Tigers sign pitcher Matt Moore to a one-year deal... Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports reports that the Detroit Tigers have signed lefty Matt Moore to a one-year deal. The exact financial terms are not yet known, but the deal reportedly guarantees him between $2.5 million and $3 million. Moore, who became a free agent when the Texas Rangers declined his $10 million 2019 option, is coming off his worst season as a major leaguer. He was moved from the rotation to the bullpen in midseason en route to a 6.79 ERA in 39 games. His peripherals, while worse, were not excessively worse than the year before, however. More of his fly balls made it over the fence and more of his batted balls found holes, it would seem. Of course, that was compared to a 2017 season which wasn’t all that hot either, so don’t put down playoff deposits just yet, Tigers fan. Wait, don’t put them down at all as it’s the Tigers we’re talking about. Do expect Moore, however, to absorb a bunch of innings for a rebuilding team. At least if things go well for him. Indeed, this could be the best chance he’ll have to return to starting full time, so it was probably a good move for him to go with Detroit. (NBC)
DETROIT -- Niko Goodrum found a place on the Tigers' roster with his hard work all over the field. He'll find an award waiting for him when he returns to town for the Winter Caravan and TigerFest next month. Goodrum, who vaulted from non-roster invitee in Spring Training, to super-utility player on Opening Day, to everyday contributor by season's end, has been named the winner of the 2018 Bill MacAdam Tenth Man Award, presented annually by the Detroit Baseball Society. Goodrum will receive his award, named after the Detroit Baseball Society's founder, at the 18th annual Detroit Baseball Dinner, scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Polish American Cultural Center in nearby Troy, Mich. Previous winners include John Hicks, Andrew Romine, Don Kelly and Quintin Berry. Goodrum joined the Tigers as a Minor League free agent last offseason after making his Major League debut with Minnesota in 2017. The former Twins second-round pick made an Opening Day roster for the first time in his career with a breakthrough Spring Training, then carried the momentum into the season to earn his chance at regular playing time. Goodrum played all over the field to find that playing time -- 64 games at second base, 37 at first, 12 at shortstop, 11 games in left, 10 at third and eight in right. He took advantage of those at-bats to hit .245 (109-for-444) with a .747 OPS, slugging 29 doubles, three triples and 16 home runs to go with 53 RBIs and 12 stolen bases. The 26-year-old Goodrum posted three four-hit games, tying him for the most among Major League rookies in 2018. His 48 extra-base hits and 42 walks placed him second amongst American League rookies, while his doubles and stolen bases were third. (Tigers.com)
Fox Sports Detroit has named Matt Shepard their new full-time play-by-play guy for Tigers games. Shepard will work with analysts Jack Morris and Kirk Gibson, who will split time. This is the move in response to former longtime announcers Mario Impemba and Rod Allen getting suspended and later fired following an in-booth altercation in Chicago last September. The two of them, who weren’t exactly friends, reportedly fought over a chair, with conflicting reports of how serious the fight was. An anonymous witness said Allen put Impemba in a choke hold. Allen recently gave an interview in which he denied that and said it was only some pushing and shoving. Either way, it ended their 16-year team-up for Tigers games. Shepard has worked for Fox Sports Detroit for nearly 20 years, doing fill-in play-by-play for the Tigers — he replaced Impemba for the last few weeks of last season — and for Detroit Pistons games. Gibson has been a part time analyst for the network for the past couple of seasons, splitting time with Allen. Morris has done Tigers, Blue Jays and Twins games over the years, sometimes even splitting time between the Twins and Tigers, which is rather unusual. Shepard is pretty good at his job. While Tigers fans liked and were familiar with Impemba, there won’t be a falloff in quality. Gibson makes some good analytical points and has a surprisingly sharp and biting sense of humor about him, but his gruff and monotone delivery is not everyone’s cup of tea. You get used to it. Morris is not my cup of tea — he tends to do a lot of the “back in my day” stuff former players often do — but I’m pretty sure he could recite the dictionary on TV in Detroit and a lot of Tigers fans would tune in. Such is life.
