Damon back to Motown?
The Tigers are still looking for a bat to replace designated hitter Victor Martinez who more than likely will be lost for the entire 2012 season with a torn ACL.
With that need could the Tigers bring in an old face that’s familiar with the system here in Detroit?
Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (via Twitter) cites sources saying that the Tiger are considering bringing back the veteran Damon and that he’s a stronger possibility than Derrick Lee.
Damon hasn’t been the only name mentioned as a possible replacement though. Other options for the Tigers that have been brought up in the past week include Victor Martinez, Carlos Lee and Manny Ramirez.
The Tigers were also said to possibly be interested in another former Tiger in Carlos Pena who eventually returned to Tampa Bay after spending time with the Cubs. The Rays reportedly budgeted about $6 million dollars for Pena but raised their bid to $7.25 million after the Tigers lost Martinez.
UPDATE: According to Jim Bowden of the MLB Network, the Tigers are also considering Juan Pierre as a replacement for Victor Martinez.
Brad Penny once again the fifth starter for the Tigers?
In addition to another bat the Tigers also need to fill the fifth spot in their starting rotation.
Last season that spot was filled by veteran right-hander Brad Penny who the Tigers let become a free agent when the season ended.
So who are they going to bring in to fill that role? Jacob Turner? Andy Oliver? What about Brad Penny?
According to Tom Gage of the Detroit News, with the dwindling amount of candidates left, the Tigers may also look to bring back Penny who’s familiar with team and would provide a veteran presence in the locker room.
There’s one more name to consider in the Who Will Replace Brad Penny?” guessing game.
It’s Brad Penny.
He’s a fifth starter, as you know, but one who ended up grinding out so many of his starts last year that he threw only one-third of an inning less than Rick Porcello.
The Tigers rarely bring to camp someone they’ve said “see ‘ya” to just months earlier, but unless they have a trade in the works — and why trade for a pitcher who’d be one and done — these are the free-agent pitchers still out there.
The ones who are still looking. Who are still available.
And still hoping someone will get in touch.
Unless the Tigers are planning on giving the job to Turner and just aren’t saying so yet, one of them could soon be getting a call from area code 313.
I don’t think this would be a popular move by any means with Tigers fans but Gage does bring up plenty of good points in his article as to why it’s a good idea.
Jacob Turner more than likely will not be ready for a full season in the big leagues and why rush him when the top of the rotation is pretty solid?
Also this is the fifth spot in the rotation that we’re talking about. It isn’t the first, second or even third spot. Plenty of other teams employ the same caliber of player that Penny is at the spot with top of the rotations that aren’t nearly as strong as the Tigers.
Ref: Detroit News, Twitter, FOX Sports, NY Daily News (image)