Detroit Tigers Clips Thursday, November 19,...
Transcript of Detroit Tigers Clips Thursday, November 19,...
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Detroit Tigers Clips
Thursday, November 19, 2015
Detroit Free Press
Sharp: K-Rod trade proves Tigers still going for it (Sharp)
Rodriguez 'looking forward' to closing for Tigers (Fenech)
New closer K-Rod valued for mentoring skills (Fenech)
The Detroit News
Tigers land experienced closer in Rodriguez (McCosky)
Tigers new closer has knack for leading young pitchers (McCosky)
MLive.com
Detroit Tigers obtain closer Francisco Rodriguez in trade with Brewers (Iott)
Al Avila: Detroit Tigers still looking to bolster bullpen following trade for Francisco Rodriguez (Iott)
Analysis: Trying to improve team while keeping top prospects puts Detroit Tigers in tough spot (Iott)
MLB.com
Tigers get K-Rod from Brewers to be closer (Beck)
Associated Press
Tigers get their closer in Francisco Rodriguez (Trister)
ESPN.com
Baseball's best pitch: Francisco Rodriguez's changeup? (Simon)
Tigers find their closer by trading for K-Rod (Strang)
Oakland Press
Tigers acquire closer Francisco Rodriguez from Brewers (Mowery)
CBSSports.com
Tigers acquire closer Francisco Rodriguez from Brewers (Perry)
SI.com
Tigers upgrade bullpen at little cost with trade for Francisco Rodriguez (Corcoran)
Daily Transactions
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Sharp: K-Rod trade proves Tigers still going for it
November 19, 2015
By Drew Sharp/ Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Tigers still think they're relevant. That was the statement made today, when they acquired closer
Francisco Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers for a premium infield prospect.
Ownership -- whether it's Mike or Chris Ilitch making the final decisions with this franchise -- is committed to
winning now.
And it was a shrewd move for Al Avila's first trade as general manager.
Rodriguez comes cheap -- only $5.5 million in 2016 with a team option for 2017. He also becomes a valuable
trading chip next summer, should the Tigers' dreams of playoff contention turn nightmarish again. Rodriguez --
nicknamed K-Rod for his former strikeout capabilities -- has successfully reinvented himself after experiencing
arm difficulties and eroding confidence. He now relies more on guile than fastball gas.
It's a smart acquisition, but so was Joe Nathan two winters ago, wasn't it?
The Tigers bought off Nathan and his whisper of a right arm for a million dollars earlier this month.
Everyone feels good about the trade initially. But considering the incredible bad luck the Tigers have
experienced with their bullpen the last three years, shouldn't there be more than a little trepidation about how
many bullets K-Rod has left in the chamber?
"K-Rod is a perennial All-Star closer," Avila said in a released statement. "We had strong recommendations
from our scouts on Frankie. And he has the proven track record we targeted in our search for a bona fide
closer."
A 14-year veteran, Rodriguez is the active major league leader in career saves with 386.
But this trade is about perception. And it's imperative that the Tigers win the perception battle this off-season.
2015 was a tumultuous season that found them in the uncustomary role of finishing last in the American League
Central, becoming trade-deadline sellers and showing one of the best chief executives in the game, Dave
Dombrowski, the door in a clumsily executed separation.
The Tigers are fighting against the tide in baseball. The game is changing. There's greater value in
acknowledging earlier that you aren't any good. Keep losing. Keep selling off prized assets. Keep getting those
top-10 draft picks. Look at three of the four league championship series teams: Kansas City, New York Mets
and Chicago Cubs. Those three endured numerous 90-plus-loss seasons and were rewarded with young,
impressive -- and incredibly cheap -- major league talent.
And now it's paying huge dividends.
That's Milwaukee's approach. Why else would it deal an effective closer with a payroll-friendly salary?
The Tigers fear losing the immense public goodwill they've accrued over the last five years. They've averaged 3
million in attendance the last three years, despite the economic issues Detroit still battles. A complete rebuild
would be a risky approach, considering the still-boiling public anger that the Tigers blew a tremendous
opportunity to end their 30-year World Series championship drought.
Trading for K-Rod will fuel anticipation that the Tigers might bid high for a top-of-the-rotation starting pitcher
in the coming weeks. Perhaps bringing back David Price for $30 million annually?
The Tigers must sell the idea that they still matter. That's the bottom line with this move. They aren't one, two
or even three successful winter moves from seriously challenging the Royals.
But everyone's now more interested in what Avila does next, aren't they?
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Rodriguez 'looking forward' to closing for Tigers
November 19, 2015
By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press
The Detroit Tigers have found their closer.
After some contract talks with free agents and a lot of trade talks with different teams, they acquired veteran
right-hander Francisco Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers today.
“We felt he gave us a good option,” Tigers general manager Al Avila said in a conference call with reporters.
“He has done well the past couple years, and we thought he could continue to do that.”
In exchange for Rodriguez, the Tigers sent infield prospect Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later to
Milwaukee.
Rodriguez is the active major league saves leader, with 386, which ranks seventh all-time. He posted a 2.21
ERA with 38 saves this season.
In his 14-year career, Rodriguez -- nicknamed “K-Rod” early in his career with the Angels -- has a 2.69 ERA.
He is a six-time All-Star with seven seasons of 35 or more saves and immediately bolsters the back end of the
Tigers’ bullpen.
“The Tigers have given me this opportunity, and I take it with a lot of pride,” Rodriguez said on the conference
call. “It’s something that me and my family are looking forward to.”
The acquisition of Rodriguez -- which was put in place Tuesday, Avila said -- comes cheaper than their top
relief target on the free agent market. Joakim Soria will garner a lucrative multiyear contract.
