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Heading into spring training of 2016, it appears that the Detroit Tigers may only have a few spots up for grabs, therefore meaning there could only be a couple of position battles. The bench appears set with the December addition of Mike Aviles, and although there will likely be some competition for the backup catcher position and the No. 5 spot in the rotation, most expect that those jobs will go to Jarrod Saltalamacchia and Daniel Norris, respectively.
One competition that should be quite fun to follow, however, is the battle over the last couple of bullpen spots. It will be particularly interesting to see if Shane Greene can earn one of those jobs as well.
Greene, who was acquired in a three-way trade with the New York Yankees and Arizona Diamondbacks in December of 2014, got off to a great start with the Tigers last season, going 3-0 with an 0.39 ERA and a 0.74 WHIP in his first three starts. Unfortunately for the Tigers, he came crashing back to earth shortly after that.
The now 27-year-old Greene, who also wound up spending time in Triple-A Toledo last season, ended up going 4-8 with a 6.88 ERA (57 ERA+) and a 1.55 WHIP through 18 games (16 starts) with the Tigers. In August, it was reported that he underwent season-ending shoulder surgery.
Although it is possible that Greene could still give Norris a challenge for the No. 5 spot in the rotation, his best chance at making the team could very well be as a reliever. Obviously, he will face plenty of competition in the bullpen battle from the likes of Drew VerHagen, Bruce Rondon, Kyle Ryan, Buck Farmer and perhaps top prospect Michael Fulmer, but his odds are still most likely better than they would be as a starter.
If Greene is healthy and ready to go, he could still be a valuable asset to the Tigers. But one thing is clear: the sinkerballer is going to have to earn his spot in spring training.
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