Does Magglio Ordonez Have Anything Left?
When the Cardinals shop around for more power from the right side of the plate, would Tigers outfielder Magglio Ordonez be worth a look?
He will make $18 million next season if he starts 69 more games or makes 215 more plate appearances. When Tigers manager Jim Leyland benched Ordonez recently, agent Scott Boras lodged a preemptive protest with Motown scribes.
“I admit to you that Magglio had a rough April,” Boras said, according to the Booth Newspapers. “But if you want to talk about why his production is down in 2009, it’s about one thing and one thing only: His home runs are down by seven. I submit to you that’s not compelling information for declaring failure.”
In 2007, Ordonez batted .363 with 54 doubles, 28 homers and 139 RBI. Those numbers dipped to .317, 32, 21 and 103 last year.
This season Ordonez has just nine doubles and two homers in 216 at bats. Given that sharp decline, the Tigers would have to at least consider getting out from under some of that remaining contract.
Remember, this franchise paid Gary Sheffield more than $13 million to go away back in the spring. And this franchise is saddled with big contracts with Jermemy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis and Carlos Guillen, too.
And this franchise has suffered a precipitous loss of attendance, despite the Tigers’ solid start.
But Leyland won’t bench Ordonez to save owner Mike Ilitch some money, regardless of what Boras thinks. Leyland manages to win.
“This is about Magglio Ordonez and a manager trying to do something that he thinks may help and get him right,” Leyland said. “Is it the right thing? I don’t know. But that is what this is about. And I’m not going to take shots from people in the newspaper that are untruths.
“If it’s the truth and I’m wrong, then go ahead and punch me in the jaw, but don’t give me this (nonsense).”
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Questions to ponder while wondering how much longer the Cards can stick with Todd Wellemeyer in the pitching rotation:
- Does anybody else notice that Ryan Ludwick has three more homers (11-8) and just one fewer RBI (38-39) than Matt Holliday?
- And has anybody noticed that Ludwick has done this in 74 fewer at bats?
- Is this any way to celebrate Father’s Day?
- Is there is anything wrong with tracking potential football recruits at the middle school level?
- Who needs stuffed animals when you’ve won the Stanley Cup?
- Is America safer now that Mark Cuban wants to police sports bloggers?
- Isn’t it creepy the way some folks obsess over female sportscasters?
- Should the slumping A-Rod get more sleep at night? If there no “off” switch on the A-Rod?
IT’S NEVER TOO EARLY TO GROOM NEXT A-ROD
Just ask this youth-league baseball manager.
QUIPS ‘R US
Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:
Greg Couch, FanHouse: “When it was over, they stood together at the ceremony, Lucas Glover, Phil Mickelson, David Duval and Ricky Barnes. And then someone handed the cup to the wrong guy. Glover. Yes, he won the U.S. Open Monday, and he deserved it. But this tournament is going to be remembered for the other three guys, and maybe for Tiger Woods, too. This U.S. Open will forever be defined by the guys who didn’t win. Glover will be an answer to a trivia question.”
Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com: “It would have been nice if at last Phil Mickelson could have planted a kiss on the silver U.S. Open trophy. The two have been dating for years, but the Open always plays hard to get. There’s always an excuse: It has to do its hair … It has a headache … Its dad won’t let it date left-handers. So Mickelson finished second again. And if this were any other Open under any other circumstances, you could argue that Mickelson gagged another one away. He was tied for the lead deep into the back nine of the final round — and then he wasn’t. But this wasn’t any other Open. This was a five-day, 72-hole car wash played on a muscle beach of a golf course. But that wasn’t the hardest part for Mickelson. The hardest part was playing it with a lump in his throat, a hole in his heart and a pink ribbon embroidered on the side of his cap.”
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “Looks like Bobby Bowden will lose 14 victories and a chance at the college football record because of that cheating scandal involving an online music-appreciation course. The irony is that nobody needed to cheat. Sample question from test: Who wrote Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor?”
Scott Ostler, San Francisco Chronicle: “Nick Faldo will be knighted by the Queen of England. Aren’t they handing out a lot of those knighthoods these days? I can understand Paul McCartney, but Nick Faldo? The American equivalent of British knighthood is receiving a nickname from Chris Berman.”
MEGAPHONE
“In the National Football League, you’re only judged on wins and losses, so my tenure was not good. I mean, it was very poor. And so it’s been said, you learn a lot from failures, and I learned a ton. So I can bring that to the table. I view my experience in Detroit as a positive, not in terms of winning and losing but having gone through it. I think that can help in a telecast.”
Former Lions general manager Matt Millen, on going back to the broadcast booth.
Gordo - hands down, the best hidden column on stltoday.com. Luckily, I know how to bookmark Tipsheet. Less internet savvy people will think, “Hmm. Tipsheet hasn’t been updated since last Wednesday. Guess I’ll read something else”. I assume it’s part of cutbacks but someone really needs to be updating the front sports page a little better. It’s still the same three polls from weeks ago.
They are also hiding Bernie’s 5 Minutes. “Reason For Ludwick’s Slump?” is from 06/12/09.
Nothing puts an end to a winning streak faster than handing the ball to Wellemeyer.
Where is the middle school recruits link supposed to go?
Magglio Ordonez?!?! Ugh. Let’s just go all in and start Pujols, Molina, and SIX outfielders.
Detroit’s gain (Millen’s firing) is America’s loss (Millen in the broadcast booth).
Maybe the “Slamming Sammy Sosa” will be staying as a permanent headline.
Won’t it be difficult to listen to Matt Millen? The Lions have been bad for a long long time, but he helped make them worse. He should have to take a mandatory year off. Raise you hand if you think you could get more than one win drafting in the top 5 every year.
Mysteries of the Universe used to be palatable when there weren’t 900 links in it everyday.
I can’t wait for the “How will history remember the Todd Wellemeyer era?” comment to arrive in Tipsheet…
What happened to the sniffs Gordo? You remember, you used to write “he sniffed” or “she sniffed” after a supposedly testy comment from someone. What happened to the Sniffer?
Hopefully he turns it around, just picked hiim off waivers. My fantasy team is in disarey. 2 outfielders on DL and my 1B is DL. Along with 2 pitchers. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Why do the Cards continue to get this crybaby pitchers like Wellemeyer, Suppan (for a while anyway) and Marquis where the same time. They let a runner get on (lots of times by walking them) then give up another hit usually a double and they’re shoulders start slumping and they mope around on the mound afraid to throw the next pitch!!!!
Enough ALREADY!!!
Not ready to dump Welly just yet. He really didn’t pitch any worse than Waino did Sunday, he just got 7 fewer runs of support. Maybe Khalil needs to slip him some of those happy pills…
…nice callout on the Holiday/Luddy numbers Gord, this is exactly why there’s no need to overreact especially when other teams think they are in it. I have a hunch Derosa is going to end up with mediocre numbers also that won’t be any better than Khalil’s except it will take K. Greene a major push to get his avg. over .260…. The Cubs thought they could replace the guy with Aaron Miles for pete’s sake. National League position players always get a boost when they first go over because it’s more of a fastball league. That’s why the Cards can tattoo a Verlander and get shut down by some rookie junkballer - a lot of the Cards hitters are fastball rakers only. Same reason AL pitchers usually come to NL and are much better…
…Matt Millen absolutely sucks. he may have been such a good analyst that he was handed that GM job with no experience, but his results removed his credibility with the audience. it goes to show the networks value controversy/attention over quality every time…
Steve…you got them to place Tipsheet in a prominent place. Any chance you can help us out with health care or the economy?
….no way on Maggie-O. He’s got that Big Papi “don’t pay attention to my numbers before I got to Boston and after the heavy steroids testing” look about him….Gordo, go back to the Pedro boosting if this is where you’re going to take it now
…I guess you noticed that the teams that went to scout Pedro came back with emphatic “NO” across the board…
I would be very wary of Ordonez. There have been a lot of players the last couple of years whose power numbers have dropped off. And I wouldn’t be surprised if it was because they are no longer on the juice. In fact, I think it is likely.
And of course Holliday is no longer in Coors. Again, stay away from somebody whose numbers are inflated, either by their home stadium or the juice.
Ordonez has plenty left as long as you get him another shipment of HGH
I could have Wellemeyer’s spot in the rotation if I just said no to gin and tonic.
I heard the only reason Matt Millen got the broadcasting gig is because Scott Linehan wasn’t available.
Magglio Ohdonenothingyet? Are you kidding? We already have enough outfielders with square wheels, not to mention his throwing arm (maximum effective range 20 feet). Dramatic drop-off in power the last couple years… hmmm. I guess at least the Cardinals could change his medicine cabinet so he would feel good about it though. Everybody happy yet? Tony is far too smart to let this happen I would hope… he is best friends with Leyland after all. We need some help, but lets not start looking on the short-busses again.
Yeah, he has something left. 14 mil this year and 18 mil next year. And an agent in Scott Boras. AVOID!
I wonder how Cards fans will remember the Josh “I’m Sloshed” Hancock era, he sniffed…
Duncan .255 AVG, 5 HR, 31 RBI, OBP .341, SLG .412 - 216 AB
Ordonez .273 AVG, 2 HR, 22 RBI, OBP .347, SLG .343 - 216 AB
I don’t see much of an upgrade there, not to mention the hefty salary.
I don’t think picking up a struggling Magglio Ordonez would be a good idea. Is there any reason to believe he would not continue to struggle as a Cardinal?
Just wish one scribe could, say Tiger played bad first round, and didn’t snatch the win from the jaws of Defeat! He like Obama is quickly becoming whats wrong with sports!
First Pedro, now Magglio. Come on, Gordo, time to come in out of the sun.
I like that someone is thinking outside the DeRosa / Holliday box. For a while there it seemed like they were the only two guys anyone could talk about (and then Atlanta walks away with McLouth). Having said that, I agree with the majority, Ordonez tale-off reeks of the juice. Buyer beware.
Gordo, You were just lobbying to get rid of “dead weight” like Glaus and Kennedy so we can sign Albert for 2012 and beyond, but now you’re thinking that Magglio could be a good acquisition? C’mon man, you’re really starting to loose my respect.
Mags, huh?? Worst idea yet Gordo. Seems like you were bored or something because I hope you were. That dude is DE-roiding so no thanks. We dont need another old guy, who makes a ton, but only hits bloop singles.
Woohoo! Problem solved. Thanks to whoever for fixing that. Tipsheet is the first thing I read every morning so hopefully the link on the front page will stay current. Now…onto healthcare and the economy.
Magglio Ordonez! You would make a great GM, Gordo. Just another underachieving latin player. The kind the Tigers and the Mets love. Detroit put a whole team of them on the field last year - along with Gary Sheffield and you saw what happened. Nothing from the press, of course. That and the fact he is represented by the criminal agent, Scott Boras.
Hey, Molly3. “Just another underachieving latin player.”? Really? Sounds a little racist, don’t you think? How would that look if it you wrote about just another underachieving black player? Would you ever write about underachieving white players? Think about it before you write and expose your racism.
Has anybody else noticed WHY Ryan Ludwick has 74 fewer at bats than Matt Holliday? Because the Cardinal’s “brilliant” manager doesn’t have the common sense to play a sliver slugger All Star outfielder everyday. If Ludwick were on a team where there were no “manager’s pets” he would have some of the best numbers of any National League outfielder.