Will There Be Baseball in 2022?

 

I'm not an insider on baseball. I don't know all the "whys" behind the issues right now, following the end of the Collective Bargaining Agreement after the 2021 season. But as a fan and an outsider, there are some things that bother me about what is going on. 

 

To start with, I'm honestly shocked that players are willing to risk another season of not playing after just having most of 2020 cancelled. I would think they would want to avoid that scenario at all costs, but apparently there is some amount of money that is worth it (potentially). And that is my main point.

Baseball players - and athletes in general - make more money than almost anyone else in America. They lowest paid player in the MLB makes more than most people at almost $600,000. That's a lot of money for six months of work.

Now don't get me wrong, baseball is a lot of work. There is a ton of effort that each and every player puts in everyday and all year round to play this game. But it is also just a game. They are entertainers. They are living their dream, getting to play a game they love every day and get paid a ton of money for it. 

 

All that, to me, makes what is going on hard to stomach. You want more money? Really? I know there is more going on than just that, but it is an element. And with what our beloved commissioner has done with luxury tax penalties, it's just not possible for salaries to continue to go up. Teams cannot afford it. I've been saying for years that salaries cannot rise indefinitely. Economics forbids it. They will eventually plateau at the very least, if not start coming down a little. 

I just don't understand why each time the CBA expires it has to be this huge deal. Why can't you just reaffirm the last one, or make some minor tweaks, and then go on your merry way? This side of baseball is ugly and it makes me really sad because what I see is greed. Maybe others see it differently. Maybe it is necessary and good, but the appearance is not. 

Photo by Savannah Rohleder on Unsplash

2021 - The Best Losing Season I've Seen

Finally, there is a light at the end of the tunnel. To be honest, it is hard to believe it's been five years of rebuilding. In some ways, it doesn't seem like it's been that long, and in other ways, winning seasons and teams seem like a distant memory. I cannot believe what I watched this year!

The Tigers should not have done as well as they did. We dug ourselves a hole in April and never quite got out of it, but we got close to .500 a couple of different times. The last week to 10 days of the season were disappointing, to say the least, especially with how September started. But we had four winning months and we could have been much, much worse.

Imagine with me for a moment, if we had not had Tyler Alexander. What if Mize/Manning/Skubal had gone through rookie struggles or regressions? Can you imagine what our season would have looked like? Each time we had an injury that could have sunk us, someone (or multiple someones) stepped up. Help came from places you wouldn't have expected. Late in the season, we lost two of our late inning guys and the rest of the 'pen closed ranks. Could we have won some games we ended up losing if we had Soto and Cisnero? Maybe, but it's just speculation. Maybe they would have had rough days for those games too.

I'm sure there are some really ugly numbers for the 2021 season. I know there are areas that still need improvement. One that everyone will be talking about is offense. During the last two weeks, especially, we left way too many guys on base and in scoring position. We could have won if we could have scored those runners. But I submit to you that we have a VERY young offense. We have young guys and guys with not much Major League experience. Our catchers for most of the year were rookies. Our outfield is mostly rookies or guys with only a few years of experience. Commentators want more home runs but we tried that recipe for almost 10 years and it didn't work. Now we have a team who can walk, steal bases, and still hit some home runs. Want to know which team had the most triples this year? The Tigers. In all of baseball! Home runs are not everything. If you can't get guys on, you only score one run at a time. Not the best recipe for winning. 

I'm not saying don't sign guys if they can help, but I'd rather see the Tigers work with some of the talent they have to improve hitting. Don't go after a guy if all he does is hit for power. I would love to see guys who walk and hit doubles. Guys who are smart about the strike zone. Remember, we have a very young team. Learning the strike zone takes time. It takes practice. It takes experience. 

There will be new faces next spring, but I hope we don't walk away from what got started this season. I think there is a lot of promise here; a lot of hope. The Tigers have grit and that goes a long way too. All things considered, this was the best losing season I've lived through. Everyday felt like a chance to win. We had things to play for and, of course, don't forget about the season Miggy had. 2021 was an exciting baseball season and here's hoping it is the catalyst for even better seasons, starting in 2022.

Pudge Rodriguez is in the HALL OF FAME!!!!!

I knew Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez was a great player. I did not know until this year just HOW great he was. It seems fitting then that he enters the Hall of Fame in his first eligible year. It's the cap on a career filled with history making.

Look at some of these stats:

.296 average, .798 OPS, 311 HRs, and 127 SBs in 21 seasons. That's pretty amazing for a catcher.
He caught more games than any player in MLB history; an astonishing 2,427 games.
He had more hits & extra-base hits than any catcher - 2,749 & 906, respectively.
Won the Gold Glove 13 times.
Led the league in caught-stealing percentage NINE times! No other catcher has done it more than six.
His WAR is 68.9. Only Johnny Bench (75) & Gary Carter (69.9) have a higher WAR. They're both in Cooperstown too.

