Many people inside and outside the industry have long predicted the Tigers as the eventual landing spot for top free agent shortstop Carlos Correa. The calculus to get him there is relatively straightforward. The Tigers have the clearest need in the league at shortstop. They are an up-and-coming team with a relatively clear financial ledger. There’s a clear interpersonal link with manager A.J. Hinch having managed Correa in Houston.
Everything adds up – except that the Tigers aren’t planning on putting all their free agent dollars in a single basket, making Javier Baez or Marcus Semien more likely targets for Detroit, per Jon Heyman of the MLB Network, (via Twitter). The Tigers already made a significant financial investment to Eduardo Rodriguez, so there’s certainly some logic to Detroit targeting the mid-tier free agent shortstops.
The Rangers are also showing interest in Semien, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network (via Twitter). If the Rangers can add a top shortstop, Isiah Kiner-Falefa could move back to third base, where he previously won a gold glove award. Texas has also shown interest in Corey Seager and Trevor Story. Texas is reportedly willing to spend upwards of $200MM for the right guy, per Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News.
Semien, at 31, is presumably looking for a shorter-term deal that Correa, who can reasonably expect a deal in the $200-300MM range. Semien’s deal, while significant, will presumably fall far short of that range, even after a 7.3 rWAR season. MLBTR predicted Correa to get more than double Semien in terms of raw dollars ($320MM over ten for Correa, $138MM over six for Semien).
The Blue Jays, of course, continue to have interest in a reunion with Semien, though their needs are flexible enough that a bidding war could push them in a different direction. Like the Tigers, the Jays have already spent significant money this winter in the form of a reasonable extension for Jose Berrios.
Great move for the Rangers. High priced SS and no pitching. Makes perfect sense. They’ll get 7 more wins and finish 29 games outta first instead of 36
Yea, that rule that you can only make one move in an off-season is super annoying.
LOL
If they spend 300 million on ONE guy for 10 years it’s the next Alex Rodriguez and Texas will not be able to afford anyone else, unless there is a Helluva lot money deferred to save some room for a pitcher or two
Wouldn’t they be better off signing 3 decent pitchers to 75 million dollar contracts each?
Not to argue if it’s worth it or not for Texas to spend that much but Arod’s contract in 2000/2001 offseason would be something like 10/400 today which is a ton of money. However the Rangers really got more than their money worth in terms of production from him. They had little to no pitching during his time with them. Also I can imagine how awful whose teams would have been without him. It wasn’t smart in retrospect because they needed alot more than him to win (which is your point). Imagine if the Mariners had kept him. Arod over Carlos Guillen? 120 wins in 2001? Playoffs in 2002 and 2003? Maybe not what actually would have happened and probably good for them that they didn’t retain him at that cost but he was a beast.
He was also a cancer, selfish, a phony, and only started hitting after Texas was out of contention.
I forgot about the deferred payments and the money they sent the Yankees lol
Gotta start somewhere and they are only a year or two a way from adding Leiter and Winn to the rotation . I bet they sign a FA pitcher or two as well in that timeframe.
It will be like when they signed A-Rod all over again.
One of most ridiculous statements I’ve seen. Can u explain economically how $252m in MLB’s 2003 world is same as $130m in MLB 2022 world.
Lou, have you paid attention to all the young pitchers the Rangers have picked up the past couple of years? There are many ways to build a good pitching staff. Free agency is probably the least efficient way to get it done.
Ha! Laughed hard at Lou’s comment. Bravo!
I think a shorter deal is what the Tigers need to do. Something that is reasonable so that it is tradeable should Kriedler continue his ascent.
What the Tigers need is a 5 year SS. Semien or Story look like the best fit to me. Seagar is a great player but does not look like a long term SS. Baez is too inconsistent. Correa will want 10 years. I would not have any problem if they turned to Galvis.
If they’re turning to Galvis, why not just see if Kreider can be a long term option? Galvis isn’t moving the needle, and at present, they still aren’t a playoff contender. A top-tier SS (and an impact reliever) might change that, but Galvis doesn’t.
