Will Tigers Pony up for Skubal

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, Longgone said:

And it disproves any notion that Harris is unwilling to make a long term commitment to a premium player.

Harris has only signed one player longer than 2 years. Colt Keith. So signing Torres to 2, one year contracts, doesn't prove anything.

[Sports_Freak]

3 hours ago, chasfh said:

I agree, several other posters do share that view. Numerous other posters have raked Harris for failing to sign the very biggest of free agents, or to successfully trade second-tier prospects for established big league contributors. 

Some posters will make a very valid argument that the terrible trade deadline moves he made in 2025 cost us the division. They would say the additions of Morton and Paddack lost us enough games to finish 1 game out of the division.

[Longgone]

11 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Harris has only signed one player longer than 2 years. Colt Keith. So signing Torres to 2, one year contracts, doesn't prove anything.

You are correct, it doesn't prove anything, remains to be seen.

[1984Echoes]

3 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Jung has spent more time in the minors as a 2B than a 3B. They started giving him more time at 3rd after they had to move Colt to 2nd to protect his injured arm. Last season at Toledo they played him about 50/50 2B/3B. 

I still think Jung has an outside chance at 2B...

Maybe for only a cup in 2026...

Unless Torres gets nicked up a couple week or so... Jung may or may not get that period for a shot but I want to at least have that in the back of my mind as a possibility...

But then Torres leaves so does Jung get a fair shot at 2B in 2027? I'm of the belief that he would...

[gehringer_2]

13 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

I still think Jung has an outside chance at 2B...

Maybe for only a cup in 2026...

Unless Torres gets nicked up a couple week or so... Jung may or may not get that period for a shot but I want to at least have that in the back of my mind as a possibility...

But then Torres leaves so does Jung get a fair shot at 2B in 2027? I'm of the belief that he would...

Jung has shown fair power in the minors but it hasn't translated. He's not a high enough contact guy to make it unless he can hit for some power against MLB pitching. That's his hurdle.

[Sports_Freak]

18 minutes ago, 1984Echoes said:

I still think Jung has an outside chance at 2B...

Maybe for only a cup in 2026...

Unless Torres gets nicked up a couple week or so... Jung may or may not get that period for a shot but I want to at least have that in the back of my mind as a possibility...

But then Torres leaves so does Jung get a fair shot at 2B in 2027? I'm of the belief that he would...

The Tigers have a few 2nd base options on their ML roster and a couple players at that position in the minors. It really wasn't a position of need, it's why the signing of Torres took many fans by surprise. It was a very good signing, IMO, but it wasn't a glaring need.

[Motor City Sonics]

4 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

The Tigers have a few 2nd base options on their ML roster and a couple players at that position in the minors. It really wasn't a position of need, it's why the signing of Torres took many fans by surprise. It was a very good signing, IMO, but it wasn't a glaring need.

I feel like he's going to start 33% of his games at DH.  At least. 

[gehringer_2]

2 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I feel like he's going to start 33% of his games at DH.  At least. 

If McGonigle shows up some infielder is going to be doing some DH'ing for sure. Which will make like tougher for the 5th OF too. But unfortunately these kinds of potential problems tend to work themselves out via the IL.

[Sports_Freak]

3 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I feel like he's going to start 33% of his games at DH.  At least. 

Not if he's healthy. He's playing for a longer term contract in 2027. He wont have that QO having on him so he may get the offers he seeks.

Thinking about the possibilities of the Tigers roster...we have 5 guys who can play 2nd base. Many of our players can play multiple positions, and play them well. It really gives Hinch so many different options. 

[Motor City Sonics]

6 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Not if he's healthy. He's playing for a longer term contract in 2027. He wont have that QO having on him so he may get the offers he seeks.

Thinking about the possibilities of the Tigers roster...we have 5 guys who can play 2nd base. Many of our players can play multiple positions, and play them well. It really gives Hinch so many different options. 

It's not HIS decision.     The Tigers need to see what they have for the long haul now.   They need to see if Jung, Lee, Anderson or McGonigle are viable options.     The Tigers don't, and shouldn't care one bit about his offers from other teams in future years.   That is not their concern.   Maybe fewer games at 2b last year prevents the injury that wrecked the end of his season.     They are going to look at what they have.  If they don't it's incompetence.  (Plus they maybe need to showcase a guy or two for possible trades).   That's why they are not signing Bichette or Bergman, no matter what rumors are flying around this week.     They have to know what they've got.   What these guys do at Toledo or Erie doesn't matter anymore. 

