OT-Tigers trade Verlander to Astros at 11:59 pm deadline
September 1st, 2017 at 7:15 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 7:11 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 7:18 AM ^
Pitching Rotation (When Healthy):
Michael Fulmer
Jordan Zimmerman
Matthew Boyd
Daniel Norris
Anibal Sanchez/Buck Farmer
Bullpen: Jeff Ferrell, Shane Greene, Joe Jimenez, Zac Reininger, Warwick Saupold, Daniel Stumpf, Drew VerHagen, Alex Wilson, Bruce Rondon
Optimal Lineup:
C James McCann
1B Miguel Cabrera
2B Ian Kinsler
SS Jose Iglesias
3B Nick Castellanos
OF Jacoby Jones
OF Mikie Mahtook
OF Andrew Romine
DH Victor Martinez
Reserves: John Hicks, Dixon Machado
September 1st, 2017 at 10:25 AM ^
I would move V-Mart out of the lineup at this point, due to his lack of production and heart issues. Move Miggy to DH (lack of production, back issues) and let Hicks play 1B. Hicks has been a baller since he got called up.
September 1st, 2017 at 7:28 AM ^
and went to Tiger games and watched Verlander since he arrived in Detroit and saw him pitch in the postseason and spring training, I woke up to this news feeling as disappointed as any Tiger fan about it. Loved Verlander's game and style on the mound. I'll always think of him as a lifelong Tiger.
Reminds me of the Tigers losing Morris. Verlander was and will always be English D first first and foremost. You know they might not have traded him if Mr. I were still alive.
September 1st, 2017 at 8:40 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 8:27 AM ^
Waiting to the last minute to maximize return is a good move, so this last minute (literally) trade came at just the right time. While I share the sentimental inclination to keep JV, his contract was somewhat of an albatross around the Tigers' neck and - honestly - they're not going to be a contender next season anyway.
I know this isn't a popular position, but credit to Avila for getting value for JV while his game has returned to form. Those are three quality prospects, and we may in retrospect view this as the yin to the Smoltz-for-Doyle Alexander trade's yang.* And congrats to JV for joining a legitimate contender in a city that could certainly use a shot in the arm.
*That trade, while many in Detroit would have like to unwind it in retrospect, was not horrible at the time. Alexander provided a key piece to a playoff run, and nobody knew that Smoltz would be that great at the time of the trade. / ducks again/
September 1st, 2017 at 9:40 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 8:29 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 8:47 AM ^
Any of you remember when the Tigers traded for Doyle Alexander to get to the post season? How many of you remember the prospect they gave up for him? Guy named John Smoltz. This was a trade that had to be made and they got a great return. Also keep in mind that on July 1, his ERA was 4.47 and that advanced metrics said it should have been worse. He's turned it around over the last two months, but long-term he was on his way to being an innings eater. Here's hoping he gets his WS ring -- it won't hurt that it's for Houston which is indeed of some good news.
September 1st, 2017 at 9:10 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 9:13 AM ^
September 1st, 2017 at 9:37 AM ^
I'd have to say Verlander is the best pitcher the Tigers ever had. Morris & Lolich did not have that kind of stuff.
September 1st, 2017 at 9:57 AM ^
I think will both end up with statues in the outfield. They'll be immortalized as Tigers there (alas without a World Series win). Let JV go get his WS somewhere else and try to rebuild around Fulmer.
September 1st, 2017 at 11:03 AM ^
Miggy has a title, just not with the Tigers.
September 1st, 2017 at 12:26 PM ^
Not with the Tigers.
September 1st, 2017 at 10:12 AM ^
Needed to dump that huge salary, now if the Lions could just dump Stafford's salary, oh wait, nevermind.
September 1st, 2017 at 10:33 AM ^
I just have to get this out of my system. Apologies in advance. JV trade was fine and probably necessary. Bummed to see him go.
But if we're going to unload everybody anyway and rebuild, why the hell is Brad Ausmus still the manager? Back in May & June when this club was still hanging in there but scuffling and blowing games, the first thing they should have done is replace Ausmus.
I say that without one specific criticism of Brad Ausmus. I don't get bent out of shape over a single decision here or there. I don't even dislike the guy. But the bottom line was clear in that the Tigers seemed to have constantly underperformed under Ausmus's guidance. Whether it's Brad's fault or not, I'll never understand why they didn't show him the door and roll the dice that an interim voice might catch lightning in a bottle and pull this team together for one last run.
The only last-ditch hail mary they had in the bag was to shake up the leadership. Instead, we all just stood around picking our ass as we watched the Titanic slowly dip into the ocean, inch by inch.
And now that they've officially hit the self-destruct button, what good is Ausmus going to do us now? Why was he so valuable? Do we really care who's on the bench overseeing the rebuild as we lose 100 games next year?
I obviously don't know that anything would have changed, for better or worse, but there was never any reason not to try it. Now the final buzzer has sounded on this era and we're still holding 3 timeouts.
Whatever. Hope Verlander gets a ring. Beat Florida.
September 1st, 2017 at 11:09 AM ^
I agree with your assessment of Ausmus. I like the guy and think he can be a good manager, but he failed here and there's no reason to let him try to turn in around. It's pretty much a foregone conclusion that he's gone at the end of the season. There are lots of managers who are successful at their second (or third) jobs, after getting fired 3-4 years into their first time in charge.
But, is there any evidence that firing a manager during the baseball season actually helps anything? I can't think of any examples where a bad team got better by replacing the manager. In this case, do we really think Gene Lamont or Lloyd McClendon could have made them win more games? I doubt it.
As you said, whatever, doesn't matter now. I'll watch them play out the string and pretend to be interested in Fulmer, Zimm and the others, still follow JV on my fantasy team, and get pumped for football season.
September 1st, 2017 at 11:22 AM ^
Probably wouldn't make a lick of difference, and no, I don't have any examples handy. Although I feel like the NHL has a regular habit of canning guys mid-year and that it has probably worked out before.
How about Fisher for Frieder? (kidding...sort of)
All I know is that this Tigers team was top heavy with talent and had grown completely stale under Ausmus's watch. It was obvious to anybody watching that this group wasn't working and needed a shake up. It was worth a shot to try anything to squeeze one more winner out of this core before doing what they're doing now anyway.
Whether it's Ausmus or Trammell or Luis Pujols overseeing a developmental rebuild squad of 4A players next year makes little difference. It was broken and they did nothing to try to fix it except sit on their hands and pray.
September 1st, 2017 at 11:10 AM ^
Or are the Tigers doomed to be a smaller/declining market, irrelavent team?
September 1st, 2017 at 11:27 AM ^
I'm guessing we're going to see a more frugal Tigers front office moving forward. All the more reason to show a little desparation (any desperation) as they slowly lost their grip on this season.
September 1st, 2017 at 1:04 PM ^
The Tigers are over and have been since Ausmus was hired.
September 1st, 2017 at 4:10 PM ^
Is baseball still a thing when football season starts?