Tigers GM Al Avila addressed the press today, and Chris Iott of MLive.com has the story (or, if you prefer, the video). We already touched upon his comments regarding the possibility of a J.D. Martinez extension. He also noted the importance of bolstering the pitching staff, saying that the “hope is to find two starting pitchers” — one toward the top of the staff and another back-end arm. The club will also consider newly-acquired youngsters Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd, and Michael Fulmer for starting jobs, along with the struggling Shane Greene — who could instead move to relief duty. Speaking of the pen, Avila noted that adding a lockdown closer would be “a tough task” given the paucity of 9th-inning arms on the market. He also noted that pitching was a greater priority than adding in the outfield, where the team feels good about youngster Tyler Collins. Though Avila didn’t reveal details, he said the cash would be there to make the additions that the team needs: “We’ll have a highly competitive payroll, as we have in the past.”
Here’s more from Detroit and the rest of the American League:
- Tigers reliever Bruce Rondon took the closer job briefly but was ultimately sent home early for an apparent lack of effort. Avila says that the fireballer will need to prove that he is committed and capable, with the GM saying he’s “keeping my fingers crossed that the lesson was learned and he comes back ready to go.” One player who won’t be coming back is veteran infielder Josh Wilson, who has been told he’ll not be re-signed. And Avila said that long-time backstop Alex Avila — who is, of course, his son — is also expected to end up with a new organization.
- Changes in the Mariners’ front office continued on Thursday, as Bob Dutton of the Tacoma News Tribune reported that director of player development Chris Gwynn has stepped down from his post (Twitter link). The Mariners have since confirmed Gwynn’s resignation, and Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times tweets that his expectation for the role to be filled by Angels assistant GM Scott Servais — a lieutenant of new Mariners GM Jerry Dipoto when the two worked together in Anaheim.
- Orioles right-hander Dylan Bundy threw off a mound on Wednesday for the first time since shoulder troubles caused him to be shut down for the season in May, writes the Baltimore Sun’s Eduardo A. Encina. Bundy, formerly rated as the No. 2 overall prospect in the game by both Baseball America and MLB.com, threw 20 pitches in the side session. Director of player development Brian Graham said that Bundy has no physical issues and showed good velocity. The team will decide if he’s to throw in winter ball or possibly the Arizona Fall League, but as Encina notes, getting him some work will be important. Bundy is out of minor league options and will have to stick on the Opening Day roster to avoid waivers next season, so getting him back into game shape carries extra importance for Baltimore.
- The Yankees have quite a bit of work to do heading into the offseason, writes MLB.com’s Barry M. Bloom. Unfortunately, the team doesn’t have much in the way of financial “wiggle room” to pursue the likes of David Price, Zack Greinke or Justin Upton, despite the fact that each player would fill a need for the club, Bloom opines. Perhaps chief among the Yankees’ needs will be to determine if age, injuries or simply general wear and tear contributed to the decline of Jacoby Ellsbury, Alex Rodriguez, Brett Gardner, Brian McCann, Chase Headley and Carlos Beltran down the stretch, he adds.
dishnet34
You don’t need the “proven closer” off the FA market. Just sign some low-risk, high reward relievers (O’Day, Clippard, maybe Sipp, to name a few), see who emerges as the better option among them and the other RPs the Tigers have, and have them be the “closer”. Tigers just don’t seem to understand that that much the last couple years.
donniebaseball
Tigers need depth in the bullpen. A lockdown closer would be nice, but you have to be able to maintain your lead before getting to the 9th anyways.
bobbleheadguru
Tigers have tried every imaginable tactic over the last 6 years at Closer. The bottom line is that they have had zero luck at this position. Red Sox #4 choice at closer becomes the ALCS MVP and World Series Champion.
Meanwhile Tigers have failed at 1. getting a bunch of guys, 2. overpaying for the best available guys, 3. using the young guys they have.
Maybe the Karma of Dombrowski Closer failure is done with his departure?
mctigers
You mean like they tried with Joba Chamerlain, Tom Gorzelanny, Jim Johnson, and Joel Hanrahan over the last 2-3 years?
eilexx
The idea that the Yankees don’t have much “wiggle room” in payroll is pretty funny. The Yankees idea of “wiggle room” is about the same as the Astros entire operating budget. Regardless of what they say publicly, the Yankees are likely to be major players for a big-name starter and other pieces.
MB923
Read the article. The “wiggle room” was regarding the $189 mil luxury tax.
Philliesfan4life
I don’t see the yankees going over the 189 luxury tax this time like they did in 2014. If they do go after A pitcher I only see them getting the shark. Price I believe will go to the cubs.
