2023-24 Detroit Tigers Offseason Thread

[RandyMarsh]

35 minutes ago, Tigermojo said:

He was non-tendered and is a free agent.

Thanks, probably could've just googled it but figured I ask just in case somebody else may have been curious as well. 

[Edman85]

Frontloading is interesting. Probably a bit more payroll space this year, since a lot of guys will be getting arb raises next year and more additions next year. Also the new AAV rules for traded players may increase his trade value some next year if a buying team is against the tax.

[Tigermojo]

Teams with Japanese players (not sure if I missed any):

Darvish - Padres

Kikuchi - Blue Jays

Suzuki - Cubs

Yoshida - Red Sox

Senga - Mets

Fujinami - A's

Maeda - Tigers

If any players coming from Japan want to play on a team with another Japanese player, those are their choices, depending on where Ohtani signs.

[alex]

53 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I'm coming around to the idea that the Tigers may be done picking up players for their major league roster next year...

I do see that point. However, they may be more in to win (division)/compete mode this off season than they were last year at the same time.

Another thing to think about is that we can rattle off all the potential SP names we want on the current team (including the minors), we have done so previously - however, the fact is Joey Wentz was second on the team in IP last year with 105. Say it cannot happen again? it already did, Drew Hutchison was second on the team in IP in '22 with the same mount - 105.

Will it happen again?

I do think they will 'look' into another SP or two seriously. Say, if someone really does fit the team and/or a reclamation project. Injuries are going to happen with all teams, especially SP, it is a fact. That in mind, the Tigers should be well aware by now and prepare accordingly.

For the rest of the roster? There could be a trade - possibly. However, I see your point much more accordingly here and they may just wait and see what they have as the youngsters continue to develop. Your 'crystal ball' is usually pretty good 🙂

[MIguy]

1 hour ago, RandyMarsh said:

Has there been any word on what they are expected to do with Austin Meadows? 

If he signs a new contract and goes on to play the season without issues, hopefully sue his ass for every penny he was paid while claiming he just couldn't take the field due to anxiety.  

[KL2]

16 minutes ago, MIguy said:

If he signs a new contract and goes on to play the season without issues, hopefully sue his ass for every penny he was paid while claiming he just couldn't take the field due to anxiety.  

Compassionate 

[SoCalTiger]

You can never have enough pitching especially since virtually all of our starting pitchers have dealt with recent injuries or are still unproven at the MLB level. 

[Toddwert]

1 hour ago, MIguy said:

If he signs a new contract and goes on to play the season without issues, hopefully sue his ass for every penny he was paid while claiming he just couldn't take the field due to anxiety.  

I guess you never want the tigers to get another free agent again?

[MIguy]

1 hour ago, KL2 said:

Compassionate 

The guy doesn't have a history of severe anxiety, signs a deal with the Tigers and is suddenly scared to leave his couch, gets cut by the Tigers and then signs with another team and plays every day with a big smile on his face.

Tigers would be fools to not sue if that were to happen. 

[gehringer_2]

4 minutes ago, MIguy said:

The guy doesn't have a history of severe anxiety, signs a deal with the Tigers and is suddenly scared to leave his couch, gets cut by the Tigers and then signs with another team and plays every day with a big smile on his face.

Tigers would be fools to not sue if that were to happen. 

IDK, hard to believe a guy would want to dog it more than take advantage of the chance to play with his kid brother. I worry more that at his age the onset of psychological problems might be something as serious as the front edge of a developing schizophrenia, which could be pretty tragic.

[Tiger337]

I think it's higly unlikely that any professional athlete would fake anxiety so they could take two years off.  These are some the most competitive people in the world and it probably kills them to have to take any time off.  Anything is possible I guess, but it seems pretty far fetched.  I believe the Tigers would be happy for him if he recovered over the winter and was able to play again.    

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, SoCalTiger said:

You can never have enough pitching especially since virtually all of our starting pitchers have dealt with recent injuries or are still unproven at the MLB level. 

That being the case, we should probably go ahead sign the remaining 58 free agent starting pitchers before they all get away. 😉

[Tiger337]

48 minutes ago, Toddwert said:

I guess you never want the tigers to get another free agent again?

Don't mess with Scott Harris!

[Tiger337]

 

1 hour ago, SoCalTiger said:

You can never have enough pitching especially since virtually all of our starting pitchers have dealt with recent injuries or are still unproven at the MLB level. 

I am pretty sure no team in the history of baseball thought they had too much pitching.  

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, alex said:

I do see that point. However, they may be more in to win (division)/compete mode this off season than they were last year at the same time.

Another thing to think about is that we can rattle off all the potential SP names we want on the current team (including the minors), we have done so previously - however, the fact is Joey Wentz was second on the team in IP last year with 105. Say it cannot happen again? it already did, Drew Hutchison was second on the team in IP in '22 with the same mount - 105.

Will it happen again?

I do think they will 'look' into another SP or two seriously. Say, if someone really does fit the team and/or a reclamation project. Injuries are going to happen with all teams, especially SP, it is a fact. That in mind, the Tigers should be well aware by now and prepare accordingly.

