The 5 Best Moves Al Avila And The Tigers Made During The Offseason
By Dan Jenkins
@DanTJenkins
New Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila was put in charge of reinvigorating an aging team and keeping Mike Ilitch's squad among the top contenders in the American League. Here's the moves that helped the team get better the most in 2016:
5. Acquired OF Cameron Maybin from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for P Ian Krol and P Gabe Speier
The Tigers brought back one of the centerpiece players involved in the 2007 blockbuster trade for Miguel Cabrera. Cameron Maybin has struggled with injuries during his nine-year career, often bouncing between the major leagues and the minors, but the Tigers are expecting him to be a reliable fourth outfielder in their lineup.
Maybin has missed most of spring training with a fracture in his wrist he suffered on March 3 and will start the season on the disabled list, but shouldn't miss much of the regular season if his initial 4-6 week diagnosis holds true.
4. Cut ties with C Alex Avila
Things looked so promising for Alex Avila following the 2011 season. The 24-year-old was recognized for his great season by being chosen to play in the All-Star Game and he batted .295 with 19 home runs and 82 RBIs to finish the year.
Now 29, Avila has been on a harsh decline due to injuries and concussions that caused him to miss time over the past four seasons. Since his All-Star season, Avila has batted just .224 with 35 home runs and 155 RBIs in 409 games.
Many thought that with Avila's father, Al, taking over the reins of the Tigers' front office that he would surely be back with the team in 2016. However, Alex lost his starting spot to youngster James McCann and the Tigers opted to sign switch-hitting veteran Jarrod Saltalamacchia to back him up.
Avila signed with the AL Central Division rival Chicago White Sox, so Tigers fans will still get to see plenty of Alex Avila this summer.
3. Signed P Jordan Zimmermann to a five-year, $110 million contract
After the Tigers dealt ace David Price at the trade deadline in July, the team's starting rotation was left in shambles. Following the All-Star break, 11 different players started a game for the Tigers.
The Tigers had arguably the American League's worst starters in 2015, posting a 4.78 ERA last season. Al Avila made a big splash in free agency to try to fix that problem.
The team signed Jordan Zimmermann away from the Washington Nationals with a $110 million deal that some people said was too expensive for a so called second-tier pitcher. But the fact is that the two-time All-Star will be paid less than Masahiro Tanaka, Jon Lester and Johnny Cueto, and nearly half of what Price, Max Scherzer, Zach Greinke and Clayton Kershaw are due to make.
Playing all seven of his major league seasons with the Nationals, Zimmermann has only pitched in 24 games against American League teams. In those games, he has posted an 11-6 record with a 3.05 ERA, a 1.21 WHIP while tallying 7.3 strikeouts per nine innings.
Granted Justin Verlander continues to stay healthy and pitch well, the Tigers should have one of the best 1-2 punches in the American League.
2. Cut ties with most of 2015's relief pitchers
The number one problem that analysts and fans alike say the Tigers have had in recent years is their bullpen. The Tigers bullpen gave up more hits than any other team in the American League in 2015 while having the second-fewest amount of strikeouts.
The first step Avila took to fix this recurring issue was to cut ties with six of the seven relief pitchers from Opening Day 2015. Angel Nesbitt is the only player still in the organization.
Every other player -- Joba Chamberlain, Al Alburquerque, Tom Gorzelanny, Ian Krol, Joe Nathan and Joakim Soria -- has moved on.
Chamberlain and Gorzelanny signed minor league deals with the Cleveland Indians, Alburquerque signed a one-year contract with the L.A. Angels, Krol was dealt to the Braves, and Nathan continues to rehab after Tommy John surgery in hopes to play again.
The only player who was perhaps worthy of returning was Soria, who chose to return to the Kansas City Royals on a three-year, $25 million contract.
Avila chose to go in a completely different direction, keeping only a few of last year's arms -- like standouts Blaine Hardy and Alex Wilson -- and building an entirely new relief corps.
1. Completely rebuilt a struggling bullpen
Avila wasted no time rebuilding the back end of the Tigers' bullpen. His first trade as general manager was to bring in proven closer Francisco Rodriguez, a.k.a K-Rod.
Rodriguez is seven years removed from setting the single season saves record (62) with the Angels in 2008 and has since had to reinvent his game, relying more on a devastating changeup in recent years. He was an All-Star the past two seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, saving 44 and 38 games in 2014 and 2015, respectively.
The addition of Rodriguez will solidify the Tigers' ninth inning troubles, but other moves made by Avila should shore up the rest of the bullpen. The team traded for Justin Wilson and signed veteran Mark Lowe to handle the seventh and eighth innings.
Along with Hardy and Wilson, the new additions should form a serviceable bullpen, given everyone stays healthy and plays to their potential.
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