MLB Detroit Tigers

5 Reasons Why Detroit Tigers Should Not Re-Sign Max Scherzer

5 Reasons Why Detroit Tigers Should Not Re-Sign Max Scherzer

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

After turning down a lucrative offer in Spring Training, many seemed to believe Max Scherzer would be pitching somewhere other than the Motor City in 2015. With less than one week left in 2014, however, he remains unsigned. Many teams are seemingly hesitant to dish out the type of contract he and his agent are reportedly seeking, leaving some to wonder if he may indeed return to Detroit. Here are five reasons why the Tigers should steer clear.

5. Age

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

5. Age

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Scherzer, who will turn 31 years old in July, will already be out of his prime years in a few seasons. Given the fact that Scherzer did not truly take his game to an elite level until the second half of 2012, it is fair to wonder how soon he may regress. While having Scherzer would almost assuredly make the team better in the first few years of the deal, it wouldn't be surprising to see things get messy towards the end.

4. Strikeout Pitcher

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

4. Strikeout Pitcher

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

It is not a secret that Scherzer, who is second among all qualified pitchers in baseball with a 10.46 K/9 since the beginning of 2012, is quite a strikeout artist. Given the way he pitches, it is fair to wonder whether or not he will age as well as someone like Jon Lester, who recently agreed to lucrative, long-term deal with the Chicago Cubs.

3. Money

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3. Money

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Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

The Tigers already have two of the game's highest paid players in Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, both of whom are already over the age of 30. Furthermore, David Price is in line for a hefty payday in 2015, and Anibal Sanchez is under contract through at least 2017 as well. The Tigers have been known to have a bit of a "win-now" mentality, but adding a Scherzer mega-deal to the books doesn't appear to be the wisest move.

2. David Price

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2. David Price

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Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Scherzer has quite arguably been the Tigers' ace since usurping that title from Verlander in 2013. However, the team has a guy in Price who is more than capable of stepping into Scherzer's shoes. Of course, one should not rule out a bounce-back campaign from Verlander, but right now one would have to believe that Price is more likely to be the team's ace in 2015. Let's not forget that Sanchez led the AL in ERA and FIP back in 2013 either.

1. Luxury Not A Necessity

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Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

1. Luxury Not A Necessity

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Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports

Even without Scherzer and Rick Porcello, the Tigers will still most likely have a rather solid starting staff in 2015. They also have other, more pressing issues to worry about such as making sure the bullpen is in better shape than it was last year and whether or not Anthony Gose and Rajai Davis will be enough to patch the hole in center field. It appears that re-signing Scherzer would be more of a luxury than a necessity.

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