The Detroit Tigers have had nothing but good things to say
about former closer Jose Valverde this offseason, but the team hasn’t “for a
moment considered signing” the free agent, according to Lynn G. Henning of The
Detroit News.
Tigers have been busy endorsing Jose Valverde in every fashion but one: They haven't for a moment considered signing him.
— Lynn G. Henning (@Lynn_Henning) February 21, 2013
Valverde signed with the Tigers prior to the 2010 season,
and the right-hander was solid over his first two years with the club. In fact,
he completed all 49 of his regular season save opportunities in 2011.
But things went downhill last season, as Valverde finished
the year with an ERA of 3.78. While not awful, his inconsistency ultimately
resulted in him losing the role of closer in the playoffs.
Now, the Tigers are poised to enter the 2013 season with
young right-hander Bruce Rondon as their closer, with veterans Phil Cokes,
Joaquin Benoit and Octavio Dotel filling late-inning roles.
Over 10 years in the majors, Valverde owns a career ERA of
3.11 with a 2.62 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The 34-year-old is one of several
former closers still available on the free agent market, also including Brian Wilson,
Francisco Cordero, Francisco Rodriguez and Bobby Jenks.
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