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I don't think you can build for the World Series. You can only build to get into the playoffs as often as possible and hope you win the whole thing some year. Since the Orioles can probably make the playoffs the next few years without Skubal., it makes sense that they would not trade multiple young players to get him. Dombrowski went all in for stars and it made the team better but didn't get him a World Series. It made more sense in his case though because he never had the kind of young core that was going to win consisently without making big acquisitions.

I am totally with you on Harris and the progress he is making in our system, which was all but leveled by TFGM and so is going to take some time to actually build up. It just amuses me how people think we absolutely should be in the playoffs RIGHT ****ING NOW because it’s been ten years already, and obviously I’m sympathetic to that because I lived through all his, too, but when you calm down and think rationally about it, you can see that’s basically lashing out. I’m not sure Avila actually enjoyed lottery tickets as much as he didn’t know how to put the right kind of work into assessing prospects. For all the lip service he paid for Caesar, he either couldn’t, or wouldn’t, put anything along those lines in place to help him do his job. He took the lottery tickets because, as in the 80’s, that’s all he ever thought prospects even were.

For you @smr-nj

I don't know if he tried and there just weren't any trades in this regard that made sense for the Tigers but I wouldve liked to see them take on the Cubs approach. The Cubs sold players that weren't going to be there next year and threw into the towel on this year but were buyers on players that could help them next yr and beyond like Isaac Paredes. I feel like the Tigers are in a similar situation to them and are potentially close enough next year where they could've been buyers for players like that and still sold off guys like Flaherty and Chafin.

Having McGonigle below Madden, Melton, and Sweeny doesn't make any sense to me. And not having Hamm in the top 20?

One thing I'd like to see Harris do in the next 12 months is secure at least one fire-breathing back-of-the-bullpen guy, whether via trade, waivers, Rule 5 pickup, MiLB contract, or development. That is one component without which you cannot win the 2025 game.

the grades for the Tigers are all over the place both for the main deal and the deadline in general - basically, no one knows what else was on the table, no one knows if FLaherty's back will hold up, and no one knows which of the prospects will work out eventually

What if I told you… Either actually tell us or STFU. Weasel words are not worth reading. If you have real evidence to back it up, fine.

Trump identified as white for years, and then a few years ago, he identified as orange. So he knows all about that stuff.

Spend when we’re close to winning => we’re never close to winning because we don’t spend => checkmate!

Was Bin Laden more political or military? 10/7 is Israel’s 9/11. Anyone involved will be hunted until they are taken out.

Apparently not. Elias built a great team in Baltimore but if his greed for duplicity of stud minor league hopefuls prevent him from getting the "DD" piece to win in October what good is it. maybe some GMs/PBOs can build and can't make "the Play" and some are the opposite Ala DD. I hope Harris can do both. A Skubal Trade with Baltimore made so much sense to both sides. Why do you need Holiday when you have Gunner backed up by Westberg at short and why do you need Skubal when you're years away from winning and can't without a shortstop. Baltimore could have had Burnes and Skubal starting 60 % of their playoff series. It's like the guy with 10 performance cars who rents because he can't afford to buy a house due to car payments and we're the husband that won't let his wife divorce him knowing she will eventually leave anyway and choosing to live in misery.

If this guy is writing that he’s been saying the Tigers have been close to having a breakout season for years, including last year and the final few Avila years, then I have my doubts about his analysis chops.

We can't complain about our past GM that settled for too little then complain about our current one asking too much and not immediately settling. Sure there was a chance he turned down a better offer last week by waiting but Id rather him take the chance and hope that a better offer comes then take one of the first ones he gets cause he's worried a better one wont come.

Toledo L 7-5 Meadows 1/3 2B K Tork 1/3 2BB 2K 2B Jung 0/5 Bigbie 0/4 BB K Navigato 1/4 RBI BB K 2B Erie L 6-5 in 10 Workman 1/4 BB Allen 3/4 3RBI BB HR Burhenn 5IP 2H 2ER 3BB 5K WM W 6-4 Clark 2/5 2K 2B Anderson 2/4 McGonigle 1/3 2RBI BB 2B Leonard 1/4 2RBI HR Campos 2/4 2K 2B Gold 2/4 RBI 2B 3B Marcano 5IP 2ER 3K Lakeland PPD

I'm not sure I follow the flaw in asking for too much and waiting until the end. Are you supposed to ask for less up front and hope they offer more? I don't buy any reporting that's out there, at least not from the Tigers side. They don't leak and I refuse to believe our beat writers have any inside knowledge. They're just as in the dark as we are. The thing with the Yankees came from them to save face, a real bush league move if you ask me.

