Detroit Tigers: Analyze our simulated offseason moves

Each FanSided co-expert participated in a simulated MLB offseason. Here are the moves I made as the Detroit Tigers GM for a week.

It’s no secret that Detroit Tigers General Manager Al Avila has some buying, and some selling, to do this offseason. From finding a shortstop and a first baseman, to shipping away some costly veteran talent, Avila will be racking up quite the phone bill over the winter.

Every offseason, the FanSided co-experts get together and simulate an entire MLB offseason in a few short days. I took over as the Detroit Tigers pseudo-general manager for this year, and made a handful of moves. While I was not able to do quite as much as I think the Tigers will do in real life, I did accomplish a few tasks that I hope, and expect, are on Avila’s plate this winter.

Here are the two moves I made, with an explanation of the move and why I think it will benefit the Tigers.

Traded James McCann to Seattle for Dan Vogelbach

James McCann is expected to command roughly $3.5M in arbitration this season. As a relatively expensive, 28-year-old catcher who hit .220 last year, I was hoping to ship him away this offseason. The Mariners needed a catcher after they shipped away Mike Zunino, so this made sense.

I’m passionate about Detroit finding a left-handed hitting first baseman this winter, and although I think the free agent market has some appealing options, trading for a guy like Vogelbach makes sense as well. He is just 25 and will be under team control for six years. While he hasn’t quite showed the prodigious minor league power in the show, he is worth gambling on for an aging McCann.

Signed shortstop Jordy Mercer to a one-year, $3.5M deal

Jose Iglesias was my primary target on the shortstop market, but he was almost immediately offered a two-year, $13M dollar deal, which I didn’t think was reasonable for the Tigers to pursue. A one year pact makes more sense, as it allows the team to shop them at the deadline, and gives players like Sergio Alcantara and Willi Castro to take the job over in 2020.

With Iglesias off the market, I made a lowball offer on former Pirates shortstop Jordy Mercer, and the offer stood. $3.5M for a player who has consistently posted between 1-2 fWAR and still has solid defensive marks is a good deal. He makes nice trade bait if he performs well this season, and isn’t breaking the bank.

I had feelers out for Matthew Boyd and Michael Fulmer, but was unable to come to a deal in the three days that this simulation ran. However, I think even just these two quiet moves make the Tigers better in 2019, and in the future as well.