Tiger Cubs (notes on the minors)

[gehringer_2]

Just now, Tiger337 said:

His defense is no longer good enough to carry him for defense only.  

It's more than a little disappointing that management hasn't come up with at least a replacement level SS in 23 months on the job. It's not like no one knew it was a need.

[Sports_Freak]

2 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

His defense is no longer good enough to carry him for defense only.  

I agree. But McStinkys offense isn't much better. And his defense is a huge drop off. Javy is the best we have...and then there's the matter of his contract..

[Sports_Freak]

1 minute ago, gehringer_2 said:

It's more than a little disappointing that management hasn't come up with at least a replacement level SS in 23 months on the job. It's not like no one knew it was a need.

I think the fans only hope is finding a young player who's blocked at the ML level to trade for. Maybe he's already in our system, I don't know. But with Javy's contract, I don't see us signing an established player. Too expensive and we're more than 1 position away from contending.

[TigerNation]

53 minutes ago, RatkoVarda said:

his problem remains in that he hits a massive amount of groundballs

NYY and LAD left him at SS when everyone assumed he would to 3B; obviously he is going to get a long look at SS considering the state of the position in Det

hopefully, at worst, they have an upgrade on McKinstry. at best, a bridge starter to some teenager

.868 OPS vs RHP this year.

I'm guessing the hope is he can at least hit well enough to be the platoon starter for 120 games or so. Try to platoon our way to 0 WAR at the SS position.

[gehringer_2]

40 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I think the fans only hope is finding a young player who's blocked at the ML level to trade for. Maybe he's already in our system, I don't know. But with Javy's contract, I don't see us signing an established player. Too expensive and we're more than 1 position away from contending.

If they don't bite the bullet and cut Javy loose at the end of this season after 3 yrs of futility, any confidence I have left in this management will be gone. if you can't cut bait when you have to, you don't have enough will to win to ever get out of mediocrity. There will always be something that didn't work out, some player that disappoints, someone who got too many years, someone with a career ending injury -- it is inevitable. Its just a normal part of the overhead for any pro sport franchise today. If you are going to let it freeze your org every time it happens, you are done before you ever even get out of the gate.

Fielder, Zimmermann, Martinez, Cabrera, Baez. it happens, it will keep happening. It's not the exceptional condition, it's the normal condition. The Tigers have been using dead payroll as an excuse not to improve for too long.

Edited August 13 by gehringer_2

[Jim Cowan]

I agree, Baez is not Cabrera.  The last 2 years of Cabrera's contract were so painful for us to watch, but because of his status in the game there was never the slightest chance that the Tigers would do anything except let him play it out. 

Baez is different.  The team owes him nothing, quite the opposite.  There is no reason to allow him to keep playing.  Give him the rest of his money and wish him good luck, and cut him.

PS  I was very happy when the Tigers signed him

[1984Echoes]

7 hours ago, Jim Cowan said:

I agree, Baez is not Cabrera.  The last 2 years of Cabrera's contract were so painful for us to watch, but because of his status in the game there was never the slightest chance that the Tigers would do anything except let him play it out. 

Baez is different.  The team owes him nothing, quite the opposite.  There is no reason to allow him to keep playing.  Give him the rest of his money and wish him good luck, and cut him.

PS  I was very happy when the Tigers signed him

+1

[RatkoVarda]

if unimpressive defenders (and LHHs) Keith (2b), Sweeney (SS), and Jung (3b) are getting a lot of playing time, will Harris will keep Baez as a defensive/RH back-up for them, rather than have the difficult conversation with Ilitch?

I think yes, as the only risk for Harris, who obviously did not sign him, is that Javy goes somewhere else and performs better while Ilitch pays him $75M - and we know Harris does not like risk.

[monkeytargets39]

8 hours ago, Jim Cowan said:

I agree, Baez is not Cabrera.  The last 2 years of Cabrera's contract were so painful for us to watch, but because of his status in the game there was never the slightest chance that the Tigers would do anything except let him play it out. 

Baez is different.  The team owes him nothing, quite the opposite.  There is no reason to allow him to keep playing.  Give him the rest of his money and wish him good luck, and cut him.

PS  I was very happy when the Tigers signed him

And Cabrera at his worst was still better than Baez in his current “prime”

Edited August 13 by monkeytargets39

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, RatkoVarda said:

if unimpressive defenders (and LHHs) Keith...

Statcast currently has Colt at +1 runs above average and the kid is turning the DP as well as anyone. Colt at 2B is not going to be pressing problem for the Tigers.

If Jung doesn't cut it at 2b that will present a dilemma though.

Edited August 13 by gehringer_2

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, RatkoVarda said:

if unimpressive defenders (and LHHs) Keith (2b), Sweeney (SS), and Jung (3b) are getting a lot of playing time, will Harris will keep Baez as a defensive/RH back-up for them, rather than have the difficult conversation with Ilitch?

I think yes, as the only risk for Harris, who obviously did not sign him, is that Javy goes somewhere else and performs better while Ilitch pays him $75M - and we know Harris does not like risk.

