SAN DIEGO, Cal. – With more snow and freezing temperatures closing in on southeastern Michigan, most metro Detroiters would love nothing more than to escape the tundra for a week and travel to beautiful southern California to relax and defrost. But for one experienced tradesman, this week's trip to San Diego is strictly about business.

That man is Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski, who makes the West Coast trek this week for the baseball winter meetings. On Monday, the winter meetings will kick off a flurry of trades, signings and rumors, as representatives from all 30 Major League Baseball clubs converge on one location to mold their teams for 2015.

Some GMs, like Jeff Luhnow of the Houston Astros, are faced with the largely impossible task of turning around a struggling franchise to compete with powerhouses like Oakland and Los Angeles. Others, like John Mozeliak of the Cardinals, have earned the luxury of sitting back during the meetings thanks to a team that's nearly void of weaknesses.

For Dombrowski, his 2014 winter meetings checklist is longer than the one or two pieces he needed to solidify the Tigers in previous years. Detroit's early exit from the ALDS raised questions about the makeup of the roster; questions that Dombrowski will try to address over the next few days.

Here is a list of needs for the Tigers as the baseball front office world gets down to business:

Bullpen pitcher: 8th inning man

2014 8th inning man: Joba Chamberlain (free agent)

If there is ever a time for the Tigers to finally pay big money to a relief pitcher, it's now. Last season, Detroit pieced together a bullpen full of declining stars and it nearly cost the team a Central Division title. Closer Joe Nathan was a total bust, posting a 4.81 ERA and blowing seven saves. Joba Chamberlain was awful in the second half of the season with a 4.97 ERA in 28 appearances, compared to a 2.63 ERA in 41 first-half games.

Though the Tigers lost All-Star players like Prince Fielder, Omar Infante, Doug Fister and Jhonny Peralta from the 2013 squad, the player they missed most in 2014 was former set-up man Joaquin Benoit, who absolutely slammed the door in the 8th inning for two and a half seasons in Detroit. Now, after the Chamberlain experiment failed, Dombrowski is searching for that set-up man once again.

Detroit has added a few minor pieces to the bullpen already this offseason, including the resigning of both Joel Hanrahan, who didn't pitch a game for the Tigers last season, and Joakim Soria, who was mediocre after coming over from Texas at the trade deadline. Bruce Rondon will also rejoin the bullpen after missing 2014 to recover from Tommy John surgery.

If the Tigers have already locked down these three pieces, why does relief pitcher top the list of needs? In order to fully understand, we need to revisit the severity of the 8th inning struggles for Detroit.

In Game 1 of the ALDS, the Tigers and Orioles were locked in a 4-3 battle through seven and a half innings. Then, Chamberlain, Soria and Phil Coke combined to allow eight runs on five hits and two walks in the 8th inning. Baltimore went on to win the game 12-3.

The very next day, Detroit carried a 6-3 lead into the bottom of the 8th in a must-win Game 2. Chamberlain and Soria proceeded to implode in dramatic fashion, allowing five straight hitters to reach, capped by a bases-clearing double from former Tiger and lifetime journeyman Delmon Young that handed Baltimore a 7-6 lead. The Orioles took a 2-0 lead in the series, and the rest is history.

Dombrowski understands the moral of this story: Bullpens need an anchor, and for the Tigers, that needs to come in the 8th inning (as Nathan or Soria will likely lock down the closing role).

Possible options: Luke Gregerson (FA), Casey Janssen (FA), Pat Neshek (FA)

Outfielder: Left or right field

2014 right fielder: Torii Hunter (Minnesota Twins)

With the acquisition of Anthony Gose from the Blue Jays in November, Dombrowski set up a potential platoon between Gose and Rajai Davis in centerfield. Now, with one of the corner outfield positions taken by J.D. Martinez, the Tigers need one more everyday player to complete the trio.

Though the Tigers have the pieces to promote from within, Dombrowski has regularly shown a preference to dip into the open market and bring in a player with more experience. For example, the two-year deal with Hunter two seasons ago gave Detroit a veteran presence in right field with an above average bat in the No. 2 hole.

If Dombrowski decides that minor leaguers Stephen Moya and Tyler Collins aren't ready to run with a starting role out of Spring Training, he'll likely look elsewhere to fill the gap left by Hunter in the lineup.

Luckily for the Tigers, adding Gose to the outfield solidified the team defensively. As a result, the search for an outfielder will likely focus on replacing the offensive production Brad Ausmus is losing without Hunter.

For now, the lineup is lacking an obvious No. 2 hitter, an important spot for a team that boasts a Miguel Cabrera-Victor Martinez duo in the 3-4 holes. Hunter's value came in his ability to get on base for those two sluggers, and the offense would greatly benefit from another outfielder that can do the same.

Ausmus could also move Kinsler into the No. 2 hole if Dombrowski acquires an outfielder with leadoff ability. Either way, the Tigers need a hitter that can get on base and pace an offense filled with power in the middle.

Possible options: Emilio Bonifacio (FA), Norichika Aoki (FA), Matt Kemp (LA Dodgers), Matt Joyce (TB Rays), Alejandro De Aza (BAL Orioles)

Infielder: Utility man

2014 utility men: Eugenio Suarez (DET), Don Kelly (FA), Hernan Perez (DET)

Maybe the most overlooked hole on the 2014 Tigers' roster was the complete lack of quality hitters behind the starting lineup. When Ausmus was forced to call upon a pinch hitter or late-game replacement, he had no choice but to plug in one of the minor-league options on his bench.

In fact, in the last inning of the season, the Tigers led off with two doubles to pull within a run of extending their season, only to watch Bryan Holaday strike out and Perez ground into a double play. In contrast, when the Orioles went to their bench, Delmon Young came through with a three-run double to win Game 2.

When the playoffs arrive, every team's weaknesses are exposed.

Now the Tigers are in danger of falling into the same trap. With the return of Jose Iglesias as shortstop, light-hitting Andrew Romine is added to the mix of bench options that simply can't get the job done at the dish.

Picking up a utility infielder will be cheap for the Tigers, but Dombrowski shouldn't underestimate the importance of doing so.

Possible options: Ramon Santiago (FA), Rickie Weeks (FA), Sean Rodriguez (PIT Pirates)

Lineup: Left-handed pinch-hitter

2014 left-handed pinch-hitter: Don Kelly (FA)

When the Tigers resigned Martinez and added Gose to the outfield, they downgraded the need for a lefty pinch-hitter from an absolute necessity to a potential luxury. Martinez, Gose and catcher Alex Avila give the Tigers three lefties that will see regular at-bats against right-handed pitching.

But, Detroit's thin bench could rear its ugly head once again, as it lacks the type of left-handed power hitter that many teams call on late in close games. Especially in the AL Central, which features righty power pitchers like Greg Holland, Wade Davis, Casey Fien, Cody Allen and Nate Jones late in games, a left-handed batter is a valuable commodity off the bench.

Possible options: Lyle Overbay (FA), Colby Rasmus (TOR Blue Jays), Nate Schierholtz (FA)

Dombrowski has already put the Tigers squarely in the middle of a few major offseason moves, but the winter meetings offer the greatest opportunity to shore up some of Detroit's major holes. As with most years, there's no telling what the Tigers GM will do next.

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