The Tigers had been talking with Soria’s camp but, as of this past weekend, were not on the same page in
contract talks.
Rodriguez is due $5.5 million in 2016, and the team holds a $6-million option for 2017, with a $4-million
buyout.
“We felt that Francisco, with his experience, gave us the best option to close games for us this coming year, and
it gives us the flexibility to continue to add bullpen pieces,” Avila said. “We felt like it was something we liked,
as far as the overall trade. And it was good for both clubs.”
The Brewers will receive Betancourt, 20, a second baseman who hit .263 with three home runs and 48 RBIs
with Class A Lakeland this season, and a player to be named later.
After kicking the tires on top closing options such as righty Craig Kimbrel and left-handers Aroldis Chapman
and Andrew Miller, the Tigers settled on Rodriguez. One of the game’s most proven commodities as closer,
Rodriguez is aging -- he turns 34 in January -- but has evolved his repertoire to rely more on his changeup.
“I got the chance to learn how to pitch,” Rodriguez said. “So that’s a huge benefit and that’s something that’s
working for me now, late in my career. Now I go out there and read hitters, see what they want to do and go by
the situation of the game and how you’re going to approach it and attack the hitters.
“That’s something I developed a lot and take a lot of pride in, having the ability to read the situation and just go
from there and trust my instincts.”
Rodriguez struck out 62 batters in 57 innings and posted an 0.86 WHIP this season.
He was lauded by Tigers scouts for his ability to lead in the bullpen, Avila said. “We have some young guys,
and that’s exactly what we want them to learn,” Avila said. “How to get outs.”
The move likely will allow the Tigers to allocate more money to landing two starting pitchers, which has been
the team’s foremost goal this winter.
But pitching as a whole, Avila insisted, and not just the starting rotation or the bullpen, is the team’s focus
going forward.
“Our big priority has been pitching and acquiring starting pitching. This is just one move, so we will continue to
try to be as diligent as we can in addressing the bullpen,” Avila said. “We’re definitely going to be looking to
add more pitching, for sure, and the bullpen is one area.”
Note: Former Tigers outfielder Jacque Jones has been hired by the Washington Nationals as an assistant hitting
coach.
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New closer K-Rod valued for mentoring skills
November 19, 2015
By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press
Francisco Rodriguez learned from the best.
And many moons later, those teachings from former closer Troy Percival have the Tigers right-hander still
pitching at the top of his game.
Rodriguez, who turns 34 on Jan. 7, was acquired Wednesday from the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade for infield
prospect Javier Betancourt.
The Tigers received good reports on the veteran on the mound, general manager Al Avila said, and better
reports on him off the mound.
“One of the things that attracted us and our scouts was how in the bullpen he has been such a good leader for
the pitchers,” Avila said in a conference call. “We have some young guys, and that’s what we want them to
learn: how to get outs. That’s the most important thing.”
Rodriguez has gotten plenty. He is the active major league leader with 386 saves, which ranks seventh all time.
His ERA over 14 seasons is 2.69.
And he credits Percival, a former Tiger with whom he played early in his career, for molding him into the closer
he was with the Angels, Mets, Orioles and Brewers.
“What I can say with a lot of pride, everything I know about this game, about how to prepare myself to go into
the ninth inning, how to develop myself, I owe to Troy,” Rodriguez said Wednesday. “Troy was a big part of
my career, and I take pride that he didn’t waste his time with me.”
And while the Tigers are looking first and foremost for production from Rodriguez, they wouldn’t mind some
maturity out of their bullpen youngsters like Bruce Rondon, Drew VerHagen and Jose Valdez, to name a few.
“All the times he sat down with me, teaching me how to pitch and approach hitters, I am forever thankful,”
Rodriguez said.
The Tigers’ young arms could say the same thing about him one day.
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Tigers land experienced closer in Rodriguez
November 19, 2015
By Chris McCosky/ The Detroit News
Detroit — The Tigers new closer will be 34 when he throws his first pitch next season. That’s five years
younger than Joe Nathan was when he first pitched for the Tigers, 14 months younger than Jonathan Papelbon
and just nine months older than Darren O’Day, who is seeking a four-year deal.
Age is not an issue.
The Tigers' new closer features a fastball that averaged 89.6 mph last season. But he has a change-up that draws
comparisons to Trevor Hoffman, whose 601 career saves is second only to Mariano Rivera.
Fun fact: The Tigers new closer is the major leagues active leader with 386 career saves; 103 more than Rivera
had through his age 33 season.
The Tigers new closer is a six-time All-Star, including the last two seasons when he converted 82 of 89 save
opportunities (92 percent) and posted a 135-29 strikeout to walk ratio.
Welcome to the Tigers, Francisco Rodriguez, aka, K-Rod.
“It’s great,” fellow Venezuelan Miguel Cabrera told Venezuelan reporter Wilmer Reina. “We were waiting for
years to have a quality closer (like) The Kid.”
The Tigers acquired Rodriguez from the Brewers on Wednesday for minor league infielder Javier Betancourt
and a player to be named later. The Tigers could get a player to be named back in the deal, as well, though that
is based on other unannounced contingencies.
“We explored a lot of options out there, a lot of free-agent pitchers, but none of which had extensive closing
experience,” said Al Avila, Tigers executive vice president and general manager. “We saw what our needs were
and we had good reports on him. Our staff, our scouts feel it was a good option. He’s been doing a great job the
last couple of years and we feel he will continue to do that.”
Rodriguez said he was sleeping when he got the call that he’d been traded, but he wasn’t surprised.
“I was expecting it,” he said. “I knew the rebuild-mode the Brewers organization is going through right now.
Me and my family were expecting something. It was just a matter of time that I would end up going somewhere.
