Did the Tigers Manage to Upgrade Their OF?

So, what you’re telling us is that trades can and do happen after the trade deadline?  That’s what the Twins and Tigers are saying after the Twins sent Delmon Young packing to Detroit for left-hander Cole Nelson and a player to be named later.  It’s the kind of deal that would be barely worth mentioning if not for the name-cache of the players involved.  Magglio Ordonez (indirectly involved in the trade) was once a legitimate star player in the league, even if that star has dimmed.  Young was once Baseball America’s top-rated prospect and did have at least one productive season, hinting at his former (?) abilities. 

The Tigers seem intent on improving the team’s offensive production, particularly from the outfield, where Young will presumably take at bats away from Ordonez (among others).  Ordonez currently owns a .2223 batting average, .280 OBP and .295 SLG—all representing career lows for the former All-Star.  Despite making millions and millions of dollars, the writing is on the wall for Ordonez that if the end isn’t here, it’s decidedly near.  He isn’t helping the Tigers in their 2011 playoff push, and it’s time for him to step aside for a better player.

Anyone getting excited about the notion of Young stepping in as the missing piece in the Tigers outfield may want to consider his numbers.  His .266 batting average, .305 OBP, and .357 SLG are only marginal improvements.  Oh, sure, a lot of people will point to Young’s 112 RBIs from 2010as definitive proof that he’s a better player at this stage in his career than Ordonez.  However, the argument here isn’t whether Young is better; it’s all about how much better.  Delmon Young offers a positive contribution (0.6 WAR), but the difference between he and whatever the Tigers already had lying around is negligible.

Left field is the domain of Brennan Boesch, who has been dealing with an injured thumb lately.  Boesch’s .809 OPS is easily the best among any OF-eligible player on the Tigers roster.  He’s not going to be displaced by anyone right now, especially not Young.  The speedy Austin Jackson is a fixture in center field, and even though his 2011 production (batting average in particular) has been largely a disappointment, he’s not going anywhere either.  Hell, Jackson is the only person on the Tigers roster capable of playing center, something he actually does rather well.

Andy Dirks has been far better than advertised.  In limited playing time (171 at bats) he’s totaled six home runs and four steals—both outpacing Young on the year (305 at bats, no less).   Don Kelly has produced numbers that look eerily similar to Young’s (.235, 3 HR, 2 SB) and in far less playing time.  If Young has one advantage, aside from his former prospect-pedigree, it’ the simple fact that he’s a right-handed hitter.  Dirks and Kelly both bat from the left side, and Young does offer a different option for manager Jim Leyland, albeit a pretty mediocre option.