Will Tigers Pony up for Skubal

[Sports_Freak]

14 hours ago, buddha said:

then why do they do it in the nba and nhl?

I'm talking about MLB, Boras and Skubal. Tampering isn't something that's done by GMs and agents. GMs are fired or quit every year. To trust none of them will ever talk is very naive. An agent like Boras would put 100's of millions of dollars at risk for very, very little gain. If Skubal signs a $400m contract, Boras would make $40m at 10%. Bump that contract up to 440m by tampering and he would make $4m extra at 10%. He's not going to risk all the money he makes from other players for a measly $4 million bucks. Speculating that there are secret talks or hidden handshake deals is just that, speculation. If there was any proof, Boras would lose every player under contract or future free agent contracts. I'm telling ya, it's just not worth it. Now if someone were to say that Boras is unethical, I would agree. Taking a free agent's offer and shopping it around may be allowed but IMO, it's very unethical.

[casimir]

On 11/14/2025 at 3:24 PM, RatkoVarda said:

Boras to Cohen: Steve, next Winter I look forward to discussing Tarik's free agency with you and the Mets. Obviously, it would not be appropriate to discuss any terms while he is under control of the Tigers, but he did mention that he loves coming to NY for award season, and getting bagels at his favorite store at 440 10th Avenue. That's 440 and 10, Steve. If you are interested, go to 440 and 10, Steve.

Damn, you win the week.  It’s a real address for a real deli and they have bagels.

https://heavenlymarketnyc.com/

[1984Echoes]

5 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

... Now if someone were to say that Boras is unethical, I would agree. Taking a free agent's offer and shopping it around may be allowed but IMO, it's very unethical.

How is that unethical?

That's the very definition of his JOB.

[Tiger337]

3 hours ago, 1984Echoes said:

How is that unethical?

That's the very definition of his JOB.

It could be both!

[chasfh]

19 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

I'm talking about MLB, Boras and Skubal. Tampering isn't something that's done by GMs and agents. GMs are fired or quit every year. To trust none of them will ever talk is very naive. An agent like Boras would put 100's of millions of dollars at risk for very, very little gain. If Skubal signs a $400m contract, Boras would make $40m at 10%. Bump that contract up to 440m by tampering and he would make $4m extra at 10%. He's not going to risk all the money he makes from other players for a measly $4 million bucks. Speculating that there are secret talks or hidden handshake deals is just that, speculation. If there was any proof, Boras would lose every player under contract or future free agent contracts. I'm telling ya, it's just not worth it. Now if someone were to say that Boras is unethical, I would agree. Taking a free agent's offer and shopping it around may be allowed but IMO, it's very unethical.

How would backchannel discussions of the type we’re speculating on lose Boras every player under contract or future free agent contracts? Meaning, how would that work in practice? Can you help me understand by providing a hypothetical to explain your hypothesis? Boras uses back channel to talk to team about signing player already under contract elsewhere, someone finds out … then what?

Edited November 16 by chasfh

[Sports_Freak]

7 hours ago, chasfh said:

How would backchannel discussions of the type we’re speculating on lose Boras every player under contract or future free agent contracts? Meaning, how would that work in practice? Can you help me understand by providing a hypothetical to explain your hypothesis? Boras uses back channel to talk to team about signing player already under contract elsewhere, someone finds out … then what?

Someone finds out after a GM gets fired and is bitter. An agent like Boras, for example, makes millions of dollars a year. That could all be in jeopardy for very little gain. Think about it, everyone already knows the ballpark figure it will take to sign Skubal. If he were to shop him while he's still under contract, he may make a few extra million. But he would be exposing himself to being suspended from being an agent in future damesls;

 

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, Sports_Freak said:

Someone finds out after a GM gets fired and is bitter. An agent like Boras, for example, makes millions of dollars a year. That could all be in jeopardy for very little gain. Think about it, everyone already knows the ballpark figure it will take to sign Skubal. If he were to shop him while he's still under contract, he may make a few extra million. But he would be exposing himself to being suspended from being an agent in future damesls;

 

In your example, a GM gets fired, he's bitter, Boras makes millions per year, and ... then what? That's where your hypothetical ends.

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, chasfh said:

In your example, a GM gets fired, he's bitter, Boras makes millions per year, and ... then what? That's where your hypothetical ends.

