Tigers, Everett agree to one-year deal
By Jason Beck
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What had been negotiations on hold for Adam Everett quickly became a deal Monday evening. The two sides agreed to terms on a one-year contract, bringing back the shortstop credited with helping improve Detroit’s infield defense.
The deal came together quickly, just hours after negotiations seemed to be in a holding pattern and Everett was drawing some interest from the Pirates. The Tigers, meanwhile, had been talking with the agent for fellow free-agent shortstop Bobby Crosby.
It was around the first day of last year’s Winter Meetings that the Tigers reached an agreement with Everett, then coming off an injury-shortened campaign with the Twins. He rebounded in 2009 by retaking his role among the better defensive shortstops in baseball.
Everett’s 8.9 Ultimate Zone Rating, a measure of balls hit into a position player’s area that he should get, ranked fourth among Major League shortstops. He committed 14 errors out of 457 total chances over 118 games for a .969 fielding percentage.
Everett’s offense, never his strength, still ended up better than many expected when he signed. He batted .238 with 21 doubles, three home runs and 44 RBIs, while batting .270 with runners in scoring position. He hit .364 (8-for-22) with a runner on third and two out.
Everett’s return, or some sort of veteran shortstop, became all the more important once the Tigers officially lost free agent second baseman Placido Polanco to the Phillies last week.
“Basically, we have our infield back except for the change at second base,” said team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski, whose team now will count on rookie Scott Sizemore to take over at second.
Everett will continue to take the bulk of the duty at shortstop, with Ramon Santiago being mixed in.