While not a World Series contender, the Tigers are on the cusp of being a playoff team, so long as we don’t see too much regression from last year’s regulars.
After the horrible April, Tigers won at a rate that likely would have put them in wild card. With additions of ERod and Barnhart coupled with a division heavy schedule in a weak division, they are already wild card contenders going into 2022
Although not nearly the best Division in baseball,I wouldn’t call the AL Central “weak” either.
The White Sox are a good young team that figures to get even better. Cleveland always has the pitching to be a competitive team and the Twins can score runs with anyone.
Yeah I hear what you are saying. I hope our young pitching takes a step or two forward and our two top 15 prospects hit the ground running.
I would love Correa, even on a ten year deal, he is young enough. We will get a lot of extra value on the first 6-7 years to make up for the regression on the last 3 or 4.
I really hope young Illitch believes we can maintain a 150-160ish million roster, regardless of Correa signing or not. Top 5 SS do not hit FA very often, teams normally figure out how to keep them.
I’m excited to see what the Tigers can do over the next season. Two 90 Win teams in the AL did not make the WC in 2021- not sure if the Tigers would’ve been in there down the stretch but if so, that would’ve been an exciting race to the finish.
Did the Tigers play (roughly) at a 2g above .500 per month rate from mid-May onwards? Am I mistaken? Tigers fans would know.
I know this- they came into Seattle and embarrassed “my fave team!” Tigers pitching staff looked fantastic in the series v ‘my M’s.’
Hate when they do this too, but coming into that series the local media and a lot of the fan base foolishly talked about that being “an easy series” against a “poor Detroit team!” …….Their mouth was shutteth!
Should be a fun yr Tigers fans.
Unfortunately, that “young arm”, Spencer Turnbull, that threw the no hitter against Seattle, had to have Tommy John surgery about a month later …..
I’d be very upset if they signed Galvis.
Whoever brings in Galvis should not be doing it as a starter. Hes a fine utility IF but a starting SS? Pass.
I like the idea of him in a utility role but he’s not good enough to use as a starter on a contending team.
Kreidler doesn’t appear to be more than a utility guy. Or at best an average MLB regular.
Kriedler exhibited strong defense and good power in two seasons since being drafted. K rate is worrisome. I don’t think there’s enough information to determine his future. However, the Tigers have concluded his stardom isn’t likely enough to deter signing a premier shortstop.
Kreidler has above average defensive skills. There’s never been a question about his defensive prowess.
He is mentored by Alan Trammell, which is part of the reason why his strikeouts plummeted at Toledo and his walks increased. And, his offensive production continued.
He’s also capable of playing around the infield, and I do believe he has played some outfield. They may shift him to 2nd or 3rd if they sign a big star SS.
Not sure I would agree that Kreidler’s strikeouts “plummeted at Toledo.” Going from 34% in AA ball in 2021 to 29% in AAA the same year is nice progress, but not like he’s become Nick Madrigal in that department! Walks an BA picked up as well, and he maintained his power against older and tougher pitching. I’m hopeful he will be at least MLB average, and maybe better. But I wouldn’t let that potential stop the Tigers from signing a top-flight shortstop this offseason.
I like Tigers to sign Correa, esp since Miggie’s salary comes off the books in 2024. That would make a ten year signing more bearable.
But I could be satisfied and the Tigers well served by a Semien signing instead, freeing much more for a top-flight SP to complement Rodriguez.
Either scenario is win-win for the Tigers.
Neither team is ready for contention yet. I wouldn’t pull a Mets
What two teams? Tigers played as well as any AL team after a disastrous April.
IKF wouldn’t be moving over to 3B (for very long, at least). Jung is probably our starting 3B with IKF fighting with Ibanez and maybe Solak for 2B while also backing up Jung at the hot corner.
At the very least, IKF is a pure utility player off the bench, and at most he’s our starting 2B. Though I suspect if he’s the former then he might end up being traded.