MB923
They definitely are going to. They already have about $178 million committed to just 10 players. That doesn’t include pre-arb raises either which alone can make it exceed $189 Mil.
mookiessnarl
They’re already committed to almost 220 million next year.
eilexx
No way the Yankees avoid the luxury tax…they’re already over it. The AAV of their guaranteed contracts are slightly over $181M…the tax threshold is $189, less about $10M for healthcare expenses, so the salary threshold is about $179M.
Price will not be going to the Cubs. The Maddon angle isn’t as strong as the Ricketts angle, as in who pays the bills. With the way the Ricketts family purchased the team—significantly debt-financed, as part of the deal with Sam Zell, and they cannot pay it off early—they have major overhead. Doubt they can afford to add Price along with Lester AND still be in position to sign their players in the next few years.
bruinsfan94 2
I doubt the Yankees are going to go to a 300 million payroll next year with the team already overpaid and aging.
vmmercan 2
2017 will be the big spending year and they’ll probably float in the 80’s in wins until then. The Yankees have shown a clear pattern on spending. Tex and Beltran fall off after 2016, A-Rod, Eovaldi, Sabathia and Pineda (I think they extend Eovaldi) after 2017.
Severino, Bird, Sanchez, Judge (whoever sticks out of those four, i’m thinking the former two are cornerstone players) will be headed into their primes.
The Yankees’ window is 2017-2020 from a farm system and contract standpoint. I doubt you see major acquisitions this offseason or next offseason.
bruinsfan94 2
Whilie I agree that they Yankees will wait, thier farm system is not exactly good enough to do much right now. Only Severino and Judge are really impact player.
vmmercan 2
Yeah, but they have been stockpiling talent. They have two guys who are ready to impact now, two more who at least have a decent shot to make an impact next year and then a few intriguing prospects in the system. In 2-3 years the farm system should be in good shape (it’s trending in the right direction). Couple that with big money coming off the books and I think that’s when the Yankees spend big to supplement.
It’s realistic, they have at least one starter, most of the bullpen (besides Miller), 2B, 1B, C and OF developed from the farm with Ells, Gardner and Tanaka still under contract
bruinsfan94 2
I agree but they don’t have the farm yet and it is going to be fairly hard to make it an elite farm without getting good draft picks or trading away any players. Some of those players I doubt they look at as long term solutions ( Refsynder and Sanchez come to mind)
rocky7
Really….impact just like all the impact prospects that the Sox bring up and trade as quickly as they can when they don’t perform…see Middlebrooks etc.
rocky7
Its really what experts Red Sox fans are about the Yankees.
The only ones who think the Sox farm system is elite are Red Sox fans and your best buddie Peter Gammons.
bruinsfan94 2
Do you even watch baseball? Pretty much every single media and sports outlet agrees that the Red Sox have a top five farm. Instead of talking about Middlebrooks, who was never rated super high how about all the young talent the Red Sox have, like Moncada, Betts, Swihart, Bradley, Benintendi, Margot, Erod, Owens, ETC ETC.
rocky7
Aside from the payroll….kind of like the overpaid and aging Sox right?
bruinsfan94 2
How are the Red Sox aging?!?! The Yankees really are aging with Tex, Arod, CC, Ellisbury,Headley,Mccainn. The rotation is very injury plagued. The Red Sox have a huge supply of young guys.
dlevin11
You left out Gardner and CC
dlevin11
Yankees could dip into petty cash to sign Price and Ailton.
MB923
Beltran didn’t decline. The others surely did
start_wearing_purple
Well he did down the stretch like the article says… September was his second worst month for hitting.
bobbleheadguru
Tigers are in OK shape because the pool of SP Free Agents is very deep.
Shields was the 3rd best FA Starting Pitcher last year. This year, he would be at least the 6th best. (Grienke, Price, Cueto, Zimmerman, Shark…)
I would like them to get Heyward. But that does not seem likely.
Dylan Riley
Does anyone think the Yankees could try to trade someone like Texeira or Beltran and clear some salary?
bruinsfan94 2
They are not worth that much at their age and contracts.
dlevin11
Nobody would trade for Tex or Beltran. They have huge contracts
rocky7
Almost every team has work to do heading into the offseason s Baseball in the post 2010 era is now entertainment creating enormous impact dollars for teams that the players want to have a greater share in regardless of elite or All Star performance.
Its a different game today and the Yanks have as good a chance of moving forward post 2016 as many other teams full of veteran presence. The Yanks prospects are highly valued around the league because they know how to play the game. Ever wonder the other side of the trade coin that says he Yanks always have to throw more prospects into any prospective deal than most other teams because their prospects have value. And all this from a team that usually picks at or near the bottom of the draft.
bruinsfan94 2
That was absurdly incoherent..
dantonioizzo
I think that the Tigers will target tier two pitchers rather than one for SP. shark and iwakuma are two guys I see them targeting.