Ordonez To Be Released?

[love_that_reefer]

With Magglio Ordonez's slow start and millions of dollars in the balance, there are whispers that Ordonez might be released.
The Tigers would be on the hook for the remainder $18 million salary plus a $3 million buy-out next year, but they would avoid the vesting options of $18 and $15 million, respectively, for the next two years. The Tigers certainly aren't strangers to large contract releases as Damion Easley and Gary Sheffield can attest to, but this would be shocking. It's still rather early and if Ordonez can get hot, he would be one of the team's best hitters. Still, it's a situation to follow.

They can't really eat Sheffield's AND Ordonez's can they? So far Ordonez is hitting .241/.331/.304 with just 2 HRs and 12 RBI in 112 ABs. He has 27 hits and only three of them are extra base hits. He is 35 and way off his pace of last year. Hopefully for the Tigers he can get hot and they could be able to trade him but if released, there will be a lot of teams looking at him in the AL.

[catman]

They might be able to find a trading partner if they are willing to pay a good portion of his salary.

[Doppelgänger]

The Reds could also be looking at him if Nix comes back down to his career numbers. I still think he should get a little more time to redeem himself though before the Tigers do anything to drastic.

[ljshorty89]

If they release him, they'd be responsible for like 17 million of his 18 million....any team would take Ordonez for what could be as low as the MLB minimum...

[love_that_reefer]

Tigers just want to rid themselves of the vesting option years.

[ljshorty89]

That's true, and they'd save themselves like 30 million that way, but they'd also be paying 17.5 million for a guy playing possibly against them in a playoff race...

[love_that_reefer]

All I can say is I hope the Giants look at him long and hard if he is indeed released. He would look good in our pathetic lineup and make Lewis available for trade.

[missionhockey21]

The Reds could also be looking at him if Nix comes back down to his career numbers. I still think he should get a little more time to redeem himself though before the Tigers do anything to drastic.

I hear that man. I too agree that I don't think the Tigers are going to do something this drastic with a talent like Ordonez, at least this early in the season... but should it happen, he would look damn fine in a Reds uniform. That seems like a classic Jocketty move too.