Offseason Deals and Rumors

[Thundercats]

I guess it's time for this thread, unfortunately.. on October 5th. I guess this thread is just to post whatever news you read or hear about the Tigers this offseason.

 

[spockmaster]

I would LOVE it if the first piece of news that gets posted is "Tigers Fire Manager Ausmus"

 

[xer0]

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2014/10/detroit_tigers_alex_avila_suff_1.html#incart_river

Avila has no plans to retire.

 

[spockmaster]

Hopefully the medical staff gets him to reconsider.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

I don't really get the hate for Ausmus. There is so much that goes into winning and losing games in baseball (it is the most luck dependent sport out there), that what can I really say was on Ausmus?

Ausmus didn't assemble a team with no bullpen. He didn't decide that Verlander would become one of the worst starters in baseball. He didn't injure our starting SS and pick up a bunch of scrubs to fill in. He can't force Castellanos through the rookie learning curve nor demand Cabrera play like the best hitter in baseball every night. Ausmus was handed a good, but flawed team, and he produced a good, but flawed result. What could he have done to change our bullpen from imploding two straight games? What could he have done to change our offense laying a dud today? The answer is pretty much nothing.

As far as next season goes, it's time to start building a balanced team. We have 4 pitchers coming back. Lobstein probably takes over the 5th role, but may outplay Verlander by year's end. The team obviously has holes to fill (bullpen, RF, DH/1B), but finding good players is certainly within reach.

 

[spockmaster]

Ausmus constantly mismanaged the personnel he was given, especially the shitty ones, and he is one of the absolute worst game managers ive ever seen. Is the lion's share on DD? Absolutely. But he's not gonna fire himself, and finding someone to replace him would be a lot harder than finding someone to replace the 2nd worst manager in baseball behind Ned Yost. I even have a suggestion, the guy we should have hired last offseason: Lovullo. Unlike Dartmouth, he actually has some coaching experience, and is far less likely to be as stubbornly old-school as Ausmus.

 

[lonesometiger]

Ausmus constantly mismanaged the personnel he was given, especially the shitty ones, and he is one of the absolute worst game managers ive ever seen. Is the lion's share on DD? Absolutely. But he's not gonna fire himself, and finding someone to replace him would be a lot harder than finding someone to replace the 2nd worst manager in baseball behind Ned Yost. I even have a suggestion, the guy we should have hired last offseason: Lovullo. Unlike Dartmouth, he actually has some coaching experience, and is far less likely to be as stubbornly old-school as Ausmus.

2nd worst Yost and the Royals just finished there sweep!

 

[spockmaster]

The Royals win despite Yost, not because of him. If they had a better manager, they probably would have won the Central. Managers dont make a ton of difference, but they make enough. What sane person would have put Joba back out there Friday after his collapse Thursday? No one, thats who. Ausmus is a moron and should go.

 

[xer0]

The Royals were pretty damn lucky to win that WC game vs. the A's. Yost deciding to pull Shields at 88 pitches for Ventura, a wild and inexperienced pitcher, who promptly gives up a 3 run blast to Moss was just buffoonery. The Royals, to their credit were able to overcome Yost's stupidity.

 

[spockmaster]

The Royals were pretty damn lucky to win that WC game vs. the A's. Yost deciding to pull Shields at 88 pitches for Ventura, a wild and inexperienced pitcher, who promptly gives up a 3 run blast to Moss was just buffoonery. The Royals, to their credit were able to overcome Yost's stupidity.

Exactly. Theyre also the fucking luckiest team I've ever seen. Theyve got Cardinals Devil Magic x10 this year.

 

[biggunsbob]

Either the Royals and O's will be in the WS :/

Mother scratcher....

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

It's also a tiny sample size. Despite efforts to quantify what wins in the postseason, the fact is the playoff team that wins the championship is often the luckiest.

 

[kingofdetroit57]

I will say that we didn't have much "luck" against the O's. They hit several barely HRs, and got several close calls their way. It is what it is though. The argument can be made that you make your own luck by playing well.

 

[everyoneneedsasmil]

I will say that we didn't have much "luck" against the O's. They hit several barely HRs, and got several close calls their way. It is what it is though. The argument can be made that you make your own luck by playing well.

