Anthony Fenech

Detroit Free Press

SAN DIEGO – It has been a slow start at the winter meetings for the Tigers.

They arrived Sunday night, had dinner at manager Brad Ausmus' house and attended a commissioner's breakfast before meeting for the first time Monday morning.

"Got started a little later than we normally would," president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said.

But, he cautioned, things at the winter meetings can change quickly.

"Very quickly," he said. "Because there could be a phone call while you guys are sitting here and all of a sudden that changes."

No such call came during his nightly meeting with beat reporters in the Tigers' suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, a half-hour session in which Dombrowski reported little to no activity.

"I would not tell you we're close to any deals at this point," Dombrowski said.

Neither are they close to signing any free agents.

"We haven't had any face-to-face meetings at this point," he said Monday.

He spoke with a couple of agents, exchanging pleasantries during a morning jog, and a number of agents have been in touch with assistant general manager Al Avila and vice president of baseball legal counsel John Westhoff, but it has been the kind of contact that is par for the course at the winter meetings, Dombrowski said.

But around the league, he said: "There's a lot of talks going on, actually, and I think with us, it's not only you're trying to get engaged at any time, but there's a lot of conversations going on."

Dombrowski said he estimates he had more trade conversations entering the winter meetings than he probably ever has.

"But when I say that, it doesn't mean anything transpires," he said.

A lot of that, Dombrowski believes, is that a number of free agents have signed and, although other players are out there, teams are eager to address their needs.

And he shed some light on filling the Tigers' needs on paper — left-handed relief and outfield — seemingly comfortable with internal options at both positions.

About left-handed relief, he said: "Comfortable? Yes. Can you get better? Sure."

Dombrowski and Ausmus talked at length about Ian Krol and his development.

"We think he has the chance to be a good major league pitcher," Dombrowski said — and mentioned Blaine Hardy (2.54 ERA) as another candidate to fill a left-handed relief role.

On the outfield, Dombrowski sounded sold on Rajai Davis and J.D. Martinez seeing regular time and gave another vote of confidence to recently acquired Anthony Gose being the everyday centerfielder.

"We're counting on Gose being our centerfielder," Dombrowski said. "That's why we got him."

Time will tell, he said, if Gose, a .234 lifetime hitter, can hit enough for the role. "But do we think he can? Yes. Will he? We'll see."

And the Tigers will see if the next few days in California stay slow and steady or, like Gose in centerfield, pick up speed and catch something directed their way.

Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech.