#MyCardMonday: Placido Polanco

As a Detroit Tigers fan everyone knows that 2006 was a magical season for the Tigers. To me it was the season that turn the Tigers into one of the worse teams of the decade into a team that showed they could compete. We all know that season was capped with a World Series run. Out of all of the players on that team, Placido Polanco was probably my favorite player out of them all.

Saturday night I was watching the Tigers pregame show and they were talking with Polanco before he was honored during the game. They were celebrating the 10th anniversary of Fiesta Tigres which honors Latin-American ball players. Polanco spent five seasons in Detroit as our second basemen and our number 2 hitter in the lineup. As a hitter I cannot think of anyone who was better then Polanco batting second. He wasn't a power guy, but he could move the runner over and hit for average (.311 as a Tiger) along with getting a walk (.355 OBP). Defensively he was one of the best defenders in the game at second. He posted a career dWAR of 6.8 and won two gold gloves in Detroit. His defensive career is highlight by him setting the record of 144 straight games at second without an error.

In 2009 Polanco would reach free agency and would sign with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Tigers hoped that upcoming prospect Scott Sizemore could hold down second base for them. I thought they should have kept Polanco and have him work with Sizemore at second before letting he have full control. That didn't work out for the Tigers as plan. The Tigers didn't have a second basemen until they traded for Omar Infante in 2012.

Goodbye Donnie Baseball

Early this week we had learn that our former manager Jim Leyland favorite ball player, Don Kelly had signed a minor league deal with the Miami Marlins. Kelly was known as a super utility player that could play almost anywhere on the diamond. He was drafted in 2005 by the Tigers, but was granted free agency in 2006 when he went and signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He made his debut in 2007 with the Pirates, but after the season he was a free agent again. He would sign with the Diamondbacks before returning back to Detroit.

In his time with Detroit he spent six seasons playing many different positions for the Tigers. I will always remember Donnie Baseball as a guy who you knew wouldn't hit for much with his career slash line being .232/.296/.336, but you knew whatever position he was playing he would play average at worse. He could play all three outfield spots and both corner infield spots with easy. He will be a good fit for the Marlins with being able to play so many positions (plus he did pitch against the Mets this past year). Many fans had mixed emotions about Kelly. I always tried to look past his bat and look at him as just a super utility player that could get the job done. Here are some highlights of his career: