Let's Play GM: AL Central

[Rhonda Rousey's Sports Bra]

Let's play GM, the purpose of this series of threads is to see if you can be a better GM than the pros. What we're going to do is take a look at each team in every division and try to make them better. For example if a team is a basement dweller try to set them up for the future, or if a team is in a pennent race try to make moves that put them over the top.

Rules are simple, one team per post to make it easier to reply to. Make sure your moves make sense, saying you're going to trade Juan Pierre for Albert Pujols straight up or you're going to sign the All-Star team when you have the payroll of the Marlins won't fly. Also you don't have to do each team in the division.

The next division we're going to do is the AL Central. I've been having problems posting this thread so I'll leave out the links and pictures for now.

The teams: Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Detroit Tigers, and the Cleveland Indians.

Pick one and start.

 

[Megatron]

I'll start off with the team that I know best, the Detroit Tigers. The Tigers are currently leading the Central and only have a few small moves that I would make.

Starting with the position players, the outfield is completely fine with two ROTY candidates in Brennan Boesch and Austin Jackson in Left and Center, respectively, and Magglio Ordonez, who's had a great bounce-back season from last years poor performance and has done very well in the #3 spot. Johnny Damon has also started to heat up and with him normally playing DH I think all of those spots are fine. Miguel Cabrera is at first and is, in my opinion, the current AL MVP. Alex Avila and Gerald Laird aren't wonders on the offense but their defense more the makes up for it. Carlos Guillen has done well, average wise, since making the move to second base and his numbers are respectable for a number 6 hitter.

The left side of the infield is where the Tigers problems, hitting, happens. 3B Brandon Inge is receding from his all-star season with low power numbers, but his defense always is top notch so he will stay. Shortstop is certainly the weakest position, offensively, for the Tigers. Ramon Santiago and Danny Worth have been splitting time, but both are liabilities. I've read that Stephen Drew of the Arizona Diamondbacks is available and is locked up for more then one year, so the Tigers should go after him. His power numbers aren't great, he only has 4 HR's, but he would be an improvement at shortstop by tenfold. The Diamondbacks would more then likely be looking for players that are almost ready so I wouldn't be afraid to give up Wilkin Ramirez, who's an OF and will never probably get a fair chance in Detroit, and one or two pitching prospects, such as Fu Te Ni and Alfredo Figaro, who have some big league experience.

As for the pitching, the top of the staff, with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Jeremy Bonderman is very solid. Armando Gallaraga hasn't been terrible since his perfect game, but he hasn't been all that great, either. Rick Porcello has spent the past few weeks in the minor leagues but I'm thinking he'll be able to turn it around and pitch like he did last year and be sent up soon, which would be a plus since it would be like adding a new name. If you put Porcello at 4 and Gallaraga at 5 you'd have a back end that, if on their game, will give you a win. How often that is though, is the question.

The bullpen has taken some hits, though, for the Tigers. Joel Zumaya had been having a great season as the set-up man before injuring his elbow, making him out for the season. Zach Miner and Bobby Seay were both out from the start of the season, so that didn't help either. Our closer Jose Valverde has been the best in baseball this season, but other then that who knows. Phil Coke seems to have filled the set-up man role, at least for now, but seems better suited as a left-handed specialist. We're hoping Ryan Perry's time in the minors has straightened him up, as he was having a great start to the season before a few bad outings. Daniel Schlereth and Robbie Weinhardt have both just made their debuts, but their numbers in the minors were quite impressive. Then you have Eddie Bonine and Brad Thomas as the long relief men, who have done an adequate job so far.

So, to wrap it up, while for the short term the bullpen seems fine, the Tigers, aside from Valverde and Coke, probably need some late inning help. A set-up man, most preferrably. Perry could turn it around and be that guy, but atm I don't trust him, so I would try to get someone like Octavio Dotel, who has had experience pitching in the late innings. As long as he's on the market, that is.

Their main priorities should be:
Late Relief Pitcher
Short Stop
#4 or #5 Starter
Catcher

In that order.

 

[The Crock]

I would take over the Minnesota Twins. They're actually in pretty good condition right now, but they have been looking to get a major starting pitcher. Now that Cliff Lee is a Ranger they have much less to choose from, but there is still one viable option... Roy Oswalt. He's a little older so you wouldn't have to give up as much as you would have had to give up for Lee, so you still keep a valuable prospect. So if you pull off this trade you'd have Oswalt coupled with Slowey and that's pretty damn good... And in my eyes makes them a legit threat.

 

[Big Sexy]

Their main priorities should be:
Late Relief Pitcher
Short Stop
#4 or #5 Starter
Catcher

I agree completely with that list, although maybe not in that exact order. With Zumaya out for the rest of this year the Tigers could definitely use another late reliever. As far as starters go Verlander has been the only consistent starter this season although it seems like Scherzer has found his groove and should be good the rest of the season. Galaraga has been fairly consistent as well. He has a struggled a bit recently but not too much. Bonderman is in the same boat as Galaraga. He has struggled recently but should be good in the long run. Porcello is the guy that really concerns me as he has been shit all season. Hopefully the trip to the minors has helped him. I would love for the Tigers to pick up another starter at the trade deadline. A guy like Roy Oswalt would be fantastic.

Short stop is a definite need for the future. Santiago and Worth are solid but Ramon has always been more of a utility guy rather then a full time starter and Worth's best position is second base. He and Scott Sizemore will fight it out in the future for the starting spot there. They should be fine for this season though as pitching needs to be their biggest priority at the deadline.

Catcher is another position that needs to be upgraded in the future. Laird is getting older and just can't hit at all. Avila is still young but I'm not sure he is the starter of the future. The Tigers already took a step in improving the position as they drafted something like 6 catchers in the first 8 rounds of the draft this year. Including Jim Leyland's son in round 8. Hopefully one of those guys will pan out and be our catcher of the future.

 

[The People's Peep]

Most of the teams in this division are just one or two pieces away from either making the playoffs or going deep into the playoffs. One of those teams that isnt close to making the playoffs is the Kansas City Royals. I think I'll take the challenge of trying to turn this once prestigious team around.

To start off, you need one position player and one pitcher to build the team around. Right now, the only position player that could be is Billy Butler. He is only 24 and he is having a very good season for the Royals. You hope that he continues it and blossoms into a good player. As for the pitcher to build around, that answer is easy. Zach Greinke. Not much to say there.

As far as building around them goes, its all about scouting, drafting, and trading. Their budget is not very big, so they need to stock up on draft picks and prospects. I would trade players like David DeJesus, Jose Guillen, even Scott Podsednik. See if I can get some draft picks or good prospects out of teams looking for these players.

Then its all about scouting and the farm system. Use those draft picks wisely. Over the years, it seems that players drafted by the Royals dont pan out as they hope they would. I would focus much of my time on the farm system and hire coaches who can help the young players develop. There are currently some promising prospects currently in the system and adding to those prospects could add up to a bright future for Kansas City.