I would love to get Pete Alonso and let Tork play 3rd.
. In 2008 The Tigers had the #2 payroll in all of MLBâŚthey won 74 games. In 2016 the Tigers had a higher payroll than the Cubs, who won it. I am not and never have been in favor of spending money for the sake of spending it. I have seen teams and this Tigers organization do it. Now I do agree they need to get some hitting and I mean serious hitting. I already said earlier I wish they could get Alonso. & I will also agree they arenât winning a World Series with the lack of hitting that they have. But I wonât focus on high payrolls.
3 Likes
Yes. BUT.
Cubs in 2015 barely above average payroll. 109% of average. Lost in NLCS.
Bumped up to 142% of the average just below the tax threshold. Won the WS in 2016.
Yes spending money for the sake of it is not a plan.
Smart spending. And not leaving defects on the roster is.
We all knew going into the season and the deadline this team had issues and needed help. AND had the money. And they chose not to do anything.
Thats the issue.
1 Like
UnderstoodâŚbut explain to me how does the 2016 Tigers have a higher payroll then the World Series Champion Cubs and donât even make the playoffs??
2 Likes
I hear ya. But the point of the graph is.
A team with under 100% of average and under 60% of the tax limit haz virtually 0% change of the world series.
Sure teams OVER that arnt guaranteed anything.
But at least a chance
I think if they just went after 2 decent bats, they donât have to break the bank. just get a couple guys that can hit with contact around.275 doesnât have to have a lot of power just get on base.
2 Likes
Thatâs what they have now with the ZMac outlier year and Gleyber. Neither of which I expect will repeat next season
Impact high end danger bat to sit down in the 2 or 3 hole. Bregman/Tucker profile guy in FA. Hard to trade for those kinds of guys.
Power slob like Suarez in FA, or in trade like Austin Riley.
It appears to me that the Tigers and the Lions have an almost identical team building plan. The Tigers have went from one of the bleakest and pathetic minor leagues teams as far as talent to one of the best. This is clearly the path they have chosen to build this back into a winner.
AJ is a HUGE reason they are even respectable. Management and Leadership can never be under appreciated. Assuming the Tigers keep along the current path I expect their plan is to bring players up and build mostly from within.
With all this said. Baseball and football are nothing alike IMO. 1 bat in a line up can change a whole team and offensive attack. And the dude can be an ass hat and if he hits and plays defense he is fine. Football requires all 11 on every play doing their job with gusto to really be great. But baseball is a weirdly team sport were introverted individuals can thrive. Being a great teammate helps for sure but you can handle a few weird ones and still be fine in baseball. Pitchers and hitters can be great players and have HUGE positive impacts. This is all to say that the Tigers spending can bear more fruit IMO than the Lions. The team work in football is so much more crucial.
1 Like
Need some right handed bats top 3 prospects are lefties. Next 3 years I see one a year making the squad. Thatâs 3 more lefties.
Now Lee peck and Anderson are the 3 guys I feel have the hit tools to get a shot. Peck power started coming on this year.
Anderson faded a little hopefully he gets a shot.
Tigers need two good bullpen arms. Need a middle of the order right handed stick bad. One better than tork. If he can get pushed down to 6 thatâs a better lineup.
1 Like
Outside the box thought:
Rather than spending money on free agents why doesnât Scott Harris spend IOUs for compute. Itâs working for Silicon Valley and Wall Street.
1 Like
Thats also the issue with the current lineup.
Green, & Carp are virtually identical batting. Could even throw in McKinstry & Meadows in there too.
So 4 of your top 6 batters are similar and struggling against lefties.
Torq is good RHB.
but Torrez, Dingler, Baiz is your RHB after that? Its not good enough
Im not worried as much for OPS.
They need more OBP. Give me some RHB with a 0.340+ OBP. Dont need as much SLG.
1 Like
I think this whole thread is ironic when you consider that the Tigers are one game away from the LCS, while huge spenders like the Mets and Yankees will be sitting at home watching us play.
That being saidâŚWE NEED HELP!
5 Likes
Again. Theres smart spending and throw the money out the window spending,
Yankies, dodgers, phillies, mets are always WAAAAY up there in spending, even the texas teams are up there.
I dont think ANYONE thinks its realistic for the tigers to be in that bracket.
150%+ over the average and 110%+ over the tax limit. Thats âdrunken sailorâ spending.
Smart spending. âTrying to win the World Seriesâ spending. Is the 100%-140% of the average and 65-96% of the tax cap.
Thats where MOST WS championships reside (18/21 championships since 2004)
30/42 World Series appearances.
Yes MULTIPLE teams have gotten to the League series with a very cheap payroll. (milwakee this year) but what are the odds they get they get passed Philly/LAD Very very low.
And yes multiple teams have swung and spent. Then didnt accomplish much.
But NO team with a below average payroll has won the world series in decades.
1 Like
Cf and 3rd need the biggest help. Sign a vet or trade for one, and get a 3rd. Tigers need at least one sp as well
Definitely agree on 3rd. Seems like a position to target that be an easy transition from McKinstry to someone like Bregman. McKinstry goes to the bench as a utility option
CF seems a little more difficult to me. What do we then do with Meadows? What about Baez? If Baez back to SS, then what about McGonigle? Do we just cut Meadows and Baez? Send them to the bench? Then what about Clark? Clark will hopefully be up in â27 or â28. Seems we probably donât want to block Clark. So what CF can we sign that is an upgrade over Meadows (or Baez) that would be willing to sign a 2 or 3 year contract?
I guess ultimately Iâd like to take a deeper dive into potential upgrades other than just sayingâŚâŚâŚâŚletâs spend more money.
1 Like
Cutting Sweeney. Torres will walk with Keith moving to 2B every day again.
McG replaces Sweeney in May 2026.
Weâre losing Kahnle, Paddack, R. Montero, Sewald, and possibly Finnegan to FA. I want Finnegan back but the rest can leave.
1 Like
I only count 12 players. Tigers typically carry 14.
And dont make me laugh with the Mcgonigle.
He might come up at some point during the year due to injuries. But hes not gonna be on the opening day 26.
So
C Dingler/ Rogers (Hes still under arb and they need 2 catchers. They wont make a move there with 2 prospects coming in the next 3 Years)
So 12 spots. Available
1B Torq
2B ____
SS baez
3B ____
RF Green
LF Carp
CF Meadows
DH ____
UT keith, Perez, Mckinstry, Jones
2nd and 3rd base & DH WIDE Open.
And you cans still shuffle guys around
For instance. Meadows at DH, and bring in an OF
Sorry not Sorry
jung, Ibanez, Virling, Sweeny, JHM
Welcome to The Toledo Mudhens. You guys are trash!
Under 100 OPS+
Under 0.0 WPA
Under 0.0 WAR (other than Ibanez which is at 0.4)
They are the definition of WORTHLESS at the plate.
And im not worried about blocking the kids.
Mcgonnigle will be part time next year. No one else is coming up. Ill worry about 2027 after the lockout
1 Like
Just imagine how pissed off the fans of the other 20 plus teams that arenât playing must be 
2 Likes