The Tigers are preparing for the possibility of dealing ace David Price and outfielder Yoenis Cespedes at the deadline, according to a report from Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
GM Dave Dombrowski tells Nightengale that the team has yet to reach a final decision. But other sources inside and outside the organization reportedly say that Detroit will market those free agents-to-be unless owner Mike Ilitch intervenes with a “veto.”
Dombrowski certainly left open the possibility of a sell-off in his comments to USA Today. “At this point, our focus is trying to win right now,” he said. “We’re trying to do everything we can to qualify for the playoffs. Things can turn dramatically over a 10-game period. But you have to play well, at some point, on a consistent basis. We’re at a point where we have to do what’s best in our heart for the franchise.”
The addition of Price and/or Cespedes to the trade market would certainly represent a dramatic alteration of the market. Both are 29 years of age and in the midst of highly productive campaigns.
Price is an undisputed ace, and would immediately join (and arguably displace) Johnny Cueto and Cole Hamels at the top of the starting pitching market. He owns a 2.32 ERA over 132 innings, with 8.7 K/9 against 1.8 BB/9. Those numbers are right in line with — or, in the case of his bottom-line results, even better than — his outstanding career numbers.
Cespedes, meanwhile, is in the midst of the best overall campaign of his career. His 120 wRC+ paces any batting line he’s carried over a full season since his debut year. And he has earned career-best defensive ratings for his work in left. All told, Cespedes has already racked up 3.1 fWAR on the year.
It is not clear whether the Tigers will consider moving other players whose control is up after the year, to say nothing of longer-term assets. Closer Joakim Soria, starter Alfredo Simon, catcher Alex Avila, and outfielder Rajai Davis are among the members of the current roster who are slated for free agency. Soria and Davis have both enjoyed quality seasons, while Simon and Avila have been less productive, but all of those players would figure to draw varying levels of interest.
If Detroit moves some of its key veterans, it appears that it will do so with the intention of getting near-term value from those expiring assets. “We’re not thinking of rebuilding,” said Dombrowski, “but if we have to, it would be a case of regrouping.” The long-time executive emphasized that he believes the organization has a better stock of “good young players than people think,” making clear that he sees plenty of cause for hope in 2016.
Prior to the All-Star break, Dombrowski maintained that the team was focused on the present. But having entered play today ten-and-a-half games back of the division-leading Royals, the Tigers seem less optimistic of their immediate outlook. The loss of Miguel Cabrera for much of the second half, obviously, also tells large in that assessment.
jljr222
Going to throw out my usual bad trade ideas, but why not? Yankees send Gary Sanchez, Bryan Mitchell and Jacob Lindgren to the Tigers for David Price. How bad?
Draven Moss
Not enough. I think the market for Price could get ludicrous enough to where the Yankees would have to give up Severino or Judge for him. I think, if traded, the Tigers will be able to get a top 50 prospect and a couple lower tier pieces for him.
jljr222
Figured as much, would be nice to have, but I don’t see the Yankees moving Judge or Severino at this point. I’m honestly starting to believe they are untouchable as untouchable gets for the Yankees.
morningwood
I think NYY would kick around the idea trading for Price if they knew he would resign with them long term. Sounds like he wants to go to the Cubs though.
Draven Moss
If I were the Yankees, I wouldn’t move either of them, especially not for a rental.
willi
They are prospects nothing more. One in Four chances they come to nothing !
East Coast Bias
You’re right. All they are is potential, at this point. You don’t know what they will become. You have an idea, but you don’t know for sure.
However, you know EXACTLY what you will get with Price: half a season.
The potential of Judge or Severino (or any top prospect, for that matter) is really hard to give up for a half season of Price (or any ace).
Meow Meow
I don’t really see the Tigers getting more for half a season of Price than they gave for 1.5 seasons of Price…
mctigers
They don’t need to get more, they gave up Smyly in the Price deal. If they can get back just one solid, young, cost-controlled pitcher that pans out the deal would be a success. Though after giving up Fister and Porcello while acquiring Ray, Greene, and Simon I’m starting to question their pitching scouts.
