Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2013 Thread

[Cleaves2000]

Remember....I was trying to create the team that cleaves seems interested in having. But true....I have my doubts that Detroit even reaches $160mil in salary....unless they make another cost cutting trade before hand. If you are looking at a current total of over $150mil in salaries (including arbitration 'guesses'), then about another $10mil, to be spent, seems about right. I have no problem with that total. Kudos to Illitch for putting the Tiger's salary total right up there with NY, LA's and Phillies (and Seattle's????)

When and where did i ever want choo when we had fielder.....i wanted lopez and nathan once free agency started......

Why would YOU have a problem? You talk like your last name is illitch...


But we will see how cutting payroll works if we start losing......like i said, i hope im wrong and if this team wins the division with the lineup they have....ill be the first to eat crow....


I just dont see how people cried over the fielder contract....and keep worrying about the payroll....but yet act like giving miggy a 300 million dollar contract is no big deal....i love miggy, but people were complaining about fielder being signed thinking once he ages he will get real bad....but yet hes been more durable than miggy....why wont giving a mid 30's star 300 million sort of be dumb? Wont that handcuff this team worse than the fielder contract?

 

[Cleaves2000]

I also didnt want gregorsen until the other day when i seen seth smith was able to get him.....now mcclouth is gone for a 2 yr 10 million contract......getting slim pickens left out there.....guess were putting alot of faith in dirks and nicky c and porcello and smyly and rondon and kroll....not to mention another year of AL AL and coke.....maybe hope avila hits like he did 3 yrs ago? Kinsler 5 yrs ago......hope ajax figures it out? Hope iggy hits like he did the first half of last year? Hope teams arent smart enough to pitch around miggy? Hope hunter has really found the fountain of youth, along with vmart? ..

Just seems like alot of hoping for a team whos been in 3 straight ALCS...

I doubt if this teams window is even 2 yrs.....i see them making huge moves at the trade deadline if they are out of it......we will be rebuilding by next year if they fail to make the playoffs this year....

 

[Cleaves2000]

there is way more than a 2 year window for this team.....Dirks is not a piece of crap.....what the fuck is up with the Mariners?

Cmon man....only a tiger fan would say dirks isnt crap,.....and i liked dirks.....in a strong lineup like we had last year, i have no problem with dirks starting.....but this lineup is weak.....dirks will bat 5 or 6 in the lineup.....he will get many chances with miggy getting walked to come thru.....if vmart doesnt hit into many DP's.

 

[Cleaves2000]

Well word is beltran to the yanks......

 

[Ronnie]

I also didnt want gregorsen until the other day when i seen seth smith was able to get him.....now mcclouth is gone for a 2 yr 10 million contract......getting slim pickens left out there.....guess were putting alot of faith in dirks and nicky c and porcello and smyly and rondon and kroll....not to mention another year of AL AL and coke.....maybe hope avila hits like he did 3 yrs ago? Kinsler 5 yrs ago......hope ajax figures it out? Hope iggy hits like he did the first half of last year? Hope teams arent smart enough to pitch around miggy? Hope hunter has really found the fountain of youth, along with vmart? ..

Just seems like alot of hoping for a team whos been in 3 straight ALCS...

I doubt if this teams window is even 2 yrs.....i see them making huge moves at the trade deadline if they are out of it......we will be rebuilding by next year if they fail to make the playoffs this year....

I figured all the "Leyland negativity" had to go someplace. Now it is ''team negativity''. I wonder how many teams and their fans would LOVE the problem of having Cabrera, VMart, Verlander, Scherzer, Kinsler, Iglesius, Hunter, Nathan, and Jackson on their team. I doubt they would be talking about NOT making the playoffs.

 

[Cleaves2000]

DETROIT -- The Detroit Tigers have had a very active offseason. They still have moves to make. The roster is not a finished product.

But Dave Dombrowski believes the Tigers have the ability to win it all.