He spent what 300 million just a couple offseasons ago

I don't know that it is clear what exactly Harris' Israel policy would be... Although one thing I do think is clear is that Israel's PM probably would be standing on firmer ground with the American public if he didn't spend the last 9 months poking it's greatest ally in the eye over and over again, while doing backdoor diplomacy with a former POTUS running for office once again. Israel isn't in a good spot here, but to a degree, its a spot they are in because of their own actions. They shouldn't be let off the hook for that when assessing the situation

Gonna push back on this one a little bit as, in a lot of cases, it is being used to highlight comments like Vance's "childless cat ladies" comment, which is weird, exclusionary and, if you really sit and think about it, is a "deplorables" level comment in its own right. Dems shouldn't be scared of highlighting that, even in ways that seem unorthodox to how they normally address these things. Now, at some point, you have to pair the word with tangible examples of weird policies that the Trump/Vance ticket has been tied to or else it will fade away. But it's clear to me just by looking at the reaction from the Trump side that they don't see this as a positive. At all. It's the most off of their game I have seen them since coming down the escalator (maybe even more than Access Hollywood, which Trump just powered through at the subsequent debate)

I remember in 2008 when race started to become an issue and Barack Obama made a speech (was it in Philadelphia?) about race and shut that **** down. It was an epic speech - probably his best (up there with the speech at the memorial for the shooting victims in Arizona). I was already on board, but that was the moment when I knew HE'S THE GUY. Then Stoopid Sarah later in the campaign went off about "anybody can make pretty speeches". Hey Sarah - speeches are an absolutely important part of the job. Speeches show clarity and vision (or the opposite). Speeches can calm nerves or rally people around a shared cause or idea. Speeches are one of the most important thing a leader does. When was the last time Trump or Vance or any of those crooked yahoos gave any kind of assuring speech. Even that trustfund silver spoon nepo baby George W. Bush gave a great speech at the site of WTC. I couldn't stand him and never voted for him and think he was totally controlled by Darth Cheney, but he made the moment. He owned it. I don't see that coming from any Republican today (or many Democrats either). Kamala needs to respond to the type of garbage that's going down. Talk about her heritage. Show how it is the TRUE American story and talk about how it gives her opportunities to see things from more angles. She doesn't have to be defined as anything except American. People like Kamala ARE the real Americans. They are the future. The sick **** being thrown around today was one day thrown at the Irish and Italian sides of my family..........and not that long ago. Her moment is beckoning and I hope she sticks the landing like Obama did in March 2008. Throw this garbage right back at 'em. (it was Philadelphia.......where Kamala will be next week). https://www.npr.org/2008/03/18/88478467/transcript-barack-obamas-speech-on-race

Hinch will find a spot for anybody who can hit. He can find a spot for guys who can't hit at all.

i personally miss the waiver trade period. i liked teams putting everybody on waivers and seeing what happened

Unfortunately, I think his dopey demeanor sometimes works in his favor. How bad can someone that stupid be? It's also attractive to the, um, less intelligent part of his base because he's "just like me!", not one of those elite intellectuals! Nothing makes my day more than Trump being laughed at. He genuinely thinks he's smart, suave, handsome and well respected. He seethes when he's laughed at. I'd like to think the media will make this the headlining story it should be, but I know better.

I gotta say, the post about Vice President Kamala Harris, Esq. Talking to black folks was pretty epically timed given how his jabroni is talking to black folks.

Yikes

Flaherty has been great but nobody is concerned about his back? Signing pitchers long term is scary enough with arm issues.

Although I will say that the right wing anti-woman campaign is a whole lot worse strategy!

This is just some schmo making broad assumptions based on rumor and innuendo from other people also making broad assumptions. The availability of these pseudo publications and "anybody can have a podcast" platforms elevates them to a position they don't deserve so fans think they have some behind the scene perspectives. They have as much insight as anybody posting on this site, meaning what they read on the twitter. Like... maybe the reservations the Yankees had were also held by all the other teams, hence the "lower" deal that ultimately was had? (I'm not conceding they were but I'll go along with their argument to make my point) Flaherty has pitched well this year and I would have been fine keeping him and I'd be fine having him next year and the year after... but he's also a guy with an injury history in the past, was benched last year in the playoffs, and missed a start recently and had two injections... so tell me again why he was supposed to bring in ML ready prospects? Outrage sells and gets the clicks.