Pretty impressive. So it's not really surprising that he is the only catcher besides Bench to have been elected on his first ballot appearance. He's also the HOF's youngest enshrined player. But what else would you expect from a guy who had a career like Pudge Rodriguez?

I am very excited that he was chosen. I think he deserved it so I'm glad the voters were able to see it too. 

(Photo: Steve Perez, Detroit News)

I Am So Sick Of Hearing This

"The Detroit Tigers are an aging team."

That is the national narrative. Frequently, it's the local narrative as well. And I am SO. COMPLETELY. SICK OF IT!!!! Let's take a look at the Tigers roster shall we? (Note: this is not the entire roster. I only included the players who were a significant part of the team and are returning next season.) The code is as follows: Starting Pitcher, Infielders, likely starting the year at Toledo, Relief Pitchers, Outfielders, Designated Hitter.
 
Daniel Norris -23
Michael Fulmer - 23
Nick Castellanos - 24
JaCoby Jones - 24
Dixon Machado - 24
Matt Boyd - 25
Kyle Ryan - 25
Buck Farmer - 25
Steven Moya- 25
Jose Iglesias - 26
James McCann - 26
Bruce Rondon - 26
Tyler Collins/Anthony Gose - 26
Shane Greene - 28
Alex Avila - 29
Blaine Hardy - 29
Justin Wilson - 29
J.D. Martinez - 29
Justin Upton - 29
Jordan Zimmermann - 30
Alex Wilson - 30
Andrew Romine - 31
Anibal Sanchez - 32
Mike Pelfrey -32Justin Verlander - 33
Mark Lowe - 33
Miguel Cabrera - 33
Ian Kinsler - 34Francisco Rodriguez - 34
Victor Martinez - 38

Our average age is 29.2 for the players on the above list. ESPN's roster lists our average age at 28.5, but also includes a 22 year-old who is no where near the Majors. Broken down another way, you get:

• Bullpen 28.8
• Outfield 27.5
• Infield 29
• Starting Pitching 28.3

You know what I see here? An experienced team with a good mixture of youth and experience. You have a 26 year-old basically rookie catcher and a 29 year-old experienced catcher. The starting rotation next year is likely to be two 23 year-olds, a 25 year-old, a 30 year-old, and a 33 year-old. I'm not seeing aging, are you? These averages are basically the age of a player in his prime!

Apparently, according to the national voices, you want your team to be full of really young guys. But you know what generally goes hand in hand with youth? Inexperience. Our closer is 34. You are starting to get on the older end at that age. But I'd rather have a 34 year-old who knows the game, has the experience, and knows what he's doing, than have a youngster who can throw harder and has no presence on the mound; no clue how to do his job. 

It's all about balance. Everything in life is about a balance. I don't know if this a human affliction or an American one, but we tend to swing to one extreme or another. It's not all or nothing. You can have a mix and I don't know why I'm the only one who thinks a mix is good. 

It is a good thing to have a young catcher for your future, but he needs someone to learn from. It's great to have young pitching but they need guidance. You have to have those older, more experienced players to mentor your young players. And they don't have to be that much older, they just need to have the experience. 

I think the Tigers are in great shape, age wise. We have a good balance of the really young, the guys in their prime, and the veterans. Of the thirty-one players on that list, only eleven are 30 years-old or older. That's 20 guys who are under thirty.

I don't want to beat a dead horse here, but do you see what I'm saying? We are NOT an aging team. We are a team with older, experienced veterans and young, inexperienced rookies. I feel like we have a great team that is in a good position. I'm not saying don't make moves IF THAT IS WHAT MAKES SENSE FOR THE TEAM. Don't trade guys away just for the sake of "getting younger". Maybe this team can't win. But don't say they don't have a chance just because we have guys people say are "too old". Time is the only teacher. The best players are the ones who have had experience. Talent can only take you so far. Raw talent does not win championships, nor does experience alone. It's a balance.

I'm going to stop there, otherwise I risk sounding like a broken record. If you're still here, thank you for reading this far! I can say this a million different ways. I hope you understand where I'm coming from and can take another look at this team Detroit calls its own. We love our Tigers and I'm tired of people counting us out. Never underestimate the Tigers, or any Michigan team for that matter. We just may surprise you.

Merry Christmas! Alex Avila is coming back!!!!

I picked up my iPod yesterday and had a notification from my wonderful TigersXtra app: Tigers sign Alex Avila to a 1-year deal.


To give you an idea of my reaction..

After enthusiastically sharing the news with my brother, I texted my friend to share the good news. He was not so excited and I'm sure a lot of people share his opinion.

Your view on Alex Avila depends on whether you focus on his offense or defense. I will not pretend he is a great hitter (although he can be clutch). Then again, he's a CATCHER. Isn't that kind of the rule for catchers - that they don't hit? Come on, not everyone can have Salvador Perez. 

Some numbers from last year: Avila hit .213 (keeping in mind injuries). That's pretty bad. But what about his on-base percentage? Last season, it was .359. Anyone seen Moneyball? 

