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Detroit Tigers: What Should Santa Bring the Organization for Christmas?

By Matt Snyder

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What do you get the billion-dollar Detroit Tigers franchise for Christmas? The type of upgrade money can’t buy.

When the Detroit Tigers lay their heads down on their pillows on Christmas Eve, they’ll do so with visions of spring training and the upcoming 2016 season dancing through their heads. But what will be waiting for them underneath the Christmas Tree when they wake up in the morning?

After the way last season played out, the obvious gift would have been a brand new bullpen. But general manager Al Avila spent the majority of his offseason moves re-working the team’s relief pitching. Another solid arm would always be nice, but the bullpen has been bumped down the list of wants.

Another option might be a breakout season from a young pitching prospect — like Michael Fulmer — to build up the next waive of power pitchers to take over at the front of the rotation for Justin Verlander.

That’s another great idea that would help the Tigers set themselves up for success in the coming seasons, but the ideal Tigers gift would be as much about immediate success as it would future success.

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I hope Santa brings Nick Castellanos a breakout bat. Now entering his third full-season in the big leagues, Castellanos has made only modest strides at the plate (his slugging average jumped 23 points from 2014 to 2015).

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Castellanos put together a really nice second half at the dish last year (.269/.322/.478) which helped to make up for a very poor first half (.243/.287/.372). In all, however, he managed a 94 wRC+ batting line that only matched his 2014 production (also a 94 wRC+).

If Nick Castellanos can match (or, dare we hope, improve upon) his solid second half numbers from 2015, it would go a long way towards the Tigers getting back into the mix for a division title.

2016 looks something like a make-or-break season for Castellanos and the Tigers. Will he develop into the type of player he was touted to be while a prospect, or will he become languish as a poor-fielding platoon hitter? Let’s hope Santa has him on the nice list this year.

Next: What Should Santa Bring the Detroit Lions?

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