The Detroit Tigers just made the smartest signing of the off season...
...in inking Ramon Santiago to a 1 year 500K contract.
Why on earth do I think so?
As it most likely insures that we've seen the last of the Black Hole of Suck, Neifi Perez, as a Tiger. It better insure that, as the Santiago contract would make little sense otherwise. Do the Tigers really need TWO no-hit, good-field utility infielders?
The only other reason for this signing, that I can think of, is that the Tigers won't resign Omar Infante. That would, in my mind, make even less sense as he was one of the few bench players who isn't totally lost at the plate.
The Tigers seem to have a logjam of utility infielders. I'd prefer a logjam of power hitting left handed bats, but you can't have everything...
It just seems inexplicable that Neifi would come back, doesn't it? Unless the Tigers want to keep someone around who would be a guaranteed punching bag and the target of all the fans' bitching next season.
ReplyDeleteI see why Dombrowski made that trade at the time, but it sure as hell didn't work out as hoped.
I'd really like to see the Tigers hold onto Infante, though I realize - as you've said before, Big Al - that fans tend to value players on their teams more than they might be valued around the league.
But I'd find it hard to believe that Infante couldn't be a starting middle infielder on some team in the majors, and if the Tigers couldn't find a role for him - which Leyland doesn't seem willing to do - then see what he could fetch in a trade. The kid has put in his dues.
Black Hole Suck was my favorite Soundgarden song
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