Detroit Tigers Links: Enter Xavier Avery, big ticket free agents, Avila still best option

The Detroit Tigers made a couple of minor league signings yesterday and one received a bit of fanfare.

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Xavier Avery is a speedy outfielder who is still young (25 next season) and was a second round draft pick of the Baltimore Orioles. This signing adds to the organization depth in the outfield. Let’s hope this minor league signing is more J.D. Martinez and less Ezekiel Carrera.

Next up, while the Red Sox had a big day of free agent shopping on Monday, the Tigers have been relatively quiet after reupping Victor Martinez. Some believe it will stay this way, however one writer thinks maybe the team is laying in the weeds,  ready to pounce.

Finally for those wishing for a rapid exit for Alex Avila, Brad Faber offers another take.

Report: Tigers sign OF Xavier Avery to minor-league deal – Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press

"Avery is a lifetime .263 hitter in seven minor-league seasons.He has experience playing centerfield and would provide insurance behind Anthony Gose, Rajai Davis, Tyler Collins and Daniel Fields on the Tigers’ organizational depth chart.Avery, an Atlanta native, passed on a football scholarship to Georgia to play baseball."

Detroit Tigers: Don’t Discount the Tigers Making a Big Offseason Move – Ben Rosener, Bleacher Report

"With surprise moves becoming the norm this offseason, (thanks to the Jason Heyward/Shelby Miller trade and the Mets signing of Michael Cuddyer), it wouldn’t be a shock to see the baseball landscape rocked by an unlikely Dombrowski trade. He’s turned potential salary cap burdens into, among others, a Cy Young winner (Max Scherzer) and a player used to acquire yet another player with a Cy Young on his resume (David Price)."

Why Alex Avila Is Still Detroit Tigers’ Best Bet Behind The Plate In 2015 – Brad Faber, Rant Sports

"In a perfect world, the Tigers could trade for Jonathan Lucroy of the Milwaukee Brewers, who led all catchers with a value of 6.3 fWAR while hitting an MLB-leading 53 doubles, but unfortunately that just isn’t in the cards.Regardless of how you slice it, it appears very likely that the Tigers’ best bet for 2015 may very well be going with Avila as their starting catcher. The presence of McCann, who batted .342 with an .879 OPS against left-handed pitching in Triple-A Toledo last year, could actually give the Tigers a formidable platoon behind the plate. McCann will also give the Tigers a solid backup option if Avila continues to struggle, or if the issue of health happens to rear its ugly head once again."