If I Were The Tigers

[Talkin' Baseball]

If I were in Scott Harris' seat with the Tigers, I would try to trade Tarik Skubal. Here's why; I don't think there is any way the Tigers re-sign him. I am saying zero chance. I wouldn't let Skubal and Boras take the franchise by the cajones and dominate the discussion all offseason and go through trade rumors all the way up to the deadline. Then, when you get to the offseason, he files for free agency and they hold you up all winter long thinking you might sign him- and you don't. This is exactly what happened last offseason with Bregman and Boras. I wouldn't put myself in that position again.

What I wouldn't do is put him on the open market and deal with the circus that ensues. I would quietly go to Boston and tell them I would be willing to trade Skubal for Payton Tolle, Kyle Witherspoon, Luis Perales, and Jhostnyxon Garcia if they pull the trigger in the next 8 hours. I'm not interested in other players and I'm not interested in talking about this tomorrow. If I see a media report about this today, I'm done. Then, I would follow through. This is an overpay on Boston's part, and any trade for Skubal should be.

Both Tolle and Witherspoon are going to be good enough to front a rotation. Tolle could slide into the rotation now. Perales has an electric arm and could be in the rotation now, or become the closer. The Tigers need some pop in their lineup, and Nixon could be that as soon as this season.

The Tigers are in a position that they could produce a package that could bring them Brendon Donovan. If they could do these two things and possibly add Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark to the roster sometime this season, the Tigers would not be rebuilding- they would be rebuilt. They earned a wildcard spot last season. I think they could do that again next season with this bunch and be much better off going forward- without the circus.

[sikeston bulldog2]

If I were in Scott Harris' seat with the Tigers, I would try to trade Tarik Skubal. Here's why; I don't think there is any way the Tigers re-sign him. I am saying zero chance. I wouldn't let Skubal and Boras take the franchise by the cajones and dominate the discussion all offseason and go through trade rumors all the way up to the deadline. Then, when you get to the offseason, he files for free agency and they hold you up all winter long thinking you might sign him- and you don't. This is exactly what happened last offseason with Bregman and Boras. I wouldn't put myself in that position again.

What I wouldn't do is put him on the open market and deal with the circus that ensues. I would quietly go to Boston and tell them I would be willing to trade Skubal for Payton Tolle, Kyle Witherspoon, Luis Perales, and Jhostnyxon Garcia if they pull the trigger in the next 8 hours. I'm not interested in other players and I'm not interested in talking about this tomorrow. If I see a media report about this today, I'm done. Then, I would follow through. This is an overpay on Boston's part, and any trade for Skubal should be.

Both Tolle and Witherspoon are going to be good enough to front a rotation. Tolle could slide into the rotation now. Perales has an electric arm and could be in the rotation now, or become the closer. The Tigers need some pop in their lineup, and Nixon could be that as soon as this season.

The Tigers are in a position that they could produce a package that could bring them Brendon Donovan. If they could do these two things and possibly add Kevin McGonigle and Max Clark to the roster sometime this season, the Tigers would not be rebuilding- they would be rebuilt. They earned a wildcard spot last season. I think they could do that again next season with this bunch and be much better off going forward- without the circus.

Nice write. They did get in last year. Repeating as a WC team will be tough.