casimir

Are you paying attention to the NIT?

Should we be surprised? He struggled in spring. If he could be traded, it won’t be for much. Nobody expects him to be with Detroit beyond that. If he doesn’t hit quickly, the band aid gets ripped off.

I think the concept is that now Detroit vs Charlotte means something more because there is a regular season tournament. I’m just not sure that idea actually has merit beyond theory. Maybe it will work, I don’t know. Look, sports leagues ain’t looking for us necessarily. We’re already invested/addicted. Maybe they’ll get a few extra bucks from us via betting or whatnot. But they’re after the less invested fans right now. I still don’t see how the Bucks or Nuggets would care about a mid season tournament. If their main players are questionable, they ain’t playing in a mid season tournament, but they will in the playoffs/finals. So, with that in mind, I agree, what do you or I care about it? Why do I give a rip of soccer does it?

Yes, I hate the idea. I might have to watch it now.

I don’t think Schoop is sitting vs a RHP is odd. I do think Haase being moved down is odd.

I don’t like the concept of a mid season tournament. I am probably just being an old man that is set in the ways of a regular season leading to the playoffs leading to a championship. But I guess I am not sure how a mid season tournament enhances that flow for me as a fan. I completely understand how this might generate more revenue, and surely that’s the output driving the input, so to speak. I’ve heard the minimum games played qualifier a bit the past year or so, and I like the idea. I don’t know how much it helps reduce “load management”, but it seems like a step in the right direction. So, now, how will these two parameters play with one another? Does a team like the Bucks give a rip about a mid season tournament when the ultimate goal is later on in the season? I know, I know, we just need to wait for the details to be announced.

Consummating his pro career.

His minor league slash line is .257/.374/.458. That seems to be a pretty good on base clip. The power is probably lacking a bit, at least pure HR power for a 1Bdude. It only cost them cash to acquire, so hey, why not?

Thankfully the weather held off. It was all sorts of rainy around the game but not a drop during it. Kind of amusing seeing the field crew hosing down the infield dirt with as much rain as there was before the game. And then seeing Andy Ibanez take the field with a ski mask in mid 50s temps was a tad bit amusing. The smell of hot dogs, the pop of mitt, the taste of the beer,... its baseball season, baby. Will Vest still having issues. The crowd was getting restless, at least those of us that were headed over to the Walleye hockey game afterwards. I guess I didn't realize or had forgotten how tall Parker Meadows was. Quite a sight to see him standing next to St. Paul's 1Bdude Tyler White who seemed to be a 5'10" offensive lineman.

Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Watch: Rays - Bally Sports Sun, Tigers - Bally Sports Detroit Listen: Rays - WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM, WQBN/1300AM, Tigers - 97.1 The Ticket, WXYT 1270

Well, that and COVID has taken away some game time for him. I looked again, he’s pretty much been +/- less than a year, so it shouldn’t be a big deal. He probably is more of an organizational guy. Hey, those ball players are necessary, too. I have to think a stronger supporting cast helps to improve the skill sets of the higher regarded prospects. And with some luck, they might find another surprise here and there, too.

https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=paulso000dil Interesting numerals. Seems to have played at or slightly older than his peers’ age. I was looking over the Toledo roster and thought another lefty bat would be nice for lineup balance. I don’t know if that’s where he is headed, but it seems like it’d be a bit for both he and the team.

I was suspect of his defensive accolades in 2022. I thought a lot of his “range” might be due to the shift. So, I would agree that this does bear watching. I will say, though, he did shed some weight over the off-season and it appeared that he came into camp physically ready to go. So, give him some due there. But at some point the skills recede and that may very well be the case with his lateral movements and/or quick twitch and/or reading the ball off of the bat.

The lower echelon salaries still seem a bit tight, but clearly its a much better situation than before. And if housing/meals are taken care of by the organizations, even if only during season, it makes those salaries go further.

Sometimes the opposition is just too damn good. McClanahan's baseball card suggests he has days like that.

That was pretty awful by the Tigers.

Detroit Pistons vs Houston Rockets

Don’t worry, you’ll be wrong.

Doing the Mud Hens’ opener with fingers crossed. 3 rounds of precipitation are expected, and hopefully the projected window between the first and second holds true.

I can see a better team in June/July yield a similar year end record. A couple of variables to consider are the schedule and more games outside of a weak division (hence a tougher overall schedule) and possible trades of Rodriguez/Baez/Boyd among others. But I think it should be a better team for the first 2/3 of the season with expectations of improvements from Greene/Torkleson, rebounds from MeadowsA/Baez, better positional depth, and hopefully not using 57 different pitchers.

This team should be better than last season. It should post a better record than last season if they played last season's schedule. But fewer games within a weak division should pull that improved record down a bit. That's a bit of a factor bridging from one season to the next that I think is easy to forget. I think I am more interested in individual performances this season. I can handle a losing Tigers' team if there is competitive play and promise from the youngsters. Rebounds from the veterans are reasonable bets, I think. But I want to see what happens with the guys that could be here in 2025. Can they be components on a winning team in a couple of seasons? And, for that matter, what about guys at Toledo/Erie/West Michigan? What's the development process look like this season and next? What kinds of strides can be made?

At Tampa for 3, at Houston for 3, vs Boston for 3, at Toronto for 3, vs San Francisco for 3, vs Cleveland for 3. That's not exactly a way to ease into the season. And when a team is bottom third of the league, most matchups look tough anyway.

Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays Watch: Tigers - Bally Sports Detroit Listen: Rays - WDAE 620 AM/95.3 FM, Tigers - 97.1 The Ticket, WXYT 1270

Huh? I thought they were just waiting for Cabrera to be gone to spend money? Are you looking into acquiring more parking lots for Baby Doc?

Detroit Pistons vs Oklahoma City Thunder