alex

Hmm, this is why every time someone says/asks - 'When we are at Full Strength who is going to be sent down?' I just shrug at it because NO team is ever at 'Full Strength' except during the off season, lol. Teams need a lot of Depth this day and age.

Realistically, no team is really ever full force this day and age. Gone are the days of 3 SP's pitching 200 innings on a team and 7-8 position players starting 150+ games per year. Just simply the facts that take many of us who have followed the game for awhile (myself included) - a bit of time to come to this realization. It is good to have a lot of depth. Organizations are now much more aware of this. What baseball could do, to help alleviate some of the injuries? IMHO, is to have a few less games, maybe 28 man rosters, scheduled by-weekend ends a couple times each year for every team (not no baseball played, just different teams getting a weekend off, like what football does) and maybe a couple other things. Yes, it is about money from the viewpoint of some, but people want to see the star players 'play'. Maximum efforts, especially with Ps, requires optimum recovery time. Athletes are only as good and consistent as the allotted recovery time will allow. Actual rest and nutrition are also factors. The trainers are much more versed on these things now - but the actual time off is still 'not' there IMHO. How could the players of yesteryear do it? I suspect one reason was that their bodies were not in the same peak physical condition as many of the players of today are. A well peaked physical player (strength, speed, nutrition, etc.) that plays 5 days in a row is simply putting more demand on the body than a player of 25, 40+ years ago - that was not in the same physical condition. I am 'not' saying the players did not play hard years ago and many were great players. I am saying today the players are more and are more precise with their conditioning and peaking their skills by means of greater knowledge of physiology and use of certain technologies. Their body fat is also lower. They are simply 'overall' expending more energy with the games and conditioning than the players of before ever did. IMHO, that is 'part' of it.

Agreed. Hopefully people with a bit of a passion and some knowledge come into play. IMHO, York, Keating and Kane all did a really good job. I appreciated them and even more now that they have 'not' been on the scene. Have not seen Trevor Thompson recently either on any Tiger pre or post game shows.

Sounds about right - however, you may be missing the IL as someone will be on it. Just simply an annoying fact for ALL teams.

Maybe they will just add Brewer Hicklen?

Yeah, just heard that. Al has always been pretty straight forward. Pretty interesting. He did gamble with a few FAs - but his trades, for whatever reason, never brought too much back. Yet, he did get Reese Olson for DNorris at the very end.

That is about right in today's game. Goes with Fullmer, Norris & Boyd, etc... Health is one key ingredient 'most' everyone does not consider often enough.

I know they are taking it slow with the vets this spring, but besides Jack's one start has anyone heard anything more with Kahnle, Chafin and Flaherty?

Yes, it seems SHarris & co. need to come up with another MLB type player. As you mentioned Verdugo. WMerrifield is still out there... Maybe a deal, someone like SMarte possibly. Though he is at 20 Mil or so, but they might be willing to pay down quite a bit if we give them a decent prospect (No, not top 10 per say). He could help - RHB, can play decent D still (all 3 OF positions), has some speed, etc. Maybe a waiver claim? Depth is sooo important!

Yea, maybe. I am beginnin to warm to the idea of Starling Marte, he might do well at this park. Decent RHB, good D & speed even at his age. However, that would mean Vierling would be more at 3B and it seems he best serves the team in the OF. It would give the team more depth, another RHB and Jung more time to develop at AAA. I have not heard anything about him in connection to the Tigers, but have heard rumors about the NYM maybe looking to move him.

Hmm, I personally felt Kane had a good rapport with most of the players and Jason Bennetti, along with everyone on the broadcasts. I am sure some fans dislike him as would be with anyone. To me he gave good insights with players, it seemed like he got to know many of them. I liked his card collecting references, food reports, etc. as well. Maybe he is taking on a bigger role with the Pistons? Seems like he should of been with the Tigers in some respect. Just IMHO.

Yes, understood and true. However, I have asked several times - 'Does Harris have the ability/the knack, to acquire MLB talent'? We know he can trade veterans for prospects which he has helped the system with several times. Soon we may find out more about the other way around, prospects for MLB talent to help win in the 'now'.

Yes Harris & co. are in the process of developing a farm system, maybe even more important - an ability to develop players. With said, it was under the Avila watch that they drafted or acquired: Greene, Skubal, Meadows, Rogers, Olsen, Jung, Tork, Mize, etc. - now, would his regime have been able to take several of these players to the next level that most are trending towards? That is another question, and history may lean towards the 'maybe not' side of it.

Most all mid market+ teams have 'some' of this going on. It is the price of business unfortunately.

I think all teams of mid-size payroll+ are going to have 25-40 mil of payroll 'lost' in players per say. Right now we have Javy (though he could still be decent - we at least hope). They added Cobb & Flaherty on 1 yr deals pretty much. In '28 those deals, in addition to Javy's, will not be there. Who will we have on the roster then as 'lost' pay per say. It is not a question of 'if' - just who. Is Bregman, say at 20 or 25 mil to be one of them ? If not there will be someone else if not a couple others at least - if we are/remain a mid range salary club. Again I say Front load the deal as you suggested earlier. If not have Plan B & C in the wings. The Tigers are good 'now'. We have Skubal, we signed Torres, Flaherty, Cobb, etc. obviously the FO is trying to move forward this year. That and of course building the farm system which is IMHO the most important thing, and they are doing just that. Kudos big time for that. FWIW, even Jose Iglesias might help as a 'Plan C'. I know many here would frown on that, say give it to the youngsters. We will have plenty of time for that and are doing just that. Not every position has to be filled with someone under 25, especially since we are a potential playoff team. All good teams have veterans. We could use a decent RH bat who plays well in the INF (3B) regardless if it is a player who is blocked who is young or a vet.