You already know my trade scenario pertaining to IKF…let’s just wait til most of the FA have signed and Oakland has traded Olson, Chapman, Montas, and Bassitt. They’ll need MIF help. I called it with Elvis last year too 😉
Ok this isn’t Mets related
But I want the Mets t lo so this
Sherzer 3/100+
Stro 5/125
Baez 4/115
Marte 3/60
Loup 2/18
One more OFwithout the QO
Lots of depth
Metsie, let me give you some unsolicited advice. On this site you have become synonymous with foolish, one-sided talk. Even when you’re not on a thread, people say, “Don’t be like MetsFan.” I would like my Tigers to trade the three guys they just outrighted for Mike Trout and Shohei Otahni, plus some cash to cover their salaries. See how that sounds?
Here’s the advice part: change your handle and your tone.
The probables is that.. something like this could actually happen… not the same players but the Mets will spend so much this offseason
Mets – They may spend money, but your additions above have them adding $115M in payroll next season. That’s not realistic.
They will have a 250- 280 dollar payroll… so it’s not far off.. they are at about 185 rn.
What you suggested would lead to 290+. Seems far fetched especially since it wouldn’t guarantee playoffs.
That would guarantee a playoffs lol. Goofy. Also I didn’t say they had to exactly do this. It was just an example. Ik we will have a higher payroll than you guys thi. And a better record…. Can’t keep counting on us to get hurt…
I’ll mark that down. Mets having a higher payroll than the Tigers is highly likely. Better record? I would have bet on that too for this year given the Tigers’ recent history and the Mets huge payroll and additions in 2020 and the offseason. But they ended up in a dead tie as the Tigers way overachieved and the Mets were the Mets.
In all seriousness, good luck in 2022, and may our teams meet in the postseason someday!
It definitely would not guarantee playoffs in the NL East. Goofy. And you say the same thing every year.
Weird how it is almost ALWAYS a Mets or Yankees fan! Always unrealistic and uneducated comments. Annoying as all get out!
So true and always turning the thread into talk on their unrelated nonsense.
Good luck, Metsfan… highly doubt marte and baez get so little.
Stroman gets more too
I think Baez gets more years at a similar AAV then suggested. Marte may be able to squeeze a 4th year but other than that Metsfan is not far off. Personally I’d rather have Conforto resign than Baez. I want to make sure that Mauricio, Baty and Vientiane aren’t blocked. I’d look to trade Dom Smith, Jeff McNeil and J D Davis. Would like to see Bryant at 6 for $162.
Vientos. Auto correct sucks.
This is a more accurate prediction. While the Mets will certainly make some FA splashes, it’s really the trade market where I think they make their biggest blockbusters. I fully expect a completely different roster by season start. Smith, Davis and more will be dealt IMO.
You noticed it was not Mets related, but were unable to show any semblance of self control. Man up A-hole.
Lol people not ready for the offseason the Mets are about to have.
Your team does one thing consistently every single year: disappoint its fans.
We were ready for the Mets off-season last year… look what happened. We were NOT ready for how the Mets actual season would turn out.
That is so unlikely to happen. They might get 1/3 of that haul. The Mets adding Scherzer to replace Thor is a fun idea though. Him and deGrom at the top of the rotation? Damn
Didn’t Mad Max want to be on the west coast? I doubt he signs on the east coast as a free agent, if so.
…..
MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported Tuesday morning, citing sources, that Scherzer “strongly prefers the West Coast” if he is to waive his no-trade clause. It remains to be seen if Max Scherzer will be traded, but a source said the pitcher “strongly prefers the West Coast” to waive his no-trade clause.
Yeah, that’s realistic. A bunch of studs on short term deals signing with your favourite team. This isn’t MLB The Show kid lmao.
Mandatory “Rangers are “in on” any FA who has a pulse. And why not? A TON of money, a new park…they really should spend that 100M getting better in 2022, then maybe another 50M next year.
