Detroit Tigers Links: Mortgaged future and why Yoenis Cespedes may not live up to hype

A couple links for you on HumpDay.

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First we look at one of our own. Tom Zahari discusses how the Detroit Tigers continue to hold open their current championship window perhaps at the expense of their future.

The second article looks at how that extended window may not be as wide open as we hope for with the arrival of Yoenis Cespedes. Brad Faber explains why their are more holes than just outfield on the 2015 Tigers.

Tigers mortgage future to win now – Tom Zahari, MCB Special to Detroit Free Press

"Overall, the Tigers have seven players who play substantial roles in 2015 should will become free agents and the Tigers will have to be smart with their money to maximize player value going forward. This could mean signing lower tier free agents and developing them, turning prospects into major league players who contribute, trading the prospects the Tigers have left in the system for major league talent, or trying to dump salary of the players mentioned above.The Tigers’ hunger for a World Series has forced them to disregard the future. After next season, the Tigers will have to make some serious moves to stay a true contender."

Why Yoenis Cespedes May Not Be The Answer To All Of Detroit Tigers’ Dreams – Brad Faber, Rant Sports

"Cespedes appears poised to slide into left field, moving J.D. Martinez over to right field to take over full-time for Hunter. Although Cespedes has not quite been able to replicate his offensive value from 2012, he has become a better defender in the two years since. In 2014, Cespedes played the best left field of his career, posting career-bests in UZR (10.1), UZR/150 (14.0) and DRS (12). He also receives plenty of notice for his arm strength, which Fangraphs’ fan scouting report rated at 91 on a scale of 0-100.Cespedes’ improved glove work also helps to explain how he was able to amass a career-high 3.4 fWAR in 2014. He also posted a career-best 3.0 UBR and should be able to provide some value to the Tigers on the basepaths as well.Porcello, on the other hand, was worth a very comparable 3.1 fWAR, which was actually down a tick from his 3.2 mark of 2013. Nevertheless, it looks like a pretty even trade in terms of value. Like Cespedes, Porcello has only one year remaining before free agent eligibility as well."