Could Tigers Flip The Script And Make A Run At McCutchen?
By: Will Burchfield
@burchie_kid
If there's one thing we've learned from the Tigers in recent offseasons, it's that they can't be trusted.
They say one thing, and do another.
In 2012, then-General Manager Dave Dombrowski told reporters that he couldn't envision the Tigers acquiring Prince Fielder.
"Realistically, it's probably not a good fit," he said.
A week later, the Tigers turned around and inked Fielder to a nine-year, $212 million contract. They moved resident first baseman Miguel Cabrera to third to squeeze their new star into the picture.
"I figured we had to do it," said owner Mike Ilitch at Fielder's introductory press conference.
Last offseason, GM Al Avila said the Tigers were closing up shop after handing out a five-year, $110 million deal to Jordan Zimmermann.
We're done spending, Avila insisted. That's it.
Then the Tigers shocked the baseball world by dolling out $132 million over six years to Justin Upton.
"It might sound silly," Ilitch said at Upton's introductory press conference, "but I don't care about spending money."
"I want to get as many good players out there as possible," he added later.
This year, the Tigers entered the offseason with a stated intention to cut payroll and a no-one-is-safe approach.
"Changes are coming," Avila said in October.
"(And) changes that we want to make are going to be dictated by what's available on the trade market," he explained.
But aside from shipping Cameron Maybin to the Angels in November, the Tigers have stood pat. No blockbuster trade, no massive salary dump, no roaring firesale.
They said one thing, and have done another.
Could they go one step further and actually become buyers? Recent history suggests it's a legitimate possibility. After all, the departure of Maybin has left quite the hole in center field.
(Imagine that: a move that seemed like the first of many cost-cutting measures could be the precursor to the Tigers spending more.)
In identifying Maybin's potential replacement, many Tigers fans have latched onto Andrew McCutchen. The Pirates are reportedly ready to move on from McCutchen and have been actively shopping the former MVP in search of pitching help.
McCutchen wouldn't cost the Tigers a whole lot in terms of money - he's owed just $14 million in 2017, with a club option for $14.75 million in 2018. When accounting for the $9 million the Tigers saved by trading Maybin, the addition of McCutchen would represent just a $5 million expense.
Might his contract push the Tigers over the luxury tax threshold? Sure, but such concerns are probably overblown. It was less than 12 months ago, remember, that Ilitch had this to say about the big bad luxury tax:
"I'm supposed to be a good boy and not go over it, but if I think there are certain players that could help us a lot, I'll go over it. Oops, I shouldn't have said that."
(By the way: the threat of incurring the luxury tax isn't all that daunting. Not for an organization already shelling out about $200 million per year. If the Tigers' payroll merely stays the same from last year, they'll face a luxury tax of about $3.25 million in 2017. In the grand scheme of things, that's chump change.)
But McCutchen to the Tigers is far from a match made in heaven.
First of all, Pittsburgh would ask for a boatload of talent in return. Judging by a deal that fell through between the Pirates and the Nationals, think Michael Fulmer, plus others. That's a prohibitive cost for the Tigers, whose farm system is thin as it is.
Second of all, McCutchen, now 30 years old, may not be the perennial All-Star he used to be. He had a dismal season in 2016, posting the lowest average (.256) and OPS (.766) of his career. Things were so bad, in fact, that McCutchen finished with a negative - yes, negative - WAR (-0.7).
His shortcomings were concentrated in center field. That's a warning sign for any team inquiring about McCutchen, but especially for the Tigers, who play in one of the most expansive ballparks in the league. If McCutchen had trouble covering ground in the relatively homey PNC Park, think of the struggles he'd encounter in the vast outfield at Comerica.
Though Ilitch and the Tigers have a history of surprise acquisitions, a trade for McCutchen doesn't seem like the next one in line.
Then again...
Considering the team's posture - standing pat, closed for business, disinterested in adding payroll - would it really be much of a surprise?