Tiger Geist

Great article / interview with Curtis Granderson by Lee at Tiger Tales.  Made me wonder about another need Detroit hasn’t attempted to address:  leadoff hitter.  

As Granderson continues to get better, I still feel he’d be very successful in the middle of the order.  Leyland said they it doesn’t really matter; they don’t have anyone else to bat lead-off anyway.  So is there any urgency to fill the top of the order, allowing Curtis to move down?

The article also makes me wonder… does Detroit have concerns about Granderson’s ability to play center?  Or, better put, how good is a Clete Thomas in center?  Brent Clevlen is supposed a ‘plus defender’ as well.  If we are concerned about Detroit having given up a left handed power hitter with above average defense… doesn’t that speak pretty well of an older Curtis Granderson?  Did the emergence of Clete Thomas last year, as well as the Clevlen being out of options, make Matt Joyce expandable for a position where Detroit has little depth (starting pitching)?  I can see the thought that Joyce was ‘blocked’ by Maggs, Guillen, and Thames… but maybe Dombrowski saw Joyce being blocked by Granderson as well.  I don’t think anyone will be happy with the trade, but its possible we won’t be able to evaluate it for a few years.

Jason Beck talks about the World Baseball Classic, and how it might affect spring training.  I wonder if that gives a few more players a chance to catch management’s eye, or will the lack of the split-squad games keep everything normal?  I wonder how some of the pitchers will react.. will the WBC make Verlander (if he plays) sharper in April, or will it just hurt his chances to pitch deep into a pennant race?  Or both?  My hope is that, with many of the best players taking a few extra weeks off, it gives a chance for the coaching staff, the new pitching coach, and the catchers to work with some of our guys who need some ‘refinement’ — Willis, Robertson, Bonderman, and possibly Edwin Jackson.