Tony Paul is saying no way are the Tigers shopping for upgrades right now, and thinks they will be selling by Friday.
@JimBowden_ESPN: I just ran into #Tigers President Dave Dombrowski in the press dining at Fenway Park he told me they are going to try and win #buyers
Still not buying it. They went 3-3 this week against two last place teams. Only way they don't sell is if they to 4-0 in the next 4 games. Go Sox
I realize that everyone wants us to sell, but we're currently 3.5 games behind a shaky Minnesota team for the second wild card. We're talking about selling Price off to a Toronto team that is 0.5 games ahead of us in the standings as we still play tonight. I don't think it's very smart to commit major resources for rental help right now, but playing the season out makes a lot more sense than people want to believe. This is a really tough call for the FO, especially with Miggy out right now and not likely to come back for at least 2-3 more weeks.
You guys are in a unique situation. People are so focused on labeling teams buyers or sellers. Dombrowski is a good GM, and I'm sure he knows this, but I'd just play the market. If you get great value selling, I'd sell. If there is great value in buying, I'd buy.
I was just talking to some buddies about this. TO is 0.5 games ahead of us and they're talking about adding peices for a playoff run. That city is so hilarious, so desperate for a winner in anything.
For me, it's not so much about this season as it is about mitigating the size of the cliff we're about to drive off by swapping some valuable short-term pieces for some lesser but longer-term and cheaper pieces. Even adding some pieces I think the ceiling is last year's quick post-season exit.
The thing is 4-5 other teams are chasing the Twins too, it's not just us. Texas, Tampa, Toronto and Baltimore are all in on it. So we have to beat out all of them. And toronto is probably the best of the bunch. Just look at their run differential. We have a negative one, and they're like +65. We have about a 20% shot of making a wild card. And no guarantee Price even pitches that game. He's probably pitching game 161 or 162 if it even came down to that.
4-6 out of the break doesn't make much of a statement for buying. 5-9 over the last 14, with breakdowns at every level. Offense has been bad, bullpen has lost two games that were won, and the starting pitching has been hit or miss.
If the edict from Illitch is win at all cost, than so be it. That said, I have no idea how you watch this team get vastly out played by shitty teams like Boston and think we can contend. Not directed at posters but management.
Alfredo Simon and Shane Greene would not be in the rotation of any team that is an actual contender for the WS and somehow they both are in ours.
I'm not saying we have a great shot at the wild card, or that we should go all in trying to buy here at the deadline. I'm saying that it would be pretty unusual for a team in our position to do a major sell off of a bunch of good players while we're still well within reach of a playoff spot. I think DD would certainly be justified if he moved Price and others because of the way the team has performed and the realistic chances of making a run if they even did win a WC spot. I get it and I'm not really against a sell off. I just think people are ignoring how close we actually are here, and because of that might be setting themselves up for disappointment with the idea that we're definitely going to start dumping guys. There's a reason they keep putting this off until closer to the deadline, and it's pretty reasonable for them to do it.
Like I've said several times, I think it depends on the pieces coming back. Any Price deal has to bring back an impact piece capable of being a fixture in the line-up or rotation by next year. Cespedes is a bit less there because we can't get the pick, but he still needs to bring something of value back. If they're not getting significant return, it's not going to mitigate anything in the long run, anyway. The Cueto deal makes me think we should get something pretty good for Price if we went that route, but I don't know how much Price's salary might change his market.
Tony Paul Apparently, there's some Rajai Davis/Cardinals buzz. Checking into it. #Tigers Apparently Davis just started following a bunch of Cards related people on Twitter so I guess that is the buzz?
Heyman was saying on MLBN he thinks we're either playing it out or looking to buy. National media seems to be leaning towards that as a consensus at this point. Not sure if they're taking DD's public comments as gospel (history says his comments mean nothing) or if it's based on other info. I'm so confused by this entire process. I liked it a lot better when we were legit good and didn't have to worry about such things.
If we do lose tonight, how do you let Price pitch tomorrow if you even have the slightest inkling that you will be looking to sell?
Because Sanchez is only going 5 tonight and having a bullpen game tomorrow would be cruel and usual punishment.
I know some people are cheering for us to lose here heading into the deadline so we can sell (and that's fine by me), but whatever we could get for Price or Cespedes is irrelevant if Sanchez and Verlander continue to pitch like this the rest of the way. At some point, Anibal has to turn it around or he's no different than JV heading into next year.
Basically what I thought would happen in 3 years is happening now. I think we're definitely looking at a sustained period of shitty baseball, assuming that Chris Illitch starts to reign in on the spending.
I would vastly prefer we win, but if we're going to bottom out I'd rather we do it now in time to get anything back. There is nothing wrong with Anibal's stuff, so him scuffling while the bats are silent doesn't mean much to me moving forward. He's a #3, Verlander is hopefully a #4, and we'll need a 1 and a 2 to contend. Everybody knows that we're fucked moving forward.
Sanchez has gone from legit #2 or better (when healthy) to having a 4.87 FIP and 5.4 ERA. His HR rate is way up compared to career average. This is kind of why I want us to listen on everyone if we're dealing the expiring guys. Our chances of winning in the next few years aren't any better than they are of making the playoffs this year. Losing Price and Cespedes off this roster isn't going to make us better, whenever that happens.
I looked at his pitch fx stuff a little while ago and that and his recent decent stretch give me some hope this is merely a bad year for Anibal. But I'm not competely against a total rebuild. I'm definitely willing to listen on offers for Kinsler and whoever, but I think trading Anibal now would be selling low. I also have some faith in a quicker retooling if we can trade Price, Yoenis and others for a good haul. Especially if a sell off leads to a top 10 draft pick. I'd much prefer winning tonight and tomorrow and grabbing a serviceable starter and an arm for the bullpen and going for it, but this current bullshit is excruciating.
As dumb as this team is to watch right now, this is pretty amazing based on what I'm guessing most of us grew up watching. Matthew B. Mowery @matthewbmowery It's the first time since July 3, 2012 the Tigers have been 3 games under .500.
Hmm... Bob Nightengale@BNightengale The #Dodgers have let teams know that Yasiel Puig is available in the right deal, but teams showing much more interest in their prospects.
Also not sure it means anything but DD met with the team immediately after the game. Ausmus apparently came out after and said Price is still pitching tomorrow.
So DD doing the job of the manager trying to fire up the troops and instilling confidence that he doesnt want to sell. Meanwhile, Ausmus....
Stark Clubs that have spoken with #Tigers in last 24 hours say told they’re not selling. Could even look to add a starter, or reliever, or both. Joel Sherman AL executive: "As of today I am comfortable saying Price doesn't get traded, and doubtful on Samdardzija" If neither moves SP mkt dims
So the teams that wanted Price will work there way towards the targets we may have had the assets to acquire. I assume any deal we make now will be for a guy like Ian Kennedy and that isn't doing shit for anyone.
I truly doubt we add significant salary but it sounds like we could get James Shields for peanuts if we don't make SD take on salary. I am not in favor of adding another guy with issues and a big contact to the staff but it is an Illitch move.
Nightingale The #Tigers have #Reds starter Mike Leake on their radar if they determine this week they can realistically stay in the AL wild-card race.