Jeremy Bonderman

[sturg1dj]

I am currently having a debate on the Tigers MLB.com boards over Jeremy Bonderman. It seems once a year since he has been on the team (since they've been good at least) someone starts a thread that states he should be traded or released because he is not good. I think this is crazy but I am also a fan. So instead I wanted to ask actual intelligent baseball fans about this.

Do you think the Tigers would benefit by keeping Bonderman?

keep in mind he is 25 and is due to earn $8.5 mil this season which would make him the highest paid pitcher on the team.


and I know this seems like it should be on the Tiger section, but I kind of want a better cross section.

[NickU]

I'm one of his staunchest defenders, but sometimes I wonder if it's time to give up on him.

[Imgran]

Even if all he is is an average innings-burner for the bottom of the rotation he's worth keeping around.

[Zagi-CRO]

J.Bonderman - Bondo are holding /a very firmly/ No2 in the Tigers rotation behind Verlander. He had some weak 2007 season 11-9 5.01 but he'd be better this year.

[NightHawks2007]

Releasing him wouldn't be worth it. He still puts up good numbers. Last year his biggest problems were early in the game. So if he settles down quicker he can be solid in the middle of the rotation. He isn't the ace of the staff like people thought he would be, but that's no reason to just dump him and get nothing in return.

[KCGHOST]

In Bonderman's five seasons he has posted only with an ERA+ of 100 or more. That's not real good. On the other hand he is only entering his age 26 season. But then again he is getting expensive. If the Tigers have the juggernaut offense we think they are going to have I would keep him with the idea that the run support will offset his inability to prevent runs.

The key point with Bonderman is he may be perceived as being better than he is and you may be able to trade him for more than he is worth. There is no better time than that to move a guy.

[Brooklyn]

Releasing him is not an option. He is due $8.5 million this year and $12.5 mill each of the next two years. If they release him, they'd still have to pay him, which would be throwing money away.

Trading him is another question. If you think he value is high, as KCGHOST indicated, then this might be the right time. But I wouldn't trade him just for the sake of trading him, only if you can get value in return.

The truth is that $8.5 million for a starting pitcher isn't all that much in today's game. There were plenty of worse pitchers on the free agent market that got more. Last year Adam Eaton and Miguel Batista each got $25 mill over 3 years. And Ted Lilly got $40 mill over 4 years. And Jason Marquis got $21 mill over 3 years. And Gil Meche got $55 mill over 5 years. And Vicent Padilla got $33 mill over 3 years. And Jeff Suppan got $42 mill over 4 years. And Jeff Weaver and Randy Wolf each got $8m for 1 year. And this year Carlos Silva got $48 mll over 4 years.

You can argue that any of these players are better (or not) then Bonderman. But the highest career ERA+ out of this group is 103. While most are higher than Bonderman's 93 career ERA+, this is certainly the group he is comparable with. To replace Bonderman, you'd have to spend equal or more money. As he is only 25 and can give you 175-200 inning per year, he may not be the front of the rotation pitcher that the Tigers were looking for, but he can be a solid middle of the rotation innings eater.

[mtortolero]

Looking his good K/9 and BB/9 ratios I think Boderman is having a tough luck allowing so many hits with balls on play .
Probably, being Bonderman a flyball pitcher, the adding of the glove of Jacque Jones in LF replacing the crappy LF, as Monroe and Thames, Tigers had in 2007 may became this guy in a very good pitcher this year.

[Imgran]

Try him in the bullpen long before releasing him outright, and before trading him too. It's been the solution before now for guys with great stuff who can't put it together.

[nccavediver]

This last season's 1st inning woes will not continue. When that happens, look for his numbers dramatically change.

[Zagi-CRO]

Try him in the bullpen long before releasing him outright, and before trading him too. It's been the solution before now for guys with great stuff who can't put it together.

I would never trade him. He's 2nd spot of the rotation!
See:

Justin Verlander		18	6	3.66
Jeremy Bonderman		11	9	5.01
Dontrelle Willis		10	15	5.17
Nate Robertson		         9	13	4.76
Kenny Rogers		         3	4	4.43

Willis had even poorest numbers... Bondo will be ok this season.