Avila, Tigers keeping ‘window’ of contention open

DETROIT — Comerica Park will open its 18th season next April. The home of the Tigers might never have encountered such discussion about the size of windows.

They have nothing to do with the glass panels enclosing the Tiger Club or press box.

From the February 2004 press conference introducing free-agent signing Ivan Rodriguez, beginning the build-up from the AL Central cellar to the World Series, the Tigers have never put a date on their window of contention. Once the Tigers made it to the Fall Classic in 2006, their goal was to compete for a postseason berth every year. With the exception of last-place finishes in 2008 and 2015, and an injury-plagued fade to .500 in 2010, Detroit has managed that.

As general manager Al Avila discussed his plan Tuesday to make the Tigers a younger, leaner team, their window came into question. And Avila acknowledged the challenge with another analogy.

“That’s a tightrope we have to walk,” Avila said Tuesday. “We certainly want to stay competitive. We certainly want to be able to try to get back in the playoffs. But at the same time, this organization has been working way above its means for many, many years.”

Does that mean the window is closing?

“I wouldn’t say the window’s shut,” Avila said.

The window of contention became a topic of discussion with the plethora of deals last winter. Though Jordan Zimmermann signed a five-year contract, Mike Pelfrey and Mark Lowe signed two-year deals through 2017. So did J.D. Martinez, on a …

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