Time for DD to get a raise

[racosun]

I'm guessing this is what Randy Smith had in mind when he started his first "five-year plan."

Instead, the Smith era will go down as perhaps the darkest period in Tigers franchise history. The errors of his ways finally culminated in the 2003 season, after Randy Smith had already departed. It was then that Dave Dombrowski was forced to wipe the slate clean and literally start from scratch. Now, in 2006, "scratch" is again a key word describing Detroit's ballclub. The on-field success now being witnessed is only scratching the surface of the things to come.

DD has filled once-empty cupboards on the farm, and a few homegrown talents have already bubbled to the surface. Nearly every trade made since the Smith era has been a good one, helping acquire the pieces that make up the current contender. Talented players are no longer afraid to wear the Old English 'D' and soon enough they'll be clamoring to be a part of it. What Dombrowski has built here is worthy of an enormous contract extension and the certain league-wide accolades he's about to be pelted with for the next few years. And it'll get better.

While we're all excited about the "surprising" success of the 2006 Tigers, the best is yet to come. Something that I think most people overlooked about Dave Dombrowski was his ability to surround himself with key front-office staff. Assistant GM Al Avila has already turned down numerous offers to be a GM, wanting to stick by his old friend and build another winner. Avila will surely be snapped up soon, perhaps sometime right after the World Series. Another quality move by Dombrowski was the snatching of top scout David Chadd from the Red Sox. He's one of the best in the game at what he does, and he'll keep the farm well-stocked for a long time. Cameron Maybin has made many of the nine teams that skipped him in the draft really regret it. We have an even higher pick in this year's amatuer draft, and it's almost a lock that Chadd will knock another home run.

tigers527 said he'll buy one extra beer per game to raise money to lure Rocket Clemens to Motown. Quite a worthy cause. Me, I'll buy the extra beer so that we can keep the real power hitter in the Tigers' lineup for many more years: Dave Dombrowski.

[tigers527]

Nice thread start Racosun.....I second that, DD not only needs to be retained but extended. You stated the case much better then I could of ever done. Who knew we had that scout from Boston, oh yeah, you did. Nice work.

[skeletor]

Nice thread start Racosun.....I second that, DD not only needs to be retained but extended. You stated the case much better then I could of ever done. Who knew we had that scout from Boston, oh yeah, you did. Nice work.

good posts..and yeah, eventually DD needs a raise, and perhaps an
extension..but keep in mind, the turn around of this year's team, is
what exactly DD was brought here, and payed well to do...he isn't
exactly getting chump change..and you can bet he isn't eating ramen
noodles at home, either....it wasn't that long ago, that the media and
the fans, especially after Trammel got released, that DD's tenure at
GM, was openly being questioned..but the truth being, what he inherited
from Smith, and the lack of decent players on both the parent club, and
the minors, especially at Erie & Toledo, was pretty skimpy..and I think
both DD and pizza Mike knew, it was going to take time...especially after
going thru season after season, of empty promises, from Randy Smith,
starting with the hiring of Buddy Bell, and the countless trades with
Houston, etc..But give him credit, DD did not panic, did not make excuses,
but quietly did what needed to be done..and hiring Chadd from the Bosox,
was a main step forward..and at long last, our suffering farm system, is
producing some good stuff...and we have players to deal, on both the
Tigers and the farm, if and when potential trades show up..which in the
olde days, we basically had NOTHING to deal...

Leyland was a good hire..only because he has restored pride in the olde
english 'D'..and won't take any slack from any player, unlike poor Tram,
who didn't have the experience to stand up to players like Pudge, who
last year, quit on the team..but all in all..nothing cures a team of woes,
like winning...even the bombastic Pudge, will probably agree he's enjoying
this season with the Tigers....myself, I'm all for rewarding DD, and making
sure he gets his just rewards...but it is a little early to be thinking about
a raise...wait until september..and if the Tigers are still EATING up the
league..then both Leyland and DD, will be a lock for MGR and GM of the
year..and worth every additional penny the club should bonus them with..

great to see the tigers wake up..and excite the fans, proving that detroit
is a real baseball town....one of the best...and it's long overdue..
:laugh

[tigers527]

..and you can bet he isn't eating ramen
noodles at home, either....it wasn't that long ago, that the media and
the fans, especially after Trammel got released, that DD's tenure at
GM, was openly being questioned...and I think
both DD and pizza Mike knew, it was going to take time...especially after
going thru season after season, of empty promises, from Randy Smith,
starting with the hiring of Buddy Bell, and the countless trades with
Houston, etc..


