In any extended family there is bound to be a diversity of political opinions. Nothing has exposed these differences like the recent presidential election. This Thanksgiving the smart thing to do is steer clear of these issues altogether.

Therefore, I have put together for you a list of very safe, Tigers-related topics so you won’t get sidetracked into political brouhahas and your loved ones can stay that way.

Saving money

Al Avila has hinted that the Tigers need to reduce payroll and get younger. And, when you are a star they let you do it. Is this change of climate around the club a hoax? Is his transition team behind schedule? How can Avila both save money and make Comerica great again? Should we plan on keeping J.D. Martinez or do we need to find an alt-right fielder?

Job changes

David Chadd has moved from his previous job as Director of Amateur Scouting to a new position as Assistant GM. Does the lack of top level prospects reflect poorly on him or does the absence of high round picks mean we are hanging Chadd out to dry? Will Chadd’s replacement Scott Pleis make sure each prospect receives thorough vetting?

Draft strategy

Are we going to stick with fire-balling SEC guys or should we draft more high school position players? Perhaps we need 6’ 3”, 200-pound catching prospect and Oral Roberts commit Brody Gibson. Of course, the question is always whether high school guys will sign. While going pro might be the popular vote for Gibson, many think he will elect Oral college. In 2015 high school Tigers draftee Grant Wolfram from Hamilton chose to play for CMU after much suspence.

Looking abroad

If we are spending less on free agents, where can we find affordable help? No Asian player has played for the Tigers since Fu-Te Ni. Why is this? Other teams have many Asian players but the Tigers seem to have no interest in a trans-pacific partnership.

The Manager

How do you feel about Brad Ausmus? Many folks like him but some say he’s too slow to adopt the newest sabermetric strategies. Ausmus may be fixed in his ways unlike, say, Clint Hurtle. During the 2013 season the Pirates manager who adopted a new numbers-minded approach. Shall we renew Ausmus’ contract or pursue Hurdle and lock up Clint on our team for the next few years?

I hope these discussion prompts help you avoid any political banter and remember, not to build any walls between you and your family. Love for the Tigers always trumps family politics.