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Ohio Tiger's Offseason Plan


Ohio Tiger's Offseason Plan

Arbitration-eligible players

Contract options (pick up or buy out)

Pending free agents (re-sign or let go)

  • Erick Aybar: made $8.5 million in 2016 - Let go
  • Jarrod Saltalamacchia: made $8 million in 2016 - Let go
  • Casey McGehee: made $1.1 million in 2016 - Let go.... Resign to Minor League deal

Free agents

Alright, we're in cost-cutting mode, so any free agent signings are going to have to be on the cheap from now on. But that doesn't mean that we can't pick up some meaningful pieces.

Sign Peter Bourjos- 1 year, $2.5m - A defense first outfielder, with potential to play all 3 outfield positions, split a platoon with Moya/Collins, and provide late-game pinch running.

Sign Greg Holland - Coming back from Tommy John Surgery, we should be able to get Holland on an incentive-laden one-year deal with a second-year option. $2m with incentives up to $5m based on performance.

Hank Conger - Minor League Deal -
provides some minor league depth, and is a quality switch-hitting backup with good pitch framing numbers.

Casey McGehee - Minor League Deal - not who anyone wants starting at 3rd base, but provided nice depth in the system last year. Wouldn't mind keeping him around again for the same purpose.

Payroll Addition: $4,500,000

Trades

Alright, here is where we start to blow things up. This is gonna hurt a bit, but stay with me here.

Tigers send J.D. Martinez and Ian Kinsler to the Los Angeles Dodgers for: Cody Bellinger, Jose De Leon, and Austin Barnes.
This one would go down as a pretty significant blockbuster of a trade. By giving up our most valuable assets in one trade, we're able to bring back a haul of prospects from LA that should be major league ready or close to it. Bellinger is the 1B of the future for the Tigers, and will spend his season in Toledo grooming himself to take over for Miguel Cabrera in 2018 when he assumes the role of full-time DH. De Leon is MLB ready, and immediately steps into the Tigers rotation in 2017. Barnes is a Catcher who is MLB ready, and blocked in LA by Yasmani Grandal and A.J. Ellis. Barnes is also a right handed hitting catcher, so won't be much of a platoon help with McCann, but he does hit right handed pitching better than McCann. He is also an outstanding defensive catcher and pitch framer, who can also play 2B and 3B in a pinch.

Payroll Savings: $21,750,000

Tigers send Mike Pelfrey and Daniel Norris to the Miami Marlins for Adeiny Hechavarria and Justin Jacome. Daniel Norris, we hardly knew thee. The Marlins need pitching in the worst way, and sending Norris along with Pelfrey is the only way the Marlins take this deal. I tried to unload Zimmerman, but the fish weren't biting. They get a future top of the rotation starter, and the depth that they need for a relatively low price. Hechavarria is a defensive wizard that takes over at SS for the Tigers, bumping Jose Iglesias to 2B. Immediately, the Tigers have the most fearsome middle infield defense in the league. Jacome is left-handed, soft-tossing, back of the rotation workhorse type that will head to Toledo to provide depth.

Payroll Savings: $4,800,000


Tigers send Victor Martinez, K-Rod, and Dixon Machado to the Boston Red Sox for Henry Ramos, Kyle Martin and C.J. Chatham.
AlAl works up the nerve to give his old boss a call, as DD swings for the fences with his 2017 roster. Two of the Sox biggest needs are filling the Papi-sized hole in their lineup and bolstering their bullpen. V-Mart waives his no-trade clause to reunite with the Sox and Dombrowski, and the Tigers include their closer and utility infielder in the deal to sweeten the pot. DD gets his big bat, and does it cheaper and shorter-term than signing Edwin Encarnacion, plus he bolsters the pen with another late-inning arm. Because he has no regard for prospects, DD throws us Boston's 15th, 16th, and 28th rated prospects. Ramos is a 4th outfielder type that can play anywhere in the outfield. As a switch hitter, he'll start the year in Toledo giving Moya/Collins a short leash. Martin is a 6-7 sinkerballer with a devastating changeup and command issues. He stocks the farm in Toldeo for the time being, and is a 5th starter option if/when injury strikes the rotation. Chatham is a lottery ticket that spent last year as a short-stop in single A. He is not likely to stick at short-stop, but could be a 2nd baseman of the future if all goes well.

Payroll Savings: $24,500,000


Summary

The name of the game is cutting salary, staying competitive, and building for the future. Some tough calls had to be made, but my plan restocks the farm system, and provides an influx of young talent that (hopefully) can keep this team competitive for years to come. In the process, we hang onto the cornerstones of our franchise (Cabrera and Verlander). The team also becomes extremely versatile with a lot of players that can play multiple positions. For example, J-Up, Miggy, and Moya can all rotate through the DH role, Barnes can play some infield if needed, and Romine/Jones are super-subs. The obvious holes are in the outfield, but that gives us an opportunity to upgrade at the deadline or mix/match all of the outfield pieces to see what works. We also become a much stronger defensive team, especially up the middle, and a much better baserunning team, all while getting younger, saving $56M, and keeping the core intact.

Net Payroll Addition of Free Agents: $4.5M
Net Payroll Subtraction via Trades: $51,050,000

After paying out all of the kids, and factoring in possible incentives, plus Prince's money, payroll comes in at under $160M for 2017, and your opening day lineup looks like this:

Rip Away!

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the <em>Bless You Boys</em> writing staff.