Pitchers and catchers report...

It is only 4 days until the pitchers and catchers report to Lakeland, FL for the first formal day of Spring Training!  The winter has been cold, long and confusing (for many of us Tiger fans).  There has been much written and discussed since Game 163 last October.  Why did DD trade Ganderson and E. Jackson?  Who on earth are A. Jackson and Scherzer?  Can Bonderman and Zumaya make comebacks this year?

I can't pretend to know the answers to those questions.  The only service I can provide is to supply some links to what's out there.

• Firstly there is news that Jair Jurrjens may have injured his shoulder.  He has an MRI scheduled.  I know that he isn't a Tiger anymore, but they traded him for Cabrera so it's relevant. (hat tip to Baseball Musings).
• Along those same lines, an (ex) Tiger much closer to our psyche, Curtis Granderson is "able to" move to Left Field. (Freep)
• Which of course brings us to the Johnny Damon saga/ drama.  If you have been living under a rock there has been a great deal of ink spilled about Damon coming to Detroit (or Atlanta, or Chicago- it all depends on the days' rumor).  Personally, I think that Detroit should sign Damon.  He is a LH bat who has a career OPS of .794 and a WAR of 3.0 last year.  He is a proven lead off hitter too.  With both Granderson and Polanco gone they need a proven hitter at the top of the order.  And, for what it's worth, they way he stole 2nd and 3rd base in the World Series last year proved to me that he has brains.  
• There is a great deal of debate on whether or not Detroit is struggling with money or not.  Personally I don't believe what we are seeing is a fire sale.  Detroit ponied up good money for Valverde. They got younger (and refilled their system) at the very least.  Andrew Jackson appears to be for real.  Scherzer looks to be a solid replacement for Edwin Jackson (who I believe was a one-hit-wonder).

With Spring Training starting this week there will be more stories coming out, plus rumor and innuendo.  For now we can simply dream of green grass, worn leather and dust.  The long winter is almost over!