2025 Detroit Tigers: AKA The Skubal Trade Watch Thread

[CONN CHRIS]

27 games in Toledo: Torkleson is .245/.347/.406 with 4 HR

If he is the reincarnation of Chris Davis, it's good that it showed up before the big contract.

[Hrycaj]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

27 games in Toledo: Torkleson is .245/.347/.406 with 4 HR

If he is the reincarnation of Chris Davis, it's good that it showed up before the big contract.

I remember draft night that year really well. Dan O'Dowd who I really think is good, questioned everything about the Tigers that night. To paraphrase he was like Tork has power that plays in the league right now. Why are you drafting him as a 3rd baseman? It is hard enough to come and play at the highest level and by planning to move him across the infield to learn a new position is setting him up for failure. Let the kid play first base and hit you 30 bombs each year because that is worth more than anything else. Moving him makes him have to learn something new when we know that power is the last thing to develop. Don't touch the kid. Well, they touched him.

Now I understand that his time at 3B was short lived and he DID hit 30 last season but I really question how he was handled and the pressure that was put on him to be the dude. On the flip I have read he doesn't respond to coaching all that well and refuses to make any swing adjustments. I'm a fan from the couch, I have no idea where the truth really lies but if I was a saavy GM I would trade for him right now in a heartbeat. He has next to no value and in a different setting with a different organizational voice I can see him blossoming. Baseball is filled with these types of stories. J.D Martinez immediately comes to mind.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

27 games in Toledo: Torkleson is .245/.347/.406 with 4 HR

If he is the reincarnation of Chris Davis, it's good that it showed up before the big contract.

A 10% walk rate is excellent. LOTS of teams would plug him directly into their lineup with a line just like that.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by Hrycaj

I remember draft night that year really well. Dan O'Dowd who I really think is good, questioned everything about the Tigers that night. To paraphrase he was like Tork has power that plays in the league right now. Why are you drafting him as a 3rd baseman? It is hard enough to come and play at the highest level and by planning to move him across the infield to learn a new position is setting him up for failure. Let the kid play first base and hit you 30 bombs each year because that is worth more than anything else. Moving him makes him have to learn something new when we know that power is the last thing to develop. Don't touch the kid. Well, they touched him.

Now I understand that his time at 3B was short lived and he DID hit 30 last season but I really question how he was handled and the pressure that was put on him to be the dude. On the flip I have read he doesn't respond to coaching all that well and refuses to make any swing adjustments. I'm a fan from the couch, I have no idea where the truth really lies but if I was a saavy GM I would trade for him right now in a heartbeat. He has next to no value and in a different setting with a different organizational voice I can see him blossoming. Baseball is filled with these types of stories. J.D Martinez immediately comes to mind.

I hope that he blossoms too, I like him as a player. Just part of the lamentation period I am going through. They are beating the eternal optimist out of me at the moment.

[Hrycaj]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

I hope that he blossoms too, I like him as a player. Just part of the lamentation period I am going through. They are beating the eternal optimist out of me at the moment.

I certainly understand your feelings about things. I'm very much frustrated with the organization. I keep having to remind myself that their biggest organizational weakness is player development. They have made plenty of moves in that department so I'm trying to be patient. From the pitching side I think they have been doing a real nice job. From positional player side I'm concerned. It looks like all their best hitting prospects are DH's. Max Clark is a big one for me as I wanted Wyatt Langford with that pick. SEC players see more 95+ pitches in a season than any other league aside from MLB. I saw Langford play numerous times and really liked his game. On the other hand I had never seen Max Clark play. A prep kid from Indiana will of course see some high end pitching in national tournaments but nowhere near what you see in the SEC. So I was completely biased. However, I'm willing to defer to the experts and they said that Clark has the ability to be a generational talent. That is an overused term and if it is accurate then should we not be expecting him on the MLB squad really soon? Like 22 years old at the latest? Right now he is doing pretty well in "A" ball with Lakeland but that jump to AA is the big separator. That is when we really need to pay attention. Harris really can't afford to get this one wrong when the Avila pick of Jackson Jobe, which was met with a lot of scorn for passing on Marcelo Mayer, is lights out when healthy. I should note that Mayer is doing well and is already looking to hit AAA so maybe both sides can be right on that one. The point is though, Clark is the pick that Harris is going to be judged on and he needs it to land.

