2024 - 2025 Detroit Tigers Offseason

[Motor City Sonics]

10 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

For me the thing is that I'm a lot less confident in all the supposed pitching depth we have. I see a lot of downside risks with a lot of the young guys that people seem to be assuming will just step up and dominate. I hope they will too but I don't see the credentials to persuade me to believe it.

Well part of it is that it seems like all of them end up having to get TJ surgery at some point.     Doesn't it feel like that?  It's just some kind of rite of passage now? 

 

Man, if Casey Mize can be anything close to his draft position.   I haven't given up on him.   He was okay last year, but okay is better than a lot of other guys in their firs post TJ year.     Maybe he can find that other gear.  

Right now the rotation feels like it's  Skubal-Cobb-Olson and then question marks.        And I'm not convinced that Olson isn't another Jeff Robinson/Willie Blair one year wonder.   

What else do we have.   

Casey Mize - But what is he?   This is the year we finally figure it out

Keider Montero.   Showed flashes, feels like 4th/5th starter is his ceiling

Jackson Jobe -  #5 prospect.  I think they probably want to start him in Toledo unless he blows everyone away in ST

Matt Manning - "The Forgotten Arm"   We've seen some very very good starts from him, including a shared no-hitter.  I think he could be good enough to be in a MLB rotation, but they haven't found the consistency.    

Kenta Maeda -   Total wildcard.   Was okay in the bullpen, but I don't know if he can find whatever he had a few years ago.    Horrible signing.   $14 million a year for a mop-up guy.   The other side of the Flaherty coin.    What's the most you've ever lost in a coin toss? 

Ty Madden -  Looks like a reliever to me

Alex Faedo/Beau Brieske - They COULD be starters, I guess, but they were very effective in their roles last year

Tyler Holton - As much as they need another lefty starter, they used him nearly perfectly last year

Sawyer Gipson-Long - Return from TJ surgery year.   I wouldn't expect much as a MLB starter

Jaden Hamm/Troy Melton - Sleeper picks.    Only if they blow everyone away in the minors or the Tigers have another boatload of injuries.  

I remember a lot of us thinking about the Big 3 of Mize, Manning and Skubal and how in reality we'd be fortunate if one of them turned out.    That looks like it's right on the nose right now. 

If they enter the season with the roster they have now, it feels like they'd be using an Opener in one of the spots

BRING BACK JACK !     

 

I don't know, you guys,  I feel like an offseason of Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres is as disappointing as it gets.    Especially coming off of last year.     I don't feel like those guys will make much of an impact at all.  

[1984Echoes]

If the Astros sign Bregman...

Does that POSSIBLY make Isaac Paredes available in trade?

*ducks*

[monkeytargets39]

18 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Well part of it is that it seems like all of them end up having to get TJ surgery at some point.     Doesn't it feel like that?  It's just some kind of rite of passage now? 

 

Man, if Casey Mize can be anything close to his draft position.   I haven't given up on him.   He was okay last year, but okay is better than a lot of other guys in their firs post TJ year.     Maybe he can find that other gear.  

Right now the rotation feels like it's  Skubal-Cobb-Olson and then question marks.        And I'm not convinced that Olson isn't another Jeff Robinson/Willie Blair one year wonder.   

What else do we have.   

Casey Mize - But what is he?   This is the year we finally figure it out

Keider Montero.   Showed flashes, feels like 4th/5th starter is his ceiling

Jackson Jobe -  #5 prospect.  I think they probably want to start him in Toledo unless he blows everyone away in ST

Matt Manning - "The Forgotten Arm"   We've seen some very very good starts from him, including a shared no-hitter.  I think he could be good enough to be in a MLB rotation, but they haven't found the consistency.    

Kenta Maeda -   Total wildcard.   Was okay in the bullpen, but I don't know if he can find whatever he had a few years ago.    Horrible signing.   $14 million a year for a mop-up guy.   The other side of the Flaherty coin.    What's the most you've ever lost in a coin toss? 

Ty Madden -  Looks like a reliever to me

Alex Faedo/Beau Brieske - They COULD be starters, I guess, but they were very effective in their roles last year

Tyler Holton - As much as they need another lefty starter, they used him nearly perfectly last year

Sawyer Gipson-Long - Return from TJ surgery year.   I wouldn't expect much as a MLB starter

Jaden Hamm/Troy Melton - Sleeper picks.    Only if they blow everyone away in the minors or the Tigers have another boatload of injuries.  

I remember a lot of us thinking about the Big 3 of Mize, Manning and Skubal and how in reality we'd be fortunate if one of them turned out.    That looks like it's right on the nose right now. 

If they enter the season with the roster they have now, it feels like they'd be using an Opener in one of the spots

BRING BACK JACK !     

 

I don't know, you guys,  I feel like an offseason of Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres is as disappointing as it gets.    Especially coming off of last year.     I don't feel like those guys will make much of an impact at all.  

Brant Hurter could continue to emerge as well

[Tenacious D]

30 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I guess it depends what you look at. I pulled the current rosters a few years ago and at the time the age histogram for pitchers showed more proportionally more pitchers into the middle 30 than the histogram for hitters. That didn't look at performance, just rosters. Maybe teams are just more willing to keep older less effective pitchers around than hitters!

