Tigers Floating Brad Thomas Trade?

The Detroit Tigers may be looking to move Brad Thomas, according to Jon Paul Morosi. The team already has more than enough lefty relievers on the roster with David Purcey, Charlie Furbush, and Daniel Schlereth -- and Morosi notes that doesn't even include Phil Coke, himself a converted reliever that could see another bullpen stint if the Tigers move on a starter.

Asked about a potential trade, Kurt Mensching of Bless You Boys said that getting what the Tigers need for Thomas doesn't seem like a realistic proposition. "The Tigers should be looking to find an every day second baseman or third baseman. Obviously Brad Thomas isn't going to get that in return. Or anything more than organizational filler, really."

Who would take his place? Mensching agrees with Morosi that Brad Thomas won't really be missed. "The Tigers have too many left handers already. None of them are particularly impressive, but all of them are better than Brad Thomas. They had as many as four lefties in the bullpen already this season."

"David Purcey is now the chief lefty -- he arrived in the trade for Scott Sizemore -- with Daniel Schlereth the deputy. If Thomas came back to the active roster he'd probably bump Schlereth. As he's worse than Schlereth, that's a problem."

Until the Tigers actually do address their needs, he says "they'll probably place their faith in Carlos Guillen being able to contribute at second base when he gets back to the team around the All-Star Game, and they wouldn't think of replacing Inge at third. At some point they'll make a trade in July, but I'm not sure if it will address either of those chief issues."

As for Brad Thomas, the verdict is fairly transparent. "The Tigers have to trade Thomas because they have no place to put him."