Joe McMahon
Bad. Too much for 3 months of Price, considering that both Lindgren and Sanchez are top 10 prospects in the system and Mitchell is a major league ready starter or reliever who throws 96.
jljr222
Nah, I don’t think that’s too much for Price. Price is an ace and the only one without scary injury concerns going into the trade deadline. Not sure if the Tigers want to go with McCann behind the plate full-time so I figured Sanchez would be the bait there, Lindgren to help with their immediate bullpen needs and then Mitchell as an SP arm because you can’t trade Price without getting one back.
Joe McMahon
You’re right. In hindsight, it’s probably not more than Price would cost. It’s just more than I would pay. Mostly because I don’t value two months of a rental as much as everyone else seems to. I don’t want the Yankees to go get any rental at all, and certainly not give up multiple top 10 prospects for him.
stymeedone
I’m guessing you have not seen McCann play for the Tigers. Rifle, Accurate arm. Great at Blocking Balls in the dirt. Absolutely, he is the catcher of the future. Bat looks solid too.
bruinsfan94 2
Your joking right? Top 10 is really not that great for a middle of the road system. Non are in the top 5. You think David Price is gonna be had without giving up a top 100 prospect?
knockdown 2
Sort of happened before, lol…
bruinsfan94 2
Well Franklin wasnt far removed from being a top 100 prospect.
stymeedone
Of course, there were MAJOR league players involved in that trade (Drew Smyly).
Joe McMahon
I suppose not. I’ll rephrase what I said. That is way more than I would give for Price.
bruinsfan94 2
Well thats crazy and has no basis in realty.
Joe McMahon
Sure it does. It’s 2 months of Price. 2 months. That does not have a ton of value. A team giving up a top prospect for two months of any player not named Mike Trout or Bryce Harper is ridiculous. It’s not just me overvaluing Yankees prospects. If I were the Red Sox or the Blue Jays or the Rockies, I wouldn’t give any of their top 5 prospects for 2 months of a rental either.
bruinsfan94 2
Theres so much wrong with that statement. I don’t like trading for rentals ether, but Price is the kind of guy who could make the Yanks truly dangerous. He is an elite level player. Non of the players mentioned were top prospects. The Red Sox for instance are much better then the Yanks top five. Non of those guys would probably be in the Red Sox top 10. ( Mitchel would probably be in the late teens or early 20’s). That would be a laughable steal for the Yanks.
Joe McMahon
You’re greatly overestimating how much more dangerous Price would make them. You are also overestimating how strong the Red Sox farm system is. It’s better than the Yankees system but not by a lot. Hell, with E-Rod in the majors, the two best prospects in either farm system are in NY’s.
bruinsfan94 2
That is 100% wrong. Moncada and Devers over Severino and Judge. Moncada is a top 10 in all of baseball. Plus look at the depth even with Erod,Betts,Bogarets,Swihart going to the MLB. The Red Sox have Moncada, Devers, Johnson,Margot, Owens, Benintendi, Gurra, Etc. The yanks have improved a lot but they are not in the same class as Boston. Also look at Prices career numbers. He is a legit ace. You are overestimating the yanks farm by a whole lot and underestimating everyone who does not play for them.
Out of place Met fan
Price can have a Sabathia to the Brewers like impact. Think LaPorta was the “big” prospect in that deal
stymeedone
Brantley was a nice addition, too.
jljr222
You can remove this comment, I accidentally replied to the wrong person 🙁
bruinsfan94 2
Theres not even one top 5 player in the yanks system in that trade….
jljr222
Depends on what list you’re looking at. Baseball Prospectus has Sanchez at 3, MLB Pipeline he is 7 and Baseball America has him at 5. Soooooo?
bruinsfan94 2
Three and Five sounds way too high for him. I’d take Judge, Severino, Clarkin,Mateo, Bird above him everytime.
theo2016
Well you are obviously a yankees fan.
