JV or Miggy?

[Alfonso_Smith]

OK. If you could only retain one of these guys for the rest of their careers, who would it be? I can't fathom it, but my choice would be... God I dont even know...

[Dekker]

I'm going to say Miguel. Just because I love the way he loves baseball

[GasMan]

JV, we already have a 1B/DH impact bat on the team for the next 8 years and I think JV will be better longer than Miggy.

[T $$$]

JV, we already have a 1B/DH impact bat on the team for the next 8 years and I think JV will be better longer than Miggy.

I agree with GasMan.

[JackB]

I'll go with the hitter. I don't se JV having the impact even five years from now that he has. He throws too many innings. It will catch up to him unless he delvelops another out pitch. Greg Maddoux was able to adjust when he lost the zip on his fast ball and became more of a pitcher and not a thrower. Only time will tell. Nice thing about the hitter is he can stay in the lineup at DH to get a day off from the field. Pitchers can't.

[ahoda]

I'm going Miggy and it's not even close to me. JV has been abused badly and over used by Smokey. I'm not sure if his later years will be more like Randy Johnson or like Greg Maddux when it comes to his fastball velocity if he stays healthy though.

[LionsFan..LOL]

I'll take Miguel. Miggy hasn't had the strain put on his body that Verlander has.

[TigerRulz66]

Tough call on this one. You got Miguel best hitter on the planet. He will be 32 when his contract is up after 15. Looking for that 1 last big contract. Question is can he keep his big body from breaking down and away from booze til he's forty. Really has to put in serious off season workouts to stay at 250 and will his new found celebrity get in the way of that. Justin best pitcher on the planet. He will be about the same age 31 I think. He will also be looking for the 1 big last contract. Pitchers scare me but no arm problems. Stays in great shape and also has the celebrity thing going on these days. Both will be in the Hall of Fame one day so this is tough. Justin has always been a Tiger and is a fierce competitor so I will say Justin. I will say this I just might shed a tear if we lose one of these guys. Best case for us. We win it this year and trade Fielder to Seattle after the 13 season for pitching. Worse case we don't win and the band breaks up for good, then there will be a tear in my beer.

[cantstopthee]

^wut Fielder is a Tiger for life.

[rocket]

JV because a pitcher is more valuable than a hitter IMO

[T $$$]

I'm going Miggy and it's not even close to me. JV has been abused badly and over used by Smokey. I'm not sure if his later years will be more like Randy Johnson or like Greg Maddux when it comes to his fastball velocity if he stays healthy though.

Does it matter? Both are Hall of Famers...as will Verlander be. He is the closest thing to Nolan Ryan the sport has seen since the Express. Ryan pitched 27 years...not saying that Verlander will also pitch 27 seasons, but I see no reason to think he cannot pitch as long as he wants. Verlander is as competitive as any ace that I have ever seen...similar in spirit to Nolan Ryan, Orel Hershiser, Jack Morris, John Smoltz, Greg Maddux, etc, etc. Verlander is a true pitcher now and going forward will forever be. He has the ability to change his game and still be dominant.

I love Cabrera...I hate to see him go but I think that Verlander will pitch beyond his next contract. I am not sure that Cabrera will play, he will surely hit, beyond his next contract. Besides, Cabrera is paid to hit...as is Fielder...as is Martinez. It is great to have these types of hitters on the squad but unless MLB is changing the rules sometime soon...where do you put two DHs in 2015 and beyond? (Ahoda, I am playing devil's advocate here; I think that Cabrera can be an effective 1B into his late 30's if he decides to stay in shape).

I still choose Verlander if forced to make a choice.

Ahoda told me that I won't have to though, so this is a moot conversation.

[T $$$]

I'll go with the hitter. I don't se JV having the impact even five years from now that he has. He throws too many innings. It will catch up to him unless he delvelops another out pitch. Greg Maddoux was able to adjust when he lost the zip on his fast ball and became more of a pitcher and not a thrower. Only time will tell. Nice thing about the hitter is he can stay in the lineup at DH to get a day off from the field. Pitchers can't.

Four seam fastball (he can add and subtract the velocity on this pitch)
Curveball (affectionately know as the yellow hammer)
Changeup
Slider

All four are plus pitches...not one, not two, not three, but all four. Jack, that is unheard of, well, maybe not unheard of but certainly rare. How many more pitches does he need to have for you? I would surmise that he is able to develop a splitter latter in his career much like Clemens did when he had to adjust his style.

Verlander is something special. We see it so often that I think that Tiger fans somewhat take what he can do for granted. There are a lot of great pitchers in the history of baseball but I have never seen anyone do what Verlander can do...and do it consistently. Sure he blows a couple of games a year but almost every game starts at 91-92 and by the 6-7th inning rachets it up to 100-101mph.

[Dekker]

Everyone in here is saying if either leaves, we will literally cry. I'm pretty sure none of us here are taking either for granted.

[Alfonso_Smith]

I guess I have to go with Miggy too. He is a player that in the end may go down as one of the best all around offensive players of all time

[JackB]

I guess I have to go with Miggy too. He is a player that in the end may go down as one of the best all around offensive players of all time

Totally agree !!!!!