2017 Detroit Tigers

[softailrider]

I'm left wondering about the status of Ausmus. Never was a fan, and thought he was in over his head at the start, yet I really couldn't complain much if the Tigers kept him on at this point. His skill set may actually be better served with a developing team, as opposed to contending veterans. His experience as a player and catcher is a plus, and he has a patient disposition for what's about to happen. It won't be as bad as 2003...more like 1975. [[I was at the game when Ray Bare pitched a shut-out to end the 19 game losing streak)

As far as X's and O's go, I think Ausmus is okay maybe. My complaint is that he doesn't seem to light a fire under anybody's butt. Of course, I'm not in the clubhouse, but to me he comes across as a Casper Milquetoast character. It's like he doesn't show a whole lot of life in the dugout. Neither did Jim Leyland, MOST of the time, but when Leyland lost it, he lost it big time.

[emu steve]

I am dumbfounded how badly the effort to get 'younger and cheaper' turned out.

When they agreed to trade J.D. for next to nothing, I believe it completely unnerved a team with many holes.

Then more trades and now injuries and suspensions and the ball is rolling down hill at a faster and faster pace.

Lower infield box seats near the infield dirt start at a cool $6.00 on Stub Hub for tonight's game. [[less than the price of a beer).

Next year, based on the current team and farm, won't win 60 wins and draw say 1.5M.

Chris I. and Avila have a HUGE job to rebuild this franchise.

First thought that came to me this morning: The implosion of GM in 2008 [[I was at a GM dealer when Bush announced a limited 'bailout'. Believe the dealer owner was near watching a television monitor as Bush spoke. If I remember the story correctly, without the 'bailout' GM was planning to shutter and go out of business. No cash left.).

Just woke up and ask: "How did this happen????"

[emu steve]

One thing about a MLB franchise and making a profit.

The teams which win lose money because of their bloated payrolls don't cover the costs of doing business.

A lot of losing teams make money, because of shared TV, etc. because of their low payroll. Think the Pirates did this for years.

Mr. I. might have spent an extra 100M on payroll to draw say an additional 1M fans, but that might have produced an extra 50M in ticket revenue. Those numbers do not make an accountant happy.

.

[Maof]

When they agreed to trade J.D. for next to nothing, I believe it completely unnerved a team with many holes.

And he hit four homers yesterday.

[Bong-Man]

The farm system has always been the bane of this organization. Name one decent position player since Travis Fryman their farm system has produced....Alex Avila ?....Maybin ? We're talking a whole generation of pretty much nothing, and it's not the first time this has happened.

[emu steve]

The farm system has always been the bane of this organization. Name one decent position player since Travis Fryman their farm system has produced....Alex Avila ?....Maybin ? We're talking a whole generation of pretty much nothing, and it's not the first time this has happened.

Agree 100%.

Scouting and drafting was mediocre at best. Some prospects were downright poor. Best prospects were traded for MLB players, some very good. Think Miggy.

We lost 1st round draft choices for signing free agents.

The SAD, VERY SAD think was the Tigers were trying to rebuild the farm the last few years by signing FIRST rounders like h.s. pitchers Burrows, Manning and now collegiate pitcher, Faedo.

These kids were ticketed for Detroit in 2019. The idea was to keep the ship afloat while the farm system was re-tooled.

Then in 2017 the bullpen imploded, the team started losing games, J.D. as free agent to be was traded, and then the wheels simply came off the wagon...

I thought the Tigs were trying to re-tool, get younger, cheaper, etc. and balance young, cheap players with expensive veteran stars [[e.g., Miggy, JV, J-Up, etc.).

Now we have an early spring training team with a few expensive, older players.

That is a mess. We could be one of those teams like the Nationals and Astros who get the #1 overall pick two successive years. We might finish dead last this year and 2018 looks like a 55 - 60 win team.

[Smirnoff]

What is the act of moving or acting quickly to do, find, or get something; Scrambling

The repeated proliferation of acquired minor league players as the solution to all of the landslide losing is.....whoze foolin' who?

[Ray1936]

And he hit four homers yesterday.

Watched that game on ESPN. He was amazing. Only the 18th player to do so in one game in the majors.

[lafontaine]

The farm system has always been the bane of this organization. Name one decent position player since Travis Fryman their farm system has produced....Alex Avila ?....Maybin ? We're talking a whole generation of pretty much nothing, and it's not the first time this has happened.

Granderson and Eugenio Suarez [[now with Reds)

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Granderson and Eugenio Suarez [[now with Reds)

I mentioned this earlier about Suarez. He has developed into a pretty good, under the radar 3rd baseman for the Reds. he's hitting 275 with 24 HR's and 74 RBI's. Castellanos has similar numbers, but they could have kept Suarez at 3rd, and moved Nick to the outfield. They traded Suarez for Alfredo Simon, who's now out of baseball, go figure... The Tigers are going to be a tough watch, for the next couple of years.

[softailrider]

I mentioned this earlier about Suarez. He has developed into a pretty good, under the radar 3rd baseman for the Reds. he's hitting 275 with 24 HR's and 74 RBI's. Castellanos has similar numbers, but they could have kept Suarez at 3rd, and moved Nick to the outfield. They traded Suarez for Alfredo Simon, who's now out of baseball, go figure... The Tigers are going to be a tough watch, for the next couple of years.

For the next couple of years at least, it could be a helluva lot longer.

[softailrider]

I'll just go back to my boycott of Comerica Park. I don't care what anybody says, I think it sucks. Never liked it from the get go, still don't.

[Smirnoff]

Currently only 26 games behind, that's all.......

[401don]

Currently only 26 games behind, that's all.......

