The Dodgers supposedly not being able to add much money sucks for us, because they probably match up best with us with a number of our higher priced guys if we were to move them.
The only way trading Wilson makes sense is if they're going complete fire sale. Trading a cheap reliever now if they can't/won't move Verlander, Cabrera, VMart, Upton, Zimmermann and others doesn't make sense. They would probably get more for him during the season, anyway.
Can't move his contract. Hopefully he has an Ortiz like career, or that's going to be a brutal contract when he's 40 years old.
I mean, what the fuck is that? You can't get me all worked up about moves while publicly putting every player in the org on the block, and then say "yeah, about that" 3 weeks later. I guess you can, but it sucks.
So the presumption nationally seems to be that Avila asked for too much early, and now that the CBA changed our players just don't have much value. That really sucks if true. Also, I miss Dombrowski and his crazy "oh fuck, we just got _!!" trades. Damn you, Boston.
It's pretty clear Avila has no plan at all this off-season. How many GMs run to the media with their off season plans.
I understand listening on Wilson, but I really hope we get something good for him because he's our best reliever. It makes no sense to listen on him, but not on KRod, and Avila essentially said they weren't really looking to move KRod (who makes twice as much money, isn't as good, and beats women).
I'm starting to talk myself into the idea that Anibal could be a decent one-inning reliever, and maybe even a closer. I'm not sure how that happened, but it's probably related to how much I hate KRod.
He doesn't suck. He gave up too many HR last year and the ERA spiked because of it, but there's no one else in the pen who projects to be as good as him moving forward. If it were me, we would trade KRod and he would be in the mix to replace him as closer. He has the stuff and is a rare reliever who can get RH and LH out.
This is very confusing to me. The only reason someone would think Wilson sucks is if you disregard peripherals and just look at ERA. The only reason you would think Greene is a good reliever is if you look only at peripherals and ignore ERA.
I'm starting to come around to Vinegar Strokes side on this guy. I am now worried about Al running the org.
This is also someone they should be very willing to move, but I don't think they're really listening on him
TigsTown is doing their annual top 50 prospects. A lot of recent signings from Latin America in the 50-41 range who could bust out in a couple years. 50. Jimmy Mojica – Outfielder One of the Tigers more intriguing J2 signings in 2016, Mojica has the potential to become one of their next premier prospects. Physically, Mojica is already a well-built kid, standing 6-foot-1 and 180 pounds already and bloodlines that suggest he should be plenty strong at the end of the day. Though he runs well now, right field may be a better fit for the youngster, where his power potential could fit nicely. Mojica is light years away from the big leagues, but is a talented player with rare power potential in today’s game. 49. Christhian Tortosa – Left-Handed Pitcher With the demise of the Tigers Venezuelan affiliate and the subsequent ripple effects across their Dominican and GCL affiliates, Tortosa was pushed aggressively to the US as a 17-year old making his professional debut. A long, lean athlete, Tortosa’s arm action is extremely loose and easy, giving rise to the believe that his present 90-91 mph velocity could spike to much higher levels down the line. Tortosa must improve his ability to spin the breaking ball, but at such an early stage of his development, his potential is intriguing. 48. Wenceel Perez – Shortstop Another of the Tigers J2 signings this year, Perez is arguably one of their more high profile acquisitions from this year’s class. With a wiry, classic middle infield body, Perez is a fast twitch athlete that gets down the line with plus run times, giving him a very strong chance to stick at shortstop. Perez’s bat and arm strength both show potential to develop into plus tools down the line, and his excellent instincts at such a young age gives his broad tool set a chance to play up. Despite being just 16-years old, Perez is the type of player that could shoot up rankings in short order as he begins to perform against professional competition. 