Prior to the 2010 trade deadline, the Tigers sent minor league pitcher Giovanni Soto to the Cleveland Indians for Jhonny Peralta. Soto is only 21 years old and may still crack the big leagues, but early returns affirm this trade as a monumental success for Dave Dombrowski and the Tigers. While the Peralta acquisition did not lead to a memorable 2010 comeback, he was certainly vital in the Tigers 2011 division championship season. After this season, the Tigers must decide whether or not to pick up the $6 million option they have on Peralta for the 2013 season. So what should they do?
Peralta’s 2011 campaign was much more than anyone could have expected after acquiring the struggling shortstop in 2010. In seven full seasons since 2005, Peralta has averaged 18 HR’s, 82 RBI’s, and a .267/.330/.425/.755 line. These are certainly plus numbers, but 2009 and 2010 saw a decline in both his power numbers and his batting average. Additionally, questions arose about his fielding range at shortstop, so much so that Cleveland moved him to third base. The Tigers made the deal hoping a change of scenery could help Peralta return to his 2005-2008 form as one of the better shortsops in the league. He did not disappoint in 2011. His defense at shortstop was very good, committing only 7 errors. He hit 21 HR’s, knocked in 86 runs, and batted .299. At the time, picking up the 2013 club option looked like a slam dunk.
Peralta’s 2012 season has been a frustrating one, however, leaving questions about what the Tigers should do with the shortstop position next year. So far this season, Jhonny has hit only 4 HR’s and knocked in only 24 runs. At .257, his batting average is over 40 points below last season. While the numbers are poor, he has looked better of late, and seems to have more hard hit outs than bloop singles (not sure is there are stats for that, but watching each game one can observe such things). Perhaps there are signs Peralta will pick it up in the 2nd half.
As for 2013, the Tigers hold an option for $6 million. There appears to be no other shortstops within the organization ready to take over, and barring a major unexpected trade, no all-star shortstop is going to put on the Old English “D” next year. That leaves only the free agent market to find a potential replacement for Peralta. Notable free agent shortstops include Marco Scutaro, Cesar Izturis, and Yuniesky Betancourt. While Betancourt and Izturis would be much cheaper than Peralta, their production would not warrant viability. Scutaro, while still hitting for a good average, is too old to consider.
More intriguing options exist with a couple players who, like Peralta, have options for 2013. Jason Bartlett of the Padres has a mutual option for next year, which, if declined, would make him a free agent. Bartlett would be an offensive downgrade from Peralta, but does possess better speed and defensive skills. The most interesting potential free agent is Stephen Drew of the Diamondbacks. He has a $10 million mutual option on 2013, which seems a bit expensive, especially given his injury-marred 2012 season. If forced to choose today, it would seem likely both Drew and the Diamondbacks would opt for free agency. It the Tigers would go after Drew, he would provide the most comparable numbers to what Peralta has given, but likely at a higher salary.
Given the unlikely prospect of a trade, and the weak free agent class, the Tigers would be best off to pick up Peralta’s option for 2013, and begin pondering future options beyond that. If Peralta can at least put up numbers close to his career averages, say 15 HR’s, 70 RBI’s and a .275/.320/.450 line, he would be well worth the $6 million. Those numbers are great for a 7th hitter in the bottom third of the order, and match up well with shortstops around the league making a similar amount of money.
Since Troy Tulowitzski, Derek Jeter, Jose Reyes, and Asdrubal Cabrera aren’t going anywhere, I’ll live with Jhonny Peralta.