OK so since the talks about acquiring J.J. Hardy are dying down a little for better or for worse. ( I personally was an advocate in getting him) I was thinking of other options available still that could improve our defense. As far as I can see the only realistic option out there that would be an upgrade in some way is Brendan Ryan.

I know all about Ryan's offensive struggles but on his high end he's tolerable and with our 1-8 hitters above him I believe this is one of the few teams his lack of offense won't be a major problem as long as he keeps flashing the leather. Regardless of all that I know a lot of people here are not big on the idea of him replacing Peralta so instead I suggest this.

With Nick Franklin coming up, just a year left on Ryan's contract, and the M's desperate need for more offense I don't see Brendan Ryan being to difficult to acquire. If he could be had for Brennan Boesch straight up or even a Boesch/Santiago for Ryan/"Insert name here" deal would you be comfortable making him our new Santiago so to speak. On the bench he could play SS when Fister, Porcello & maybe Smyly pitch and can cover 2nd to rest Infante. Not sure he's fully accept that role but it could be the best of both worlds for us. We gain some speed and exceptional defense without totally losing Jhonny's bat. Any thoughts?

I think Brendan Ryan isn't a cheap as you think he is, if we could land him for a Boesch/Santiago combo he'd be a Tiger already.

Exactly Grander. Ryan's range factor and excellent glove is the best in MLB..... my opinion.

If the Tigers wanted to improve their defense significantly and neglect the bat, they would have peddled Peralta and moved Worth to shortstop.

I don't see Ryan being traded for two moderate utility players. Tigers would need to forfeit someone like Dirks and Holaday for Brendan Ryan, to suffice them into two of our better utility players.

better to get franklin.

If the Mariners were truly interested in Porcello, my preference would be to trade Porcello for Franklin....and/or a young pitching prospect that could pitch at AAA, and be called up to spot start when we needed him.

Despite all my unrealistic trade propositions, I've been contending all along, that if we trade Porcello, it would be for young controllable players. I'd think in this circumstance, because Porcello isn't going to net the team any kind of significant delta in improvement, DD's priority would be to have players with controllable years that could fill certain holes that appear imminent on our roster near term.

There is no way Seattle would be interested in Boesch now that they have Morse, Jason Bay, Saunders, Franklin Gutierrez, Raul Ibanez, that Smoak kid, and I'm probably missing some....too many OF/1B/DH types.

They also have Montero blocking their DH spot and added Kendry Morales.

Adding Morse could give them an interesting lineup, especially if Montero were passable behind the plate. They look like an underrated squad, a candidate to be this years Oakland.

Ackley- 2B
Morse- RF
Montero- C
Morales-DH
Ibanez-LF
Seager-3B
Gutierrez- CF
Smoak-1B (or shift guys around and put Saunders in the OF and Ibanez at DH)
Ryan- SS

That's 8 guys who could take you deep if you aren't careful and the one who won't is perhaps the best defender at his position in all of baseball.

I agree.

They have quietly put together a very good team by dealing their strength (pitching and prospects) for good offensive talent.

Best of all for them, they still have plenty of that young pitching coming up.

The AL west has 4 dangerous teams who are all going to rack up lots of wins against Houstan now.

Being that they traded John Jaso and added Morse, I think it's very clear that they are going to try Montero at catcher.

<<I think it's very clear that they are going to try Montero at catcher. >>

He's the only catcher on their 40-man roster right now.