Signing Alex Avila a positive sign

Just a few days after we were led to believe a backup catcher was out of the team’s price range, the Tigers opened their checkbook for a marginal, yet necessary upgrade.

We shouldn’t expect another Justin Upton-like contract in January, but adding Avila signals that the Tigers might be willing to take a flier on a stopgap center fielder.

*Avila’s contract is $2 million, but the Tigers had to spend the league minimum (roughly $500,000) on a catcher anyway.

Before bringing Avila home, the Tigers were slated to use John Hicks as James McCann’s backup.

The Tigers could have improved the team more if they were willing to spend Matt Wieters is still out there, after all but Avila represents a modest upgrade for a modest price.