lordstanley

Interesting what if that we used to ask. Imagine if Jim Nill had been promoted by the Wings the summer of 2013. https://www.sportsnet.ca/nhl/article/through-deft-drafting-and-dealing-jim-nills-stars-emerge-as-consistent-force/ EDMONTON — As architect of a team playing in its third straight conference final, Jim Nill chuckles when asked if he saw any of it coming. “No, no, there were too many unknowns,” said the humble 67-year-old Hanna, Alta., product during a quiet sit-down at Rogers Place. “If you asked me coming out of the bubble here in Edmonton during COVID, I was worried where we were going. It was Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin’s team, and they were getting into their 30s, starting to age out.” After losing to Tampa in the 2020 Stanley Cup Final, a rebuild seemed inevitable. “We're in a different market down in Dallas, and rebuilds are tough, so I'm sitting there, hoping I wouldn't have to go to that route and that there was another way to do it,” he said. “Then, all of sudden, these players showed up, so it didn’t become an option.” In a league in which conventional wisdom suggests teams almost always need to go through several lean years to aid a reboot, the Stars have been a model of consistency based on their ability to draft better than most teams the last dozen years. “Our scouting and development team did a good job and suddenly we hit on a couple big drafts,” said Nill. “Guys like Roope Hintz (49th in 2015) and Esa Lindell (74th in 2012), were all coming up through the farm system, so the combination of that and another big draft where guys hit well kind of put us to the next level again. So instead of taking that dip, we were able to stay pretty consistent.” The big splash he refers to came in 2017 when the Stars snagged Miro Heiskanen third overall, Jake Oettinger 26th and Jason Robertson 39th. Thomas Harley was selected 18th overall in 2019, but the organization went into the bubble tourney still unsure just how impactful each of them would be. It was only clear a few years later they would be franchise cornerstones.

If anyone is craving some off day viewing, here is nice quality video of the '84 home opener. Tigers roster and staff is introduced from 18:05 to 21:25. National anthem by Fat Bob Taylor at 22:00. Spoiler alert - big moment at 53:40.

Most Rockies fans presumably are also fans of the Nuggets, Avalanche and Broncos, each of which have won a title within the past decade. Plus if there's no good baseball for them to watch this summer they can use the time to go climb a few 14ers. I don't feel sorry for them.

Interesting, I didn't know about the part that I italicized.

And in 2003 it was September 5th before the Tigers won their 37th game.

Sweep!

Guardians have scored 5 in the 8th to take a 7-4 lead over the Dodgers. Twins have lost though. Tigers will have a 6 game lead if they close out this win.

Difference in the game is that the Tigers had runners on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs in the 5th and when it got to 2 outs 2 strikes JHM singled them home, but when the Giants had runners on 2nd and 3rd with 0 outs in the 8th and it go to 2 outs 2 strikes the batter bounced out.

Right back in it.

Day off for Tork and Baez.

Incidentally, I think the other Miller, JT, age 32, 70 pts in 72 games this season and 103 pts last year, 5 more years left on a $8mm/year cap hit, would have been an interesting pick up when the Canucks got rid of him for Chytil, Victor Mancini, and a 1st rounder. Sounds like he really wanted to go to NYR though.

Tigers win!

Getting tighter.

A Yaz boo boo gives the Tigers the lead.

Winner!

Tage Thompson gives the U.S. their first world championships gold in 92 years.

Minnesota has lost to KC. Tigers' division lead is back up to 4, over both Cleveland and Minnesota. KC is 5 back of the Tigers.

And despite the wobbly weekend, the division lead is back up to 3.5, the Tigers have the 2nd best record in MLB just 1 game back of Philly, and at 34-20 they hit the 1/3 mark of the season on 102-60 pace.

Tigers win! 103 mph for his 13th K. Maybe Skubal’s best ever game!

2 down. Crowd rises to feet.

Throw in a province or two to make your spree truly epic and internationally exotic.

Skubal is coming back out.

Have the Tigers in their 125 year history ever won a game before 2pm ET?