Freep: Inge close to extension
posted in Random, link roundup |Update: Done deal.
Given the nuttiness of the free agent market, the look of the minors and Inge’s ability to make some great plays at third, this sounds like a good deal to me. Looks like he’s being paid about right, and I am a big Inge fan since he’s been around forever.
Update 2: Bilfer talks about the fielding stats.
Morosi also reports the Tigers also signed lefty center fielder Brandon Watson to a minor league deal. Watson started in the middle for the Washington Nationals on opening day in 2006, but quickly ended up back in the minors. He had some hype and I actually had him at the end of the bench in my fantasy keeper league, I’ll admit, but he quickly ended up gone.
First Inning’s scouting of him: Watson has no power and mediocre plate discipline. However, he’s fast enough to get on base and serve as a backup outfielder in the major leagues. FIPro suggests he will be a .290/.340/.370 type of hitter at the major league level. That’s not bad for a backup outfielder, but as soon as he loses a step he won’t be able to get on base and he will have almost no value on a major league team. His future could resemble the careers of Endy Chavez or Alex Sanchez.
In other news, Baseball Prospectus (sub req) found Detroit to have have the second-best outfield arms in baseball, statistically. They used the ability to prevent runs on second from scoring on a single as their measurement device. League average was 60% of runners scored. Detroit’s outfield of Curtis Granderson, Craig Monroe and Magglio Ordonez allowed 47.7%.
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