OT-Tigers trade Verlander to Astros at 11:59 pm deadline

Good luck to JV. I'll be rooting for the Astros now. They got Cameron Maybin too.

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

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.

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/

:( it's over. But in a couple years we can be watching a new era with some guys that will stick around for a while. It's been real, Verlander.

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. 

Great news! Very excited to see what he'll bring to our team!

First move by Avila that looks decent on paper. While it looks good on paper, no reason to trust Avila's talent evaluation so there's a possibility that Houston (who does know how to evaluate talent) didn't rate these prospects as high as the pundits. That's my concern...and the fact it'll be 3 years before anyone will be able to call them busts if they are. I'm glad the Tigers did the right thing in moving JV however I'm hoping the Tigers can upgrade their GM this offseason. Currently that's their biggest need.

I'd have to say Verlander is the best pitcher the Tigers ever had.  Morris & Lolich did not have that kind of stuff.

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.

Needed to dump that huge salary, now if the Lions could just dump Stafford's salary, oh wait, nevermind.

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.

The Tigers are over and have been since Ausmus was hired.

Is baseball still a thing when football season starts?