The Tigers? They’re trying to build with pitching, and if that’s who you are, Simba makes much more sense than Simien. They have other holes that will cost some money to fill. Pitching, power, defense….a good combo, especially in an easily winnable division. And it doesn’t come better than Simmons with the glove.
Much better choice than Semien , who’s been relatively “meh” in most years when he’s not playing for a contract. And he’s going to get (inadvisably, IMHO) a LOT of money.
I’d rather pay Correa what he wants and have strong outfield defense (thinking Hill and Cameron as glove-first third/fourth outfielders despite questionable bats) than sign an outfielder plus a zero-hitting shortstop like Simmons despite his dazzling defense.
Simmons is no longer the Simmons of old. He’s behind Galvis on the list, because Galvis will provide similar defense while providing more offense, which is not saying much.
I don’t agree that the division is “easily winnable”. I believe the Sox may have something to say about that. For many years in fact. And I hate the Sox (Cubs fan).
I don’t disagree about the Sox, but other divisions have more than one competitive teams (Yanks/ Red Sox/ Rays/ Jays; Giants/ Dodgers, etc.).
But the Tigers are on the cusp of some good stuff; they should be, it took them long enough, especially for a team with their revenues. (And if they have any debt, it’s almost certainly tax-related debt). And I’d agree Correa would be a great signing, especially from a public relations (a not-minor consideration) point of view. Now the question is, can Avilla get them there? Frankly, I have my doubts.
As long as LaRussa is around I don’t see then making any real noise.
Then you’d best hope Simmons doesn’t play with 80% effort like he did most of last year and that he doesn’t continue hit like a relief pitcher.
That doesn’t even take into consideration his wack-a-doo penchant for conspiracy theories.
This is the best news I’ve heard so far this off-season for the Tigers! I’ve been against a huge money deal for Correa all along! Sign Semien to a 5 year deal, and you leave more of the budget open for perhaps a corner OF bat or another decent innings-eating SP. I see Correa being another Lindor in the way of his numbers falling off big time when he gets his $$$. I am terrified that he will also fall back into being as brittle as a wet paperbag! If you get Semien signed, bring up Tork and Greene to add to the mix with Schoop,Candelaria, Baddoo, Barnhart etc to go along with a young and hungry Starting Rotation then you have the beginning of a team that will compete in 22′. A Correa contract will just financially handicap this team for YEARS to come!
What a ridiculous comment. Lindor didn’t have a down season because he got paid and Correa isn’t lindor. that trash team you listed without Correa isn’t competing in 2022 even in that terrible division
I don’t think there is a big difference in 2022 between Correa and Semien. The differences are cost, age, and long-term performance due to the age difference. If the Tigers would be competitive in 2022 with Correa, they’d also be competitive if they signed Semien instead.
Were you also a fan of the Zimmerman deal and applaud letting Scherzer walk because he wanted more money and a longer term? Al has shown he can clearly kill the books and crush the soul of fans with a 5yr contract.
First of all, I never said I’m a fan of Avila or ANY signing he has made. And secondly, they were about to go into a rebuild so yeah they weren’t going to sign Max to a long term contract just to lose 100 games a year? Your argument makes zero sense to what I was talking about Chief? All I’m saying is IMHO, Semien will be a much better signing than Correa, affording the Tigers the option of a few more FA signings.
I was applaud by both moves, less thougu of letting Scherzer go just because of the state of the team. But that Zimmerman deal was one of the worst contracts in all of baseball at the time.
The Tigers didn’t “Let Scherzer walk…” Max Scherzer and Scott Boris we’re determined to sign as a free agent to the highest bidder.
Jordan Zimmerman was the best pitcher on the market the year he signed. He became injured almost immediately and the rest of the team underperformed.
Help me Jerry-wan Kenobi. You’re our only hope!
He’s 31. Stay away, Jerry
An age 31 player would be wasting their remaining prime years in Arlington. That clown show is years away and an ownership change away from being competitive.
I think you guys are light on Simien. He will get much more than 138M. And Correa might get more than what the Mets gave their guy.