bruinsfan94 2
I’m a huge Red Sox fan…
donniebaseball
If the tigers do trade price and cespedes, my guess is that it would be to quickly retool for 16 or 17. They need pitching, so that’s what I’d expect them to trade for.
willi
Nope !
thecoffinnail
Sanchez isn’t MLB ready.. He seems to lack maturity but when he finally finds some he is going to turn into a beast.. You might have something if you replace Mitchell with Warren..
theo2016
They are in trouble next year.
estabanfarkosis
You may certainly be right, but if the Tigers are real smart at the deadline and this offseason, there is hope. The big question is whether Dombrowski should lead that “regrouping” he referred to.
stymeedone
Who better than Dombrowski? Overall, he has been excellent. He has never signed his next contract early. I am expecting Mr. Illitch to make him the highest paid GM in the game. He deserves it.
estabanfarkosis
Yeah, I’ve heard Dombrowski is just a great GM. He has been the Tigers GM for 14 years, and still no championship. Only the infamous Lions GM Russ Thomas served in that capacity longer without winning it all. Yes, Dombrowski has made some great trades and the Tigers have made two World Series apparences (embarrassments), but his failure has always been a lack of philosophy beyond “power arms”. His teams have always had combustible bullpens, a very unbalanced lineup particularly the dearth of LH power, terrible defense, full of slow-plodding DH type players, and 14 years of no legitimate lead off hitter. Oh, and expensive , long term contracts to players north of thirty.
Other than that, he’s been wonderful.
willi
The Phillies in waiting !
Matt McCarron 3
Except for the fact the Tigers only have 3 “bad” contracts that are long term.
The Phillies had Lee, Hamels, Ruiz, Howard, Utley, Rollins, Byrd and Doc.
snazzypants
Hamels’ contract is not bad, Doc’s contract was not bad, Rollins’ contract was not bad, Utley’s contract is not bad, Ruiz’s contract is… Well, depends on who you ask.
Point is, a lot of those contracts weren’t/aren’t that bad. The major one is Howard’s. Hamels is performing well and is making that contract look like a bargain. Halladay performed well throughout the life of his contract, as did Rollins (Well, he had his good and bad years).
Matt McCarron 3
Doc had an ERA over 5 in the final 2 years, while earning 50M over those years.
Utley was old when he got a 2/26M extension with 3/45M in vesting options, I wouldn’t call that good.
Ruiz is currently in part-time duty.
Rollins wasn’t terrible, but still giving 4/44M to a 33 year old wasn’t the best idea.
Hamels is still expensive and signed into his mid 30’s.
snazzypants
Halladay had an ERA over 5 because he was constantly injuried. You can’t really blame that on the Philles or Roy. It’s just bad luck. I believe Halladay would’ve been just as good, or decent, had he been fully healthy.
Utley’s vesting option (most likely) won’t even vest because he won’t reach the required amount of PAs. Also, do I need to remind you he was an all-star last year, the first year of his contract?
Ruiz is not part-time, Rupp catches every 5 days or so. I wouldn’t call that part time. But while he probably isn’t worth his contract, it’s not that bad.
You keep mentioning their ages. Just because they’re old doesn’t mean they can’t perform well. Lots of older players are playing well today, such as V-Mart, Torri Hunter, etc.
So because he’s signed into his mid-thirties makes this contract horrible?
theo2016
Signing middle infielders to 40 years old is bad. Ruiz wasnt bad in dollar terms but again paying a premium multi years until hes 38. They got unlucky with doc i will say that. But multi year deals to old guys up the middle up and not front loading is a bad idea
tuner49
Only Cabrera (age32/8yrs left),Verlander(age 32/4yrs left) and Victor Martinez(36/3yrs left) have 3 or more years on their contracts.JV’s contract hurts, but Miggy and V Mart are big producers and earn their money both on and off the field.
McCann,Iglesias, Gose,and Castellanos are all 25 or younger.J.D. Martinez is 27, so that’s 5 starters with team control. Kinsler (33) and Sanchez(31) have 2 years left(with buyouts). Cespedes at 29,Simon at 34,Davis at 34,and Soria at 31 are FA.
