Shohei Ohtani
We all know that there's no way Shohei Ohtani will end up with the Tigers. It feels pretty unlikely that he'll come anywhere near the Midwest at all. But while we're dreaming, we might as well dream big, right?
It doesn't feel like an exaggeration to say that Shohei Ohtani's presence in Detroit would singlehandedly revitalize the franchise. That's not to say that the Tigers would turn into a winning team overnight because of him — the Angels have already proved that even two generational talents does not a good team make — but it would bring a lot of hope to a franchise that's been downtrodden for 10 years. That might sound a bit quaint, but having something or someone to make the future look a little brighter is not unimportant for building and maintaining a fan base. Miguel Cabrera is gone, and Tigers fans deserve to have someone to believe in, someone's jersey to be excited about wearing.
Of course, sentimentality is not everything, and a very good argument could be made that says it's not much at all. But what's left to say about Shohei Ohtani's game that we don't already know? Every hyperbolic statement you've ever heard about him isn't really hyperbole. He's a shoo-in for AL MVP, despite injury ending his season early. He's one of the most special players to ever play the game, and if he manages to keep playing two ways for a good portion of his career, he'll be the most special player to ever play the game.
In Tigers terms, Ohtani could slide in easily into DH. Kerry Carpenter actually had a pretty good year at DH, with a .278 ERA and 20 home runs, but he could also move into an outfield that has shuffled a lot and has featured a struggling Akil Baddoo more than it should.
While we're dreaming, let's also indulge into some screaming into the void too. Shohei Ohtani, please come to Detroit. We promise you unlimited Superman ice cream and all of our love.