“I am glad for this opportunity with the Tigers. I’m taking it with a lot of pride.”
Rodriguez last season had 38 saves with a National League-best 0.860 WHIP with 62 strikeouts in 57 innings.
In 2014 he had 44 saves with a 0.985 WHIP and 73 strikeouts in 68 innings.
“K-Rod is a perennial All-Star closer, has pitched on a World Series championship team, and is someone who
will provide experience at the back end of our bullpen,” Avila said. “We had strong recommendations from our
scouts on Frankie, and he has the proven track record we targeted in our search for a bona fide closer.”
He will make $7.5 million next season and the Tigers will have a club option for $6 million with a $4 million
buyout for 2017. Avila said the deal gives the Tigers flexibility to continue to search for other bullpen pieces, as
well as two starting pitchers.
“We are open to adding more than just one person (to the bullpen),” he said. “The closer was our biggest need
and we are happy with this move and we will continue to move forward and acquire more pitching — starting
pitching and relief pitching.
“This move gets us started in the right direction. Now we will move on to the rest of our needs.”
Avila said the acquisition of Rodriguez also allows the Tigers time to groom some younger pitchers already in
the system for late-inning roles — possibly Michael Fulmer, Shane Greene, Bruce Rondon, Alex Wilson and
others.
“One or two of those guys might be closers in waiting,” Avila said. “This gives us depth that we’re going to
need down the road.”
A closer who barely touches 90 mph certainly runs counter to the major league norm of using flamethrowers in
the back end of games. Truth is, hitters swing and miss at Rodriguez's change-up nearly as often as most plus-
90s fastball throwers.
Hitters swung and missed at his change-up 40 percent of the time last season, getting just 11 hits on 112 balls in
play.
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“Some guys throw 95 and it looks like 90 and others throw 90 and it looks like 95,” Tigers manager Brad
Ausmus said. “When I look at Frankie, I see a little bit of Trevor Hoffman, a guy who came up throwing 95 but
has turned to the change-up. Both have tremendous change-ups, swing-and-miss change-ups.”
Rodriguez has pinpoint control of all his pitches and he throws the change-up from different arm angles, which
enhances its effectiveness.
"I just kind of reinvented myself,” he said. “I got the opportunity to learn how to pitch early in my career when I
was throwing hard. It's something that is working for me now at the end of my career. Just not to go out there
and blow people away, but read hitters, figure out what they are trying to do and go by the situation of the
game.
“The game and the inning says how you are going to pitch. That's one thing I developed and it's something I put
a lot of pride in — read the swing, read the situation. ...I just learned how to pitch, just go out every day and
compete."
Rodriguez has only pitched 23 games in the American League (for the Orioles in 2013) since 2008. He’s not
sweating it.
“I’m not going to change anything,” he said. “Just trust my stuff. I am confident with all my pitches in any
count in any situation. I don’t think I make any changes to my approach at all.”
Rodriguez has finished 602 games in his career — including 302 in the American League. That’s an important
number for Ausmus.
“There is a big difference between pitching the seventh, eighth and ninth inning,” Ausmus said. “There is a
mentality to pitching the ninth and getting those last three outs of a one-run game. Some pitchers with all the
stuff in the world just can’t do it. Others have the knack for it, they have the makeup for it.
“Frankie has proven he has it.”
Betancourt, 20, played second base and hit .263 with a .640 OPS at high Class A Lakeland last season.
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Tigers new closer has knack for leading young pitchers
November 19, 2015
By Chris McCosky/ The Detroit News
Detroit — There is a side benefit to adding veteran Francisco Rodriguez to the Tigers bullpen.
Along with his 386 saves, his sub-1.0 WHIP and his 4.6-1 strikeouts-to-walks ratio the last two seasons,
Rodriguez will provide leadership and mentoring to an otherwise young stable of relief pitchers.
“One of the things that attracted us and our scouts was how in the bullpen he has been such a good leader for
the pitchers,” said Tigers general manager Al Avila, who acquired Rodriguez from the Brewers in a trade for
minor league second baseman Javier Betancourt. “We have some young guys and that’s what we want them to
learn — how to get outs. That’s the most important thing.”
And that’s what Rodriguez has learned to do over 14 big league seasons.
“Early in his career he had a big arm, but he’s had to learn a few things as he’s gotten older in his career,” Avila
said. “He’s learned how to pitch, how to get guys out. When he was in Milwaukee, he taught younger guys.
He’s got that knack.”
Jeremy Jeffress, Will Smith and former Tiger Corey Knebel all benefited from Rodriguez’s mentoring in
Milwaukee. Hopefully can have a similar positive impact on some of the young Tigers pitchers like Drew
VerHagen, Alex Wilson, Kyle Ryan and fellow Venezuelan Bruce Rondon.
The Tigers lacked a veteran bullpen leader last season after Joe Nathan went down in the season opener and
Joakim Soria was traded in July.
To Rodriguez, it’s all about paying it forward. He wants to help young pitchers just like Troy Percival helped
him early in his career with the Angels.
“What I can say with a lot of pride, everything I know about this game, about how to prepare myself to go into
the ninth inning, how to develop myself, I owe to Troy,” Rodriguez said. “Troy was a big part of my career.
And I take pride that he didn’t waste his time with me.
“All the times he sat down with me, teaching me how to pitch and approach hitters — I am forever thankful.”
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Detroit Tigers obtain closer Francisco Rodriguez in trade with Brewers November 19, 2015
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
The Detroit Tigers have been searching for bullpen help. They found some.
The Tigers have obtained right-hander Francisco Rodriguez from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for
infield prospect Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later, the Brewers announced via Twitter shortly
after noon Wednesday. The Tigers announced the trade a short time later.
