The lack of offense on this Tiger team is the biggest issue facing them. It was a huge factor in this month’s games so far and pushed the team under .500 at one point.
PoBO Scott Harris has emphasized that the top prospects have to play and cannot be blocked. We all know that inexperienced players struggle offensively in the beginning.
We’re also aware that last winter’s free agent market was one of the weakest ones in history which is why the Tigers were unable to find a suitable bat to sign.
Currently, there are no viable solutions in the farm system that could spark the team’s offense.
Given these conditions, there is only 1 clear solution to improving the Tigers’ offense now instead of waiting until late July or the end of the season. A trade.
Let’s remember that in order to trade for someone who would make an impact, the Tigers would need to give up 1 or 2 promising young players or prospects.
Trading a pitcher would appear to be the most logical currency the Tigers have. Opponents are always in need of pitching.
But don’t expect the Tigers to receive an above-average hitter in exchange for a player who isn’t expected to reach the majors soon. Other teams would want someone who is MLB-ready or very close to it.
Given this, would you approve a trade of Casey Mize, Reese Olson, Ty Madden or even Jackson Jobe for a chance to increase the Tigers’ offense?
Today’s blog addresses this question and allows readers to share their thoughts in more detail. And hopefully, to actively engage with others by responding to their posts and creating back-and-forth discussion threads. The more the merrier!
For this one blog only, you’ve got 6 sentences max to share your thoughts. Of course, you can also respond to other readers.
TT will supply the ammunition. One thought-provoking question. Several options provided. One hard choice to be selected. One vote.
Ready?
Make sure to come back and check the final results!
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to a maximum of 6 sentences (today only) and must address the day’s topic. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page in order for your comments to be published.
THE BEST COMMENT FROM YESTERDAY’S BLOG:
from Donald Kopka: “The strategy may have been the best of the three options as there was little talent to trade. As has been observed, players may hit well in the minors because they face weak pitching but are really befuddled at the major league level. The big question is whether they develop improved hitting skills after several seasons of confidence deflating poor performance at bat.”
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Trade Wentz to the Yankees for their #5 and 6 prospects. They get a major league reliever and we get a right handed outfielder who is stuck in the minors and a shortstop who happens to be our bench coach’s son!
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A good GM has a plan for roster construction, and the best ones adjust those plans after they fall prey to the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. A trade for a hitter to fill one of the many lineup holes is called for. It’s not a surprising necessity since the Avila regime placed so much emphasis on drafting pitchers. Also the Harris regime with Lorenzen and Flaherty has shown a knack for rehabbing veteran pitchers on show me contracts. The team can play to win this year without blowing up the master plan and should be ashamed if they don’t.
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To trade any “top promising young pitcher” this season would be foolhardy excepting for the quality level of a Luis Arraez or similar candidate. With just over a quarter season in the books, it is relatively obvious (at least to me) that the Tigers position in the AL Central is pretty much solidified (sad to say), and my eyes are turned more to the Chisox fortunes than those of the Indians. The Chisox are better than the Marlins, and (again, sad to say), we are essentially on a par with with both, perhaps a few rungs above. My opinion is hopefully erroneous, certain to receive few if any likes, and destined not to be chosen as ‘comment of the day’. Doesn’t matter, I, like everyone reading this, will be a Tiger fan forever, and will patiently wait for the proverbial ‘worm to turn’!
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Jobe is untouchable IMO. Beyond him I can see trading one of those mentioned, or Flaherty. Greenberg and Harris won’t move a pitcher unless they like the offensive return, and the pitching development team is performing their function well enough that our pitching depth wouldn’t be damaged.
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Stay the course and churn the roster for at least another year. I’m sure there are other position players in the organization like Carpenter, Ibanez, and Wenceel Perez who will grab their opportunity if given a chance. Find them! I’ve got my eye on several players ready to bubble up within the farm system (McGonigle and Clark at Lakeland, Gold and Anderson at West Michigan, Workman and Lee at Erie, and Jung and Bigbie at Toledo). Parker Meadows looks like he wants to come back soon but let him knock on the door a little harder. Let players know that spots are open for those that earn them.
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I don’t know what team some people are watching, but one good hitter (who probably isn’t available anyway) is not going to make much of a difference this year. They’ve just got to keep working with what they have.
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The last two nights they’ve hit like a championship team if they keep it up we won’t need anyone. I’m praying they can. All those runs without a homerun speaks loudly.
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At this point, if the Tigers are serious about competing any time in the next three years, they need to be willing to trade any of their top pitchers. Just as it takes money to make money, it takes talent to beat talent. Talent can be developed, to a point, but it can also be bought and traded for. Trading for an established player at the MLB level is worth more than hoping to develop two at the minor league level. Ownership plays a big part in winning. Illitch can be a hero or villian and right now it doesn’t seem like he’s trying too hard to save his team.
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Trade Maeda and Flaherty for top hitting prospects on August 1st and do well with the June draft. They are not a World Series team yet. Increase your people for the out of the country draft. Sure wish they had gotten Imanga!
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Yes, Jack Flaherty was brought for our excellent pitching staff to re-tune his pitching mechanics for one season and then be traded in July to a contender for some further asset. The rest of our pitchers are like seed corn, saved to make a harvest next season. Hitting will continue to lag this season, as the Tigers try to finish above .500. That’s OK since playoff contention is not in the cards in 2024. The test of Harris’ system–for young hitters to catch on gradually–will come in the last 4th of the season, not the first 4th.
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The bats are coming around. Stay the course.
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Not against LHP it isn’t
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If the Tigers have been stockpiling pitching prospects with their draft picks for all the Avila years, shouldn’t they have enough by now to trade for a good bat without mortgaging the future? A good President/GM will always try and improve their team and hopefully Harris and Greenberg would make a trade to the Tigers advantage at any time.
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Trade Maeda and Flahrety for bats and keep the young starters. Do well in the June draft and find international free agent bats to sign
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With the exception of the last 2 games and a handful of others the offense has been offensive. Don’t see anyone in the farm system who would turn things around at the moment. Canha was a good pick up but Harris should have picked up more offense in the off season. IMO I think they need to trade a pitcher for a bat however as someone mentioned earlier one bat isn’t going to turn the tide. Guessing .500 at the end of the season would be the best outcome to hope for.
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I keep looking at the present team from the perspective of a 74- year old man and a Tigers fan since the 1950s. Through the ’60s there was a collection of players that fans identified with: Kaline, Cash, Freehan, Stanley, Lolich, and my favorite Willie Horton. In the early ’80s another collection for fans connection: Trammel, Whitaker, Parish, Morris. Now, I am not seeing performance connecting to names that will excite fans. My memory calls up a 1997 team that was supposed to be the future but did not succeed. I am not confident that the present group will be the ’60s and ’80s teams rather than that disappointing 1997 team.
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We’re 6.5 games back and it’s only the third week of May. Doesn’t bode well for a challenge for the division. While a bat would help now, it wouldn’t help enough to make a difference this year.
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