Tigers do not have to rebuild, but rather retool and look nothing like the Phillies.
Overbrook
A little more than retooling is necessary. Tigers have 1 decent starter after this year.
stymeedone
There’s time between now and next year to correct that.
mctigers
The rotation worries me, as does the BP. Tigers need a lot of pitching, but comparisons to the Phillies are not yet warranted. They do drop a lot of FA $ off the books after this season and have a promising young core to go with some vets still playing at a high level. They have some flexibility… what they do with it will determine if they regroup or sink.
Carlos760
They have a better chance of signing cespedes, than to sign price. Wonder what they’ll ask for them.
rob1689
Price for Puig
estabanfarkosis
That’s not as crazy as it seems. Of course there would be another piece or two moving but after watching Puig overthrow the cutoff tonight and Mattingly’s reaction, there may be a bit of Puig fatigue in LA.
willi
Trade Puig to Mets for a Young Gun . One Teams wins. Dodger get Quality Young Arm , Mets get a 245Lb Headache, which play well in NY Media Gossip circles. If you can’t compete against Yankees in Baseball Market, go for Newspaper Headlines.
Matt McCarron 3
I wouldn’t mind seeing either Matz or Wheeler for Puig. Matz would end up being the one, but I doubt it happens. Puig just hasn’t been good this year.
Carlos760
I rather see crawford than puig lol. He has trade value and years of control.
rct
imo, no chance Wheeler gets traded for Puig. He’s out with TJ and won’t pitch until mid-2016. No reason the Dodgers would do it. Also, as much as I love Matz, he has two ML starts and is also injured (and probably will still be at the trade deadline).
It’s a good point about Puig not being that great this year, but his contract is still excellent value. Even still, I’m not sure the Mets would want to deal anything worthwhile for him.
therealryan
Puig hasn’t been as good as he has been in the past, but he has still been a good player. Puig has a 117 wRC+, which is identical to Cespedes who has a 117 wRC+. That is the highest wRC+ Cespedes has had in 3 seasons.
willi
And half of the Dodgers !
The Oregonian
Dunno if they trade Puig for a rental, even though LA would have a pretty good chance of resigning Price. Puig for Hamels would be really interesting, though.
Phillies2017
Finally they have come to terms with the fact that they have bought a ticket for the titanic. They should have begun to retool last offseason. They need to build their farm team up as much as they can with these players and they need to trade Miguel Cabrera. His contract will kill them in the future if they don’t do what they did with Prince and get out from under it.
The Oregonian
Trade Miguel Cabrera?! *chokes on water
stymeedone
sure, the Tigers didn’t want to sell any tickets next year anyway.
estabanfarkosis
Right, because St. Louis didn’t sell any tickets when Pujols left. No one should ever be untouchable.
Phillies2017
Miggy is under contract through his age 42 season. Injuries have already started kicking in and a decline is likely. He has $240,000,000 left on that contract and a trade would certainly get enough prospects to sell plenty of tickets. They could get a team’s first, second, third and fourth top prospect as well as the 15th just to start a conversation. Imagine that! The Tigers would never need to go through any kind of long drawn out rebuild process. Look at Atlanta. They sold high on most-all of their pieces: Kimbrel, Heyward and Upton to name a few and they look as if they can be a legit contender for a title as early as next season and that’s coming from a Phillies fan. If I could go back to 2012, I would have sold higher on Pence, I would have sold Hamels, Lee, Ruiz, Pierre (who actually had a great 2012 season in Philly) among more. Yes, we would have still been stuck with Howard, but it would have hastened the rebuild (we have been awful for 3.5 years now and project to stink for another year and a half) so for the Tiger’s sake, they can avoid that same fate I admit, most of my ideas are terrible, but I stand by this one. On top of the crazy Miggy return, add the Cespedes return and the Price return and you instantly have the number 1 farm system in baseball.
mctigers
If, as you say, Miggy is such a disastrous contract with his decline already becoming apparent, then why would anyone give some crazy franchise-altering return for him?
therealryan
The same reasons you lay out for trading Cabrera are the same reasons no other team will give you their 4 best prospects plus others. There are probably only 3 or 4 teams who are capable of even taking on Cabrera’s contract and no one is giving up a king’s ransom for that “privilege.”
therealryan
No one is giving up much to take on a guaranteed contract of $240-$300m over the next 8-10 years for a 33 year old 1B who will probably be a full time DH in a season or two.
