Kuzul

Magglio Ordonez is retiring after playing 15 seasons in the major leagues. He was a six-time All-Star during his time with the White Sox and Tigers. He won a batting title, three Silver Sluggers and was the runner-up for the 2007 American League Most Valuable Player award.

But his greatest highlight and his place in history will always be his walk off, ALCS clinching home run that propelled the Tigers into the 2006 World Series. The team that lost 119 games in 2003 made it to the World Series in just three years. And Ordonez’s blast against Oakland‘s Huston Street capped the amazing turn around.

His home run would have been memorable in any era. But in the age of camera phones and YouTube, the home run is not only recorded, but it can be seen from just about every possible angle.

To honor Ordonez’s career and his greatest highlight, let’s take a look at the 10 best amateur videos of one of the most dramatic moments in Tigers history.

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It’s been said that the triple is the most exciting play in baseball. I’d submit to you that the inside-the-park home run trumps that, but there you go.

Let’s give the triple the benefit of the doubt. But if that’s the case, how come no one waxes about the greatest triples in baseball history? I haven’t seen any TV specials about the historic triples of all-time. There aren’t coffee table books celebrating the triple.

The home run is still the Cadillac of baseball hits.

That’s what Ralph Kiner called the four-bagger—sort of.

Kiner, the Hall of Fame slugger of the Pittsburgh Pirates, once said that “Singles hitters drive Fords. Home run hitters drive Cadillacs.”

The Tigers have had their share of Cadillac drivers, as has any big league franchise.

From Greenberg to Kaline to Cash to Colavito to Fielder to Cabrera, the Tigers all-time roster is liberally sprinkled with Cadillac drivers.

There have been two home runs—two moon shots into the Detroit night, one into right field, one into left—that still have people around these parts talking. And they won’t ever stop talking about them.

The first occurred in 1984, in Game 5 of the World Series. You know the one.

It was the bomb that Kirk Gibson detonated against Goose Gossage, the home run that put the exclamation point on the Tigers’ first World Series championship in 16 years.

Gibson’s blast into the right field upper deck made Motown dance in the streets again, even if they had to avoid the burning police cars to do so.

The second happened five years ago, and the artisan has been reminding us too frequently this season how long five years can be in baseball time.

It was the rocket launched deep into the left field seats by Magglio Ordonez that won Game 4 of the 2006 American League Championship Series, sending the Tigers to the World Series for the first time in 22 years.

Ordonez’s blast off Oakland’s Huston Street didn’t win the World Series, but it was captured by so many cell phone cameras at Comerica Park, that if you search for it on YouTube, you’d think it was a World Series winner.

Ordonez, with one lightning fast upper cut swing, also sent Detroit into a tizzy—sans burning police cars.

I challenge you to come up with any home runs in Tigers’ history that resonate deeper than those of Kirk Gibson and Magglio Ordonez.

Gibson, today, is showing his tender skills as a manager, leading the previously sad sack Arizona Diamondbacks toward the NL West title.

It would be criminal if Gibby doesn’t win the NL Manager of the Year Award, for what he’s done in Arizona.

A mere 12 months ago, Gibson was the Diamondbacks’ interim manager—and that’s usually a nice, official way of saying he was the seat warmer for the next, “real” manager.

I’m wrong so often that I feel compelled to tell you when I’m right.

Shortly after Gibson became the interim skipper after the firing of the woefully ineffective A.J. Hinch, I wrote that the situation was awful in Arizona—a roster bereft of talent, a dysfunctional front office—but that Gibson would make the best of it anyway.

I warned not to bet against him.

After the Diamondbacks players appeared to respond positively to Gibson’s restless poking and prodding, management rewarded him by ripping the interim stripe from his uniform.

A quick look at the standings today shows that the Diamondbacks are threatening to run away with their division. The defending World Series Champion San Francisco Giants are in second place and are gagging on the Arizona dust.

Kirk Gibson might, just might, find himself in some rarefied air—that of the former World Series champion player who turns World Series manager.