For the rest of the roster? There could be a trade - possibly. However, I see your point much more accordingly here and they may just wait and see what they have as the youngsters continue to develop. Your 'crystal ball' is usually pretty good 🙂

Health is always a wild card, but assuming minimal injuries, I think we might have the horses right now to compete for and win a Central Division title. We're almost certainly not going to win 100 games, but 100 wins is also not what it's going to have to take to win this division.

I take your point about Wentz and Hutchison, but their increased workloads were also due to plans falling apart because of injury, not because we planned on being bad and needed someone bad to get us there. Anytime massive amounts of injuries happens, it's all hands on deck, and if we get hit by the injury bug like that in '24, it'll be no different. But if we can stay relatively healthy and limit list time, I think this staff could do pretty well without having to rely on the likes of Joey Wentz to eat innings.

If we do sign another pitcher, I think it's going to be because one of Skubal/Manning/Mize/Olson experience some kind of injury during the winter or spring. If none of them do, which of these guys would grab some pine based on being the fourth of four in potential? I assume that would probably be Reese Olson, would you agree?

Edited November 28, 2023 by chasfh

[Tenacious D]

1 hour ago, MIguy said:

The guy doesn't have a history of severe anxiety, signs a deal with the Tigers and is suddenly scared to leave his couch, gets cut by the Tigers and then signs with another team and plays every day with a big smile on his face.

Tigers would be fools to not sue if that were to happen. 

Hope you’re joking.

[Edman85]

2 hours ago, MIguy said:

If he signs a new contract and goes on to play the season without issues, hopefully sue his ass for every penny he was paid while claiming he just couldn't take the field due to anxiety.  

 

1 hour ago, MIguy said:

The guy doesn't have a history of severe anxiety, signs a deal with the Tigers and is suddenly scared to leave his couch, gets cut by the Tigers and then signs with another team and plays every day with a big smile on his face.

Tigers would be fools to not sue if that were to happen. 

https://youtu.be/wKjxFJfcrcA?feature=shared

[Shades of Deivi Cruz]

I for one am not particularly interested in having Lange "anchoring" the bullpen. 

The Meadows talk is absurd. He could have been playing alongside his brother, but instead he just sat out for no good reason. Sure. 

[Tigermojo]

55 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Health is always a wild card, but assuming minimal injuries, I think we might have the horses right now to compete for and win a Central Division title. We're almost certainly not going to win 100 games, but 100 wins is also not what it's going to have to take to win this division.

I take your point about Wentz and Hutchison, but their increased workloads were also due to plans falling apart because of injury, not because we planned on being bad and needed someone bad to get us there. Anytime massive amounts of injuries happens, it's all hands on deck, and if we get hit by the injury bug like that in '24, it'll be no different. But if we can stay relatively healthy and limit list time, I think this staff could do pretty well without having to rely on the likes of Joey Wentz to eat innings.

If we do sign another pitcher, I think it's going to be because one of Skubal/Manning/Mize/Olson experience some kind of injury during the winter or spring. If none of them do, which of these guys would grab some pine based on being the fourth of four in potential? I assume that would probably be Reese Olson, would you agree?

I could see Mize getting some time in the pen. They won't want him to pitch too many innings.

[Edman85]

I think the rotation right now is penciled in as Skubal, Maeda, Olson, Mize, one more addition.  Manning has options. SGL et al can wait their turn. All of them will probably be needed.

Wentz is out of options, by the way. Fangraphs says Faedo is too, but I am 99.9% sure he's 4th option eligible. I know Wentz isn't; I've gotten second hand confirmation from the org.

[casimir]

9 minutes ago, Tigermojo said:

I could see Mize getting some time in the pen. They won't want him to pitch too many innings.

That’s one way to handle it.  By the time the inevitable injury pops up, he might be ready for a rotation spot.

[casimir]

Just now, Edman85 said:

I think the rotation right now is penciled in as Skubal, Maeda, Olson, Mize, one more addition.  Manning has options. SGL et al can wait their turn. All of them will probably be needed.

Wentz is out of options, by the way. Fangraphs says Faedo is too, but I am 99.9% sure he's 4th option eligible. I know Wentz isn't; I've gotten second hand confirmation from the org.

I would think Gipson-Long is easy to stash in Toledo.  He had a handful of starts and looked decent, but I don’t think he’s a guy that they have to have in the rotation right now.

I think Olson has earned a penciled in spot right now.  If he doesn’t look good in camp, he can be sent down if needed.

[Edman85]

Lee and I both noticed a tweet from a fangraphs writer calling Olson the #2 starter today. I actually agree with it. And Harris has talked him up at some point this offseason.

[RatkoVarda]

Evan Woodbery

 

@evanwoodbery

 

Scott Harris: "We're going to keep looking to add pitching. You'll never hear me say that we have enough pitching. I don't even believe it's possible to have enough pitching. We're going to see what's available and if we can find more ways to make our staff deeper and better."

[casimir]

10 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

Lee and I both noticed a tweet from a fangraphs writer calling Olson the #2 starter today. I actually agree with it. And Harris has talked him up at some point this offseason.

I can see a rationale for it given the other choices.  And I think this is a good example of why they need more pitching, preferably an upper rotation pitcher.  Don’t get me wrong, I like him and his potential.  I just think another very good 175 IP is needed.