Everything was set up perfectly for the Detroit Tigers.
They planned to enter 2022 with Jake Rogers and Eric Haase sharing duties behind the plate.
The best part of that scenario? They were incredibly cheap, at least in the big picture. Both Rogers and Haase will earn $570,000 each in 2022.
So basically, the Tigers had it set up to spend just over $1 million at catcher, which was significant in the big picture, because it would allow them to spend even more money on a free-agent shortstop and a couple of pitchers.
That was the plan, at least.
Then, it disappeared with a pop.
Literally.
Rogers felt a pop in his elbow. Out for a year. Tommy John.
And suddenly, the Tigers were looking for a catcher.
NOT SO FAST: Jake Rogers ‘pushing to be back next year’ after Tommy John surgery
Now, it’s clear what they were looking for:
Somebody on a short-term contract.
And is fantastic defensively.
And can call a great game and lead a young pitching staff.
And can hit from the left side and be paired up with Haase.
And is a leader and great clubhouse guy.
But most of all, somebody who could help this team win now.
That’s a long wish list. Those kinds are catchers, with all of those specific attributes, are not easy to find.
But lo and behold, they found that player on Tuesday, trading for Tucker Barnhart, a two-time gold glove winning catcher. The Tigers had to give up infield prospect Nick Quintana, which was not a high price, at least on first blush. Quintana hit just .186 with nine home runs in minor leagues this year.
You get what you pay for
Maybe, Quintana will develop into a stud. Maybe, not.
Either way, that was the cost for the Tigers to fill a huge need.
Which is a heck of a way to start the hot-stove season. Tigers general manager Al Avila nailed this move. Because it makes so much sense on so many levels and fills a huge need.
[ How the Tigers landed Tucker Barnhart, and what the trade means for other catchers ]
“We were so excited, elated really, to be able to acquire Tucker so quickly here in the hot stove season,” Avila said. “Everybody’s very excited that we were able to do this, to get such a fine human being really on top of being a great catcher and leader on the field.”
But if there is one negative, it is this: Now, they are spending $7.75 million on a catcher.
As of right now, Barnhart will be the seventh-highest paid catcher in baseball, according to Spotrac. Here are the catchers ahead of Barnhart: the Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto ($23.8 million); the White Sox’s Yasmani Grandal ($18.25 million); the Royals’ Salvador Perez ($18 million); the Cardinals’ Yadier Molina ($10 million); the Mets’ James McCann ($8.15 million) and the Braves’ Travis d’Arnaud ($8 million).
(Giants star Buster Posey will reportedly walk away from $22 million by retiring.)
Still, that’s money that could have gone to a shortstop, which was the plan before the Rogers injury. But the Tigers had no choice. If they wanted to make a real push to win this year, they had to get a catcher.
And they got one who checks all the boxes.
“I’m excited as heck to be a part of this organization,” Barnhart said.
Clearly, Avila loves the idea of putting Barnhart with Haase.
“It’s a great combination,” Avila said. “Tucker hitting from the left side is a great addition, in combination with Haase. We were very excited about the potential, not only from the defensive side, but from the offensive side, too.”
The options are open
There is another benefit to this move. It gives the Tigers flexibility.
[ New Tigers C Tucker Barnhart: Known for golden glove and packing a punch ]
They have several options with Barnhart:
• They could keep him the entire year, especially if they are fighting for a playoff spot.
• If everything spins out of control and they are out of the playoff race early, they could trade him for prospects at the deadline.
• If Rogers doesn’t recover from surgery, or it becomes obvious that catching prospect Dillon Dingler is going to take longer than expected, they could try to sign Barnhart to an extension.
But make no mistake, Rogers is still part of the Tigers’ plan. They hope will come back, possibly before the end of next season.
“We’re still very high on Jake,” Avila said.
This move doesn’t affect Dingler either. He wasn’t expected to make Detroit’s roster in 2022 anyway.
But this move does something else: It’s a clear sign the Tigers are going to spend money.
After all, they just spent $7.75 million on a catcher. They didn’t try to go cheap and bring in a $2 million stop gap, like last year with Wilson Ramos.
So maybe, this move will help them sign a couple of pitchers who will find it appealing to work with a Gold Glove catcher.
And maybe, this move will signal to the free-agent shortstops that the Tigers really do want to win now.
Either way, this is a clear indication the Tigers have made a clear shift, are willing to spend money and want to win now.
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Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.