Stormin

Wilbur Wood and Mickey Lolich seemed to be in a contest to see who could pitch the most innings. Mickey pitched 376 innings in 1971. Wilbur pitched 376.2 innings in 1972.

On the latest Tiger Territory podcast, Cody Stavenhagen said scouts at the winter meetings considered Troy Melton to be a "60 FV" player. Kevin McGonicle: 65 FV on 2025 MLB top 100 Max Clark: 60 FV on 2025 MLB top 100 Jackson Jobe: 60 FV on 2024 MLB top 100 Troy Melton: 60 FV according to recent scouting assessments Most teams consider 60 FV prospects untouchable in trade talks. There are only 20 players, and just 3 pitchers, rated 60 FV on the 2025 MLB top 100 prospects list.

True - but some teams can sign a player to a 10 year $400M contract and they are called "serious about winning" when the team is more serious about driving up franchise value. Most teams will encounter a financially detrimental impact for huge contracts so they don't agree to those type of contracts. In the end, it is more about $ than winning for every owner and every player.

I am not a big fan of the "serious about winning" narrative. Like every other MLB team, the Dodgers ownership group is serious about winning to the degree that winning increases financial return. The market value of the Dodgers franchise has increased from ~$5B has increased ~$8B dollars since signing Ohtani. They own most of the Southern California market and have a guaranteed multi billion regional television contract that no other team can match. Japan and other portions of Asia are now also part of the Dodger market with revenue coming from corporate sponsors and Dodger apparel sales on the other side of the ocean. Even with a $400M payroll, the Dodgers generate more annual income than the annual revenue of some other MLB teams. The primary goal of every single MLB franchise owner, all valued at over $1B dollars, is generating a positive financial return on their $1B plus investment. The primary goal of every MLB player is also to be paid $.

I understand wanting Tong, Sproat, William, Vientos, and Valdez over one year of Skubal. I just suspect the Mets will also prefer Tong, Sproat, Williams, Vientos, and Valdez over one year of Skubal.

Some data points. Jonah Tong is the the #46 overall rated prospect. Franklin Perez was the #39 overall rated prospect. While not probable, impact players have been drafted with compensatory picks (Kevin McGonigle, Austin Riley)

Two part exercise on Skubal / prospect trade possibilities: Part 1: Pretend Skubal plays for another team. Which of these prospects would you trade away for one year of Tarik Skubal? Kevin McGonigle Max Clark Bryce Rainer Josue Briceno Jordan Yost Hao-Yu Lee Part 2: Now revert back to Skubal being on the Tigers. Would you be happy if the Tigers traded away Tarik Skubal for a player similar to the prospect you selected in Part 1?

True - but the opposite is also true. People speculating that the Tigers could get a huge return don't make transactions for the Dodgers. There doesn't seem to be an indication from anyone involved, fan or otherwise, that a team will sacrifice a top flight young pitcher for one year of Skubal. There are reports that Mets Mclean is untouchable Reports that Dodgers don't want to trade Sheehan (or even Glasnow) Red Sox are reluctant to trade more young pitchers (Tolle/Early) I am sure the Tigers could get good prospects, but probably not a team's #1 prospect. The Tigers went down this path on the JV trade when the Astros declared their #1 prospect untouchable (Kyle Tucker) and the Tigers settled for Franklin Perez.

The theory that the Tigers could get a huge return from the Dodgers in a Skubal trade seems like an over estimate - at least according to Dodger fans. Many are not in favor of trading Sheehan straight up for one year of Skubal. The Dodger fans are confident the team can sign Skubal a year from now and not have to sacrifice any young talent.

Alex was receiving back pay owed to Ty.

I am not a young either, but I am more inclined to have the Tigers go for it this year because a shut down of some length seems likely. I cringe at all the items below, but the Tigers can make moves to improve the 2026 team. Brewers are looking for a Major League ready, young, controllable, starter in exchange for Freddy Peralta. Tigers have Olson, Melton, and Jobe. Valdez comes with a lot of baggage, but at this point he is available. Adding Peralta or Valdez to Skubal could make the Tigers rotation better than the Dodgers rotation. I don't know if there is a Skubal trade that makes the Tigers better in 2026. Maybe the Tigers send Skubal to (Mets/Red Sox/ Yankees), and the team receiving Skubal and the Tigers send prospects to the Nationals. Could the Tiger get MacKenzie Gore and CJ Abrams in return? After the Tucker signing I am more interested in the Tigers doing more to make the 2026 Tigers better because 2027 may not be fun.

I agree there is a relationship. The Dodgers demonstrated that they will pay whatever it takes to get a player they want. Tucker's salary plus the corresponding Luxury Tax payments will cost the Dodgers $119 Million next year - $119 Million for one player for one year. I had hope because the Tigers have enough contracts expiring to pay Skubal $50 Million next year. Now I fear, if the Dodgers want Skubal, $50 Million a year will not be nearly enough.

