Tom Gage

The Detroit News

What would I do as the Tigers' general manager this winter?

I'd do my best, of course, to make sure that Victor Martinez stays put. But I also think he will.

I'd increase my six-year, $144 million offer to Max Scherzer to $162 million, averaging $27 million per season — then hold and hope.

I'd bring Torii Hunter back for one more year at $13 million — the amount he's averaged the last two seasons as a Tiger.

I'd let the outcome of the Scherzer situation decide whether to pursue a long-term contract with Rick Porcello, who can be a free agent after next season.

Ditto with David Price — hoping to retain either Price or Porcello long-term if Scherzer does not come back.

If Scherzer does come back, however, a significant salary would have to be subtracted from the payroll via trade to make room.

Simply because it would be too much of a luxury to have a non-closer making $7 million, I'd not pick up the option on Joakim Soria — admitting, in the process, that the two prospects I threw away in the trade cost me.

I also would not bring back Joba Chamberlain because I didn't get full value from him for the $3 million (contract and bonuses) I paid him this season.

Based on 2.08 ERA he had in his last 40 games, I'd offer $2.1 million to Phil Coke, a slight raise but with stepped-up performances bonuses, and see if he would take it. Yes, I would.

I'd give J.D. Martinez a two-year contract as soon as possible, avoiding any chance of him going to arbitration.

But I would go year-to-year with Al Alburquerque.

I'd give arbitration-eligible Donnie Kelly a 20 percent raise and bring him back for $1.2 million. He's still too versatile to part with.

Despite his injury concerns, I'd exercise the $5.4 million option on Alex Avila's contract — but such a commitment to Avila would no doubt pre-empt the addition of a costly backup.

Thinking he might be needed at short, I'd certainly keep Andrew Romine around.

I'd wish Ezequiel Carrera well with his next team.

I'd plan on Kyle Lobstein for a "waiting in the wings" bullpen role — a la Drew Smyly — if he doesn't end up starting.

I'd see what it would take to get Austin Jackson back from the Seattle Mariners, for whom he hit just .229 in 54 games — and who won't interest the Mariners, at that rate, as a free agent following the 2015 season.

And, as always, I'd not expect to get everything done that I wanted to get done.

Fielder savings do help

Along those lines, Tigers president and general manager Dave Dombrowski, who will meet with the media today to discuss "end of season matters," likely would say that no two offseasons are the same — but that none is easy. There's always work to be done.

If a team is re-building, there is brick and mortar to apply. If a team is tweaking, it can be difficult to pinpoint the right player(s) to suit its needs. Or if a team is hoping to retain its core, probably the category the Tigers find themselves in, it can be so expensive that major payroll decisions need to be made.

What makes projections somewhat easier, however, are owner Mike Ilitch's wealth and willingness to spend. Since 2011, the Tigers' payroll has increased 53 percent. We don't even know for sure anymore if Ilitch has any spending limits.

Star after star, he's opened his wallet for — including that infamous nine-year, $214 million contract in 2012 for Prince Fielder that Dombrowski, miraculously, was able to get out from under.

The escape of the century so far is that the Tigers ended up being responsible for only $76 million of Fielder's $214 million contract per se (two years of Fielder as a Tiger at $23 million each, plus $30 million as a deferred payment to the Texas Rangers payable over five years, but not beginning until 2016).

Another commitment must be factored into the overall bottom line, though.

The Tigers received Ian Kinsler and his $62 million guaranteed contract obligations in the deal.

So the breakdown was this: In exchange for Fielder, who missed nearly the entire 2014 season for the Rangers, the Tigers ended up with a fully paid Kinsler and $76 million.

The first anniversary of that heist will be Nov. 20.

It might be simplistic to think in these terms, but perhaps the $76 million saved by the Tigers on the Fielder deal will make it easier for them to re-sign both Martinez and Scherzer in the same off-season.

If you counter that they've already spent it on Cabrera's contract extension, the Tigers were no doubt intending to get that done anyway.

Just remember that if Scherzer decides to stay, it's a certainty the future of Price or Porcello, and possibly both, will be affected.

Plus looking high and low for a bullpen, that's what I would do, though — if I were in charge.

Sounds like Dr. Seuss book, doesn't it?

tom.gage@detroitnews.com

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