I don't really care if they cut him as long as they find someone to play in front of him. If that's a guy that comes up from the system fine, but if that guy isn't there you pay the $$ and sign or trade for someone. SS is too important to leave as a hole in your lineup. To amend my previous take - cutting him is actually another matter. I would say cutting him or not comes down to whether he's going to be a malcontent if he doesn't start. If so, then you let him go. if he'll play out his deal as backup 2b/ss and late inning defensive replacement, then fine.

[LongLiveMaroth]

Kids got a 80 grade on confidence that's for sure.

[Sports_Freak]

13 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

If they don't bite the bullet and cut Javy loose at the end of this season after 3 yrs of futility, any confidence I have left in this management will be gone. if you can't cut bait when you have to, you don't have enough will to win to ever get out of mediocrity. There will always be something that didn't work out, some player that disappoints, someone who got too many years, someone with a career ending injury -- it is inevitable. Its just a normal part of the overhead for any pro sport franchise today. If you are going to let it freeze your org every time it happens, you are done before you ever even get out of the gate.

Fielder, Zimmermann, Martinez, Cabrera, Baez. it happens, it will keep happening. It's not the exceptional condition, it's the normal condition. The Tigers have been using dead payroll as an excuse not to improve for too long.

I agree but I don't think the Tigers will cut Javy until they find a replacement. You can't go into 2025 without the most important position player. If they go into next spring with puff pieces in the media about how much Baez is expected to improve....ugh.

[Tenacious D]

9 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I agree but I don't think the Tigers will cut Javy until they find a replacement. You can't go into 2025 without the most important position player. If they go into next spring with puff pieces in the media about how much Baez is expected to improve....ugh.

Maybe to change things up, perhaps Hinch doesn’t visit him during this offseason?

[HeyAbbott]

11 hours ago, Jim Cowan said:

I agree, Baez is not Cabrera.  The last 2 years of Cabrera's contract were so painful for us to watch, but because of his status in the game there was never the slightest chance that the Tigers would do anything except let him play it out. 

Baez is different.  The team owes him nothing, quite the opposite.  There is no reason to allow him to keep playing.  Give him the rest of his money and wish him good luck, and cut him.

PS  I was very happy when the Tigers signed him

Baez is done. Theoretically speaking, I would think the Tigers could find a zero WAR player with some upside that would permit us to move on. A .5 WAR player would be fine in my book.

 The true opportunity cost is the message it sends both inside and outside the org about the Tigers and their approach to getting better. Baez holds no possibility of being any better than he is now. Someone else has some chance to be better than Baez. The decision is very simple.

[Sports_Freak]

12 hours ago, Jim Cowan said:

I agree, Baez is not Cabrera.  The last 2 years of Cabrera's contract were so painful for us to watch, but because of his status in the game there was never the slightest chance that the Tigers would do anything except let him play it out. 

Baez is different.  The team owes him nothing, quite the opposite.  There is no reason to allow him to keep playing.  Give him the rest of his money and wish him good luck, and cut him.

PS  I was very happy when the Tigers signed him

Yes, Cabrera struggles his last couple of seasons reminds me of old broken down Babe Ruth footage when he was on the Boston Braves. Just a shell of his former greatness. Cabrera is a sure Hall of Famer and was given an excellent sendoff by the Tigers and by MLB. He'll be remembered more for his greatness than his struggles near the end. Javy? Not so much. If the Tigers can find a decent replacement, it will be good riddance to him. Eat the contract and move on.

[Cruzer1]

Harris has already stated that he's bringing Baez back.

[LongLiveMaroth]

 

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, Cruzer1 said:

Harris has already stated that he's bringing Baez back.

fireable offense. Ilitch claimed he was bringing in a someone to build a winner, when all we're getting is a pretty face in a polo with another con.

Edited August 13 by gehringer_2

[SoCalTiger]

2 hours ago, Cruzer1 said:

Harris has already stated that he's bringing Baez back.

Not a surprise and to be expected. It's just too much money folks to flush it down the toilet. I certainly wouldn't BUT I would make sure I have an option on the team NOT NAMED McSTINKY. As G2 said late game substitute and part time starter, 80 games ish, and could pinch run as well if he doesn't show improvement. As Jim Carey said" so there might still be a chance !"

[gehringer_2]

Hens fall 3-1 but the 1 was a Torkbomb on a 1st pitch FB.

Mize with the start. 3.1 IP, 0R 1H 1BB 3K 50 pitches. Best FBs ~95mph

 

Edited August 14 by gehringer_2

[Tigermojo]

McKinstry .892 and Baez .706 OPS in August. *ducks*

[Shinzaki]

9 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Hens fall 3-1 but the 1 was a Torkbomb on a 1st pitch FB.

 

 

 

[Tigermojo]

Liranzo bomb part deux.

[gehringer_2]

9 minutes ago, Shinzaki said:

 

I'm going to predict Torkelson rejoins the Tigers in Chicago on the 20th.