Bertin Lefkovic
The Tigers gave up Jackson and Smyly for 1.5 years of Price. Getting Price for 0.5 years shouldn’t cost more than Flores and Nova. If someone is going to overpay for Price, let them and if the price is right in November, the Yankees can sign him then.
Carlos760
I can see the dodgers, cubs other teams try to sign him too.
willi
Phils have Money too , Lee Contact up , TV deal money and all old Money off books by 2017.
Carlos760
Dodgers don’t have a limit in payroll. Besides they won’t get close to the dodgers tv deal.
acetwist21
That trade was an absolute steal.
And the gave up a top 25 SS in Adams as well
Ray Ray
They gave up Willy Adames as well. He was, and is, a pretty good prospect.
stymeedone
You are making the mistake that what the Tiger paid for him has some influence on what they will get for him. It doesn’t. Sure, it applies logic, but teams seldom use logic.
therealryan
Nova is not a good comparison for Smyly. A better comparison would be Eovaldi. Add a top 100 prospect with Eovaldi and you are probably in the ball park. One of Bird/Mateo and Eovaldi is probably a pretty good trade idea. Maybe throw in a young utility guy like Figueroa and call it done.
alex navarrette
Eovaldi doesn’t have nearly the same value Smyly had. Smyly had success at the major league level prior to the trade, while Eovaldi has never had a ton of success at this level.
starsofwar
Cespedes plays left field not right
Matt Galvin
Cubs? Blue Jays?
scissormetimbers
Daniel Norris and dalton Pompey
Bob Smiley
Domingo Santana. Phillips. Kemp. McCullers. Vincent V.- the Astros have tons to get a Price deal done.
dylanp5030
His dog would be pleased
snazzypants
There’s no guarentee that Price would sign with the Astros. I don’t see why everyone thinks they should trade for a big-name, front of the rotation pitcher. They’re a surprise this year, but they’re still going to have growing pains. Trading for Price for 3 months and giving up quality prospects would set their rebuild backwards. And yes, they are still in rebuilding mode. Just because they’re ahead of schedule doesn’t mean they should stray off course.
snazzypants
The safer bet would be to pursue some cheaper, solid, middle-rotation arms, like Aaron Harang or Ian Kennedy.
theo2016
Harang and kennedy arent mid rotation. They are 5th starters. If that.
Bob Smiley
its known they are more than ok with a rental. Price or Cueto?
snazzypants
If they HAD to have another frontline starter, I think Cueto would be the way to go.
willi
He going to Cubs or Dodgers !
willi
Give them all up ! All
max l
I said this on another website, but the Tigers are basically headed down the same trajectory as the Phillies are going: bad contracts for old, past their prime players, and a crumbling farm system that has no viable candidate to either: A) trade for someone or B) fill in when one of their starters gets injured.
Since the Tigers minor league teams aren’t great I’d sell. Should they even make the playoffs, this team doesn’t look like a championship caliber team anyways, and since they’ll be in the wildcard race (not catching the Royals this year), do Tiger fans really want to see Verlander, Simon & Shane Greene starting 3 of the last 4 games of the season to keep them in the playoff hunt?? Price will get you at least a top 10 prospect, then probably a top 50 and maybe even a top 100 too.
dylanp5030
I don’t think anyone is giving up a top 10 prospect for someone who is a FA after the year.
scissormetimbers
Daniel Norris!!
BoldyMinnesota
oh god no, I will not be happy if Norris is involved in any deal
bruinsfan94 2
Two months of Price does not get that much. He didnt get that much the first time he was traded.
theo2016
Verlanders the only real bad contract. vmart is ok. Kinsler actually starts to get cheaper. Flipping price for a stroman or cespedes for a wheeler might be the best way of retooling.
