Tigers add pair of outfielders
DETROIT -- The Tigers added two more players to their burgeoning group of outf
ielders on Friday by claiming Byron Gettis and Dewayne Wise off waivers from t
he Kansas City Royals and Atlanta Braves, respectively.
Both spent time with their Major League clubs this past season, and Wise made
Atlanta's postseason roster for the National League Division Series. Both jump
onto a Tigers 40-man roster that now boasts nine outfielders, though some mig
ht be dropped before Spring Training opens in February.
"Basically, with waiver claims, at this time of the year, we've had guys our s
couts have had interest in, and they've happened to be available," Tigers pres
ident/general manager Dave Dombrowski said. "For us, it's just a matter that y
ou want to build depth, and we felt by claiming those guys, it gave us a chanc
e to do that."
The Tigers saw more of Gettis first hand than any other Major League team. Fiv
e of his 21 games played for the Royals last season were against Detroit, all
of them starts. The right-handed hitter went 2-for-15 with six strikeouts agai
nst the Tigers and 7-for-39 overall.
More impressive to the Tigers was his minor league performance. He was named t
he Royals' Minor League Player of the Year in 2003 after he posted a .302 aver
age with 16 homers and 103 RBIs at Double-A Wichita. Between Wichita and Tripl
e-A Omaha this season, he batted .283 with 11 doubles, six homers and 30 RBIs
in 68 games. He'll turn 25 during Spring Training.
By contrast, Dombrowski said, the Tigers consider the 26-year-old Wise more ad
vanced as far as his chances of making the big-league club. The lefty played i
n 77 games as a reserve outfielder for Atlanta, batting .228 with nine doubles
, four triples, six home runs and 17 RBIs in 162 at-bats. He hit .314 in 34 ga
mes for Triple-A Richmond with four doubles, six triples, five home runs, 16 R
BIs and five stolen bases.
Wise is out of minor league options, meaning he would have to pass through wai
vers to be placed back in the minors if he doesn't make the Tigers roster next
spring. Gettis, however, can be optioned again.
The Tigers have made four waiver pickups in the last two weeks. Three of them
have been outfielders, including Alexis Gomez -- another ex-Royal -- in the se
ason's final week. Rondell White, Dmitri Young, Bobby Higginson, Craig Monroe
and Nook Logan all are expected back next year. Alex Sanchez is eligible for a
rbitration, while the Tigers must make a decision on Marcus Thames. Both Wise
and Gettis will compete for Major League jobs in camp.
But as Dombrowski pointed out, the developmental options at Triple-A Toledo ar
e thin other than Logan -- if he doesn't make the big club next year -- and Cu
rtis Granderson, who will most likely start next season with the Mud Hens. By
making claims, the Tigers can add some potential young talent to Toledo -- com
pared to recent years when they've chosen to sign more minor-league free agent
s -- and give themselves more options for help on the big league club.
The moves push Detroit's protected roster to its 40-man limit. The Tigers will
have to drop some players later to make room for four players coming off the
60-day disabled list -- right-hander Nate Cornejo, relievers Fernando Rodney a
nd Chris Spurling and second baseman Fernando Vina. They'll also have to make
room for any minor league players who would be eligible for the Rule 5 draft t
hat they choose to protect.
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