47. Juan Ramirez – Outfielder An unheralded amateur prospect, Ramirez used his excellent feel for the strike zone and ability to recognize spin to his advantage as he terrorized inexperience DSL pitchers in 2016. Despite his relatively small stature, Ramirez displays quality bat speed and can barrel pitches he identifies as worth attacking. Defensively, he shows solid instincts and the ability to make plays in all directions, despite fringe-average speed. With a plus arm, Ramirez could handle a move to right field provided the bat holds up as he faces more advanced competition. 46. Jack O’Loughlin – Left-Handed Pitcher The first of three signings out of Australia, O’Loughlin is still just 16-years old and will not come stateside for his first true professional experience until he finishes high school. Even at his young age, O’Loughlin looks the part of a future legitimate prospect, offering good size and projectable body that should mature into an imposing figure on the mound. His fastball currently sits in the mid to upper-80s with improving command and he can flash both a quality breaking ball and changeup. O’Loughlin is going to take time to develop, but his ceiling is such that he warrants early attention and could become a very promising prospect down the line. 45. Jason Foley – Right-Handed Pitcher Signed as a non-drafted free agent last summer after just eleven innings in the New England Collegiate Baseball League, Foley shows velocity in the 93-94 mph range while touching 96-97 mph in bursts. His splitter can be a dynamic second offering that plays well with his fastball to help miss bats and induce weak contact on the ground. With a breaking ball that lags significantly behind, Foley projects as a big, strong reliever that could move quickly through the system once he acclimates to pro ball. 44. Kevin Ziomek – Left-Handed Pitcher Entering the 2016 season, Ziomek had a chance to step forward as the polish college lefty that many saw when he was drafted out of Vanderbilt. Instead, Ziomek went under the knife to correct Thoracic Outlet Syndrome. When combined with his past mediocre performance and middling overall arsenal, Ziomek’s future is now in question with most scouts. When right, Ziomek has the four-pitch arsenal and good enough command to pitch as a fourth or fifth starter at the big league level. Even with uncertain health, Ziomek remains an intriguing arm and could quickly regain prospect value once healthy. 43. Dominic Ficociello – First Baseman A brilliant defensive first baseman, Ficociello offers some defensive versatility with an ability to hang at third base and second base when asked, and he has begun to work on the outfield corners. Defensive versatility gives Ficociello a chance at a big league career, provided his pretty swing can translate into more hits, and more importantly more extra-base hits. Ficociello lacks the offensive upside to be even a second division starter at first base, but with a big league opportunity, he has a chance to carve out an interesting role as a reserve player with an excellent glove, unique defensive versatility, and some offensive potential. 42. Francisco German – Right-Handed Pitcher Coming back from an injury that derailed his 2015 stateside debut, German’s workload was limited in 2016, but he performed well bouncing between the GCL East and West rosters for 35 innings; limiting hits and striking out more than a batter per inning. At times during the season, German flashed the mid-90s gas that made him a rising prospect in 2015, and as his command returns post-injury, German’s stock could soar. Scouts remain mixed on his future in the rotation, but even as a relief arm, German’s arm strength and aggressive approach on the mound could make him an asset. 41. Randel Alcantara – Third Baseman After hitting just .188 in 42 games this summer for the GCL Tigers, it may seem odd to see Alcantara’s prospect stock rise slightly. Despite the low batting average, Alcantara displayed plus power potential, some ingredients necessary to stick at the hot corner, and enough feel for contact to suggest there’s a high upside despite the incredible risk. Alcantara remains a very raw player requiring development in every phase of his game, most notably his ability to recognize pitches and control the strike zone, but his ceiling is considerable and worthy of praise in a thin system like the Tigers.
Verlander did a radio hit today that was somewhat interesting. Basically said he's happy they didn't make any moves, but also said "I'm too old to be a part of a rebuild." Whenever that rebuild happens, it seems like getting him to waive the no-trade wouldn't be a huge deal if it comes to that, unless we try to send him to a terrible market. Also, the Dodgers tried to get Dozier from Minny for months and it sounds like that's over. Rumors have been they might turn back to Kinsler, but Kinsler would still need to waive his no-trade.
