A.J. Hinch And Carlos Correa Had Brunch Today And Tigers Fans Are Freaking Out!
So A.J. Hinch and Carlos Correa had a little hangout today. It's almost as if they know each other or something.
Anyone who knows me, hell, even people who don't, knows how badly I want to see Carlos Correa in a Tigers uniform. I made my pitch after the World Series ended (which will fall on deaf ears because I don't have that much power). I know what I want, and I know what the fans want. This rebuild has felt so endless, and every fan is dying for that big splash in free agency that will hopefully kick off a fruitful age of Detroit Tigers baseball. And you know that A.J. made his pitch as well. A.J. Hinch is a brilliant baseball mind, and he's also brutally honest regarding what his team needs. He knows they need a shortstop, and he knows deep down that Carlos Correa is probably the best option.
It's great to see Tigers fans having fun with this. It's nice to know that the wheels are finally spinning a little bit after five years of futility and lame-ass, one-year, free-agent signings. Hope springs eternal, and you can tell both on social media and in-person just how excited people are about the possibility of this being a thing. It warms my heart seeing Detroit Tigers fans this excited about something because we haven't had much to get excited about over the last five years. But somebody who specializes in heartbreak as it pertains to his sports teams, I feel it necessary to let people know that Correa is still kind of a longshot. Don't get me wrong; it shouldn't be a long shot. Detroit has the money. They have the infrastructure, the core, the manager. They have so many pieces, but do they have the owner that's willing to dish out the money to acquire the most significant piece of all? I still don't believe they do. And I've liked what they've done so far this off-season. The Eduardo Rodriguez signing was rock solid. But five years, 74 million is the equivalent of a parking ticket for Chris Ilitch. Carlos Correa is a different animal. We're talking 300 million-plus and eight years plus (potentially) being handed out by an owner who, until this week, had not given out a single contract longer than two years since he took over following the 2016 season. I hope he proves me wrong. It's about time we started believing in Tiger baseball again. Here's hoping the next time A.J. And Carlos have lunch together, it's in Detroit.