Not too many have pulled that off.

Again, don’t bet against him.

The other iconic Tigers home run slugger, Ordonez, is driving a sputtering Cadillac these days.

Some days it runs smooth, but most days it looks like it’s seen better days, which it has.

Ordonez is 37 years old and for most of the season he’s looked every minute of 37.

At times, it has been painful to watch Ordonez play. The baseball hasn’t been exploding from his bat as it has in the past. More like the balls been fired from a popgun.

Time was when an Ordonez swing was breathtaking. Whip fast, Magglio swung in that delectably smooth upper cut manner that sent baseballs into the deepest alleys of Comerica Park, and into the seats. It all looked so effortless.

Too often this season, Magglio swings and the ball dribbles off his bat and he’s thrown out by five steps.

It’s as if Ordonez’s AC cable has been pulled and he’s operating on battery power now and that battery is nearing the end of its charge.

Still, he occasionally shows us a glimpse of yesteryear.

Ordonez had three hits—two doubles and a home run—in Thursday’s 11-8 loss to the Royals at Comerica Park. The three hits were power shots off Ordonez’s bat, just like he used to do. The home run was vintage Ordonez, complete with the quick upper cut swing.

The batting average is still mediocre, in the .230s. But this week Ordonez has come up with some big hits, not the least of which was a single through the box in the eighth inning Tuesday that tied the game—a game the Tigers won in the ninth inning on a Ramon Santiago walk-off home run.

That’s funny. That’s backwards.

Shouldn’t it have been a Santiago single to tie and an Ordonez homer to win?

Sure—any year but this year.

When he was 37 in 1994, Kirk Gibson was in the midst of his second tour with the Tigers. He had come home in 1993 after six years away from Detroit. He had become a has-been—a journeyman with failures in Kansas City and Pittsburgh on his resume.

The return to the Tigers seemed to breathe new life into Gibson. He had two solid seasons and was in the middle of a third. In 1995, he abruptly retired after seeing the team’s wheels start to come off. Not wanting to be a part of colossal losing, Gibson quit.

Gibson’s instincts were right on the money; the Tigers lost 109 games the next season. Those instincts are serving him well in his second career.

Ordonez’s 37 hasn’t been anything like Gibson’s 37. In many ways, Ordonez has resembled the Tigers team that Gibson abandoned as a player in 1995.

But the Tigers appear to be on their way to the playoffs, and when you get there you can never have too many guys who’ve fought those battles in the past.

Who knows? The Tigers might face Gibson’s Diamondbacks in the World Series. And the press will have a field day.

Meanwhile, Magglio Ordonez is 37, creaky and not the player he once was. Yet this week’s offensive display has me thinking Gibson-tinged thoughts.

Don’t bet against him.

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The Detroit Tigers begin the 2011 season with the goal to win a championship. However, if they want to be able to claim their first World Series title since 1984, they have some work to do.

For most of the past five years, the team has started strong out of the gate and faded down the stretch, the lone exception being in 2008, when the team became the MLB’s version of Murphy’s Law. This trend of second-half collapses was glaringly obvious this past year, when the Tigers went 7-21 from July 16 to August 13, dropping them from a half-game off the AL Central lead to 10.5 games back and an eventual third place finish at 81-81.

The Tigers generally don’t make big free-agent deals, but they have brought in Victor Martinez and Joaquin Benoit in efforts to shore up the C/DH and relief pitching, respectively. Brad Penny has also signed with the team as a starting pitcher.

Position battles may not be the big story of the spring, as most of the positions will likely keep the incumbent starter, but there is always the chance for someone to step up.

Offensively, the lineup will probably not receive much of an overhaul, at least early on. My Opening Day lineup for the team as of right now is as follows:

1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Carlos Guillen, 2B
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Jhonny Peralta, SS
6. Ryan Raburn, LF
7. Victor Martinez, DH
8. Brandon Inge, 3B
9. Alex Avila, C

Peralta and Raburn may rotate between the five and six spot, and they may even move into the two spot at times, if production starts to slip, or if they merit the move.