[CONN CHRIS]

I think my dislike of having Javy on the roster is being out-stripped by my disdain for Maeta. It makes no sense to keep him on the roster. Rockies just DFA'd Dakota Hudson who has a 3.72 ERA away from Coors. I'll take that.

[CONN CHRIS]

If Clark is sent up to Earie, I may get to see him! They will be playing at the NH Fishercats during the two weeks I will be in New Hampshire this August.

[CONN CHRIS]

They may well be 8-0 now with almost anybody other than Maeta in that slot.

[CONN CHRIS]

Maeda being moved to the bullpen and they will "figure out" his former rotation spot later. Overdue but welcomed news.

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/...a-bullpen.html

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

A 10% walk rate is excellent. LOTS of teams would plug him directly into their lineup with a line just like that.

I don't think anyone is plugging a first basemen with a .406 slugging percentage at AAA in anywhere / anytime.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

I don't think anyone is plugging a first basemen with a .406 slugging percentage at AAA in anywhere / anytime.

Slugging percentage isn't a hard requirement for a first baseman. On base percentage of .347 is an upgrade from almost any player currently on that team.

If nothing else, put him at DH.

Right now, on Detroit, Riley Greene is the ONLY starter with an on base percentage above .327. Most are below .300. Well below.

Their first baseman is slugging .334, and hitting .223, with an 88 OPS. You're telling me that they don't have a single hitter in their entire organization that can't have a 100 OPS?

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by dsvitak

Slugging percentage isn't a hard requirement for a first baseman. On base percentage of .347 is an upgrade from almost any player currently on that team.

If nothing else, put him at DH.

Right now, on Detroit, Riley Greene is the ONLY starter with an on base percentage above .327. Most are below .300. Well below.

Their first baseman is slugging .334, and hitting .223, with an 88 OPS. You're telling me that they don't have a single hitter in their entire organization that can't have a 100 OPS?

.347 OBP in AAA. I wish it weren't so as I love Tork but he isn't coming back any time soon and he is not an upgrade presently.

[dsvitak]

Originally Posted by CONN CHRIS

.347 OBP in AAA. I wish it weren't so as I love Tork but he isn't coming back any time soon and he is not an upgrade presently.

Team OBP is under .300. Then should find a place for him.

[CONN CHRIS]

Tork was .201/.266/.330 in 54 games with the Tigers this year. He is .246/.347/.418 in 31 games at Toledo.

Nothing suggests that he has improved upon what he was doing in the bigs - that's not a first baseman that's coming back up anytime soon. Not sure what you are on about here. Hoping he works it out, Detroit needs his bat.

[GeoWar]

This trade period will be interesting for Detroit ....

They have to move some good players -- to get some good players . And maybe hit on the one or two that will make an impact .

The Draft will also important --- they need to hit on one or two players that are Major League ready.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by GeoWar

This trade period will be interesting for Detroit ....

They have to move some good players -- to get some good players . And maybe hit on the one or two that will make an impact .

The Draft will also important --- they need to hit on one or two players that are Major League ready.

This may be a watershed month for Harris. I hope they go big like packaging up a few currently under-performing youngers (Mize, Tork, ...) for a player such as Alonzo with a plan to break the bank to keep him. They need a lightning bolt like that in the lineup. Flagherty or under-performing youngsters for other prospects is not what I want to see at this point.

[Hrycaj]

I heard the Tigers are leaning toward a prep pitcher. I really want to see a college bat. They need someone that can play in 2 years at the MLB level, not 5.

[CONN CHRIS]

Originally Posted by Hrycaj

I heard the Tigers are leaning toward a prep pitcher. I really want to see a college bat. They need someone that can play in 2 years at the MLB level, not 5.

Agreed.I actually question the efficacy of drafting arms in round one any longer given the way pitchers are used and the level of injury.

[CONN CHRIS]

Canha and Baez left with injuries last night. If either or both land on the IL, we may see Tork back ready or not (and Ryan Kreidler - eeks).

[Westheim]

That was quite the 7-run rally to walk off the icky Dodgers, though!