Detroit Tigers need to proceed with caution before signing Carlos Correa

What is the alternative to Correa for the Detroit Tigers, you might ask?

Perhaps Corey Seager, who turns 28-years old next April. Seager shouldn’t command the same type of money on the open market as Correa but still a lot.  Seager is coming off a year where he slashed .306/.394/.521, hit 16 home runs and drove in 57 with the Dodgers in 95 games.

If Seager is willing to sign a shorter term for a bit less money, I won’t rule out Avila opting to go this route over Correa.  Maybe $190 million over seven years will be a more practical long-term move for the Tigers, who may need to spend a considerable amount on Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, Torkelson, and Greene to keep them around if things go as planned.

Another option could be Marcus Semien, who is coming off of a career year with the Toronto Blue Jays.  Semien hit 45 home runs and drove in 102 while slashing .265/.334/.538 with an OPS of .873.

Semien’s downfall is age, yet he’s proved to be far more durable throughout his career than Correa or Seager, but at 31, a long-term deal should be off the table.  I’d be comfortable giving him a three or four-year deal that averages $25 million.

Both Seager and Semien are clients of MLB super-agent Scott Boras.  If you’re a fan of the Detroit Tigers, you will recall Boras’ relationship with the organization, well, more Mike Ilitch, but there are still some roots between with two sides.

It’s being reported that Boras wants both of these two clients signed before the labor strife begins.

I hope Avila narrows his options down to these three shortstops and avoids dishing out colossal money to Javier Baez or Trevor Story.

I’m worried about Story’s production away from Coors Field in Colorado, and Baez’s attitude reminds me too much of Iglesias, and I’m frightened will become combustible quickly if things don’t immediately go as planned.

Al Avila needs to carefully weigh all options before making a final decision.

Stay tuned; things are starting to get exciting surrounding the Detroit Tigers.