Dombrowski was asked Wednesday afternoon whether he thought the Tigers were in better shape to compete for a title in 2014 than they were in 2013.

"I can't say 'better,' but I can also say 'as good,' " he said. "This club has a chance to win the championship. That's how we feel about it. We like our club."

The Tigers have made several changes since the end of the 2013 season. But while they certainly are a different team, it's tough to argue that they are better. To be fair, though, they were pretty good last season. They won 93 games. They won the division. They advanced to the American League Championship Series. They had enough talent to win it all last season. They just didn't.

Let's try to break things down and see how the Tigers stack up right now (again, it is more than two months until spring training) compared to last season.


Prince Fielder is out for the Detroit Tigers. So are Jhonny Peralta and Omar Infante. Who's in? Nick Castellanos, Jose Iglesias and Ian Kinsler.
AP File Photo
STARTING LINEUP
Barring another big move, it is a good bet that the Tigers won't score as many runs in 2014 as they did in 2013, when they finished second in the majors with 796 runs.
Prince Fielder was a popular target for Tigers fans after he produced nothing in the postseason. But despite having one of his worst offensive seasons, he still hit 25 home runs and knocked in more than 100 runs in the regular season.

Yes, Victor Martinez will likely knock in more than 100 runs batting behind Miguel Cabrera. But that's not the point. There is a domino effect. Martinez might match Fielder's run production in the cleanup spot, but will the new No. 5 hitter match Martinez's production from last season? Fielder's bat will be missed.

The Tigers essentially have replaced Fielder, Jhonny Peralta and Omar Infante with Nick Castellanos, Jose Iglesias and Ian Kinsler. The offense might be more balanced. The Tigers might get shut out less often. They might be able to scrape together runs better. But it's difficult to argue that the starting lineup is better now than it was last season.

Verdict: The Tigers have taken a step back offensively.

Drew Smyly replaces Doug Fister in the starting rotation this season.
Mike Mulholland | MLive.com
ROTATION
It is fair to expect Justin Verlander to have a better season in 2014 than he did in 2013. It is unfair to expect Max Scherzer to match his Cy Young season. So let's make this easy and stick to the one change that the Tigers have made in their rotation.
Doug Fister is one of the most underrated starters in the majors. Drew Smyly has excellent stuff and great potential. But will he be as good in 2014, in his first season in the majors as a starter, as Fister was in 2013? It would be a shock if he were.

Verdict: The Tigers have taken a small step back in the starting rotation.

The Detroit Tigers will rely heavily on Bruce Rondon again next season.
Mike Mulholland | MLive.com
BULLPEN
The Tigers signed free-agent closer Joe Nathan on Wednesday, so there will be no question about who will close. Bruce Rondon will not be under the microscope during spring training. Brad Ausmus will not have to mix and match closers for the first month or so of the season. Jose Valverde will not be back.
But it's worth noting that Joaquin Benoit was a very effective closer during the regular season. The issues the Tigers had with the bullpen were with others. The supporting cast remains mostly unchanged.

The Tigers are relying heavily on Rondon, who had elbow issues at the end of the season. If Rondon is healthy and effective, he has the potential to be a solid setup man. If he gets hurt or struggles, the domino effect might be ugly.

The Tigers likely will make at least one more move this offseason to bolster the bullpen, but by all indications, they will leave the eighth and ninth to Rondon and Nathan. That means the Tigers will be seeking a middle reliever or two, which won't drastically change the overall look of the bullpen.

Expect the bullpen to feature Nathan, Rondon, Al Alburquerque, Ian Krol and Phil Coke. Luke Putkonen likely has the best shot at earning one of the two remaining spots, while guys like Evan Reed, Melvin Mercedes, Luis Marte and Jose Ortega could be in the mix depending on what other moves Dombrowski makes.

Verdict: At this point, the bullpen for 2014 looks about the same as the bullpen did in 2013.