What are we gonna do at CF? was listening to Caputo & Dickersons tiger talk show earlier this week and the names mentioned were Bourn, Bourjos, John Jay etc... Spoiler
At this point, I'm looking at Austin Jackson. Of the group in question, he seems most capable of not being atrocious, even if that would be the likelihood.
Well Tram & Lou aren't going to make it. Don't know about Morris, the 90's were a complete shitshow and anyone from the mid to late 00's probably aren't eligible yet
Here is all of Keith Law's prospect stuff on the Tigers: Organizational top 10+ prospects: I was a bit surprised at the Tigers’ system when I finally went through it with all my notes from scouts; it’s still on the thin side, even after a couple of good drafts and the end of their trading prospects for major league help. Their international scouts continue to bring in a lot of power arms and middle-of-the-field guys, although if they could sign one kid who will take a walk, that’d be great, please and thank-you. The onus is on GM Al Avila now to trade at least one of their biggest names to help restock this system the way the White Sox just did by trading Chris Sale and Adam Eaton. AL Central reports: White Sox | Indians | Tigers | Royals | Twins 1. Matt Manning, RHP (Ranked No. 82) 2. Christin Stewart, OF (Ranked No. 92) 3. Beau Burrows, RHP 4. Derek Hill, OF 5. Tyler Alexander, LHP 6. Joe Jimenez, RHP 7. Kyle Funkhouser, RHP 8. Dixon Machado, SS 9. Sandy Baez, RHP 10. Arvicent Perez, C Non-top 100 guys I really like Beau Burrows’ stuff, but he should have missed a lot more bats than he did in 2016, but he didn’t do that or get ground balls despite good life on his fastball. He made progress with his changeup last year, so he’s got the three pitches to profile as a starter. Derek Hill was a top-100 prospect for me in the past, but once again his season ended due to injury, this time a torn elbow UCL that will hold him out at least until late May. He can run and is a plus defender in center, but he needs to get stronger and to produce something at the plate. The swing works, but if you can’t make hard contact, good mechanics are just window dressing. Tyler Alexander was Detroit’s second-round pick in 2015 and pitches extremely well with average stuff, coming inside to batters and changing speeds effectively. He’s the system’s highest-probability starter and could end up a No. 4. Joe Jimenez throws a bazillion miles an hour, but last year his command took a big step forward, and he tightened up his slider, so now hitters can’t just cheat on the fastball. He’s a future closer and should be in Detroit’s bullpen this year. Kyle Funkhouser was the Tigers’ fourth-round pick last year and threw very well in short-season ball, sitting at 93 mph but touching 95-96, and throwing four pitches for strikes, although I think it’s control rather than command right now. There are still a lot of questions around him, given how his velocity dipped in college, his history of walks and the lack of a clearly plus breaking ball. The raw material here is strong, as he has the size and the workable delivery to become a league-average starter. Shortstop Dixon Machado might be ready now to play every day for somebody. He’s a plus defender and has shown enough plate discipline in the minors to project enough OBP to make him a regular. Sandy Baez just reached full-season ball last year at age 22. His fastball sits at 94-95 mph and has reached 99, with unusually good control but below-average secondary pitches. Arvicent Perez is a great catch-and-throw guy, working on the framing and game-calling aspects of catching and puts everything in play as a hitter. He might hit an empty .280 in time, but with the defensive profile to make him a regular. I’d feel a lot better about him if he’d play a full season in 2017 and draw more than six walks. Right-hander Adam Ravenelle (11) has two plus pitches that work for late-game relief now, but his command has wavered as he tends to over-rotate through his delivery. Mike Gerber (12) looks like a quality fourth outfielder with an outside shot at regular status, although given his age -- he turned 24 last July -- that latter seems unlikely. Center fielder Jose Azocar (13) is a plus defender with the arm for center or right, but an average runner with a bat-wrap that adds length to his swing. His approach is pretty much “swing now,” with poor breaking ball recognition and no real adjustment with two strikes. Gerson Moreno(14) throws 95-97 as a one-inning reliever now and will flash an average slider and changeup, although neither is consistent; unsurprisingly, he walks too many guys (20 in 24 1/3 innings after his promotion to high-A). Lefty Jairo Labourt (15) always projected as a reliever, and now that he’s in the bullpen he should move a little faster up the chain. He’s still too wild, but in short stints he throws in the upper 90s from the left side. Right-hander Spencer Turnbull(16) threw just 44 innings in 2016 due to a shoulder impingement but should be good to go in March, whileKevin Ziomek (17) missed almost the whole year due to thoracic outlet syndrome and an eventual surgery to repair it. 2017 impact: Jimenez should spend much of the year in the Tigers’ bullpen, and Ravenelle could join him at some point. Machado would be one of the best utility infielders in the league if they give him that job. The fallen: Hill was drafted in June of 2014, has now played two injury-shortened seasons and hasn’t hit well anywhere he’s played, posting a .245/.306/.327 career line. Their 2012 second-round pick, Austin Schotts, never reached Double-A and was released last March.