Matt McCarron 3
Verlander is a bad contract, Kinsler is owed 2/29M. VMART has his lowest .OPS since 2008 and is owed 54M over 2016-2018.
Miggy is signed through his age 40 season, with anywhere from 240-300M owed to him, depending on his vesting options.
theo2016
Miggy is still a 5 win player. Kinsler makes 12 mil next year which is cheap for his production. Vmart started slowly as he recovered from surgery but look at his splits, hes back to old vmart. Btw kinsler is 2/25 with a 10 mil option.
Matt McCarron 3
Hes 2/25M with a 4M buyout on that option, which comes out to 2/29M.
theo2016
Which is a garuntee to be picked up because hes still projected as a 2 win player that year.
willi
In other Words , Disaster Looming !
funkytime
V-Mart was playing hurt early on in the year. Since he’s come back from his injury he’s been hitting like his former self. His overall stats are very deceiving and not reflective of his current value.
(I still don’t like the length and size of that deal, but his value hasn’t really dropped this year, like it would appear at first glance. He just likely should’ve been put on the DL much sooner than he was.)
mctigers
Someone doesn’t watch the Tigers… Victor was playing hurt the first month. If you look at his numbers since he returned from the DL, he is right where he has always been in his career. Only time will tell with Miggy, and Kinsler is pricey but performs. JV is their only albatross contract, as he looks like the second coming of Barry Zito. The Tigers frop $40mil or so from payroll this offseason, while picking up a comp pick or two. The sky isn’t falling. They have room to add for a bounceback in 2016.
willi
100 % Agree ! The Tigers are Phillies in waiting !
bobbleheadguru
This is a weird talking point that makes little sense when you actually look at the Tigers roster today.
ZERO out of 8 position players are the same since their ALCS run only 2+ years ago. Miggy moved, Avila essentially in a platoon. EVERY other player is different, their average age is YOUNGER than the Royals.
estabanfarkosis
Be very careful of the average thing. It can be very deceiving. If you and I are sitting in a room and Bill Gates walks in, based on averages, we are all billionaires.
There is an opportunity cost for everything. The Tigers will be paying Cabrera, Verlander, Sanchez, V. Martinez and Kinsler $103 million in 2016.
batman
What would it take for the Pirates to land cespedes?
willi
More than the Pirates Brain Trust has the Brain Muscle for , They will try to do it on the Cheap and Fail .
Matt McCarron 3
Being cheap has worked for them so far, 2, soon to be 3 straight playoff appearances.
donniebaseball
Probably their 3rd-4th best pitching prospect. This is coming from a tigers fan. This depends on how strong the team’s farm is though. I’d expect them to ask for a pitcher with #3 potential with a decently high floor, to give you an idea
BucSox
The Pirates have a few pitchers that fit that bill. I would prefer they add Price over Cespedes though. Maybe they could send better prospects back if they acquired both.
Matt McCarron 3
What if the Angels trade future value for current value, while the Tigers get a piece to help their “retool.”
Hector Santiago and Tyler Skaggs for Price and Cespedes?
Santiago is having an awesome season, but his FIP suggests regression and hes under team control for 2.5 more seasons. Skaggs could be something, or he might not be, but hes a very high-potential piece that could help the Tigers in the long run, while the Angels get 2 allstar caliber rentals.
Imagine a rotation of Price, Richards, Weaver, Wilson and Heaney in the long run, with a middle of the order of Trout, Pujols, Cespedes and Calhoun.
theo2016
Would need to be heaney and skaggs.
Matt McCarron 3
Why? Santiago is having a career year and has been arguably the best pitcher for them this season.
theo2016
Doesnt go deep into games, way outperforming his peripherals.
alex navarrette
Advanced statistics normally aren’t kind to fly ball pitchers. Weaver was undoubtedly one of the best pitchers not too long ago, and he always way outperformed his FIP. I’m not saying Santiago is as good as prime Weaver, but he has created plenty of weak contact and has been a very good pitcher so far. If you have watched the games, you’ll see he has pitched well and isn’t simply “lucky”.
mctigers
Because well-paid, experienced GM’s also can look at peripherals. If you can look at the numbers and realize Santiago is likely to regress, you think Dave Dombrowski doesn’t see that too? GM’s get hired for their ability to NOT buy high on someone having a career anomaly year
Matt Galvin
Angels would have to give up Wilson but Tigers might not want to take on Salary. Avila to Braves or so on.
