#29
The Detroit Tigers started to hit the reset button on their roster at the end of 2017. Was it enough to compete with a new core in 2018, or will they have further to fall before they get better?
My 2017 Predictions
3rd in NL Central
Brad Ausmus will be fired mid-season.
2017 Results
64-98, 5th in NL Central
The Tigers were a much better team than their final record ended up showing. However, once they decided to start selling key pieces like Justin Upton, J.D. Martinez, and Justin Verlander, the season went south in a hurry. Brad Ausmus was always touted as one of those players that would make a great manager, but his marriage with the Tigers was a trainwreck. I predicted he would be fired mid-season. It was announced he would be fired before the end of the season, but he was allowed to finish the year. I hope he gets another opportunity to manage at some point. I am not willing to write him off as a failure just yet.
Additions / Subtractions
The Tigers continued to transition into re-build mode throughout the offseason. The biggest name moved over the offseason was All Star second baseman Ian Kinsler being traded to the Angels. There were rumors surrounding players like Miguel Cabrera and Michael Fulmer, but nothing ever materialized. Outside of a a veteran signing here or there of guys like Leonys Martin, the Tigers felt content with developing a new young core alongside the remaining veterans they can't / refuse to move. Possibly the biggest offseason transaction was hiring Ron Gardenhire as their new manager. One of the most respected coaches in all of baseball, Gardenhire will be a welcome stabilizing force after the dysfunction that marred Ausmus's tenure as manager.
Most Important Hitter
Miguel Cabrera
Even through a rebuild, the Tigers start and end with Miguel Cabrera. We seemed to watch him age 10 years before our eyes during 2017, going from one of the greatest offensive forces of his generation to a broken down veteran on the brink of retirement in one season. In his age 34 season, Miggy had a negative WAR in 2017. Outside of his rookie season, he has only posted a WAR below 3.0 once (his first season in Detroit). There has to more in the tank, at least the Tigers are hoping so. He is under a behemoth contract through 2023, with two option years on top of that. Cabrera needs to be more than the shell of himself he was in 2017, either so Detroit can get more production out of his contract or to give him trade value so someone is convinced he is worth dealing for. Either way, this is an important year for Miggy and his relationship with the Tigers.
Most Important Pitcher
Daniel Norris
Daniel Norris was the key piece the Tigers received back in the David Price trade with the Blue Jays in 2015. He was thought to be a potential ace of the staff moving forward. However, his Tiger career has been defined by injuries and disappointment instead of production and success. The ability of a player like Norris to finally deliver on his potential will determine how long this Tiger rebuild will take.
Prospect to Watch
Franklin Perez
Franklin Perez was the key piece Detroit got back in last year's Justin Verlander trade with the Astros. Sometimes, it takes years to see the true results of a prospect-laden deal like this one, however Perez has a good chance of playing a role for the Tigers this season. This 20 year-old hurler should be a fun rookie to watch the second half of this season, especially if the Tigers are out of contention.
2018 Prediction
5th in AL Central
Unfortunately, it looks like the Tigers are still working their way down to rock bottom before they can start getting better. They do have some decent prospects working through their system, especially on the pitching end, but most are not as close to contributing as Perez. They remind me of the Philadelphia Phillies a couple years ago. They got stuck being over-committed to some veterans past their prime that they needed to stick with before they could move on and improve. The Tigers are hoping this isn't the case quite yet with guys like Cabrera, Victor Martinez, and Jordan Zimmermann, but they are looking more like terrible investments that will hurt the franchise for the next few years. The highlights of the Tigers' season will occur in July when Tiger legends Alan Trammel and Jack Morris are inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Fearless Prediction
2018 will be Victor Martinez's last season, and he will not finish it on the Tigers' roster.
Victor Martinez is entering his age 39 season, which is also a contract year for him. After injuries plagued his 2017 season, Martinez needs to show he can still be of value to a team. Either he shows there is still a little in the tank and gets traded to a contender, or he shows that the tank is empty and the Tigers release him. Either way, he doesn't end the season as a Tiger, and this is probably his last dance.
No comments:
Post a Comment