1984Echoes

After next inning... It's getting REALLY close to reliever time... Could we get a Bert please?

If a stream of curses emits from yours, or mine, mouths... At an EXTREMELY high decibel level... But no one is close enough to hear anything... Did either of us actually curse?

So this season... Moniak is hitting .268/ .845 OPS/ 123 OPS+ in 81 games with 13 HR's... all over the OF... It's in Colorado, so there's that... .870 OPS against RH'ers... I still say he was worth a shot. At least.

But you have to get Skubal and Boras to agree to that... That's the tricky part. And they BOTH know they can bank oodles more than that offer on the open market... Sorry... but no deal. NOT done.

PS: One more thing: "There are no perfect solutions".

Two flip sides: Both the Dodgers and the Phillies (Dombrowski) are HIGHLY motivated purchasers of talent. And whoever gets their hands on him first (meaning this offseason) will quickly hand out a Boras-sized extension. IMO. Getting him first is a flip side I believe. And will have both, and maybe another team or two willing to make really big offers... But we'll see. Second flip side: Skubal wins his second Cy Young award this year and I think those same teams will trip over each other trying to give Harris the "best offer". (Or a deal "he can't refuse".) IMO.

The more critical injury "bet" right now is to keep Davenport healthy all or at least 90+ % of the year...

Reduce his minutes significantly... And maybe get more games out of him. Here for vet leadership and 3rd PG, steady, plays defense... I think he'd be a great voice in the ears of all the kids... Oh, and bring him in on a vet minimum... reducing cost/ exposure... Just a guess.

And 1A and 1B are already signed. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 17-18-19 to go. Get them ALL Harris!!!

Maybe this gets us our hometown discount with Skubes... We shall see...

But at the start of 2027, Skubal will be 30 years old. I know he has tree-trunk legs like Nolan Ryan... and maybe he has zero health issues during a 10-year contract... But is that the best risk for the Tigers Organization? 10 years of Skubal at $40-50 mill per annum at ages 30-39? Can we pay him $52 mill per year for six years so $312 Mill ages 30-35? I would do that... but would Skubal/Boras? The years, even though he's a stud, is the most difficult part. And with a young core coming up, Jobe not even a full year... It looks REALLY attractive to do a timeline reset while STILL remaining playoff-competitive with a Painter-Jobe+ or a Sheehan-Jobe+ rotation. We would be playoff capable in 2026 with either of those packages. And I think we would receive a haul with Skubes. 3 highly regarded pitchers and a couple position players/ studs (depending on the package...)? I'm just guessing... But I am very open for a "reload" if it makes the most sense for the Org. My 2 cents.

Backup Vet PG: Malcolm Brogdon?

Getting MLB or MLB-ready players may constitute a "reload" instead of a capitulation. I prefer the "reload" method that STILL has us hunting 2026 playoffs, even without Skubal. That's why the Dodgers win the offers with Sheehan & Dreyer & Freeland OR the Phillies win with Painter, Kerkering and Crawford.

But we'll do even worse against a starter with close to zero MLB experience...

Have we officially shifted from "scuffling" to "struggling"? Or is it "treading water" to "6-game losing skid"? "Playing .500" to "slump"?

We shall see...

This is not true. Please call Scott Boras for more information.

Who said anything about Harris "publicizing" Skubal up for auction? There IS something called "working the phones", FYI. And Dodgers' Sheehan & Dreyer are IN the majors; Freeland is in AAA... Phillies' Painter and Crawford are in AAA, Kerkering is in MLB since 2023. I did my homework thank you very much.

PS: That would be hilarious if we traded Liranzo & Sweeney back to the Dodgers as part of the "package" along with Skubal for the 5 guys I listed from them...

Probably. But I think "Skubal up for auction" will generate an overpay. At least one. I think we'll get one of those offers, even if we are sending a couple prospects (not our top 5) back. Just my guess.

On that basis... I would say 2025 only... The offers this offseason will be too good for Harris to pass up. Specifically, and especially, when he deems the possibility of extending him at basically zero (Boras and Skubal's insistence on hitting the open market).

Both Hamilton AND Ethan Rogers?

I'm going to guess that this offseason... Harris make an attempt to extend Skubal. Not satisfied with the negotiations, he will decide it is in the Tigers' long-term interest to trade Skubal this offseason. I put together two trade offers, one from the Dodgers, one from the Phillies. The Mets and Yankees simply do not have the horses or prospects to match these two packages... can another team beat either of these offers? Which offer do you prefer: 1) Skubal signs for 10-ish years/ $400-ish million. Moot point. 2) Dodgers' offer 3) Phillies' offer 4) Another teams' offer (details please) 5) You have OTHER ideas... (details please). PS: I would prefer the Dodgers' package. Will they say "too much, no trade"? Dodgers Offer: Emmett Sheehan, 25 yo RH SP; Emil Morales, 18 yo RH 3B; Josue De Paula, 20 yo LH OF; Jack Dreyer, 26 yo LH RP; Alex Freeland, 24 yo SS/3B. Phillies Offer: Andrew Painter, 22 yo RH SP; Justin Crawford, 21 yo LH CF; Orion Kerkering, 24 yo RH RP, Aidan Miller, 21 yo RH SS/3B, Mavis Graves, 21 yo LH SP (NEEDS to be converted to RP though...). Stats of these players: Dodgers: Emmett Sheehan, RHSP, 25 6'5" 220#'s 1.5 years MLB MLB: 2025: 1.05 WHIP, 9K/9, 2.8 BB/9 = 3.3 K-BB Ratio MINORS: 1.0 WHIP, 15K/9 3.8 BB/9 = 4 K-BB Ratio Emil Morales, RH 3B, 18 6'3" 190#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: 21 HR's, .985 OPS Josue De Paula, LHOF, 20 6'3" 190#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: .830 OPS Alex Freeland, SH 3B/SS, 24 6'0" 200#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: .790 OPS Jack Dreyer, LHRP, 26 6'2" 205#'s 1.0 years MLB MLB: 2025: 1.12 WHIP, 9K/9 3.5 BB/9 = 2.5 K-BB Ratio MINORS: 1.1 WHIP, 12K/9 3.8 BB/9 = 3 K-BB Ratio PHILLIES PLAYERS: Andrew Painter, RHSP, 22 6'7" 215#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: (NON-AAA): 0.91 WHIP, 12.5K/9 2 BB/9 = 6.2 K-BB Ratio Justin Crawford, LHCF, 21 6'2" 190#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: .320 BA, .820 OPS Aidan Miller, RH 3B/SS, 21 6'1" 205#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: .780 OPS Orion Kerkering, RHRP, 24 6'2" 205#'s 1.0 years MLB MLB (career): 1.22 WHIP, 9+K/9, 5+ BB/9 = <2 K-BB Ratio MINORS: 0.89 WHIP, 13+K/9 1.8 BB/9 = 7.4 K-BB Ratio Mavis Graves, LHSP, 21 6'6" 205#'s 0 years MLB MINORS: 1.56 WHIP, 12K/9 5 BB/9 = 2.36 K-BB Ratio (NEEDS to convert to Relief)

What is Hamilton's ask? That alone could get us Hamilton if his ask is $500-600K... But I think we will see some more under slot signings... adding to a potential 11th round bonus offer. Just a guess...

So we're still looking for a 2nd pair RHD that actually belongs as a top-4 D because we don't have one...