Part One – January Edition
by Holly Horning
How many of you return a day or two later to check the final results of our weekly polls?
We really have an excellent cross-section of fans and historically, this group of readers almost always tend to be spot on about what they see happening with the Tigers. I am hoping that those with offices at Comerica read what the fans are saying and consider it when they are making decisions.
As background, each poll is carefully constructed, offering the full spectrum of options as well as avoiding the possibility of leading readers to a specific answer. And they are also tamper-proof. Unlike the All-Star voting, it’s 1 reader, 1 vote. The blog platform kicks out any additional votes submitted by a reader who has already voted once.
Let’s now take the time to review all of the major polls completed in January. What you may find most interesting is the often-seen difference between how the overall population of fans feel compared to the published reader comments. Sometimes, the most vocal of fans are in the minority. Some of you may be surprised at what you see.
What is also fun to see is how far apart – or how close – fans are in voting. Of special note are a couple polls that were done in advance of moves being made.
As you peruse the questions, it may also be interesting to see how often you were in the majority – or in the minority. This blog has always been about exploring baseball more deeply and being receptive to different theories and opinions. Where one stands in each of these polls is a great way to expand one’s thinking about the game.
Because there are so many polls, we’ll share the results over 2 days. Part 2 will be published tomorrow.
Here are the questions, with the winner listed at the top in bold.
Is it a good move to have Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer as your #1 and #2 starting pitchers?
No, their advanced ages make them too risky. 58%
Yes, they are stars. 42%
Which communication style do you prefer?
Harris – Sharing as little as possible gives him leverage and helps makes for better deals. 84%
Neither – I guess I should be careful about what I wish for…. 15%
Avila – I wanted to know as much as possible about what he was doing. 1%
Which risk are you willing to take in order to see the Tigers become competitive?
Wait 1 year while the new plan kicks in to create a sustainable talent pipeline. 86%
Sign players now for a temporary fix. 14%
Which player needs to have a better year the most?
Javier Baez 56%
Spencer Torkelson 44%
Should the Tigers trade Eduardo Rodriguez?
Yes 87%
No 13%
Are you glad that Comerica’s dimensions are being changed?
Yes 62%
It won’t make a difference. 21%
No 17%
Would you consider the loss of Jack Morris from the Bally broadcast team to be an improvement?
No, he will be missed. 60%
Not sure. I’m willing to give C-Mo a chance. 21%
Yes, the broadcast is better without him. 20%
What did you find most interesting about these polls?
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- A breakdown of players signed and acquired as well as non-roster players invited to spring training since Scott Harris started with the Tigers.
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The one that surprises me the most is on communication style. I am all in on Al Avila’s polar opposite, Scott Harris, and his apparent attempt to not draw attention and move quietly and methodically through roster revision. The real surprise for me is that there seems to be a large part of the 86% pro Harris supporters that continue to be underwhelmed and show so much impatience when he stays close-lipped and uncommitted.
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I am believe that Scott gets enormous credit for being different from Al Avila in style, but that some fans may be underwhelmed with his incremental approach to roster building by focusing on depth instead of guys with an established MLB record. My favorite podcaster called Scott the Matt Vierling of general managers– an unproven guy with tantalizing resume that allows fans to project great hopes for a high ceiling.
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The thing that surprised me most is that 87% said the Tigers should trade Eduardo Rodriguez. I’m not saying that they shouldn’t do that if they can get something of equal value in an MLB-ready position player with a similar team-friendly contract. However, if they are going to start trading anyone making more than the league minimum for prospects, they will just become the Oakland A’s of the Midwest.
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I’m hoping Ramirez has a career season.
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There’s a risk that Scott Harris will not succeed, but the change in leadership as a great positive step over who was leading the Tigers before. As has been pointed out, SH has to assess what he has, which takes time, and deal with the reality. Throwing some FA patches on the roster smacks of the desperation of the former leadership and often doesn’t get the results fans are looking for, even though it could be painful I am willing to have some patience.
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