"K-Rod is a perennial All-Star closer, has pitched on a World Series championship team, and is someone who
will provide experience at the back end of our bullpen," Tigers general manager Al Avila said. "We had strong
recommendations from our scouts on Frankie. He has the proven track record we targeted in our search for a
bona fide closer."
Rodriguez, who will turn 34 in January, gives the Tigers the experienced closer they have been looking for. He
has 386 career saves in 14 seasons in the majors, including 38 in 2015 and 44 in 2014 with the Brewers.
Rodriguez went 1-3 with a 2.21 ERA and a 0.860 WHIP in 2015 for the Brewers. Rodriguez, nicknamed K-
Rod, struck out 62 in 57 innings of work and has 1,067 strikeouts in 892 1/3 career innings.
Rodriguez is under contract for $5.5 million for 2016 and has a team option worth $6 million for 2017. That
team option includes a $4 million buyout, so something strange would have to happen for the Tigers to not pick
that up.
Betancourt is listed as the Tigers' 11th-best prospect by MLB.com. Betancourt, 20, hit .263 with three home
runs, 48 RBIs and a .640 OPS in 122 games for Single-A Lakeland in 2015.
The Tigers are believed to be seeking two starting pitchers and at least two relievers for their pitching staff,
which was one of the worst in baseball in 2015. This move fills a major hole in the bullpen and puts the Tigers
one step closer to their offseason goal.
There is a scenario in which the Tigers will get a player to be named later from the Brewers, but the situation is
"complicated," Avila said.
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Al Avila: Detroit Tigers still looking to bolster bullpen following trade for Francisco
Rodriguez November 19, 2015
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
Al Avila: Detroit Tigers still looking to bolster bullpen following trade for Francisco Rodriguez
Detroit Tigers obtain closer Francisco Rodriguez in trade with Brewers
Analysis: Trying to improve team while keeping top prospects puts Detroit Tigers in tough spot
Texas Rangers' Jeff Banister beats out A.J. Hinch for AL Manager of the Year honor
Carlos Correa, Kris Bryant named top rookies; Detroit Tigers' James McCann shut out in voting
All Stories
The Detroit Tigers added a major piece to their bullpen Wednesday. But they say they aren't done just yet.
Tigers general manager Al Avila said Wednesday that the Tigers will continue to do their due diligence in an
attempt to strengthen their bullpen even after adding closer Francisco Rodriguez through a trade with the
Milwaukee Brewers.
"Obviously we're looking to add more than just one person," Avila said during a teleconference early
Wednesday afternoon. "Obviously the closer is the biggest one and we're happy with this move. Then we'll
continue to move forward this winter and acquire more pitching.
"We've been saying we need pitching. We need starting pitching and we need relievers. This move, it gets us
started in the right direction with our closer and now we'll move on with the rest of our needs."
The Tigers traded infield prospect Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later in exchange for Rodriguez,
who has 386 career saves. There is a scenario in which the Tigers will also get a player to be named later in the
deal, but Avila called it "complicated" and wouldn't delve into details.
Whatever the case may be, the Tigers and manager Brad Ausmus have a guy they can go to for the ninth inning.
Rodriguez, 33, doesn't throw as hard as he did in his younger days, but he has been effective in recent years
even with a sub-90s fastball.
The addition of Rodriguez certainly makes the Tigers better in the late innings. They ranked 27th in the majors
in bullpen ERA (4.38) and bullpen WHIP (1.44) in 2015.
"This is just one move. We will continue to be as diligent as we can." -- Tigers GM Al Avila
Where exactly will the Tigers go from here? That's tough to say. The addition of Rodriguez basically rules them
out of the chase for Aroldis Chapman or Andrew Miller, star closers who appear to be available in trade, as well
as high-priced free agents like Darren O'Day and Joakim Soria.
But the Tigers could go after another free agent reliever or two -- there are oodles of free-agent relievers out
there -- or try to swing a deal for another relief pitcher. The offseason has really just begun.
"This is just one move," Avila said. "We will continue to be as diligent as we can in addressing the bullpen and
starting pitching. We're definitely going to look to add more pitching for sure. The bullpen is one area, yes."
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Analysis: Trying to improve team while keeping top prospects puts Detroit Tigers in
tough spot November 19, 2015
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
When Dave Dombrowski and the Boston Red Sox traded for a frontline closer last week, it likely set the market
too high for Al Avila and the Detroit Tigers to do the same.
Two unrelated posts that showed up on Twitter a short time apart Wednesday morning help explain why.
Ken Rosenthal of Foxsports.com reported Wednesday via Twitter that the Detroit Tigers have have inquired
about closers Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller, who could be moved in trades this offseason.
That should be no surprise. The Tigers obviously need bullpen help and will weigh every possible option to
improve the back end.
But Rosenthal also made another point:
Therein lies the rub. With Dombrowski at the helm, the Boston Red Sox paid a high price last week when they
sent four prospects to the San Diego Padres in exchange for closer Craig Kimbrel. The Tigers appear to be
hesitant to pay a similar price for Chapman or Miller.
There's good reason for that. The farm system for the Tigers isn't extremely deep in top talent. Some of the best
guys in the system came via trades at the deadline. The Tigers need pitching now, but they also need some
young, talented, affordable pitching for the future. They appear to have obtained some at the trade deadline.
How much did those trades help the Tigers when it comes to young talent? A post on Twitter linking to a
Baseball Prospectus story earlier Wednesday helps tell the tale.
The Tigers obtained six prospects in July in exchange for David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and Joakim Soria, who
are all now free agents. Here is a breakdown of those six prospects, based on the Tigers prospect rankings
posted by Baseball Prospectus on Wednesday:
• Michael Fulmer, RHP: Baseball Prospectus lists Fulmer as the top prospect in the Tigers' system. Fulmer came
to the Tigers as part of the trade that sent Cespedes to the Mets. He has never pitched above the Double-A level,
but it wouldn't be a surprise at all if he pitches for the Tigers this season, either as a starter or out of the bullpen.
