Top Tigers #75: Placido Polanco
By Blake VandeBunte • Jan 1st, 2009 • Category: Placido Polanco, Top 100 Tigers- Rank: 75
- Name: Placido Enrique Polanco
- Position: Second Base
- Tigers Tenure: 2005-Present
- Awards: Silver Slugger (2007), All Star (2007), ALCS MVP (2006), 17th in MVP voting (2007), Gold Glove (2007)
- Best Season: 2007. The Tigers best season with Polanco on the roster was 2006, but the numbers he put up in 2007 are impossible to ignore. Polanco finished third in the AL in batting average with a .341 mark. Polanco was one of the primary table setters on the team as he collected 200 hits (5th in the AL) and crossed the plate 105 times ranking 10th in the American League in runs. Polanco was very good at the dish in 2007 but he also made it through the entire season without making a single error. He was extremely valuable to the Tigers in 2007 in nearly every aspect that a player has value. Not much more you can say about a player than that.
- Good Stuff: Polanco has always been excellent in the field. His errorless streak is is unlikely to be approached any time soon. He has also been notoriously tough to strikeout during his time in Detroit. As a matter of fact, Polanco has led the American League in at bats per strikeout every season since 2006. While it’s tough to prove if a player is “clutch”, Polanco has always carried that reputation with him, probably because of his ability to put the ball in play. During the Tigers playoff season of 2006 Polanco hit .351 with two outs and runners in scoring position, helping extend many Tigers rallies during that terrific season.
- Bad Stuff: Polanco does not possess lightening quick speed or game changing power. Since joining the Tigers his high in steals is seven and the most homers he has hit in a season were the nine he hit in 2007. Also, because he lacks speed and puts a lot of balls in play, he’s quite susceptible to hitting into double plays. As good as Polanco was in the 2006 he ALCS, he really struggled in the World Series. He hit over .500 in the ALCS but went 0-17 as the Tigers lost the World Series in five games.
- Place In Tigers History: Since he is currently on the Tigers roster, Polanco is still writing his place in Tigers history. The good news is that players like Polanco tend to age well. He doesn’t rely on his speed or power to be a great player, he’s a professional hitter and he’ll have a place in the majors until he stops putting the bat on the ball. For now though, he’ll always be remembered for his sparkling 2006 ALCS and for his terrific all around season in 2007.
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