casimir

You were good at it, no question. Then you wrote the mathball book, and you got all of the royalties from that like you signed a 10 year $25M per type deal, and then you lost your drive and your Troll+ index dropped from the 120s to around sports forum average. In a few years, you’re going to resemble the last seven years of Cabrera. Some folks here will still want to read your posts and wax poetically about your earlier work. Others will complain that your posts just don’t have the same effect as in yesteryears.

I would probably take a little exception with what was mentioned about position players. I don't think we'll see additional roster spots and/or reduced games anytime soon. That's added cost and/or reduced revenue. Ain't happening. I understand what you are saying with the day-to-day lineup and position players. But the Tigers might actually be closer to what used to be than we think. First, I would throw out C as a discussion point. Its too much of a daily grind, day game after night game, more concern about head injuries, etc, etc. Unless a team has top tier catcher, its too much to ask for 150 starts. Its such an outlier, its almost like extra credit is a team has a Rutschman or someone like that. So now we're talking essentially 8 offensive spots, 7 defensive spots from 11 nonC nonP roster spots. OK, well, barring any unforeseen catastrophic injuries or unlikely transactions, the Tigers are looking at beginning next season with everyday contributions from Greene, Carpenter, Torkelson, and Baez. That leaves 4 offensive spots left to deal with from among 7 nonC nonP roster spots. With Cabrera leaving, that opens up a bit more DH time for that group (sans Baez because if he's getting a day off from the field, there's no need to keep the bat in the lineup) to get the occasional day off. Greene's health and the fielding of Carpenter and Torkelson might mean more DH time for these guys than I think it will. But I think more often than not we'll see all 3 starting games in the field. The Tigers need offense, no question about it. I think Malloy gets a shot beginning next season to supply a bat. How he is deployed defensively, I don't know. Sparingly might be the best answer. But with Cabrera gone and with 4 of the aforementioned players donning horsehide more often than not, there shouldn't be a reason Malloy cannot be the starting DH. And even when one of the aforementioned 3 of 4 are at DH, is it going to be often enough that it pushes Malloy to the bench rather than starting a game out at 3B/OF? I don't know. My gut tells me Malloy sits more than he starts in games where one of Greene/Carpenter/Torkelson DH. I guess I wonder how often that will actually occur, but I suspect Harris/Hinch has that possible plan in place for next season. If that balancing act can work, now we're talking everyday players at DH, 1B, SS, LF, RF. I think it covers the top half of the lineup (Malloy is probably at the top somewhere with his OBP) with Baez dropping toward the bottom. It also allows Harris to seek one everyday player via trade (or a free agent like 3B Matt Chapman) to fill a spot elsewhere. DH Malloy LF Greene 1B Torkelson RF Carpenter 3B Chapman (sure, its a dream, but let's spend money that ain't ours) 2B SS Baez CF Meadows / Vierling C Rogers / ?? Is this too much a stretch for next season? Sure, Chapman probably is. But can Harris find an everyday 2B or 3B that can handle the defense and add depth to the lineup? I think from the offensive side, that's his biggest offseason task. I think that kind of a lineup pushes guys like McKinstry, Short, Maton, to the bench where they should be. And who knows, maybe they feel Keith is far enough along to fill one of those holes, but I kind of question that to begin for next season. But towards the end of next season, maybe he is the 2B in the lineup.

I would expect Ibanez to be gone. In fact, I would be disappointed if he returned. If Meadows is in Detroit to stay, that probably means Baddoo is a candidate to not return. If McKinstry and Short return, it has to be as bench roles or a in a platoon with each other at 2B.

Yes, he'll be 23 by Opening Day. He's been playing mostly SS in Toledo. .330/.414/.606 with 15 BB to 22 SO in 128 PA. But that batting line, especially the BB to SO, is a bit out of line for the rest of his career. I don't know, maybe he made an adjustment as soon as he landed in Toledo? If so, is it sustainable?

The defensive acumen seems to be there. The bat isn't there.

In fairness, Hinch isn't the one that popped up the bunt.

Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers Watch: Tigers - Bally Sports Detroit, White Sox - NBCSCH Listen: Tigers - 97.1 The Ticket, White Sox - WGN 720

I wouldn’t bank on Nebraska. But then again, we’ve seen some upsets already and James Madison is up 17-7 over Virginia right now, so, you never really know for sure.

This is the kind of game where I don’t feel compelled at all to watch it live. I can take care of yard work or whatever else I need to and watch the recording whenever. If I find out a score ahead of time, ok, whatever. Heck, I might not even watch the recording. I think this is a replacement game for a series vs Washington that was cancelled. I’m guessing it was cancelled due to Notre Dame in two weeks. It was probably that Washington was on the schedule, the series bs Notre Dame was agreed to afterwards, OSU didn’t want both Washington and Notre Dame in the same out of conference season schedule, and OSU bought out UW.

This is probably a more comprehensive of a review than Harris will actually receive by the Tigers. 😆 You put a lot into this, nice effort.

Just heard a discussion about bigs these days, but can't remember who/where. Anyway, the gist of the conversation was that bigs in America train to be guards, and to a fault. Too much hanging out at the arc, not enough time in the key. Bigs elsewhere are trained to be basketball players. They have some of the guard skill sets, but they also have some of the traditional skills of the front line.

Its funny how sometimes merely trivial items stick to one another to form a concrete memory. I remember driving in the upper NW Ohio corner towards Indiana when the resignation announcement of Larry Sorenson was read on air before the game by Frank Beckmann. Why is that memorable to me?

The original Muppets were great. I think. I mean, I was a kid. There were only 3 channels at the time. OK, maybe they weren't that great but simply the best of a limited offering?

Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers Watch: Tigers - Bally Sports Detroit, White Sox - NBCSCH Listen: Tigers - 97.1 The Ticket, White Sox - WMVP 1000 AM

Torkelson has his OPS up to .771. Greene is at .796.

Chicago White Sox vs Detroit Tigers Watch: Tigers - Bally Sports Detroit, White Sox - NBCSCH Listen: Tigers - 97.1 The Ticket, White Sox - WMVP 1000 AM

Oh, good, someone else saw that, too. I was afraid that I was hallucinating there.

Aw, heck, no need to pray now.

Ok, so do we pray for rain now, or do we have to wait a little bit?

I thought this, too. Looking at national games, MLBN has St. Louis at Atlanta (7:20 EDT, last game of series) and Arizona at Chicago (7:40 EDT, first game of series). St. Louis (travels to Cincinnati next) at Atlanta (stays home for the next series) might have seemed like a compelling matchup at the beginning of the season. I don't know if/how MLBN can alter its broadcasting schedule along the way given other contracts to handle and whatnot. Seems doubtful Detroit at New York would have been scheduled as a night game to possibly pivot to. The other thing to consider for a national broadcast is that tonight is the kickoff to the NFL season. So, I don't know how much that factors in, but I would think that gets more casual sport fan eyes rather than a baseball game tonight.

It sounds like the Tigers have some prospect position players vying for similar roles but are questionable defensively. Do we see trades this offseason to alleviate that logjam and address other issues? Or maybe target pitching or other prospects that might not have the same batting acumen but are more well rounded baseball players?

JC gettin' deep today.

Just not at 3B, please.

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Drat.