Fulmer is the top prospect for a reason. By all accounts, he is a talented young pitcher.
• JaCoby Jones, SS: Baseball Prospectus lists Jones, who is currently serving a 50-game suspension due to a
violation of baseball's drug policy, as the team's No. 6 prospect. Jones is athletic with power and speed and
could end up at one of several positions on the field as time goes on. The Tigers got Jones for Soria.
• Luis Cessa, RHP: Baseball Prospectus lists Cessa as the team's 10th-best prospect. The Tigers obtained Cessa,
who was recently added to the 40-man roster, in the Cespedes trade.
So, three of the top 10 prospects the Tigers have, according to Baseball Prospectus, were obtained at the trade
deadline. That says something about the value the Tigers got in return for those impending free agents. (It also
says something about what kind of shape the farm system was in prior to those deals.)
But that doesn't tell the entire story.
• Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd, LHPs: Norris would have been No. 1 on the list and Boyd would have been
somewhere in the top 10, but Baseball Prospectus didn't consider them. Those two have "graduated" from the
prospects list. The Tigers got Norris, Boyd and Jario Labourt in exchange for Price. Norris appears to be the
frontrunner in what should be an interesting competition between several young pitchers for a rotation spot this
spring. Boyd should be in that mix as well.
• Jairo Labourt, LHP: Labourt is the only one of the six who qualifies to be on the Tigers' top 10 list but is not
on it.
The Tigers need bullpen help. They also are trying to add two starting pitchers to the rotation and to improve
their outfield this offseason. It's tough to see how they can do all of those things effectively strictly through free
agency since free agents, most notably starting pitchers, are pricy. Avila has said that offseason spending will
"probably more restrictive this year." The Tigers are not likely to break the bank for top free agents.
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But paying the going rate in a major trade will be difficult for the Tigers to stomach as well. They still don't
have the deepest farm system in the land. They will be hesitant to deal from its strength.
Avila has his work cut out for him. That fact hasn't changed since the minute he took over the job from
Dombrowski. It's not likely to change anytime soon.
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Tigers get K-Rod from Brewers to be closer
November 19, 2015
By Jason Beck/ MLB.com
DETROIT -- The Tigers hit the trade market for their closer and found a familiar name. Francisco Rodriguez,
rumored for years to be a potential Detroit closer, will get the chance after being acquired from the Brewers on
Wednesday for infield prospect Javier Betancourt and a player to be named.
Rodriguez has drawn the interest of the Tigers in past years, either via trade or free agency, but Detroit had
always turned elsewhere. But in a trade market in which big names such as Aroldis Chapman of the Reds and
Andrew Miller of the Yankees have drawn high price tags, coupled with a shallow free-agent market, Rodriguez
and the Tigers finally matched up in Al Avila's first trade as general manager.
"After all the conversations, we just decided this would be the best route for us," Avila said on a Wednesday
conference call. "We felt that Francisco with his experience gave us the best option to close games for us this
coming year, and gives us the flexibility to continue to add bullpen pieces. Also, it's a one-year contract with an
option, so it gives us some flexibility there. The overall trade was good for both clubs."
The trade language included a player to be named for each side. Brewers general manager David Stearns said
that was a technical procedure, and that in practice, only the Brewers are likely to receive a second player in the
deal, and that player will be named during this offseason. But Avila said there is a scenario in which Detroit
receives a second player, too.
Rodriguez, who turns 34 in January, saved 82 games for the Brewers over the past two seasons, including 38
saves out of 40 opportunities in a quietly effective 2015 campaign for a Milwaukee club that fell out of
contention early. The native Venezuelan allowed just 38 hits over 57 innings with 11 walks and 62 strikeouts.
It's his best stretch as a closer since he was the dominant "K-Rod" with the Angels, racking up 194 saves over a
four-year stretch from 2005-08. His 386 career saves lead all active pitchers and rank seventh all time, four
behind Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley for sixth.
He's a different style of pitcher now, thinking his way through hitters rather than simply overpowering them.
His average fastball velocity fell below 90 mph this year for the first time in his career, but his changeup -- a
pitch he barely used until he was six years into his big league tenure -- has become a dominant pitch.
"I got the chance, the opportunity to learn how to pitch early in my career when I was throwing hard,"
Rodriguez said. "It's something that's working for me now late in my career, just not to go out there and blow
people away, [but to] read hitters, figure out what they were trying to do and go by the situation of the game.
"The game and the inning says how you are going to pitch. That's one thing I developed, and it's something I
put a lot of pride in -- read the swing, read the situation."
Many lessons, Rodriguez said, came from former teammate Troy Percival, who served as Tigers closer in 2005
after Rodriguez took over the ninth inning for the Angels. He has tried to pay it forward, taking on a mentoring
role with young relievers. The Tigers have young late-inning arms, but have struggled to develop Bruce Rondon
into a consistent Major League reliever.
"One of the things that was attractive for us, and our scouts digging for information, was how he's been a leader
for other pitchers in the bullpen," Avila said.
Rodriguez's production comes at a fairly reasonable price. Rodriguez will make $5.5 million next year on the
back half of a two-year, $13 million contract, with a $6 million club option (or $4 million buyout) for 2017.
Rodriguez will be the Tigers' seventh closer since 2013, a list that includes Jose Valverde, Joaquin Benoit, Joe
Nathan, Joakim Soria, Rondon and Neftali Feliz. The closer's spot was the first order of business this offseason
for Avila, who explored the trade market at last week's GM Meetings while also negotiating with Soria's agent
on a potential return. The Rodriguez deal takes care of the spot without signing a long-term contract or heavily
tapping a farm system that Detroit is working to rebuild.
