Will DD Pursue Victor Martinez ?

[isestrex]

V-Mart would be a dream come true. I don't think 2014 was a fluke... I think we're likely to see that type of hitting from him for the next 3-4 years and I'd be willing to pay big time for it.

[Dark Helmet]

V-Mart would be a dream come true. I don't think 2014 was a fluke... I think we're likely to see that type of hitting from him for the next 3-4 years and I'd be willing to pay big time for it.

You see him being a .1000 OPS player at 40? Career highs at 35 at almost every offensive category has big red flags written all over it.

[O-The-Memories]

The problem with Martinez is that he is a liability anywhere besides DH. He can't catch anymore, and can't play first well. I'd rather have Martinez than Cruz still, but it's close. Cruz can play LH if needed.

VMart may get paid something like 3/50 and that's too rich for my blood.

[weams]

You see him being a .1000 OPS player at 40? Career highs at 35 at almost every offensive category has big red flags written all over it.

D. H. Only.

[weams]

The problem with Martinez is that he is a liability anywhere besides DH. He can't catch anymore, and can't play first well. I'd rather have Martinez than Cruz still, but it's close. Cruz can play LH if needed.

VMart may get paid something like 3/50 and that's too rich for my blood.

Cruz is an outfielder. Yes.

[O-The-Memories]

Cruz is an outfielder. Yes.

I'd actually like to see a Pearce/Lough platoon in LF and De Aza in RF. Davis/Pearce at 1B and Cruz as the primary DH. Cruz is a bad outfielder who would be better served only seeing a little time in LF if Lough doesn't work out.

With that outfield alignment, we'd have very strong IF/OF defense.

[weams]

I'd actually like to see a Pearce/Lough platoon in LF and De Aza in RF. Davis/Pearce at 1B and Cruz as the primary DH. Cruz is a bad outfielder who would be better served only seeing a little time in LF if Lough doesn't work out.

With that outfield alignment, we'd have very strong IF/OF defense.

But for monitary purposes, a team that uses Travis Ishikawa in the outfield could use Cruz there. As opposed to Martinez. Right?

Or for that matter, Michael Brantley or Torii Hunter.

[isestrex]

You see him being a .1000 OPS player at 40? Career highs at 35 at almost every offensive category has big red flags written all over it.

I'd put good money on him having an OPS+ north of 120 and an OPS above .850 for several more years, yes.

He's not a typical 35 year old. He's always hit but well but now that it's his only job he's really concentrating on it exclusively. Playing with Cabrera and picking his brain has helped too.

[weams]

I'd put good money on him having an OPS+ north of 120 and an OPS above .850 for several more years, yes.

He's not a typical 35 year old. He's always hit but well but now that it's his only job he's really concentrating on it exclusively. Playing with Cabrera and picking his brain has helped too.

Or maybe he just had his Chris Davis year.

[isestrex]

Or maybe he just had his Chris Davis year.

Chris Davis running into homers and doubles and then not doing so makes some sense. He didn't lose his strength, he simply hit into the shift more and made contact less. His K% was still very high in all 3 years.

V-Mart with high contact rates and ridiculously low K rates means he's going to continue to put the ball in play. He's going to decline steadily and not drop off a cliff or "be figured out" like Davis. The argument could be made that he'll lose his strength and those line drive contacts will start turning into weak grounders (e.g. Jeter last year), but he's still only 35 and I don't see that time coming soon. He's still got 2-3 prime years left before that starts happening. I'd love get those 2-3 years of prime and would be willing to swallow the 1-2 years of decline in a 4-5 year contract.

[mdbdotcom]

I would give serious consideration to bringing back Mike Morse. His 2012 experience here was dreadful, but he was hurt. Had a good bounce-back year in 2014 and should be strictly a DH. He's younger than Cruz and VMart and should be good for an .800+ OPS for the next two or three seasons.

[O-The-Memories]

But for monitary purposes, a team that uses Travis Ishikawa in the outfield could use Cruz there. As opposed to Martinez. Right?

Or for that matter, Michael Brantley or Torii Hunter.

I agree, but Hunter fell off a cliff on defense in the last couple years. If defense was no object, or if Cruz was in the NL, he'd play out in left. I would rather DH him or get rid of him in the event he wants more than a QO or a 2 year deal. Although Delmon Young helped us at times this year, he was even worse than Cruz in left. If we do keep Cruz, Young has to go. I don't like having a lot of one dimensional players on the team.

Martinez would be great on a short contract if Cruz leaves. Love him as a DH only, love the lack of strikeouts, and the OBP. He's going to be too expensive for us, and I bet Detroit resigns him.

[weams]

I agree, but Hunter fell off a cliff on defense in the last couple years. If defense was no object, or if Cruz was in the NL, he'd play out in left. I would rather DH him or get rid of him in the event he wants more than a QO or a 2 year deal. Although Delmon Young helped us at times this year, he was even worse than Cruz in left. If we do keep Cruz, Young has to go. I don't like having a lot of one dimensional players on the team.

Martinez would be great on a short contract if Cruz leaves. Love him as a DH only, love the lack of strikeouts, and the OBP. He's going to be too expensive for us, and I bet Detroit resigns him.

I am simply stating that the difference in values for these two free agents is probably little in actual value. And in price. And if push came to shove, Cruz's ability to be marketed among all 30 teams may make him the higher priced of the two.

[tntoriole]

Tigers will overpay and resign Martinez to a four year deal.

[isestrex]

Tigers will overpay and resign Martinez to a four year deal.

They will definitely overpay for someone. The question is will it be for Scherzer, Martinez, Hunter... or Hanley Ramirez. I doubt they'll be trying for more than one of those names.