From mlive....i guess im not the only one thinking the team hasnt gotten better

 

[Cleaves2000]

I figured all the "Leyland negativity" had to go someplace. Now it is ''team negativity''. I wonder how many teams and their fans would LOVE the problem of having Cabrera, VMart, Verlander, Scherzer, Kinsler, Iglesius, Hunter, Nathan, and Jackson on their team. I doubt they would be talking about NOT making the playoffs.

Because youre the only tiger fan allowed to have negativity right?

 

[Cleaves2000]

I figured all the "Leyland negativity" had to go someplace. Now it is ''team negativity''. I wonder how many teams and their fans would LOVE the problem of having Cabrera, VMart, Verlander, Scherzer, Kinsler, Iglesius, Hunter, Nathan, and Jackson on their team. I doubt they would be talking about NOT making the playoffs.

Seriously.....im not a huge kinsler trade....hes been avg the past 4-5 yrs.....would love vmart...just not as my cleanup hitter......love having miggy.....but how many times will he get a chance? Iggy? Love his defense, but i can think of alot of other SS i like better......jackson? Really? Hes a decent number 8 hitter in a good lineup.

Guess we will have to wait and see if this team makes the playoff....but unless they get another bat, they will be home in oct IMO...

Would of loved to see what another manager couldve done with the team jimmy couldnt win it all with.

 

[Ronnie]

I have plenty of negativity.....but I find it tough to dredge up much of it when I see the potential talent the Tigers have - and compare it to a lot of other teams. I would sort of feel like that little brat - Richie Rich - complaining that his $1000 bills are wrinkled.

 

[Cleaves2000]

I also like how you talk crap trying to call tiger fans out.....like youre always not the negative guy on here...but yet when i called you out about you trying to make me look stupid for wanting fielder, choo, nathan, and gregorsen...you ignore the fact that i NEVER said i did...

If anyone acts like a fantasy manager, its you.....youre always the one worrying about payroll.....im a fan.....i want the best product possible put on the field.....


This is all my opinion....if im wrong ill start the eat crow thread on here......but im gonna hate having to be the guy to tell you i told you so.....when the tigers are sitting home in oct.....all will be well because we saved 20 million on the payroll. When i first started watching sports, never did i think worrying about payroll would become bigger than winning and losing.

 

[Ronnie]

So.....unless the Tigers shock me and sign Choo, it looks like Dirks is in left and perhaps DD finds a right handed hitting LF who can spell him against tough lefties. Nobody special. Last of Detroit money needs to be spent on BP help. Supposedly Matt Albers is a possibility.

Choo - six years and a total of $100+ is what MLBTradeRumors is talking. I'm afraid that would force Detroit into shedding some cash somewhere. OR They could backload the contract so Choo makes only around $12mil this year. Right now......

Kinsler 2B
Hunter RF
Miggy 1B
VMart DH
Jackson CF
Dirks LF
Castellanos 3B
Avila C
Iglesius SS

Definitely not as scary....but probably a faster, better defensive team. Oh well.....One or two guys need to step up.

 

[Cleaves2000]

I have plenty of negativity.....but I find it tough to dredge up much of it when I see the potential talent the Tigers have - and compare it to a lot of other teams. I would sort of feel like that little brat - Richie Rich - complaining that his $1000 bills are wrinkled.

Potential thats the word......


Stars on team....miggy....will get walked a ton.....JV.....and max.......vmart hunter sanchez kinsler and nathan are good......outside of those guys.....i wouldnt see too much talent.....iggys talent? Defense ajax? Defense.....nicky c? Prospect......dirks? No comment.....avila?........nobody knows how well smyly will slide into starting....will he wear out? Is porcello ready to be a 4? And our complete BP outside of nathan is unknown or garbage.

 

[Cleaves2000]

So.....unless the Tigers shock me and sign Choo, it looks like Dirks is in left and perhaps DD finds a right handed hitting LF who can spell him against tough lefties. Nobody special. Last of Detroit money needs to be spent on BP help. Supposedly Matt Albers is a possibility.

