The Detroit Tigers made headlines last season when they signed shortstop Javier Báez to a lucrative six-year, $140 million contract. However, in a recent interview, former Tigers General Manager Al Avila revealed that the team had seen signs of regression in Báez before inking the deal.
According to Avila, the Tigers scouting department had identified some red flags in Báezs performance, particularly in his plate discipline and defensive metrics. Despite these concerns, the team ultimately decided to move forward with the signing, hoping that Báez would be able to bounce back from a disappointing 2021 season.
At the time of the signing, Báez was considered one of the top free agents on the market, and the Tigers were eager to bring him on board to bolster their lineup. However, in hindsight, it appears that the team may have been overly optimistic about Báezs potential for growth and improvement.
Avilas comments have sparked a heated debate among Tigers fans, with some questioning the teams decision-making process and others defending the signing as a necessary risk. While it is impossible to know for certain how Báez would have performed if the Tigers had not signed him, it is clear that the team took a gamble on the shortstop and lost.
As the Tigers look to rebuild and retool their roster, the Báez signing will undoubtedly be seen as a cautionary tale about the importance of careful scouting and due diligence. The team will need to take a hard look at their evaluation process and make adjustments to avoid similar mistakes in the future.
For Báez, the pressure is on to prove himself and live up to the expectations that come with his hefty contract. If he is unable to turn things around, it could spell disaster for the Tigers and lead to a lengthy rebuild. Only time will tell if Báez will be able to rediscover his form and lead the Tigers back to contention.
In the meantime, fans will be watching with bated breath as the situation unfolds. Will Báez be able to silence his critics and prove his doubters wrong, or will he continue to struggle and become a symbol of the Tigers misguided spending spree?