2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[Sports_Freak]

5 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Hiring Hinch is a good move, although I do wonder whether, had Avila known the kind of man he was truly getting, he would still have recommended the hire to Baby Doc. Also, remember: Hinch was not Avila's first choice. Only when Pedro Grifol came off the board did Hinch graduate into Avila's consideration set.

All due respect, I don't take your loosey goosey "probably 80%" figure at face value.

TBH, I would have fired Avila for giving Ausmus an extension. Now THAT was a guy who I really disliked.

[Sports_Freak]

9 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Hiring Hinch is a good move, although I do wonder whether, had Avila known the kind of man he was truly getting, he would still have recommended the hire to Baby Doc. Also, remember: Hinch was not Avila's first choice. Only when Pedro Grifol came off the board did Hinch graduate into Avila's consideration set.

All due respect, I don't take your loosey goosey "probably 80%" figure at face value.

Every position player except Torres? Pitchers? IDK...Skubal and prolly several others? You're right, it's not 80%. Prolly closer to 90%..

[casimir]

1 hour ago, Tenacious D said:

Things I believe:

-Avila was not nearly as bad as he is often made out to be.  

-Harris has not yet demonstrated that he is the wunderkind that some claim.

-Both contributed to the last two seasons postseason success.

-Ilitch is not cheap, and if we’re not spending to some people’s expectations on the MLB roster, that is Harris making those decisions.

-Jim Campbell never should have traded Jason Thompson for Al Cowens.

What about Sasquatch?

[1984Echoes]

4 hours ago, chasfh said:

I really do think that the Al Avila tenure has done lasting damage to the psyche of this fan base. ...

I think the only psyche Avila damaged is yours, chas.

[Sports_Freak]

2 hours ago, chasfh said:

Can I just tell you how much I love that you're giving Avila credit for making the 2024-25 Tigers winners with moves he made four or more years ago, but you won't give Harris any credit for a key move he made this year to make us a winner?

That is some pretzel logic jujitsu right there, my friend. 👍

One good move doesn't make up for a dozen head scratching moves. Avila sucked...I agree. But he's STILL responsible for the better players on the roster. And he really doesn't deserve a lot of credit for many of those players, he lost so much,we had a ton of high draft picks. And whoever told him to draft Skubal so late deserves credit.

[1984Echoes]

4 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

LOL, There is no nostalgia for Avila.  I think you need to get over Avila.  Are you still agonizing over Randy Smith too?

EXACTLY.

[1984Echoes]

4 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

Avila was terrible.  When you collect first round draft picks for so long, they are bound get in the playofs eventually.  I expect Harris to keep them contending and making the playoffs consistently.  As far as the last two years though, Harris did not contribute in any extraordinary way.  I think any new GM could have done that.  In 2024, They Tigers had given up on the season and Hinch (who was hired by Avila) was more responsible for the miracle than anyone else.   In 2025, they almost blew it down the wire.  I think Harris will prove to be a really good GM (I hate the term POBO) though

Thank you.

[Sports_Freak]

One thing I like about Harris is he apparently is good at building a bullpen. With starting pitchers averaging fewer and fewer innings per start, it puts more importance on a good bullpen. And our 2024 bullpen helped us into the playoffs.

[IdahoBert]

32 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I think the difference between me and just about everyone else here is that I've been willing to give Scott Harris the time he's needed to fix the aircraft carrier and get it turned all the way around toward perennial contention. If that makes me a Scott sniffer in your eyes, well, can't be helped, I guess. But I really do have trouble understanding the idea that Harris is a failure because he hasn't completed the job he has set out to do yet. But, hey, it takes all kinds to make up a fan base, amirite? 

You are right. Especially about the way he’s retooled player development.

Although I’ve never had data to support my assumption, I always assumed that a lot of the staff in the minor leagues who were allegedly “developing“ talent were predominantly “old school“ to the extreme and that somehow the Tigers should’ve gotten more juice out of the grapes that their elderly winery maidens were squeezing between their toes. 

The Tigers now have new wine in new wine skins, and we are now on the verge of reaping that harvest. 

[1984Echoes]

2 hours ago, chasfh said:

Please name some moves Avila made that led directly to the Tigers going to the playoffs in 2024 and 2025.

 

He hired AJ Hinch.

[1984Echoes]

1 hour ago, Edman85 said:

Drafting Riley Greene and Tarik Skubal.

And Tork, and Dillon Dingler, and Mize and Jobe, and Kerry Carpenter and...

[chasfh]

54 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I don't understand your hatred of Avila.

I don't hate Avila. I'd bet he's a nice man, good husband, fond of his kids and grandkids.

[chasfh]

58 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

One good move doesn't make up for a dozen head scratching moves. Avila sucked...I agree. But he's STILL responsible for the better players on the roster. And he really doesn't deserve a lot of credit for many of those players, he lost so much,we had a ton of high draft picks. And whoever told him to draft Skubal so late deserves credit.

Avila's not responsible for them. He merely acquired them, and over three years ago. Harris is responsible for them. To the degree they are succeeding here, it's because of Harris, the new coaching regime, the improved developmental system, and newly found access to the best of analytical resources.

Except Skubal, though. He got himself fixed all by himself.

[Sports_Freak]

23 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Avila's not responsible for them. He merely acquired them, and over three years ago. Harris is responsible for them. To the degree they are succeeding here, it's because of Harris, the new coaching regime, the improved developmental system, and newly found access to the best of analytical resources.

Except Skubal, though. He got himself fixed all by himself.

If Harris had to build a team from scratch, it may take his a dozen years. Luckily, he had a foundation of Avila players to get him started. We'll see which broken down injured players he overpays for this winter. Is Avila employed? We sure could use him to bring in some quality players...🤣

[4hzglory]

I don’t think Avila was as bad as some do.  I even think he wanted to get us on the right track as far as analytics, development, etc, but he clearly was over his head.

Harris has completely revamped the development system which has allowed some of Al’s picks to make their impact.  Meadows was stuck.  At this time last year most wanted Tork gone.  Same with Mize.

And if you want to use Harris’ FA signings against him, who did Al get in FA?  Zimmerman?  Upton?  Pelfrey?  

Edited 1 hour ago by 4hzglory

[1984Echoes]

18 minutes ago, 4hzglory said:

I don’t think Avila was as bad as some do.  I even think he wanted to get us on the right track as far as analytics, development, etc, but he clearly was over his head...

I think Avila brought a lot of the right pieces into this Org, including a boatload of players and Hinch.

But he was clearly in over his head.

We're all thankful that Harris is our GM. And happy to be rid of Avila.

Harris clearly understands draft and development, has invested the required resources in this and revamped it to be a proper developmental system, understands analytics and how to USE them... and is completely in-synch with Hinch. Who also understands draft and development and analytics completely.

I like the emphasis in controlling the strike zone (both as a pitcher and as a hitter), and his drafts specifically for very high hit tool (power to be developed) and pitchers that can actually hit the strike zone.

And I am also one willing to give Harris the time to get us to that Championship level... unlike Chas's idea that only he ("just about") is willing to give Harris the time...

2 hours ago, chasfh said:

... I think the difference between me and just about everyone else here is that I've been willing to give Scott Harris the time ...

 

Avila was clearly over his head.

But I think the effort to discredit Avila 100% for ANYTHING and EVERYTHING he did is asinine.

IMO.