Detroit Tigers 2014 Outlook

[9703 699]

What an awful trade.

[Backdoor Slider 8,291]

@Alex_Kienholz: It appears as if the Tigers might've gotten fisted in this trade.

@commnman: I like to think Rizzo called everyone into his office around a speaker phone, & hit mute to hide the laughs as Dombrowski read back the deal

[det_tigers 811]

Wth we are doing I don't get it. Anyone can try to enlighten me on the trades so far?

[9703 699]

The Tigers don't seem like a very analytical organization. I'm guessing they'll use this money to overpay Joe Nathan now. Because they need an established closer!

[dzemens 3,027]

Cano was sighted in Detroit a couple weeks ago. FIelders contracts off the books, they save several million with the last trade. Dombrowski likes to make a splash. Id bet hes going after a big fish like Cano (move Kinsler to LF and prolong his career) or a guy like Ellsbury. Theres a reason they made cost saving deals like these two, I reserve any judgement until I see the string play out.

[9703 699]

Cano was sighted in Detroit a couple weeks ago. FIelders contracts off the books, they save several million with the last trade. Dombrowski likes to make a splash. Id bet hes going after a big fish like Cano (move Kinsler to LF and prolong his career) or a guy like Ellsbury. Theres a reason they made cost saving deals like these two, I reserve any judgement until I see the string play out.

Cano would make no sense.

[klove42 1,985]

I actually think Cano would make sense and I'm a Yankee fan. They can move Kinsler around and then the Prince trade and fister trade would make more sense. If they don't sign someone big then I don't get the trade i know they need to pay max

[Sidearmer 2,226]

Shows a lot of confidence in Smyly, also Krol is a nice replacement for Smyly in the bullpen as a lefty arm.

[Backdoor Slider 8,291]

Fister was cheap. Salary dump doesn't fit.

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/nationals-steal-doug-fister-from-tigers/

[Posting In The Clutch 1,920]

My brother played with Krol years ago on a summer team. Kid can pitch.

[LIONS FAN-dsn 384]

The Tigers are not done spending money I tell ya! Big name signing is coming, Cano is my bet too!

[Baseball Jonze 361]

It won't be Cano, IF it's anybody it will be Choo to plug into LF with Castellanos at 3B. I doubt it will be anybody of note. Tigs seem to be in now not-so-stealth salary cutting mode.

[FearTheBeard 1,494]

Well, they got Fister from Seattle for an absolute poo poo platter.

Increased Fister's value 2 times, and now trading him away for a slightly better poo poo platter.

Those stinkin Tigers definitely have something planned big picture...I hope.

[2ndCitySox 4,616]

Cano was sighted in Detroit a couple weeks ago. FIelders contracts off the books, they save several million with the last trade. Dombrowski likes to make a splash. Id bet hes going after a big fish like Cano (move Kinsler to LF and prolong his career) or a guy like Ellsbury. Theres a reason they made cost saving deals like these two, I reserve any judgement until I see the string play out.

I hope they sign him to a 20-year, $800 million dollar deal.

[TheJRod2006 164]

Trade makes no sense....Tigers are a win now team and Fister is an established rotation arm. Perfect #4 starter behind Scherzer, Verlander, and Sanchez....has a track record of some postseason success. If you want to trade Fister, fine, but you gotta do better than that.....I'm not sure Rick Porcello would command a package like that, and he's awful

Makes you wonder where the other 28 teams in MLB are at times when deals like that go through.....

[StuPitt 356]

I agree, trade makes no sense. It is like the Tigers think Porcello is going to be something but it is never going to happen. Smyly will be the 4th starter, but why we keep Porcello and trade Fister? It confuses me. If you are going to trade Fister you needed to shore up that bullpen and they did not. Cuz where are the bodies coming from to fill that bullpen? I still can not believe they cut Veras too.

I sense Ellsbury being the big name they sign. I think the TIgers want more speed in front of Cabrera. They will acquire Ellsbury and trade Jackson.....for bullpen help I hope. Not a fan of Shoo (he is basically a platoon player because he can not hit lefties at all).

Still Porcello???? (shakes head).

[Chubbles 604]

Yea I predict Ellsbury coming on board

[TheJRod2006 164]

I agree, trade makes no sense. It is like the Tigers think Porcello is going to be something but it is never going to happen. Smyly will be the 4th starter, but why we keep Porcello and trade Fister? It confuses me. If you are going to trade Fister you needed to shore up that bullpen and they did not. Cuz where are the bodies coming from to fill that bullpen? I still can not believe they cut Veras too.

I sense Ellsbury being the big name they sign. I think the TIgers want more speed in front of Cabrera. They will acquire Ellsbury and trade Jackson.....for bullpen help I hope. Not a fan of Shoo (he is basically a platoon player because he can not hit lefties at all).

Still Porcello???? (shakes head).

Well, Ken Rosenthal just tweeted that Joe Nathan is close to a deal with the Tigers....I get that the Tigers would want to get an established closer, but still....the return on Fister just isn't good enough to justify that trade

[9703 699]

The Tigers are having a terrible offseason.

[Sine_cera 6,239]

Ken Rosenthal ‏@Ken_Rosenthal

#Tigers close to signing free-agent closer Joe Nathan, sources tell me and @jonmorosi.

[dzemens 3,027]

Jon Heyman ‏@JonHeymanCBS 5m

Nathan and Tigers will have a 2-year agreement. tigers finally get their closer.

[klove42 1,985]

Not sure how I feel about this for the Tigers either. Depends on how much they are paying him.

[StuPitt 356]

Still need a 7th and 8th inning guy. Many upgrades needed in the pen.

I agree not enough return on Fister.

I do however remember when the Tigers traded Curtis Granderson and Edwin Jackson for Austin Jackson, Max Scherzer, Phil Coke and Schlerth. People thought we got fleeced then....we'll see but I don't like it now.

[Baseball Jonze 361]

Tigs reportedly still in talks with Benoit about coming back as the set-up guy to Nathan now. FWIW, Nathan was Detroit's Plan B, they targeted Brian Wilson initially but he informed them late Monday that he is going in another direction - reportedly wants to stay in Cali and will re-sign with Dodgers.

I hope Nathan isn't for more than 20M over two years. That would basically be where Fister's remaining two years went - about $7M this year and 12M next season through arbitration.

[Baseball Jonze 361]

I agree, trade makes no sense. It is like the Tigers think Porcello is going to be something but it is never going to happen. Smyly will be the 4th starter, but why we keep Porcello and trade Fister? It confuses me. If you are going to trade Fister you needed to shore up that bullpen and they did not. Cuz where are the bodies coming from to fill that bullpen? I still can not believe they cut Veras too.

I sense Ellsbury being the big name they sign. I think the TIgers want more speed in front of Cabrera. They will acquire Ellsbury and trade Jackson.....for bullpen help I hope. Not a fan of Shoo (he is basically a platoon player because he can not hit lefties at all).

Still Porcello???? (shakes head).

Well, Ken Rosenthal just tweeted that Joe Nathan is close to a deal with the Tigers....I get that the Tigers would want to get an established closer, but still....the return on Fister just isn't good enough to justify that trade

I agree, but it was widely known that Detroit was shopping Porcello or Fister so all GM's could have kicked the tires and made an offer. It's not like Dombrowski settled for less than the best offer one would prudently have to assume. Fister goes from #4 in Detroit to #4 in Washington - nobody saw him as a #3 or were willing to pony up for him as one. Detroit is in the very least holding the line on their salary structure and with internal raises need to cut salary so needed to move Fister/Porcello in order to be able to afford to fill closer, LF/3B and reliever roles yet.