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Maybe it's a talent issue and not a philosophy or coaching issue. We're still working with a lot of Avila's signs, some of whom (a) are not inherently good talent fits for the eventual Harris peak team we will evolve to, and (b) were drafted and initially developed a under completely different hitting philosophy and structure than Harris has brought to bear in his time with the organization. I think once this team becomes primarily a Harris team, we will see his philosophy of controlling the plate really come into view. Example: Of the 20 hitters who logged plate appearances this year, 66% of the plate appearances were by Avila signs and 34% were by Harris signs. In aggregate, the Avila signs drew walks in 7.4% of their plate trips; Harris signs drew walks in 10.5% of theirs. That's the difference between a team of Avila signs ranking 28th in the majors in walk rate versus a team of Harris signs ranking 1st. Same thing with strikeouts: The Avila team strikes out at a 25.5% clip, which would rank them 28th, versus the Harris team at 20.5%, which would rank them 6th. That tells me that the philosophy is working—we just have to get the right players on board to execute it.

Wow, you got me. This is exactly what a sane person would start rambling about when honoring a guy that got shot and killed. You win, so much winning for you.

The following can all be true. Tarik Skubal has been the best pitcher in baseball 2024-2025. That does not mean Tarik Skubal will be the best pitcher in baseball, or even a good pitcher 2027-2037. The Tigers cannot unilaterally make Tarik Skubal accept a contract after 2026; therefore him not signing an extension or re-signing as a free agent doesn't fully fall on them. The Tigers should not pay a premium to keep Tarik Skubal. That involves the loss aversion fallacy. Tarik Skubal should not take a discount to stay with the Tigers.

This is a true statement. So I'm not on the PANIC-side of this... which it seems a few of us are. And quite a few are not in panic mode. To me, it's quite simple: A) Sign him to an extension this offseason. B) No extension? See what the offers are. A Godfather offer? I say yes to that. C) NO extension and NO Godfather offer...? Keep him. Play out 2026 with Skubal at the top of the rotation and take the comp pick. Screw a trade deadline trade... I'm not even considering that. It's as easy, and as simple, as A-B-C. To me.

If the Tigers traded Melton for Suarez and acquired Helsley instead of Finnegan, they would have missed the playoffs.

Long before Sunday nights officiating debacle and the Lions getting a TD called back and 6 points taken off the board, the NFL has had a problem with its rules and officiating. From convoluted rules that make no sense to anyone on Planet Earth to rules that aren't correctly enforced to referees using poor judgement, the NFL has had a problem with the consistency of its rulebook and with the referees on the field meant to judge enforce those rules and call the game. Far too often, our Detroit Lions have been the victim of NFL officiating, convoluted rules, and bad calls being made by the officiating crew. Sunday night's call of illegal motion against Jared Goff occurred a full 1:07 after the TD signaled on the field and after the officials had already huddled once, determined there was no penalty, and then spotted the ball for the PAT. Only after they were buzzed down from upstairs/New York, which to my knowledge I didn't think an illegal motion call could be reviewed from upstairs or called in from New York, was a flag thrown. This officiating blunder and errant rule enforcement was one in along line of bad judgement by the referees, questionable calls, and enforcement of rules you have never heard of before that specifically went against our Lions. So with that, I wanted to make a thread about the NFL rulebook and NFL officiating. I am hoping to kickstart more conversation about the rules, the officiating, what needs to change, how things need to be reformed, etc. I'm going to start. I think the NFL needs a ref clock, much like a play clock the players have to abide by. The referees need to have a certain amount of time to make a call and throw a flag if they miss it in real time. The refs have 30 seconds, from the time the play was blown dead, to make a decision to throw a flag. For there to be over a full minute of time gone by before they decided to throw the flag is absolutely ridiculous and should not have happened.

Is he still drunk?

This was amazing, especially from the two minute mark onwards. They don’t win Cups any more, but no one does hockey ceremonies better than the Habs and their fans. Dryden and Lafleur were my two favorite players of the ‘70s.

and Kirk's fans on the forum didn't like what they thought was dis-repect to his memory here, in a place were not more than few people saw it? Jeez Louise.

I hate that there is such disparity in revenues that it allows them to do that. I wish at the minimum, all $ in deferred contracts were accounted for (i.e. that which wasn't applied to the CBT during the term of the deal gets applied in the later years after the deal) and that signing bonuses were treated in the same way as deferrals - present value. The way it is, they can defer a large amount, but pay a $50 mil signing bonus and they get the best of both worlds, the value of the contract is reduced due to the deferrals. Also, if a 7 year contract with deferrals gets a present value correction for CBT, why does a 14 year contract without deferrals (like Soto's) not get a present value correction as $50 mil 14 years from now is definitely worth less than $50 mil now? At least take away some of those options.

Holy ****. I had no idea he actually said this. And it gets completely glossed over by the cult.

Nuclear power is a good base load match for renewables. The question is whether US society can still produce the kind of competence and discipline required to be a safe nuclear operator. At one end, the US Navy does very well - at the other end we saw the outcome of a sloppy and poorly disciplined society running Nuke plants in Chernobyl. I've have no qualms about the science and engineering of nuclear power. But accountability is such foreign word in US business management today that I do worry about nuclear power in the hands of quarterly profit driven/unaccountable management US business.

These mini nuke plants are the future of energy.

Cautionary tale. There was a time that the Dodgers had a #1 prospect young outfielder everyone was salivating over. Boston finally pried him loose in return for Mokie Betts. Since the trade, Betts has put up another 32 WAR, Alex Verdugo has produced 8.6 and doesn't seem to have much left at only 29 (Jeter Downs didn't produce any). It's *really* hard to match any young player(s) to a superstar. You just never know ⚠️

I'm not sure this shows what you are trying to show at least to me. Suarez was not good in Seattle. Montero was better then Helsey and arguably Finnegan was at least equal to Bednar. Kelly was better then Morton and yet was still negative WAR for his new team. I would say this argument should state how good of decisions Harris did make by not giving up anything.

I broke out the #18 for tonight's game. First game of the season.

go home 84, youre drunk.

Why is Argentina so expensive? Musk bought an election for $277 million.

If I lived in Virginia I wouldn't vote for Jay Jones personally. I'd avoid voting straight ticket Democrat as I would leave the AG's spot on my ballot blank or vote for an independent or Green Party candidate for that one. I also think he should have been dropped by the Virginia State Democratic Party from their list of endorsed candidates. It's too late to replace him on the ballot legally I'm guessing, but the party could have unendorsed him. I find threatening to kill someone or threatening bodily harm against a person disqualifying for an individual who intends to be the state's "top cop" or "top attorney" so to speak.

I’ll take that!

if they trade skubal they are most likely going to lose the trade because skubal is already a great player and most prospects - now matter how highly they are ranked - do not pan out. otoh, there is a very good chance that skubal gets injured again and/or declines from this peak soon (and will still likely outperform any prospect package). only the tigers know their budget. do they want to spend 25% of it on one player? if you held a gun to my head, i'd say they dont trade him, cant re-sign him, and he walks. but that next year will be very fun when he pitches.

Yes this has been all over. The question I have (and posted in the other thread) is when did that bet come in? Was it after Dan Campbell had his pre-game meeting with the officials (at which he undoubtedly told them about this play)?

Some things never change... He's their leading scorer too lol. Doesn't play defense, apparently a bit of a douche

Didn't appeals used to take a lot longer? Honestly when I heard Branch was appealing I 100% thought it was a stalling tactic to make sure he could play against the Bucs with Arnold and Kerby both being questionable and that they'd then drop the appeal after the game.

“Item 3. T-Formation Quarterback. It is legal for a T-Formation Quarterback to go in motion, whether he has placed his hands under center, on his knees, or on the body of the center. However, it is a false start if the action is quick and abrupt. If the player fails to come to a complete stop for at least one full second prior to the ball being snapped, it is illegal motion.” This rule is confusing and poorly written. Boomer Esiason was confused about it. He made the point that Goff did not put his hands under center, which is one of the three criteria listed above for establishing that you are a T-formation QB. Goff did not do any of those three things. He did remain behind center for a second but never established himself as a T-formation QB as stated above. Was he required to?

Whatever the Chinese are working on is the future.

I run across the Ambassador on Sunday, coming back thru the tunnel... I can't wait to do the same on this one. Than plan is to connect it to the Joe Louis Greenway. What a great tribute for both those fellas.

I don't list free agents as Rule 5 eligible because they hit free agency before then. Valencia would have to be protected in the five days after the World Series ends. I even have a note in the header column "Plus any minor league free agents signed." Link: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1jRnDAcv86yGYl1Tq6fdXD1VoGr2Ls5PiRBNEFBXHL3Y/edit?usp=drivesdk Off-season eligible tab.

these projects are moving targets and I don't track them particularly closely, but these are probably the same units that Ontario Power is building at Darlington Ontario (north shore of Lake Ontario) which is already the site of a set of conventional CANDU reactors. One modular is being built at Darlington now, 3 more are planned. They will be the 1st modular reactors in N. America. A lot of folks are watching this. Part of the project at Palisades MI is to add two or more modulars at that site along with the restart of the PWR, but everyone is waiting to see if the reactors at Darington work as advertised. Ontario power also is considering putting Modulars in at the site of the huge coal plant (2400MW) at Nanticoke (lake Erie) that has been torn down.

He's literally the only player Harris could possibly have been talking about. There's no reading between the lines -- he was clearly talking about Melton.

