Tigers Make Marcus Thames A Free Agent.....

[Funk Doctor Spot]

Tigers make Marcus Thames a free agent

By JOHN LOWE
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER


The Detroit Tigers bid good-bye to slugging outfielder Marcus Thames today, when they removed him from the 40-man roster. Thames, who spent six seasons with the Tigers, will become a free agent.






Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said he assumed the club would have “limited interest” in trying to re-sign Thames, 32.

“We could have retained him by keeping him on the roster,” Dombrowski said. “Marcus has done a very fine job for us throughout the years. He’s a quality human being.

“In our situation, we have outfield depth with (Ryan) Raburn stepping up. We have (Magglio) Ordonez and (Carlos) Guillen at the corner outfield spots. We have (Clete) Thomas and other young guys coming.
“We need to make some moves,” Dombrowski said, referring to opening room on the 40-man roster for younger players. “This one made sense.”
Players on the 40-man roster can’t be lost to another team in the annual big-league draft in December.

Thames, who didn't homer in the final 1 1/2 months of this season, was eligible for salary arbitration to determine his 2010 salary. But Dombrowski downplayed that as a reason for Thames' departure. Instead, Dombrowski stressed how Thames would lose playing time (particularly to Raburn) and how the Tigers needed the roster spot to protect a younger player.
In a telephone interview, Thames said he understood the roster crunch that led to his departure.

"I’ll bounce back big with somebody else," he said.

Catcher Matt Treanor also became a free agent when the club took him off the roster. Dombrowski didn’t rule out that Treanor could be re-signed to be the No. 2 catcher -- the role he had at the start of this season. He then missed almost the entire season because of a hip ailment that required surgery.



http://www.freep.com/article/2009110...s-a-free-agent

[sportznut]

Finally we can put to rest all the talk about Marcus hitting 50 bombs with a full season of ABs.

That's one less DH on the team.

Cya, Marcus.

[Rip]

Best news I've heard in a while.

Now sign someone to play LF (lol @ Raburn, Carlos part-time Guillen, and Clete), Figgins, someone like Lackey, and dump Carlos.

[Bonderman4CyYoung]

Another good sign is letting treanor go. The guy was pathetic in his short time here.

[Rip]

lol...we have the WORST minor league cathers ever. Treanor, Sardina (Really?), and even though our n00b that came out of nowhere this year looked great early on, it is clear that he got figured out, and probably isn't much of a hitter down the line either.

[MadNova]

Originally Posted by Rip

Best news I've heard in a while.

Now sign someone to play LF (lol @ Raburn, Carlos part-time Guillen, and Clete), Figgins, someone like Lackey, and dump Carlos.

Putz?

[Spuds]

Well the temp on the field will be alot cooler.

I'm sure Inge will take up the slack.

[Cyric]

Originally Posted by Rip

lol...we have the WORST minor league cathers ever. Treanor, Sardina (Really?), and even though our n00b that came out of nowhere this year looked great early on, it is clear that he got figured out, and probably isn't much of a hitter down the line either.

I love Figgins. I would adore it if the Tigers could somehow land him. Solves a position problem (pick one of four or five that he could handle) and our leadoff problem in one shot.

Way too quick to write off Avila. Just as his start was over his head, so was his September a little too chilly. Next year, he should be playing 50/50 with Laird, which would help both guys. Laird has always hit better as a part-timer than when he's been stretched to a full-time player.

Avila has a minor-league track record as a hitter, and his .279/.375/.590 line in 72 PAs is pretty stout no matter how you slice it up. He's 22. Lots of room to develop there.

[sportznut]

Originally Posted by Cyric

I love Figgins. I would adore it if the Tigers could somehow land him. Solves a position problem (pick one of four or five that he could handle) and our leadoff problem in one shot.

Way too quick to write off Avila. Just as his start was over his head, so was his September a little too chilly. Next year, he should be playing 50/50 with Laird, which would help both guys. Laird has always hit better as a part-timer than when he's been stretched to a full-time player.

Avila has a minor-league track record as a hitter, and his .279/.375/.590 line in 72 PAs is pretty stout no matter how you slice it up. He's 22. Lots of room to develop there.

I agree on Avila. His bat has always been ahead of his glove, and doesn't concern me.

The minute he improves his defense, he'll see more and more ABs.

If he fails at the catching position, Rip is right about one thing.

They have noone to really speak of in the minors at catcher besides Avila.

They need him to succeed, but you also can't underestimate Laird's ability to call a game, and throw runners out.

