![]() He owns a 5.41 ERA over 88 starts and 14 relief appearances and was ultimately non-tendered by the Nationals after the 2022 season. With a two-year, $15 million contract to play in the South Side, Fedde’s career numbers in MLB are truly abysmal. ![]() In this tenor, signing the unheralded Erick Fedde may become a masterstroke at best or a cheap signing at worst. Former player Chris Getz is now in charge of this effort, and he may be ahead of the curve considering that a rebuild in the Central may not be as tough as it appears. Losing 101 games may have only been the tip of the iceberg, as Chicago has apparently shifted to rebuild mode with the firing of their GM and executive vice president. It is hard to believe, but a very similar foundation won 93 games in 2021, only to literally post the worst season in 90 years for the franchise. ![]() Speaking of bad teams in the AL Central, the White Sox are probably a couple of steps behind the Tigers and Co., following a truly dreadful season. Expected to be the oldest position player on the team with Miguel Cabrera gone, Canha should also serve as a veteran leader for a roster trying to make the leap toward contention. Even as he had a poor start to the season with the Mets, he regained steam after being traded to the Brewers and has posted a combined 120 OPS+ during the last five seasons. 355 OBP would have ranked first for the Tigers offense in 2023, as Canha is mostly known as an on-base machine with occasional power. Even as he may not be the most exciting player, and about to turn 35, he is the kind of veteran, reliable bat that adds stability to a young offense. Under this premise, adding a player like Mark Canha makes perfect sense. It is safe to say that even an average offense could have produced a contender for the division, as the Central always seems to be there for the taking. At the same time, the Tigers scored third-fewest runs in the league. The 2023 season may have been the turning point for a front office desperate to bring back relevancy to Detroit, as the team won 78 games mostly on the strength of its pitching staff. ![]() Instead, they have become an afterthought in a division full of them, alternating promising seasons with full-blown debacles, hitting on a few development gems while signing more than a few suspect free agents (only four years and $98 million left for Javy Báez!). Since a 4-year span between 20 in which the Tigers won the Central every time, the franchise has not been able to replicate that level of success. These players may not move the needle in terms of marketing and headlines, but they have the potential to make their front offices look pretty smart when it’s all said and done. Today, we shift away from these ubiquitous transactions to focus on five underrated moves that could provide tons of value and make a difference for their teams. Even the signings of the likes of hurlers Aaron Nola, Josh Hader, and Shota Imanaga created enough buzz and anticipation, as they appear to be safe bets to produce. In usual hot stove fashion, we’ve already had a number of high-profile moves, like Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto combining for over a billion dollars to sign with the Dodgers, or Juan Soto now donning the pinstripes, as the Yankees try to break their long title drought. As the MLB season approaches (less than 3 months to go!), it is always fairly easy to become swept up in the flurry of signings, trades, and speculation that runs rampant between the last out of the World Series and the first pitch of Opening Day.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |