In recent winters, the Tigers wouldn't blink at signing an expensive free agent. But these days? The Tigers are in full-fledged cost-cutting mode. Considering much of their sponsorship money comes from (and many of their fans are employed by) the Big 3 automakers, it's not a huge surprise.So instead of paying $10 million a season for the likes of Kerry Wood, they've apparently decided to part with prospects for a more affordable closer. According to Jon Paul Morosi of the Detroit Free Press, the Tigers are in talks with the Mariners regarding J.J. Putz, who will make just $5 million this season and comes with an $8.6 million club option for 2010. As an added bonus, Putz is a hometown kid: he grew up in nearby Trenton, MI and pitched for the University of Michigan.
Of course, prying such an affordable asset away from the Mariners won't come cheap, and the M's are reportedly asking for as many as three players back in return. The players being mentioned by both the Free Press and Seattle Times are outfielder Matt Joyce, 24, first baseman Jeff Larish, 26, and possibly righthander Luis Marte, 22.
Joyce and Larish made their big-league debuts last season and are currently slated to fill reserve roles in 2009. If traded to the Mariners, though, they they could compete for starting jobs. Marte split last season between Single-A and Double-A, and while he needs to iron out control problems, he can hit the high 90s on the radar gun.
