Detroit Tigers: How the looming work stoppage could alter their offseason

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 26: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred looks on prior to Game One of the World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 26, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 26: Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred looks on prior to Game One of the World Series between the Atlanta Braves and the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 26, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Bob Levey/Getty Images)
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With reports of a labor dispute and inevitable MLB lockout, this offseason may look different than initially planned for the Detroit Tigers

It’s a slimy crevice of baseball–issues of collective bargaining will very shortly be filling our favorite publications and social media timelines for the latest updates regarding the current CBA, which is due to expire on December 1st. For the Detroit Tigers, this could mean a drastically different offseason than expected.

In a recent article by Ronald Blum of the Associated Press, he calls a work stoppage “almost certain” on December 2nd; a development that is expected to have several domino-like repercussions that could affect free agency, trades, and potentially the structure of a 2022 season.

As Blum notes in the same piece, a lockout would represent the first stoppage in 26 years, although some would argue that the 2020 season presented a stoppage of sorts. Given how the pandemic was handled and how long it took to agree to play, it is fair to assume a lockout is likely given the issues that are on the docket for discussion.

The Detroit Tigers were poised to make several moves to address their needs this offseason; including shortstop, catcher, and starting pitching. Save the catching position, which our own Danielle Obal outlined nicely here, the market for their needs is expected to be strong; well-balanced with suitors and talent.

Let’s review this expected work stoppage, as well as the potential incoming changes with the next CBA, through a Detroit Tigers lense to see how the club might be conditioned heading into the 2022 season.

TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 22: Daz Cameron #41 of the Detroit Tigers runs to first base during an MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 22, 2021, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON – AUGUST 22: Daz Cameron #41 of the Detroit Tigers runs to first base during an MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 22, 2021, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /

If this year’s winter meetings are canceled, the trade market may be more scarce for the Detroit Tigers

According to a report from NY Daily News’ Bill Madden, the winter meetings, which typically happen in mid-December, are likely to be canceled in response to the expired labor agreement.

The winter meetings, of course, have a vast impact on the game but trades are a major part of the meetings as well. Fans have often pleaded that the organization would do more to acquire talent through all available avenues. More recently, trades have not been a factor after the club sold off its largest and most expensive assets in 2017.

Surely, trades can happen outside of the meetings, but often the face-to-face interaction coupled with the chaos of having every organization present can create a flurry of transactions that may not otherwise exist.

Perhaps the impact for the Detroit Tigers in this facet is somewhat limited, though; we have heard GM Al Avila recently speak about the organization’s reluctance to trade away future talent in exchange for present talent already.

Certainly, nobody feels that Spencer Torkelson or Riley Greene would get traded this winter, and fans are still skeptical about the organization’s ability to reel in a trade haul (see JD Martinez), but for a club looking up at the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, it is evident that free agency and prospect promotions cannot be the sole source of big-league talent. No winter meetings may hinder the trade avenue.

HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 26: Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros reacts against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning in Game One of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 26, 2021, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS – OCTOBER 26: Carlos Correa #1 of the Houston Astros reacts against the Atlanta Braves during the first inning in Game One of the World Series at Minute Maid Park on October 26, 2021, in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) /

The Detroit Tigers may need to wait on any free-agent prizes this winter

GM Al Avila mentioned that he didn’t expect the organization’s approach to the offseason to change at all with the current CBA nearing retirement, but in a world where high-impact free agents are waiting things out longer, a work stoppage could compound the delay.

With issues such as salary floors and salary caps getting thrown around, organizations will likely want some clarity as it pertains to their financial picture before beginning to add payroll, especially for those longer-term contracts.

For the Detroit Tigers, most have been engineering the Carlos Correa train, who is set to become the top free-agent shortstop prize this winter. Jon Heyman of MLB Network recently picked the Detroit Tigers as the destination for Correa; listing the Houston Astros and New York Yankees as other possibilities.

The likelihood of Correa signing before the new calendar year was slim to begin with, but an extended stoppage may push things out further. Correa is represented by William Morris Endeavor as of 2019 and has sought out advice from Alex Rodriguez regarding his future, as reported in this MLB Trade Rumors article.

DENVER, CO – Riley Greene congratulates Spencer Torkelson of the American League Futures Team after both scored against the National League Futures Team. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – Riley Greene congratulates Spencer Torkelson of the American League Futures Team after both scored against the National League Futures Team. (Photo by Dustin Bradford/Getty Images) /

Changes to team control could change how the Detroit Tigers use their top prospects

Frankly, the rules around service time manipulation need to change. It’s bad for the player and it’s bad for the product, and it’s likely something that will be addressed as part of the upcoming negotiations.

The Detroit Tigers, of course, have two of the top 10 prospects in all of baseball in Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene; both of whom are on the cusp of the major leagues. The club could theoretically keep both down for a short time before calling both up, which would give the team an extra year of control.

If that rule is changed, however, and there is no longer an incentive to keep the organization’s best players on the farm, it is fair to wonder if the Detroit Tigers could choose to be more aggressive with their assignments out of spring training.

It is also likely that team control, in general, might change from the current six-year control structure in which a player would earn league minimum their first three years and settle in arbitration the next three years if an agreement cannot be made to avoid it. I’d love to see the control go from six years down to four, which would allow players to hit free agency at a younger age and perhaps increase the likelihood of them landing two big contracts rather than one; especially as the game shifts to a younger player base.

Owners would likely try to fight the same or a similar rule as longer team control is much more cost-effective. Additionally, there is the potential for unintended consequences. First, it is fair to wonder if shortening team control would hinder smaller market teams from maintaining a sustainable competitive product. Additionally, a shortened team control window would effectively devalue prospects as capital; thus altering the trade market in a way that may discourage trade activity.

So, then, Tork and Greene may not only be affected on the front-end with regards to their possible debut, but a new CBA may also affect their team control, their value in any trade after they debut, and ultimately their free agency window.

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