Detroit Tigers 2013-14 Off-season thread

[RandyTiger]

All information on the Rosters and Organization has been moved to the Detroit Tigers 2014 Season Thread.

[RandyTiger]

Over the next few weeks, I'll be going through the roster player-by-player, giving each one a going-over and looking at their strengths, weaknesses, and how they contributed to the Cats this year.

[cephasjames]

Free agents: Benoit, Peralta, Infante, Pena, and Santiago... not to mention Leyland's contract is up.

Who stays, who goes?
Gone: Peralta, Santiago, Infante
Resigned: Benoit
Unsure: Pena, Leyland

[RandyTiger]

I think Pena will be re-signed. He's more than a capable backup, and with the way Avila gets banged up, they need someone.

Plus, Holaday isn't ready for prime time, his stint with the team earlier this year displayed a weak bat.

Leyland, I'd highly prefer he just retire and go away, along with the hitting coach.

The only one from the coaching staff I'd retain is Jeff Jones (pitching). He's done a superb job with the starters, and it's not his fault the bullpen wound up being so weak. Solid relief pitchers are difficult to find.

Don't forget the Tigers have a whole crop of arbitration-eligible guys, including Scherzer. Not sure if they can afford what it will cost to retain him, there's rumbles he might be traded this off-season.

[cephasjames]

Arbitration eligible: Scherzer, Porcello, Fister, Jackson, Avila, Coke, Kelly, Dirks, Albuquerque.

Scherzer will win big. Porcello and Fister will also do well, but not anywhere near as well as Max. The rest will be so-so.

With three of the starting five doing so well I can understand why there would be rumbling that Max could be traded. I'd rather see Fister (whom I like a lot) go before Max. But we would probably get a better deal with Max being traded. I'd like to see none of them gone overall though.

[RandyTiger]

Originally Posted by cephasjames

Arbitration eligible: Scherzer, Porcello, Fister, Jackson, Avila, Coke, Kelly, Dirks, Albuquerque.

Scherzer will win big. Porcello and Fister will also do well, but not anywhere near as well as Max. The rest will be so-so.

With three of the starting five doing so well I can understand why there would be rumbling that Max could be traded. I'd rather see Fister (whom I like a lot) go before Max. But we would probably get a better deal with Max being traded. I'd like to see none of them gone overall though.

Hopefully, they will not tender an offer to Coke, but given Dombrowski and Leyland's "fondness" of the guy, chances are they'll keep him, and he'll get a raise.

[David Watts]

Detroit news---Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Jim Leyland is stepping down as manager of the Tigers. Say's it's time for someone younger to do the job. I have mixed feelings about this.

[cephasjames]

Tigers trade rumors: Max Scherzer on the block? - SBNation.com

[RandyTiger]

Originally Posted by David Watts

Detroit news---Ken Rosenthal is reporting that Jim Leyland is stepping down as manager of the Tigers. Say's it's time for someone younger to do the job. I have mixed feelings about this.

Team's official Twitter feed is confirming Leyland is stepping down to take another position with the club.

[RandyTiger]

Apparently, Miggy has been playing with a "Grade 2 or 3 tear" groin injury, and will require surgery, possibly as soon as this week.

He really gets my respect for playing through all that pain.

Also, Rondon visited the famous orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews for an evaluation, and he will not require surgery; it's a flexor muscle-strain issue and should heal normally.

[Source: Detroit News/John Niyo]

[TribeFanInNC]

Originally Posted by cephasjames

Tigers trade rumors: Max Scherzer on the block? - SBNation.com

Not really following the Tigers beyond this thread, my initial reaction to posting this link was, "Why in Sweet Fanny Adams would they do that?" But I guess under the paradigm that he would be a fourth player making $20mil+ (and the most palatable by a trading partner), it does make some sense.

That said, it doesn't seem like a move the Tigers would make.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by TribeFanInNC

Not really following the Tigers beyond this thread, my initial reaction to posting this link was, "Why in Sweet Fanny Adams would they do that?" But I guess under the paradigm that he would be a fourth player making $20mil+ (and the most palatable by a trading partner), it does make some sense.

That said, it doesn't seem like a move the Tigers would make.

Starting pitchers can wax and wain - tough to commit that kind of money to another one. They can slide Smyly into a starter's slot if they can get several quality bullpen arms in return.

I don't want to see him traded, but with a good deal that filled other holes well I could live with it.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by RandyTiger

Hopefully, they will not tender an offer to Coke, but given Dombrowski and Leyland's "fondness" of the guy, chances are they'll keep him, and he'll get a raise.

I'm not a Tigers fan, so don't follow them as closely as you guys, but my impressions of Coke are that he's a decent pitcher.

He can relive or even start in a pinch, puts up solid if not great numbers(though his walks were really high this year, that doesn't seem to be a trend) and is generally a decent arm to have on your team.

