Five Numbers That Sum Up The Season
OPS |
GP |
ISO |
dWAR |
WAR |
.852 |
84 |
.170 |
-0.2 |
2.0 |
What It All Means
After a questionable 2009 season which saw Magglio Ordonez get benched for part of the year, Ordonez came back with a strong 2010 at the plate, at least until a broken ankle shelved him for the rest of the season in late July. While his power isn’t quite what it used to be, he’s been able to shift to a 20-home run type player with good gap power, still producing an ISO above .15. Ordonez’s defense still wasn’t very good (though statistically speaking it was slightly better than the past couple of years), but ultimately he’s going to continue to make his living thanks to a great bat that can hit .300 all day, even as his power has slowly left his bat.
What Does the Future Hold
Because of the ankle injury, Ordonez’s option didn’t automatically vest, and he became a free agent this off-season. The Tigers have an interest in bringing him back, but we likely won’t cross that bridge until late in the free agent period, or if the Tigers strike out with their top targets. Ordonez likes being a Tiger and would certainly return, but there are financial realities to the situation as well. If Ordonez finds a better deal or a more lucrative market than what people initially were expecting, it’s likely that Ordonez has played his final game with Detroit. If not, the Tigers would love the chance to bring him back at a reduced rate in 2011 to focus primarily as being the team’s designated hitter.