Defensively, most of the positions are set, barring injuries. Miguel Cabrera has found a home at first base, whereas Carlos Guillen may have trouble holding on at second, if Scott Sizemore shows signs of improvement. Shortstop and third base will feature Peralta and Inge, though Inge’s bat still leaves something to be desired. The outfield will be interesting to watch, as Ryan Raburn and Brennan Boesch may split time, or perhaps one may shift to right to give Ordonez an occasional day off. Austin Jackson did well in center field last year as a rookie and should improve with time.

The starting rotation will likely contain Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello, Brad Penny and Phil Coke. Barring a new signing, this will likely be the rotation on Opening Day. Joaquin Benoit and Joel Zumaya are the likely setup men coming out of the bullpen, at least if Joel can stay healthy, and Jose Valverde will reprise his role as the closer.

Of course, injuries were a big story last year, so the important thing will be to try and stay healthy, especially down the stretch. The season is a long one, and while injuries are unavoidable, smart play and smart coaching can minimize their impact. I believe the Tigers have the talent to compete and win the division, but time will tell for sure.

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I am going to have to admit, I am really sour on the Detroit Tigers’ offseason so far. This team had almost $70 million come off the books after the 2010 season and the best they have done so far is sign Victor Martinez, overspend on a middle reliever, and re-sign a bunch of aging free agents.

Perhaps my expectations for what the Tigers were going to do was too high. I thought the Tigers were going to make some major splashes. VMart was a good signing, but I thought they were eventually going to pair him with someone like Jayson Werth or Carl Crawford.

The Tigers didn’t sign any other major free agents, but instead filled out their roster with guys like Magglio Ordonez. The Tigers re-signed Ordonez to a one-year, $10 million contract on Thursday.

Ordonez will be back for his seventh season in Detroit and if his ankle is healthy, then the Tigers know what they are going to get out of Ordonez at this point. For those of you who don’t remember, Ordonez fractured his ankle back in July.

Ordonez is a guy who will bat around .300 with 10 to 15 home runs and have around an .830 OPS. Certainly not bad for someone who will be turning 37 next year and certainly not bad for $10 million. Between those offensive numbers and his average defense in right, he should be able to produce more than the $10 million he is going to make in 2011.

With Ordonez back in the fold, the Tigers lineup might look something like this on Opening Day:

1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Will Rhymes, 2B
3. Victor Martinez, DH
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Magglio Ordonez, RF
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS
7. Brennan Boesch, LF
8. Brandon Inge, 3B
9. Alex Avila, C

It’s not a bad lineup,  but it’s not that great either. On the days when Martinez is behind the plate, Carlos Guillen should be the DH for Jim Leyland’s club.

I just look at this lineup and besides Martinez and Cabrera, nobody really scares me. Besides those two, everyone can be pitched to and unless Boesch reverts back to his first half of 2010 form, there are a lot of automatic outs in this lineup.

Unless the Tigers make a surprise move towards the end of the offseason, I see them as a third place team in the American League Central. I still don’t think they are better than the Minnesota Twins or Chicago White Sox.

You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg

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A baseball source close to ESPN has confirmed that Magglio Ordonez and the Detroit Tigers have reached an agreement to a one-year, $10 million contract.  

Back in October, Detroit declined Ordonez’s $15 million option, but the team stated that they would want Magglio to return if he successfully recovered from a season-ending ankle injury that occurred in July of last year.

Earlier this offseason, the Tigers spent $66.5 million to sign catcher Victor Martinez and relief pitcher Joaquin Benoit.  Infielders Brandon Inge and Jhonny Peralta have also re-signed with Detroit, making this offseason quite successful so far.  

In 84 games last season, Magglio Ordonez hit .303 with 12 home runs, 59 RBIs, and 56 runs scored.  Throughout his 13-year MLB career, Ordonez has recorded 2,072 hits, 289 home runs, 1,204 RBIs, 92 stolen bases, and a batting average of .312.