Betancourt ended the season ranked No. 11 among Tigers prospects by MLBPipeline.com. The slick-fielding
20-year-old had a 5.15 range factor over 116 games at second base for Class A Advanced Lakeland, turning 85
double plays against 11 errors. At the plate, he hit .263 (129-for-491) with 17 doubles, five triples, three home
runs, 48 RBIs and four stolen bases.
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Betancourt becomes the second Tigers middle-infield prospect to join the Brewers, who claimed middle
infielder Hernan Perez off waivers in June. Perez re-signed with Milwaukee earlier this week after being taken
off its 40-man roster.
Fantasy spin | Fred Zinkie (@FredZinkieMLB)
With a 2.66 ERA, a 0.93 WHIP and 82 saves across the past two seasons, Rodriguez should be a solid second-
tier closer for fantasy owners in 2016. As the right-hander compiles whiffs and limits walks, he has survived a
1.4 HR/9 rate since the outset of '14. The move from Miller Park to Comerica Park could help Rodriguez keep
the ball in the yard.
Back in Milwaukee, Will Smith could be a strong candidate to take over ninth-inning duties. The southpaw has
posted a 3.21 ERA and a 12.4 K/9 rate across two seasons with Milwaukee. But given the Brewers' lack of
lefty-relief depth, they could opt to leave Smith in a specialist role and hand the final frame to a righty like
Tyler Thornburg, Michael Blazek or Jeremy Jeffress.
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Tigers get their closer in Francisco Rodriguez
November 19, 2015
By Noah Trister/ Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) -- The Tigers are turning to Francisco Rodriguez in their latest attempt to shore up the back end
of their bullpen.
Detroit acquired the right-hander in a trade with Milwaukee on Wednesday, sending minor league infielder
Javier Betancourt and a player to be named to the Brewers. Detroit general manager Al Avila said the Tigers
might also receive a player to be named in the deal, but that's not certain.
Rodriguez, who turns 34 in January, went 1-3 with a 2.21 ERA for the Brewers in 2015. He had 38 saves in 40
chances. Detroit finished last in the AL Central this year after winning four straight division titles, and the
bullpen was a priority heading into this offseason.
"We had explored a lot of the different options that are presented out there," Avila said. "There's a lot of free
agent pitchers, none of which really have extensive closing experience. We also checked with a lot of major
league clubs that are entertaining the idea of a possible trade."
Detroit's bullpen has been an issue for the last few seasons. Closer Jose Valverde faltered toward the end of
2012, and the following year, the Tigers eventually settled on Joaquin Benoit as their closer. Then Benoit left
and they signed Joe Nathan, but he struggled in 2014 and missed almost all of 2015 with an elbow injury.
The Tigers declined their $10 million option on Nathan for 2016, and Rodriguez became an attractive target.
"It's something that me and my family are looking forward ... knowing a little bit more about my future, where
I'm going to be at next year," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez is owed $7.5 million for 2016, with $2 million of that deferred interest free until January 2018. He
has a $6 million team option for 2017 that includes a $2 million buyout.
Rodriguez holds the major league record of 62 saves in a season. He set that mark in 2008 with the Los Angeles
Angels, then signed with the New York Mets. He was traded to Milwaukee in 2011, and after an unimpressive
showing in 2012, he was brought back by the Brewers on a minor league deal the following April.
Following a trade to Baltimore in the middle of the 2013 season, Rodriguez returned to Milwaukee as a free
agent and converted 44 of 49 save chances in 2014. Last season, he posted his best ERA since 2010.
According to Fangraphs.com, Rodriguez threw fastballs on only about 45 percent of his pitches this year, while
throwing a changeup about 43 percent of the time. That was a significant departure from his previous approach.
"When I look at Frankie, I see kind of a little bit of a Trevor Hoffman," Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said.
"Both of these guys, they came up throwing 95-plus miles an hour and could basically throw the ball by guys. ...
Frankie, like Trevor, has just turned to the changeup -- both of them had tremendous changeups, swing-and-
miss changeups -- and he's reinvented himself and become equally as successful."
The 20-year-old Betancourt played second base in 2015 for Class A Lakeland. He hit .263 with three home runs
and 48 RBIs in 122 games.
Milwaukee went 68-94 this season and felt it could trade Rodriguez to build for the future.
"We've stated our intentions many times in the past," new Brewers GM David Stearns said. "We're looking to
acquire as much young, quality, controllable talent as we can and we think we took a nice step forward with the
deal."
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Baseball's best pitch: Francisco Rodriguez's changeup? November 19, 2015
By Mark Simon/ ESPN.com
We’re spending a lot of time today talking about who the best pitcher was in baseball in 2015.
But what about the best pitch?
The answer to that might be Francisco Rodriguez's changeup, a pitch from which the Detroit Tigers will now
benefit after acquiring him from the Milwaukee Brewers.
Rodriguez threw 354 of them last season, his best season in terms of both his WHIP (0.86) and his walk rate
(1.7 per nine innings). It's a pitch that helped him net 38 saves in 40 opportunities.
Opponents went 11-for-112 in at-bats ending with it (.098 batting average), missing on 40 percent of their
swings and hitting the ball hard in only 5 percent of their at-bats.
To take it a step further, FanGraphs.com tracks a run value stat, based on how much each pitch a pitcher throws
contributes to winning (strikes and outs have a positive value, balls and hits, walks, and hit-by-pitches have a
negative value). Rodriguez's changeup was worth nearly 18 runs better than the average pitcher. Only two
starters got more value from their changeup -- Zack Greinke and Danny Salazar.
