The Spot Starters

Another Option at Short?

I was scouring the newspapers today, not for election news, but for baseball news.  The Tigers still have some holes to fill on their club and there’s a lot of roster movement going on right now.  Teams are putting guys on the trading block or declining to sign them to extensions.  There are opportunities to be found if you look around a little bit.

A name that jumped out at me today was that of Khalil Greene of the San Diego Padres.  Greene is coming off the worst season of his career and is scheduled to make $6.5 million next season in the final year of his contract.  Greene will be a free agent next year at this time.  He hit only .213 last season with a career low of ten homers. 

Why would the Tigers want a guy who hit only .213 last season and posted an OBP of .260?  They could probably get him for next to nothing.  Greene broke his hand last summer in a game after punching something in the dugout.  The Padres responded by holding onto his paychecks.  This made Greene angry and the cost-cutting Padres are not about to give him that money.  Not only do they not want to give him that money, they probably don’t want to pay him the $6.5 million he is owed in 2009.  The only way they get off the hook for that money is if they trade him.

This is where the Tigers come in.  The Tigers need a SS to bridge the gap until Cale Iorg is ready to play the position in the majors.  Getting Greene on a one year rental might not be that bad.  Also, consider Greene’s 2007 season: 27 homers, 97 RBI, 89 runs, and 44 doubles.  He’s basically a 2006 version of Brandon Inge, except at SS.  Greene is never going to get on base a lot.  He’s always going to strike out a ton.  However, he fields his position very well and has some serious pop in his bat when his swing is right.

If the Tigers could get Greene for peanuts (low grade prospects) I really think they should consider a deal like this one.  If Greene flops the Tigers can go back to playing Ramon Santiago there and wash their hands of Greene once the season ends. 

I’m not saying Greene will return to form in 2009, but if the Tigers can get him on the cheap, why wouldn’t they take the chance?

**Also, sorry there is no picture on the front page to accommodate this post.  I am posting from work.  After work I have to attend a victory party for something of the utmost importance.**