2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[chasfh]

18 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

And some people said nobody good would ever even want to sign with the Tigers!

Who said that?

[TigerNation]

16 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

I've always felt there was a fair amount of revisionist history about 2017. I imagine part of it was just that JV wanted (quite properly) to say good things about his new team and team mates  - and I don't care what anyone ever says, nobody gets traded from their first team and doesn't have mixed feelings at best about the management they are leaving.

The truth was he was already back pretty much to 100% form in Detroit before he left.  In his last 11 Tigers starts his era was 2.31, he struck out 84 in 74 IP against only 20BB, and only gave up more than 3 runs once. The idea that he had to get to Houston the figure how to pitch again doesn't really square with the facts. That's not to say Houston wasn't doing a much better job with their analysis, just that that wasn't what made the difference for JV. The real change came in about June while he was still in Det and recovered his old arm angle, which he had gotten away from during the abdominal injury. That brought back the old fastball, and with the better FB, the effectiveness on all his breaking stuff, which he said Houston helped with, went up. But every breaking ball is tougher opposite a better FB.

I remember watching an interview where the reported talked about this and JV corrected him had and said he had already turned things around prior to being traded.

[NorthWoods]

8 hours ago, holygoat said:

I can already not read Henning for free.

I've always enjoyed reading Lynn to see what flowery phrase he can turn today.   That and the fact that he's always been the most accessible baseball writer (at least for me).   We've carried on a sporadic conversation  for nearly a decade now. 

[Tiger337]

1 minute ago, chasfh said:

Who said that?

Not "ever" but this off-season.  Every time somebody talked about the Tigers signing a good free agent, you said that none of them would sign with the Tigers because they didnt see the Tigers as a winning organization and they'd rather play for big market teams.   

[chasfh]

19 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

And some people said nobody good would ever even want to sign with the Tigers!

No, I'm being serious: who said no one who's any good would ever want to sign with the Tigers ever again? Because that wasn't me. I made a qualified statement that no one want to sign with a team with a recent-memory history of blowing it up and tanking, which is definitely true, and which applied to us.

We did break a seal with Valdez, but he was also a distressed asset who, apparently, had to make a choice between us and the Pirates, which is a no-brainer for roughly ten out of ten players. However, breaking that seal, and then signing Verlander, was pretty important and, assuming we make the playoffs again and perhaps go even deeper, should help during the next normal offseason.

[Hongbit]

22 hours ago, oblong said:

alternate unis coming

Uncle Ebenzer!   

[Tiger337]

1 minute ago, NorthWoods said:

I've always enjoyed reading Lynn to see what flowery phrase he can turn today.   That and the fact that he's always been the most accessible baseball writer (at least for me).   We've carried on a sporadic conversation  for nearly a decade now. 

Yes, he is very accessible and not condescending like some writers.  He also seems to genuinely like baseball and that's another thing I don't get from all baseball writers.  I am not going to pay for his newsletter or whatever it's called, but I don't dislike him.     

[Sports_Freak]

27 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I can see why people were so doom and gloom about the franchise, given the decade that preceded the 2024 playoffs, which they seemed to treat as a one-off (and maybe still do, who knows). Some people are simply the type who like to say they're just waiting for the other shoe to drop. I think part of it is, nobody wants to be disappointed, so they prevent themselves from developing expectations, or even from hoping.

What I hope is that we're past all that and we can see the Tigers for what they are: a franchise on the rise, with a chance to step in among the elite of teams for a little while, rather than a team that simply got lucky with a bunch of nobodies for a couple of years and is destined to go splat any day now due to operator error.

Correct. Its human nature...with higher expectations comes greater disappointment. But this pitching staff, if it remains somewhat healthy, may take us on a deep and fun playoff run. And we also seem to have some depth, Harris has done a really good job of building a very good starting pitching staff as well as, what could be, a shutdown bullpen. With 3 relief pitchers, who all had 20+ saves last season, we may be able to shorten games up. Get a lead after 6 innings and a high % of the games will end up in the win column. Let's go!!

[Tiger337]

2 minutes ago, chasfh said:

No, I'm being serious: who said no one who's any good would ever want to sign with the Tigers ever again? Because that wasn't me. I made a qualified statement that no one want to sign with a team with a recent-memory history of blowing it up and tanking, which is definitely true, and which applied to us.

We did break a seal with Valdez, but he was also a distressed asset who, apparently, had to make a choice between us and the Pirates, which is a no-brainer for roughly ten out of ten players. However, breaking that seal, and then signing Verlander, was pretty important and, assuming we make the playoffs again and perhaps go even deeper, should help during the next normal offseason.

I already said "ever" was the wrong word.  You made it very clear that you didn't think the Tigers would be able to sign a major free agent this off-season.  

