Tigers Trade Stirs Emotions

Many die-hard Tigers fans remember where they were when “the trade” was made. No, not the one that took place this week – I’m talking about the Miguel Cabrera trade of 2007. The trade signalled that the Tigers were set to win now and that prospects were only meant to be used as trade bait for superstars. Flash forward to the latest trade involving Edwin Jackson and Curtis Granderson, and fans are wondering what this latest move signals.

curtis-grandersonLet me start off by saying that when all is said and done with the careers of all players involved in this latest three-way deal, I don’t believe the Tigers fans will act with the same fervor as they’re acting now. Take the emotion out of it for a second – the Tigers just picked up a starter and a stud centerfielder to go along with two lefties. The team is getting younger in the short-term, while leaving the door open for deals down the road.

The real loser in this deal is the Metro Detroit community that is losing a real champion. Curtis Granderson was a citizen unlike any other.  He never forgot his roots and always strived to be a real professional citizen.

As one national reporter noted, Granderson spent the last week of the regular season serving time in his community, Miguel Cabrera spent his drinking with members of the White Sox.

Baseball in 2010 is about what you do on the field, and Granderson’s contract and batting average overall (and especially against lefties) made him expendable.

The next target seems to be Carlos Guillen and his whopper of a contract. I can see a National League team looking for a multi-tool utility player to be high on Guillen. Gerald Laird would also seem to be a likely target following the pick up of Robinzon Diaz, a catcher the Tigers actually wanted at this year’s trade deadline.

Whatever the next deal may be, the Granderson/Jackson trade signifies that anybody is up for grabs in 2010.