closely and you’ll see teams coming up with reasons not to sign A-Rod, not the opposite.