Detroit Tigers Winter Meetings Recap

The 2014 Major League Baseball Winter Meetings were busy for the Detroit Tigers. The organization was coming into the meetings pretty quiet. They signed Victor Martinez to a 4 year deal and made a few other minor signings. The team needed to figure out who they were going to put in right field everyday after not resigning Torii Hunter. Then of course finding some help for the bullpen and/or getting a 5th starter as Max Scherzer still has yet to sign with the team.

Well, the Tigers came out of the Winter Meetings semi-well.

Incoming players:                                                    Outgoing players:

Yoenis Cespedes RF                                                       Rick Porcello RHP

Alex Wilson RHP                                                           Eugenio Suarez SS

Gabe Speier RHP                                                            Jonathon Crawford RHP

Alfredo Simon RHP

The Tigers got themselves three players that are more than likely going to be with the club when the regular season starts. Pitcher Speier is 19 and has played 2 seasons in the Gulf Coast League, so he will probably be somewhere down in the majors. The young kid looks promising posting a 1.55 ERA in 29.0 innings pitched last season.

Cespedes will likely fill in the hole in right field that was left after Hunter wasn’t resigned. Many fans have different opinions on if he will work out or not, however he is one of the best corners in the league and will help the team. With acquiring Cespedes, the third worst defensive outfield, that being the Tigers outfield, won’t be the third worst anymore. Also his bat in the same lineup as Martinez and Miguel Cabrera looks scary for other teams.

Wilson is a guy who could end up in either Toledo or the Tigers depending on his spring training play and how other players fall in the pen during the spring. He was a relief pitcher for the Boston Red Soxs, in 28.1 innings he had a 1.91 ERA and struck out 19 and walked only 5. If anything Wilson can be a good arm in the bull pen.

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Then there is starting pitcher Simon. Simon posted a 15-10 record with a 3.44 ERA last season. He is seemingly going to be a starter since Porcello was traded to Boston. Simon comes to Detroit with decent numbers and will fall into the rotation spot that Porcello once owned.

While losing Porcello isn’t ideal, the Tigers did become a better team for this upcoming season and that was the point of the Winter Meetings. What do you think about the deals that the Tigers made at the Winter Meetings?