Familiar Issues For Gleyer Torres In Motor City Spells Trouble!

There was one thing I liked about Gleyber Torres when he was a Yankee….he was consistently a better hitter than most of the roster. That’s it, sadly. So when the Yankees moved on and didn’t make him an offer I wasn’t disappointed. He forced the Yankees hand with some of his own choices….and I think that could happen again in Detroit.

When the Yankees traded for Jazz Chisholm Jr. last season, it was anticipated that he would play second base and Torres would move to third. Of course that didn’t happen, Torres threw a diva temper tantrum and told the media “I’m a second baseman. I play second.” That was the beginning of the end for Torres.

Fast forward to the offseason, where he signed a one-year “prove it” deal with the Detroit Tigers hoping to reset his value and cash in on a bigger long-term deal this coming winter. He’s already on the Injured List with a strained oblique (deja vu) and the Tigers should really be thinking about this long and hard. Torres not clogging up their second base position makes room for more of their young talent and eliminates the log jam that he willingly creates.

Supposedly, when Torres signed he was open with the Tigers about wanting a short term deal to reset his value that included a permanent position at second base. At the time, the Tigers were anticipating some of their younger talent to spend a majority of the year in the minors if not all of it. Now, it’s looking like some of their talent is ready sooner than expected which means the Tigers have a log jam when everyone is healthy.

With Torres out, Tigers can play Colt Keith at second (where he is used to playing) instead of first base. With Keith at first, that bumps Spencer Torkelson from his spot at first base and leaving the Tigers with a puzzle of how to get his bat in the lineup besides a DH spot. All of that could be avoided if stubborn Torres would just slide over to third base.

So it’s crazy to me. It puts manager A.J. Hinch in a seriously pickle as he talks to the media about his options and ideas. He insists the idea of Torres to third is “not even a topic” read more HERE. It should be but the details should be different. Players need to realize it’s not about them, and the roster should be constructed every day however it gives the team the best chance to win. Also, Torres made himself a RENTAL in Detroit. It’s what he wanted. Why does he get to call the shots on where he plays?

Torres is a below average second baseman. The data doesn’t lie. The Tigers have some young talent that will be around much longer than Torres. So the Tigers should do what they want, period. I think they will eventually….not yet though. I think Torres is going to find himself traded around the deadline. It will give the Tigers more flexibility with their roster and allow them to get rid of dead weight that is all about himself and not what is best for the team.

This is ultimately what will hurt Torres in the end. He’s a diva. Teams don’t want divas. The Tigers would be stupid to keep him if their young talent continues to produce. In the end, the loyalty will be to their young talent and not Torres and his ego. He needs an ego check and fast.

Where will Torres end the season? And will he learn his lesson before he hits free agency?