Yeah, it's going to be tough to catch the Indians with only 19 to go. On the bright side Candelario looks solid at 3rd, not great but solid, and in a couple of weeks we will be rid of Sanchez and down to only one horribly overpaid pitcher.

[401don]

Brad Ausmus proudly announces the release of the 2018 schedule and encourages everyone to get their seasons tickets while they're still available.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/spo...tes/105533036/

[Smirnoff]

Brad Ausmus proudly announces the release of the 2018 schedule and encourages everyone to get their seasons tickets while they're still available.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/spo...tes/105533036/

Currently only 28.5 games behind Cleveland, I hope they have some good season tickets left for next year......how can Ausmus survive w/o a pink slip?

[Cincinnati_Kid]

I'll just go back to my boycott of Comerica Park. I don't care what anybody says, I think it sucks. Never liked it from the get go, still don't.

I remember Lou Pinella was managing the Mariners when Comerica first opened, and he said he thought he was at the zoo, instead of a baseball stadium, LOL...

[softailrider]

I remember Lou Pinella was managing the Mariners when Comerica first opened, and he said he thought he was at the zoo, instead of a baseball stadium, LOL...

Well, when Comerica first opened the Tigers didn't have any baseball to sell. Now they're back to square one on that point.

[Smirnoff]

Now only 30.5 games behind.....Ausmus could not win w/veterans, sure can't win w/rookies, got to go & take his finger-waving boy Collins......next.

[401don]

Now only 30.5 games behind.....Ausmus could not win w/veterans, sure can't win w/rookies, got to go & take his finger-waving boy Collins......next.

It's not easy to hit 4 homers and lose by 10 runs! I'm trying not to watch these last couple of weeks but I know how long the winter is with 6 months of no baseball. It would be a lot easier if either the Wings or Pistons were going to be decent.

[Smirnoff]

It's not easy to hit 4 homers and lose by 10 runs! I'm trying not to watch these last couple of weeks but I know how long the winter is with 6 months of no baseball. It would be a lot easier if either the Wings or Pistons were going to be decent.

Appears to be a long winter ahead of us......you forgot to add the Lions to the list.

[Lowell]

It's not easy to hit 4 homers and lose by 10 runs! I'm trying not to watch these last couple of weeks but I know how long the winter is with 6 months of no baseball. It would be a lot easier if either the Wings or Pistons were going to be decent.

Who'd a thought the Lions would [might anyway] be our only winning team?

I'll watch them to just assess the new young'uns. Likes: Castellanos taking charge of the 3 slot and making room for Candelario at 3rd who looks like the real thing, Presley who can hit for average but not power and has speed. Disappointments: Jones in center who has all the tools, except hitting it seems, oops, and Jimenez who was supposed to be our next messiah in the bullpen. Miggy who seems to have lost all interest and is just punching the clock.

As for Ausmus, while I have never been his biggest fan, he was handed the declining Leyland-Dombrowski empire made hopeless with over-the-hill closers. If he stays we get to see if he can manage what will be his team.

[401don]

Who'd a thought the Lions would [might anyway] be our only winning team?

I'll watch them to just assess the new young'uns. Likes: Castellanos taking charge of the 3 slot and making room for Candelario at 3rd who looks like the real thing, Presley who can hit for average but not power and has speed. Disappointments: Jones in center who has all the tools, except hitting it seems, oops, and Jimenez who was supposed to be our next messiah in the bullpen. Miggy who seems to have lost all interest and is just punching the clock.

As for Ausmus, while I have never been his biggest fan, he was handed the declining Leyland-Dombrowski empire made hopeless with over-the-hill closers. If he stays we get to see if he can manage what will be his team.

It's easy to make fun of the current "kids" but none of these guys are actual prospects. They are career minor leaguers filling out the roster. The Tigers were smart not to introduce any real prospects to the toxic atmosphere of a bad roster playing out the string. Candelario, McCann & Castellanos are the only starting position players who might be on a contending team in 3 years. The Tigers have about 5 position prospects and up to 15 pitchers with potential in the minors so I look forward to seeing some of them in 2019. I don't think Ausmus will be brought back. Although he might be best suited to coaching a rebuilding team, it would be pretty ugly to dump him in 2 or 3 years when they are ready to contend again.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

^^Great points. I also don't think Ausmus will be brought back. He just doesn't have a "feel" for the game, IMO. Going into winter, the Lions might be the only team we have that can show some promise. MAYBE...

[emu steve]

It's easy to make fun of the current "kids" but none of these guys are actual prospects. They are career minor leaguers filling out the roster. The Tigers were smart not to introduce any real prospects to the toxic atmosphere of a bad roster playing out the string. Candelario, McCann & Castellanos are the only starting position players who might be on a contending team in 3 years. The Tigers have about 5 position prospects and up to 15 pitchers with potential in the minors so I look forward to seeing some of them in 2019. I don't think Ausmus will be brought back. Although he might be best suited to coaching a rebuilding team, it would be pretty ugly to dump him in 2 or 3 years when they are ready to contend again.

Don, I [[almost) completely agree with you [[sounds like double speak).

I would add Iggy to your list of position players who are good enough to play on a contending team for the next say 3 years.

I consider Candelario, Iggy, McCann & Castellanos the 4 pillars of the position players. Fulmer might be the only stud SP [[jury is out on Norris and Boyd and as you indicate the other SP are for 2019 or 20).

A friend, very knowledgeable, looked at a recent lineup and described it as 'early spring training' lineup.

Avila has a tough job this winter. How to put a MLB team on the field next year without spending like a fool.

I'm afraid he'll have to spend big bucks and get an OF who will hit 1/2 of J.D. HRs [[if that).