I understand this is just starting a dialogue, but I think it would be complete lunacy for the Tigers to entertain trading Cameron Maybin unless they are just blown away with an offer.

Right now, they have maybe four or five position prospects they should feel confident will be major league players to one extent or another, not including Shelton and Santiago.

At least a couple of those guys are probably going to be role players who will either back up regulars (Hollimon) or share a platoon (Larish). That leaves them having to cover a helluva lot of positions with established major leaguers and that is a very expensive way to do business. Just ask the Mariners.

Maybin is a potential impact player who may have the defensive skills to move Granderson to left while providing valuable offense from a premium position. Plus he could play for about six years before he would cost what one year of somebody like Dunn would cost.

The Tigers need to be hording guys like Maybin and planning going away parties for truly expendable players like Craig Monroe and Sean Casey.

Brian, I’m pretty sure Maybin is considereed the top prospect in the system by a wide margin. He is untouchable. Hernandez may bring his status up to that level eventually, but the scouts and the statheads are just gushing praise for Maybin. Clevlen and Suero do not even belong in the discussion. Clevlen has virtually no chance of putting together any kind of real major league career, and guys like Suero rarely amount to anything, no matter how many bases they steal. They are the Brian Hunters and ther Nook Logans of baseball. You have to be able to drive the ball. Juan Pierre is a great example of someone who made it despite a complete lack of power, and even then he is a grossly overrated player.

Read this and then tell me Leyland knows what he’s doing:

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070525/SPORTS02/705250414/1050

I think that any trade needs to weigh the current value versus future value. Smoltz for Alexander helped Detroit in 87 and helped the Braves for a while longer. However for every trade in which the minor leaguer pans out, you have numerous examples the other way. Remember when Moises Alou was traded from the Marlins to the Astros? Anyone remember what the Astros got? Oscar Henriquez, Manuel Barrios and Mark Johnson not exactly household names.

As of right now I don’t see why the Tigers would trade for more offense, they are first in the majors in runs scored, 2nd in average, 6th in OBP, and 1st in SLG. Why trade a trop 20 prospect for more offense? If anything I trade for some middle relief help, that area concerns me more, and for that you don’t have to trade Maybin.

I wouldn’t trade him either but it reminds me to a lesser degree of the Tigers first base problems a few years back with Carlos Pena, Dmitri Young and Eric Munson. The good news is, Maybin’s is at least one year away and the Tigers have time. Then the question is, do they move Granderson to the corner or does Maybin start there. It definitely makes Monroe expendable like Matt says.

Dan, I agree. Suero is more of an “interesting” player then he’ll ever be good. In fact, with all of those steals, he might be trade bait. And Clevlen has probably exceeeded his shelf life as a prospect.

Then again, this is a much better issue to have then the Tigers had in 2003 when guys like Alex Sanchez, Andres Torres and Hiram Bocachica were battling it out for the centerfield job.

Having seen Maybin play at West Michigan, it is obvious by the way the other team reacts when he is at the plate or on base that he is a game-changing player. I’ve seen him walk and create a run all by himself by disrupting the pitcher and catcher. Some compare him with a young Griffey, minus the power. I’d love to see an outfield of Granderson, Maybin and Ordonez. To me, the Tigers’ focus should be middle relief, although Zumaya’s eventual return wiill help stabilize the bullpen, and signing Mark Texeira as a free agent firstbaseman this offseason.

Interesting Bocachica was mentioned when we’re talking about needing middle relief. He was traded for Tom Farmer and a PTBNL that turned out to be Jason Frasor. Frasor would be nice to have in the bullpen right now.

I know it’s silly to second guess trades like that. Especially when you don’t put them in the context of when they happened, but it’s interesting to see how important good player evaluation is.

Yeah, Frasor had missed all of 2001 and in 2002, he had a pretty mediocre season at Lakeland as a 24 year old so he probably viewed as some pretty low on the totem pole.

It is interesting how these guys bounce around. Because after the Tigers traded him, he was dealt again and then he was the Blue Jays closer all within the next two years.