John Paul Morosi discusses the Tigers’ potential plans for the offseason. They spent roughly $134MM on a fourth place team this season and project at another $130MM next year assuming no free agent signings or extensions. According to Morosi,the Tigers can sustain $110MM payroll based on revenue alone. Owner Mike Ilitch already approved a $40MM payroll increase to make this year’s team, so can they possibly go any higher? It doesn’t seem likely.
Still, Morosi notes that Ilitch wants a World Series and the Tigers need pitching to get it. After Justin Verlander and Armando Galarraga, the Tigers have tied up $29.5MM in 2009 and $34.5 million in 2010 in Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis, and Nate Robertson, none of whom are guarantees to even make the rotation out of spring training. Considering how little these long term signings have contributed, Morosi wonders if spending on more pitching is the best solution.
One expected cost cutting measure would be to decline Edgar Renteria’s $9MM option and try to sign him for less. If they can’t, why not give Ramon Santiago a shot? That’s a start.
