Gullien vs. Wilson: A Fair Move?
Does it Make Sense for Detroit to Acquire Pirates SS?
The Detroit Tigers are close to bringing Pittsburgh shortstop Jack Wilson to the Motor City. This would move Carlos Guillen to first base. Good move for Detroit or not?
Lately, the Detroit Tigers have been slumping. And the second-guessing on the team's lack of deadline moves is mounting.
But with so few impact names out there, is there anything Detroit could've done? Probably not. Getting Eric Gagne or Octavio Dotel would've been a great coup to solidify a struggling bullpen. Detroit's strength last year was its pitching as the team posted a 3.85 ERA and limited opponents to a .257 batting average. This year, the pitching staff is showing a 4.55 ERA and a .270 opponents' batting average.
Last season, Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya lifted Detroit's bullpen and made many contests much shorter. This year, both of those pitchers have been injured and the bullpen has not been nearly as effective. Certainly, Rodney and Zumaya must be close to returning if General Manager Dave Dombrowski decided to stand pat at the non-waiver deadline.
It also appears Detroit is in talks with the Pittsburgh Pirates to acquire shortstop Jack Wilson. The deal would send two of the Tigers' top prospects to the Pirates for the former All-Star. For the Pirates, this is a wonderful move: Pittsburgh clears a large salary and receives young talent in return. If Pittsburgh is serious about changing its direction, it will have to follow the mid-market formula of mixing young talent with a few expensive imports. This trade could help the Pirates a lot, depending on the two players they get.
However, this deal makes little sense for Detroit. Wilson is a solid defensive player, regularly turning in highlight-reel plays. He's solid in the field, but asidie from his All-Star season of 2004, when Wilson posted career-bests in nearly every offensive category, he's a mediocre to poor offensive player. For his career, Wilson is a .265 hitter with a .307 on-base percentage.
The plan, apparently, is to use Wilson at shortstop and shift Carlos Guillen to first base. While Wilson would certainly be a good improvement in the field over Guillen due to Carlos' advanced age (32 in September, Wilson will turn 30 in December) and history of injuries. But if Guillen moves to first base, his offensive numbers (currently batting .310 with 14 home runs and 74 runs batted in) go from above average to average simply because of the position he will play and its offensive expectations.
By adding Wilson at shortstop and shifting Guillen to first, the Tigers might gain a little defensively, but they'll be adding an anemic bat to their lineup. The trade will be defended as a defense-first move designed to prolong Guillen's career. Carlos is one of the more popular Tigers, and a leader on the field. If Wilson cannot handle the pressure of playing for a winner and replacing one of Motown's best, this could be a rare miss on Dombrowski's trade record.
