Magglio Ordonez to be benched indefinitely

[celtsxpatsxsox]

from mlbtraderumors.com

Tigers Bench Magglio Ordonez Indefinitely
By Howard Megdal [June 18 at 7:13pm CST]

News comes from Tom Gage of the Detroit News that the Tigers are benching Magglio Ordonez indefinitely.

Ordonez hasn't been terrible with the average or plate discipline, but his power has disappeared. His season line is .273/.347/.343 entering Thursday's game, and with two home runs all year, he simply hasn't been a middle-of-the-order hitter.

Between Ordonez's benching and the news that Carlos Guillen may not return this season, the Tigers are facing a power deficit. While they are in first place now, it is hard to imagine they will stay there all season without adding some offense.

Keep in mind, Ordonez receives $18MM in 2010 if he gets 135 starts or 540 plate appearances in 2009, or 270 starts or 1,080 plate appearances in 2008-2009 combined. Considering he had 144 starts and 623 plate appearances in 2008, that means his benchmarks are actually 126 starts or 457 plate appearances in 2009.

Consider that Ordonez is already at 57 starts, 242 plate appearances in 2009, and figure "indefinitely" will mean "most of the time" for the remainder of the season.

Seems like its mostly about the money.

[Yawkey Way]

sounds like a better 6/7 hitter to me

[FedEx227]

I was happy when I heard this.

The guy is done. He does nothing but hurt the team at this point and shouldn't be playing anymore.

He won't hurt you guys in the 6-7-8 hole. .274/.347 is pretty decent. Sounds like either something is up internally, or obviously the money situation.

[Yawkey Way]

idk if its entirely money, i mean he has less home runs than David Ortiz, you can't have a guy whose supposed to be your power hitter not hit for power from the 3-4-5. The Tigers still have too much to play for this year.

[FedEx227]

Does that mean you bench him though? In favor of WHO?

That's my point. No, he's not being the power hitter you thought he was but this isn't a Jim Thome 2005 with Ryan Howard on the bench type deal. Is Clete Thomas going to fill the power void?

[mgoblue2290]

Its the money, we didn't think he would hold up this far.

[for surtain 22]

i think we've all seen numerous times how good hitters break out of these slumps and get it back. typical fan illogical attitude kleshreen, it's not like this guy has been in a constant decline here. a slow start to the year and you're going to throw him out of town?

clearly about the money here

[Saluki]

I loved Mags when he played for the Sox.

Oeeeeeeoooooo. Maaaaaaaglio

[Ralnakor]

i think we've all seen numerous times how good hitters break out of these slumps and get it back. typical fan illogical attitude kleshreen, it's not like this guy has been in a constant decline here. a slow start to the year and you're going to throw him out of town?

clearly about the money here

My friend, he's been in a slump beyond just this season. He's nowhere near the hitter or fielder he was during the World Series season. Time for some statistical stuff for ya. He's had two home runs over the last 57 at bats which for him is insane....he's on pace for what, 6 at the most this season (FedEx, that was for you buddy....lol, he's not the power hitter he once was)? Top this off with being on pace for a minimal 66 RBIs on the season and almost 100 strikeouts, I really don't see any reason to keep him rostered.

The simplest question you have to ask yourself is that given that if he reaches 500 ABs this season he's due $33 Million over the next two years. Even if he breaks out of this massive slump (which I argue is that it's him finally hitting a steep decline of his abilities), will he really be worth $18 Million next season and $17 Million the season after? In my opinion, you have no choice but to cut him.

A slow start is one thing, but when his fall-off is this insane, you can't justify that much.

Is it heavily based on money? Absolutely, but no team can justify spending that much on a player who has gone a third of a season and is on pace to do so incredibly poorly. The last time he did this bad was in his first season in Detroit....and his numbers are from only 25 more games than he's played to date.

I like Maggs as much as anybody, but when Dombrowski hands that much money to a guy, you have to get rid of him now. If they keep him, they run the risk of having to play games that will piss off the MLBPA so they don't get him his 500 ABs he's going to get if they don't dump him. Between Dombrowski's stupid decisions with the money he handed an unproven Dontrelle Willis (who I might add is back on the DL for his anziety disorder) and Maggs who is such a huge risk this late in his career....I really wonder about our GM.

And as a disclaimer, if I was insulting, not intending to, but like Kle and goblue, we have to see this day in and day out. If there was any sign of Maggs popping out of this "slump", there would have been something for us to hang our hats on. Sadly, there is not.

[mfbmike]

He's doing alright in my Tigers chise. 4 homers in the month of may.

But Imma let his old ass go at the end of the season.

[Warner2BruceTD]

Trade him to the Reds. For Homer Bailey. We need a LF badly.

[Miggy]

they should bench him just cause of this shit. Fuck Magglio and Fuck Hugo Chavez

[mfbmike]

Isn't Carlos Guillen also a Chavez supporter?

Is Miggy?

[Miggy]

Isn't Carlos Guillen also a Chavez supporter?

Is Miggy?

Carlos Guillen IS a Chavez supporter. Miggy Im not really sure because in a WBC game down here at Dolphin Stadium (now LandShark Stadium) while the people in the stands booed Magglio. Miggy came out and reproached them. no idea why?

vid:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PJg12RVacQI[/media]

EDIT: sorry about it being in spanish

[BigHouseUSA]

I'd rather trade him then let him waste on the bench so we don't have to play him. I don't know who will actually take him though.