Matt McCarron 3
Why would the Tigers have to give up Wilson?
You expect to get 2 top-of-the-line rentals and get the Tigers to take on salary?
chopy4
Carlos Gonzalez fits their needs.
Charlie Burns
Why? They need pitching and to get younger, not someone older than JD.
alex navarrette
I’m pretty sure he was referencing the Angels from the chain above.
meinhardt1992 2
Just throwing out another option that may be good. Price to the Cubs for Beaz and/or Castro, and then maybe another prospect….
tigerman14
Won’t happen, Tigers don’t need either. Have Iglesias and kinsler
theo2016
Can move em to third. I dont believe in castelanos but ur right prolly wont happen.
funkytime
Frankly, I’d like to see Kinsler moved too. We need to get some salary off the books, and get younger. Kinsler could be a nice trade piece as well.
rct
Castro is among the worst SS in the game this year. He adds negative value to that trade.
theo2016
And last year he was one of the best. Hes still only 25 so its not like hes over the hill. Defintely still value, just less than last year.
thecoffinnail
In the full article DD says that he is looking for a return similar to what he gave up to get Price last year.. He doesn’t see much of a difference between 1.5 years of Price and 2 months of Price to a contender.. I would have to agree only because he didn’t exactly break the bank for Price to begin with.. Smyly is a solid mid rotation arm who had the potential to be a TOR after Tampa tweaked him a bit until he tore his labrum.. Jackson was a leadoff hitter whose best seasons were behind him.. Adames was key to the deal and not just some through in.. I really don’t see DD as being too far off in assuming he can get something similar out of a team this year.. Something like Eovaldi, Warren, and Mateo from the Yankees or Van Slyke, De Leon, and Hernandez from the Dodgers.. With DD looking to “regroup” for next year I am sure he is looking for MLB ready talent and not high ceiling lower prospects.. Only reason I included Mateo is because he is very similar to what Adames was and Detroit would already be getting 2 mlb ready arms.. Warren would be tough to give up but Price would pretty much guarantee the Yankees the East..
badbob
I think Washington is in on Price and Cespedes, but to get them they will have to give up Strasburg and Rivero. A huge upgrade for the Senators and a nice playable now with upside package for Detroit.
max l
Would be nice, but I think it’ll cost more then Stras & Rivero for Price & Cespedes….however, Stras & Rivero could get them Kimbrel which might be better off anyways. We’ll see how Joe Ross does in his next 2 starts (tonight vs. Mets, Sunday @ Pirates). If he pitches as well those 2 before he got optioned back to Syracuse, I think the Nats should seriously think about trading Strasburg for either Kimbrel or Chapman.
therealryan
DD can say that the return is similar, but he is wrong. The Tigers had Price for last years playoff push, plus this entire year and playoff push and would be able to receive a compensation pick when he leaves via free agency. Any team who trades for him gets Price for one playoff push. That’s it. He has at best, half the value of last season, but probably even a little less without the comp pick.
bobbleheadguru
If the Tigers trade Price, they need to try to get Hamels. Here is how:
1. Price to “contender”.
2. Hamels to Tigers. A downgrade for sure this year, but controllable years keeps their window open.
3. Phillies get multiple prospects and MLB ready players from BOTH the Tigers and the contender.
BucSox
This could actually make a lot of sense for the Tigers and Phillies depending on the 3rd team. The only problem is that the Tigers would have to use at least 1 or 2 of their own prospects to get this done. Now if you packaged Price and another piece like Cespedes you probably don’t have to. Hamels is more valuable (certainly not better) I would think because of the control left on his contract.