Am I missing something?

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by TribeFanInNC

Not really following the Tigers beyond this thread, my initial reaction to posting this link was, "Why in Sweet Fanny Adams would they do that?" But I guess under the paradigm that he would be a fourth player making $20mil+ (and the most palatable by a trading partner), it does make some sense.

That said, it doesn't seem like a move the Tigers would make.

Same reaction here. Given that the Tigers core isn't getting any younger I don't see how it'd make sense at all to trade Scherzer, especially if you were getting prospects in return. They're in win now mode and Scherzer's the perfect guy to help you win now.

[RandyTiger]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I'm not a Tigers fan, so don't follow them as closely as you guys, but my impressions of Coke are that he's a decent pitcher.

He can relive or even start in a pinch, puts up solid if not great numbers(though his walks were really high this year, that doesn't seem to be a trend) and is generally a decent arm to have on your team.

Am I missing something?

Stats this year: 0-5, 5.40 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, with 1 Save (2 Blown), 4 Holds, 30 K / 21 BB in 38.1 innings. His WAR this year is -0.2.

Opponents hit .291 against him this year, with a .370 OBP and a OPS of .809.

That is not the hallmark of a decent pitcher. Decent person, oh yes, but pitcher?

No.

Career: 17-25, 4.20 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, with 7 Saves (12 Blown), 75 Holds, 266 K / 127 BB in 340.1 innings.

Batting average against: .271. OBP: .337 OPS: .731.

He belongs at the AAA level. Only reason he isn't there now is because he's a lefty, and Dombrowski and (formerly) Leyland stick with players no matter what they do, like Inge and Raburn.

That's why he draws so much fan ire. He's not suitable for the Bigs.

[cephasjames]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I'm not a Tigers fan, so don't follow them as closely as you guys, but my impressions of Coke are that he's a decent pitcher.

He can relive or even start in a pinch, puts up solid if not great numbers(though his walks were really high this year, that doesn't seem to be a trend) and is generally a decent arm to have on your team.

Am I missing something?

His 2013 game logs show that he can be inconsistent. I am a bit surprised that, minus his last game in Sept., he pitched pretty well July-Sept. He started the year poorly and that stigma stuck with him. As someone who has followed him, he is just inconsistent and not trustworthy. He's the proverbial box of chocolates.

Or what Randy said.

[Lukas Berger]

Originally Posted by RandyTiger

Stats this year: 0-5, 5.40 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, with 1 Save (2 Blown), 4 Holds, 30 K / 21 BB in 38.1 innings. His WAR this year is -0.2.

Opponents hit .291 against him this year, with a .370 OBP and a OPS of .809.

That is not the hallmark of a decent pitcher. Decent person, oh yes, but pitcher?

No.

Career: 17-25, 4.20 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, with 7 Saves (12 Blown), 75 Holds, 266 K / 127 BB in 340.1 innings.

Batting average against: .271. OBP: .337 OPS: .731.

He belongs at the AAA level. Only reason he isn't there now is because he's a lefty, and Dombrowski and (formerly) Leyland stick with players no matter what they do, like Inge and Raburn.

That's why he draws so much fan ire. He's not suitable for the Bigs.

This year was admittedly bad. But his performances leading up to this year were those of a decent, though hardly spectacular MLB pitcher.

For his career he's at 1.6 WAR in 340 ip. That's not great by any means, but it's not a AAA player either. He's a decent 10th-13th pitcher.

I can see where a contending team would want someone more consistent, but as a Mets fan, I can assure you that it's possible to get much, much worse performances out of bullpen guys.

Anyhow, if the Tigers dump him, I'll take him on the Mets. He can't be worse than the dreck they've been running out of the pen the last few years.

[David Watts]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

This year was admittedly bad. But his performances leading up to this year were those of a decent, though hardly spectacular MLB pitcher.

For his career he's at 1.6 WAR in 340 ip. That's not great by any means, but it's not a AAA player either. He's a decent 10th-13th pitcher.

I can see where a contending team would want someone more consistent, but as a Mets fan, I can assure you that it's possible to get much, much worse performances out of bullpen guys.

Anyhow, if the Tigers dump him, I'll take him on the Mets. He can't be worse than the dreck they've been running out of the pen the last few years.

Look at his WHIP. It's dreadful. He allows way too many batters to reach base.

[RandyTiger]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

I'll take him on the Mets. He can't be worse than the dreck they've been running out of the pen the last few years.

You can have him for the price of a 30th round draft pick, or 1 cent, whichever is more valuable at the moment.

I'll make it plain one last time:

I... want... him... gone.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by lukasberger

Anyhow, if the Tigers dump him, I'll take him on the Mets.

Done! Nothing needed in return and I will bet that a quick pass of the hat around Tigers fans will bring enough dough to buy his plane ticket.