Tigers release Boesch: After years in the Detroit Tigers system, the organization decided to release Boesch from his contract yesterday morning. Apparantly Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski tried to offer him in a trade, but there were no takers. Not there aren’t any teams interested in him, but not at the $2.3 million offered to him by Detroit to avoid an arbitration hearing this winter. Yesterday was the last day they could have cut Boesch, and only be responsible for 1/6 of his salary, less than $400,000 (only..haha). Spring training has been a tough one for Boesch, who’s injury early in spring training put him behind in the running for the final outfield, or even bench position. He’s a career .259 hitter, but only batted .240 last season with 12 home runs and 54 RBI’s. He hit only .230 against right-handers, and Detroit left him off of the post-season roster. Ironic, because after he was injured in the 2011 play-offs, it was seen as a major loss, and a reason the Tigers bowed out to the Rangers. He did have a banner year in 2011, though, hitting .286 with a .799 OPS. Other teams have interest in him, though, including the Yankees, Mets, Astros, and now the Red Sox. Of the teams listed, I like to see him go to the Red Sox. He might do very well hitting at Fenway, and even if he was designated to Pawtucket, I’d be able to see him play in May in Charlotte! As a member of the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2007, Boesch hit.267 with 19 doubles, 10 home runs, and 86 RBI’s.

Brennan Boesch with the Whitecaps back in 2007

Welcome back, Moya: Steven Moya played his first spring training game yesterday, after returning from an elbow injury, which took Tommy John surgery to fix. He went 3-3 against Florida Southern College, with a triple, a double,two RBI’s, and three runs scored. He had a bases-loaded double that scored two runs, and helped the Tigers to an 11-0 victory. During a press conference dicussing the Boesch release, Dombrowski named off some outfield prospects, and his comment about Moya was: “Moya might be better than all of them”. He was having a great season for the Whitecaps last year before being injured. He was hitting .288, with 14 doubles, 13 home runs, and 39 RBI’s at only 20 years old. In 2011, he hit .204, with 10 doubles, 13 homers, and 39 RBI’s as a 19-year-old. Good improvement for him, and he really cut down on his strike-outs, too. Tigers manager Jim Leyland seems to like him, too.

“He’s a prospect, and a good one,” stated Leyland to MLive.com. “That’s where he stands right now. He’s an impressive young man.”

I’m not sure where Moya will start this season, but a good bet he’ll at least be in Double-a Erie by mid-season. I can see him at Single-A Advanced Lakeland due to him getting a late start this spring, and I’ll be tracking his progress this season for sure.

Steven Moya with the Whitecaps last season

Photos courtesy of the West Michigan Whitecaps, Flickr, MLive.com