[Motor City Sonics]

The moves (or lack thereof) this offseason makes me believe that the Tigers do not think they are legit contenders - that they might be able to win the Central, but nothing more.  If they thought they were legit, they'd go get a couple of big pieces and go for it NOW. 

But no, they're biding their time and seeing what they can get for Skubal and then aiming for 2028 and beyond. If they trade well, could be much better than they are now. 

Can't do worse than Avila with the big piece. 

In the Verlander and Martinez trades combined we got Jake Rogers.     

Can't do that again. 

 

I swear that J.D. Martinez trade was the worst in Tiger history.   Jose King, Dawel Lugo and Segrio Alcantara.   All the same position, none of them were ever good enough to start an MLB game.  Lugo and Sergio only made the team when they were the worst in baseball because they needed actual live bodies. 

Edited Saturday at 06:30 PM by Motor City Sonics

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, Longgone said:

You are correct, it doesn't prove anything, remains to be seen.

How does making a six-year offer not prove that Ilitch/Harris are willing to sign players to long-term contracts? Isn’t that the point you were making earlier?

[casimir]

This place needs a live baseball game or a hug.  Maybe both.

[Arlington]

4 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

The 70s, 80s team had all kinds of different personalties including guys like Morris and Gibson who might not have been regarded as ideal teammates.  On the other hand, Anderson got rid of Leflore because of his bad influence on Whitaker.  But that's something that fans can't really know.  I just want the Tigers to accumulate talented players.  I'll let them decide who is a good teammate, because I don't think fans really know about those things.  

Did Sparky really move LaFlore because he was a bad role model for Whitaker?  I never heard that before.  I couldn't find anything that supports that idea.  It sounds more like group think grounded on stereotype to me.  

[casimir]

On 1/2/2026 at 9:14 AM, oblong said:

I remember at the time, like August of 24, reading about how the two of them had breakfast at a place in Birmingham and mapped out a plan for the rest of the season. It worked. 

I’m a little skeptical on a plan to make the playoffs, although I will acknowledge there was a different feeling at the beginning of August than there was at the end of August.  If this plan was August 31, ok, I don’t dispute it.

August 1?  They were almost double digit games out and behind a handful of teams at the beginning of the month.  Just traded away Flaherty.  They may have been dabbling in pitching chaos by then.  Hardly when you say we’ve got ‘em where we want ‘em.

But I was sucked into it at the end of August.  I remember thinking if they could take the series in San Diego, well, the charge was for real.  As it was, they took only the last game, and I still didn’t want to disbelieve.

I guess I’d love to know when that meeting was.  And depending on that answer, I’d like to know what was in their coffees.

[casimir]

37 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I feel like he's going to start 33% of his games at DH.  At least. 

Based on what?  He’s only ever played at DH 35 times in his career.  I doubt he has the defensive range for it.

[Stormin]

29 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Jung has shown fair power in the minors but it hasn't translated. He's not a high enough contact guy to make it unless he can hit for some power against MLB pitching. That's his hurdle.

I do hope the Tigers reevaluate how they draft.  I give Jung credit for working hard and getting the most out of his potential, but 30 years ago his lack athleticism would have him moved him to first base / DH before he reached AA. Jung may be the slowest player on the Tigers roster.  Malloy, trying to move Tork to third, and I fear Max Anderson all fit in this hitting will make up for bad fielding philosophy.  At the very least have players like this focus their practice reps at one position.

[tiger2022]

1 hour ago, Sports_Freak said:

Some posters will make a very valid argument that the terrible trade deadline moves he made in 2025 cost us the division. They would say the additions of Morton and Paddack lost us enough games to finish 1 game out of the division.

He was unwilling to part with any prospects for the stretch run.  His attitude seemed to be if the current team wins it will be in spite of me because I am keeping all the magic beans in the minors.  It seems he only cares how the team will do when "his" guys get up to the majors and last year was an oops...we made the playoffs somehow.  

