OT: Report: Tigers will be 'sellers' at trade deadline

Submitted by The Geek on

According to multiple reports, Dave Dombrowski, with owner Mike Illitch's approval, will move to trade David Price, Yoenis Cespedes and possibly Rajai Davis and Alex Avila.

USA Today article (HERE)

The Tigers, barring a veto from owner Mike Ilitch, are going to surrender and be sellers within the next 10 days at the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. For the first time since 2008, the Tigers have no choice but to inform teams that two of their marquee commodities will be dealt by the July 31 non-waiver trade deadline. The Tigers, according to several people inside and outside the organization familiar with their strategy, plan to put ace David Price and power-hitting outfielder Yoenis Cespedes on the trade market.

Detroit News article (HERE)

The Tigers are in a unique position in that they have six free-agents-to-be — including two elite ones in ace David Price and slugger Yoenis Cespedes. Closer Joakim Soria is a shade below. They also have three pieces that could help the right contender in Rajai Davis, Alex Avila and Alfredo Simon. The market this year is as rich with buyers as ever, and the Tigers are the seller with the most appealing inventory.

Mocha Cub

July 21st, 2015 at 12:40 PM ^

I wonder how much control he'll actually have over the trades. Meaning I've heard the Ilitch family is none too please with Dombrowski's management of the roster over the last few years. He could very well be gone by the end of the year also. Hopefully if he goes, so does Ausmus.

Mocha Cub

July 21st, 2015 at 3:04 PM ^

I can't tell if you're being sarcastic or not. What we got in return for Fister was absolute garbage so far.

Steve Lombardozzi: traded to Baltimore for Alex Gonzalez (who was released about a month after the trade.

Ian Krol: still with the team, but is a part of a horrible middle relief staff, his ERA in 14.2 innings this year is 6.14.

Robbie Ray: arguably worse than Krol while in Detroit. He was 1-4 with an 8.16 ERA, also 7-6 for AAA-Toledo with a 4.22 ERA. He was a part of a 3-team trade that brought us Shane Greene. Greene is 4-7 with a 6.35 ERA that is actually trending worse (he hasn't given up less than 4 runs in a game since May 20th).

I don't think he has as much leeway making roster decisions at the coming trade deadline as you might think.

rainingmaize

July 21st, 2015 at 3:22 PM ^

Every other trade deal trader Dave has made has turned out pretty good. OK yea, the Fister deal backfired, and maybe the Rentaria deal a few years back, but may I point out to you that his deals brought in the greatest hitter of our generation, Max, Price, Iglesias, Peralta, Anibal, Cespedes, oh and Fister to begin with for a grand total of Andrew Miller, Avisail Garcia, and Austin Jackson (who he also traded for). Yea he made a bad deal, but what GM hasn't?

rainingmaize

July 21st, 2015 at 3:23 PM ^

Every other trade deal trader Dave has made has turned out pretty good. OK yea, the Fister deal backfired, and maybe the Rentaria deal a few years back, but may I point out to you that his deals brought in the greatest hitter of our generation, Max, Price, Iglesias, Peralta, Anibal, Cespedes, oh and Fister to begin with for a grand total of Andrew Miller, Avisail Garcia, and Austin Jackson (who he also traded for). Yea he made a bad deal, but what GM hasn't?

Mocha Cub

July 21st, 2015 at 4:45 PM ^

Except that our farm system is extremely weak right now because he's traded away most of our prospects with really not much to show for it. Some playoff appearances, but the team still lacks that elusive World Series title that Ilitch has been after. Detroit could be bad for a very long time if they're not careful. 

rainingmaize

July 22nd, 2015 at 12:21 AM ^

So you would rather have a strong farm system rather than take a shot at the World Series? When you get to the postseason, anything can happen, and the team that catches the most breaks wins. That's why more often than not, the best team doesn't always win (last year's series featured two wild card teams). Unfortunately enough luck for us never happened. Still, it's not like we flamed out in the playoffs until last year. Even then, Dave still has some young talent to build around, for example Iglesias, McCann, J.D. Martinez, Gose, Castelleanos (still very raw and young for 3B). So you can keep your unproven prospects, and I'll take guys like Cabrera, Iglesias, Anibal, and a few years of Max, Fister, and Price. Easy decision.

rainingmaize

July 22nd, 2015 at 12:32 AM ^

For one bad trade? A trade that involved giving up a guy whom we gave up nothing for originally at an overly stacked position at the time. Guess what, sometimes prospects don't pan out (although I will say Ray hasn't been pitching terribly in Arizona last time I checked). I'm also confused into why in other posts your critical of Dave for not having a strong farm system, yet when he makes an attempt to srengthen it, you get angry at him. (Before you respond back with, "well he failed to build the farm system in that trade" I would just like to point out that again, all the young talent that Dave has traded for over the years that did pan out).

umchicago

July 21st, 2015 at 1:14 PM ^

tigers have way more young talent than the phillies had and the best overall hitter and best DH in the game.  plus, arguable the best SS.  a lot of $$ are dropping off the roster this year, especially with RPs.

tigers can sign a #1 P, closer and lefty bat and be in contention again next year.

all this said, if the tigers win 4 out of the next five, i could see thme buying a #2 or #3 starter and going for it this year.  any trades will wait until the last minute.

rainingmaize

July 22nd, 2015 at 12:54 AM ^

The Phillies GM has been one of the worst GM's in baseball history. The Tigers still have some young talent as well, such as Iglesias, J.D. Martinez, Mccann, Gose, and possibly Castelleanos. A healthy Cabrera will always be good. Players that have his eyesight, baseball IQ, technique, work ethic, and apparent love for the game can last for a while. Still, it will be a struggle until the Tigers find pitching.

coldnjl

July 21st, 2015 at 11:21 AM ^

Good. Not sure how anyone can see this team and think we can make it. We are ~4 games back, but their are a few teams we have to be better than to make it...unlikely. Get some young and cheap talent that can contribute next year.