A lil heart warming diddy about nazi punks

Baseball has always tinkered with the mechanics of the game to equalize pitching and hitting so one doesn't over-dominate the other. I don't think they'll do anything as radical as move the mound back—I can't imagine the chaos of them suddenly having to completely overhaul their mechanics during the course of a winter and successfully compete at the highest level in mere months—but I do think they need to consider changes to the ball. One idea I thought of many years ago that might help hitting is to make the ball heavier. My idea was to reduce ball movement on the way to the plate to make it cross the plate on a truer trajectory and hitters could square it up more often. And bonus, the ball won't get hit as far, which would reduce homers, keep more balls in the ballpark, and create more fielding and baserunning action which is more fun for fans. Turns out there's a recent study that indicates that a heavier ball (i.e., six ounces vs five) might also reduce UCL injury in pitchers, because elbow varus torque would be reduced naturally, putting less pressure on the ligament and thus reducing exposure to rupture risk. Whatever the answer is, I think it's better for the integrity of the game if it comes from changes in equipment over changes in dimensions.

Well, Tony Gwynn would be 65 years old, so I kind of doubt he would hit more home runs ... 😉

RIght... Harris was being pretty vague and coy, but eventually slipped it was a pitcher he was talking about when he said the player they would have given up for a bat got some big outs in the postseason. Unless it was Keider...

I’d argue that using actual results is the only way to judge the trades. Why would certain players perform better or worse for us just because of a different team? I think it more guesswork to just assume that would’ve performed the same as they were. To me judging on actual results I would say Harris did ok, not great. He alluded to this is his press conference that the starting pitchers acquired were to get us to the playoffs and they did. They weren’t suppose to pitch innings in the playoffs and they didn’t and we didn’t need them to as pitching was not the issue. He also stated as vague as possible what was the ask for Suarez and I agree with him in not paying it. We didn’t lose in the playoffs because of trades not made. We lost in the playoffs because the players who were hitting at the time of the trade deadline forgot how to have productive at bats at the end of the year.

I'm all in on the Thompson/Stew/Holland lineup. I don't care they will probably only score about 15 points a quarter. The other team will probably only score 12.

Many MAGA Republicans (not all are anti-vaxxers) believe that the choice is between small pox or some disease and a child being autistic. Vaccines do not cause autism as the science has proven and reasonable people understand. But now that we have an anti-science and anti-vax HHS Secretary in RFK Jr., that fact is being made less clear and disinformation is being brought to the forefront. First, we were told that it was thimerosal in vaccines that caused autism by RFK Jr. And out of an abundance of caution, thimerosal was taken out of most childhood vaccines. Autism rates still didn't decline after that occurred because it was likely never the cause. Now, we're told it's Tylenol that causes autism. The damage is done though and it's only getting worse with an anti-vaxxer like RFK Jr. running HHS.

USC CHEATED! 😁

Yes. After going through Victor and Miggy I'm done with full time DH's. Especially ones who can't score from 2nd on a double. 🙂

can we deal sasser to new orleans for an unprotected first?

Suarez just turned 34 years old? Wow, it seems like he should be older. Trading for him would have been one thing. But I'm not sure I'd chase in him free agency. He's another strikeout prone hitter with poor defensive acumen. He'll probably command a large salary, but I'd like the Tigers to go elsewhere with the funds. Additionally, they're a bit dug into Keith as a longer term player given the contract. Its not a bad contract per se, but they did offer the extension. That extension by itself should mean something as far as longer term plans. I think for all involved, its probably best to let him focus on coming into camp as a 3B. He was placed out of position in his rookie season. He kind of got moved around a bit this past season. There seem to be more internal options for 2B than there are for 3B (not that there aren't other means of filling that position).

If Tony Gwynn played today, he would have benefitted from all the training, analysis and technology that is in play today. His BA would be lower, but he probably would have hit more home runs. He would have been just fine. Same thing with the pitchers.

He’s still a ****ing nazi and his supporters are endorsing fascism and thus appear to like Nazis. Israel doesn’t get to define it. So if that’s your thing….

Nixon going to China didn't last that long in the grand scheme. He was still a crook.

The corruption has been really out in the open since Trump got his get out of jail free card. Imagine what is going on behind the scenes. Did Trump make peace? No. Qatar made peace by making peace more valuable than war. How? By bribing Trump into selling out Americans. It's never about peace and war with the far right. It's always about money and power.

Looking at the Corbin Burnes trade with one year remaining I’m not sure you get anywhere near that return unless Skubal is willing to sign an extension. I don’t think he and his agent will allow for that and want to go thru free agency.

I don’t get the dislike for Tork that I read and hear so often. To me on the eye test defensively he’s be good for us. Seems to be pretty good and picking the ball and has good footwork around the bag. Good enough arm and makes good decisions defensively. Offensively he’s always going to be a lower average guy imo but he works the count and although I think he could stand to be more aggressive I think he will benefit the most from being able to challenge pitches. Power numbers are good and he hits a lot of doubles. Also seems to be a good clubhouse guy that’s well liked. Sure he isn’t going to be the #1 pick we all had hoped for but I also think he’s one of the least of our worries on this team.