I’m predicting 10 years, 350 for Correa and 6 years, 170 for Simien.
DEAR TIGER FANS,
Do you ever get the feeling were are all being played for fools? And that Chris Illich is being played for a chump?
These “professionals”, the players, the writers, the management are all in cahoots together to just scam us? It’s true.
Look, on one side of their mouths they say the Miggie contract is an albatross around the neck of the Tigers – and out of the other side of the same mouth they say, Miggies’ contract is coming off the books,.they can sign Correa for 10 years/$300 M!
So, Chris is being encouraged to sign another albatross contract?????
What?
Come-on,.these guys are trying to help each other make.money…off of us!
Say NO TO CORREA, SAY NO TO AL AVILA
These writers act like this is what Tiger fans want. BULL
I KNOW NO TIGER FAN WHO WANTS ANY OF THIS.
.ITS ONLY THE WRITERS FLEXING! IF AL AND CHRIS FALL FOR IT THE TIGERS WILL NEVER BE A DYNASTY.
AL AVILA IS OFF BASE AND GOING IN THE WRONG DIRECTION!
Stop drinking the Kool Aid, It’s poison!
CHRIS, HELP US!
A lot of tigers fans want Correa. No caps needed.
Dynasty? What’s a dynasty? Like most mid market teams, we hope for being competitive, being entertained, making the playoffs, and hope beyond hope, winning the whole thing. Under Mr I and DD, the Tigers were competitive for 10 years. Even when they dropped back to last, they entered the season expected to win. That’s the modern day definition of dynasty if you don’t have the bucks of NY, LA, or Bos. There’s no conspiracy. Media always plays on our hopes. Last year, the Team was not going to spend, and no stories like this appeared. I call this reporting.
Styme, the Tigers have always been in sound financial shape under the Illich family. The amount of money available is limitless. Whether or not Chris follows his late father’s free spending ways remains to be seen, but he’s saying the right things.
I’m a tigers fan. I really want Correa. I know it’s stupid and we’ll end up regretting the contract. But it will be fun.
I think you’re way off. Most people I speak with want Correa. And yes Miggy’s contract is an albatross. Everyone knew that it would be. However Correa is younger than Cabrera was when he got it. And is a different kind of athlete they may age more gracefully.
What exactly is the scam? Nobody is saying the tigers are willing to do a 10 year deal, but even if they were it’s not the same as Cabrera’s. Cabrera has always been out of shape and they signed him into his 40s – it was dumb and I said so at the time. Correa is younger, in shape, and at the most important position. A contract with him would go to 36 or 37, so your theory makes no sense.
I don’t want Correa or Semien. The Tigers are not just one or two or three or four players away. They may even decline this season because the whole AL Central underperformed miserably and wont be that bad again this season.
The Tigers were still inconsistent. They had a good season because they were 8 games under .500; they were not contenders by any imagination.
The Tigers need a full time SS, not a superstar but an under the radar type solid performer.
Siemen to Detroit. Correa to the Yanks. It came to me in a vision. But then again, I also saw a glowing pale horse in my living room. So who knows?
Correa to Detroit. Seager to Texas. Semien to NYY. Story to . Baez back to NYM. Buxton traded to Houston. Olson traded to Boston. Chapman traded to NYY. I also get by info by keeping my ear to the grindstone…so who knows
I just want Correa to the Yanks because the fans’ heads will explode and they’ll be conflicted for a week before fully embracing Correa.
Hey Al,….Nancy Reagan says, “Just say, No!”
Grace Slick and Timmy say, “No, thank you!”
Seattle is closer to competing than Detroit or Texas and has more money to spend than Toronto and the ONLY team to play on the west coast. I hope its enough to get Semien. 6-years $180 million!! Let’s go!!
Tigers are definitely just a good shortstop away from being a playoff team. The starters are solid, with plentiful options available. The bullpen is obviously very good. There’s a logjam in the outfield. Gold glove catcher. Infield is fine, but just needs that star shortstop to win a playoff series.