He gets on base.

Whatever his deficiencies at the plate, it seems well worth it for his excellence BEHIND the plate. Avila is a very, very, very good defensive catcher. He called games well for years and Jim Price (who was a catcher) would talk about this and that great things Alex was doing. Avila knows his stuff and that knowledge is born from years of experience. 

If nothing else, think of what a great thing this is for James McCann. He will get another season with Avila to pick his brain, watch him catch, and overall learn and grow. I really like McCann; he's done a great job. But remember that this will only be his third year in the pros and he'll likely be working with several pitchers almost as green as he is. Avila will be for McCann what Rodriguez is for Rondon. 

CLOSING THOUGHTS

Come on people! It's not like we signed him for a long-term contract! It's a one year deal for a lefty, backup catcher who will bring veteran experience. Chill! There would be people mad if we had signed Matt Wieters because he would have been much more expensive, I'm sure. We are trying to avoid a luxury tax here in Detroit. 

It saddens me that people complain no matter what. You can't please everyone. Al Avila and the Tigers thought that resigning Alex Avila would be the best thing for the TEAM. Alex brings experience of the game and this team as well as a veteran presence tot he clubhouse. He's here, personally I'm happy about it, and LET'S GO TIGERS!

The Sanchez/Pelfrey Dilemma

What do you do with a starter who can't start and you can't trade? Seems like a major problem. Maybe not.

The answer seems pretty easy: you put them in the bullpen. Sanchez was put in the 'pen for a time this past season and did very well in that time. It might be the best he's done since his ERA title year. I wrote a post during the season on my main blog that talks a little bit about this solution:  http://smylinggirl.blogspot.com/2016/09/sanchez-pelfrey-to-pen-keep-rookies-in.html

I don't want to rehash all the same points, but what seemed like a great solution then seems to be the best way forward. I'm not the only one who thinks this. One of the Detroit News sports writers wrote this great article that is worth reading: http://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2016/11/21/mccosky-how-tigers-might-get-most-value-out-sanchez-pelfrey/94223878/


We'll see where the Tigers go. Since it seems so obvious and it worked for us, briefly, in the past, and has worked for other teams, it makes sense to believe that's what the Tigers will do. That's not to say we won't see Sanchez or Pelfrey in the rotation over the course of the season. But at least to start, I hope we see them in the bullpen.

Award Season

Ian Kinsler FINALLY won a Gold Glove. He has deserved it for a long time, and now gets his due recognition. 

Michael Fulmer - very appropriately - is the American League Rookie of the Year. He has won several ROYs this season, from various sports sites and magazines, but this is the official one. He definitely earned the award. 

 

Cameron Maybin vs. Francisco Rodriguez

For the first time in several years, we had a dependable closer. Notice I didn't say a perfect closer. Detroit fans seem to have a short memory. A lot of them seem to have forgotten the angst caused by our slew of closers over the last few years. Rodriguez brought stability to a slot that really hasn't been good since Jose Valverde's 49-49 season. (Soria was pretty good too).

Cameron Maybin injected a spark to this lineup. This was especially important when we were without J.D. Martinez and Nick Castellanos for long periods of time. Maybin was a catalyst and things happened around him. 

Both players were instrumental in the success of the 2016 Tigers. But when the offseason roles around, it's decision time. Who stays and who goes?

In a perfect world, we keep both. But in reality, keeping both guys means losing someone else; someone we potentially need more. So how do you choose?

What you're really comparing is pitching vs. hitting. (We are not going to discuss Maybin's defense for now). If 2015 taught us anything, it's how important pitching is. The 2016 season would have turned out much differently if it weren't for the young pitchers who really stepped up. Pitching is extremely important. But even if you have great starting pitching, you have a problem if you can't hold a lead. It's crazy to expect a lineup to have to constantly tack on more and more runs. Enter the bullpen. 

A dependable closer is so, so valuable. We'll probably never know, but maybe the reason the Tigers never won the World Series in their four-year reign in the Central was due to the lack of a dependable closer (for the most part). 

All this to say, I will miss Cameron Maybin and the energy he brought to the lineup, but I think the Tigers made the right decision. I am extremely grateful for everything Mabyin brought to the team and the way he played all out every day. I'd love to see him come back again one day (it's not that crazy a thought!). 

K-Rod probably won't be around long. Bruce Rondon or even Joe Jimenez will most likely be taking over the closer roll in the near future. But bringing him back gives the Tigers a little more time to mold and shape Rondon. He seemed to benefit greatly from Rodriguez's wisdom and leadership this past year. Another year under the wing of K-Rod will only be good for Rondon. In keeping Rodriguez over Maybin, Al Avila is also planning for the future - even if that is only a pleasant consequence of the actual reasons. 

Is it hard to lose Cameron Maybin? Yes. But in the end, trading him seems to be what is best for the team in the long run.