Headlines

  • Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible
  • Marlins Place Eury Perez On 15-Day Injured List, Select Jeff Lindgren
  • Sandy Alcantara Shut Down For Rest Of 2023 Season
  • Brandon Lowe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Kneecap Fracture
  • Rays Promote Junior Caminero
  • Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors
  • Pro Hockey Rumors

MLB Trade Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • AL East
      • Baltimore Orioles
      • Boston Red Sox
      • New York Yankees
      • Tampa Bay Rays
      • Toronto Blue Jays
    • AL Central
      • Chicago White Sox
      • Cleveland Guardians
      • Detroit Tigers
      • Kansas City Royals
      • Minnesota Twins
    • AL West
      • Houston Astros
      • Los Angeles Angels
      • Oakland Athletics
      • Seattle Mariners
      • Texas Rangers
    • NL East
      • Atlanta Braves
      • Miami Marlins
      • New York Mets
      • Philadelphia Phillies
      • Washington Nationals
    • NL Central
      • Chicago Cubs
      • Cincinnati Reds
      • Milwaukee Brewers
      • Pittsburgh Pirates
      • St. Louis Cardinals
    • NL West
      • Arizona Diamondbacks
      • Colorado Rockies
      • Los Angeles Dodgers
      • San Diego Padres
      • San Francisco Giants
  • About
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Tim Dierkes
    • Writing team
    • Advertise
    • Archives
  • Contact
  • Tools
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Arbitration Tracker
    • Agency Database
  • NBA/NFL/NHL
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors
  • App
  • Chats
Go To Pro Hockey Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Tigers Exercise Option On Alex Avila

By Mark Polishuk | November 17, 2014 at 9:29am CDT

The Tigers have exercised their club option on catcher Alex Avila for the 2015 season, the team announced.  Avila will earn $5.4MM in 2015 rather than being bought out for $200K, though he still would’ve been arbitration-eligible and under team control had Detroit chosen to buy him out.  Avila is represented by Excel Sports Management.

Avila broke out with an .895 OPS season in 2011 but hasn’t been nearly as productive at the plate since, posting only a .705 OPS in 1270 plate appearances in 2012-14 and hitting .218/.327/.359 over 457 PA in 2014.  Injuries have played a role in Avila’s struggles, as he has battled knee and hamstring issues and (most troubling) multiple concussions.  After suffering his latest concussion during the ALDS, Avila said he’d passed his medical tests and was ready to keep playing.

While Detroit now has Avila officially in place for next season, Nick Cafardo of the Boston Globe recently reported that the Tigers were listening to trade offers for the catcher.  This could be due diligence on the Tigers’ part or a hint that they’re looking for an upgrade due to Avila’s injury history and lack of hitting.  James McCann, a second-rounder from the 2011 draft, hit .295/.343/.427 in 460 PA at Triple-A Toledo last season and made his MLB debut for Detroit, though if the Tigers did make a move at catcher, you’d expect they would look to replace Avila with a veteran rather than entrust the position to a rookie.  A platoon could also be an option, as Avila and McCann hit from opposite sides of the plate.

Share 20 Retweet 42 Send via email4

Detroit Tigers Newsstand Transactions Alex Avila

Reds Release Carlos Marmol
Main
Braves, Cardinals Trade Jason Heyward For Shelby Miller
View Comments (17)

Comments

  1. Bleed_Orange

    9 years ago

    Not surprising considering his father is one of the men making the decision on exercising the option.

    Reply
    • JacksTigers

      9 years ago

      His father didn’t even want him to be drafted by Detroit. The nepotism is highly overstated.

      Reply
  2. Seamaholic

    9 years ago

    Unclear what the difference would be between exercising the option and not. Weird situation.

    Reply
    • Bradley Maravalli

      9 years ago

      If management didn’t exercise the option they could go through arbitration with Avila. The problem with arbitration is that if they do not agree, they go to an arbitration hearing which is much later in the year. If the Tiger’s want to keep options open in trading him, best to have Avila signed onto a contract today.

      Reply
    • Stevil

      9 years ago

      He could have feasibly made more through arbitration.

      Reply
      • tune-in for baseball

        9 years ago

        Plus the 200K buyout

        Reply
  3. Bradley Maravalli

    9 years ago

    Who else do fans want catching? Russell Martin would be nice but realistically, who else than Avila because the Tigers do not have an infinite cashflow.

    Reply
  4. bobbleheadguru

    9 years ago

    McCann/Avila platoon is the best option… with McCann getting the majority of starts.. McCann (age 24) is ready.

    Reply
    • DKallday

      9 years ago

      Agreed.
      Avila is one of the best defensive catchers in MLB and when he’s healthy he can hit. While McCann can hit, he just needs time at the MLB level.
      I wonder what they would do with Holaday then. A strong point about him is that he can bunt and surprise you every now and then.

      Reply
      • Bradley Maravalli

        9 years ago

        Avila’s defense is enough to keep him in place. That and how well he’s been able to handle the staff. It is also good to have a veteran for when McCann comes up.

        Reply
  5. hozie007

    9 years ago

    If Avila could improve his plate approach and stay healthy, he could be an all-star. His selfish at bats just killed this team last year. So many times opposing teams put a shift on and Alex refused to hit opposite field or bunt.

