OT: Great Dave Dombrowski article
From Grantland:
http://grantland.com/features/dave-dombrowski-detroit-tigers/
Talks about the great job that Dombrowski did with both the Expos and Marlins, and then focuses a lot on the Tigers. Crazy how much difference a good general manager makes to a franchise. I was a little skeptical of some of the moves we made this offseason, especially the Fister deal, but after reading this article I have more confidence that they'll all turn out just fine. Still wish we could get a better bullpen one of these years though.
April 11th, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^
especially in trade market. I have zero idea why the GMs continue to deal with Dombrowski when he pretty much wins the trade more times than not, but I also hear he is one of the most respected GM in the game who deals with people very well. He has good eyes for talent (except for draft) and knows the timing of how a player is primed for a breakout or is on the way down.
I'm not too worried about Doug Fister trade for that reason. He targeted Robbie Ray as his centerpiece for the trade. If Robbie Ray do turn out as a very good starting pitcher, I'm fine with it as long as Krol can man down as a set up man down the road.
Maybe the Fister trade was an extremely clever ploy by Dombrowski to lower other GMs guards when dealing with him.
won way more trades than he lost it. Time will tell if the deal is good for the Tigers or not. It is dependent on the development of Robbie Ray and Ian Krol.
Fister hasn't pitch this season due to injury. Way too early to say he lost the trade.
Dombrowski better be a good trader, because he can't draft or develop players. The minor league system is barren. He has been drafting big arms since he's been here, where are they? It would be nice to have one of them now, so we could see somebody other then Phil Coke.
When there is nobody in your farm system that is better then a 37 year old shortstop... there is an issue. How about a good young outfielder? The Tigers don't have any of those either. All we see from the Tiger's farm system is a parade of journeymen.
Dombrowski deserves some credit for the things he's done. However, his inability to build a farm system is glaring. With the payroll the Tigers have now, they need good, young, and cheap players. With the state of the minors, it doesn't appear that's going to happen anytime soon.
that the Tigers once had a great farm system when he was the GM. He traded away most of them to get players like Miggy for example. The Tigers now are making an effort to rebuild the farm system.
Great is a stretch. Actually, callling the farm system "great" is just wrong. They had an average, at best, farm system. In fact, the article points out that there farm system was ranked 18th around when DD took over.
April 12th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
Tigers had Miller and Maybin, their farm system was ranked in top 5 so that's what I'm referring to. They had a surplus of young talents at their disposal and traded away most of them to get Miggy, Polcando, etc. Sure most of them became a dud but that didn't stop DD from acquiring better talent over the long run.
April 11th, 2014 at 10:39 PM ^
Miller and Maybin were Tigers largely because they slipped in the draft out of concerns over their signing bonus demands. Drafting them required a commitment from Illitch and of course he obliged. Giving Dombrowski credit for the strength of the farm system and the Miggy trade is really not accurate at all.
Are Porcello and Verlander not big enough arms that were drafted and developed by the Tigers? We also have some cheap young players on the team right now in Castellanos, (a healthy Iglesias) and Tyler Collins.
The farm system is weak, but let's delve into what it's helped acquire.
-
Miguel Cabrera for Maybin/Miller/etc who didnt make it
-
Johnny Peralta for peanuts
-
Fister for Furbush (still lol) Francisco Martinez (who is back in the tigers farm) and Chance Ruffin
-
Anibal Sanchez and Omar Infante for Jacob Turner/Brian Flynn/Rob Brantley
-
Jose Iglesias for Bryana Villarreal and Avi Garcia. Ironically both Iglesias and Garcia are out for the year so this trade will take time to judge.
Add this onto the fact that we got peak value from trading Granderson and Edwin Jackson for Scherzer, Schlerath, Coke, and Austin Jackson and I'd say his track record for trades is uniquely impressive. I mean come on, he traded a machete wielding maniac for Placido Polanco in his prime years!
In summation the farm system isn't the end all be all, otherwise Mike Moustakas and some other players wouldn't be replacement level phonies by now.
Don't forget about Andy Dirks. He's hurt right now, and won't ever be an all-star, but he's another home-grown talent.
That's why checking his draft record is so puzzling. Let's be honest, his drafting sucks. There have been a shocking low number of major league caliber position players the Tigers have drafted and developed. Especially lacking is ANY development of middle infielders.
Tigers at 162. Rest of division between 82 and 92. He runs the Yankees of the AL Central. Big deal.
http://deadspin.com/2014-payrolls-and-salaries-for-every-mlb-team-15518…
but i was reading that fister was opening the season on the DL. i really liked the guy like pretty much all of you did/do, but maybe dave d had a rabbit up his sleeve the whole time.
April 11th, 2014 at 11:13 PM ^
enjoy DD while he lasts, dude is gonna be commissioner very soon.
love his work. he gets nit picked by some, but hes the best in the business.
his worst stretch (post world series) i would argue had to do with baseball's crackdown of steroids and amphetamines (pudge, sheffield). other than that, he's been absolutely brilliant. his drafting hasnt been phenomenal, but when he continuously flips prospects for quality talent, its got to be a wash at least, right?