In a move that caught everybody off-guard, the Tigers released DH Gary Sheffield today. They will have to eat the $14 million remaining on his contract, but I feel that's a small price to pay to get someone in the lineup who doesn't pop-up every time he comes to the plate.
So what does this mean for the Tigers? Well, with the very recent acquisition of Josh Anderson, there are a couple scenarios:
1. Marcus Thames becomes the DH.
2. Carlos Guillen becomes the DH, Josh Anderson takes over in left field, and Marcus remains on the roster to fill the occasional outfield spot.
Personally, I think Thames deserves the chance to play the DH spot. His numbers from last year are certainly better than Sheffield's, and he is always a threat to send the ball into the stands. If things don't work out with him in that spot, then move Guillen to DH. Josh Anderson is a decent outfielder, and most importantly, he is a left-handed hitter. The Tigers needed to add another left-handed batter to the roster, and this certainly fills that need.
Utimately, time will tell if this was a good move, or bad decision-making by Dombrowski and Leyland. Let's just hope that Sheffield doesn't hit #500 off a Tiger pitcher.
Go Tigers!
