1984Echoes

1 hour ago, Tigermojo said:

... doesn't want to ride the bus with Parker.

If that lit a FIRE under everyone's asses...

Then they should have demoted Parker a week ago...

But I'll take it.

Don't call it #2...

Call it "X" Receiver.

Yes, he most likely would have started at "X".

Unless DPJ somehow beat him out...

FYI: Tyler Boyd, 1 year $4.5 mill with the Titans...

That's just so ugly...

So who is nicked up and not playing?

Urshela, Carpenter, and Canha too?

But Hinch has Ibanez of the .258 OBP leading off...?

Let me help you AJ:

Perez

Greene

Vierling

Tork!

Ibanez

Rogers

Baez

Kelly

Vilade

Just as ugly... But it makes oodles more common sense.

PS: And the Cutter and the CU are the more devastating pitches (or the FB much less bad than in 2023):

Pitch RV/100  Usage    wOBA Whif %   K %   PutAway% Hard hit %

FB-24    1.4     38.2 %    .427    13.7 %   16.7%   14.3 %     33.3%

FB-23  (-2.9)  41.6 %    .479     19.0 %   17.6%   15.7 %     57.3%

cutt-24   1.5     28.7 %    .114    37.8 %    35.7%   22.7 %     25.0%

cutt-23 (-0.3)  25.1 %    .378    29.1 %    17.9%   20.3 %     41.1%

CU-24    4.5    24.3 %   .075    56.0 %    58.3%   33.3 %     20.0%

CU-23    0.1    17.5 %     .296    31.8 %    16.5%   11.7 %     21.3%

CB-24 (-0.9)   8.8 %    .000    16.7 %    50.0%     6.3 %     0.0%

CB-23 (-0.9)  15.8 %    .285    28.5 %    33.3%   18.9 %     20.8%

55 minutes ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

I would say going from -23 to 1 is the bigger outlier there 😅

It's a deceptive one.

I'm not saying it doesn't exist... it does... but you're not reading the context correctly.

Look at G2'sa post right after yours...

Also, look at the change in RV (Run Value) per 100:

FB change from 2023 to 2024 (-2.9 to +1.4 = ) 4.3 change in value.

CU change from 2023 to 2024 (0 to 4.5 = ) 4.5 change in value.

The difference in speed between the two pitches is improving BOTH pitches...

Can we get some of that on the Detroit Tigers please...?

58 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

I don't see anything in Vilade's profile that makes me think he's going to break out and surprise us. He is flexible and has decent on base skills which are two things that Harris looks for...

I think that's all he needs on this team to "break out".

I can overlook a lack of power in one guy if he's a high-OBP guy and does other things...

If he can prove a high-OBP in MLB that might be just enough.

And yes, the flexibility and a need to be better than adequate in the field with that flexibility is also needed as a part of that package...

So... we'll see. Maybe he'll have a lot of "grit" and be a "glue guy"?

His changeup is doing it though...

Or... to restate that in G2's terms: If he put a couple MPH difference between his FB and CU... then the change in speeds is making his FB that much more effective. If you look at wOBA, not a huge FB difference. But a huge difference in CU and cutter wOBA. 

I think it's the variance in speeds between the pitches that is improving him across the board (manifested in different ways...).

I don't know if his off speed was at > 90 in prior years...

But I'm going to guess that that's his "secret to success". Changeup? Curveball? Both?

He's an effective pitcher by changing speeds though...

that's what it looks like to me anyways...

4 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

Ryan Vilade is 6 months older than Tork, 8 months older than Meadows and Perez, younger than Dingler and Bigbie...

I am perfectly on board with giving him a chance to prove he's more than just a 4A player...

Let's see what he's got...

2 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

and to be honest, I can't even agree with Ted here anymore. MLB pitching has reached a point where you don't always get a good pitch to hit in an AB anymore. You better be ready to hang in there against spin and good location or you're just going to give away too many ABs.

I think the key is something that's been mentioned in here a few times...

I think with today's pitching...

That the mantra should be:

"Go with the pitch".

I would enforce this throughout the Org.

Take outside pitches to the opposite field. Pull middle pitches. Fight off inside pitches. Control the strike zone.

I think that all adds up. And it includes their favorite "control the zone" mantra.

But if they are locked into "look for pitches only in 1 zone...", or anything like that... I think they're messing up. It has to be "go with the pitch". IMO. And "go with the pitch" means you don't swing for the fences as a sell-out with outside pitches... you simply try to "barrel" and that's it. No need to do a Ty Cobb "choke" on the bat, just don't sell out on outside pitches and go for contact instead...

