Tigers' Ilitch With Busy Off$eason To Go All In On 2016 Season
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
Wanting to win is the simplest baseline in sports. No one thinks to themselves, 'Hey, losing is all right.'
But judging by offseason spending on the Tigers, owner Mike Ilitch is singularly obsessed with the prospect, and will do anything in his power to bring a World Series trophy to Detroit.
According to Spotrac, the Tigers have the fifth-highest payroll in baseball, behind only the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox and Giants. With the reported signing of free agent outfielder Justin Upton to a 6-year, $132 million mega-contract this weekend, the Tigers are going all-in on 2016.
The offseason has been a whirlwind one in Detroit. Closer Francisco Rodriguez signed with the Tigers. Then came free agent right-handed pitcher Jordan Zimmermann, who had a 3.66 ERA and struck out 164 in 33 starts for the Nationals last season. He cemented himself alongside Justin Verlander as the aces in next year's rotation.
The team didn't exactly slow down during winter meetings in December. General manager and vice president of baseball operations Al Avila seemingly announced a new player every day. Mark Lowe joined the bullpen. Mike Pelfrey was signed for depth in the starting rotation. Two prospects were shipped off to New York in exchange for reliever Justin Wilson.
Avila insisted the team would still look for a utilityman after winter meetings concluded. A few weeks later Mike Aviles joined the fray (.231 with five homeruns and 17 RBI in 98 games with Cleveland last year).
Yet rumors continued to swirl that the Tigers were still looking. Would they sign Yoenis Cespedes away from the Mets? Chris Davis?
Until last week, Upton wasn't really a discussion point. But within a couple hours Monday night, the situation ramped up from reports that the Tigers were in discussions with Upton to reports that it was a done deal.
It's no small deal. Upton's reported $132 million deal would average out to about $22 million a year. That would be the third-highest free agent deal this offseason.
But if that's what it takes, Ilitch is all in. He notoriously joked at Zimmermann's opening presser that he didn't care about the luxury tax, which works to keep baseball payrolls manageable and relatively equal among teams.
"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," Ilitch said at the time. "Oops, I shouldn't have said that."
Last year, four teams (the Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox and Giants) all paid extra to Major League Baseball for exceeding the luxury tax threshold.
According to Fangraphs, the threshold for 2016 payrolls will be $189 million, up from previous years. With the signing of Upton, the Tigers will likely pass that threshold.
But for a team that missed the playoffs last season for the first time since 2010 (and that hasn't won a World Series since 1984), that doesn't much matter to Ilitch. If money can buy a World Series, he'll happily sign the check.