It is expected for Magglio Ordonez to return to right field in the 2011 season for the Detroit Tigers. Ordonez’s agent, Scott Boras, told The Detroit News, “Magglio is very loyal to Mike Ilitch(Tigers owner) and very happy to be coming back to Detroit.  All parties came together to make this happen.”  

Boras could not reveal if Ordonez received multiple-year offers from other organizations, but he did confirm that there was some increased interest by other teams which were offering more money than Detroit.

With some extremely valuable and talented free agents still remaining, the Tigers may continue searching for more weapons to add to their already impressive roster.

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One of the orchestrators of the biggest deal of both the 2007 and 2009 winter meetings, many were shocked not to hear from Dave Dombrowski and the Detroit Tigers at the meetings this past week.

The reason they were quiet is simple: even with spring training more than two months away, they’ve already accomplished quite a bit thus far this offseason. Brandon Inge and Jhonny Peralta were brought back to secure the left side of the infield, and Joaquin Benoit was signed to set up for Jose Valverde (albeit at an absurd price tag).

Undoubtedly though, the prize of the team’s offseason thus far is Victor Martinez. A lifetime .300 hitter and four-time All-Star, Martinez should be a major upgrade over both Johnny Damon (who got on base but hit for virtually no power) in the DH spot, and Gerald Laird (who brought literally nothing to the table offensively) as the backup catcher.

It’s been a productive offseason so far for Dombrowski and the Tigers. Does that mean they’re done for the winter? Not if they expect to improve on their third-place finish from 2010.

If the Tigers are going to win the AL Central next season, they still need a right fielder who can hit in the middle of the order and a quality starting pitcher.

As far as right field goes, the solution is right in front of Dombrowski’s eyes. Finding another starter is far more complicated.

As a proven RBI guy who can burn opposing teams for pitching around Cabrera and a switch-hitter who can balance the lineup, it makes the most sense for Victor Martinez to hit fifth in Detroit’s order. As such, they still need an all-around hitter who can hit third. Looking at the team’s depth chart, it makes the most sense for that player to be a right fielder.

Some writers and fans have wondered if the team will forgo adding another outfielder, and give the job to Brennan Boesch or Casper Wells. If this happens, I’m going to automatically pencil the Tigers in for another third-place finish in 2011.

Call me harsh but it’s my belief that Boesch was so awful after the All-Star break (.163 AVG, two HR, .459 OPS in 221 AB), there’s no way he should even be in the conversation as far as right field is concerned. Growing pains are one thing; looking absolutely hopeless at the plate for nearly three months is something else.

Nothing in Boesch’s minor-league track record (.753 OPS in 453 minor league games) suggests he can be counted on to regain his pre-All-Star break form next season and maintain it over the course of a full season. All things considered, I think it’s far more likely the first half of Boesch’s 2010 was the fluke, not the second half. The Tigers are in serious trouble if they’re expecting him to be their everyday right fielder in 2011.

I’m a far bigger fan of Wells, and I think he should be ready to at least be the team’s fourth outfielder. He impressed in limited playing time in 2010 and unlike Boesch, is an asset in the field and capable of playing all three outfield spots. There’s a lot to like about his game.

Bottom line: While a better option than Boesch, Wells is an unproven commodity. The Tigers lineup is already littered with question marks. How much will Austin Jackson regress? Will Alex Avila keep making strides? Is Scott Sizemore or Will Rhymes a viable Major League second baseman? What, if anything, can be expected of Carlos Guillen?

As of right now, aside from Boesch and Wells, the Tigers’ best options to accompany Cabrera and Martinez in the 3-4-5 hole are Guillen (who hasn’t played a full season since 2007) and Ryan Raburn (who would be best utilized hitting either second or sixth in the order).

The Tigers are counting on enough young players as is. They cannot entrust both right field and a spot in the middle of the order to two players with fewer than 600 career AB between them.

