According to the always-insightful ATM Reports from Lee Sinins, the Tigers announced approximately seven thousand non-roster invitees to spring training.
It's an interesting list. Is this the next Dombrowski step in rebuilding? Can the Tigers move into 60-win territory? (That's a real question.) What's next? Anyway, here's the list alphabetically by position:
INFs Brent Abernathy, Rayner Bautista, Danny Klassen, Warren Morris, Greg Norton, Pablo Ozuna, Dean Palmer and Jason Smith, OFs Jeff Inglin, Marcus Thames and Andres Torres, Cs Bobby Estalella, Ben Petrick, Mike Rabelo, Guillermo Rodriguez and Maxim St. Pierre and Ps Jorge Cordova, David Cortes, Craig Dingman, John Ennis, Shane Loux, Ariel Prieto, Brian Schmack, Adrian Burnside and Andy Van Hekken.
Some comments ...
It's unfortunate the Motor City Kitties didn't ink Glendon Rusch, who signed today with the Texas Rangers, as Rusch very likely would have given Jason Johnson a good run at being the Detroit rotation horse.
Abernathy, Klassen, Norton, Thames, Estalella and especially Petrick have all been touted at some point as future major league regulars, and in some cases, potential stars. If the Tigers "hit" on just one, they're ahead of the game. Who's the most likely, if any?
Aren't the Tigers better off with Estalella and Petrick behind the plate rather than blowing $10M on Pudge Rodriguez? Rumor alert: the Tigers and Cardinals are both supposedly talking about signing Pudge in order to trade him immediately back to Florida, which they can do with his permission, to circumvent the May 1 rule and gain prospects.
Palmer, Torres, Loux, Schmack and Van Hekken were all with the Tigers in some capacity last season or in 2002. Palmer is the former All-Star; Van Hekken has been talked up as a future rotation regular, though he has battled injuries. Schmack has always struck me as someone who could be a useful bullpen cog. Can any of these players make an impact?
Ariel Prieto. Ariel Prieto. Who knew? Hey, maybe he's Loaiza v.'04.
I wonder if you could build a 43-119 team (where the Tigers finished this past season) around this group of players? As they say here in North Texas, you might could do it, but either way, that dog wouldn't hunt.
Interesting stuff ... the Lakeland camp seems likely to have the feel of an open tryout this spring.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20040121113120999