David Meter, the agent of Tigers outfielder Nicholas Castellanos, says his client prefers to be traded before the start of spring training, Anthony Fenech of the Detroit Free Press reports. Meter said, “He wants to win and understands the direction of the franchise right now is to procure prospects. That being said, he would rather start with his new club going into spring training.” Castellanos, 26, is entering his final season before free agency and has very obviously been made available for trade by the rebuilding Tigers. Last season, he hit a highly productive .298/.354/.500 with 23 home runs, 89 RBI, and 88 runs scored in 678 plate appearances. A former third baseman, he spent all of his defensive innings in the outfield, so he would could play corner outfield, third base, or DH for a new team. The Tigers have reportedly drawn interest in Castellanos from the Braves and Dodgers, but both clubs recently signed outfielders in Nick Markakis and A.J. Pollock, respectively. The Mets also had interest earlier this offseason but their outfield may be full as a result of signing Jed Lowrie, as infield prospect Jeff McNeil will now get more playing time in the outfield. It is not clear which teams would now be interested in Castellanos, but free agent Bryce Harper may need to sign a contract first to clear the smoke. (NBC's, HBT)
Tigers have 3 players in the top 100 this year... Tigers (3) 17. Casey Mize, RHP (ETA: 2020) 52. Matt Manning, RHP (2020) 78. Franklin Perez, RHP (2020) The Tigers produced a total of seven Top 100 prospects from 2013-17, during which they never had more than two players on any preseason list. They have three this year, thanks to an influx of high-ceiling pitchers through the Draft as well as trades in recent years, and seven in the past two years. It might not be long until Mize, Manning and Perez make an impact, too, as all three hurlers have the potential to reach the Majors by 2020, if not sooner.
DETROIT -- Kirk Gibson's involvement with the Tigers will branch out from the broadcast booth this season and spread onto the field and into the meeting rooms. The former All-Star outfielder and National League Most Valuable Player Award winner is joining Detroit's front office as a special assistant, the team announced Monday. The appointment gives Gibson a role assisting in on-field duties with the big league club and in the Minors, along with involvement in all personnel meetings. He'll also travel throughout the Tigers' farm system and participate in community relations while continuing his role as an analyst for Fox Sports Detroit, splitting game duties with Hall of Famer and former teammate Jack Morris. Gibson had already taken on an active role with the club since returning to Fox Sports Detroit as an analyst in 2015. He was a guest instructor at Spring Training under former manager Brad Ausmus in '16, assisting in baserunning drills and fundamentals. Gibson also visited the Tigers' Double-A Erie affiliate this past summer while his son Cam was an outfielder there. Monday's move puts a formal title and definition on his duties. Gibson joins a star-studded list of Tigers special assistants, including Hall of Famers Al Kaline and Alan Trammell, hometown hero Willie Horton and former Tigers manager Jim Leyland. "Gibby fits into that group as well as anyone," general manager Al Avila said in a statement. "He comes in with an already established presence in our clubhouse as a broadcaster, and we're looking forward to having him around more during Spring Training in Lakeland, [Fla.] while he'll be working with Major and Minor League players across our organization." Gibson not only brings a sense of Tigers history to the role -- having been a World Series hero in 1984 and a star on the Tigers' teams for much of the decade -- but brings managerial and coaching experience as well. He won the NL Manager of the Year Award in 2011 as part of his five-year managerial tenure with the D-backs. Gibson's coaching career began in Detroit as bench coach under then-manager Alan Trammell from 2003-05. Gibson was already scheduled to be around the Tigers in Spring Training as part of his broadcasting duties; he'll be working alongside play-by-play man Matt Shepard for Fox Sports Detroit's Grapefruit League telecasts on March 14, 17 and 18. "I'm thrilled for this opportunity to work with Al and the baseball operations department, who are building a solid foundation for the future success of this franchise," Gibson said in a statement. "Spring Training is right around the corner, and I'm really looking forward to be back in Lakeland working with everyone to bring a World Series championship back to the city of Detroit. I remember watching the '68 team as a sixth-grader, participating in the '84 world championship and I'm excited for the opportunity to contribute to the next championship team." Gibson's community work includes the Kirk Gibson Foundation, which currently promotes cooperation, collaboration and teamwork in finding a cure for Parkinson's disease. Gibson's busy schedule is a testament to his resilient nature since his diagnosis with Parkinson's in 2015.
Michael Fulmer shut down indefinitely to work on his mechanics. Hardest he could throw was 89-91 mph...
