Detroit Tigers: Eyebrow-Raising Transactions #20-11

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Jun 21, 2015; Bronx, NY, USA; Detroit Tigers left fielder Yoenis Cespedes (52) singles to center allowing a runner to score during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

20. Yoenis Cespedes. Please sign him again.

Fans are still feeling smug about this trade that happened only after Cespedes was with the Tigers for half of a season. In 2015, he joined the team and he left the team at the trade deadline. He was a perfect addition to the team in field, at the plate, and in the dugout. This trade was so bad that it could have been the last straw that ended Dave Dombrowski’s time in Detroit. This trade garnered two pitching prospects for the Tigers: Michael Fulmer and Luis Cessa.

The trade to get Cespedes was actually a good one and a credit to Dombrowski’s work as a GM. To get Cespedes, the Tigers simply needed to trade away Rick Porcello, who actually had a horrible year in 2015 with the Boston Red Sox.

Rumors are still flying as to whether or not Cespedes will return to the Tigers in 2016.

Next: #19 Pitching 100 MPH Doesn't Make You a Good Pitcher

Jul 1, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Baseball on the pitchers mound before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Oakland Athletics at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

19. Matt Anderson. 100 MPH isn’t everything.

He wasn’t a trade that went bad, but simply a draft pick that stunk. He had a strange way of throwing that eventually ended up destroying his career. He was another one of those guys who could throw 100 mph and his speed wooed the Tigers into giving him a hefty contract. He was the first pick in 1997, and the Tigers put him on the mound in the following year.

He pitched in 245 games and had a career WHIP of 1.524 with the Tigers. His career WAR with the Tigers 0.2, with most of his years in negative numbers. In his disappointing final two seasons with the Tigers he earned $5 million, but pitched in only 35 games. Anderson has even become something of a joke with the rumor that he hurt his arm throwing an octopus for a Detroit Red Wings contest. In actuality, he tore an armpit muscle in practice and never quite recovered.

Next: #18 When the Tigers Trade Players for Nobody

Apr 26, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks left fielder Cody Ross (7) hits a two-RBI single in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

18. Cody Ross. Traded for a nobody.

In 1999, the Tigers drafted Cody Ross and he debuted with the abysmal 2003 squad. They let him go the following season in exchange for a relief pitcher named Steve Colyer who lasted for all of one season. Interestingly, Ross is still in baseball as a free agent after playing a handful of games for the Oakland A’s. While Ross has never made it to an All-Star Game, he is the proud owner of a World Series ring that he earned with the San Francisco Giants in 2010. He was named the NLCS MVP in that same year.

Steve Colyer pitched as a reliever in 2004 with the Tigers. He pitched a total of 32 innings with a 1.781 WHIP. The Tigers traded him to the New York Mets. He then went to the Colorado Rockies and finally the Atlanta Braves where he pitched in 7 games. He has not pitched in the Major Leagues since then.

Next: #17 This Guy Was So Bad the 2003 Team Let Him Go

Jul 21, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; The Grinch during the seventh inning stretch of the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

17. Craig Paquette. Let go by the 2003 Tigers.

What is it with the Detroit Tigers signing free agents well past their time? Craig Paquette was one of those players. He was a below-average player when he played in his prime and he hit rock bottom when the Tigers gave him a two-year contract worth almost $5 million in 2002 and 2003. He played for 11 years and 5 teams, hitting 99 home runs and batting .239. In his tenure with the Tigers, he hit 4 home runs and batted .189/.288/.502.

He was so bad that the 2003 Tigers – yes, the 2003 Tigers – let him go in April of that year. His career WAR was -1.6. This free agent signing certainly earns more than just raised eyebrows, it earns a shaking of the head, too.

Next: #16 Over Before He Was Signed

Jun 13, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Baseball sits on pitchers mound at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

16. Jarrod Washburn. Finished before he got here.

This was another one of those typical Dave Dombrowski trades, where he sent prospects for a player who stunk it up in Detroit. Washburn was a left-handed pitcher who had success in his time with Anaheim Angels and the Seattle Mariners. In 2002 with the Angels, he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting. In 2009 with the Mariners, Washburn had a 2.64 ERA in 20 games. But, during that same year, he pitched in eight games with Detroit with 7.33 ERA. In 2009, Seattle owed Washburn $9.8 million, which the Tigers took over mid-season.

The prospects that Seattle got in exchange for Washburn did not work out too well. Luke French only pitched in 2009 and 2010. Mauricio Robles eventually was sent to the Philadelphia Phillies where he only pitched in three games in 2013. But, as usual, the Tigers lost the most money in the trade.

Next: #15 A Pointless Trade the Tigers Lost

Jul 9, 2014; Denver, CO, USA; Colorado Rockies pitcher Jair Jurrjens (41) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Chris Humphreys-USA TODAY Sports

15. Edgar Renteria and Jair Jurrjens. Just bad.

Dombrowski and his penchant for sending away prospects was highlighted in this trade that did not pay off. For the 2008 season, Edgar Renteria was signed with the hopes that he would be an All-Star shortstop for the Tigers. They gave him $10 million to do this. He did not live up to the expectations, of course. He posted one of his lowest career WARs with 1.1. (In his previous season with the Atlanta Braves he posted a WAR of 4.1). His batting stats were well below his average, .270/.382/.699. He committed 16 errors at shortstop, which earned him the number four spot in the AL.