    Reply
    • UK Tiger

      9 years ago

      If hitting the opposite way for easy singles was as simple as you make it sound, batters facing the shift would hit .500 yearly.

      It just doesnt work like that.

      Reply
      • Nachum Gershin

        9 years ago

        worked for Tony Gwynn for what 20 years or so?

        Reply
        • UK Tiger

          9 years ago

          Gwynns speed vs Avila/Ortiz or most other players regularly shifted on…

          Reply
      • hozie007

        9 years ago

        I never said it was easy but you would think for $5+M next year he could spend some time this off season and work on it. There were several games last year when he could have at least “tried” to lay down a bunt down third base line and he was swinging for the fence in right field…..that’s a selfish at bat and he had more than one.

        Reply
        • UK Tiger

          9 years ago

          No, no its not.

          There was some excellent statistical research done recently i think by FanGraphs, showing just how hard it is for very good bunters (nevermind run poorly catchers) to lay down a bunt just where they want it, even with open grass in front of them.

          Long and short of it, the odds of getting on base are far lower when trying this as compared to when swinging away normally even against the shift, so no, its not selfish in the slightest.

          Dont kid yourself that teams arent aware of these numbers either, the Tigers included, so thankfully they dont have Avila trying something that is proven numbers wise to be very unlikely to come off and help the team at all.

          Reply
    • Mr Pike

      9 years ago

      I wouldn’t call him selfish. He had over 60 walks and a 327 OBP. He does work the count, something few Tiger hitters do.
      Teams put the shift on him to take away what he does well, power to the alleys and down the right field line, and to make him try to do something he can’t, hit to the opposite field and bunt.
      I agree with you though. He needs to find an answer to the shift, and soon.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

ad: 300x250_1_MLB

    Top Stories

    Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible

    Marlins Place Eury Perez On 15-Day Injured List, Select Jeff Lindgren

    Sandy Alcantara Shut Down For Rest Of 2023 Season

    Brandon Lowe To Miss 4-6 Weeks With Kneecap Fracture

    Rays Promote Junior Caminero

    Sean Doolittle Announces Retirement

    Tigers Name Jeff Greenberg General Manager

    Qualifying Offer Value To Land Around $20.5MM

    Shohei Ohtani Undergoes Elbow Surgery

    Marlins Claim Matt Moore From Guardians

    Rays To Announce New Stadium Deal

    Reds Designate Hunter Renfroe For Assignment

    Shohei Ohtani Out For Season With Oblique Strain

    Marcus Stroman To Pitch Out Of Bullpen

    Red Sox Fire Chaim Bloom

    Orioles Select Heston Kjerstad

    Jasson Dominguez To Undergo UCL Surgery

    Max Scherzer Unlikely To Return This Year Due To Teres Major Strain

    Ryan Mountcastle Being Evaluated For Shoulder Issue, Heston Kjerstad Promotion Possible

    Nationals Agree To Multi-Year Extension With Mike Rizzo

    Recent

    Padres Plan To Reduce Payroll To Around $200MM; Front Office Changes Possible

    Marlins Outright Chi Chi Gonzalez

    Big Hype Prospects: Caminero, Langford, Holliday, Carter, Marte

    Previewing The 2023-24 Free Agent Class: Righty Relievers

    Mike Trout Intends To Play For Angels In 2024

    Offseason Chat Transcript: Colorado Rockies

    Offseason Outlook: Kansas City Royals

    Submit Your Questions For This Week’s MLB Trade Rumors Podcast!

    Braves Designate Ehire Adrianza For Assignment

    Roric Harrison Passes Away

    ad: 300x250_5_side_mlb

    MLBTR Newsletter - Hot stove highlights in your inbox, five days a week

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Shohei Ohtani Rumors
    Trade Rumors App for iOS and Android

    MLBTR Features

    MLBTR Features

    • Go Ad-Free
    • 2023-24 MLB Free Agent List
    • 2024-25 MLB Free Agent List
    • MLB Player Chats
    • Transaction Tracker
    • Extension Tracker
    • Agency Database
    • MLBTR On Twitter
    • MLBTR On Facebook
    • Team Facebook Pages
    • How To Set Up Notifications For Breaking News
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
    • Pro Hockey Rumors

    Rumors By Team

    • Angels Rumors
    • Astros Rumors
    • Athletics Rumors
    • Blue Jays Rumors
    • Braves Rumors
    • Brewers Rumors
    • Cardinals Rumors
    • Cubs Rumors
    • Diamondbacks Rumors
    • Dodgers Rumors
    • Giants Rumors
    • Guardians Rumors
    • Mariners Rumors
    • Marlins Rumors
    • Mets Rumors
    • Nationals Rumors
    • Orioles Rumors
    • Padres Rumors
    • Phillies Rumors
    • Pirates Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Rays Rumors
    • Red Sox Rumors
    • Reds Rumors
    • Rockies Rumors
    • Royals Rumors
    • Tigers Rumors
    • Twins Rumors
    • White Sox Rumors
    • Yankees Rumors

    ad: 160x600_MLB

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives
    • Feeds by Team

    MLBTR INFO

    • Advertise
    • About
    • Commenting Policy
    • Privacy Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    MLB Trade Rumors is not affiliated with Major League Baseball, MLB or MLB.com

    hide arrowsFOX Sports Engage Network scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version