Arbitration Offers to Lyon, Rodney

According to MLB.com’s Jason Beck (via twitter), the Tigers have extended salary arbitration offers to free agent pitchers Fernando Rodney and Brandon Lyon.  The two players both qualify as type-B free agents, so if either or both turn down the offers and sign elsewhere, the Tigers would recieve a compensatory draft choice.  The players have until December 7 to decide whether or not to remain with the club or to persue other opportunities on the open market.

Unlike Lyon and Rodney, second baseman Placido Polanco was not offered arbitration by the Tigers.  Polanco can now sign with any other club and the Tigers will get nothing in return for the type-A free agent.  Rumors had the Phillies and Twins among several teams interested in the now former Tiger. 

With Detroit ready to hand over the second base job to Scott Sizemore next season, this isn’t a huge surprise.  It seems the team did not want to risk having Polanco accept thier offer and thus tack on an additional $6 million or so to the payroll.  It’s a move that stings a bit for the fans, but a smart baseball move if the Tigers feel Sizemore is ready, and they obviously do.

The Tigers’ remaining free agents, Jarrod Washburn, Aubrey Huff, and Adam Everett did not qualify as either type-A or type-B and were not offered arbitration.  No surprises there.  Everett is drawing interest from Boston, but the Tigers are thought to be interested in bringing him back as well.