I think Jamie Moyer may have single-handedly skewed that data.

[Tenacious D]

26 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Well part of it is that it seems like all of them end up having to get TJ surgery at some point.     Doesn't it feel like that?  It's just some kind of rite of passage now? 

 

Man, if Casey Mize can be anything close to his draft position.   I haven't given up on him.   He was okay last year, but okay is better than a lot of other guys in their firs post TJ year.     Maybe he can find that other gear.  

Right now the rotation feels like it's  Skubal-Cobb-Olson and then question marks.        And I'm not convinced that Olson isn't another Jeff Robinson/Willie Blair one year wonder.   

What else do we have.   

Casey Mize - But what is he?   This is the year we finally figure it out

Keider Montero.   Showed flashes, feels like 4th/5th starter is his ceiling

Jackson Jobe -  #5 prospect.  I think they probably want to start him in Toledo unless he blows everyone away in ST

Matt Manning - "The Forgotten Arm"   We've seen some very very good starts from him, including a shared no-hitter.  I think he could be good enough to be in a MLB rotation, but they haven't found the consistency.    

Kenta Maeda -   Total wildcard.   Was okay in the bullpen, but I don't know if he can find whatever he had a few years ago.    Horrible signing.   $14 million a year for a mop-up guy.   The other side of the Flaherty coin.    What's the most you've ever lost in a coin toss? 

Ty Madden -  Looks like a reliever to me

Alex Faedo/Beau Brieske - They COULD be starters, I guess, but they were very effective in their roles last year

Tyler Holton - As much as they need another lefty starter, they used him nearly perfectly last year

Sawyer Gipson-Long - Return from TJ surgery year.   I wouldn't expect much as a MLB starter

Jaden Hamm/Troy Melton - Sleeper picks.    Only if they blow everyone away in the minors or the Tigers have another boatload of injuries.  

I remember a lot of us thinking about the Big 3 of Mize, Manning and Skubal and how in reality we'd be fortunate if one of them turned out.    That looks like it's right on the nose right now. 

If they enter the season with the roster they have now, it feels like they'd be using an Opener in one of the spots

BRING BACK JACK !     

 

I don't know, you guys,  I feel like an offseason of Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres is as disappointing as it gets.    Especially coming off of last year.     I don't feel like those guys will make much of an impact at all.  

I think Cobb should also be considered a question mark, based on recent history.  He’ll be in the rotation, if healthy, though.

[papalawrence]

2 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Well part of it is that it seems like all of them end up having to get TJ surgery at some point.     Doesn't it feel like that?  It's just some kind of rite of passage now? 

 

Man, if Casey Mize can be anything close to his draft position.   I haven't given up on him.   He was okay last year, but okay is better than a lot of other guys in their firs post TJ year.     Maybe he can find that other gear.  

Right now the rotation feels like it's  Skubal-Cobb-Olson and then question marks.        And I'm not convinced that Olson isn't another Jeff Robinson/Willie Blair one year wonder.   

What else do we have.   

Casey Mize - But what is he?   This is the year we finally figure it out

Keider Montero.   Showed flashes, feels like 4th/5th starter is his ceiling

Jackson Jobe -  #5 prospect.  I think they probably want to start him in Toledo unless he blows everyone away in ST

Matt Manning - "The Forgotten Arm"   We've seen some very very good starts from him, including a shared no-hitter.  I think he could be good enough to be in a MLB rotation, but they haven't found the consistency.    

Kenta Maeda -   Total wildcard.   Was okay in the bullpen, but I don't know if he can find whatever he had a few years ago.    Horrible signing.   $14 million a year for a mop-up guy.   The other side of the Flaherty coin.    What's the most you've ever lost in a coin toss? 

Ty Madden -  Looks like a reliever to me

Alex Faedo/Beau Brieske - They COULD be starters, I guess, but they were very effective in their roles last year

Tyler Holton - As much as they need another lefty starter, they used him nearly perfectly last year

Sawyer Gipson-Long - Return from TJ surgery year.   I wouldn't expect much as a MLB starter

Jaden Hamm/Troy Melton - Sleeper picks.    Only if they blow everyone away in the minors or the Tigers have another boatload of injuries.  

I remember a lot of us thinking about the Big 3 of Mize, Manning and Skubal and how in reality we'd be fortunate if one of them turned out.    That looks like it's right on the nose right now. 

If they enter the season with the roster they have now, it feels like they'd be using an Opener in one of the spots

BRING BACK JACK !     

 

I don't know, you guys,  I feel like an offseason of Alex Cobb and Gleyber Torres is as disappointing as it gets.    Especially coming off of last year.     I don't feel like those guys will make much of an impact at all.  

Very well thought out post

[RandyMarsh]

I have no reason to believe this but just a gut feeling and that's Maeda is gonna bounce back a bit this year.  

Not to his 2023 levels but maybe be an innings eating league average starter.

[monkeytargets39]

4 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

I have no reason to believe this but just a gut feeling and that's Maeda is gonna bounce back a bit this year.  

