Paul Wezner, Executive Editor
The Tigers have made a substantial risk when they made the first big player move of the offseason by acquiring Edgar Renteria from the Atlanta Braves. It's not that Renteria doesn't fill a need the team had. But the team paid a very steep price in prospects to acquire a shortstop that isn't cheap salary-wise, and is likely on the downswing of his career. Now, if Renteria can give the Tigers another year or two producing like he did for Atlanta, the Tiger brass will likely believe the move was worth it, as the team has a small window to make a World Series push. But the organization still has to worry about its long term health, and Renteria being that stud shortstop is no guarantee. This is arguably the biggest risk of a trade Dombrowski has made since joining the organization; and he has to hope it pays off.
Mark Anderson, Managing Editor
I've begun warming to the trade simply because I can recognize how this fills a hole in the Tigers lineup. However, I still believe the price paid was too high. Giving up two of your top four prospects -- players that were likely two of the top 75 prospects in baseball -- for a shortstop on the wrong side of 30 seems far too steep to me. The Tigers did trade from areas of relative depth at the minor league level, which helps mitigate some of the damage, but their departure still leaves a significant hole at the minor league level. In a vaccum, I support the acquisition of Renteria, but in a similar vaccum, I do not agree with the price that was paid. The Tigers are in a win-now mode, which necessitates a move of this nature, and if their willingness to spend on the draft continues going forward, they will be able to recover the loss of Jurrjens and Hernandez.
Jason Avery, Associate Editor, Amateur Baseball
I think it's a good trade. Dave Dombrowski didn't want to waste time in filling a big need, and he went out and traded for a player that he's very familiar with. I know most weren't crazy about giving up two top prospects, but Hernandez is several years from the big leagues, and although Jurrgens pitched well in his big-league stint, he showed in his last two starts that if he isn't on with his control, he can get hit hard. The Tigers also have better pitching depth after last summer's draft, and have a few outfielders that are closer to helping the Tigers if the need arises.
Keep in mind, if the Tigers were interested in either Pittsburgh's Jack Wilson, or the Angels' Orlando Cabrera, they may have had to wait and see awhile what those teams were going to do. The Pirates have new leadership, and are likely still deciding who they want to build around, while the Angels may enter the Alex Rodriguez sweepstakes and need to decide how Orlando Cabrera fits in (not to mention Brandon Wood), should they land A-Rod. Dombrowski didn't want to wait that long and perhaps miss out on Renteria, so he pulled the trigger.
This should be a good deal for both teams. The Tigers get their shortstop, and the Braves get a pitcher who should be in their rotation at some point in 2008 to go with an outfielder who has the potential to anchor center field for them in the future.
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