Why I did that 042713

My vow not to make a transaction before the All Star break was broken after two weeks. My best efforts to remain patient were derailed when I sneaked my first peek at our league standings and found myself in the cellar. Surprisingly it wasn't my pitching that was dragging me down. Instead it was the hitting stats were lagging due to injuries and season opening slumps. Mike Moustakas, Kyle Seager, Emilio Bonifacio, Alex Avila, Chris Carter, Allen Craig and Giancarlo Stanton all initially slumping. Wilson Ramos, Dayan Viciedo and Adam Eaton all hitting the disabled list. Yet it hasn't been on the offensive side where I've concentrated on making my moves.

I know the offense will come around and some of those listed have already started to heat up. Last season it was pitching that kept me one spot outside the coveted top four due to bloated ERA and WHIP. I made some efforts to address that on draft day and Jason Grilli has held up his end so far. But since Bruce Rendon didn't make the Tigers to start the season I saw him as expendable. So in week two I picked up Kelvin Herrera of the Royals for $6 and he proceeded to implode. It takes a different mental make up to hold down the closer position and Herrera needs to work on his.

The following week I made a move that involved three players. I had Tony Cingrani on my farm but to move him up would require clearing a spot by cutting a player or moving one to the farm in his place. I basically did both. While I think Trevor Bauer has a bright future his seven walk performance forced the Indians to send him down to work things out. While he has shown some improvement of his control at Triple A he isn't showing enough improvement to keep at $7. So I made a minimum $5 bid for outfielder Oswaldo Arcia and Bauer was cut in the process. Arcia should have a productive bat in the future. He swapped spots with Cingrani on the farm and Cingrani has had one good performance so far.

The continued implosion of Herrera made him expendable and Andrew Bailey was available so this week I made a bid for Bailey at $7 and cut Herrera in the process. That is a major upgrade. I also decided to unload another imploding pitcher Rick Porcello and decided to pick up Rondon when the Tigers brought him back up. I had followed Rondon as he pitched seven games for Toledo and got saves in three of the last four. His nine strikeouts over 7.2 IP against only two walks shows promise. I picked Rondon back up at the $6 I originally had him at. That will really pay off if he gets back into the mix at closer for the Tigers.

Now to cross my fingers that the bats I already have on my roster continue to break out of their slumps. Bryce Harper, Paul Goldschmidt and Alex Gordon can't carry it alone. Good thing its a long season.