Harris transitions to decision-maker on October 6th, the first day of the off-season. He is expected to start making changes immediately. And there are lots of them to be made.
Including some very tough decisions.
Rest assured that Harris took the job after understanding and accepting what needs to be done and that some of what he does may be controversial.
One of those issues involves Miguel Cabrera. Miggy has $32 mill left on his contract and an $8 mill buyout on top of it. Due to chronic injuries, Miggy is a shell of his former self and is relegated to playing DH. Over the course of the year, his playing time has diminished to where he was only capable of being in the lineup for 1 game out of each series. He is no longer able to use his right leg to drive balls and has turned primarily into a singles hitter.
But Miggy is a first-ballot Hall of Famer and baseball protocol dictates that those players should have some kind of farewell tour and official recognition before they retire. But he is a part-time player taking up a full roster spot and the Tigers desperately need to shake up their roster and lineup.
Speaking of the roster, Harris will need to shake it up in a significant way. It is expected that there will be lots of turnover. As a result, he will need to find a number of new players to fill those openings.
The Tigers are currently limited in viable replacements and it is believed that some significant trades will have to be made. Trades that may involve young talent that would bring back multiple players possessing a higher caliber of talent and potential.
It is not likely that Riley Greene will be on the trading block but other players, most notably pitchers, may. Men like Matt Manning and other promising and presumed starting rotation members.
Which of these moves – determining Miggy’s future or trading top young talent – will be the most difficult decision to make?
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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Both items are critical this off season, however I believe the Cabrera issue has to be decided first. The painful but important decision of having Cabrera retire will free up not only a critical roster spot but make some dollars available to make some necessary moves. Without question it would be nice to give him a farewell tour but not at the expense of another wasted season.
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I can’t imagine that any resolution to the Cabrera challenge will “free up dollars.” Besides, they owe him the money for committing his HOF services over the life of the contract they offerred.
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Perhaps Miggy’s playability will take care of itself. I don’t see how he will be able to do much except sit on the injured list.
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Hard to figure how paying Miggy the $43 still owed him to just go away will somehow “make dollars available” for the rest of the roster.
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I voted for trading top talent. Miggy is just one issue of this club. If I was Scott, I would release Miggy this off season and take the heat. However, the Tigers will bring him back next year after Miggy announces, “I’m in the best shape of my life.” this off season. The local scribes will eat it up – and Miggy will limp into the sunset with his number on the wall.
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Miggy is a one year issue, acquiring talent and developing a long-term, sustainable operation is the main goal. We can honor and respect the contributions Miggy has made to a generation of Tiger fans and begin the real re-build. There are way too many other issues to address before we even get to Miggy who has done more for the Tigers than any other individual currently associated with the team.
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You expressed my own thoughts exactly. Reversing the AA pattern of terrible trades would be huge for upgrading the roster, but it requires the critical thinking that our wunderkind president allegedly possesses. Committing to pay Miggy will make the negotiation with him less difficult, I believe. He himself seemed frustrated with his knee issues. I suspect that he only backed off on retirement talk after his agent pointed out that he would lose millions if he simply retired. The Tigers prepaid for that aching knee along with Miggy’s face (of the franchise).
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“backed off on retirement talk after his agent pointed out that he would lose millions”. Too many writers, then the fans, exclude the role the agent has in these decisions.
But why do we feel players need to do these farewell tours? Why do we have to document every final sunflower seed a player spits as if it needs to be taught in history class?
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I completely agree with you. Cynically, I would point out that the marketers & bean-counters like these farewell tours as well. (“Last chance to see Miggy”). However, I confess that I got to see Aaron hit a homer toward the end and certainly remember that better than dozens of other games.
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Trading away young talent is critical to turning the franchise around. Done properly it will require many quick and accurate player evaluations. Obviously not an easy process. Cabrera’s situation is more delicate than difficult. With his health issues the most likely scenario is a costly but dignified buy-out for the good of the team.
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If there is a trade available that potentially improves the hitting lineup, I feel like that’s a decision Scott Harris should be comfortable making. Finessing Miguel Cabrera’s final contract year will be tricky. Obviously, the Tigers are going to pay Miggy. Can he slide into an ambassador/advisor role after a final cameo appearance on opening day? No team should settle for an injury-prone, singles-hitter at DH.
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Easing Miggy out with full pay is necessary and would reverse the ghastly Ilitch pattern of insisting that guys like Ausmus , Zimmerman, and even VMart limp through their contracts as part of the team.
