2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[gehringer_2]

the tigers were at least as dumpy a franchise in the years before Pudge signed than they are now. When Pudge signed the Tigers hadn't had a winning season in 10yrs, hadn't been to the playoffs in 17, had come of one of the worst losing seasons in history and were known for troubles in the clubhouse.. Today they are coming off 2 playoff appearances, 6 in the last 15 yrs and have a manager guys like to play for.

Edited Monday at 09:52 PM by gehringer_2

[IdahoBert]

11 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

the tigers were at least as dumpy a franchise in the years before Pudge signed than they are now. When Pudge signed the Tigers hadn't had a winning season in 10yrs, hadn't been to the playoffs in 17, had come of one of the worst losing seasons in history and were known for troubles in the clubhouse.. Today they are coming off 2 playoff appearances, 6 in the last 15 yrs and have a manager guys like to play for.

Hey pal, this is the “complaints department.” We only handle complaints here… 😉 

[Dan Gilmore]

44 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Yeah? Is it working? 😉 😁

I'm probably an Asperger's guy, though. I get going on a point, and I will spool it out as much and with as much precision as I think I need to to get across the point, the whole point, and nothing but the point. And when I'm motivated to do so, I will get it done. And this topic motivates me. So, lucky you!

Might want to work on that part a little 😜

Edited Monday at 10:12 PM by Dan Gilmore

[Tiger337]

2 hours ago, chasfh said:

I know I'm not changing anyone's mind. We're all too old to change our minds, probably about anything, but certainly about any of this.

 

I can change my mind, but the evidence needs to be convincing.  People told me that AJ Hinch was was the best manager ever.  I told them that managers don't matter.  Now, I agree that Hinch is a great manager, the best I've followed closely.  Then when I give him credit for the Tigers winning, people get MAD.  Some people can just never be happy.  😐

[Sports_Freak]

4 hours ago, chasfh said:

The Tigers are not the best option by any stretch for any player looking for a ring next year. The Tigers might be competitive for a Central team, but players surely don't think of them in the same category as the Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Blue Jays, or Phillies. No amount of additional money will convince a top free agent already assured of well into nine figures to commit the rest of his career to a franchise that could blow it up and start all over at a moment's notice, which the Tigers have a recent history of doing. One more dollar won't compensate for that, obviously, but one hundred million dollars wouldn't do it, either, if we're talking about the difference between 400 from the Dodgers or Blue Jays, and 500 from the Tigers. At that level, the money doesn't matter—it's all about the rings.

You almost certainly will strongly disagree. You may even reaffirm that, as is always the case, no one here agrees on my assessment. That's fine. I already know what you think of me. I also know what I know, and I don't require you to know it, nor am I motivated to change your mind about it, or about anything else. I'm just here to give my opinion, like everyone else, and nothing more. There's plenty of room for more than one of those here.

It doesn't matter if players dont want to come here because we're not signing any player for 100's of millions of dollars. It looks like not even Skubal, our own player. There's still a chance, i guess, but I just dont see them paying the best, or one of the best, pitchers in baseball. But hearing fans calling for the Tigers to sign Tucker, Bergman or any other really expensive player? They're going to be very disappointed. We'll be very lucky to get a 2nd or 3rd tier pitcher. Somebody on a 2 year contract, max.

[SoCalTiger]

I think the Tigers “ mindset “ might possibly be wait until the new labor contract is set and/ or  Baez is off the books before spending on a large free agent contract. 

[oblong]

Several Tigers at the Wings game tonight. I saw photos of Carpenter, Vierling, McKinstry, Tork, Meadows….  They are doing promo work this week.  I’m going to sometning at the Casino on Wednesday 

[Edman85]

Bryan Sammons back on a minor league deal. Which is surely going to upset some idiots...

[Tiger337]

Who is Brian Simmons Harris Sux He needs to get some real pitchers.   

[chasfh]

14 hours ago, Dan Gilmore said:

Might want to work on that part a little 😜

Fair point!

[theroundsquare]

lol @ riley chugging the blue light.  is that cap'n jack doing the same?

[IdahoBert]

Sources: Royals to move in fences at Kauffman Stadium

Jeff Passan

Jan 13, 2026, 11:00 AM ET

• Like

33

The Kansas City Royals are moving the majority of their outfield fence in by 10 feet, drastically changing the offensive environment of a notoriously bad stadium for home run hitting into one the team hopes will play as league-average, sources told ESPN.

The decision, which the Royals are expected to announce Tuesday, comes after years of discussion by Kansas City's front office about tinkering with dimensions and months after the organization commissioned its analytics department to find a palatable middle ground between the fly ball dead zone of Kauffman Stadium and other stadiums where home runs soar at extreme rates.

"We want a neutral ballpark where if you hit a ball well, it should be a home run," Royals general manager J.J. Picollo told ESPN. "The second they start feeling like they can't get the ball out of the ballpark, they start changing their swing. I watched it for years and years and years, and I just felt like this is the time to try to push it and see if everything we felt for however many years is accurate." The Royals will keep center field at 410 feet.

[kdog]

Arenado going from the Cardinals to D'backs...STL paying down $31 million of the remaining $42 million on the deal.

