This is a project where 30 people got together to act as the GMs of the 30 MLB teams with the idea of conducting the offseason in one week. This is what happened in this simulation, not a prediction of what will happen in real life.
By John Coppinger
I was excited to have the Tigers this year in the MLB 30 project. I had a good run with them last season, making trades that alleviated payroll concerns while getting a top prospect back who, for his actual team in 2016, made a huge splash.
I was concerned about the existing payroll, but still thought that I could move somebody. even if I had to take some salary back. But almost everyone that contacted me was in pure salary dump mode, and I couldn’t take anybody without dumping somebody. I was willing to do it, but nobody wanted what I had. And I could understand why. Contracts were completely unmovable, and I can’t expect anybody to take $16 million of Anibal Sanchez, $21 million of Justin Upton, and even $8 million of Mike Pelfrey. It made it difficult to trade, and impossible to be a player in free agency. I dumped Cameron Maybin in a trade and still couldn’t stay under budget.
It was interesting to note that during the project the actual Tigers GM said that he was willing to listen on any of his high priced players. I’d be shocked if he could actually get rid of anybody without eating a ton of salary.
| Pos’n | 2016 | 2017 | |
| Verlander, Justin | rhp-s | $28,000,000 | $28,000,000 |
| Cabrera, Miguel | 1b | $28,000,000 | $28,000,000 |
| Upton, Justin | lf | $22,125,000 | $22,125,000 |
| Zimmermann, Jordan | rhp-s | $18,000,000 | $18,000,000 |
| Martinez, Victor | dh | $18,000,000 | $18,000,000 |
| Sanchez, Anibal | rhp-s | $16,800,000 | $16,800,000 |
| Kinsler, Ian | 2b | $14,000,000 | $11,000,000 |
| Pelfrey, Mike | rhp-s | $8,000,000 | $8,000,000 |
| Rodriguez, Francisco | rhp-c | $7,500,000 | $6,000,000 |
| Martinez, J.D. | rf | $6,750,000 | $11,750,000 |
| Lowe, Mark | rhp | $5,500,000 | $5,500,000 |
| Iglesias, Jose | ss | $2,100,000 | $3,200,000 |
| Wilson, Justin | lhp | $1,525,000 | $2,700,000 |
| Romine, Andrew | ss-2b | $900,000 | $1,200,000 |
| Castellanos, Nick | 3b | $536,500 | $2,800,000 |
| Gose, Anthony | of | $525,000 | $525,000 |
| Lorenzen, Michael | rhp | $516,000 | $516,000 |
| Wilson, Alex | rhp | $522,500 | $1,200,000 |
| Hardy, Blaine | lhp | $520,500 | $520,500 |
| McCann, James | c | $519,500 | $519,500 |
| Greene, Shane | rhp | $517,000 | $517,000 |
| Norris, Daniel | lhp | $514,500 | $514,500 |
| Collins, Tyler | of | $510,500 | $510,500 |
| Farmer, Buck | rhp | $509,500 | $509,500 |
| Ryan, Kyle | lhp-s | $509,500 | $509,500 |
| VerHagen, Drew | rhp-s | $509,500 | $509,500 |
| Nesbitt, Angel | rhp | $508,500 | $508,500 |
| Boyd, Matt | lhp | ||
| Fulmer, Michael | rhp | ||
| Hicks, John | c | ||
| Labourt, Jairo | lhp | ||
| Machado, Dixon | ss | ||
| Mantiply, Joe | lhp | ||
| Molleken, Dustin | rhp | ||
| Moya, Steven | rf | ||
| Rondon, Bruce | rhp | ||
| $900,000.00 | |||
| Saupold, Warwick | rhp | ||
| Fielder, Prince | |||
| $6,000,000 | $6,000,000 | ||
| TOTAL – DET | |||
| $198,018,000 | $196,835,000 |
I’m sorry but Pelfrey at 8 million? And for 2 years? Unbelievable. Whoever made that deal should of been canned. One year plus a team option. i don’t recall any teams banging on Pelfreys door at the start of FA. Better off with any AAA starter they have. Same results.Saving 7.5 million at the same time. If Upton and Zimmerman can just play to their expected levels (and stay healthy) the offense will be fine. The achilles heel is the bullpen that continues to struggle year in and year out. If Miggy didn’t get hot from mid August through September putting this team on his back they would of finished at .500
I had room to take on some salary but Verlander was the guy I wanted and I didn’t think I had what it took to get him.
The real life Tigers are in a pickle. Reminds me of the Reds a few years ago. Enough talent to compete and sell tickets, but probably not quite enough to advance in the playoffs if they make it. But they can’t add to payroll. The two guys they have with value are Kinsler and JD Martinez, but trading them would weaken the team greatly and wouldn’t save enough money to justify killing the team’s playoff chances for two years. Trading those two away would hurt morale and alienate the fan base. This team may just have to go to battle with what they have and try to get lucky on a few internal promotions and cheap FA signings.