Detroit Tigers: Rebuilds aren’t an exact science, tanking should be off table

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NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 19: Vince Velasquez #28 of the Philadelphia Phillies looks on as Jay Bruce #19 of the New York Mets celebrates his sixth inning three run home run with third base coach Glenn Sherlock at Citi Field on April 19, 2017 in the Flushing neighborhood of the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) /

Past rebuilds

While the draft can be tricky to negotiate in terms of finding success and building a winning core, rebuilding jobs in general can be hit or miss.

There’s no guarantee that the team get back to contention, or even to the place that they were in.

Of course, you could be the Astros and turn in a sustainable winner, but you could also be the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies haven’t won more than 73 games since 2012, and don’t look to be anywhere close to being a team that resembles a playoff contender.

Cincinnati is in the same boat. The Reds haven’t won more than 76 games since 2013 and have turned in win totals of 64 and 68 victories in each of the last two seasons.

Like Philadelphia, the Reds don’t look close to putting it all together.

Houston

Even the Astros, who have built an incredibly strong roster, have had their shares of missed opportunities.

Houston whiffed on Brady Aiken and Mark Appel as first-overall picks in 2013 and 2014.

What’s more, the Astros were fortunate with a number of key pieces. Dallas Keuchel was a seventh-round pick, while fellow starter Collin McHugh was a waiver claim from the Rockies.

Meanwhile, young hurlers and long-term building blocks Chris Devenski and David Paulino were both acquired in minor deals for Brett Meyers and Jose Veras respectively.

In other words, rebuilds sometimes require a little bit of luck and fortune.

In the cases of the Phillies and Reds, sometimes that luck and fortune isn’t hard to find.