Disappointed Detroit Tigers could be a fit for Ellsbury
By Jake Misener
Another year goes by, and the Tigers again miss out on a World Series title.
In what is becoming a commonplace trend (Detroit has reached at least the American League Championship Series in three straight seasons), the Tigers will go home without the major hardware. The team has not won the Fall Classic since 1984 – a span of some 29 seasons.
So what exactly are they missing? According to Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe, it’s a reliable leadoff man. And he’s right.
Boston Red Sox center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury, who played a major role in helping the team advance to a World Series date with the St. Louis Cardinals, is a perfect fit in Detroit.
Currently, the Tigers have employed Austin Jackson has the club’s leadoff man. He swiped just eight bases this season, which pales in comparison to the 52 bags stolen by Ellsbury in Boston.
Putting a dynamic leadoff hitter like Ellsbury in front of the monstrous heart of that Tigers’ lineup, which includes Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and Victor Martinez, would be a shot of adrenaline to a team that relies on the long-ball and rarely manufactures runs.
Signing someone like Ellsbury will take a potent Tigers lineup to an entirely different level, calming any fears that the big deals doled out in recent years may have been for naught. Now is the time to win in Detroit. Now is the time to make a deal.