Dave Dombrowski certainly works fast.
Before the MLB Winter Meetings even concluded, Dombrowski addressed every single concern the Detroit Tigers potentially worried about heading into the offseason.
Prince Fielder’s contract is no longer an issue, there’s enough financial flexibility to at least sit down with Cy Young winner Max Scherzer and the bullpen got an experienced closer in veteran Joe Nathan.
By all early accounts, the Tigers got better – rather quickly.
“We accomplished what we wanted,” Dombrowski told the Tigers’ official website. “You look at the wintertime overall, and we’ve been real happy with what we’ve done. Really, our positional players are basically set, not that you can’t always get better. Our starting rotation is set with a little bit of depth there.
“Our bullpen, we’re looking for maybe another arm, but I don’t mean a high-profile, closer-type arm. So we’re happy with what’s taken place.”
Of course, chicks dig the long ball. However, that’s not a philosophy the Tigers will operate under new manager Brad Ausmus. The additions of Raja Davis and Ian Kinsler should definitely change the overall look at the top of the order due to their hitting and base-running abilities.
“The home run is not the only way to score runs in baseball,” said Ausmus, who replaced now-retired manager Jim Leyland. “You can do it through the ‘small ball,’ you can do it through home runs, you can do it through a combination. It’s a little different, but I still think a potent offense.”
As second baseman, Kinsler joins the team’s the new-look infield, which features Miguel Cabrera at first base, Nick Castellanos manning third and Jose Iglesias – who came from Boston in last season’s three-way trade that involved the Chicago White Sox – at shortstop. Acquired in the Doug Fister trade with Washington, infielder Steve Lombardozzi has been slotted in as backup to Iglesias.
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