IMO.

PS: If anyone is on notice with this BTW... I think it's the first two guys I mentioned: Tork and Keith.

1 minute ago, casimir said:

Baddoo's line seems worthy enough of a call up...

I don't think this is about Baddoo...

I think it's a 100% need for maximum position flexability.

IMO.

9 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

... Baddoo, Kennedy, or Malloy

Hiura = dark horse...

8 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

Ryan Vilade? Seems like a "look how smart I am" move by Harris

I don't think this is a "I'm so smart" move at all. It has nothing to do with that. And everything to do with this (plus he has a "hot bat" as well, BABIP-be-damned...):

1 hour ago, casimir said:

Vilade plays all over the field as well...

... McKinstry on notice?

I don't think this is a McKinstry issue either.

IMO, it's simply a matter of wanting to play a guy ANY where that they think they "need a guy".

If Tork continues his struggles, he'll get some time at 1B. If they wanna give Keith a few days, he'll get some 2B time. If Canha should be DH, he'll be in the OF...

I think it is purely an issue of "hot bat" + "flexibility".

And with so many guys struggling... IMO, we should be on board with that flexibility...

Just sayin'.

17 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

If he bats third, it will be 3 fewer solo home runs😃

But 40 more RBI's...

😉

19 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

Only at leadoff. 40 solo home runs. 😅😅

Beat me to it...

But I'm just now catching up...

22 minutes ago, Tigermojo said:

Is Greene going to hit 40 HR?

40 solo HR's.

8 hours ago, chasfh said:

I don’t have any sense that the organization is moving towards a two starters/six swing men system, although if that were magically made a requirement, the Tigers might be better off cobbling one together than most other teams.

No...

But what I would say is that, even if the Org is still going 5-man rotation (which they are), that:

The existing pressure on pitchers to go all out means we'll have a lot more starters going 4-5 innings and not so many going 6-7 anymore. I think that, in and of itself, stresses out a bullpen so much, even with 8 guys in there, that the only way to compensate is to have multiple guys who can pitch multiple innings... which is at least a step towards what you are asking. IE: If a team has 3 guys in a row going 4.1 innings... the stress of trying to cover the 4.2 innings per game left (more or less... depending on circumstances) is too much for even an 8-man staff to bear unless a team has multiple multi-inning relievers. Call them "Middle" or whatever...

I made a request in spring training to have several multi-inning guys because I see that as how the league is currently constructed. So if we have three 90-120 innings guys, plus several other 1-inning types... I think that's what it takes to try and get through a 2024 season with the way starters are currently being used. IMO.

So... we're about halfway to your position, or question...

1 minute ago, Motown Bombers said:

 

Did Israel unconditionally surrender to Hamas yet?

Yes...

Short-term due to his age...

But a good guy to show the kids what Harris is asking for...

A good mentor so to speak... as well as his on-field production...

That is what I am thinking...

I also really think Malloy is at least worth a tryout...

He may be DH only... and he may not get the walks/OBP in MLB as he has in Toledo...

But I'd like to find that out.

Anyways...

I think this is the hardest part right now...

"Sifting" through all the kids trying to figure out who can cut it and who can't...

Manning and Baddoo are right now sitting in Toledo unhappy about where they are at the moment...

49 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I don't even care if our rebuild is for a World Championship. If we consider the only successful rebuild is to win it all, it's been 40 years. I just want to see a team with a deep playoff run and to be competitive for several years. If Chris isn't willing to spend, I won't ever blame Harris. But how long should it realistically take? 5 years? 7?

I'm not worried about any kind of spending yet...

There's still some more "Sifting" to do before we get to external spending decisions...

IMO.

And I do NOT have a timeline for that...

It goes more along the lines of: If we don't have it MLB, or in the minors, or Harris can work a trade for it (it being a "black hole position... let's call it "Shortstop", which is what we have at the moment...): And we are playoff-competitive...

Then go and spend the money.

Whenever (whatever timeline) that may be...

2 minutes ago, casimir said:

3-3 is still doable.  Who’s with me?

I'm thinking the first game against Cleveland is going to show what kind of "fight" this team has in them and whether we should climb aboard the 3-3 Hope Train or consign ourselves to a 1-5 road trip expectations...

If they wake up and take the 1st game...

sure, I'll climb aboard...