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What to do with Miggy is a difficult decision mainly from an emotional standpoint of what to do with a Hall of Fame caliber player at the end of his career. It’s not going to be critical to team composition however, because it’s only one spot on a 26 man roster and the team will probably not be competitive next year although hopefully much better. It’s going to be much more difficult constructing the roster through trades, FA signings, minor league call ups and subtractions from the current roster. Scott Harris is going to have many more headaches trying to figure out that Gordian knot then almost anything else because next year’s team performance will hinge on those critical decisions.
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In my heart of hearts, I believe Miggy is a Tiger. He wants to see this team succeed and I believe he will be ambicle to a solution.. it’s unrealistic that ultimately the Tigers will need the depth of arms the minors possess.. Al was never willing to give up anything of worth other than expiring contract. From all appearances, Scott understands that calculated risks must be taken if he is to acquire assets that will fill the mold of a strikezone dominator. We must look at all his moves through the lens that these are not his chosen players so changes will be made.
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Miquel has great pride. He is not enjoying getting zero hits with several others getting three like yesterday . Beyond that, Albert Pujols will go on the hall of fame 5 years from the end of this season. I think Miguel will want to be there and inducted too. He will take the deal.
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Let Miggy spend next year, his last year of the contract as a batting coach to earn his money. Then, if he works out, offer him the a long term job. During this time, arrange a Farewell Tour, while emptying a spot on the field for another plyer.
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I believe improving the roster with Scott Harris in charge will be much easier than the final decision regarding Miguel Cabrera will be. The only easy way out with Miggy is if Cabrera buys into whatever the final decision becomes. Harris is an intelligent man. I am confident he will find a solution and put this all behind us this winter. Rebuilding the roster may take Harris a couple of years to get turned around.
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Miggy is going to get his money. If he had any real career pride he would have walked away long ago like Travis fryman did in Cleveland. Unless Harris finds a couple AA’s to fleece it won’t really matter anyways. The tigers don’t have enough young players to fill out the roster anyways so let him have his farewell tour.
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Cabrera’s a sunk cost. Whether he plays or not, the Tigers aren’t getting a discount. Is he taking up a valuable roster spot? Only if Hinch plays him more than necessary. However, using strengths in the system, whether that’s pitching or the glut of decent young middle infield prospects, to acquire the next Miggy in a trade, ought to be at the forefront of Harris’ thought process. There’s enough chaff to discard from the major league roster to free up multiple spots in the 40-man.
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I confess that I do not equate Cabrera’s departure with “freeing up a roster spot.” Freeing one up for whom? Another of the AAAA wonders? And who says there should be a “farewell tour”? There wasn’t one for Babe Ruth or Hank Aaron–or Al Kaline. I think the new executive is smart enough to create a dignified alternative,
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If the Tigers were going to be competitive next year, then a roster spot for Miggy would be an issue but they won’t be so let him play twice a week and give fans a chance to say goodbye. It’s much more important to start building the team and keeping some of that young talent might be difficult as they’d probably be free agent eligible by the time the Tigers are ready to contend. That’s why rebuilding the roster will be much more difficult an issue.
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I totally agree with another poster who said make him the hitting coach, Miggy knows more about hitting than the current hitting coaches either do times 10. Letting him be a part time coach/player seems to be the easiest route to go. Might as well be getting something more out of all that $32 million they still owe him plus the 8 million buy out. His ability to potentially help out the kids learn what so far the current hitting coaches have for the most part failed to do is worth it
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I disagree that Cabrera needs or deserves a Farewell Tour. He will be getting a huge check. That is enough. Don’t forget, this is a guy who wouldn’t return his manager’s phone calls not that long ago. If he wants to stay in the organization, great. Let him mange in Grand Rapids or Lakeland.
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Miggy on the roster is not an issue because there are many open spots in need of an upgrade and they will not all be filled before his spot is needed for a player.
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In my opinion the hardest decision emotionally will be what to do about Miggy. Tiger fans don’t want to see a repeat of how the Angels did Albert Puljos 2 years ago. Not a good look for how to handle a future Hall of Fame player who did so much for the team and the game. I’m hoping that Miggy sees that there’s nothing left in the tank and it’s time to move over and let the young guys take over the good of the team. Pay the man what he’s owed ($43 million) and offer him the opportunity to earn that money as an Assistant Hitting Coach next season since he has said that he’d like to remain in the game after his playing days are done. With that money coming off the books after the ’23 season the team and Miggy will have the option to either extend the relationship with him in that role (at a renegotiated salary of course), offering him a different role with the organization, or he announces his retirement from the game and the team plans his retirement ceremony where his number is retired and goes on the brick wall along with all the other Tiger greats
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