Here's an idea: Maybe the Detroit Tigers shouldn't sell at the trade deadline - something rumors suggested they might do. Whether they're in a position they want to be by July 31 or not, there's a case to be made for general manager Dave Dombrowski to stick with what he has and maybe even add to the current roster.
FOX Sports' Ken Rosenthal and Jon Heyman of CBS Sports provided some insight on a specific issue surrounding Yoenis Cespedes, which could change Detroit's plans.
"Tigers left fielder Cespedes is telling friends that he wants to re-sign with the club - and that he would maintain that desire even if the Tigers traded him and he became a free agent," Rosenthal wrote.
"One thing to keep him in mind is that, unlike most other free agent stars, he can't be given the qualifying offer whether he's traded or not -- a very big plus for him," Heyman added.
This scenario can also help the Tigers in dealing with David Price.
No, chances are the Tigers will not re-sign Price in the offseason. He's expected to land a mammoth deal when he hits free agency and Detroit already got into such a dispute with Max Scherzer last season, so it's probably something they don't want to be bothered with. In fact, that is exactly what Rosenthal is reporting.
"The contract that Price will command is beyond the Tigers' comfort level, and the two sides have not engaged in serious talks, major-league sources say."
As a result, if they keep Price and decide to push for the playoffs, they'll be guaranteed draft pick compensation for the left-hander when he signs elsewhere, which they wouldn't be able to get with Cespedes. There'd perhaps be more of an argument to trade one of them if they could both receive a qualifying offer, but Cespedes can't and he wants to stay in Detroit anyway.
They're only three games out of the second wild-card spot. Why not just keep Price and Cespedes and go for it?
Well, there's the argument that the Tigers have a terrible farm system and need more talent and depth, which is true. Their aging roster (Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez) does not bode well for the future and their pitching staff (both starting rotation and bullpen) is among the worst in the MLB.
But then there's another argument. Detroit has a lot of younger players who are contributing on the roster right now. They include J.D. Martinez (27 years old), Jose Iglesias (25), Anthony Gose (24) and Nick Castellanos (23). Combine that successful young core with the older core and it's actually a good balance. The Tigers can still contend this year by adding the right pieces at the deadline and they wouldn't be in bad shape for the foreseeable future - at least offensively.
"There's a strong argument to be made that the Tigers should trade both [Price and Cespedes], especially considering both players are likely headed to the free-agent market and Detroit could use prospect depth," ESPN Insider Jim Bowden writes. "But this team is just four games from a wild-card spot, and they're good enough to pass the teams in front of them. I say GM Dave Dombrowski, who is in the last year of his contract, actually becomes a buyer at the deadline and tries to land a starter and a reliever, even if it means he empties what's left in the system."
If they think they have a shot this year, they absolutely need Price in that rotation. Getting rid of him would admit defeat and they would perhaps hurt their chances of signing any free agents they're targeting in the offseason if they miss the playoffs. Additionally, getting draft pick compensation for Price wouldn't be all that bad considering how deep this year's MLB Draft was, so two first-round selections could help their farm system a lot. (They'll have two first-round picks assuming they don't sign another player who was presented with a qualifying offer.)
If they can keep Cespedes beyond 2015, then their outfield would remain intact as well.
So instead of blowing it all up and calling it quits for this season, the Tigers have a chance to make the best of the situation by contending this year and slowly building for the future in the offseason.
Dombrowski had less than eight days to decide what he'll do with this Tigers' team in the final year of his contract.