You guys really need to do more research into individual teams. IKF will not be going back to 3B for the Rangers. That position will be manned by Josh Jung for the next several years.
Incorrect.
Until Josh Jung has actually played in the majors and finds sustained success there, as I’m sure he will at some point next year, then it’s perfectly reasonable to expect IKF to move back to 3B.
Jung will be playing 3B, barring injury, on Opening Day. Put it in 3 inch headlines.
Siemans contract is going to be a lot bigger than expected. He’s the clear cut best offensive option available at SS in a year where good but not great SS’s are going to be overpaid massively. I’d overpay greatly for a short term deal with Sieman rather than get roped into an albatross of a contract for Seager or Correa.
Semien can be had cheaper than Correa, but he still strikes me as a bigger risk on a long term deal.
Semien is not going to get as long a deal as Correa.
As a Tiger fan I would be reluctant to offer any player a 10 year contract. Our best players are either coming to the bigs this season or entering their second full season. Sign Semien to a shorter term and let the kids develop. In couple years make a run at a big free agent.
As a lifelong tigers fan, I just want them to win! I have been critical of Avila ever since he took over for DUMBrowski, due to the contracts given to players like Jordan Zimmerman and those alike. And really what I worry about most is signing a big name like Correa just to put butts in the seats instead of someone like Semien who can be pretty damn close to just as effective for half the cash! But I will say this in defense of AA, he was left with an aging team and a farm system that was COMPLETELY EMPTY because Dumbrowski traded every decent prospect for MLB talent. So now that we have top tier prospects like Tork, Greene, Kriedler and others on the brink of the show, it is of vital importance that we don’t just sign FAs but the RIGHT ones! Don’t just go for name value Avila! Make sure they fill the gaps needed between who’s already here and the kids coming. If he does it correctly it will set this team up for years. If he signs the wrong players it’ll set us back!
His drafting has been passable, although taking Mize and Torkelson are moves virtually every GM would have made so I’m not sure how much credit to give Avila. Drafting Skubal was a stroke of genius and his 2020 and 2021 drafts appear excellent as well. Signings of big free agents (Zimm and J-Up) were disastrous, but Schoop and Grossman were reasonable signings. His blockbuster trades haven’t been very effective either (nothing for JDM, very little so far for JV), but some smaller trades have been good (his son and Justin Wilson for Candyman and Paredes, Shane Greene for Joey Wentz).
Sounds pretty mediocre, so let’s hope he gets it right now that the team is going in the right direction. Go Tigers!!!
You hit the nail on the head with what you said in his drafts. It didn’t take a genius to draft Tork or Mize. And if you look at his rounds 2-10 picks they are NOT good. Skubal was luck I’d say, but a good pick nonetheless. The only thing that makes me feel better about this off-season is that there have been much better talent evaluators placed around him than there has been in years past. Hopefully they’ll point him in the right direction!
I think the 2020 draft might turn out ok with Dillon Dingler, Gage Workman, and Colt Keith. That was a good draft.
2018 was terrible after Mize, with the exception of Skubal. I like Kody Clemens because he is a gamer, but he doesn’t appear to have the talent to be anything more than a AAAA. 2017 looks like a complete zero, except perhaps Faedo who I think might turn out to be an excellent reliever. 2016 wasn’t bad between Manning and Funkhouser in the fourth round, having surrendered 2nd and 3rd rounds picks for Zimm and J-Up.
I like the 2021 choices, but most drafts look like winners until you see how the prospects develop, or don’t.
From the 3rd round on, it’s really a game of chance. The Tigers haven’t been good in developing players, but they seem to be doing better. I think the AAA manager was let go because he wasn’t developing players as the Tigers had hoped he would.
I just want to see them win a World Series again. I remember 1984. But, that was a long time ago.
It’s time!
Sad. Poor Al should be assisting other GMS and making the same mistake that he’s being encouraged to make simply by taking on salary of teams that need to make that big push. Poor Al he needs my assistance so much. Pull it Toledo and still no one ever calls.