Detroit Tigers: Are the Tigers on the Right Track?

Going into Thursday’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, the Detroit Tigers record stands at 6-9. Tiger management has made it clear that the club is in a rebuilding mode but are the Tigers missing a good opportunity to succeed in the 2018 season?

The Detroit Tigers began the season playing competitively in their first three series. The Tigers then proceeded into Cleveland and lost their first two games of the series by two or fewer runs.

Then the wheels came off of the Motor City team.

The Tigers then proceeded to lose three straight in games against the Indians and Yankees. Of the Tigers nine losses they have lost five games by two or fewer runs.

Now the Detroit Tigers have won their first two games of their series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Should the Tigers be in full rebuilding mode in 2018?

Clearly the Tigers future lies in the developing of players in the minor leagues. But there is an opportunity to succeed this season.

Multiple major league teams are currently rebuilding. The Chicago White Sox, Kansas City Royals and Tampa Bay Rays are three teams who are in this mode. Other American League teams should be.

Not since the early sixties has there been such a disparity between the have’s and the have not’s. This disparity might allow teams to sneak into a wild card playoff position. If a team with good pitching can garner a playoff position, the sky’s the limit.

But a team with pitching alone cannot succeed. The Tigers appear to have a good pitching staff but have no depth or offense, While the Tigers have a relatively high payroll for this year’s faulty team, a few select new players could shore up their deficiencies.

The Detroit Tigers payroll will diminish after the current season with the conclusion of Victor Martinez‘ contract. Any possible signings that the Tigers could make would not be for more than one year.

After this year’s offseason where many thirty-something players were left looking for work, good players are still out there. While Detroit General Manager Al Avila has declared there would be no further free agent or waiver wire signings, maybe he should reconsider.

Currently, nine of the Detroit Tigers are batting under .238. No matter how good a team’s pitching staff is, a team cannot succeed with this paltry batting statistic.

The season is early and batting averages will certainly climb over time. But, higher batting averages alone will not suffice. The Bengals need some power and there are some power bats still out there and not signed.

In spite of the deficient batting averages, the Tigers have been competitive but have failed to drive in runners from scoring position.

Free agent or waiver wire signings is their only recourse as the minor league system is still developing. The thought of trading some of these future stars for power bats is out of the question.

Next: Joe Jimenez Crucial for Tigers in 2018

This window of opportunity may not exist beyond this season and a somewhat competitive season may help lessen the pain of the long road of rebuilding.

Perhaps the Detroit Tigers should take a page from the movie Field of Dreams and “ease the pain” of Bengal fans and sign some power bats.