MVN: Most Valuable Network

A while back, I did a post about the 40-man roster construction of the Tigers. The point of the piece was to guess at how the Tigers would handle this day, which was the deadline to set their 40-man roster in preparation for the Rule 5 draft. 

I would like to revisit it to compare what I said would happen and what actually happened. I like to learn from my mistakes and I like to try to be accountable for my bad predictions.

It started off well enough. Using Eddie Bajek's website to see who would become free agents or were arbitration eligible for the first time, I correctly predicted the Tigers would jettison Farsworth, Fossum, Glover, Jones, Rogers, Vasquez, Sardinha and Wilson. That was no great accomplishment, and I was off when I predicted they'd also let Mike Hessman walk. One mistake.

Next, I moved on to the players in the system who could become minor league free agents to see if any of them might be added to the 40-man. I assumed none of this group would, and that was correct. Now we came to the important part, the players in the system who would be eligible for the Rule 5 draft.

Going into this part, I had made a few more mistaken assumptions. In addition to thinking they would let Hessman go, I thought they would sign Freddy Garcia. I wasn't sure they would let Renteria walk so I didn't clear his spot on the roster. I also assumed they would fill the 40-man up when in reality they left two spots open. Combine all those mistakes and you had me thinking they had room for six players when they only had room for five.

The six I said they would protect were Alfredo Figaro, Luis Marte, Guillermo Moscoso, Wilkin Ramirez, Zach Simons and James Skelton. In actuality, they used the five spots to protect Alfredo Figaro, Guillermo Moscoso, Wilkin Ramirez, Zach Simons and Casper Wells.

For all my bad assumptions, I have to say I didn't do too badly. In his chat at Baseball America, Jon Paul Morosi said Luis Marte wasn't eligible for the Rule 5 (why, he didn't elaborate) and that would make my only remaining mistake assuming they'd protect James Skelton instead of Casper Wells.

If somebody selects James Skelton in this Rule 5 draft, I'd make the argument that was the Tigers' mistake. I'm hoping their assumption is he won't be selected, but it's a calculated risk and it's frustrating they're willing to take it.

I just don't see guys like Eddie Bonine, Chris Lambert and Aquilino Lopez - or Wells, for that matter - holding more value for the franchise than Skelton. I hope things work out, but I'll be furious if the Tigers groomed a major league ready catcher and didn't take advantage of it themselves. Especially since one of two catchers in the system who is capable of major league playing time next season is the starting third baseman.


I realize this post was a little self-indulgent so let me give you some further information in case you frown on such exercises...Here's a link to the current 40-man roster...Here's a link explaining that one of those minor league free agents, Ian Ostlund, was signed to a minor league deal by the Cardinals. I wondered last year how long it would be before he'd jet for a team that maybe showed some interest in giving him a shot at the major league level...Soon, I should be banging my head against the wall trying to find three third base prospects in the system. Once I finish, I'll share what I find as the next post in my series on the Tigers' top prospects at each position....I can't decided if this way of putting down thoughts reminds me more of Larry King or Bob Talbert.