There's certainly truth to that, but let's also be honest. We're talking about a sport where superstars make an out 60% of the time they bat. We're talking about a sport where the likelihood of a hit even after the ball is put in play is only about 35%. Now you add in whether another player is already on base, whether they are in scoring position, whether the ball is hit to a good spot to advance the runner (there is little evidence to suggest players can actually aim their hits). Luck plays a huge factor at that point.

Similarly, even with a terrible bullpen, it's not like anyone should have expected Joba to give up some 5 runs in 1/3rd of an inning. It's not like we should have expected Soria to give up 5 runs in one inning.

In just 3 games, luck is probably more important than talent. When you have similarly talented teams, and one is getting the benefit of luck while the other seems to be getting injured by it, we see what we saw. Are the Orioles really that much better than the Tigers? No, probably not. In 100 games, the two teams would probably be a lot closer to a dead split. The Orioles deserved to win, obviously, because they are a good team and didn't make any simple mistakes to hurt themselves. But the most likely reason we lost was luck, not lack of talent or lack of strategy.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I'm in kind of agreement with both the following. So many things why we underperformed that wasn't Ausmus fault but he also makes some fkn stupid decision. Maybe next year.

I don't really get the hate for Ausmus. There is so much that goes into winning and losing games in baseball (it is the most luck dependent sport out there), that what can I really say was on Ausmus?

Ausmus didn't assemble a team with no bullpen. He didn't decide that Verlander would become one of the worst starters in baseball. He didn't injure our starting SS and pick up a bunch of scrubs to fill in. He can't force Castellanos through the rookie learning curve nor demand Cabrera play like the best hitter in baseball every night. Ausmus was handed a good, but flawed team, and he produced a good, but flawed result. What could he have done to change our bullpen from imploding two straight games? What could he have done to change our offense laying a dud today? The answer is pretty much nothing.

As far as next season goes, it's time to start building a balanced team. We have 4 pitchers coming back. Lobstein probably takes over the 5th role, but may outplay Verlander by year's end. The team obviously has holes to fill (bullpen, RF, DH/1B), but finding good players is certainly within reach.

Ausmus constantly mismanaged the personnel he was given, especially the shitty ones, and he is one of the absolute worst game managers ive ever seen. Is the lion's share on DD? Absolutely. But he's not gonna fire himself, and finding someone to replace him would be a lot harder than finding someone to replace the 2nd worst manager in baseball behind Ned Yost. I even have a suggestion, the guy we should have hired last offseason: Lovullo. Unlike Dartmouth, he actually has some coaching experience, and is far less likely to be as stubbornly old-school as Ausmus.

 

[Thundercats]

I could see us signing Russell Martin to be in a platoon with Avila, with martin getting more at bats, and Avila playing twice a week against right handed pitching only. Some analysts are already mentioning Martin being a fit. A few are also saying they expect Detroit to offer Victor enough money to have him stay here. We do have the advantage, due to the QO. Scherzer says he wants to come back(but I doubt he means it). Someone will give him more than $144 million. Let him go.. extend Price, who is a better pitcher, instead for probably less money. I don't think our window is completely closed. Our core is still great, with Miggy, Vmart and now JD offensively and still have Price, Anibal, JV and Porcello in the rotation.. we just need a good bullpen and some solid odds and ends and I think we'll be better next year. It's not that difficult.. our biggest issues are the easiest ones to address.. hopefully DD finally gets a clue about the pen. There are a ton of good relievers available this offseason, including Uehara, Romo and Andrew Miller. Miller may want to come back. He liked it here. He would be a fantastic closer with his stuff.

 

[Rebbiv]

I could see us signing Russell Martin to be in a platoon with Avila, with martin getting more at bats, and Avila playing twice a week against right handed pitching only. Some analysts are already mentioning Martin being a fit. A few are also saying they expect Detroit to offer Victor enough money to have him stay here. We do have the advantage, due to the QO. Scherzer says he wants to come back(but I doubt he means it). Someone will give him more than $144 million. Let him go.. extend Price, who is a better pitcher, instead for probably less money. I don't think our window is completely closed. Our core is still great, with Miggy, Vmart and now JD offensively and still have Price, Anibal, JV and Porcello in the rotation.. we just need a good bullpen and some solid odds and ends and I think we'll be better next year. It's not that difficult.. our biggest issues are the easiest ones to address.. hopefully DD finally gets a clue about the pen. There are a ton of good relievers available this offseason, including Uehara, Romo and Andrew Miller. Miller may want to come back. He liked it here. He would be a fantastic closer with his stuff.

