Detroit Tigers: Old Friends in the Hot Stove Rumors

As the Winter Meetings progress, social media and blogs are full of posts about many of the Detroit Tigers’ old friends. These include former players who were traded by the Tigers and those who ventured into free agency a few weeks ago. Here are a few names that popped up during the Winter Meetings:

Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

Joe Nathan: He’s been wandering around Nashville, connecting with old friends like Brad Ausmus and Detroit media representatives. Many claim that he is looking well and should be ready to pitch by June or July. He is reestablishing connections with the teams that actually liked him, like the Minnesota Twins and Texas Rangers. Coming back from a second Tommy John surgery at age 41 is a challenge that some other team can tackle.

Rajai Davis: The Cleveland Indians appear to be courting the speedy outfielder. They must have liked what they saw in the several meetings between the AL Central rivals. The deal is expected to be for one year, with an option for a second year. At the point of publishing, this deal has not become official.

Prince Fielder: This is by far the most interesting rumor of the day and the most surprising. Earlier in the day, the rumor was out that the Rangers were shopping Fielder. This perked the ears of dedicated Tigers fans who would love to resign him for $0, simply because the team is still paying not to be in Detroit. About as quickly as the rumor was out, the Rangers announced that they were not shopping him. That little bit of gossip was fun to play around with for a few minutes.

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Yoenis Cespedes: Yesterday, the rumor was that he was talking to the Tigers about a possible return. Today, that rumor was squelched. Wherever he goes, the team will have to fork over a large contract. Some teams that could use his services in left field include the Tigers as well as the Kansas City Royals (who could resign Alex Gordon), New York Mets, and the Los Angeles Angels. Imagine a Trout-Cespedes outfield. Wow.