What's Going on with the Tigers this Winter?

Rather than explain my version of what's going on with the Tigers this winter, I'm just going to link you to Danny Knobler's latest article (Hat Tip to Kurt). Danny tells us exactly what I figured was happening.

It's not a fire sale:

They've been talked about as much as any team this winter, and yet it seems that much of what has been said has been wrong, or at least a little bit misleading.

That rumor going around the scouting community that they need to cut $20 million to $25 million? Completely false, multiple Tiger officials insisted, although they used much stronger language than that.

They are not giving away good players in exchange for salary relief:

The idea that they would give away a player of value (Curtis Granderson, Edwin Jackson) if you'll take one of their many bad contracts (Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, Magglio Ordonez)? Hasn't even been discussed, people inside and outside the organization say, and at this point doesn't interest them.

They are not looking for a package of lower level prospects from the Cubs or any other team:

The idea that you can get someone of value for lower-level prospects, even outstanding lower-level prospects? Forget it, the Tigers insist.

They want to make good baseball trades that can help them win now:

But the feeling right now is that rival teams are still offering salary-dump prices, while the Tigers are so far sticking to their stated plan of trying to make "good baseball trades," and asking for "major-league ready guys in return, at areas where we need help."

There's more and I recommend reading the whole thing because, unlike some of the national writers this winter, Knobler seems to have a good handle on what's really happening with the Tigers. He was my favorite Tigers beat writer for a couple of years and it refreshing to see him talk Tigers again.