[theroundsquare]

maybe arenado will recover some of his power in that park

[gehringer_2]

18 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I can change my mind, but the evidence needs to be convincing.  People told me that AJ Hinch was was the best manager ever.  I told them that managers don't matter.  Now, I agree that Hinch is a great manager, the best I've followed closely.  Then when I give him credit for the Tigers winning, people get MAD.  Some people can just never be happy.  😐

I think we have seen both the pinnacle and the death valley of Hinch's managing. The way he managed the pitching in the '24 run was unprecedented creativity, nobody's come close other than maybe Maddon. OTOH, he clearly had to be tearing his hair out not being able to find ways to pick-up a team in such a collective slump and pressing as at the end of '25. You can't blame him for them slumping the way you have to credit his pitching management, but OTOH, if there is anyone who can do something for a clubhouse vibe gone bad, you hope it's the manager. 

A+ tactician, maybe B- inspirational clubhouse guy.

Edited 6 hours ago by gehringer_2

[RatkoVarda]

Mets rumored to be offering Tucker 50M per year on a short term deal (2 or 3 years?)

Edited 3 hours ago by RatkoVarda

[Motor City Sonics]

36 minutes ago, RatkoVarda said:

Mets rumored to be offering Tucker 50M per year on a short term deal (2 or 3 years?)

Oh please let this be true.  Please Please Please.  

[tiger2022]

23 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I can change my mind, but the evidence needs to be convincing.  People told me that AJ Hinch was was the best manager ever.  I told them that managers don't matter.  Now, I agree that Hinch is a great manager, the best I've followed closely.  Then when I give him credit for the Tigers winning, people get MAD.  Some people can just never be happy.  😐

Managers and coaches really don't matter much.  If you don't have talent, it won't make any difference.  People always get angry at the hitting coaches, but what can a hitting coach do other than small things?  He's not going to turn someone who sucks into a great hitter.  Managers can lose games but don't have much to do with winning them...unless they have garbage cans.

[Tiger337]

Just now, tiger2022 said:

Managers and coaches really don't matter much.  If you don't have talent, it won't make any difference.  

I agree for the most part.  They can influence games with bullpen management, platooning, etc and Hinch is really good at those things.  You can't get anywhere without talent though.  

[tiger2022]

28 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

I agree for the most part.  They can influence games with bullpen management, platooning, etc and Hinch is really good at those things.  You can't get anywhere without talent though.  

I agree with the bullpen influencing the game, but I think platooning players can have a negative effect on them.  Not allowing lefties to hit against lefties just because of reasons hurts young guys in the long run. Why not let Carpenter hit against everyone? 

Hinch probably would have platooned Ted Williams, Barry Bonds, or Babe Ruth because you know lefty on lefty.

Platoons are fine at the catcher position just because they need days off.  

[Tiger337]

10 minutes ago, tiger2022 said:

I agree with the bullpen influencing the game, but I think platooning players can have a negative effect on them.  Not allowing lefties to hit against lefties just because of reasons hurts young guys in the long run. Why not let Carpenter hit against everyone? 

Hinch probably would have platooned Ted Williams, Barry Bonds, or Babe Ruth because you know lefty on lefty.

Platoons are fine at the catcher position just because they need days off.  

Players usually keep their platoon splits throughout their careers.  Not many left-handed batters who struggle against lefties learn how to hit them.  If they are strong fielders, then put them out there every day.  Otherwise, putting them out there to learn how to hit lefthanders doesn't usually work.  

[gehringer_2]

17 minutes ago, tiger2022 said:

I agree with the bullpen influencing the game, but I think platooning players can have a negative effect on them.  Not allowing lefties to hit against lefties just because of reasons hurts young guys in the long run. Why not let Carpenter hit against everyone? 

Hinch probably would have platooned Ted Williams, Barry Bonds, or Babe Ruth because you know lefty on lefty.

Platoons are fine at the catcher position just because they need days off.  

They question of whether never facing LHP dooms even LH batter who might be able to develop into low platoon split hitters into being platoon players always comes up, but something new in the equation are the "trap-arc"/"trajeckt" pitching machines that most teams have that now allow a LHB to spend time practicing against "live" left hand pitch movement dynamics. If practice time can make a difference, then these machines should be producing LH batters with lower platoon splits. But maybe they won't, and the reason would be that if a left hand batter completely optimizes his approach for RHP, and it gets him 100 additional OPS points against RHP, is it actually in his interest to give that up for 150 more AB in a season? 

Edited 2 minutes ago by gehringer_2

[tiger2022]

1 minute ago, gehringer_2 said:

They question of whether never facing LHP dooms even LH batter who might be able to develop into low platoon split hitters into being platoon players always comes up, but something new in the equation are the "trap-arc"/"trajeckt" pitching machines that most teams have that now allow a LHB to spend time practicing against "live" left hand pitch movement dynamics. If practice time can make a difference, then these machines should be producing LH batters with lower platoon splits. But maybe they won't, and the reason would be that if a left hand batter completely optimizes his approach for RHP, and it gets him 100 OPS points, is it actually in his interest to give that up for 150 more AB in a season? 

Yes it is.  Remember this is a job to these people.  If they are a full time player, they are going to make more money.

[Edman85]

3 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

Players usually keep their platoon splits throughout their careers.  Not many left-handed batters who struggle against lefties learn how to hit them.  If they are strong fielders, then put them out there every day.  Otherwise, putting them out there to learn how to hit lefthanders doesn't usually work.  

Additionally, just looking at raw stats, it takes like 1,000 PA vs. LHP for any split to be meaningful.

With swing path analysis now, teams may be able to detect something faster now vs. different pitch shapes or use Kinetrax or something similar to help a player learn to hit the opposite hand. But you can do that in the cage, not in the game.