Fortunately, the solution here couldn’t be more obvious: re-sign Magglio Ordonez.

After the Martinez signing, some wondered if the Tigers still had room for Ordonez. Not only do they still have room for him, they need him.

It’s really a shame his 2010 season was cut short by an ankle fracture, because it really looked as though Ordonez had rediscovered his 2006-2008 form after a rough season in 2009. In 323 AB, Ordonez posted a .303/.378/.474 batting line with 12 HR and 59 RBI.

When he, Cabrera and Boesch were producing this summer, the Tigers looked like legitimate contenders in the AL Central. With Martinez taking the place of Boesch, the Tigers could post a very potent middle of the order in 2011 if Ordonez is retained.

A great pure hitter with decent power who doesn’t strike out often, Ordonez is a prototypical No. 3 hitter. Making the match even more logical is that Ordonez himself has stated his first choice is to stay in Detroit, and it’s easy to see why. He’s comfortable there, the fans adore him and four fellow Venezuelans (Cabrera, Martinez, Guillen, Armando Galarraga) are on the team’s roster.

The biggest roadblock to a reunion between the Tigers and Ordonez is his agent, Scott Boras. Quick negotiations are hardly Boras’ cup of tea, and it is said he is seeking at least a two-year, $20M contract for Ordonez.

If Boras is expecting much more than that, he’s delusional. Two years at $20M might be too much given Ordonez’ recent ankle injury and the fact that he turns 37 in less than a month. On the other hand, perhaps the two-year demand is a good thing for the Tigers; other teams less familiar with Ordonez might be more hesitant to offer a second year.

Bottom line: The Tigers can’t afford to split hairs as far as salary goes. Even if they signed Ordonez at an annual rate of $10M, the 2011 Opening Day payroll would still fall short of $100M.

A reunion between Ordonez and the Tigers is too good a fit for all sides to not eventually happen. No team needs him more than Detroit and as such, no team should be more willing to give him what he wants salary-wise. In the end, I do eventually see him re-signing with the Tigers for something in the neighborhood of two years and $20M.

Assuming Ordonez is re-signed, I don’t expect the Tigers to have much trouble scoring runs next year.

Preventing runs? That’s another story.

I could be in the minority on this but I believe that after right field, the team’s most pressing need is a quality mid-rotation starter.

In Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer, the Tigers have a dynamite one-two punch, the best in the AL Central I’d argue. Some have argued they have the best front three in the division, which I think is ludicrous.

Why the difference in opinion? The answer is the amount of faith I have in Rick Porcello.

While I shake my head and laugh at those foolish enough to think the Tigers ruined him in bringing him to the majors so soon, I’m taking an “I’ll believe it when I see it” approach with Porcello. Others are convinced he’ll improve in 2011. He struggled too mightily in 2010 (4.92 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, .288 BAA) for me to assume as much.

Even if Porcello gets back to his 2009 form, when he was the team’s third starter and they nearly won the division, uncertainty still surrounds the back end of the team’s rotation.

I think moving Phil Coke (he of one major-league start) from the bullpen (where he was very solid in 2010) to the rotation and expecting him to be the fourth starter is, as far as competing in 2011 goes, incredibly risky.

If Dombrowski and Jim Leyland have seen enough to believe said transition will be smooth and Coke will be a dependable starter, fine. I as a fan have no choice but to take an “I’ll believe it when I see it” approach here as well. Coke has good stuff and mound presence but without a track record as a major-league starter, I just cannot assume that will equal success.

As for the fifth spot in the rotation, the Tigers are content to allow Armando Galarraga and Andy Oliver to duke it out for that spot, which I have no problem with. As a Tiger fan, I’d simply feel a lot more comfortable if Coke was a part of that competition, rather than being given a spot outright.

While I’m not comfortable with what the Tigers have in the rotation beyond the top two, I understand the Tigers’ desire to solve this dilemma from within. There is no clear answer to this problem either on the free-agent market or the trade market.