Ok...Boras shops around players under contract. They all do it. Cheat steal and lie. That makes sense to you?

[TigerNation]

7 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

Someone finds out after a GM gets fired and is bitter. An agent like Boras, for example, makes millions of dollars a year. That could all be in jeopardy for very little gain. Think about it, everyone already knows the ballpark figure it will take to sign Skubal. If he were to shop him while he's still under contract, he may make a few extra million. But he would be exposing himself to being suspended from being an agent in future damesls;

 

You realize all Boras has to do is ask a question about the what contract terms a team might offer to a hypothetical player with similar stats to Skubal and it's not tampering, right?

[chasfh]

15 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

Ok...Boras shops around players under contract. They all do it. Cheat steal and lie. That makes sense to you?

And there's no punishment for him doing it. And that's that.

Neither you nor I can envision how he would get disciplined for it, so I'm having trouble seeing what the problem is.

Besides, didn’t you say on the page before this that tampering isn't something that's done by GMs and agents? Isn’t that how this whole sidebar started?

Edited Monday at 04:17 PM by chasfh

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

And there's no punishment for him doing it. And that's that.

Neither you nor I can envision how he would get disciplined for it, so I'm having trouble seeing what the problem is.

Besides, didn’t you say on the page before this that tampering isn't something that's done by GMs and agents? Isn’t that how this whole sidebar started?

No, you're right. Every agent shops players under contract around to all the teams that spend big. Nobody follows the rules and everybody cheats. Does that make sense to you? SMH

[chasfh]

3 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

No, you're right. Every agent shops players under contract around to all the teams that spend big. Nobody follows the rules and everybody cheats. Does that make sense to you? SMH

No, it doesn't make sense any more than your supposition that agents never have backchannel conversations with teams because they are afraid of getting caught.

[Sports_Freak]

28 minutes ago, chasfh said:

No, it doesn't make sense any more than your supposition that agents never have backchannel conversations with teams because they are afraid of getting caught.

Sense? I'm not into conspiracy theories. So in your world, Boras is shopping Skubal around to the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets and other teams while he's under contract with the Tigers and nobody will ever rat him out? Wow...I guess the moon landing was fake too? 🤣🤣

[chasfh]

9 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Sense? I'm not into conspiracy theories. So in your world, Boras is shopping Skubal around to the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets and other teams while he's under contract with the Tigers and nobody will ever rat him out? Wow...I guess the moon landing was fake too? 🤣🤣

I don't have any world.

[Sports_Freak]

39 minutes ago, chasfh said:

No, it doesn't make sense any more than your supposition that agents never have backchannel conversations with teams because they are afraid of getting caught.

And BTW, Grok knows agent penalties for cheating (tampering)

 

 

[oblong]

I looked that up yesterday because I was sure there was some kind of certification process for agents. There is but from the MLBPA point of view.  There is a code of conduct they must follow. And they have to take a test about the CBA.   I couldn’t find anything from MLB’s point of view.  I think in these cases it’s player vs player and team vs team.  The players don’t care. But the teams would. 

[papalawrence]

Skubal was on foul territory again. They showed a clip of a guy asking him to sign a Yankees hat and Scoob declined. He told the guys he'll only sign Tigers stuff. He also said the crazy numbers we're seeing online aren't coming from his camp. They brought up trade stuff and it seemed to deflate his energy a bit. His last 2 online interviews seem to point more that he would like to stay in Detroit. I hope Harris doesn't have it in mind already that he won't be in Detroit longer term. Work toward something like 8/350. I fully get the risk. His competitiveness, talent and grit all fall into that cliche we hear about Detroit dna. 

[1984Echoes]

1 hour ago, papalawrence said:

Skubal was... Work toward something like 8/350. I fully get the risk. His competitiveness, talent and grit all fall into that cliche we hear about Detroit dna. 

If Skubal/Boras will do this...

Yes, I hope Harris can get that done.

8 years is less crazy than 10, and first choice is to keep Skubal in Detroit.

[Arlington]

Jim Bowden wrote one of has fantasy trade articles for The Athletic.  https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6815157/2025/11/20/tarik-skubal-trade-scenarios-tigers-dodgers-yankees-mets-mariners-red-sox/   He talks about comparable trades which there are few.  Bowden used to play a real GM in real life so I hope these are somewhat on the mark.  Picking up a starter who could soften the loss and adding pitching depth and a good prospect or two is very enticing, especially if their impact could be had through 2030.  
 