Yes!

They happen to have one of those at 35th and S. Ashland, just a couple miles from that ballpark. That's pretty local.

Not seeing any confirmation except a lot of opposition research against him being slung by foreign bots (which would indicate Putin thinks that's true).

QFT. Still, I wouldn't underestimate Netanyahu's talent for playing US politics. And I think if you approach him the way Obama did, treating Israel a US client state or junior partner, you won't get anywhere, much like Obama didn't. Israeli leaders will turn off any US Prez who tries to tell them what we think they should think is best for them - it just feeds their belief that the US has the luxury of being dilettante in foreign policy while Israeli concerns are existential. I would agree with the premise that Netanyahu has been wrong - a lot. That he is captive to a religious right in Israel that is at least a screwed up as our own, but I think our approach with him during the Obama years was also counter productive. I think Biden has done better, but there was already a lot of bad blood to overcome between the Democratic FP establishment and the Israelis

Ok the return he got for Flaherty is process and results. We'll see how that goes. I don't like his approach overall of team building.

The Bloomberg Morning Consult poll looked really good today: Harris +11 in Michigan Harris +2 in Arizona Harris +2 in Wisconsin Harris +2 in Nevada. Tied in Georgia

Look, the body of evidence is there... you see it in how hard Fox is pushing back, how hard Fox is trying (and apparently failing) to get JD to clean up some of his remarks, and in observing the comments from the candidate's own campaign. I just think people are seeing this as a false choice where using the word "weird" is the entire campaign.... it really isn't. The clips from Kamala's rally tonight suggest there's a lot of substance to the message that their campaign is trying to present. But if your opponent has a weakness, by all means, they should keep going at it and make it a theme. Sitting back and being passive is much worse.

Bally put out a few clips

normal stuff not bizarre and not desperate

One thing in favor of him being on opening day roster is the potential draft pick bonus if he’d win ROY. If they think he’s ready, I think they figure out his innings in Detroit for that possibility alone.

PS: The scouting reports says he has a great plate approach, despite the weak hit tool. Maybe they offset? Or the Tigers can help with the holes that he has in his swing? I'm not counting on anything here... I just think that a "wait-n-see-what-develops" approach works for me with this kid...

As much as Trump and all the other turds in his circle deserve it, I don't like the weird campaign for a couple of reasons. First, calling people weird kind of goes against the whole diversity and inclusion message. Second, I think it might backfire on them bcause they will be seen as elitists who think they are better than MAGAs. It's similar to the basket of deplorables remark by Clinton in 2016. It's OK when Tim Walz does it because he knows how to say it and he doesn't come across as elitist, but others won't get away with it.

I don't think the Toronto package was any better.

Harris needs to get credit for taking a free agent flyer on Flaherty and turning it into a fantastic first half performance along with a top 75 overall prospect and a young and hopefully better McKinstry. At the same time, he left too much meat on the bone in the trade. Toronto and Florida both got better packages for less of a player. They needed to do a better job negotiating a better deal.

what was that about making 'X' the free speech platform. ROTFL. Zuckerberg is probably high-fiving around the office on this news. Expect Trump soon to be selling gold spray painted Teslas on Truth Social.

bottom line we are a worse MLB team as of 6:00pm than we were this morning and no-one brought on board has a high probability of making any MLB impact. Now TBH, they were going to be worse once Flahery left at the end of the season anyway, but I'm not sure anything in these returns is necessarily better than a comp pick. Like I said before, teams like the Tigers end up persuading themselves they have to make these trades while the buying teams laugh all the way to the playoffs.

It is absolutely nazi ****. It is exactly what you think it is. His “fans” will try to either tell you that you’re taking it out of context, OR…… crickets ****, because they know it can’t be defended and they’re more than willing to accept it, but <silently shhhhh>.

and they were right.

Remember the stretch last year when Carp, Tork and Greene were all clicking? It was brief, but made you feel like there was something to it. Now all three are out of the lineup. Our entire starting outfield is on the DL and our 1B is in the minors. It’s amazing we’ve hovered around .500 as long as we have.