The Detroit Tigers have seven free agents heading into this winter but they likely only have a interest in maybe bringing three of them back for 2011. Here is what I would do about the free agents:

Brandon Inge: 33-year old righty swinging Brandon Inge is a player the Tigers would like to lock up before he becomes a free agent. Inge played in 144 games for the Tigers last season and he was 127 of 514 (.247 avg, .718 OPS) with 47 runs scored, 13 homers, 70 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. He is also a really good defensive 3B. VERDICT: If Inge signs a reasonable deal then I would re-sign him. If he wants to break the bank it will be somewhere else.

Jhonny Peralta: 28-year old Jhonny Peralta played in 148 games for the Tigers & Indians last season and he was 137 of 551 (.249 avg, .703 OPS) with 60 runs scored, 15 homers and 81 RBIs. Peralta has a club option for $7 million bucks or the Tigers can buy him out for $250,000 bucks. VERDICT: The Tigers try to work out a contract for a couple of years but at a much lower salary than $7 million bucks per year. Maybe they offer him $7 million bucks but for two years.

Magglio Ordonez: 36-year old righty swinging RF Magglio 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. VERDICT: The Tigers have already declined his option for next season but there is interest on both sides at working out a deal at a much lower salary.

Johnny Damon: 36-year old lefty swinging OF/DH Johnny Damon was a disappointment for the Tigers last season. Damon played in 145 games for the Tigers last season and he was 146 of 539 (.271 avg, .756 OPS) with 81 runs scored, 8 homers, 51 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. VERDICT: The Tigers have no interest in bringing Damon back for 2011.

Gerald Laird: 30-year old righty swinging catcher Gerald Laird had a poor year for the Tigers. He played in 89 games for the Tigers last season and he was 56 of 270 (.207 avg, .567 OPS) with 22 runs scored, 5 homers, 25 RBIs and 3 stolen bases. VERDICT: The Tigers have no interest in bringing Laird back in 2011.

Jeremy Bonderman: 27-year old righty starting pitcher Jeremy Bonderman pitched in 30 games (29 starts) for the Tigers last season and he was 8-10 with a 5.53 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. VERDICT: The Tigers will look to improve upon Bonderman in the starting rotation in 2011.

Bobby Seay: 32-year old lefty reliever missed all of last season due to injury. VERDICT: I would offer Seay a minor league deal.

The Tigers don’t need to make massive changes to the roster as it stands right now to compete. But they desperately need help at shortstop. I would offer up 25-year old righty swinging 2B Scott Sizemore and 24-year old righty swinging SS/2B Danny Worth to the D-Backs for starting shortstop Stephen Drew. The Tigers might need to sweeten the pot just a tad more to get that kind of deal but I wouldn’t go overboard as Drew is a solid but not spectacular player. I would then turn around and trade righty relievers Casey Fien and Jay Sborz to the Royals for righty reliever Kyle Farnsworth and IF/OF Willie Bloomquist. If the Tigers can get a trio of players like Drew, Farnsworth and Bloomquist before the trade deadline that would consider that a success.

The Tigers are leading the A.L. Central by 1/2 a game over the Twins with a 44-37 record. The Tigers have one big hole on the roster and they are going to try to fill it by July 31st. Reports have the Tigers chasing Stephen Drew of the D-Backs but he’s not the only option on the trade market. Alex Gonzalez, Cesar Izturis, Miguel Tejada, Jhonny Peralta, Yuniesky Betancourt, Jack Wilson, Christian Guzman and Ryan Theriot are likely all on the Tigers’ radar. The Tigers also need bench help. With that in mind guys like John McDonald, Julio Lugo, Adam Kennedy, Craig Counsell, Mike Fontenot, Jeff Keppinger, Ronny Cedeno and Bobby Crosby make sense among the backup infielders. In the outfield, Corey Patterson, Austin Kearns, Rajai Davis, Jim Edmonds, Jason Michaels and Ryan Church all make sense. Besides getting a starting shortstop in the trade market I don’t see any other major trades involving the Tigers this month.