---

Los Angeles Dodgers

Team	Player	Pos.	Stage of Career	Control (Est.)
Dodgers	Emmet Sheehan	RHP	MLB-ready starter, already pitched postseason	~5 yrs
Dodgers	Justin Wrobleski	LHP	MLB-ready starter, limited MLB time	~6 yrs
Dodgers	Jackson Ferris	LHP	Upper minors (AAA in 2026)	~6 yrs after debut
Dodgers	Zyhir Hope	OF	High-ceiling prospect, reached AA, 2+ yrs away	Full 6 yrs if not debuted
Dodgers (alt.)	Tyler Glasnow	RHP	Established MLB ace	3 yrs (contract control)

---

Boston Red Sox

Team	Player	Pos.	Stage of Career	Control (Est.)
Red Sox	Connelly Early	LHP	MLB-ready starter; debuted 2025	~6 yrs
Red Sox	Kristian Campbell	UT (likely 2B)	MLB, rookie contract (struggled yr 1)	7+ yrs (just signed extension)
Red Sox	Jhostynxon García	OF	Top OF prospect, AA/AAA blocked	6 yrs if not debuted
Red Sox	Christian Foutch	RHP	2024 draft pick, reliever prospect	Full control after debut

---

New York Mets

Team	Player	Pos.	Stage of Career	Control (Est.)
Mets	Jonah Tong	RHP	Top pitching prospect, brief MLB time	~6 yrs
Mets	Brandon Sproat	RHP	Upper minors/MLB debut 2025	~6 yrs
Mets	Jett Williams	INF/OF	Top 2022 pick, versatile up-the-middle prospect	Full 6 yrs after debut
Mets	Ronny Mauricio	INF/DH	Has MLB time, needs plate discipline reboot	~5 yrs

---

Seattle Mariners

Team	Player	Pos.	Stage of Career	Control (Est.)
Mariners	Bryce Miller	RHP	Established MLB starter, elbow issues	~4–5 yrs
Mariners	Ryan Sloan	RHP	2024 draft pick, high-upside arm (A/High-A)	Full 6 yrs after debut
Mariners	Harry Ford	C	Top prospect, recently debuted	~6 yrs
Mariners	Teddy McGraw	RHP	Prospect	Full 6 yrs after debut
Mariners	Michael Morales	RHP	Prospect	Full 6 yrs after debut

---

 

 

[chasfh]

12 hours ago, papalawrence said:

Skubal was on foul territory again. They showed a clip of a guy asking him to sign a Yankees hat and Scoob declined. He told the guys he'll only sign Tigers stuff. He also said the crazy numbers we're seeing online aren't coming from his camp. They brought up trade stuff and it seemed to deflate his energy a bit. His last 2 online interviews seem to point more that he would like to stay in Detroit. I hope Harris doesn't have it in mind already that he won't be in Detroit longer term. Work toward something like 8/350. I fully get the risk. His competitiveness, talent and grit all fall into that cliche we hear about Detroit dna. 

I do take Skubal at his word that he would prefer to stay here. I can envision his choosing Detroit in a tiebreaker over Los Angeles or New York. I don’t think he’ll give the Tigers any kind of substantial hometown discount, but I bet what he really wants to see from Detroit is a commitment in years. If we try to lowball him on years, probably anything less than eight, I think he leaves.

[oblong]

The Skubal clickbait trade "articles" are annoying.

 

[chasfh]

4 minutes ago, oblong said:

The Skubal clickbait trade "articles" are annoying.

 

I've been getting more messages from non-Tigers friends suggesting there must be something to the rumors since they keep seeing articles about it.

[oblong]

4 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I've been getting more messages from non-Tigers friends suggesting there must be something to the rumors since they keep seeing articles about it.

well an article put out by "Tigersfans UNITED" must be legit.

 

 

[papalawrence]

Tarik said on foul territory that the online stuff is not from his camp, and I highly doubt Harris or Greenberg have leaked anything. I think the online stuff is speculation. 

[Tiger337]

51 minutes ago, papalawrence said:

Tarik said on foul territory that the online stuff is not from his camp, and I highly doubt Harris or Greenberg have leaked anything. I think the online stuff is speculation. 

It's not even speculation anymore.  It's computer generated garbage.