DEEPER DISCUSSIONS

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Justin Verlander is having one of the best years of his career after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2020.  He is leading MLB pitching stats in most categories and expected to be in the running for yet another Cy Young Award.  He is currently 16-3 with a 1.84 ERA and .855 WHIP.

Verlander is being paid $25 mill this year and has a player option for another $25 mill for 2023.  His value this year (for a full season) is actually worth $44.8 mill. This despite now going on the 10-day IL for a minor calf injury.

JV is considering opting out of his contract with the Astros considering how much value he brings to the team.  He will probably command somewhere in the mid-30’s to low 40’s per year.  Verlander will be 40 next season and expected to seek a shorter contract given his age.

Should the Tigers bring him back, especially since they now have Chris Fetter in charge of pitching?

Could he be a mentor for the young pitching staff?

Should the Tigers bring him back in an effort to undo Al Avila’s trade that was named the worst one ever completed by a team? 

Or is JV simply too old and no longer fits on a rebuilding team?  Is it too much money to offer when there are so many holes and needs on this roster?

Today’s blog addresses this dilemma 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 respond to as many other readers as you want.

TT will supply the ammunition. One thought-provoking question. Several options provided. One hard choice to be selected. One vote.

Ready?

Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to a maximum of 6 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.

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25 thoughts on “DEEPER DISCUSSIONS”

  1. Honestly, I don’t think he’d come back here. 1), he’d want to win. 2,) Did I say he’d want to win? 3) He received so much more help, was able to improve leaving Detroit., he won’t get the same coming back even with Fetter. 4) It would be more than I’d pay for 1 year, for a 40. yo. When is it gonna be when his body starts to give out? It’s not his drive ,determination or work ethic, it’s his age & $$ for me.

    Liked by 5 people

  4. The choice isn’t the Tigers’ to make. I think his main goal is 300 career wins (he needs 58 more) and the Tigers are not set up to provide that chance. He will opt out and resign with Houston unless the Yankees or Dodgers find a way to fit him into their salary structure without paying an exorbitant luxury tax.

    Liked by 8 people

  5. As great as it sounds to have a reunion, this team can’t afford both JV and Miggy at the same time. The money and emphasis should be on the future. To quote Pumbaa (in The Lion King), “You got to put your behind in your past”.

    Liked by 5 people

  7. I vote No not only for me, but for Justin. He doesn’t need this dysfunctional turmoil. Go forth, Justin, and have success on your own terms; you owe no one anything other than a good effort.

    Liked by 9 people

  9. I did not vote because given his experience in Houston compared to Detroit, I have doubts that he would even consider or want to come back to the Tigers. This is especially true since the organization is a mess, and the team is years from being competitive. They may offer him a record amount of money, but I expect him to want to be with a winner

    Liked by 6 people

  10. The JV ship has sailed as one of the worst trades of all time in major league baseball. Can’t imagine Illitch spending or JV coming to a place where baseball is dying on the vine. Since we are at basic rebuild stage it probably is more important to invest in a younger starter or a couple of hitters.

    Liked by 8 people

  11. JV, My Tiger, would be crazy to even consider coming home to a team that cannot support him with its horrible offense, fair defense, and poor training and analytics departments. This is not a way he should end his career when he has so much to give a quality team right now.

    Liked by 7 people

  12. JV is happy in Houston and why wouldn’t he be? I’m sure he wants to go out a winner and it will be years before Detroit sniffs the playoffs again. The only other team I could see him pitching for is the Dodgers if not the Astros

    Liked by 5 people

  13. If the 16 home games he would pitch would bring in enough extra revenue to support a $40M salary why not. That said, how would spending that money on a single player help the development of other pitchers. JV is great, maybe the best we have seen in Detroit in the last 75 years, but is he the answer at this point?

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    • I agree he would pay for himself in attendance and merchandising. Who wouldn’t want a pitcher of that caliber on their team? As everyone has stated though, why would he want to come back unless he was washed up and on a retirement tour?

      Liked by 2 people

  14. The only reason Detroit would want to bring him back for that much $$$ is to ensure he goes into the Hall wearing a Detroit cap. He’s approaching that point where the years away from Detroit is getting reasonably close to his being not thought of as a Tiger…. especially with the World Series ring he got.
    Plus I agree with the other posters in why would JV want to come back to Detroit with it’s dysfunctional and rudderless organization. If 300 wins is his goal, he know his chances in Detroit would be poor.

    Liked by 5 people

  17. Bringing back JV is revisiting the past, and I think we all agree the Tigers have done too much of that. He’s incredible but we had our chance and we blew it. Time to look toward a different future.

    Liked by 3 people

  18. I’m probably one of the few people who voted bring him back, he reminds me of Dennis Eckersly and Nolan Ryan he will probably continue to pitch well into his mid-40’s. He would be great to have to help out the young pitchers and he seems like he always had a warm spot for the Tigers. The reality is he probably won’t unless it’s at the very end of career

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  19. By all appearances JV looks like he has a couple of good years left. That said, I’m not interested in celebrating past accomplishments with this team. Look to the future. This team could use the $$ for more pressing needs like major league caliber players in the infield, outfield, and catcher.

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Remember JV made his choice to be traded at the last minute, he could have said no. I’m sure he’s thought about what it would have been if he stayed. Let’s see: No WS ring, many,
    many less wins, many less K’s, more injuries, possibly not a shot at 1st round HOF. And no hope for the future.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. 30-40Mil for a 6 inning pitcher? He cud pitch on the days Miggy is available to DH. All joking aside, there would be no upside for the team development or for JV. Never happen.

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