bobbleheadguru
I revised in a new post. Thanks for the suggestion.
mctigers
Except the Tigers don’t have multiple prospects or MLB ready players to spare. This is throwing good money after bad. The Tigers are stuck with JV and Anibal as their expensive vets. If they don’t perform, Hamels won’t save them. If they do perform, Hamels isn’t necessary. They several pitchers and getting one expensive guy that’s likely on the downside of his contract is not the solution.
cusefan4431
What are the thoughts on Yankees trading for Ian Kinsler from Detroit or Cesar Hernandez from Philly?
mctigers
I’d like for the Tigers to be able to hang onto Cespedes and re-sign him. He really lengthens the lineup, locks down a strong OF for several years (with Gose/JD being comparatively cheap still), and covers a lot of ground in CoPa’s cavernous LF.
The rest, let them all go. Avila’s not needed with the emergence of McCann and Holiday an able backup, Davis has been barely playing this season and isn’t coming back, Soria can’t be a one-man BP, Price can’t be a one man rotation (Tigers better hope JV and Sanchez figure it out by 2016), and Simon… well, nobody would take him. Add Rondon and Greene to that pile as well, both are young enough that someone will think they can be fixed.
bobbleheadguru
Here is what Dombrowski should do:
1. Price AND Cespedes to contender.
2. Hamels to Tigers.
3. A boatload of prospects/MLB ready talent to Phillies (mostly from contender, some from Tigers).
Backup plan would be:
1. Price to contender
2. Porcello or Shields to Tigers along with $30MM.
3. Prospects/MLB Talent to Red Sox or Padres.
mctigers
I don’t get the desire from Tigers fans to get Hamels. The Phils got Lee, Halladay, and Hamels for their $60mil rotation… you want the Tigers who already owe Sanchez and JV $40mil to add another expensive arm? JV is Barry Zito 2.0 at this point… they’re not spending their way out of their rotation woes. Just as the Giants did with Lincecum, Cain, and Bumgarner, the Tigers will have to dig out of their bad pitching contracts with young, cost-controlled talent.
bobbleheadguru
The going rate for AVERAGE Starters is ~$17MM.
Even the Qualifying Offer level will be close to that.
Hamels is a bargain at only a few Million more per year than that.
mctigers
I’m not saying the Hamels contract isn’t a good deal (it is, and will probably get better over time as prices keep going up). I’m saying it doesn’t help the Tigers very much because of the current state of their contracts/rotation. Thus the phrase throwing good money (Hamels) after bad (JV/Sanchez/Simon/etc)… where you try to make up for previous mistakes by buying your way out of it when the wisest course is to cut your losses and take your lumps.
If they’d extended Max instead of JV or something, then sure, go ahead and add Hamels to make the rotation invincible. But with what they’ve got now, adding Hamels still leaves you with a pretty mediocre rotation in 2016 and beyond because you can’t count on JV or Anibal. For as much as that rotation would cost (before even getting to their 4/5 starters who will need to pitch better than JV) it needs to be better than mediocre.
Hamels is not even a top-10 pitcher in his current league and is not going to get better as he ages and pitches in a tougher hitting league. He just doesn’t make sense as the cornerstone of a rebuilding/retooling/regrouping effort.
rburns
Can anyone see the Cardinals getting in on this?
rburns
Anyone see the Cardinals getting in on this?
gman1031
Just throwing this out there (from a tigers fan) Mets need a bat and could catch the nats with a thumper in the line up. Cespedes for Nolan syderguard is not the craziest idea especially due to the fact they have degrom and matz and wheeler still.. Anyone else think it could happen?
Jorge Soler Powered
Who is that?
gman1031
Hello
bobbleheadguru
Price, Cespedes, Davis, Avila, Soria and Verlander for one solid prospect.
Leverage assets to get rid of liabilities. Any contender willing to take that deal?
djgreen99
I wouldn’t mind seeing St. Louis picking up Alex Avila for a middling minor leaguer. He wouldn’t cure their offensive problems, but he would give them a left-handed option at first and catcher.