The Tigers have signed 23-year old righty swinging shortstop Argenis Diaz to a minor league deal. Diaz played in 22 games for the Pirates last season in his first taste of the majors and he was 8 of 33 (.242 avg, .578 OPS) with 2 RBIs. He also played in 80 games in AAA-ball last season and he was 68 of 274 (.248 avg, .586 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 0 homers, 22 RBIs and 5 stolen bases. The Tigers will give Diaz a chance to win a bench job next spring but he will more than likely start the 2011 season in AAA.

The Tigers have re-signed 36-year old righty swinging RF Magglio Ordonez to a 1-year, $10 million dollar deal. Ordonez played in 84 games for the Tigers last season and he was 98 of 323 (.303 avg, .852 OPS) with 56 runs scored, 12 homers and 59 RBIs. He has now played in 755 games in his first six years with the Tigers and he is 905 of 2,842 (.318 avg, .874 OPS) with 419 runs scored, 102 homers, 501 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. I like this move for the Tigers as Ordonez gives them another lethal bat for 2011 assuming he can stay healthy.

The Tigers have released 26-year old righty starter/reliever Alfredo Figaro so that he could sign with the Orix Buffaloes of Japan. Figaro pitched in 8 games (1 start) for the Tigers last season and he was 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP. He pitched in 13 games (4 starts) in two years with the Tigers and he was 2-4 with a 6.54 ERA and a 1.86 WHIP. The Tigers did Figaro a favor as he wasn’t likely going to have much, if any of a role with the Tigers in 2011.

The Tigers have signed 29-year old righty swinging catcher Omir Santos to a minor league deal. Santos played in 27 games in AA+AAA-ball last season and he was 15 of 94 (.160 avg, .474 OPS) with 7 runs scored, 1 homer and 10 RBIs. Santos last played in the majors in 2009 with the Mets and he did a good job for them that season. Santos has played in 107 games in his major league career and he is 74 of 291 (.254 avg, .671 OPS) with 28 runs scored, 7 homers and 40 RBIs. Santos will get a shot to win a job on the Tigers’ bench next spring.

The Tigers have signed 36-year old lefty reliever John Bale to a minor league deal. Bale pitched in 43 games (0 starts) for the Royals in 2009 and he was 0-1 with 1 save, a 5.72 ERA and a 1.84 WHIP. He has now pitched in 109 games (12 starts) in his first 7 years in the majors and he is 3-7 with 1 save, a 4.66 ERA and a 1.49 WHIP. Bale will get a shot next spring to make the Tigers’ bullpen but he is considered a long shot.