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Tigers FO thread, Scott Harris Pres. of Baseball Ops,Tigers Hire Jeff Greenberg GM

Scott Harris said the Tigers really wanted young, controllable position players this offseason. Those, he said, are tough to find in FA.

"I didn't think it made sense for us to invest significant at-bats in veteran players who would not be part of this team beyond, say, 2023."

Translation: All of the current young talent needs a proper reassessment which happens only with playing time.
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/02/21/watercooler-wednesday-73/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

Today, another opportunity for readers to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful dialog and a variety of opinions are welcomed.

Let?s create some running conversational threads. And for those of you back in actual offices, here?s a question to take with you ? or use via Zoom ? as you talk to your co-workers.

Here is today?s topic??..

This week, Scott Harris talked to reporters about the Tigers? off-season moves ? most notably the lack of signing recognizable free agents. Here?s how he explained the organization?s rationale:

?Coming off 96 losses, there are no shortcuts back to contention. It starts with putting together a team and an environment that can play competitive baseball every day.

?When we entered the off-season, we were looking for controllable young players who embody the offensive identity we?re working towards. Players who control the strike zone and could help us control the strike zone better as an organization.

?And on the position-player side, it?s really tough to find controllable players at manageable acquisition costs. I didn?t think it made sense for us to invest significant at-bats in veteran players who will not be a part of the team beyond 2023.

?Those at-bats are too valuable for us. We have to invest those current and future at-bats with some of our young players; players like Kerry Carpenter, Ryan Kreidler, Andre Lipcius, Wenceel Perez, Parker Meadows and a lot of the young players already in camp fighting for jobs.

?An area of focus for us is helping players get better. We?re introducing a lot of new things to the players that they?ve never seen before. And with that comes huge opportunity to help them get better, to find those small gains up and down the roster that can net huge returns for the team. That?s going to be our path back to contention and I feel we are off to a good start.?

In summary, Harris is saying that this team has so many needs in order to become respectable that adding a free agent or two will have little to no impact. And that it could actually be detrimental to rebuilding the team. This team is essentially starting from scratch but it is now being assembled with a certain identity and goal.

He hints that this roster will continue to change significantly after this year but the goal is to re-assess younger players who did not get a solid chance to show their potential in previous seasons. That the hope is that many of them will perform better now that the team has better tools and coaches.

And Harris summarized that by adding free agent veterans would only be a temporary band-aid and not a solution. That by actually adding them would set the team back from properly evaluating and developing the young talent currently in the system.

Do you agree with Harris? statements? Is this the best way for the Tigers to move forward? Is re-assessing, developing and testing younger players a better solution than bringing in veterans who may offer a temporary but not lasting fix?

Do you agree with Scott Harris? strategy that the best way for this team to move forward is to focus on developing their young talent?

1. Yes

2. No

VOTE
 
Why is Detroit Tigers Scott Harris and A. J. Hinch emphasizing players who control the strike zone? Let's take 1 example from last year that contributed to an MLB record low offensive record for the team.

Jonathan Schoop's chase rate last year was almost 37% and he struck out 28% of the time. His walk rate was less than 4% which was almost dead last in MLB.

Schoop missed out on getting 40 walks by chasing pitches outside the zone on three-ball counts. Just astoundingly bad. But he wasn't the only one doing this.

Totally Tigers
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/02/23/five-for-friday-60/
FIVE FOR FRIDAY.
Totally Tigers

The first dress rehearsal for this year?s roster officially starts on Saturday with the first spring training game. There are 62 players vying for almost every position on the field with some slots having 5-9 candidates.

For the first time in years, Scott Harris and A. J. Hinch have made it known that positions will not be simply handed out. They will have to be earned. Harris ensured that there is enough depth for each roster opening by signing and inviting multiple candidates to compete with those players left on the roster.

Every player will have a different motivation in their effort to be named to the Opening Day roster. Some are professional, while others may be more personal in nature. But all are valid.

There will of course, be prospects who are looking to crack the roster. Veterans who are older and playing for their next contract. Others who wish to erase a bad 2023 season. Some who still need to prove their worth.

Which brings us to what they all share.
The pressure to succeed.

But out of all the players, which ones (not on the IL) will have the most pressure placed upon them?

I?ve got my top 5:
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/03/02/the-fans-have-spoken-5/
THE FANS HAVE SPOKEN.
Totally Tigers

How many of you return a day or two later to check the final results of our weekly polls?

We really have an excellent cross-section of fans and historically, this group of readers almost always tend to be spot on about what they see happening with the Tigers. I am hoping that those with offices at Comerica read what the fans are saying and consider it when they are discussing strategy.

