DETROIT -- While the Tigers look to pare down their payroll this offseason, their analytics department is quietly growing -- and growing up.
"It's in its infancy, as analytics departments go," general manager Al Avila said during his end-of-season gathering last week.
It's not going to stay that way for long. If the Tigers are going to do more with a lower payroll, analytics will likely play an increasing -- but not necessarily dominant -- influence in how the team spends its money.
Avila created the department last offseason as part of his organizational buildup after being promoted to GM in August 2015.