Hit the Reset

As sad as it is to think about, the Detroit Tigers season is on the brink of being over.  And it's July!  It's funny to think about it like that, but with the way that they have been struggling over the last month, combined with the way other teams have been playing well, the Tigers are slipping further and further out of the playoff hunt.  The trade deadline is fast approaching and the Tigers need to look to the future if they want to stay relevant in the years to come.  It's been wonderful over the past several years to watch their success, but now is the time to restock the farm system they have gutted getting the big name players they have on their roster.  I am not calling for a full on rebuild of the team, but a reset.

The Tigers' farm system has long been the joke of the major league.  Mainly because drafting is not their strong suit.  Ever since 2006, the Tigers have been built to win now.  And while they have been a power within the American League and a post season presence, the win now team is slowly getting older.  And unfortunately, it has not resulted in a World Series win.  Injuries this year are showing how poorly developed the farm system is.  The replacements for injured stars are no where near ready and probably will not be for years (or ever).  

So how do they reset instead of rebuild?  They need to trade some big names for near ready prospects.  And they have the big names to trade.  Two of them in fact.  Two of them that are poised for free agency.  David Price and Yoenis Cespedes.  But did they not just trade for these two in the last year?  Yes.  Yes they did.  Now it's time to turn around and get some prospects for them.  So where do the Tigers need the most help?  Pitching.  Starting and relief pitching.  So why would they trade away Price, one of the top pitchers in the game right now?  Because if you can get two or maybe three young pitchers in return, one of which who could step up in the next year, why wouldn't you?  Even Cespedes can be traded away for pitching.  And while it will put a hurt on the batting lineup, at least they won't be in as bad of shape as the pitching staff would be if Price were traded away.  

And how are the successful teams are winning right now?  Pitching and defense.  Strong pitching and strong defense is how winning teams are built around right now.  The Tigers have one of those.  They have defense.  But if the pitching staff is not solid and giving up hits and runs, you cannot win games.  Especially if the bats are not hot.  If you can trade away Price or Cespedes and get a couple of young arms, people will be happy.  Maybe not this year or the year after, but once they develop and mature, they could have an impact.  A positive impact. 

I don't have any idea if there are any minor league pitchers that the Tigers have an eye on.  I don't know if they will trade Price or Cespedes or any other player they currently have.  What I do know is that they need to do so.  Most people think that the Tigers could be either buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.  It all depends on how they do in the next few games.  Well, in my eyes, they need to be sellers.  They need to get something back for Price and Cespedes.  Why?  Because they are both going to split town because they are smart and anyone with a set of eyes and half a brain can see the Tigers are on the downside of a decade long run of being relevant.  They both want to win.  They both know they won't win a World Series in Detroit.  Not because the Tigers can't, but because other teams can.  Other teams are poised to go further than Detroit this year and in the upcoming years.  So, the Tigers need to trade them away and get something back.  They couldn't last year with Max Scherzer because they were leading the AL Central and were going to make it to the playoffs.  This year, however, I don't see them making the playoffs.  They need to cash in their chips, take a deep breath, and hope like hell they can regroup.      

It could be a struggle for Tigers fans for the next couple of years as they reset their system, but it won't be that bad.  All I have to say is, at least it isn't 2003 and 2004.  Remember that guys?  I hope does not get that bad.  Ever.  Again. 

Ideal Getaway

I haven't done one of these in forever, so what better time than right now?

'If you had unlimited funds, where would you go for a getaway?'

This falls in line with a question like 'if you won the lottery, what would you do with the money?'.  Because who has time for an ideal getaway if you have responsibilities at home?  Of course, it all depends on your definition of getaway.  Is it a weekends away?  Is it a week, or month away?  

Thinking of a getaway, one might think of going to a far distant country.  For Americans, I think that most of us would contemplate a getaway to European countries.  I know I do.  I think of places like Germany, Spain, and Italy.  And why not?  You see wondrous photos and video of breathtaking scenery in commercials and movies.  And, to paraphrase Eddie Izzard, it's where the history comes from!  There is just so much cool stuff to see in all the different countries.  Why would you not want to experience something like that?  

However, there are tons of places to go in the United States.  Lots of sights and sounds to experience.  And it includes less travel time.  You can also include the countries to the north and south if you so choose.  I think that there are tons of cool places in Canada that you can visit.  I went to Toronto with my family when I was in high school.  I remember enjoying it, but I think that as an adult, you would enjoy it even more.  I suppose the same goes for any place that I have been to when I was a kid.  We took a family road trip when I was in first grade.  We went from Michigan to California.  We made plenty of stops along the way that I don't think I fully appreciated.  Sure, I remember being in Yellowstone, but did I fully grasp the vastness and openness of the park?  Most definitely not.

I suppose if I had my way, I would try to find a way to split an ideal getaway.  Spend time in both the U.S. and Europe.  You could spend a month in each country of Europe or each state in America and still not see everything that each place has to offer.  You would just have to make up an itinerary and priority of each place.