But if we look at it on a per-100-pitches basis, Rodriguez's changeup moves to the top of the board of any pitch.
In fact, among those pitchers who threw at least 40 innings and threw a pitch at least 10 percent of the time, no
pitcher has a higher run value per 100 pitches than Rodriguez's 5.07 on his changeup.
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Tigers find their closer by trading for K-Rod
November 19, 2015
By Katie Strang/ ESPN.com
The trade: The Tigers acquired closer Francisco Rodriguez and a player to be named later from the Milwaukee
Brewers in exchange for minor league second baseman Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later.
The reason: Detroit is a club that has been aggressive in scouring the market for cost-effective pitching --
players who can help round out the starting rotation and bolster a suspect bullpen. Among the most pressing
needs for the team heading into free agency was adding a bona fide closer, especially with the lack of strong
internal candidates to fulfill the role (Remember the abrupt dismissal of Bruce Rondon, anyone?). The Tigers
expressed interest in former closer Joakim Soria -- though a source confirmed to ESPN.com that a formal offer
was never made -- but then opted to address the void via trade instead.
The impact: K-Rod, 33, might not be the best closer available -- especially with an increasingly robust market
developing since last week's GMs meetings -- but he remains a reliable option to lock down the ninth inning.
Though there are two pieces in the deal that have yet to be determined, one MLB scout told ESPN.com he really
liked the return for the Tigers, considering they'll get a proven closer for a minor-league second baseman. There
are also some who believe Rodriguez has had a renaissance of sorts in Milwaukee. Yes, his fastball velocity has
dipped, but he has relied much more on his changeup recently -- according to Fangraphs, he threw it 42.6
percent of the time -- and has found that to be effective. From a cost perspective, he'll come cheaper than other
closing options -- he is slated to make $5.5 million next year with a 2017 option and $4 million buyout -- which
is essential considering the Tigers still need to add starting pitching and potentially a left fielder in free agency.
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Tigers acquire closer Francisco Rodriguez from Brewers
November 19, 2015
By Matthew Mowery/ Oakland Press
DETROIT >> The Detroit Tigers got the experienced, bona fide closer they were looking for, and they didn’t
break the bank to do it.
Which is good, given the length of the laundry list of needs they still need to fill this offseason.
Detroit sent minor league infielder Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later to the Milwaukee Brewers
on Wednesday, in return for 34-year-old closer Francisco Rodriguez.
“It’s something great. We were waiting for years to have a closer of the quality of the ‘Kid,’” slugger Miguel
Cabrera told Venezuelan journalist Wilmer Reina.
A six-time All-Star in a 14-year career, Rodriguez has led the league in saves three times — including a record
62 in 2008 — and had more than 30 saves seven times.
“We had good reports on him from this past year. Our staff in the office and our scouts felt that he gave us a
good option and that he actually had been doing a great job the past couple years and that we felt that he could
continue to do that,” Tigers general manager Al Avila said. “After all the conversations that I had and the
options that we saw that were available, whether it be free agent pitchers or talks with other GMs about their
players, after several meetings and conversations we just decided this would be the best route for us. We felt
that Francisco with his experience gave us the best option to close games for us this coming year and it gives us
the flexibility to continue to add bullpen pieces.”
A 20-year-old middle infielder, Betancourt was ranked the Tigers’ 17th-best prospect in 2014 by
MLBPipeline.com, and hit .263 with 25-extra-base hits at High-A Lakeland in 2015, playing primarily second
base.
There may be a player to be named later coming back to the Tigers, as well — or there might not. “It’s a little
bit complicated,” Avila said of the language of the deal.
That’s still not a lot to give up for a guy with 386 career saves — good for seventh on the all-time saves list —
including 38 and 44 in the last two seasons. Especially In light of what the Red Sox gave up in trade for Craig
Kimbrel over the weekend, and what the rumored costs would be for a guy like Aroldis Chapman.
Rodriguez, known as K-Rod or Frankie, is owed $5.5 million for 2016 and there is a team option for $6 million
with $4 million buyout for 2017, according to BaseballReference.com.
That leaves plenty in the coffers for the Tigers to continue to spend, as well.
“This is just one move. We will continue to be as diligent as we can in addressing the bullpen and starting
pitching. We’re definitely going to look to add more pitching for sure,” Avila said. “Obviously we’re looking to
add more than just one person. Obviously the closer is the biggest one and we’re happy with this move. Then
we’ll continue to move forward this winter and acquire more pitching. We’ve been saying we need pitching.
We need starting pitching and we need relievers. This move, it gets us started in the right direction with our
closer and now we’ll move on with the rest of our needs in the bullpen and with our starting pitching.”
The closer the Tigers traded at last year’s deadline, Joakim Soria, is one of the few experienced closers on the
free-agent market, and there had reportedly been serious mutual interest between the two sides.
But there were bound to be a ton of suitors, and with high demand comes a high price tag.
“We had explored a lot of different options that had been presented out there. There’s a lot of free agent
pitchers, none of which really have extensive closing experience. We also checked with a lot of major league
clubs that were entertaining the idea of a possible trade,” Avila said, noting the conversations with the Brewers
started before the GM meetings, and peaked on Tuesday. “We’re able to keep some of the younger guys that we
wanted to keep that we feel maybe one or two of those guys might be a future closer for us too. ... We like the
youth that we have. This move allows us to keep the young prospects that we like and are going to need at some
point, not only this season but in the near future.”
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Tigers acquire closer Francisco Rodriguez from Brewers November 19, 2015
By Dayn Perry/ CBSSports.com
Per CBSSports MLB insider Jon Heyman, the Tigers on Wednesday acquired veteran closer Francisco
Rodriguez from the Brewers. The teams announced the deal later in the afternoon.
