Dave Dombrowski has been wheeling and dealing the last few days...
First came Wilfredo Ledezma for Macay McBride...
With Tim Byrdak being the most consistent releiver and Ledezma out of options, this had to be done. It seems like it is six of one and half dozen of another, but the Braves had a place to put Wilfredo and the Tigers did not. With Kenny Rogers back, Andrew Miller pitching well in place of Nate Robertson, and Robertson throwing six no-hit innings in his rehab start, the Tigers needed to send someone down. That would have been Ledezma, who would not have cleared waivers.
The Tigers' left-handed staff is getting stronger and stronger as well. There just isn't enough room to put all the pitchers the Tigers have. At least the Trade happened between playoff teams.
Then today, Mike Maroth got traded to the St. Louis Cardinals. I called this a few weeks ago. I was a bit off on Mesa, where he just got waived as opposed to being sent down, but I'll take it either way. Maroth was traded for player(s) to be named later. Depending on Pudge's tweaked hamstring from Wednesday, it might be Kelly Stinnett to take over for Mike Rabelo, who, though hitting well, needs a little more time in the minors before he can be a career backup catcher like Stinnett. It might be minor leaguers as well, as Maroth really had no place with Chad Durbin pitching well and Kenny Rogers coming back (as well as a much younger Andrew Miller waiting in the wings).
You have to feel a bit for Maroth, though. After starting his career 15-31 with the Tigers, he has gotten back to twelve games under .500, and pitching for a team with the hitting the Tigers have now, he looked poised to even up his record in the next season or two. Hopefully, he can have a good few years in St. Louis. It is sad to see him go, but he does turn 30 in a couple of months, and with Bonderman, Verlander and Miller all under 25, with better fastballs (actually, with fastballs), it seems like the Tigers lose nothing by getting rid of Maroth, except another tie to the 2003 team.
If the Tigers can get a set up man like Russ Springer, it would be great. There is no guarantee that Joel Zumaya will be back this year, and Springer has Zumaya-like numbers. Tyler Johnson wouldn't be too bad either. If they don't get a pitcher, though, it won't matter much and I would figure it to be either Stinnett or some minor leaguers, or a combination of the two.
But if it is a pitcher, then great. The Tigers are in first place without Kenny Rogers or Joel Zumaya. They are in first place with Fernando Rodney looking like Matt Roney. They are in first place without a proven backup catcher (which is more important than one might think). Now, adding Kenny Rogers and either a proven set-up guy or a good catcher, and they should start to move away from the Indians a bit.
Only time will tell though. Hopefully more of my predictions will be correct...