Not to his 2023 levels but maybe be an innings eating league average starter.

He at least has the right attitude about taking accountability for his performances and dedicating himself to work to improve.  He was miserable to watch most of last year but I can’t dislike him as a person and root against him.

 

Hoping he bounces back to respectability not for our sake but for his

Edited January 24 by monkeytargets39

[SoCalTiger]

Thinking us being linked to relievers means we are out on Breggie.

[chasfh]

22 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I fear a Tampa situation in Detroit.  They have had a decent amount of success, but most teams who try it don't do well.  It's also not so much fun as a fan seeing a constantly change their roster with every good player traded away when he starts to get expensive.  

I will fear a Tampa situation in Detroit when we have an actual Tampa situation in Detroit. I won't write off Harris until he proves he's feckless and/or incompetent.

That said, I don't expect him to make us like one of the Big Six franchises. We may be able to put together a good run for a number of years, and I'm reasonably optimistic but we will never be spoken of in the same breath as the Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Giants, Red Sox, or Cubs. I will expect, though, that he makes us something like the Cardinals, with plenty of playoff appearances and very few seasons under .500.

[chasfh]

21 hours ago, papalawrence said:

If you take away his 5 starts as a 21 yo rookie and his covid season, his only terrible stretch was with Baltimore for 9 starts, after being traded for the first time. Career era 3.63, fip 3.91, whip 1.18, k/9 10.2. I'm not pushing for Harris to just do anything. I am not for giving Bregman a huge contract. Flaherty was a very good fit here. A 4 year deal takes him to sge 32. Any FA signing brings an element of risk. That's one I would take

https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/f/flaheja01.shtml

I don't take those away, nor do I take away Flaherty's injury seasons or his overall poor 2023. They are all part of his body of work which points to his inconsistency, as well as the iffiness about his ability to stay on the field.

If we sign Flaherty for bunches of years anyway, I'll root hard for him, because he'll be on my team. But I don't think we will. If we sign him at all, it'll be after waiting him out and he has no other alternatives, and it'll be either for two years max, or more years only with team options. I'd be downright shocked if we backed a Brinks truck into his driveway.

Edited January 24 by chasfh

[chasfh]

6 hours ago, RandyMarsh said:

I have no reason to believe this but just a gut feeling and that's Maeda is gonna bounce back a bit this year.  

Not to his 2023 levels but maybe be an innings eating league average starter.

I hope so, too. That's really all we wanted him to be.

[LongLiveMaroth]

 

 

[Motor City Sonics]

1 hour ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

 

 

Sure, we'll take Soto

[Motor City Sonics]

9 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

I think Cobb should also be considered a question mark, based on recent history.  He’ll be in the rotation, if healthy, though.

I agree with that, but not right now.  Right now he's their #2 or #3 starter.   

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

 

 

I question the credibility of that article when I read this part

"Torkelson also brings solid defense at first base"

[1776]

28 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I question the credibility of that article when I read this part

"Torkelson also brings solid defense at first base"

AI generated 😉

[Tiger337]

4 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Thinking us being linked to relievers means we are out on Breggie.

I doubt it.  I believe the Tigers have plenty of payrol space to get both.  I thInk it's a matter of whether someone is the right fit and also comes at the right price.  

[SoCalTiger]

2 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I doubt it.  I believe the Tigers have plenty of payrol space to get both.  I thInk it's a matter of whether someone is the right fit and also comes at the right price.  

Agree and that’s what I’m saying we can’t get the right price so the focus has changed. IMO. 

[Motor City Sonics]

I guess several teams have offered 5 years for Bregman.     I'm starting to think "screw this guy".      What did the Astros offer 6/156 ?         Just take your 1 year deal with the Cubs and hope the wind blows out at Wrigley all year.   

[Tiger337]

If they can't get Bregman, I'd like to ee them get Kim for a short deal.  He'll miss the beginning of the season and then can either be a supersub or be plugged in at SS or 3B if one of their young infielders doesn't hit.  They could certainly use infield defense.  

[romad1]

The 2024 team movie is out on youtube.  First, Its odd having to show Javier Baez in our highlight movie.  I watched the first 10 minutes of it and it was nowhere near as good as the .2% video someone made.   I'll keep watching but it was off somehow.   I get that its winter and its hard to be as stoked for baseball and what happened last year.   That playoff run was special.  Maybe its me.

[Ancient Fan]

On 1/19/2025 at 7:10 PM, IdahoBert said:

Cheers. Glad for you. In May I will be closing in on eight years. One of the ways to avoid getting older is to hang out with younger people, which is something I do, although nobody gets my jokes. They just don’t get my subtle cultural references, although I get to pick up theirs to a certain extent. 

When you get my age, everyone is younger. Now retired for 18 years and loving every minute.

[Ancient Fan]

On 1/20/2025 at 10:23 AM, CMRivdogs said:

Retired a while ago. Having more fun volunteering than I ever did working. The pay isn't great, but the rewards...

This is the correct answer!

[1776]

Good piece on Jack Flaherty
 

https://www.mlb.com/news/jack-flaherty-statcast-free-agent-analysis