https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2023/05/15/spencer-for-hire/
SPENCER: FOR HIRE.
Totally Tigers
The Detroit Tigers have 2 players currently who go by the name Spencer T. At some point, either this year or over the winter, they may only have one.
Of course, we?re talking about Turnbull, not Torkelson.
What is it about the Tigers that makes some of their starting pitchers go AWOL?
We saw the first hint of trouble last Wednesday. Turnbull had not reported yet to Toledo. He was demoted 4 days before that.
And A. J. Hinch diplomatically stated that he didn?t know where Spencer was but that there was a pitching strategy and plan in place and waiting for his arrival.
So what is going on?
First of all, the facts.
Turnbull is returning from Tommy John surgery. He has had a fairly rocky debut so far this year. He is 1-4 with a 7.26 ERA and 1.677 WHIP. The worst stats of any starting pitcher on the team by far.
In his last game, A. J. Hinch noted that Spencer threw over 75% fastballs and that it was not of the caliber expected from an MLB pitcher.
After the game, Harris, Hinch and Fetter called a meeting with him at the hotel. After laying out what they were seeing, they said he would be sent to Toledo. Turnbull said he was ?blindsided? by the decision.
And that?s the first issue. You?re struggling as a pitcher and have an ERA over 7. And you didn?t think there was a problem? Couldn?t you already see that the Tigers had several other starting pitchers in Toledo (who had also pitched in Detroit) with much better stats?
Welcome to the new Tigers regime, Turnbull. Things have changed since you were last on the roster. It?s not Al Avila?s club anymore.
Before surgery, Spencer had only 6 starts with A. J. Hinch and Chris Fetter in charge back in 2021. Not enough time to get fully integrated and familiar with a changing organization. Later that year, Ryan Garko was added. The following year, Scott Harris was hired.
Someone didn?t send Turnbull the memo that things had changed.
But getting back to the facts, after a lengthy discussion, Spencer left the meeting. Shortly thereafter, he called Harris to let him know he had an injury. (For the record, he has bypassed his manager who hasn?t talked to him in over a week.)
When Turnbull got back to his room, he started making phone calls. To whom we don?t know but he was advised to tell the Tigers about any injuries.
He belatedly said he hurt his neck back in early April but kept it hidden for 6 weeks. Even after his manager had several discussions with him about his problematic pitching after each start.
No one was told. However, it?s suspicious when you have a long meeting with your bosses and fail to bring it up. Until you?ve talked with some people outside of your organization.
Three days after that meeting, Spencer fired his 2nd agent in 3 years and hired Scott Boras, who immediately had him see one of his doctors to verify his injury and get him put on the IL.
It should be noted that injuries are subjective. Doctors depend on the player to tell them to what extent he is injured. And both teams and agents have their preferred medical experts to weigh in.
The reason for all these chess moves can be placed squarely upon Spencer?s desire to reach free agency sooner rather than later.
He currently has just over 4 years of service time and is the Tigers? 2nd longest tenured pitcher. Just short of the 5-year service agreement which then gives players additional benefits. A demotion to Toledo would have stopped the service clock and delayed his free agency by a year. Going on the IL would have kept him earning service time.
By continuing to accrue service time, Turnbull remains on track to reach free agency at the end of next year. The demotion would have pushed it to 2025. He will be 31 later this year and that fatter free agent contract clock is ticking. Leaving for greener pastures at age 32 is much more problematic.
The hiring of Boras is a clear message that Spencer intends to play hardball. Boras knows all the loopholes and he will use them to ensure that his client reaches free agency on schedule.
Should you be wondering if the Tigers were manipulating his service time, all you need to see is Turnbull?s stats. Any other organization would have also sent him down for a reset.
Don?t get me wrong, every individual has the right to protect and try to enhance his career. It?s just the way Spencer did it.
Probably part of it was growing up in the Avila regime and believing that you would not be held fully accountable for your results. Maybe Turnbull was too cavalier about how his career was progressing and felt that he was entitled to all the perks that came with progression to the major leagues. Maybe he felt he was ?owed.?
But I do have a problem with a player who hides real or marginal injuries and doesn?t tell his manager or trainer. Simply because he?s afraid of losing service time. And costing his teammates games in the process.
Then there?s the manipulation with the phone calls to find ways of preventing his demotion and the hiring of the agent most likely to get him what he wants.
I also have a problem with a player who disappears on his team and doesn?t return his manager?s calls and texts. Or to call AAA manager, Anthony Iapoce to tell him he won?t be reporting as scheduled.
That?s not being a team player. It?s a ?me first? move. And it?s holding your team and organization hostage.
It also sends a bad message to your teammates. How many other players are going to take note of how Turnbull is allegedly gaming the system and then possibly use it when their time comes?
Now let?s turn to what happens next.
Spencer is currently on the 15-day IL retroactive to May 7th. He would come off it on the 21st and likely to have a rehab assignment.
But here?s where it gets tricky. What the Tigers do next will be highly scrutinized. Will he return to the rotation or will more IL time be needed (which accrues service time). Could the Tigers feel that he still needs to be demoted (with no service time)?
You can expect Boras to interfere if service time is threatened. He has a history of creating problems for teams when it comes to this subject. He would be likely to insist that one of his doctors give a diagnosis that would keep him on the IL.
Whatever happens, Turnbull has played his hand. He?s already looking for his next job so we know he won?t be part of the Tigers? future going forward. Especially with Boras as his agent.
If he returns to the rotation and does well, expect the Tigers to trade him at the end of the year once he has pitched in a comfortable number of games that would enhance his tradeability.
If he continues to struggle, he may be moved to the bullpen.
If he continues to put up bad numbers, he may be dfa?d although it?s hard to think the Tigers would allow him to leave for nothing in return unless they had no other recourse.
The next chapter starts today when Turnbull is expected to return to Detroit and start rehabbing with the team.
If I were him, I?d be reporting bright and early.
