January 18th, 2016 at 9:41 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 9:42 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 9:43 PM ^
It is their SON!!!
January 18th, 2016 at 9:58 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 10:09 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 10:19 PM ^
(NTTAWWT)
January 19th, 2016 at 1:22 PM ^
Not sure who's going to be more sore. Verlander or Upton.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:42 PM ^
OH HELL YEAH
January 18th, 2016 at 9:43 PM ^
Meets my approval.
(Just thought I'd say that, as I'm sure everyone was wondering.)
January 18th, 2016 at 9:44 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 9:46 PM ^
Thoughts: Overpay, but the internal options weren't good.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:50 PM ^
Ilitch clearly hasn't given up on this team's championship window. Pitching is still a question mark, but good lord that lineup with Kinsler, Miggy, JD, Upton, V-Mart (assuming he bounces back), Iglesias, and with potential improvements from McCann and Castellanos. Defense should be solid. Definitely looking like a contender again.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:56 PM ^
I think the rotation is in far better shape than others do. JV, Zimmerman, Sanchez (health is the big question) and Norris is a good 1-4 and Pelfrey can eat some innings ala Porcello 2010-2013 until Fulmer, Boyd, or Greene develop. Actually fielding a competent bullpen with also help the rotation out.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:59 PM ^
I like the rotation too actually. JV and Zimmermann is a good 1-2, I assume Sanchez will return more to his career norms next year (much improved over his past season), and Norris was looking pretty good last year. Pelfrey as a 5 is pretty solid as well. Plus they got K-Rod to upgrade the bullpen. Still some question marks but the pitching looks much better than it did last year.
January 19th, 2016 at 7:32 AM ^
may be the best of the bunch
January 18th, 2016 at 10:40 PM ^
The great thing is the only lineup spot you had to leave out was CF, and the Upton move lets them platoon Maybin/Gose which will be a lot stronger than playing one there on their own
January 18th, 2016 at 11:09 PM ^
Maybin
Kinsler
Miggy
JD
Upton
Victor
Castellanos
McCann
Iglesias
January 18th, 2016 at 11:35 PM ^
I'm certainly not a righty-lefty fanatic, but at most we will have only two left-handed bats in the lineup--VMart and Gose. Even the bench is pretty righty.
January 19th, 2016 at 12:03 AM ^
Ian, Miggy, JD, Upton all hit RHP very well. Maybin actually has reverse splits, and Gose will see ABs anyway.
McCann hits RHP poor but Salty will see a good amount of ABs if that continues.
Nick and Iggy are the trouble areas against RHP for 2016, based on 2015.
January 18th, 2016 at 11:41 PM ^
I don't Maybin is a leadoff hitter. Probably will go back to Kinsler at the top. Would love to see Miggy get some time at the 2-hole from time to time, but I think Upton slots in there nicely.
Kinsler-Upton-Cabrera-JD-Victor-Castellanos-McCann-Maybin-Iglesias (or Iglesias-Gose)
January 18th, 2016 at 9:48 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 9:49 PM ^
Luxury Tax for Ilitch = Raise Hot N Ready price to $6.
January 19th, 2016 at 11:00 AM ^
You can't judge value 1 day into a 5 year contract, but if you told me the tigers signed a strikeout machine to a $132 million contract I'd sure hope you were talking about a starting pitcher. Good Pitching > Good Hitting Upton could still turn out to be a stud (see JD Martinez, who has a high K rate himself) but I'd rather see them invest that $ into a dominant pitcher and live with a cheaper, high OBP left fielder to compliment JD, Miggy, Victor, etc.
January 19th, 2016 at 12:13 PM ^
Fine points, but remember that strikeouts are pretty high in general right now.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:52 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 10:16 PM ^
The Hot N Ready is just as much "pizza" as Boone's Farm is "wine".
But yes, their deep dish is pretty good.
Holy cow though, they move a hell of a lot of Hot N Ready pizzas.
January 19th, 2016 at 9:33 AM ^
The Hot-N-Readys are hit and miss from store to store. The Brighton stores version sucks but go to the Pinckney store and they are actually quite good.
