1984Echoes

The problem is that he is not signed. So you're losing him.

I would use Vest...

Also: TWO innings still left...

But what about Carpenter? 😉

Move him.

I've heard nothing on moving on from Compher. Where are you hearing that?

I'll go along with this. But I'm going to need to apply my, ummmm.... UNIQUE!!! Perspective: Let's stretch out Wentz. Make him a starter. In... TOLEDO!!! In fact, let's do that now, or as soon as Lael Lockhart can be called up. Wentz can be stretched out in Toledo... and stay there. He can be the "break glass in case of emergency" Detroit starter... meaning there would have to be 6 starting pitcher injuries before we needed to turn to him for an "emergency" start. And even that would be debatable as Hinch can always go to a bullpen day instead... As for Lockhart: he's struggling right now in Toledo (first time in AAA) with a 1.58 WHIP as a starter. But last year, and this year in AA, he had a 1.167 and 1.036 WHIP as a starter, respectively. My theory, and this is only a theory... Is that if Lockhart can be switched to the lefty multi-inning (2-3) middle reliever in Detroit, and ALSO be able to work with Fetters, he can: (A) "Cut loose", or "let 'er rip", whichever is the preference, for those 2-ish innings, and (B)e better than Wentz has been this year. Not a highly impossible task, IMO. And (C) Work with Fetters. I don't know what Fetters can do with him, but I'm interested in finding out. I actually have no idea what kind of "stuff" Lockhart has... But I do know that he struck out 11 per 9 in Erie last year, albeit with 4 BB's per 9; THIS year in Erie he was at 11.6 K's/9, and 2.9 BB's/9. His struggles in Toledo have him at 12.2 K's/9 and 5 BB's/9. If switching him to middle reliever, even though it's in Detroit (per my theory), he could: Pound the strike zone. Cut loose. And Fetters work with him on anything that helps at all. I see upside, IMO... But that's just a theory.

That would be my plan too. Let Kasper and Danielson hit the roster and float around until they settle on positions... Still have Compher, Copp & Veleno too. If one of them makes it to 2C (Danielson would be my guess), there's still 3C (Compher or Kasper on a guess) and 4C (Copp on a guess, pushing Veleno to wing or elsewhere...). Even if that takes more than just 1 year... Let these guys settle in and then figure out afterwards what else needs to be plugged in or improved... IMO.

Well... It's not so much overrating at this point, It's throwing everything against the wall to see what sticks.

That... And maybe they also woke up and said: "WAIT! The "other" guy in this debate, Trump, is running again? HOLY ****!!! I better wake the **** up!!!"

Let me rephrase that: Do you want to know who I REALLY think will be 1st and 2nd pair LHD? Edvinsson and Johansson. Chiarot 3rd pair. Gustaf as PP specialist and mixed in judiciously. But I don't think the team breaks camp like that. I think Johansson will have to earn it. Like Walman did in 2022-23. Slowly, once he acclimates to the NHL and shows the team what he can do. Just a guess.

Berggren will be the extra forward so I didn't know where to put him, at least at this point... but yeah, I should've listed him. As for Gustaf/ Chiarot/ Holl/ Petry... Let's look at the team mid-season and see where these questions/ viewpoints land. As for Chiarot specifically... Holl is not ahead of him, Edvinsson is. Holl is simply the right-shot pairing with Simon. So Chiarot is either 1st pair LHD with Mo, or 3rd pair LHD with whomever ends up as 3rd pair RHD. I think that will be Petry on 3rd pair, not Holl. And as for Chiarot... I've voiced multiple times my displeasure with him in here so I think you know why I have little confidence in him. I will give you he was better in 2023-24 than 2022-23... I don't think that will last. Ideally, I WANT him as 3rd pair so he can go simply knock a few people around and play 3rd/4th lines instead of 1st/2nd lines. He can be assistant captain from the 3rd pair this season. If he's 1st pair this year with MO, I think he will look like the same **** he did as in 2022-23 and will have to be separated again. I'm planning on it, as you can see above. Gustaf has young legs and is a decent defender, therefore I stuck him with Mo. Ideally, here, Edvinsson acclimates to NHL level quickly and takes over top pairing with MO and pushes Gustaf down to 2nd pair, where he belongs. I don't even know if he belongs there... like you said, low rent.