Edited 6 hours ago by Tiger337

[Sports_Freak]

11 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

But it's not an injury plagued year.  It's an injury plagued career so far.  Sometimes players overcome that and remain healthy for long stretches but it seems to me that many times that player never stays healthy and is always tantalizing but rarely delivering.

Riley had injuries his first few years but has seemed to overcome them. And I remember, years ago, the Tigers giving up on a young Carlos Pena. And he went on to hit a massive amount of home runs....for other teams. Parker is going into his age 26 season. Giving up on his defense and speed right now may be a huge mistake. Give him every opportunity to succeed. If not, we have other options.

[Edman85]

I am going to see who else he gets involved before subscribing. It looks like Mike Smith is going to contribute, which is good, but why do I get the feeling sportz finds a home there? Or if he is bringing on prospect help, there are several people in that arena I wouldn't want to support.

[NorthWoods]

1 minute ago, Sports_Freak said:

Riley had injuries his first few years but has seemed to overcome them. And I remember, years ago, the Tigers giving up on a young Carlos Pena. And he went on to hit a massive amount of home runs....for other teams. Parker is going into his age 26 season. Giving up on his defense and speed right now may be a huge mistake. Give him every opportunity to succeed. If not, we have other options.

I absolutely believe he deserves 1st crack at CF.   I'm sure Hinch/Harris/etc have gamed out where they turn if he comes up lame again.  Javy seemed to thrive out there, that's why I'm advocating for him to be option #2.  

[Sports_Freak]

17 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

Not "ever" but this off-season.  Every time somebody talked about the Tigers signing a good free agent, you said that none of them would sign with the Tigers because they didnt see the Tigers as a winning organization and they'd rather play for big market teams.   

Many of us said they wouldn't sign with Detroit because we were too cheap. We were wrong.

[Tiger337]

My thought was that they were not being aggressive enough.  Now, I have a l lot more confidence in their willingness to do what it takes to win.  

[Sports_Freak]

3 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

I absolutely believe he deserves 1st crack at CF.   I'm sure Hinch/Harris/etc have gamed out where they turn if he comes up lame again.  Javy seemed to thrive out there, that's why I'm advocating for him to be option #2.  

Javy or Vierling. If Meadows tanks, they would be the placeholders until Max Clark is ready. Prolly in 2027, if there's ever baseball and no lockout.

[Sports_Freak]

28 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

Not "ever" but this off-season.  Every time somebody talked about the Tigers signing a good free agent, you said that none of them would sign with the Tigers because they didnt see the Tigers as a winning organization and they'd rather play for big market teams.   

I remember that comment, about the Tigers not having recent success. And I didn't agree with it at all. The Tigers are one of a handful of teams who has won a playoff series two years in a row. Sometimes winning is a process where there are steps that gets a team deeper and deeper into the playoffs. Paying your dues, so to speak. And I really do see this Tiger team of being on the cusp of not just contending this season, but Scott Harris may be building something special, a team that's consistently going to be near the top of the league for srveral years.

[Tiger337]

2 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I remember that comment, about the Tigers not having recent success. And I didn't agree with it at all. The Tigers are one of a handful of teams who has won a playoff series two years in a row. Sometimes winning is a process where there are steps that gets a team deeper and deeper into the playoffs. Paying your dues, so to speak. And I really do see this Tiger team of being on the cusp of not just contending this season, but Scott Harris may be building something special, a team that's consistently going to be near the top of the league for srveral years.

Becoming a consistent playoff team is a process.  Getting deeper into the playoffs is not a linear thing though.  Having a better team doesn't necessarily mean you'll do better in the playoffs.  Even Verlander admitted yesterday that the playoffs are largely a crapshoot.  The key is to get there as as often as possible and have more opportunities to win.  Having a lot of pitching gives you a better chance, but's is still not a guarantee as exhibited by the Dombrowski era Tigers.  

[Tiger337]

50 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

I am going to see who else he gets involved before subscribing. It looks like Mike Smith is going to contribute, which is good, but why do I get the feeling sportz finds a home there? Or if he is bringing on prospect help, there are several people in that arena I wouldn't want to support.

Who is Mike Smith?

Edit: just looked him up.  I emember you mentioning him before.  I've been following him since then, but haven't been on twitter regularly.  

 

Edited 5 hours ago by Tiger337

[Sports_Freak]

36 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

Becoming a consistent playoff team is a process.  Getting deeper into the playoffs is not a linear thing though.  Having a better team doesn't necessarily mean you'll do better in the playoffs.  Even Verlander admitted yesterday that the playoffs are largely a crapshoot.  The key is to get there as as often as possible and have more opportunities to win.  Having a lot of pitching gives you a better chance, but's is still not a guarantee as exhibited by the Dombrowski era Tigers.  

The current Tiger pitching aces of Skubal and Valdez is our best since JV and Max. Better? Not yet, not until they do it. But better now, since it's current. But those Tiger teams for the 2010's were really, really good. How they never won a championship is a mystery.