If Avila comes back next year, he is due $5.4 Mil. Martin garners at least $10 Mil a year as a FA. You want roughly $16 Mil wrapped up in a catcher platoon? I don't see the value. A McCann/Avila strict platoon would be ideal if AA comes back.

We need two top of the order players, preferably one being a left-handed bat. We have Outfield positions to fill. Davis is back, but he should never be an everyday player. I don't trust Dirks. And J.D. has to prove this year was not a fluke.

We still have brick hands at 3B. He did not hit enough to offset that bad defense. He was the worst defensive everyday 3B in 2014. And we had the worst defensive OF in the Majors last year.

A couple of minor signings can improve the pen more than going hog wild. Look at making some failed starters into decent relievers. Sign more closers is NOT the answer. It never was.

And I have no problem with our starters. The issue is rarely does a starter win the Cy Young past the age of 30 (Verlander 32, Sanchez 30, Scherzer 30, Price 29 and Porcello 25). If you sign Price long term, don't expect Cy Young value.

IMHO, we have more holes on offense/defense than we do with pitching. Sure the pen is a big deal. But it can be addressed with the right signings or within the system (Lobstein, a healthy Rondon, etc). Or you address it as a secondary part to a trade.

And for the record. A better defense improves the pitching. How many 4-5 out innings have we seen, especially in the post seasons in recent years.

And a healthy Iggy with help with the infield defense. But I wouldn't expect much from him. And with 2B and C already providing minimal offense, we need the offense to come from some place and right now that leave at least 2 OF positions and DH if Victor isn't retained that is open for upgrade. I am assuming they are counting on J.D.

Who is leading off in 2015? And who is hitting 2nd? Those are the answers I would be addressing.

 

[dubbsco]

Mannnnn going through with that Andrew Miller signing would sure have been nice.

 

[Mitchrapp]

Go get Fister back..get a refund. Fuckin' Ray, POS.

 

[Thundercats]

If Avila comes back next year, he is due $5.4 Mil. Martin garners at least $10 Mil a year as a FA. You want roughly $16 Mil wrapped up in a catcher platoon? I don't see the value. A McCann/Avila strict platoon would be ideal if AA comes back.

We need two top of the order players, preferably one being a left-handed bat. We have Outfield positions to fill. Davis is back, but he should never be an everyday player. I don't trust Dirks. And J.D. has to prove this year was not a fluke.

We still have brick hands at 3B. He did not hit enough to offset that bad defense. He was the worst defensive everyday 3B in 2014. And we had the worst defensive OF in the Majors last year.

A couple of minor signings can improve the pen more than going hog wild. Look at making some failed starters into decent relievers. Sign more closers is NOT the answer. It never was.

And I have no problem with our starters. The issue is rarely does a starter win the Cy Young past the age of 30 (Verlander 32, Sanchez 30, Scherzer 30, Price 29 and Porcello 25). If you sign Price long term, don't expect Cy Young value.

IMHO, we have more holes on offense/defense than we do with pitching. Sure the pen is a big deal. But it can be addressed with the right signings or within the system (Lobstein, a healthy Rondon, etc). Or you address it as a secondary part to a trade.

And for the record. A better defense improves the pitching. How many 4-5 out innings have we seen, especially in the post seasons in recent years.

And a healthy Iggy with help with the infield defense. But I wouldn't expect much from him. And with 2B and C already providing minimal offense, we need the offense to come from some place and right now that leave at least 2 OF positions and DH if Victor isn't retained that is open for upgrade. I am assuming they are counting on J.D.

Who is leading off in 2015? And who is hitting 2nd? Those are the answers I would be addressing.

Do you think Lobstein could be a good reliever with his stuff? His best fastball is probably 91 MPH. Maybe a decent long reliever, but those guys dont affect too many games, and usually only pitch when their own team is getting blown out. Robbie Ray could be a good bullpen piece. He just isn't starter material. A low key signing that could be good is Ryan Dempster.. he's been off for over a year, so signing him as a reliever could be beneficial, as he has good stuff. I do think we need a guy like Andrew Miller, though, as a closer. A closer must have swing and miss stuff to be consistent, and Joe Nathan does not have that anymore. Jim Johnson got away with being a pitch-to-contact closer for a couple years, but you just dont see it anymore.