AlaskanYeti

July 21st, 2015 at 11:22 AM ^

They are way off the pace so this makes sense. Might as well deal some players, rebuild for the future and hope these moves spark new life into the team this season.

His Dudeness

July 21st, 2015 at 11:23 AM ^

Trade high on Miggy before he starts breaking down.

Should have traded JV a while ago.

Have to get some young, but tested starting pitching. I say fleece the Mets or Cubs.

Reader71

July 21st, 2015 at 1:23 PM ^

It is their fault, though. Players decline. Its a fact of life. The good GMs don't pay guys for what they've done in the past. If they actually believed Verlander's production would match what they paid him, they were fools. You could argue that they expected to get 2-3 more good years from him, but everyone knew the back end of that contract was going to be ugly.

Blue Mike

July 21st, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^

Most contracts don't get signed for future value, they get signed for past results.  Name one of these "good GMs" who undercut one of the best pitchers in baseball and paid him less than market value because he might decline in a couple of years?  The only reason top pitchers leave teams is because they price themselves out of their home market.  Verlander doesn't have that problem in Detroit.

The only mistake in the contract was that Dombrowski didn't have to do it when he did, he could have waited a year to get the extension done.  He got burned by getting it done so early, but a the time it was a "going-rate" deal for a top pitcher.  

If Scherzer gets hurt over the next two years and falls off, do the Nationals get roasted for signing him to that deal?

Reader71

July 21st, 2015 at 3:34 PM ^

No, good GMs do not sign guys for under market rate. Good GMs either let those guys walk in free agency or trade them before they get to free agency. I'm not saying no one would have given JV the money, I'm saying the Tigers shouldn't have. Billy Beane is a good example. Mulder and Zito left and hurt their next teams with their contracts. Now, this isn't a perfect example because Beane couldn't have signed those guys even if he wanted to, but he made sure to get a return for those guys and not pay for what they had already done. And the GMs who took those guys on did what you are defending, and I believe they have been fired largely because of those contracts. I know its hard to let a guy walk. Its hugely unpopular with fans. And it is rare. But its not as hard as you make it out to be. Look at the current situation: they didn't pony up to keep Scherzer and wont keep Price. Either of those guys would be better investments than JV. The injury thing is a non-starter. No, teams can't be blamed if a guy gets hurt. Particularly if its a Zumaya-style fluke thing. But even then, older players tend to wear down and get injured more frequently. Especially when your organization routinely has him throw over 120 pitches.

umrinkydink

July 21st, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^

...there is no way trading Cabrera doesn't have a huge negative impact on the fan base. I think he should retire a Tiger, and with no salary cap in baseball, I don't have any problem keeping him, especially since he's still producing.

I'm a little more lukewarm on JV - I don't think we can get anything for him, and I'd rather keep him than sell too low.

Get rid of Price, Avila, Soria, Simon. Davis is expendable. Would love to keep Cespedes and re-sign him, but would need to have that guarantee (unlikely). I think, with no 2B to speak of in the minors, we need to keep Kinsler. Would love to get some starting pitching and some organizational depth, especially at some key positions so that we don't rely on Hernan Perez for years to come.

cm2010

July 21st, 2015 at 11:38 AM ^

Their farm system is stacked with bats, but has very little in pitching. Theo is famous for refusing to use top draft picks on pitching because he thinks they are unreliable and injury prone. The Cubs have essentially three good starting pitchers and that's it. For that reason DD might be able to bring back some impressive offensive talent for Price or Simon if they strike a deal with the Cubs. They are especially stocked with highly-regarded middle IFers.

The Mets are certainly desparate for offense, so the Tigers might be able to get one of their impressive young SPers back for Cespedes. The problem is that the Mets are already pot committed with Granderson and Cuddyer in the corner OF spots, so I'm not sure the Mets would go for it (especially since they fall further and further out of contention each day).

cm2010

July 21st, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^

And the Cubs are absolutely not going to trade him. He's the ace of their staff (sorry Letster). Beyond Arrieta, Lester, and Hammel, the Cubs don't have anything. They have been extremely fortunate that all three have been healthy thus far. If the Cubs make a trade, it will likely be for an established SP, and it doesn't necessarily have to be a front-line guy. Simon could make some sense there if the Cubs balk at the demands for Price.

The more I think of it, though, Cespedes would fit well there. They have a hole in LF to fill. Coughlan shouldn't be the every-day player on a playoff team. I still don't think the Cubs give up any of their better prospects for anything but starting pitching.

cm2010

July 21st, 2015 at 2:11 PM ^

The Cubs need to make it to the playoffs first, and they'll need pitching depth to get there. Simon may not be the answer, but they need rotation help whether it's at the front end or back end.

AnthonyThomas

July 21st, 2015 at 1:27 PM ^

Coghlan's OPS has been similar to Cespedes' (slightly better than YC's last year, slightly worse this year) for over a season now. 

The Cubs need a Ben Zobrist-type, which the Tigers can't offer. But they could also use another starter. I think Scott Kazmir is the best fit for them there, but Simon could be an option if they miss out on Kazmir. They will definitely be contenders for Price this winter which makes me doubt they'll be willing to also pay the price that he will cost in prospects for half a season. They have the farm system to do it, though.