Rodriguez, 33, is coming off a 2015 season in which he pitched to a 2.21 ERA and 5.64 K/BB ratio for
Milwaukee. For his career, he boasts an ERA+ of 156 and 386 saves across parts of 14 big-league seasons.
Those 386 saves rank seventh on the all-time list and first among actives. Over the course of his career, K-Rod
has converted 86 percent of his save opportunities.
In recent seasons, the Tigers have struggled with late-inning relief. Joakim Soria was effective in the role this
past season before being traded to the Pirates, but Detroit has cycled through a number of closers -- most of
them ineffective -- in recent years. As for Rodriguez, he occasionally struggles with the long-ball, but in going
from Milwaukee to Detroit he'll be swapping out one of the most homer-friendly ballparks for one that
suppresses the home run to a modest extent.
Rodriguez is under for contract for 2016 at a salary of $5.5 million. His contract also includes a $6 million
option/$4 million buyout for 2017.
Heyman reports that the Tigers will absorb money left on Rodriguez's contract through 2016.
Minor-league infielder Javier Betancourt is headed to the Brewers as part of the trade. Betancourt, 20, owns a
line of .281/.323/.364 in 338 minor-league games. Defensively, he's spent time at second, short, and third. Last
season, he reached the High-A level. The Brewers will also receive a player to be named later in the deal.
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Tigers upgrade bullpen at little cost with trade for Francisco Rodriguez November 19, 2015
By Cliff Corcoran/ SI.com
Less than a week after former Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski sent a quartet of significant prospects
to the Padres to bring closer Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox, his replacement in Detroit, Al Avila, has acquired a
closer for the Tigers at a relative bargain. On Wednesday, Detroit picked up veteran closer Francisco Rodriguez
from the Brewers for minor-league second baseman Javier Betancourt and a player to be named later.
Rodriguez, who will turn 34 in January, is owed $7.5 million for the 2016 season ($2 million of which has been
deferred to '18) and has a $6 million option for the '17 season with a $2 million buyout.
The active saves leader with 386 and the owner of the single-season saves record (62 in 2008), Rodriguez is no
longer the dominant fireballer he was for the Angels in his early twenties. His velocity has dropped dramatically
since then, with his average fastball barely exceeding 90 mph in 2015 compared to 95 mph in '07, per Brooks
Baseball. You could argue, however, that he was every bit as good for the Brewers last year as he was in in his
prime. Now that Rodriguez is no longer capable of blowing away opposing hitters with high-90s fastballs, he
appears to have finally conquered his career-long control problems, reducing his walk rate in each of the last
three seasons. Before 2013, he had never walked fewer than 3.2 men per nine innings in a single season, but
he's now posted a BB/9 under 3.0 in three straight seasons, including a career-best 1.7 BB/9 in '15.
Make no mistake, though: Rodriguez is still getting strikeouts, just not as many, and not by the same method.
Whereas Rodriguez was a fastball-curveball-slider pitcher in his prime, his primary pitch is now his changeup,
which he can throw at various speeds south of 90 mph, averaging 83. Over those last three seasons, he has
averaged 9.9 strikeouts per nine innings, and combined with his newfound control, he's setting new highs in
strikeout-to-walk ratio. His 4.40 K/BB over the last three years bests any single-season ratio he posted in his
first ten full major league seasons, and his 5.64 K/BB in 2015 was far and away a career-best mark.
This new version of K-Rod saved 82 games for the Brewers over the last two years at a 92% success rate, with
an inflated home-run rate in 2013 and '14 as the only blight on his record over the last three seasons. He brought
that figure down to league average in 2015, however, and will benefit from moving to homer-suppressing
Comerica Park—a stadium that is especially hard on lefthanded power hitters, a benefit for the righthanded
Rodriguez—after spending the last three years in homer-friendly Miller Park and, for two months in 2013,
Camden Yards as a member of the Orioles.
As for Betancourt, he ranked eighth on Baseball Prospectus’ list of the Tigers' top prospects (published the day
of the trade, coincidentally enough)—not a particularly impressive placement given how thin Detroit's system
is. BP describes him as a glove-first player with a lack of secondary offensive skills (power and patience) but
who makes solid contact at the plate, a profile supported by his .281/.323/.364 career line in the minors.
Betancourt will turn 21 in May and spent all of 2015 in high A, which could put him on track to battle for the
Brewers’ second base job in 2018, but his most likely major league role is as a utility infielder.
Unless the player to be named later in this deal proves to be a significant prospect (which is unlikely), this looks
like a fantastic deal for Detroit, which has been in desperate need of bullpen help for years, and like little more
than a salary dump for the Brewers.
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LAST UPDATED: THU, NOVEMBER 19, 2015, 03:04 EST
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2015
TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION
Chicago White Sox Scott Hairston Signed to a Minor League Contract
Los Angeles Angels Lucas Luetge Signed to a Minor League Contract
Philadelphia Phillies Ryan Jackson Signed to a Minor League Contract
Philadelphia Phillies Frank Herrmann Signed to a Minor League Contract
Philadelphia Phillies Emmanuel Burriss Signed to a Minor League Contract
Washington Nationals David Carpenter Refused Minor League Assignment - Free Agent
Washington Nationals David Carpenter Outrighted to Minors
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015
TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION
Los Angeles Angels Cliff Pennington Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016-2017)(two-year contract)
Milwaukee Brewers Hernan Perez Signed to a Minor League Contract
San Francisco Giants Brandon Crawford Signed, ( 2016-2021)(six-year extension, avoids arbitration)
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 2015
TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION
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Arizona Diamondbacks Ryan Wheeler Signed to a Minor League Contract