If you could have a "do over..."

It's always fun to talk about what the Tigers should do. I thought it might be fun to look at your thoughts on actions they took in the past.

Let's look at the players in the playoffs who were once Tigers. All things considered, (what they gave up in talent, or cash or failure to sign) would you make this deal again today?

Of course this isn't easy. For example, failure to re-sign Johnny Damon. What would it have cost us? Who knows? So indulge me, and as always, I'm open to (and welcome) criticism and corrections.

Now where it's really tricky: because I can only phrase the question in a certain way, I'll ask you: given the commentary below, would you still make the deal? (Voting next to the player's name indicates a yes. Not voting for that player means "NO.") You can vote "for" making the trade on all the players, or none, I just ask you to refrain from voting more than once on the same player.

Here we go:

WOULD YOU MAKE THE DEAL?

CURTIS GRANDERSON: In six years he led the leage in triples twice, earned a Gold Glove, hit a total .272 overall. He was hobbled by a few injuries in 2010, but still turned in a decent year. The Tigers traded Granderson last winter in a three-way deal, getting Austin Jackson, Max Scherzer, Phil Coke and Dan Schlereth.

Jackson has shown tremendous promise both in center and with the bat. But late in the season he showed some rookie mistakes at the plate. Can he survive a sophomore jinx?

Sherzer pitched O.K. last year, arguably his best in the majors, at 12-11, with a 3.5 ERA. Perhaps his best aspect is that he's young enough (25) to get better, but 2011 will be the his "arbitration year," and his agent is Scott "Finger Down My Throat" Boras.

Phil Coke did OK, with a 3.76 ERA last year. Didn't he do mostly long relief, or set-up? Not exactly the exciting part of tghe pitching staff. He too will be arbitration eligible next year.

What happened to Dan Schlereth? He only pitched 18 innings last year, had a decent ERA. Did he get hurt? Tick somebody off and get banished to Nashville or Lakeland?

YOU MAKE THE CALL: WOULD YOU DO THIS DEAL AGAIN?

The Commissioner's Opinion: The jury's still out. We got about 1,000 lbs. of ball players for one fine player in Granderson. At first, I said this was a terrible deal; now I'll go as far as saying Jackson might be an All-Star someday, and one of these pitchers might turn out to be something.

CODY ROSS


Say what you will about Cody, he's no "overnight sensation." In fact, he kinda reminds me of a major league version of Crash Davis.

I think the Tigers gave him every chance they could. They drafted him in in the fourth round in 1999, and he didn't make the bigs until 2003, when he hit .211 in six games, before being returned to the Toledo as damaged goods. The next year, the Tigers traded him for pitcher Steve Coyler. Yep, Steve "Cy Young" Coyler.

But ol' Cody persisted. Over the next five years, he played with nine teams (mostly Florida)compiling an astounding .265 average with 86 dingers.

YOU MAKE THE CALL: WOULD YOU DO THIS DEAL AGAIN?

COMMISSIONER'S OPINION: You bet I would. Tiger's wasted a fourth round pick in '99, and they were well off to get rid of him when they did. He's been hot lately, but he's never stayed hot long. They made the right call in letting him go.

PLACIDO POLANCO

The Tigers gave Ramon Martinez and Ugueth Urbina in 2005 to get Polanco, and he had some very productive years for them (although he commanded a hefty $4.6 million salary through 2009 when they let him go to the Phillies as a free agent. At 34 he's getting long in the tooth.

YOU MAKE THE CALL: WOULD YOU DO THIS DEAL AGAIN?

COMMISSIONER'S OPINION: In a second, a good deal on both ends. We picked him up for next to nothing, paid him dearly, and then sent him and his pay checks to Philadelphia.

MARCUS THAMES

This is a tough call. Widely hailed as "the strongest guy in the majors" MT just didn't have the numbers to lift his $2.2 million salary after the 2009 season, and the Tigers let him go to the Yankees as a free agent. (Six years with the Tigers, only twice hitting above .250, and getting more than 20 HRs.)

We signed him as a free agent, and got nothing back when he left. He might have some big seasons in the future, but he's 33, and you have to wonder how many years he has left.

YOU MAKE THE CALL: WOULD YOU DO THIS DEAL AGAIN?

COMMISSIONER'S OPINION: Tigers probably did the right thing. You can only wait so long.

ANDRES TORRES

Andres who?

Gregg, you really should remember him. He was with the Tigers for three years (two stints) and with the Rangers briefly in 2005. The thing is, he only played in 81 games for Detroit, never hitting more than .220. In succeeding years, he was granted free agency or released by Detroit, the White Sox, the Rangers, the Twins, again by the Tigers, and then the Cubs, before he found something of a home in San Fran in 1990 where he hit .270 for a couple years.

YOU MAKE THE CALL: WOULD YOU DO THIS DEAL AGAIN?

COMMISSIONER'S OPINION: Sure, lots of people have.

MATT JOYCE

I was kinda surprised that Matt only made the Tigers for a single season, 2008, before he got traded to the Rays for Edwin Jackson.

COMMISSIONER'S OPINION: All in all, a pretty inconsequential trade.

MATT TREANOR

Similarly, I was surprised this Matt was only with us for a year.Given that he was 0 fer 14 at the plate, it's hard to make an argument in his favor. The Tigers release him.

COMMISSIONER'S OPINION: No big deal here.



CARLOS PENA - (Unfortunately, I found six ballplayers by that name. Beat me up if you want to comment on his trade.)