Detroit Tigers: Eyebrow-Raising Transactions #10-1

8. Juan Gonzalez

In a three-for-six deal, the Tigers made an odd mistake with “future Hall of Famer” Juan Gonzalez. Yes, the Tigers traded six players for three. They sent three pitchers, an outfielder, a catcher, and an infielder in exchange for Gonzalez, a catcher, and relief pitcher. In the long run, the Tigers and the Rangers ended up with a relatively equal trade because Gonzalez did not pan out to be the player the Tigers expected him to be.

One of the pitchers, Francisco Cordero ended up in two All-Star Games after leaving the Tigers. Gabe Kapler played for several more years and improved his batting average after leaving Detroit. Gonzalez only stayed in Detroit for one season, playing in 115 games in 2000. He did hit 22 home runs, but after leaving the Tigers, he hit 35 home runs for the Cleveland Indians. He did draw fans into the newly opened Comerica Park, but he certainly did not live up to the expectations of the Detroit front office.

Next: Trading an Average Player for a Subpar Player