[Tenacious D]

Chas has amnesia or selective memory regarding his position on free agents wanting to 1) play for the Tigers and 2) reside in the Detroit area.

[Sports_Freak]

11 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Chas has amnesia or selective memory regarding his position on free agents wanting to 1) play for the Tigers and 2) reside in the Detroit area.

Well, many players, when given a choice, would much rather play for teams that can compete for a playoff berth. I've read many players say going to the ballpark in mid-August when the team is 20 games out of 1st place is a horrible feeling.

Next is the media spotlighting of the worst areas of Detroit. They call ir ruin porn. And Detroit is just like many major cities with their urban decay. Many of the worst areas are being built back up into a livable areas but these ballplayers who make mega-bucks? They would never live there, most of them. Birmingham and other beautiful areas are more their style but those areas don't get the media scrutiny (clicks). 

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I already said "ever" was the wrong word.  You made it very clear that you didn't think the Tigers would be able to sign a major free agent this off-season.  

You posted "'ever' was the wrong word" as I was crafting the follow-on response, which is why I didn't see that before posting.

Also, to be clear, we had been talking largely about position players like Bregman and Bichette and, in prior years, Soto (!) and Ohtani (!!), which I thought at the time to be true, and still believe it would have been true had Harris pursued any of those top position player free agents, which I believe he did not do. I have said it's always going to be more challenging to sign top position players than top pitchers, partially because we have a known, proven pitcher whisperer heading up that staff, and also because of the perception that Comerica is harder on hitters, particularly RHH, than most parks. I still believe this to be true. Yes, dramatically overpaying players like Victor and Prince and Justin Upton may get certain of them to want to come to Detroit or stay in Detroit (Miggy). Dombrowski /Mike Ilitch did that, with mixed success and a negative impact on the franchise's fortunes over the following decade. But you know what else will get players to want to come here? Being a proven, consistent playoff team, winning a pennant, winning a ring. Once we establish ourselves as that team, then the Tigers will become a destination more top free agent hitters will consider on a par with other elite teams.

[Tenacious D]

30 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Well, many players, when given a choice, would much rather play for teams that can compete for a playoff berth. I've read many players say going to the ballpark in mid-August when the team is 20 games out of 1st place is a horrible feeling.

Next is the media spotlighting of the worst areas of Detroit. They call ir ruin porn. And Detroit is just like many major cities with their urban decay. Many of the worst areas are being built back up into a livable areas but these ballplayers who make mega-bucks? They would never live there, most of them. Birmingham and other beautiful areas are more their style but those areas don't get the media scrutiny (clicks). 

Playoff berth?  Like the 2-time recent ALDS participants?

[chasfh]

27 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Well, many players, when given a choice, would much rather play for teams that can compete for a playoff berth. I've read many players say going to the ballpark in mid-August when the team is 20 games out of 1st place is a horrible feeling.

Next is the media spotlighting of the worst areas of Detroit. They call ir ruin porn. And Detroit is just like many major cities with their urban decay. Many of the worst areas are being built back up into a livable areas but these ballplayers who make mega-bucks? They would never live there, most of them. Birmingham and other beautiful areas are more their style but those areas don't get the media scrutiny (clicks). 

Sop making sense, you're ruining the piling on. 😁

I don't believe many position players were convinced the Tigers are a franchise on a serious comeback earlier this offseason, not would they believe we would spend the money when it comes time to. (Heck, most posters here didn't believe Chris Ilitch/Scott Harris would ever spend any money.) Players are probably more open to the idea of coming here now after our having signed Valdez and Verlander. I think it's going to take at least another year of proving it, and moving on to at least the ALCS, before the best of them seriously consider agreeing to commit their remaining prime production years here.

As for the city itself, anyone without interest in winning an argument would agree that it's clear that as a destination place to live, Detroit is nowhere on a par with New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, or Boston. We can probably add to that Miami (especially for Latin players), Anaheim (proximity to LA, mainstream cultural center), Seattle (team history, coolness factor), or Phoenix or Atlanta (close to home). Vegas will be up there, too, once they have their team. Other things like years and money being equal, a young player with lots of money, especially if he's single, would simply not choose Detroit as a place to live over any of these other cities. I have no evidence to present the court on this. I'm just leaning on my experience having lived a life in the United States.

[oblong]

I'm not sure how much the city itself matters.  I've shared this thought before.  During the off season they'll live where they want to live regardless of who they play for.  During the season they're gone half the time and the other half they're at the stadium or sleeping.  They won't pick one team because of a bar or nightclub they like.   I believe there's very few actual "all things being equal" choices faced by these guys.  There's always going to be some factor between organizations outside of their geography.  The manager, the coaches, the contracts, who else is on the team to compete for time with, the org as a whole....

I'd be curious to know how many established MLB players live in the same city/area in the off season that they play in.