Alright, let's chill out a bit. Grandy and Jackson are gone, and it seems everyone is freaking out. I get that people love Curtis and all, but I just don't get the hatred for this move. I actually like the trade. People keep bringing up the fact that Granderson and Jackson were All Stars. In the past two years, how far did those All Star appearances get the Tigers? In 2008, they had an awful year, and in 2009, they blew a 7ish game lead and lost on the last possible day. Or people won't stop talking about how Granderson is such a nice guy. I honestly don't care if he wins an Nobel Peace Prize, he still couldn't come through in the clutch (Granderson and to some extent Jackson). I would rather have a team of winners than a team of nice guys and All Stars (The Cubbies usually have some really good players, how do they usually do?). All that matters is winning, and Granderson and Jackson were part of a team that couldn't get it done. Granderson had a terrible habit of swinging at everything within a mile of the plate. Sure, he hit a lot of homers, but that's because he swings for the fences every time. It was ok for a young Granderson to swing that much, but he has shown little improvement over the years. In 2006 he had 174 SO and in 2009 he had 141. Not good enough for a leadoff hitter on a team supposedly competing for the World Series. He also was taken out of the game whenever there was a left handed pitcher (He batted .183 against lefties). He was a total detriment to his team. And Jackson was good, but not great in the second half. His ERA went up, and he lost three out of his last four games. The Tigers needed those games, and Jackson blew it.
Now let's talk about what the Tigers got. First off, anytime a team gets 4 quality players for two players is a win. The tigers have basically filled six positions for very little. Adam Everret and Robinzon Diaz were basically signed for a bag of bats. Max Scherze is locked up for five years, and a solid pitcher, and he also has different colored eyes. Austin Jackson, who will replace Granderson in center, is MLB ready, number 23 on the MLB prospects list, has great defensive skills and great base running skills. Dan Schlereth is the son of ESPN anaylist Mark Schlereth. He is a great pitcher who climbed up through the Diamondbacks system in only a year. He is a hard thrower that was unhittable in the minor leagues. Phil Coke is a hard throwing pitcher that can make an impact in the bullpen immediately.
At first, I hated the trade, but after a second glance, I like it more and more. The Tigers got a lot of good players for players who didn't produce when it mattered. Curtis was a great guy, but there are plenty of great guys to g around. I want a winning team. It might take a while to get back on top, but at least we still have hope. A change needed to be made, and I am fine with the results. And who says Dombrowski is done making moves? There is more to come, so let's enjoy the ride.
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