Before you ask, Cliff Lee is not an option, as Dombrowski has said. He is a risk they cannot afford to take. The only justification for giving a pitcher a contract that pays him over $20M in his late 30s is if you win a World Series. I’m not comfortable tying the success of an $140-160M contract to whether or not the team wins a World Series.

Furthermore, the Tigers don’t need Cliff Lee. They already have an ace (Verlander), another pitcher who has all the makings of one (Scherzer), and yet another pitcher described as having ace-potential who is still young enough to fulfill that potential (Porcello).

I’m not too keen on giving Carl Pavano a three-year contract and forking over a draft pick to the Twins (something that has second-guessing written all over it) either. After Lee and Pavano, the free-agent market thins out pretty quickly as far as dependable starters go. The two pitchers I thought were the best fit for the Tigers prior to the offseason, Ted Lilly and Jorge De La Rosa, are off the market.

Even given that the Royals have said they will not trade Zack Greinke within the AL Central, the trade market offers some intriguing possibilities, none more so than Tampa Bay‘s Matt Garza. The Tigers got a first-hand look at his ability back in July when he no-hit them. With a front three of Verlander, Garza and Scherzer, it would be hard not to like the Tigers’ chances going into 2011.

The drawback is what it would take to acquire him, as the Rays need relievers and would be in a position to require Ryan Perry or Daniel Schlereth as part of the return package. The Tigers would fill a spot in the rotation, but simply create another hole in the bullpen.

Florida‘s Ricky Nolasco is another option, as he is due a raise through arbitration and the Marlins seldom hesitate to move a player when he’s about to get more expensive. He wouldn’t come cheap either though, and many believe he and the Marlins will eventually come to an agreement on a new contract.

In a perfect world, the Tigers would add a pitcher who profiles at least as a No. 3 starter. Finding a pitcher of that caliber might just be so hard that they’ll have to count on Rick Porcello to step up. That said, even if it’s not a headline-grabbing move, they must at least add a pitcher who can compete with Galarraga and Oliver for a spot in the rotation.

The only pitcher the Tigers have been linked to thus far this offseason, Chicago’s Tom Gorzelanny, fits that bill. A 28-year-old lefty who’s had some success with the Pirates and Cubs, Gorzelanny wouldn’t be a sexy pick, but Dombrowski could certainly do worse. In the event that Coke and Galarraga locked down spots in the rotation, he could be moved to a long relief role (a role suddenly vacated with Eddie Bonine and Zach Miner both gone).

Bottom line: The Tigers seriously lack rotation depth at the moment. Whether they trade for Gorzelanny, someone else or sign a free agent, it’s an issue that must be addressed by Opening Day.

There is a sense among Tigers fans that after a few disappointing seasons, things may finally come together in 2011 and the team can win its first division title since 1987. That hope is not unfounded; there are many reasons to feel good about the team heading into next season.

For that hope to be realized though, the Tigers still must add a right fielder who can hit in the middle of the order and a starter who at least improves the club’s pitching depth. Whereas bringing back Magglio Ordonez is the obvious answer in right field, there is no clear-cut solution to the rotation issue.

Dave Dombrowski still has plenty of time to figure it all out. With a couple shrewd moves, 2011 might just be a special year in Motown.

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The winter meetings have seen a lot of action so far.

Carl Crawford signed with the Boston Red Sox yesterday for seven years and 142 million dollars. This was in the wake of the huge contract given to Jayson Werth a week earlier from the Washington Nationals.

After the top two hitters on the market have signed, the remaining players have a starting point in negotiations and there are still plenty of quality hitters remaining for teams looking to fill out their lineups.

Here are the top 20 hitters remaining.

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As soon as GM Theo Epstein & Company completed the trade to acquire Adrian Gonzalez, and long before they boarded a plane for Florida to attend the MLB Winter Meetings, their collective attention immediately turned to other priorities. What is next on the agenda?

