Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal won his arbitration case Thursday.
For the final year of his contract, the Tigers proposed $19 million. Skubal asked for $32 million. And he got it. It's still not clear if the Tigers and the two-time Cy Young Award winner will be able to reach a deal to keep him in Detroit beyond 2026.
In the same week, the Tigers also reached a deal with another prominent pitcher and mourned the death of one of the franchise's great aces.
Michigan Public sports commentator John U. Bacon joined Morning Edition host Doug Tribou to discuss those stories, the Red Wings' players headed to the Olympics, and the unusual paths the Seahawks and Patriots took to Super Bowl 60.
Super Bowl LX
Seattle Seahawks vs. New England Patriots
Levi's Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Sunday, 6:30 p.m. (ET)
Doug Tribou: The Detroit Tigers have a new pitcher. The Tigers have signed former Houston Astros ace Framber Valdez to a three-year, $115-million contract. He's a lefty. He's a two-time All-Star. Valdez is 32. Is this a good move by the Tigers?
John U. Bacon: It's a good move. It's probably a necessary move because they're probably not going to keep [pitcher] Tarik Skubal [beyond this season], it increasingly looks like. This guy, Valdez, is a very good pitcher, as you said, a two-time All-Star. He also pitched for A.J. Hinch, the Tigers manager, in Houston. So, you know he knows him. He likes him. Fun fact for you by the way, he's actually right-handed and he taught himself how to throw left-handed.
DT: Interesting.
JUB: Apparently worked out quite well.
DT: [Laughs] I guess so.
In other Tigers news this week, Tigers legend Mickey Lolich died at the age of 85. He pitched for the Tigers for 13 of his 16 seasons in the major leagues, won 217 games in his career, and he was the World Series MVP when the Tigers defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in 1968.
He won three games in that seven-game series, and all of them were complete games. Could you put that into some context for people more familiar with today's typical parade of relief pitchers?
JUB: All right, how about this? First of all, complete game means you pitch all nine innings, which seems like not that big a deal, but it's a big deal now. So that man — in the World Series — pitched three complete game victories. In this century, five pitchers have pitched one complete game in a World Series. So in a quarter-century, they finally surpassed what he did in two weeks.
"That man — in the World Series — pitched three complete-game victories. In this century, five pitchers have pitched one complete game in a World Series."John U. Bacon on Detroit Tigers pitcher Mickey Lolich's performance in the 1968 World Series
DT: [Laughs] The Olympics opening ceremony is Friday. The NHL is taking a 19-day break to allow its players to participate in the Olympics. The Red Wings are near the top of the Eastern Conference in the NHL, hoping for great things in the spring. But right now the Wings' captain, Dylan Larkin, is hoping for gold.
There are six players, including Larkin, with Michigan connections on the U.S. men's hockey team and a number of Red Wings playing for other countries. What makes these moments so special, even for these athletes who have had such big successes in the bright spotlights of pro leagues?
JUB: They all say the same thing: When you put the sweater on, as they say in Canada, for your national team, it's a different feeling. And I've talked to [Wayne] Gretzky about this. I've talked to Mark Messier about this. [Steve] Yzerman. I mean, it's a huge deal for these guys.
Second thing is, unlike basketball, in [men's] hockey, there are six nations that have got a [viable] chance. The Russians used to be the sixth. They're out [of the Olympics] this time. In the last eight Olympics, five different nations have won the gold medal: the Russians, the Czechs, the Swedes, the Finns, the Canadians. You'll notice I'm missing the Americans. They've won two silver medals. This could be their year. They've got a very good team.
In their first season under head coach Mike Vrabel, the Patriots won 14 games in the regular season. The previous season, New England won four.
DT: The Super Bowl is Sunday night. The Seattle Seahawks will take on the New England Patriots at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. Both teams missed the playoffs last year, and each one has a remarkable story this season. Let's start with the Patriots. New England won four games last season. This time around, they won 14 in the regular season. Now they're in the Super Bowl. What happened?
JUB: Life is not fair! Ask the Lions fans. Two things happened really. Mike Vrabel. I've met the guy. I've talked to him before. Ohio State legend. He is a phenomenal coach. I put him in my top three or four in the NFL.
And quarterback Drake Maye, in his second year out of North Carolina, is doing wonderful things there as well. So again, life is not fair. But those are your two reasons. Doug, you're kind of from Boston. This is outrageous.
DT: [Laughs] That's a lot of trips to the Super Bowl [for the Patriots] in a relatively short time — over these last 25 years or so.
JUB: Like I said, outrageous! Lions zero.
DT: The Seattle Seahawks' story is quarterback Sam Darnold. He's bounced around the league a bit. Last season, Darnold was with Minnesota. It was his only season with the Vikings and he got them into the playoffs.
But then the Vikings let him walk away in free agency. He signed with Seattle. Now the Seahawks are in the Super Bowl and the Vikings missed the playoffs entirely. Same question: what happened?
JUB: Well, the Vikings were betting on the future in J.J. McCarthy, Michigan's old quarterback. [He was] injured a year ago and then [had] a so-so season this year.
That's what they're betting on. They're betting on the future. But the Seahawks have got it right now. So hats off to Sam Darnold.
DT: John, have you got a prediction for the Super Bowl?
JUB: My prediction, and it's a solid one: Long ads and a longer halftime show.
DT: [Laughs] Count on that year in and year out.
Editor's note: Some quotes in this article have been lightly edited for length and clarity. You can listen to the full conversation near the top of this page.
