Granted, this was a team that came two games short of going to the World Series, but they have lost some key players: Magglio Ordonez and Carlos Guillen, while both ailing, provided some timely hits, and Brad Penny, while eminently hittable down the stretch, means that the Tigers have no automatic candidate for the fifth starter.
The Tigers signed Octavio Dotel, who now holds the record for most-traveled player in MLB history, as Detroit is his 13th team. If you Google him in "images," you get a rainbow of different-colored uniforms. Even at 38, he's not a bad signing, especially considered the Rangers exposed the Tigers' weakness in middle relief. Dotel figures to be the seventh-inning guy, before giving way to Joaquin Benoit and Jose Valverde.
Then the Tigers swapped middle relievers with Washington, sending them Ryan Perry and receiving in return Collin Balester, who is a year older but had an E.R.A. of 1 run better than Perry. It wasn't exactly a blockbuster trade; both had negative WAR figures. Perry was a first-round draft pick for the Tigers who never turned into the closer they hoped.
Earlier this off season the Tigers reacquired Gerald Laird, the good-defense no-hit catcher who they had a few years ago. Laird is great at throwing out baserunners, but was an automatic out at the plate. It's a great pickup, though, as since Victor Martinez is done catching, Laird can spot Alex Avila, who was out of gas after catching 133 games in 2011.
So, question marks remain. Apparently second base will be a platoon between Ramon Santiago and Ryan Raburn, which isn't bad, though sketchy on defense. Third will be another platoon between Brandon Inge, who is a good defensive player but cannot hit right-handed pitching, and Don Kelly, a utility player who had some key hits in the post-season (as did Inge). But neither position will provide much pop in the order. I had wondered whether the Phillies may find Placido Polanco expendable, but probably not now after they did not sign Aramis Ramirez (the Brewers did), or perhaps David Wright would be traded by the Mets, who are going through something of a fire sale. The rumor mill churned that a Delmon Young for Martin Prado trade with the Braves was in the offing, but nothing has come of it.
As for a fifth starter, that will probably be determined in spring training, with phenom Jacob Turner getting a shot, along with Duane Below and Andrew Oliver. Or, they'll pick someone up off the scrap heap.
Though I find this inactivity unsettling, I do give Dombrowski the benefit of the doubt, as he has shown some uncanny moves in his tenure with Detroit.
