Tigers 2017-2018 Off Season Thread

[Rebbiv]

Due to lack of infielders <sarcasm>, DET signs Alexi Amarista.

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...roit-tigers-roster-alexi-amarista/1058147001/

Career Away
.218 BAVG .259 OBP .322 SLG .581 OPS

I see the Tigers' analytic department is hard at work.

 

[dale675]

Just read they plan to stretch out Alex Wilson in spring training with the plans of him being a starting pitcher. 1 out of his 200+ MLB appearances has been as a starter where he threw 3 innings. Phil Coke 2.0 here we come! Let's hope they don't let him go 1-11(or something bad like that, going off memory here) before moving him back to the BP like they did with Coke.:ugh:

 

[Rebbiv]

Just read they plan to stretch out Alex Wilson in spring training with the plans of him being a starting pitcher. 1 out of his 200+ MLB appearances has been as a starter where he threw 3 innings. Phil Coke 2.0 here we come! Let's hope they don't let him go 1-11(or something bad like that, going off memory here) before moving him back to the BP like they did with Coke.:ugh:

I read that as well. A horrendous idea. There are reasons minor league starters become relievers, otherwise they become Mike Pelfrey or Will Ledezma as starters.

Alex Wilson's last full year starting was 2011. He barely averaged above 5 IP per start that year. The year before, it was under 5 IP per start.

So, let's take someone past their prime and make them into something they "failed" at. Only the Tigers.

 

[tomdalton22]

Just read they plan to stretch out Alex Wilson in spring training with the plans of him being a starting pitcher. 1 out of his 200+ MLB appearances has been as a starter where he threw 3 innings. Phil Coke 2.0 here we come! Let's hope they don't let him go 1-11(or something bad like that, going off memory here) before moving him back to the BP like they did with Coke.:ugh:

https://www.blessyouboys.com/2018/1...ing-alex-wilson-starting-rotation-chris-bosio

a pretty good breakdown

 

[Rebbiv]

https://www.blessyouboys.com/2018/1...ing-alex-wilson-starting-rotation-chris-bosio

a pretty good breakdown

The last paragraph being the key.

A successful move to a starter?s role remains a low percentage outcome.

 

[tomdalton22]

The last paragraph being the key.

A successful move to a starter?s role remains a low percentage outcome.

a few other things I took from the article

Wilson approached the Tigers about starting

The Tigers have very little to lose. Wilson has very little trade value in his current role but if he is a viable starter he would have much more value on the trade market. If he doesn't, put him back in the pen.

 

[Rebbiv]

a few other things I took from the article

Wilson approached the Tigers about starting

The Tigers have very little to lose. Wilson has very little trade value in his current role but if he is a viable starter he would have much more value on the trade market. If he doesn't, put him back in the pen.

The last is an opinion of the author. Outside of closers/elite relievers, it is common knowledge that relievers generally have no trade value whatsoever. The leap is all the way to a "viable starter". There is virtually no way he makes it to Opening Day as a starter and even less that he becomes "viable" as a starter.

Don Kelly asked to be a starting pitcher. DET will allow that to happen in Spring Training. Don Kelly has more value if is a viable starter, otherwise he is just a Super Utility player.

While this is farfetched, it illustrates the points.

 

[tomdalton22]

The last is an opinion of the author. Outside of closers/elite relievers, it is common knowledge that relievers generally have no trade value whatsoever. The leap is all the way to a "viable starter". There is virtually no way he makes it to Opening Day as a starter and even less that he becomes "viable" as a starter.

Don Kelly asked to be a starting pitcher. DET will allow that to happen in Spring Training. Don Kelly has more value if is a viable starter, otherwise he is just a Super Utility player.

While this is farfetched, it illustrates the points.

so there's virtually no way a relief pitcher becomes a starter?

yes, it's very unlikely but like the article says...give it a try...nothing to lose.

As far as your example of Don Kelly...that's just stupid. Why use an example of someone that's not even a pitcher? That would be about as stupid as me using the example of Chris Sale being a relief pitcher and becoming a viable starter.

 

[Rebbiv]

so there's virtually no way a relief pitcher becomes a starter?

yes, it's very unlikely but like the article says...give it a try...nothing to lose.

As far as your example of Don Kelly...that's just stupid. Why use an example of someone that's not even a pitcher? That would be about as stupid as me using the example of Chris Sale being a relief pitcher and becoming a viable starter.

So, the fact they are going to give Blaine Hardy a chance should also be considered.

In the latest game of ?Who?s going to be a starting pitcher?? George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press sees McCosky?s Wilson and raises him a Blaine Hardy. If you?re okay with AWilson making a run at the rotation, perhaps you?d like to jump aboard the Blaine Train. According to Sipple, Hardy will get his shot too.

You completely missed it Tom, as usual. I even said Don Kelly was farfetched. Maybe I should have used Anthony Gose, but he isn't in the organization anymore. Anyone could and would be given a chance to be a starter right now. Anyone that wasn't already a starter somewhere else on the field, would obviously increase their value (the point you are grasping at), iffin they become "viable" starter. So whether they are just a reliever or a utility player, they all would increase their value. To which point, if that was the case, more teams would be converting their relievers into starters just to increase their value, then trade their sorry asses. That is what is absurd. But hey, believe what you want.

 

[tomdalton22]

So, the fact they are going to give Blaine Hardy a chance should also be considered.

In the latest game of ?Who?s going to be a starting pitcher?? George Sipple of the Detroit Free Press sees McCosky?s Wilson and raises him a Blaine Hardy. If you?re okay with AWilson making a run at the rotation, perhaps you?d like to jump aboard the Blaine Train. According to Sipple, Hardy will get his shot too.