I don't agree with his philosophy but obvious he has his cheerleaders and detractors on here.  He didn't do anything to improve the team at the beginning of last year and he hurt the team by picking up a perennial candidate for worst starter of the year in Paddock and a guy who has been washed up for 3 years in Morton at the trade deadline.  

Doesn't appear as if there is a priority to do anything for 2026 other than hope things somehow miraculously work out again.

[casimir]

1 minute ago, Stormin said:

I do hope the Tigers reevaluate how they draft.  I give Jung credit for working hard and getting the most out of his potential, but 30 years ago his lack athleticism would have him moved him to first base / DH before he reached AA. Jung may be the slowest player on the Tigers roster.  Malloy, trying to move Tork to third, and I fear Max Anderson all fit in this hitting will make up for bad fielding philosophy.  At the very least have players like this focus their practice reps at one position.

To your final sentence, at this point I hope that’s what they have Keith focused on this offseason. I’m fine with him at 3B for a season, let’s see how it looks.  Can’t be as bad as Castellanos, right?  But that’s a spot to claim right now, and Keith’s bat bears playing.

Along those lines of defensive versatility, some guys can do it, some can’t.  As much as I appreciate that as a skill set and consider it valuable to an individual player and in the roster making of a team, there are some guys that just can’t do it.  Maybe they can flip from LF to RF or 3B to 1B, and maybe that’s stretching it a bit.  It’s ok.  Not everyone on the roster has to be able to play multiple positions.

Baez, McKinstry, and (to a lesser extent) Vierling can offer that safety net.  I thought Kim would have been a great addition to the team as a SS and freeing up that trio to be a really good bench.

A guy like Jones is going to have a tougher time because he can’t really do anything defensively and he’s on the short end of a platoon.  I suspect he won’t make it through this season, I kind of think his offensive output last season might be better than it gets from here on out.  On the flip side, I don’t necessarily think McKinstry repeats his offense either, but he has value to a team defensively.

It’d be great to see IFs line Lee, Jung, and Anderson show they can hit and handle a few positions, but I guess I have my doubts.

[Sports_Freak]

21 minutes ago, Arlington said:

Did Sparky really move LaFlore because he was a bad role model for Whitaker?  I never heard that before.  I couldn't find anything that supports that idea.  It sounds more like group think grounded on stereotype to me.  

Anderson was a hard ass. I remember the phrase..."My way or the highway" from him.

[Arlington]

Anderson being a hard ass was well known.  But no one is saying they got rid of Jason Thompson because of his influence on Trammel.  

[gehringer_2]

8 minutes ago, casimir said:

Along those lines of defensive versatility, some guys can do it, some can’t.

this. guys make it to the big leagues based on hitting. There literally thousands of guys who can field as well as a lot major leaguers but can't hit their way out of a batting cage. The flip side of that is that once that ultra-selective hitting filter is applied, a lot of guys that are left just are not natural, fluid guys with the glove. When you have one, absolutely develop him as far as you can, but when you have a guy for whom every ground ball is going to be an adventure (Casty), I agree the best thing you can do is let him percolate at one spot and get as good as he can.

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, Sports_Freak said:

The Tigers have a few 2nd base options on their ML roster and a couple players at that position in the minors. It really wasn't a position of need, it's why the signing of Torres took many fans by surprise. It was a very good signing, IMO, but it wasn't a glaring need.

I don't think of Torres as a "signing", per se. We gave Torres a qualifying offer possibly hoping he would turn it down and we would get the sandwich pick. Instead, Torres ended up being one of a record-breaking four players to take the offer, possibly because none of those guys wanted to sign a low-dollar multi-year deal going right in the teeth of a lockout.

[Longgone]

36 minutes ago, chasfh said:

How does making a six-year offer not prove that Ilitch/Harris are willing to sign players to long-term contracts? Isn’t that the point you were making earlier?

Yes it is, I was responding to op saying he's only done short term so far.

[chasfh]

3 minutes ago, Longgone said:

Yes it is, I was responding to op saying he's only done short term so far.

Right, I get that much since Harris hasn't actually signed anyone to an actual six-year deal yet. But everyone here acknowledges that he tried to do so by offering Bregman the biggest contract of any team—one exceeding what Ben Clemens and the readers of FG projected for him—even if people enjoyed hammering Harris when Bregman turned it down to sign for less money and fewer years elsewhere.