Dontrrelle Willis is a 29 million dollar bust for the Detroit Tigers AP Photo/Duane Burleson
Right now the Detroit Tigers are in first place; however that does not change the fact that they have a serious problem on their hands. Their payroll is inflated and the attendance has dropped off. Of course some will blame the terrible Detroit economy for the lack of attendance but this problem goes much deeper than that.
In 2008 the Tigers had the 2nd largest payroll in the Major Leagues at 138.7 million dollars. For owner Mike Ilitch the return on that investment was a last place finish in the Al Central. Finishing behind even the lowly Kansas City Royals.
Ilitch is a savvy enough business man that last fall as the economy tanked he directed his President and General Manager, Dave Dombrowski, to dump payroll. Staring the 2009 season with a payroll of 115 million, the fifth largest payroll in the Major Leagues. Again since they are in first place, at the moment, that is money well spent. However there appears to be a few big contracts on this team that are totally unnecessary.
Jeremy Bonderman is making 12.5 million dollars this season, and to be perfectly honest this is a kid who has never lived up to his potential. The 12.5 million dollars is significant since that is what Closer Francisco Rodriguez got from the New York Mets. One could argue Closer was this team’s biggest off season need that was not addressed leading up to the 2009 season.
The Tigers owe Carlos Guillen 10 million dollars this year, and 13 million in 2010 and 2011. Carlos is only hitting .250 so far in 2009 and the team has tired to convert him into a left fielder. It appears that Guillen is past his prime and is nothing more now then a over paid designated hitter type. Carlos is in the second year of a four year 48 million dollar deal. It appears right now that this is a bad contract.
Dontrelle Willis has been a bust so far for this team. While one can excuse a large portion of his contract, since he was a part of the deal that landed Miguel Cabrera. However GM Dombrowski signed Willis to a three year 29 million dollar contract extension after acquiring him from the Florida Marlins. This also appears to be a bad contract.
Doing a little addition we have around 32.1 million dollars of bad contracts. One has to wonder at what point these overloaded contracts will cost Dombrowski or his manager Jim Leyland their jobs.
On top of all that the Tigers owe aging star Magglio Ordonez 19.2 million dollars for the 2009 season. S0 far he is hitting .266 with 2 home runs and 18 RBI. If Magglio reaches 500 at bats for the season, a feat he has accomplished the last three years, it will trigger a clause in his contract that would pay him 36 million dollars over the next two seasons.
That is 36 million dollars the Tigers will not have to pay for upgrades at other positions. This team still needs significant bull pen help.
As previously reported the Tigers attendance is down nearly 30%. Some of that can be blamed on the 20% unemployment rate in South Eastern Michigan, but some of it is too blame on this team finishing in last place in 2008. On top off the no real upgrade to the reliever corps. At some point that is going to cost this team big.
Since attendance is down so far in 2009, it is very likely that Illitch will again order Dombrowski to cut the payroll for 2010. If Magglio get his 500 at bats and triggers his clause for 18 million in 2010 that is 18 million more dollars the Tigers will not have to improve this team’s other needs.
With all of that in mind it is now up to Ilitch to decide how much longer he allows Dombrowski to run his club. Ilitch alone must decide how much more payroll money is he willing to wager on Dombrowski baseball acumen.
As a life long Detroit Tigers fan I must honestly admit I am about at the end of my rope with this front office staff.
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