Ken Rosenthal has an article in the Athletic that states the Tigers made an initial offer of $19.8M to Skubal and were willing to go higher than $20M, but Boras and company never made a counteroffer.

I have read numerous reports stating exactly what you have said. I doubt Harris has ever publicly stated that the Tigers are a "File - and - Trial" team. I doubt Harris ever said Mize was a loophole exception. Mize is the only previous case to reach arbitration under Harris and that case was settled. To me, it seems like reporters are just making stuff up.

Why are so many reporters calling the Tigers a "File - and - Trial" team when the Tigers have had only 2 players (Michael Fulmer and Casey Mize) in the past 20+ years not agree to a salary before submitting arbitration numbers, and one those (Mize) resulted in a negotiated settlement before reaching the arbitrators? I would think Boras is more likely to take a "File - and - Trial" stance. He wants to establish precedent for other clients.

I mentioned the past, because you called the Tigers second half a "historic collapse". I mentioned names because you stated the second half of 2025 is how Harris will be remembered. For the record: 1951 Brooklyn Dodgers: Blew a 10-game lead to the New York Giants in September, famously losing the pennant on Bobby Thomson's "Shot Heard 'Round the World". 2011 Boston Red Sox: Lost a 9-game AL Wild Card lead to the Tampa Bay Rays in September, failing to even make the playoffs. 2011 Atlanta Braves: Lost a 7.5-game NL Wild Card lead to the St. Louis Cardinals, who then won the World Series. 1969 Chicago Cubs: Held a 9-game lead over the New York Mets in August but lost the division to them. 1978 Boston Red Sox: After leading the Yankees by 14 games in July, they lost the AL East on the final day of the season. 2012 Texas Rangers: Led the AL West by four games with nine left but lost the division to Oakland. 2009 Detroit Tigers: Led the AL Central by seven games in September and lost the Division to the Twins in a one game playoff. For the teams listed above, there was a significant consequence for the team that lost the lead - a team missed the postseason. The Tigers still made the playoffs, beat the Guardians, and were one run away from beating the Mariners.

Jim Campbell was GM/President of the Tigers for 30 years and what I remember most are the two years the Tigers won a post season series (1968 and 1984). The Tigers have won a post season series in 2 of the 3 years Scott Harris has been a GM. In the long run, Harris/Hinch will be be judged collectively by how often they make the post season and if the Tigers win in the post season. I really doubt details like first half vs second half records, players inherited or obtained, and even specific trade deadline deals will mean much in the long run. If the Tigers continue to make the post season with some regularity, Harris and Hinch will be here a long time. If the Tigers are absent from the post season for an extended period, Harris/Hinch will be fired. As far as spending, I would think most GMs will spend as much money as the owner allows.

Jim Bowden and Steve Phillips are former GMs who were involved in activities while a GM that guaranteed they would never get another GM job. They both have shows on Sirius XM MLB. In Bowden's case, he resigned in 2009 when he was part of an FBI investigation into skimming of signing bonus money from Latin American players. Bowden now often criticizes current GMs for not offering record setting contracts, but I am not sure he ever negotiated a big time free agent contract while a GM.

Bowden is a shill for Boras. First Bowdon repeats the Boras "leadership" message regarding Bregman. Now Bowden is piling on the Skubal arbitration situation. Notice Bowden said nothing before the Boras number was released - and all the Skubal arbitration estimates were in the 17M to 23M range

The 19M to 32M difference is small change relative to the long term contract Skubal will eventually sign. The Tiger can say they will only negotiate contract extensions during the arbitration period and make Skubal/Boras decline a 200M + extension offer knowing Skubal is one injury away from missing out on a big pay day. BTW, agreeing to abide by an arbitration decision and pay a player between 19M and 32M, does not make the Tigers a trash organization. Under paying employees in the ticket offices, concessions. ushers, and minor leaguers struggling to make ends meet would make the Tigers a trash organization.

Or sign Valdez, try to make a payoff run with Skubal and Valdez in rotation, if it does not work out trade Skubal at trade deadline. If the Tigers have any chance of signing Skubal long term, I think the best opportunity is now.

Now that the arbitration numbers are out, seems like a good time for the Tigers to deliver their best long term contract offer. If Skubal/Boras say no, pivet to Valdez and/or Suarez?

As a side note, the Tigers drafted Christian Stewart with the comp pick they received for Max Scherzer. A few picks later the Braves drafted Austin Riley.

The Tigers annual revenue is around 300M (according to Forbes) and the 2026 player payroll is currently in the 180M to 190M. With that in mind, which of the long term ~150M+ available free agents are worth the investment and risk? What free agents that can be signed for a less than a six figure deal are improvements relative to current players?