You completely missed it Tom, as usual. I even said Don Kelly was farfetched. Maybe I should have used Anthony Gose, but he isn't in the organization anymore. Anyone could and would be given a chance to be a starter right now. Anyone that wasn't already a starter somewhere else on the field, would obviously increase their value (the point you are grasping at), iffin they become "viable" starter. So whether they are just a reliever or a utility player, they all would increase their value. To which point, if that was the case, more teams would be converting their relievers into starters just to increase their value, then trade their sorry asses. That is what is absurd. But hey, believe what you want.

no, I didn't miss your point...it was just stupid.

 

[Rebbiv]

no, I didn't miss your point...it was just stupid.

And exactly how was it stupid? Do tell.

The stupidity is thinking you can take a reliever who hasn't started in 6 years on a regular basis and turn him into a viable starter just so you can get something for him in a trade. I wonder what team would swallow that pill. I mean would you want the Tigers to trade for 1/2 season on a career, past prime reliever after less than a dozen starts?

There are multiple issues here. Ultimately you are hoping another team is drinking the same Kool-Aid for this to work.

 

[tomdalton22]

And exactly how was it stupid? Do tell.

Don Kelly isn't a pitcher
Don Kelly doesn't play for the Tigers
Don Kelly is retired
Don Kelly is 38 years old

I never said that converting Wilson would work out. It probably won't. Is there a possibility that it could work out...yes. Is there potential upside if it were to work out...yes. If it doesn't work...you still have a 31 year old middle of the road relief pitcher. The Tigers are a probably a 100 loss team...if the Tigers and Wilson both want to give it a go, I'm all for it.

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.mlb.com/news/tigers-sig...rs-deal/c-265513606?tcid=tw_article_265513606
Tigers sign Wood to Minor League deal.
MLB.com

 

[Rebbiv]

Don Kelly isn't a pitcher
Don Kelly doesn't play for the Tigers
Don Kelly is retired
Don Kelly is 38 years old

I never said that converting Wilson would work out. It probably won't. Is there a possibility that it could work out...yes. Is there potential upside if it were to work out...yes. If it doesn't work...you still have a 31 year old middle of the road relief pitcher. The Tigers are a probably a 100 loss team...if the Tigers and Wilson both want to give it a go, I'm all for it.

You certainly fixate on the certain stuff.

 

[gotime909]

https://www.mlb.com/news/tigers-sig...rs-deal/c-265513606?tcid=tw_article_265513606
Tigers sign Wood to Minor League deal.
MLB.com

More arms to battle isn't a horrible thing. Maybe they get lucky.

 

[kalinecountry]

More arms to battle isn't a horrible thing. Maybe they get lucky.

Something happen to this Wood guy his previous years were ok.
I am liking what I read about Bosio, so maybe he can help each pitcher we have better than the previous pc.

 

[Rebbiv]

No team makes it through the season with just 5 starters. On average, an AL team averages roughly 10.5 players starting per year.

DET # Starter (25 GS or more - 30 or more)

2008 = 10 (4 - 2)
2009 = 12 (4 - 3)
2010 = 11 (4 - 2)
2011 = 10 (4 - 4)
2012 = 10 (4 - 3)
2013 = 6 (5 - 3)
2014 = 11 (3 - 3)
2015 = 12 (1 - 1) Simon 31 GS
2016 = 9 (3 - 1) Verlander 34 GS
2017 = 11 (4 - 0)

Scherzer and Porcello left after the 2014 season. In 2014, we had 4 current or future Cy Young award winners. Both Scherzer and Porcello are in the top 10 for games started over the last 3 seasons. Now with Verlander gone, we really don't have anyone with a track record of starting 30 games or more, except Zimmermann and Fiers, and Zimmermann hasn't done it yet with DET.

Having Travis Wood fills a need. He might be OK, or he might be bad, but I doubt he comes in a starts 30 games for DET.

For instance, in his 5 full season in DET, Anibal never started 30 or more games, even when he was good.

There is only 120 Starters with at least 50 Games Started over the last 3 years. That is an average of just 16.7 GS. And that would be for a #4 starter. On average, between 120-150 (your #5 starters based on starts) = 14-16 Games Started. Most of the "fill in" starters are lucky to go 5 innings. Buck Farmer, for instance, averages 4.4 IP/GS for his MLB career. Travis Wood, even if sent to AAA to start, would probably fare better.

Finally, if a pitcher isn't starting at the MLB level, he needs to be in AAA starting. It is very, very difficult to stretch someone back out during the course of a season. "Emergency" spot starter are usually your designated "long" relief guys and all you are hoping for is 3-4 innings for that one particular start. Long term (more than one game), usually means you are recalling someone from AAA.

 

[kalinecountry]

https://www.mlb.com/news/alex-wilson-seeking-rotation-spot-with-tigers/c-265727106
Alex Wilson eager to give starting a shot in Tigers' camp.
Righty, used in relief over 5 years in Majors, to enter rotation competition.
Tigers official site

what could possibly go wrong??!!

 

[dale675]

Rondon signs with Chicago after Detroit non tenders him. Shucks. There goes the bullpen.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/white-sox-to-sign-bruce-rondon.html

 

[dale675]

I know this doesn't really belong here but I got a lol out of it.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2018/02/quick-hits-aardsma-coke-market-analysis.html

Lefty Phil Coke is hoping to reinvent himself as a knuckle-baller, according to Chris Cotillo of SB Nation (via Twitter). The 35-year-old, a nine-year MLB veteran, spent some time last year with Japan?s Orix Buffaloes but has had a tough time gaining traction in recent seasons. Coke had long utilized a varied arsenal and shown good velocity from the left side, so he ought to have some interesting potential accompanying tools to go with his new knuckler.