Detroit Tigers: Can 2020’s virtual winter meetings be a flashback?

As the winter meetings kick off this week via across various laptops in front offices across Major League Baseball, will the Detroit Tigers give us a flashback to past ones of big returns?

The virtual winter meetings kick off today and go through Thursday, Dec 10. For Detroit Tigers fans, the annual winter meetings mean the Tigers will engage in some sort of activity.  Recently, the Tigers have had some rather quiet ones compared to some of the ones from the past. Contributor Jacob Boes provided his five steps for ideal winter meetings for 2020 but let’s look at the ones under Al Avila.

2019

• Selected Rony Garcia in  Rule 5 draft
• Signed Austin Romine

2018

• Signed LHP Matt Moore, IF Jordy Mercer, and RHP Tyson Ross
• Selected Reed Garrett in Rule 5 draft

2017

• Signed RHP Mike Fiers and OF Leonys Martin
• Traded Ian Kinsler to the Angels
• Selected Victor Reyes in Rule 5 draft

2016

• Selected Daniel Stumpf in Rule 5 draft

Between Dave Dombrowski and Randy Smith, both provided some memorable ones that left an impact on the Tigers’ rosters, good or bad.  Here are a few from Dave Dombrowski that were jaw-dropping and probably will not see around here for a while.

2009:

Curtis Granderson to the Yankees, Edwin Jackson to the Diamondbacks, and the Tigers get back Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth from Arizona and from New York, Phil Coke and Austin Jackson.

Of course, the granddaddy of them all.

December 4th, 2007:

Traded Dallas Trahern (minors), Burke Badenhop, Frankie De La Cruz, Cameron Maybin, Andrew Miller, and Mike Rabelo to the Florida Marlins. Received Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis.

Now back to reality

The budgets for many baseball teams are still yet to be released and what the Detroit Tigers are willing to spend is still unknown but if you read the tea leaves based on the usage of the word “patience” across the channels, well, be ready for pitchers  that fit the description in the story linked ($) that fit around $ 5 million such as:

• Homer Bailey
• Brett Anderson
• Matt Shoemaker
• Tyler Chatwood

For corner infielders, I like Jake’s idea of Carlos Santana or re-upping with C.J Cron.

Final Prediction

I think the Tigers will sign a starting pitcher for no more than one year and will walk away with a catcher like Jason Castro, who is a lefty bat, or Curt Casali and have a platoon situation to see what catchers currently on the roster to battle it out.

Infielder wise, my official educated guess will be Jedd Gyorko since he can play both 1st and 3rd. He provided a wRC+ of 118 and the Brewers recently declined his $4.5 million option. As far as the outfield situation goes, for now, I think they will wait. Keep in mind my predictions are just educated predictions. If I am right on one, then I will play the lottery.

The Tigers will probably sign a few minor league contracts with invites to camp by the end of December and draft a reliever in the Rule 5 draft that they could store away with the roster currently at 39 (Anthony Castro was picked up off waivers by the Blue Jays)

Overall, I am getting the vibe based on the messaging that is out there the Tigers are going to ask the fans to be patient, which is fine but for some, their patience is wearing thin.  Al Avila told A.J Hinch they were going to spend. But if the market by all accounts is going to be a chilly one based on the declined options, which grew again from last year’s numbers, I hope the Tigers can provide a flashback of past winter meetings to make a trade.  I believe this clip here sums it up for the vibe of some Tigers fans.