From his top 100 prospects: 92. Christin Stewart, OF, Detroit Tigers Age: 23 (12/10/93) | B/T: L/R Height: 6-0 | Weight: 205 Top level: Double-A | 2016: NR Stewart is a power and patience guy, limited to left field, but showing a real ability to drive the ball to all fields that raises him above all of the dead-pull/low-contact guys who populate the low minors. The Tigers took Stewart in the supplemental round in 2015 out of Tennessee, where he hadn't produced at all until a junior-year breakout where he cut his strikeout rate and hit 15 homers to rank him among the SEC's top five in that category. Stewart has a much shorter swing than you'd expect if you looked at his stat line first, getting the bat to the zone quickly with a little drift out over his front side that might cause some trouble when he faces pitchers who can locate their off-speed stuff, but he has an idea of the strike zone and continues to work on pitch selection. His best position is probably the batter's box, as he's not going to wow you in left field, but he might be able to work himself up to something near average. There's real 30-homer potential here, although it might be a .240/.350/.450 kind of line given his contact rates in the minors and his need to stay back in the box. 82. Matt Manning, RHP, Detroit Tigers Age: 19 (1/28/98) | B/T: R/R Height: 6-6 | Weight: 190 Top level: Rookie | 2016: NE Manning is a typical Tigers draft pick -- a tall pitcher with a huge fastball -- but unlike some similar Detroit picks who haven’t panned out, Manning is a top-of-the-line athlete with limited pitching experience, so there are two good reasons to be optimistic about his development. Three reasons, even, if you count his GCL stats, where he punched out 46 guys in 29 innings against just seven walks. Manning’s one plus pitch is his 92-98 mph fastball, which is particularly good when he gets on top of it from his 6-foot-6 frame, although he doesn’t get there consistently yet. He has a breaking ball that works against bad hitters, but it’s a spike curveball that he probably won’t command and isn’t that sharp; he’d be better off with a true curve or a slider, and he had no real changeup to speak of in high school. He’s all upside at this point, a great athlete blessed with a golden arm, but the Tigers have a lot of work to do, from figuring out his breaking ball to teaching him a changeup to helping him learn to pitch instead of just blowing guys away with velocity.
He ranked the Tigers #24 out of 30 as far as overall systems: 24. Detroit Tigers 2016 rank: 26 The Tigers do love them some hard throwers, so that’s the obvious strength of the system, with 2016 first-round pick Matt Manning -- who’s consistently throwing up to 98 mph as a starter -- standing as the exemplar of a "Top Tigers Prospect." While there are plenty of future relievers to be found here (led by potential closer Joe Jimenez), there’s a quiet underclass of prospects who project to play in the middle of the field and provide real defensive value, with the primary questions around their bats rather than their gloves or positions. That said, too many recent Tiger draft picks have had disappointing starts to their pro careers, even still-promising prospects like Beau Burrows, Derek Hill and Spencer Turnbull. If that group continues to stagnate, this system will end up in the bottom three next winter.