On Tork... I think he'll be in Spring Training camp next year... but after that, I wouldn't put money on anything... And I hear ya' chas on him being sent to Toledo if he can't make the opening day roster, that's probably the most likely outcome... The only thing that's striking me a little bit at the moment (and I don't really know what that means for Tork's future...), but it sure seems like the Org is testing lots of different guys out at 1B. In Detroit, that's been Canha, Urshela (yesterday) and today it's Ibanez. Just an interesting factoid if nothing else...

I think the rumor was Toronto wanted to get rid of the contract, maybe even at this trade deadline. So the cost might be less in prospects than what one would think if they're trying to dump a contract or open up a space for someone else... And if he claims the position, meaning he's back to being a 4-ish WAR SS... Then eat the cost of Baez's contract, that's a no-brainer decision... And offer a 3-year extension to Bichette: FA at 29 (or is that 30?). Even if he declines, like I said, I think the prospect cost might be less than one would expect. Hell, offer him 5 years and good money... This is an easy no-brainer... for me. I don't know about Bichette... and... YMMV.

And the HBP's... He had two of them yesterday. Ditto on the Org sees potential... You can see the "stuff" that he has. It's good. He just has to be able to consistently "harness" it. I have no idea if that means repeatability, smoothing mechanics, gaining better command and/or control... or whatever. It's there, he has "it"... but he does have to do better than the 1.70 Toledo WHIP that he has or the 1.43 minors WHIP... Pitching consistently like yesterday though... keeps him on the "future rotation" list.

I think I saw that on Trade Rumors somewhere... Yes, I would definitely be down with a trade for Bichette.

4 lines: Tarasenko - Larkin - Raymond - I want to see this line in action. Debrincat - Compher - Kane - I'm putting Kane-Cat together and I'm LEAVING it like that. Rasmussen - Copp - Kasper - I think this could be a great two-way line. I almost want Compher here moreso than Copp but then I'd have to figure out the #2 Center... I'm fine with Copp here though... Or maybe Kasper is centering and Copp slides to wing? Maybe... but it wouldn't start out that way, Kasper would have to acclimate to this level before he gets his Centerman shot and pushes Copp to wing... IMO. Motte - Veleno - Fischer - checking line? Can anyone steal a job from any of these 3? Mazur? D pairings: Gustafsson - Seider - is Gust better than Chiarot? Is this the best pairing we can get for Mo? At least until Simon is ready for 1st pair? Edvinsson - Holl - I had Petry here but he's 36 and Holl is 32. Petry on 2nd pair? meh. Worse than meh. I think Holl will surpass Petry in training camp this year and be on the 2nd with Simon... just a guess. Chiarot - Petry - I'll take whatever we can get here from these two guys 7th & 8th: Maatta and Johansson. I have no idea what playing time either of these guys will get so they are here for now. Both LHD so they're sort of blocked. But they'll get playing time. I just won't guess where that will be at this point...

