The Detroit Tigers acquired Francisco Rodriguez for young prospect Javier Betancourt in a trade with the Brewers. So Al Avila and Dave Dombrowski have the same approach to building a pitching staff. Despite problems with the rotation, start by trading young talent for an old closer.

“When I look at Frankie, I see kind of a little bit of a Trevor Hoffman,” Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said. “Both of these guys, they came up throwing 95-plus miles an hour and could basically throw the ball by guys. … Frankie, like Trevor, has just turned to the changeup — both of them had tremendous changeups, swing-and-miss changeups — and he’s reinvented himself and become equally as successful.”

Fine. I think it speaks volumes that the Tigers don’t have a young, hard throwing pitcher who they can slip into the closer’s role cheaply, like the Angels did with Rodriguez back in 2002.

Betancourt played 2015 as a 20 year old, his fourth year in the minors. He hit a wall at age 19 when he went from rookie league to A-ball, his ability to get on base taking a big hit. I suspect opponents adjusted to him and he didn’t adjust back. If that keeps up, then the Tigers gave up little to get K-Rod. However, given the rather high age of the Tigers, they really should be hoarding young talent.