As background, each poll is carefully constructed, offering the full spectrum of options as well as avoiding the possibility of leading readers to a specific answer. And they are also tamper-proof. Unlike the All-Star voting, it?s 1 reader, 1 vote. The blog platform kicks out any additional votes submitted by a reader who has already voted once.

Let?s now take the time to review all of the major polls completed in February. What you may find most interesting is the often-seen difference between how the overall population of fans feel compared to the published reader comments. Sometimes, the most vocal of fans are in the minority. Some of you may be surprised at what you see.

What is also fun to discover is how far apart ? or how close ? fans are in voting.

As you peruse the questions, it may also be interesting to see how often you were in the majority ? or in the minority. This blog has always been about exploring baseball more deeply and being receptive to different theories and opinions. Where one stands in each of these polls is a great way to expand one?s thinking about the game.

Here are the questions, with the winner and percentage listed at the top in bold.
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/03/04/deeper-discussions-63/
DEEPER DISCUSSIONS.
Totally Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have played app. 1 weeks? worth of spring training games. And so far, they have won 1 more game than they?ve lost. However, they?ve given up 7 more runs than they?ve scored so far this season.

But is the win-loss record the purpose of spring training? Or is it to explore players? talent and see where the pieces fit best?

There are pitchers returning from injury and surgery. And almost all positional slots are wide open. There are a number of prospects who are trying out for each of them.

But what is most important to this team? Is it seeing how many games they can win? Or is it observing, testing and guiding the potential talent for this year and the near future?

Today?s blog addresses this dilemma and allows readers to share their thoughts in more detail. And hopefully, to actively engage with others by responding to their posts and creating back-and-forth discussion threads. The more the merrier!

For this one blog only, you?ve got 6 sentences max to share your thoughts.
Of course, you can respond to as many other readers as you want.

TT will supply the ammunition. One thought-provoking question. Several options provided. One hard choice to be selected. One vote.

Ready?

What is the most important purpose of spring training for the Tigers?

1. To win as many games as possible.

2. To observe, field test and develop the best players for now and the near future.

VOTE
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/03/07/watercooler-wednesday-75/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

Today, another opportunity for readers to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful dialog and a variety of opinions are welcomed.

Let?s create some running conversational threads. And for those of you back in actual offices, here?s a question to take with you ? or use via Zoom ? as you talk to your co-workers.

Here is today?s topic??..

The Tigers? President of Baseball Operations, Scott Harris, said that one of the most important things the team needs to achieve this year is to control the strike zone. It is considered to be the primary culprit in the Tigers? lack of offense in 2022.

For hitters, this means having plate discipline and only swinging at pitches in the strike zone. It also means working counts, cutting down on strikeouts and earning walks.

Last year, the team placed in the top 10 for strikeouts and last place for walks. They averaged only 2 walks per game and led all of MLB in least number of runs scored.

Spring training is a time to test talent and experiment. So far, there?s not much difference in either stat during exhibition games. While they may lead all teams in ST homeruns, the Tigers currently rank #21 in walks and #28 in SOs.

Harris and A. J. Hinch have hinted that players who cannot improve their plate discipline run the risk of getting less playing time. We also have to assume that some of these players may be shed this year or at the end of the season.

Currently, the new personnel in charge are working with hitters on solutions that may help them improve. The players did not have these resources in the past.

But can all or most of them improve their bad habits? If they can, how long will it take? Doesn?t change involve a process that takes time? And don?t players progress in a non-linear fashion?

When do you believe that changes should realistically be seen?

How soon should we reasonably expect Tiger hitters to improve at controlling the strike zone?

1. Early in the season

2. Mid-season

3. End of year

VOTE
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/03/08/the-past-impacts-the-present/
THE PAST IMPACTS THE PRESENT.
Totally Tigers

The Tigers may have a new regime in charge but it doesn?t mean that discussion of the old one will end. Scott Harris and Co. will have their hands full of mopping up the mess created by Al Avila and his associates and trying to undo as much damage as possible.

This process will probably take more than a year. There?s that much to do.

It is also a period of reassessment involving not just the roster but the rest of the organization. Are the new people meeting the team?s stated goals? Have the people leftover from the previous management on board with the vision and have they stepped it up?

So why do we have to do this? Can?t we just move forward and focus on the future? Can?t we just forget about Al Avila, Dave Littlefield, David Chadd and all the others?

No, not if we want an accurate read on how much the new crew has to do. If fans don?t see enough movement forward in the beginning, they will wonder and complain about the lack of action by Harris and his new Front Office. But if fans understand just how much of the old has to be analyzed, corrected and redone before the organization can push forward , then they will comprehend what is going on behind the scenes and have the proper context.

Needless to say, there is a lot to do and way too much to identify for one blog. So today, let?s focus solely on Harris? to do list as it pertains to the roster. What does he have to remedy?

I?ve got my list of the top 10 priorities that Scott is likely addressing???
 
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