'I'm not mad but I'm pretty mad': Detroit Tigers fans like, but don't love, Javy Baez deal
Detroit Tigers fans are torn.
They're mostly happy about the offseason so far, don't get me wrong, but some of them wanted different news than they got Tuesday.
If you don't follow our Evan Petzold, you may have missed that the Tigers signed All-Star shortstop Javier Baez.
The deal is for six years, about $140 million — fewer years and less money than Corey Seager's recently announced 10-year, $325 million deal — and has an opt-out clause.
Baez hit 31 home runs with a .813 OPS last season for the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs. He's been called one of the best defenders, not just shortstops, in baseball and has made highlights for his baserunning.
But you're lucky if he takes more than one or two walks in a week's time and he's got a lot of confidence to swing.
The 1-A option at short for many Detroit fans was Carlos Correa, who's expected to command a price tage like Seager's, or even higher. That asking price was too high for the Tigers from go, it sounds like, and general manager Al Avila insinuated the team might look elsewhere.
MORE TIGERS: Detroit must make decisions about arbitration-eligible players as deadline looms
Instead of getting one World Series-winning shortstop, the Tigers get another.
How we feeling, Detroit?
😀Optimistic POV for @Tigers:
They got 80% of Correa at for 60% of the price tag.
☹️Pessimistic POV:
This is like signing Zimmermann over Scherzer.— Farris Khan (731 days since OSU beat Michigan) (@BobbleHeadGuru) November 30, 2021
I'd prefer Correa obviously but. yeah
also if the Tigers don't use the money they saved here on other needs then Al Avila and Chris Ilitch need to be fired into the sun— doing everything ~perfectly~ (@srskobuchizawa) November 30, 2021
Avila told you this was coming.
I just hope people don’t get mad at Avila. He basically sent us the message from Chris to not expect the Tigers to spend like drunken sailors. Like if Al has blank checks, that’s another story - but it doesn’t seem like he has any of those, otherwise Correa is here already.
— Justin (@TheYzerPlan) November 30, 2021
Not only are they spending they are doing it responsibly. Like $23m a year is not bad at all for a player like him. But Al Avila can do nothing right in the eyes of most fans. They want him to trade every prospect and throw money around just to loose the WS again bc they rushed
— Zackery Dilber (@DilberZackery) November 30, 2021
Weak. Wait till Seider and Raymond need to be extended. What will Chris Illitch do then? https://t.co/nZ2oWtm40p
— Harrison Watt (@WattInTarnation) November 30, 2021
Guys, Javier Baez can be a bit maddening to watch every day (I've seen at least 1,000 of his ABs as a Cubs fan) but I assure you, he's better than what the Tigers had.
Al Avila = The GRINCH that stole Christmas
— Parker Jacobs 〽️11-1; 3-2 (@parkjac211) November 30, 2021
This is not what I wanted to wake up to. https://t.co/LwLTXTcVN9
— Matthew Scheidel (@mscheidel315) November 30, 2021
What should the team who scored the 9th fewest runs and struck out the 4th most times in MLB do?
Sign the guy who struck out the most times in the NL...
I don't make the rules ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ @tigers https://t.co/zmKEWWnZoV— Dylan Hoch (@djhoch22) November 30, 2021
Wanted Correa but at least it’s not totally absolutely crazy money wise, compared to some of these deals. Thought I guess that’s the reason they did it. Hopefully he cuts down on the K’s. https://t.co/hc59zHRoM8
— Danny (@dajosc11) November 30, 2021
Follow the Free Press on Facebook and Twitter for more news. Tyler Davis can be contacted at tjdavis@freepress.com or on Twitter @TDavisFreep.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers fans like, but don't love, Javier Baez deal
