NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- The nation's capital is the center of the Tigers' organizational shift this week.
For years, Detroit used the Winter Meetings to add pieces, sign top talent and fuel the win-now mandate that drove the organization for more than a decade. This time, general manager Al Avila and his assistants arrived in the unusual position of having veteran players to market.
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One thing that hasn't changed for the Tigers: The Winter Meetings are where their work usually culminates. They didn't bring an "open for business" sign with them, but by now, everybody knows that they arrived with plenty of work to do.
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The Tigers will try to pare down payroll below the new luxury-tax threshold of $195 million, a goal that would require about a $20 million reduction. They'll try to add young talent to a roster that has several key stars heading into their mid-30s. All the while, they'll try to keep their team in a position to compete in a division that boasts the defending American League-champion Indians, a club that beat the Tigers 14 times this past season.
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It all makes for an interesting backdrop as the meetings begin. MLB.com and MLB Network will have wall-to-wall coverage of the 2016 Winter Meetings from the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center outside Washington, D.C. Fans can watch live streaming of all news conferences and manager availability on MLB.com, including the Rule 5 Draft on Thursday at 9 a.m. ET.
Plenty of other news will take place. Manager Brad Ausmus is scheduled to talk with reporters on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. ET, his first public session since the Tigers' offseason direction became clear.
Look for coverage at tigers.com throughout the week, from breaking news to daily reports to a podcast midweek.