[LionFanInLA]

Originally Posted by sportznut

I agree on Avila. His bat has always been ahead of his glove, and doesn't concern me.

The minute he improves his defense, he'll see more and more ABs.

If he fails at the catching position, Rip is right about one thing.

They have noone to really speak of in the minors at catcher besides Avila.

They need him to succeed, but you also can't underestimate Laird's ability to call a game, and throw runners out.

concur 100%

[acroyear]

Thank God!! The hack is gone!! Now we've only got a few more, Nate, Willis.

[randomguymike]

Love how you guys think Thames was a problem and are skipping happily now that he's gone. He was a solid (not great) role player that wasn't getting paid a ton. Do I agree with the move, yes, but at this point in time I'd put money on him outperforming Guillen next season. The problems on this team aren't the Thames & Cletes of the team. Its fricking lazy Magglio, Guillen Dontrelle, Bonderman, & Zumaya. They cut those five and the team has a chance to recover from its mistakes.

[sportznut]

Originally Posted by randomguymike

Love how you guys think Thames was a problem and are skipping happily now that he's gone. He was a solid (not great) role player that wasn't getting paid a ton. Do I agree with the move, yes, but at this point in time I'd put money on him outperforming Guillen next season. The problems on this team aren't the Thames & Cletes of the team. Its fricking lazy Magglio, Guillen Dontrelle, Bonderman, & Zumaya. They cut those five and the team has a chance to recover from its mistakes.

I didn't have a problem with Marcus Thames, role player.

I had a problem with him being a regular, or some fans suggesting if he got double the ABs, he'd get double the stats.

[acroyear]

[quote=randomguymike;2738185]Love how you guys think Thames was a problem and are skipping happily now that he's gone. He was a solid (not great) role player that wasn't getting paid a ton.

Random, The simple fact was that Marlboro Man thought he could start and he can't. MM loved him, we do too,m when he was used for his bat and not in the field. Yeah, he didn't make alot of money and yeah there's a reason for that, he couldn't run, he couldn't field and I think he may just outperform Guillen too next season because I think Guillen is done unless MM inserts him in at DH which most likely won't happen. I do agree with you on the lazy and past their prime players still taking up space on this team, yes, they need to go, but they aren't.

[Rip]

It has more to do with the roster than it does with him. IF we didn't have 8 DHs already it would be fine if he stayed. We need FIELDERS, and people that can play against both righties and lefties. Thames was just another role player in the same mold as half the other guys we have. He was just the most useless of them all and a waste of roster space for this team with the guys you KNOW they aren't getting rid of.

[Cyric]

Originally Posted by randomguymike

Love how you guys think Thames was a problem and are skipping happily now that he's gone. He was a solid (not great) role player that wasn't getting paid a ton. Do I agree with the move, yes, but at this point in time I'd put money on him outperforming Guillen next season. The problems on this team aren't the Thames & Cletes of the team. Its fricking lazy Magglio, Guillen Dontrelle, Bonderman, & Zumaya. They cut those five and the team has a chance to recover from its mistakes.

Thames wasn't a problem at all, IF he was used in his role-player slot.

However, guys like him can be found almost anywhere. We got Thames as a six-year FA in the first place, so when they start to become expensive, or start to get pushed beyond their level of ability, it's time to let them go.

Thames was arb-eligible, and that meant his cost was about to way exceed his benefits.

We can't just cut guys on guarantees, so we have to make slices elsewhere, and non-tendering a role player is a good place to start.

[acroyear]

Rip is right and knows exactly what I've been bitchin' about the past three years, too many DH's. For one, I hate the DH. Cyric was also correct, he'd be perfect as that role player, but we have 12-15 role players on this team and thats the crux of the problem. I don't mind role players, only if the manager knows that they are strictly that, role players.

[sportznut]

Originally Posted by acroyear

Rip is right and knows exactly what I've been bitchin' about the past three years, too many DH's. For one, I hate the DH. Cyric was also correct, he'd be perfect as that role player, but we have 12-15 role players on this team and thats the crux of the problem. I don't mind role players, only if the manager knows that they are strictly that, role players.

Speaking of role players, Tom Brookens will be the new Tigers 1B coach.

Now, there's a role player from a championship team.

[acroyear]

Exactly!! I'm waiting for Johnny Grubb and Rusty Kuntz and Marty Castillo to be named coaches as well. lol.

Hell, Brookens looks like he can still play.

[Rip]

Originally Posted by sportznut

Speaking of role players, Tom Brookens will be the new Tigers 1B coach.

Now, there's a role player from a championship team.

Has McClendon been fired yet?