QUESTION OF THE WEEK

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t’s time again to hear from our readers!   Today is the day to let us know what you’re thinking on a selected topic.

Sunday is the one day of the week where we open up the comment parameters for you so you can get those juices flowing.

Comments on THIS DAY ONLY can be expanded to a maximum of 8 sentences.

We can’t wait to get your thoughts on the following topic.

Has the hiring of AJ Hinch changed how you feel about Chris Ilitch and his plan for the Tigers?  Explain.

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17 thoughts on “QUESTION OF THE WEEK”

  1. The hiring of A.J. Hinch by Chris Ilitch appears to have been a step in the direction of making the Tigers competitive again. However, until Ilitch makes a public disclosure regarding his “plan” for the Tigers, we are compelled to guess what, exactly his plan is. Since 2017, the Tigers have reduced their payroll from nearly $200 Million to about $85 Million. Therefore, money does exist for the Tigers to sign some free agents. If that happens, we will have a better idea regarding Ilitch’s “plan.”

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  3. I have applauded the HInch hiring in each of my posts here, but to say C. Ilitch has a plan is too generous. Ilitch hired Yzerman for the Wings the GM position where the hometown hero can actually formulate a “plan” . Thus far Ilitch as let him do so with the Wings. Does Al Avila have a plan? Is he capable of executing one if he is given a budget? That’s the key. Buddy Bell was a good manager, but Randy Smith had no clue. But Ilitch is not one to interfere, and my interest in the team has definitely been piqued!

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  4. No. I like the hiring of Hinch, but I think its a marriage of convenience more than anything. Hinch desperately wanted a managerial job and the Tigers had one available after the CWS job was filled. I still have no idea what Chris Ilitch’s plan is for the Tigers. Is he willing to spend money at the big league level if some of the young talent begins to blossom? What is his timeline for expectations? His silence is deafening.

    Liked by 7 people

    • While too much owner interference is a bad thing, too much owner silence is no better. I admit to some surprise when Chris came out of the woodwork to attend, and speak!, at AJ’s presser. Even more surprising, he almost sounded like some of his words might have been off the cuff! Whether Chris has a plan remains to be seen, but there appears to be a smidgen of hope.

      Liked by 4 people

  5. All’s quiet on the Tigers front. At least as it comes to obtaining quality FA’s. AA has told us to not expect any splash in that department. If there is no splash there, then Hinch is doomed to failure with the bunch of players he will be stuck with. Hinch was a nice acquisition, but the next move is still up to Chris Illitch & Al Avila.

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    • All crimes do not carry a life sentence for conviction, for very good reasons. We all make mistakes, and we pay the price. And then we get on with our lives, and do what we can not to let ourselves be defined by the worst things we have done. By your logic, Tommy, everybody involved with the 2017 Astros should have been banned from baseball for life. That strikes me as rather draconian.

      Liked by 4 people

      • Personally Nocynic, I find the Astros no different than the 1919 Black Sox. If I were Commissioner, I would have banned them for life. The entire team, and I would have stripped them of their World Series title. Most mistakes happen quick. When they last a whole year, they are not mistakes.

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  7. Chris I has made a couple smart moves with his wings/tigers management staff. Proff will come a few years from now when it’s time to honor your best players with generational contracts. The final owners commitment. His father’s lagacy has some mistakes. What will Chris’s be?

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  8. The Tigers began making real changes last offseason when they hired Kenny Graham from Milwaukee as the Director of Player Development and Dan Hubbs from USC as Director of Pitching Development. They made several other hires as well that went largely unnoticed by most. Ilitch merely needs to observe Steve Yzerman to see how to run an organization. This offseason has seen marked thus far, it seems clear that the Tigers now have a plan. As Holly pointed out, there will be more changes coming.

    Liked by 6 people

  10. Hiring Hinch definitely breaks the pattern of CI “fiddling while Rome burns”. Yet only time will tell if the team bears fruit because it is a first step. Ilitch can’t just sit back and think this fixes everything. I find it promising that Al seems to have learned to walk softly and if not carry a big stick, at least he has picked one up. Keep your moves close to the vest Al, and if you have scouts you truly trust keep listening to them. Chris, you don’t have to act like a big market owner like daddy. You just need to follow the example of successful small market teams like the Rays and A’s.

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  11. Overall CI plan has been to get spending down to a small/medium market which is what Detroit is. Since terms were not revealed about AJ’s contract, I would have to assume the salaries of he and the new coaching staff are within budget. CI is astute enough to realize that AJ also brings new hope and thus new revenue. CI is a bit awkward as evidenced by his handling of AA extension and Gardy “retirement” but I give him great credit for his generous treatment of the business operations staff during the pandemic. He seems to realize now that good press can lead to a better bottom line. Hopefully he can use his MBA market analysis and keep the momentum going by signing at least 1 free agent for longer than 1 year.

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