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Friday, June 08, 2007

Chicago Sports: While Our Teams Fiddle, Tigers Burn

The big winners on Thursday were—drum roll, please—those persistent Detroit Tigers. For the third year in a row they defied Commissioner Bud Selig’s spending police to land a stud who should have gone to a team that really needed him.

This time it was Rick Porcello, arguably the best high school pitcher in the draft, who slid all the way down to the 27th spot. The Tigers ended his fall because they—unlike the White Sox, who claimed University of San Francisco lefty Aaron Poreda two spots earlier—are willing to negotiate with Scott Boras.

No, these aren’t the Tigers of the 1990s and early 2000s. Where have you gone, Seth Greisinger?

Smyly Smile (Walewander) Posted: June 08, 2007 at 06:49 PM | 6 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: tigers

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1. sweet lou Posted: June 08, 2007 at 09:18 PM (#2397612)

Tigers are the new Yankees! Illitch is going to let Dombrowski run this team just like the Red Wings now. I am so excited.

2. TerpNats Posted: June 08, 2007 at 09:19 PM (#2397613)

Until the Tigers deliver Yankee, Red Sox or Cub-like TV ratings, forgive ESPN and Fox for their muted enthusiasm. (Though it could happen again -- remember 1984?)

3. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: June 09, 2007 at 05:21 AM (#2398220)

I'd say that the Tigers "really needed" Verlander.

4. Brian

Posted: June 09, 2007 at 04:25 PM (#2398389)

As a Yankee fan I was getting cautiously hopeful as Porcello slid but I give the Tigers a lot of credit. At least a dozen teams who declined to take Porcello have zero financial reason for passing on him, probably more. Teams overpay mediocre major league guys ridiculously yet balk at paying first-year guys and pissing off Bud. When Verlander, Miller and Porcello are combining with Bonderman to make the Tigers a powerhouse it'll seem like a bargain. Sure there is risk but throwing money down the Meche sinkhole is stupid.

5. Lefty Posted: June 10, 2007 at 01:58 AM (#2398976)

"I think Porcello is Justin Verlander at the same age," Rawnsley said. "I think they line up as well as any two comparables in the draft. …

At that age Verlander was a lanky, undrafted high-schooler with control problems. He was about to enter a middling D-I college of no great distinction.

6. RMc is the loyal supporter of the MLB event Posted: June 10, 2007 at 03:37 PM (#2399054)

"Draft day is turning into Christmas for the Tigers," said Keith Law, the lead analyst for ESPN's Scouts Inc.

Oh, please. The Tigers were the worst-drafting team in the history of the universe for more than a decade. We finally get a few decent players, and suddenly it's "Christmas"? Pfui.

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Friday, June 08, 2007

Chicago Sports: While Our Teams Fiddle, Tigers Burn

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