1) I said multiple times with Trei that he's not ready yet, most likely AAA next year. I also said multiple times he's a utility guy at this point. It's not like I'm talking him up as the "next great thing" or anything. But he gets his shot. Even if no one wants to give him one. So yes, I think he should get a shot... Trei Cruz. 2) It's time to find out. From a talent perspective, yes, I think there is enough there. From a developmental perspective: Do we have the right hitting coaches? Is our system hitting approach a help for these kids? Or a hindrance? Isn't it time to find out? And they ALL have to get "blooded" in MLB at some point to find out if they can adjust to the highest competition in the world. And either sink... or swim. The timing is absolutely perfect, IMO, for RIGHT NOW (meaning both 2024 and 2025 in my description...). One more point: and Lee mentioned it above: I actually agree with this. Let's call it: Andy Ibanez. He's 31 already. But has proven himself to be a steady, positive contributor for this team. Both at the bat as well as in the field. Let's add another: Gio Urshela. 32 this year and mostly a starter at 3B and a little at 1B. I would NOT be opposed to re-signing Urshela. Here's the thing though: No PROMISES could be made. So whether it's Urshela or Ibanez or someone similar: Jung could be the starter at 3B and Tork at 1B. By the END of the season, Urshela could have quite a LOT of playing time as a 2/3-game starter per week at 3B (Jung at DH), coming in late innings as a PH'er/ defensive replacement, Jung or Tork could falter and be sent back to AAA and Urshela would pick up the starting spot at either position as long as the remediation of one or the other is happening... But... no PROMISES. If Urshela is willing to come back in 2025 with no promises except that the team will find a way to get him whatever playing time they can muster... than absolutely, I would agree with that 100%. As long as our rotation is not yet set: I'm all for getting Flaherty back. Or someone (veteran) just as good... although I can't think of anyone I'd want back more next year than Flaherty. Flaherty as a vet at/near the top of the rotation; and we still have Maeda as a 4/5 starter at the back end next year. As for catcher, I would look for a guy who will reside in AAA, but has some kind of MLB experience that he can be called up in case of injury or other. Maybe even a lot of MLB but is 30-ish and iffy but would at least be reliable defensively. For catcher, IMO, it's defense first and any offense is just gravy. I don't think you could sign a Carson Kelly on that basis... I don't have a name to pop in here... SS? That's a ****ing problem. Harris needs to figure something out. AAAA guy worth a shot, or a blocked prospect, trade for Bo Bichette? (down year but the bet is he'd revert to prior years' excellence... and CI would just have to be willing to EAT the cost of the remaining Baez contract... just a thought), or whatever...

Is Keith's shoulder permanent? Will he never regain 100% full strength back? Did he have enough arm for 3B prior to the shoulder injury? I mean... I don't know the answers to those questions... But I think positive answers to those would mean that the team would NOT preclude making the swap back... And a negative answer would mean he's not going back to the left side so 2B or 1B... But I don't know these answers. You?

And he is not magically going to get better at it at any point in the next 5 years. So my point stands. He's as far as he's going to get. He's as ready as he will ever be. He was DRAFTED KNOWING he had fielding limitations. He was drafted for his BAT, not his fielding. So he has time until Spring Training next year to get as ready as he will ever be. Not today. 2025. The Tigers are going to have to live with his liabilities if they believe his bat is ready. They're going to have to try him out in MLB to see what they can get out of him. Exactly what I've already stated. Best case scenario? Keith's shoulder is doable at 3B by next year. He was better at 3B than Jung. And I believe Jung was better than Keith at 2B. How about next Spring Training... the team figures it out?

Yes he is.

Jace Jung is ready for 3B in 2025.

One other perspective... and I'll try it from the fans' side this time... As a fan, if Harris came right out and said this is what we're going to do in 2025... I might just say (and I think I already have): "**** IT!!! Let's DO this!!!" But that's just me...

Catcher - Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler 1B - Tork, or someone else: Ibanez, Keith, Malloy, Jung, Bigbie, Vilade. (somethin's gotta stick). 2B - Jung, Keith, Ibanez, Lee has a chance IMO, others as utility backups: Vilade, Cruz, etc. SS - You got me here. Cruz on a wild outside shot (I don't think he's ready for MLB in 2025 opening day... just sayin', as a "tryout" to see where he is or how far away...). 3B - Jung, Ibanez, Vierling, Vilade (utility guy has played everywhere except SS and C at Toledo.) Keith if his shoulder is strong enough. LF - Greene, Malloy, Vierling, Vilade, Perez, Bigbie? CF - Meadows, Greene, Vierling, Perez, Cruz (as a utility guy if he were to make it this far, if not, AAA). RF - Carpenter, Greene, Vierling, Perez, Vilade, Bigbie? DH - anyone. Did I miss anyone? Add him in... "whatchu talkin bout willis?"

This is an unknown IMO. And it needs to be found out. By Harris. I think that's a critical evaluation for Harris... We have a crapload of young guys from AAA to 2nd year in MLB. Are they good enough? Or not? Can our development team help them succeed, or not? To your point: do we have the right hitting coaches to help these guys succeed? Sort of a critical component of our developmental team/ and to our future success, if we are to have any. The opportunity/ the time/ to figure all that out, really, is right now. 2024-25. IMO.