On the other side of the trade, the Braves received two prospects: Jair Jurrjens and Gorkys Hernandez. Jurrjens went on to finished third in the Rookie of Year voting for 2008. In 2011, he earned a spot on the NL All-Star team. In 2009, he led the AL by starting in 34 games. In his five years with the Braves, he earned about half of what Renteria earned in one year in Detroit. Hernandez spent the majority of his career in the minors, playing everywhere all over the country and in Venezuela. He did play in a few major league games with the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Miami Marlins.

Next: #14 Made You Want to Drink Pepsi

Jun 8, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers relief pitcher Phil Coke (40) runs onto the field in the seventh inning against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

14. Phil Coke. Lots of jokes.

Phil Coke. Why did we need Phil Coke? In a trade that brought Max Scherzer and Austin Jackson to Detroit in exchange for Curtis Granderson to the New York Yankees, Tigers fans are still shaking their heads as to why Phil Coke was included. Of course getting Scherzer was a plus for the team and Jackson eventually turned into David Price. And, Granderson has done well for both the Yankees and the New York Mets. But, Phil Coke?

In his first year with the Tigers, Phil Coke actually performed well. In 2010, he had a 3.76 ERA and a WHIP of 1.438. But, each year, he progressively declined. In his last season with the Tigers (2014), he pitched in 58 innings (all of them without any fans ever exhaling) and earned a 3.88 ERA, with a WHIP of 1.534. In 2012 and 2013, his WHIP numbers were over 1.6. Fans were constantly perplexed as to why he continued to get the one-year contracts with the team. Finally, in 2015, the Chicago Cubs signed him, but they later sent him off to Toronto where he signed a minor league deal.

Next: #13 Use PEDs, Then Get a Raise

Sep 21, 2015; St. Louis, MO, USA; Cincinnati Reds center fielder Jason Bourgeois (30) advances to second on a wild pitch as St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Jhonny Peralta (27) receives the throw during the first inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

13. Jhonny Peralta. PEDs and a raise.

Jhonny Peralta was a shortstop for the Detroit Tigers between 2010 and 2013. During his time he made to two All-Star appearances and was suspended for 50 games for a PED violation in 2013. At the end of that season, the Tigers did not give Peralta a qualifying offer when he became a free agent. The St. Louis Cardinals saw value in Peralta and gave him $15.5 million in 2014. He is signed with the Cardinals through 2017 and will earn a total of $53 million with the team. When he left the Tigers, he earned $6 million.

When the Tigers failed to give him a qualifying offer, they did not receive a draft pick as compensation. They also lost a good shortstop. Of course, Jose Iglesias started playing with the Tigers in 2013 filling in for Peralta while he was suspended. The Tigers figured that Iglesias would fill the position in 2014 for less money than Peralta. What they did not plan on was Iglesias’s fragile body that took him out for all of 2014 and some of 2015. Meanwhile, Peralta has succeeded in St. Louis earning a 14th place spot in the MVP vote in 2014 and another All-Star spot in 2015. His WAR with St. Louis is a 7.5, while Iglesias has career WAR of 3.8.

Next: #12 Not the Tigers Finest Moment

Jun 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; A general view of the field at Comerica Park before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Chicago White Sox. THe game was postpone due to weather. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

12. Ron LeFlore. Should have been a Tiger for life.

Ron LeFlore has one of the most unique routes to baseball. He was a prisoner in the nearby Jackson State Penitentiary when news of his baseball skills made it to the then manager, Billy Martin. LeFlore was given the opportunity to tryout for the team and Martin signed him, which gave LeFlore what he needed to be paroled. He spent some time in the minor leagues before he made his rookie debut with the Tigers in 1974. He played centerfield with style. During his time with the Tigers, ticket sales increased because fans wanted to see him play. He was frequently on the MVP ballot and in 1976, he went to the All-Star game. In 1978, he led the AL in runs scored and stolen bases. He batted .300 in 1979.

Despite his success as a Tiger, he was traded to the Montreal Expos to play right field in 1980. In his one season with the Expos, he stole 97 bases, which is still a record with the Expos/Nationals. He is currently in the 52nd spot in MLB history for stolen bases. The Tigers traded LeFlore in exchange for Dan Schatzeder, who pitched with the team for two seasons. The left-handed pitcher posted a 4.57 ERA and a 1.284 WHIP. He never went to an All-Star Game or topped the league in any statistics. The Tigers traded an unforgettable outfielder and base stealer for a completely forgettable pitcher.

Next: #11 He Should Have Been a Tiger for Life

May 12, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; A detailed view of a baseball glove and bat before the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Minnesota Twins at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

11. Cecil Fielder. He Should Have Retired a Tiger.

Cecil Fielder continues to be a legend in Detroit Tigers lore. In the early 1990s, no one hit the ball harder than Big Daddy. During his tenure in Detroit he made it to three All-Star Games, finished in second place on the MVP ballot twice, and led the league in RBIs for three season in a row. But, in 1996, the Tigers traded him to the New York Yankees in exchange for Ruben Sierra and minor league pitcher Matt Drews. In 1996, the Yankees won the World Series, with the help of Fielder’s 16 hits in the postseason and his .918 OPS in the World Series. This is the man that the Tigers gave up.

Next: Questionable Player Transactions #10-1

The players that were added to the Tigers’ roster were certainly not an even trade for Fielder. Sierra was once a strong player who made several All-Star Game appearances and he appeared on several MVP ballots, too. He also led the league in several statistics, but in the late 80s. At the time of the trade, Sierra was hitting .258 and had 52 RBIs. He played in 46 games with the Tigers batting .222 and hitting one home run. Drews played for the Mud Hens with ERAs over 6.00 in all three seasons. Again, the Tigers lost this deal.

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