i disagree that it’s “highly unlikely” that the Tigers will offer Renteria arbitration. I’d be very surprised if they don’t.
They still have an opening at short and I’m sure Renteria would prefer to sign elsewhere for two main reasons:
1) the Tigers have made it clear they don’t want him back. And he’s a guy with options.
2) He’ll get more than one year elsewhere.

Let’s think this through. It will be a good exercise. Maybe even a debate.

The Tigers had a $11-million option for 2009 on Renteria and they paid $3 million to get out of it. Now, you’re arguing that they will come back and offer him arbitration. Renteria made $10 million last year, and that will be the starting place for his arbitration hearing. Say he gets $11 million (he could get $12 million or $13 million, according to some people I’ve talked with).

That would mean Detroit would pay $14 million for a player they could have had at $11 million with a simple, “Yep, we’ll take that option, thanks.”

It would be an expensive gamble to take by Detroit, even if the payoff is a draft pick. And it would be tough for Renteria to ignore the guaranteed money arbitration brings.

dg
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Thanks for the update, DG. Although I’d rather see the Cards acquire Escobar, it’s good to know the Cards have a good relationship with Edgar’s agent.

I can’t help that think that it may be better for the Cards if there is not a fall back option.
Might it not be best to force the team to go younger via a trade in the long run?
You know be aggressive.

It amazes me how some people talk down Edgar Renteria. They talk of his slipping defense. Where’s the proof?

They talk of his percieved lack of production…let’s not forget he hit .332 only 1 year ago and even though he had a bad year this year..it was much better than our SS numbers.

SIGN EDGAR RENTERIA. Who will argue he couldnt hit .280/.340 with 10 hr and 65 rbis in the NL central?

Signing Renteria to $9 Million a year would be a big mistake. The Cardinals would never do that considering what they have paid players in the past for SS and 2B. This could be another Jim Edmonds deal if they pay more than $4 million a year for him.

Cards will never give Edgar $9 million per year, that’s more than they offered him 4 years ago when he was still in his prime. If they can get him for about $5 million per year x 2 years they’ll do it…otherwise they’ll go with a cheaper option.

Renteria would be a great fit at the right price. If it is similar to the Edmonds contract of a couple years ago then I would pull the trigger. He would be reunited with Pujols, Molina, and LaRussa which would make for an ideal environoment. Edgar is 33 and has an outside shot of getting 3000 career hits if he plays another 5 years and averages 165 hits per season. That would put him around 2900 and in elite company. Derrick, good stuff as always.

DG,

On the Renteria option and arbitration, you mentioned that $10m was his base last year and that would be the starting point for 2009’s arbit. process. You then projected a possible $11 or $12. Arbitration implies a process by which E.R. is benchmarked to other performances and salaries. Since he didn’t have a terrific year could the process result in an $8 or $7m? In other words, is there any rule that says it only escalates?

I loved Edgar when he was here, but you can’t turn back the clock to get him to sign in 2005.

Brian White, you asked where the proof is that his defense is slipping, his last 5 years from The Hardball Times:

Year, FP, RZR, OOZ
2004, .983, .834, 61
2005, .954, .802, 63
2006, .978, .840, 55
2007, .977, .815, 49
2008, .972, .800, 42

He had an horrible year in Boston, but even then his OOZ plays were high. When you see that kind of drop-off in OOZ plays, it is obvious that his range is declining quickly. While I was pleasantly surprised with Troy Glaus this year, it doesn’t seem like a good formula to put two aging defensive players with limited range on that side of the infield. We’re not sure that his offense was entirely a product of the NL/AL splits, and $9M/year is too large of a gamble to take on him.