Detroit Tigers: There is renewed purpose in the Motor City

A Commitment in Detroit is growing

It should be no shock to Detroit the Twins dipped into Jim Pohlad’s reserves. The division isn’t a powerhouse yet. The Twins sensed an opening and committed to squeezing through it last week.

Is Detroit trying to wedge through the same gap to challenge the White Sox in the AL Central? The Tigers took their big swings in November. Detroit added at the margins after the lockout. They appear committed to plugging their best producers in the lineup. They’ve also refurbished their front office and scouting staffs with multiple hirings all winter.

Payroll has gone up from “embarrassing” to “middle of the pack”…and while they aren’t playing “PayrollBall” in MLB, the Tigers upping their payroll is a positive sign of commitment.

It’s a bit nagging though to hear Avila shut it down and preach care. If fortune favors the bold, the Tigers will need a different mindset at some point. It’s easier to go from terrible to average than it will be to go from average to elite. I know my counterpart on the podcast Rogelio Castillo, said on Thursday that he is happy they spent money to make the team competitive in 2022.

Soon it will require adding the extra millions to get a Correa-type signing done. Putting precious prospects in play for trades to get a Montas. Turning over every leaf for talent is the recipe for success.

In the end, the Detroit Tigers had a very acceptable off-season. They’re on the road back. Energy is high. Setbacks will happen, but they appear ready for some issues from a depth perspective.

Greene, Torkelson, Baddoo, Mize, Skubal, Jeimer Candelario, Baez, Jonathan Schoop, Miguel Cabrera, Rodriguez, Gregory Soto, Robbie Grossman, Michael Fulmer…these are names that feel like big leaguers are on the scene. That hasn’t been the case in Detroit in some time. It’s time for the Tigers to ascend the mountain. If they take another step forward in the first half, hopefully the aggression of Al Avila will come out at the deadline instead of the caretaker version.

It’s going to be a fun season in Detroit. All the more if front office remains nimble and flexible in making aggressive moves on available talent.