Epstein has made it clear the club has a couple of needs that need to be addressed this week: a pair of relievers and a right-handed bat.

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Fresh off acquiring Adrian Gonzalez from the San Diego Padres for three prospects and a player to be named later, the Boston Red Sox are considering acquiring one of several slugging outfielders, including former Tiger Magglio Ordonez and current Met Carlos Beltran.

According to multiple reports headlined by ESPN’s Adam Rubin, Boston is kicking the tires on trading for New York’s slugging superstar center fielder just days after including his young cousin, Reymond Fuentes, in the deal for Gonzalez.

The Mets reportedly have opened the door on Beltran, who is coming off an injury-diminished season in 2010 and is fast approaching free agency in 2011.

A career .282 hitter with an .853 OPS and a plus rating as a defender, Beltran hit just .255 and posted his lowest ever UZR/150 (-8.6) in 2010. At the moment, Beltran may be a buy-low candidate, but the Mets may also be reluctant to deal him before the season begins. If he can re-establish some value in the first half, the Mets might turn Beltran for a bigger haul near the trade deadline.

That said, Boston apparently considers the 33-year-old Beltran a fallback option should they fail in their pursuit of other available outfielders, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

The primary bat Boston is discussing rests in the hands of former Detroit Tiger Magglio Ordonez.

Ordonez, who turns 37 in January, hit .303 with an .852 OPS in just 84 games on the 2010 campaign. Not nearly the defender Beltran has long been, Ordonez represents an excellent option against lefthanders in a lineup frought with lefty bats. The right-handed Ordonez knocked southpaws around at a .371 clip in 2010. What’s more, Ordonez posted an 1.171 OPS against lefties last year and owns a .967 career mark in that same category.

As such, Ordonez represents the best possible option for the lefty-heavy Sox should they be able to sign him to a short-term deal.

For breaking Red Sox news updates, follow Peter on Twitter at BoSoxUpdate.

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The Detroit Tigers have already made a big splash in the 2010 offseason. Victor Martinez and Joaquin Benoit were key signings for Detroit. 

Detroit has said it would like to have a lower payroll than it had in 2010. After adding $29 million in new contracts (Brandon Inge, Jhonny Peralta, Martinez and Benoit), Detroit still has room to add another contract or two and still remain under the $60 million it dropped.

As it stands right now, Ryan Raburn is being viewed as the everyday left fielder, which eliminates Carl Crawford from coming to Motown. Dave Dombrowski said this week the only opening currently was in right field.

The right field opening brings up two predominant names: Jayson Werth and Magglio Ordonez.

Tigers fans are familiar with what Magglio brings to the table. Ordonez was having a resurgent year before his ankle injury prematurely ended his season. Werth has been a late bloomer but has rounded into a solid outfield power bat. 

I believe the Tigers should try to add Werth. Last season Werth batted .296 with 27 home runs and 46 doubles. He’s a career .272 hitter, but I would guess he’ll end up in the mid .280s for the duration of his next contract. If he plays in Detroit, I would expect him to hit 40-50 doubles and 20-25 home runs while driving in 90-100 runs. 

Magglio, who is a career .312 hitter, would provide leadership as well as some pop and at a much cheaper price. Maggs was on pace to hit 16 home runs and have over 100 RBI. The biggest question Ordonez faces is the health of his ankle. If he is 100 percent healthy, he will be a nice addition to whichever team signs him. 

One of the side effects of a possible Werth signing would be the availability of Brennan Boesch, Casper Wells and Clete Thomas as trade bait, which could land the Tigers another reliever or starter, draft picks or minor league talent.

There is a possibility Tigers owner Mike Ilitch will push Dombrowski to throw a boatload of money at Carl Crawford. While that is not a likely scenario, it would push Raburn to right field and would give the Tigers one of baseball’s best defensive outfields and a very, very strong top of the lineup. 

If Werth or Crawford is signed, the Tigers would have their outfield pretty well set for the next five to seven years.

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