Per MLB Trade Rumors:

 

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

 

You know we really shouldnt give up on this season. Things are imploding in Detroit.

 

I wouldnt be mad if the Sox won another division title even if we were knocked out first round.

You know we really shouldnt give up on this season. Things are imploding in Detroit.

 

I wouldnt be mad if the Sox won another division title even if we were knocked out first round.

 

WIth the status of their payroll and finances I'll bet the last thing they want is to be in that race. They are going to lose so much money up there, they have got to want to shed payroll, but they can't do it while in first place.

WIth the status of their payroll and finances I'll bet the last thing they want is to be in that race. They are going to lose so much money up there, they have got to want to shed payroll, but they can't do it while in first place.

 

Is Illitch really losing that much money? Aren't they still top 5 in attendance in the AL? IIRC Illitch recently gave the Tiger's GM a call to do "whatever it takes" to make the Tigers a winner this season. Now he's obviously not going to go all George Steinbrenner on anyone but Illitch has deeper pocketbooks and a more intense desire to win a title than most realize.

 

If Detroit benches Magglio enough so he doesn't reach his extension clauses, it's not because of the money (well not entirely) but more so because he's become an awful power hitter and the Tigers are probably better off with a different player in rightfield, this season and beyond.

His contract could've been a lot worse. After getting that procedure done in Austria or whatever they're lucky he was able to perform as well as he did the past couple years. That procedure wasn't even approved in the US (FDA approved? Not sure if that's the correct terminology.).