I can say I think the best thing DD has done so far is not trade for Brad Asmus, that has really set him apart from the Randy Smith tenure. We should hope there is no one out of a college dorm living on Raman. I think the only real loud cry for DDs job was Rob Parker, and he is a knucklehead.

[racosun]

Rob Parker is a horse's ass. He rips nearly everyone in any management capacity with a Detroit sports team. He obviously knows nothing about baseball. I rarely read his column, so I'm not sure how he's backpeddling on the "Fire DD" movement he tried to stir up. DD enjoys challenges, so I hope he doesn't get the Tigers to the playoffs then move on to the next one. Yeah, he does make a lot of money, but he's worth it, and Illitch would be a fool to let him get away. He knows how to re-build a franchise into a championship-calibur squad, as he's done in Florida (twice) and is now doing here.

[Paulmcall]

It's still just the month of May guys!
Dave hasn't started a dynasty yet.
How many winning seasons have they had with Dave at the controls?

[riverfrontier]

He did inherit quite a carcass from Smith. I wouldn't say every move has been stellar, but things are looking up, that's for sure. He did hire Tram to manage, but then he fired him too, so the axiom of learning from one's mistakes seems to hold true for him. Yes, he's given some of the higher profile guys some questionable contracts, but we all know why he had to do it. It's not like the A-list free agents were lining up to play in Detroit. I'd say Leyland was his best move, and Percival his worst, but I think the whole traditional 'closer' thing is much overblown anyway.

[HDH]

Last year, so many people, especially the Radio stations, were calling for Dave Dombrowski's head. They blamed the team performance on him and gave him almost no credit for the great acquisitions. Even if the Tigers tank the second half, look at the trades. Did I miss any?

11/01: Dave Dombrowski President-GM of Detroit
11/01: Jaime Walker Free Agent
02/02: Craig Monroe Claimed off Waivers from Texas
08/02: Dave Smith ousted GM
08/02: Jeremy Bonderman, Franklyn German, Carlos Pena for Jeff Weaver OAK
11/02: Randall Simon for Roberto Novoa PIT
12/02: Wilfredo Ledezma Rule V draft Boston
01/03: Nate Robertson, Gary Knotts for Mark Redman FLA
12/03: Chris Shelton Rule V draft from Pittsburgh
12/03: Marcus Thames Free Agent
12/03: Jason Johnson Free Agent
01/04: Carlos Guillen for Ramon Santiago SEA
02/04: Ivan Rodriguez Free Agent
10/04: Alexis Gomez Claimed Off Waivers from KC
11/04: Troy Percival Free Agent
01/05: Vance Wilson for Anderson Hernandez NYM
02/05: Magglo Ordonez Free Agent
02/05: Kyle Farnsworth for Roberto Navoa, Bo Flowers, Scott Moore CHC
07/05: Placido Polanco for Ugueth Urbina PHI
08/05: Zach Minor and Ramon Colon for Kyle Farnsworth ATL

[racosun]

Nice post, HDH. :clapping

On top of Dave Dombrowski's great trading prowess, there's plenty of proof that he knows how to find the diamonds in the rough. What was once a terrible farm system with wasted picks is now starting to produce results. Under DD's watch, we've drafted Curtis Granderson (3rd round, '02), Brent Clevlen (2nd, '02), Joel Zumaya (11th, '02), Kyle Sleeth (1st, '03), Jordan Tata (16th, '03), Justin Verlander (1st, '04), Cameron Maybin (1st, '05), Kevin Whelan (4th, '05), Preston Larish (5th, '05), and Andrew Miller (1st, '06). There's also plenty of other guys who could come up and produce for the big club. After so many years of guys like Kenny Baugh and Matt Anderson, it's nice to see other teams interested in alot of our homegrown talent.