Jeremy Bonderman will ponder his future this off-season (Source: YardBarker.com)
What figured to be an interesting off-season may have just gotten a little more interesting.
The expiration of Jeremy Bonderman’s contract is one of the reasons the Tigers will have some cash to spend heading into 2011. Whether or not the Tigers 2011 roster will include Bonderman is already up for debate but now there are doubts that Bonderman will play at all next season.
In a Detroit Free Press article, Bondo acknowledged that he thought about retiring because of his previous injuries and that the option will be on the table this off-season. His other options? Hoping the Tigers offer a contract and re-signing or signing with another team closer to his home in Washington.
Hoping the Tigers offer him a contract? Apparently the Tigers organization hasn’t tipped their hand to even their own free agents to be. Bonderman’s words indicate a lack of leverage in contract negotiations. Beyond that, they indicate a half-hearted desire for a new contract.
Jeremy’s on-field performance may be enough to warrant a return to the Tigers (at a reduced price, of course) but is it wise to invest in a man that is on the fence about playing? Major League Baseball’s 162 game schedule is a mental and physical grind that requires every player to be fully on board. If Bondo has one foot out then the Tigers need to look elsewhere to fill the bottom of their rotation.
You can bet that Dave Dombrowski will be cautious if he decides to proceed with a contract Jeremy Bonderman, a player for which he has already given one contract that received major scrutiny. Dombrowski can’t afford to get burned again.
Original Story:
http://motorcitybengals.com/2010/07/2...
