Photo Credit: Jose Juarez of Mlive

Tiger fans are not only waking up to a half foot of snow, but also to the news of Alex Bregman signing with the Boston Red Sox. Bregman is expected to sign a 3-year deal worth $120 million with an opt-out clause in 2025 and 2026. Less years, more money. The Tigers reportedly offered 6 years and $170 million with some money deferred. Optics would seem that Chris Ilitch wasn’t willing to go the less years more money route. He wanted to offer more years at less money, which possibly could have had Bregman earning considerable money at ages 35, 36, and 37 when his skills could easily decline.

We’re hearing that the Tigers made a “competitive” offer. While it’s considered noble to compete, it still runs the risk of losing. The Tigers could have competed and won in a blowout. It was right there for the taking and they opted not to go higher with the money and less on the years. Bregman could have been a Tiger for perhaps 45 million a year over 3 years. The difference is 15 million dollars. Although it’s a lot of money in the grand scheme of things and the way the winners in MLB “compete,” that shouldn’t have been a deal breaker. Chris Ilitch, son of Mike Ilitch, who did whatever he had to do to win, stood in the Tigers locker room after they clinched a wild card spot playing the best baseball in the league and said he would do what it takes to produce a champion. Well he did not do that. He chose to give the loyal fans a double bird by basically telling them that, quite frankly, he values money over championships.

So many ask, what now? Bregman quite possibly would have put the Tigers in the same breath as the Yankees to win the American League. They were one win away from beating Cleveland, who made it to the ALCS. Would they get over that obstacle with Bregman? I guess we’ll never know. There is the possibility of going the trade route, however Scott Harris has said he doesn’t like trading prospect capital. So that puts the trade route in doubt. They could go the FA route and shop in the clearance aisle for Whit Merrifield and the corpse of Justin Turner. That doesn’t move the needle at all in terms of impact or excitement. The smart money is on them going internally. Matt Vierling seems to be the candidate to win the position in camp. Vierling is a good offensive talent but he is a sub-par defender. Jace Jung, who is also a candidate at the hot corner, is coming off a wrist injury that he played through down the stretch, but he’s a pup. Could he handle the job full time in a pennant chase? Maybe, maybe not. Maybes are not competing, at least if you want to win. Bregman was the choice. A gold glove 3B. Drew walks. 4.0 WAR. Any option the Tigers have now do not hold a candle to what Bregman could have brought to the Tigers. Perhaps $15 million dollars or a tad bit more to raise the odds significantly of making the postseason would have been all it took to raise the chances of the Tigers getting to the World Series. It’s clear that Chris Ilitch values money over championships. A scoff and the double bird to us all. Thanks Chris, thanks a lot.