Happy Wednesday, everyone. Hope you’re all having a good week, and if you like to count down to things, well, we’re only about a month away from pitchers and catchers reporting, so we should soon be seeing
some ugly Spring Training caps to make fun of! An annual rite of passage.
Some trade and free agency news below, as Alex Bregman once again signs somewhere other than Detroit, but at least this time it’s in a different league, and Nolan Arenado finally got the trade he was gunning for all last offseason.
We’ll also look at a former Tiger who is on the Hall of Fame ballot, and some strong words about Tarik Skubal we were too polite to share outside our group chat that Jim Bowden said for us.
Let’s get right into it!
Detroit Tigers News
- We’ve been following Jay Jaffe’s Hall of Fame breakdowns, but this one is for an old friend. We look at the Hall of Fame case for Rick Porcello.
- Jim Bowden looks at some key stories from some general MLB news stories, and he had a lot to say about the Tigers going to a hearing with Tarik Skubal. He didn’t hold back, so here’s just a little tidbit of what he had to say:
The Tigers are a file-and-trial organization, which means if they file, they go to a salary arbitration hearing and don’t settle. Last week, the Tigers filed at $19 million, while Skubal and his agent, Scott Boras, filed at $32 million. Keep in mind just two years ago Juan Soto broke the record when he and the Yankees agreed to a $31 million salary in his final year of arbitration. That came right after Soto finished sixth in the NL MVP voting.
You’re telling me that in his final year of arbitration-eligibility, Skubal shouldn’t earn more than Soto did? How do the Tigers rationalize their filing number? Compare it to David Price’s arbitration figure from 11 years ago — $19.75 million — which was even more than the Tigers’ offer to Skubal. The next year, Price landed a long-term deal in free agency with the Red Sox worth $31 million a year.
- This one is worth opening on the X website.
- Some of the Tigers caught a Red Wings game together.
- Four games you won’t be able to watch without subscribing to yet another streaming service.
AL Central News
- Visits to the Royals’ Kauffman Stadium will be a lot more hitter-friendly next season as the outfield walls are getting moved in.
- Davy Andrews digs into why Steven Kwan keeps getting Gold Gloves (and destroying the Tigers).
MLB News
- A look at the Nolan Arenado trade that has him headed to the Diamondbacks.
- Jay Jaffe makes a Hall of Fame case for Gio Gonzalez.
- On that same theme, Tom Verducci offered a case for all the first-timers on the Hall of Fame ballot.
- The Athletic staff explains their Hall of Fame ballots. ($)
- The Tigers missed out on Alex Bregman again (not sure if they were actually trying) and he’ll be wearing Cubbie blue in Chicago next season.
- Here’s how the Red Sox responded to losing Alex Bregman to the Cubs.
- The Marlins have traded Ryan Weathers to the Yankees.
- The MLB Players’ Union feel like MLB are trying to “force” them into a salary cap. ($)
- This could be very interesting.
- A sad loss for the Pirates.
- This is genuinely so sweet.
