Mark Shapiro
Mark Shapiro
abruptly created farm good instead letting naturally players run traded
We were at the tail-end of a championship run. Instead of letting that run naturally just play out and transpire, we abruptly traded good players and artificially created an upper-level in our farm system.
calls guys tough
I called to tell him he was going back to Double-A after he'd been in Triple-A. That was one of my first tough calls to a player. I didn't necessarily make those decisions, but I was the one who had to give guys the news.
felt guys improved multiple player positions production reasonable retain
There wasn't anything I felt significantly improved the production we're getting at those positions with a player we could retain for multiple years. There weren't that many guys who were a fit, and we weren't able to get those guys for what we thought was a reasonable price.
guys nice second third
They've all been impressive. It is nice to see that when our second and third tier guys come in, we're better than the other teams' second and third tier guys.
baseball deep guys healthy stay
Detroit's lineup is as deep as anyone's in baseball if those guys stay healthy and on the field.
bullpen deserve flux guys hopefully middle next safe settle state three
It's safe to say our bullpen is going to be in a state of flux for the next two to three days. We're going to look at some guys and hopefully find some who will settle down the middle of our pen. There are guys down there (in the minors) who deserve an opportunity.
davis guys improve money opportunity original plan player playing role rotation saw signing slate spend spot team unable upgrade younger
Our original plan in the off-season was to slate the No. 5 spot in the rotation for a younger player (Jason Davis or Fausto Carmona) and to spend money to upgrade elsewhere. When we were unable to get some other things done, we saw an opportunity to improve the team by signing Jason. The young guys still could end up playing a role for us in 2006.
accomplish both club fit franklin good guys largely prospect prospects spring
They will both be guys that you'll see a lot of in Spring Training. That's one of the things we want to accomplish this spring. Guys who fit into our plan, we want to get a good look at. Our Triple-A club is largely going to be a prospect club. Two of those prospects are Franklin and Brad.
clearer deal easier heading might next value year
It might be an easier deal to do next year because we'll have a clearer sense what the value is heading into the first year of arbitration.
validation
I want it for us , ... not as any validation for me.
breakout help hopefully last terms year
Last year was a breakout year for him in terms of command. Hopefully he can help us during the year at some point.
eighth moved ninth offense player responsibility rough sixth year
Our offense got going after he moved to third. We moved him from ninth to eighth to sixth to third, which is a rough responsibility for a player in his first year in the big leagues, and he hasn't blinked.
fit good style
He's a good fit for us as a person and a player. His style is different from everyone else in our rotation.
blink confidence drove handled mentally move
He didn't blink and how he handled that move mentally drove our confidence in making this offer.