Choo - six years and a total of $100+ is what MLBTradeRumors is talking. I'm afraid that would force Detroit into shedding some cash somewhere. OR They could backload the contract so Choo makes only around $12mil this year. Right now......

Kinsler 2B
Hunter RF
Miggy 1B
VMart DH
Jackson CF
Dirks LF
Castellanos 3B
Avila C
Iglesius SS

Definitely not as scary....but probably a faster, better defensive team. Oh well.....One or two guys need to step up.

So why wouldnt you walk miggy EVERY time? Vmarts not gonna make u pay with a HR.....if he singles, miggy goes to 2B only....ajax batting 5th? Thats dumb.....he cant hit for shit....then dirks after him? And then the youngster, followed by avila?


Very weak to me.....not to mention when a lefties on the mound.....avila cant hit lefties....not to mention what kind of RH bat for LF is out there.

 

[adrian2]

well guys DD the other day didn't exactly sound like Dirks was set in stone as the starting LF. As far as last years team. lets remember 37 games out of 162 scored 2 runs or less with cabrerra/fielder/Vmart. So it wasn't like the offense was very consistent. I'm more concerned signing a setup guy (maybe benoit if he doesn't get a closers gig) and winning games 3-2, 4-3. This team probably scores a lot more runs with the new guys for the whole season (Kinsler/Iggy versus jhonny/prince) and saves a lot more also.

 

[jalopy]

So why wouldnt you walk miggy EVERY time? Vmarts not gonna make u pay with a HR.....if he singles, miggy goes to 2B only....ajax batting 5th? Thats dumb.....he cant hit for shit....then dirks after him? And then the youngster, followed by avila?


Very weak to me.....not to mention when a lefties on the mound.....avila cant hit lefties....not to mention what kind of RH bat for LF is out there.

Holy Cow! At least wait until spring training to start whining. This team has won 3 straight division titles and has the best starting rotation in baseball. There is more to baseball than hitting home runs.

 

[Ronnie]

Potential thats the word......


Stars on team....miggy....will get walked a ton.....JV.....and max.......vmart hunter sanchez kinsler and nathan are good......outside of those guys.....i wouldnt see too much talent.....iggys talent? Defense ajax? Defense.....nicky c? Prospect......dirks? No comment.....avila?........nobody knows how well smyly will slide into starting....will he wear out? Is porcello ready to be a 4? And our complete BP outside of nathan is unknown or garbage.

LOL. You REALLY need to become a fan of some other team. You just took the lineup of one of the TOP teams in baseball and tore it apart. Perhaps try starting over with the Astros.....maybe you will learn to appreciate what you had in Detroit.

 

[adrian2]

carlos beltran off the board. 3 years 45 mil in NY. Not sure what the Yanks will do with all the OF. beltran, Ellsbury, Gardner and soriano as DH. Still have Wells and ichiro on the payroll. Although both way past their prime. Not much left as far as FA lefty OF go.

 

[themuzzer]

Give me Choo!!!!


I almost forgot.....

Raburn, Inge, Leyland and Lamont all suck!!!!! I've been saying it for years.....Why won't some believe my eyes.

 

[dougplayer]

granderson and beltran gone..good..
DD better do some thing. this team is not as good as last years team. we are going to miss fistr.

we have sunk down to KC and Clevelands level now.

Dirks will be fine. Kinsler will be ok. But with Iggy and that kid cast..at 3rd..that will be a weak hitting bottom of the line up.

 

[dougplayer]

in other good news. Lions have a great chance to win sunday in Philly.
even though they suck on the road.

philly has a ex sparty as a QB. we all know they are good for holding the clip board. even cleves will tell youthat.
Lions 28 Eagles 17. Levy picks the ex sparty to keep his NFL lead in interceptions!!!