January 18th, 2016 at 9:53 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 9:56 PM ^
Think we needed a long term solution in the OF. We already have a likely platoon in CF with Gose and Maybin so getting an everyday guy like Upton is good. Money's a lot but I'm not sure there's a pitcher left that's worth spending much on.
January 18th, 2016 at 10:00 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 10:11 PM ^
Well none of these players are worth the money. Baseball players are overpaid, that's nothing new. I would've preferred Gordon, but it came down to either Cespedes or Upton. Both come with risks and both have serious upside, but the Tigers added a nice middle of the order bat to put around Miggy and are definitely a better team. And yeah, it might be desperate, but it's no secret that Miggy, JV, Victor, etc. are getting up there in years. Gotta go for it while you can with those guys.
January 18th, 2016 at 10:26 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 10:33 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 10:52 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 11:05 PM ^
But if you expect him to suck in his two peak years? Then who are you going to sign?
A 5 WAR player is definitely worth 20 per by going rates. Plus the tv contract is up.
Name some names that improve the team? This magical platoon for Maybin and relievers that improve a team at more than 4 WAR this year?
Ian Kennedy just got 14 million a year. Chris Davis just got 23 per, at 250 average 45 homers and playing 1b.
Baseball teams make money. Free agency is expensive.
January 18th, 2016 at 11:09 PM ^
I would be pissed about that Davis contract. The Upton one is a much better deal.
January 18th, 2016 at 11:12 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
January 18th, 2016 at 11:36 PM ^
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/u/uptonju01.shtml
WAR was 4.4 last year? WAR cost is about 6-7 per on the free market.
Upton has problems. But Illitch has shown time and time again, he doesn't go small. He goes big and sells tickets.
Worst case this contract is done by the time he's 34.
Feelingsball...I think he plays better when in contention.
January 18th, 2016 at 11:41 PM ^
Likely using Fangraphs which calculates WAR a tad differently, he's still at 3.6 though.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=5222&position=OF
January 18th, 2016 at 11:44 PM ^
January 18th, 2016 at 10:33 PM ^
So he might opt out after 2 years. May cost the Tigers only 50 million for 2 years. I assume its front loaded.
You can't cry over spilled milk. Fielder was bad, but Dombrowski did a magic trick.
Yes in 6 years, it might be more and he's worth. But he will be still only 34. All contracts look bad at the end.
January 18th, 2016 at 10:12 PM ^
The window so to speak is closing. If he can kick it open 2 more years it is "worth" it.
January 18th, 2016 at 10:34 PM ^
The window is closing fast and when Miguel and Verlander are done, it will be time to rebuild anyways.
January 19th, 2016 at 9:44 AM ^
So .251/.336/.454 with 26 HRs and an 11% walk rate. Isnt the defender that Cespedes is but he was better than league average over his 2 years in left field and his walk rate and speed pushes him past Cespedes at the plate. Hes been worth 3.4 WAR and 4.0 WAR over the last two years. His salary is right in line with his WAR. His wRC+ of 120 is very good. As a comparison an average players wRC+ is 100. Slotted in front of Miggy I expect all of his offensive numbers, except maybe walk rate, to improve. He will see a ton of fastballs.
This is a good signing, especially with the opt out after 2 years. And he is 4 years younger than Gordon so even if he doesnt opt out Id rather have this guy. And it fills a gaping hole in left. This move makes Detroit a contender IMO.
January 19th, 2016 at 12:42 PM ^
WHY do you continue to argue the same thing over and over but at different points in the thread. We get it. You don't like it. Hell, I don't love it myself but you don't see me repeating myself over and over with no actual statistics to back it up. Do more research and come back, or stay home...
January 18th, 2016 at 10:09 PM ^
A platoon Rajai Davis type is 5 million per. Leaving you with 15 per for a pitcher.
Which is basically what Ian Kennedy got. Yikes
JV, Zimmy, Sanchez, Norris, Pelfrey is a decent rotation. Heck the last two WS winners won with less in the rotation.
Upton is a 1st half player though. I agree.