Detroit Tigers could trade shortstop Jhonny Peralta this winter – MLB Update
Having signed former Los Angeles Angels’ outfielder Torii Hunter for a two year $26 million contract, the Detroit Tigers are feeling very confident about themselves. Hunter posted one of his career best seasons in 2012 as he hit .313 with 16 home-runs and
92 RBI’s.
It will not be wrong to say that he played a big part in many Angels’ victories in the past season. Now, after taking care of their right field problems, the Tigers can shift their focus towards other business at this week’s Winter Meetings.
There is no denying the fact Jhonny Peralta is the most likely Tigers to be traded in this year’s Winter Meetings. Even if the Tigers do not do it in the four day meetings in Nashville or in between, they will release Peralta before the start of 2013 Spring
Training.
Of course, the Tigers have not announced anything like this as yet and none of their officials have talked about a Peralta trade. Since the Tigers are looking to upgrade their infield defence, it will be an obvious choice for them to get a new shortstop
for the pitchers.
"We're comfortable with Jhonny Peralta," Dombrowski said."You've got pluses and minuses with all players. And when you say that, you know his range is not equivalent to some others, but he catches routine ground balls, and the last couple of months he definitely
played better defensively.”
"We've had him on a little different conditioning program in that regard. But, like a lot of things you might be talking about upgrading, sure, we could get a better defensive shortstop — and then someone would say: 'Now you don't have any offense at shortstop,'”
he added.
Tigers missed too many groundballs last season as they finished 13th in the American League 26th overall in defensive efficiency ratio. Some say, their defence against the San Francisco Giants cost them the World Series title.
Like other Tigers’ infielders, Peralta also made a large number of errors and it will be fair to say that he was responsible for the majority of grounders in his territory. It is a reality the Tigers must face and hope to address as they are not sure Peralta
will be the stand-in shortstop for the next season.
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