Tenacious D

And Happy Fathers Day—not sure how many of us this applies, too, given that we’re a collection of internet, baseball nerds who probably have never had sex, much less helped spawn any offspring. Happy Father’s Day, anyway.

Must win, amirite?

*should?

When the ball beats you by about 10 steps, it’s not a good send. Could have been 2nd and 3rd with no outs.

Pitching chaos works when your pen is good. Holton, Brieske (‘member him?) and Hanifee have regressed this season.

A bit sobering when you’re not good enough to make the White Sox varsity squad.

I like Benneti. A Lot I like Dirks. A Lot I dislike them together. A Lot it's like trouble makers in school—they need to be separated. Split them up with the Dan’s on TV and radio.

Yes, but Jobe’s isn’t pitching in ‘26

Wonder how much, and for how long, Hinch is suffering for his past sins?

We’ll get back to you after this weekend

Impemba > Benetti (overall)

I don’t think Jobe’s loss is as significant for this season, besides the missed development opportunity. He probably was good for another 60-70 innings. Next season sucks—that was the opportunity to have he and Skubal form a potential 1-2 lethal combo. Now Tarik needs to be resigned for that to happen. Cobb looks increasingly unlikely to make it to Detroit. I see a trade happening for a starting pitcher, i.e., Zach Eflin. And as a reminder, Skubal had TJS, too. He turned out pretty good.

But it’s usually just good old fashioned horseplay.

From ChatGPT: Here’s a refined take on Detroit’s 2025 trade‑deadline outlook 📌 Team Needs High-strikeout bullpen arm(s) Tigers’ current pen ranks bottom five in key strikeout metrics. They could benefit from one or two late-inning arms with swing-and-miss stuff . Closer to lock it down No established ninth-inning option. A dependable shutdown guy would be a major upgrade as Detroit pushes for October . Supplemental bat The offense is solid, but adding another impactful bat—especially if any of their current key hitters miss time—could further fortify the lineup . Catcher depth (bonus) If Dingler or Rogers falter or get hurt, Detroit lacks left-handed catching insurance 🌟 Top Trade Targets 1. Kyle Finnegan, RHP (Nationals Closer) Why he fits: 18 saves, 2.38 ERA, 1.279 WHIP. Perfect veteran closer to stabilize late innings . Bottom line: Fills need #2 practically overnight; cost likely moderate, manageable for a buyer. 2. Jeff Hoffman, RHP (Blue Jays) Why he fits: All-Star caliber arm, big contract Toronto might move . Bottom line: High-K reliever who strengthens the strikeout bullpen unit. Toronto’s motivation could mean Detroit gets great value. 3. Eugenio Suárez, 3B (Diamondbacks) Why he fits: Former All-Star slugger; won’t restrict Detroit defensively, and he brings solid gap power . Bottom line: Provides offensive depth at a premium position; could complement Torkelson and Torres nicely. 4. Bo Bichette, SS/2B (Blue Jays) Why he fits: Electric bat, could lengthen the lineup offensively . Concerns: Defense lapses, and he’d command a steep prospect price. 5. Nolan Arenado, 3B (Cardinals) Why he fits: Elite bat, clubhouse leadership . Concerns: Heavy $64 M through 2027, would require significant prospect haul. ✅ Trade Strategy Summary Priority Add-on Purpose Risk/Cost 1 Kyle Finnegan Closer (need #2) Moderate prospect cost 2 Jeff Hoffman High-K bullpen arm (need #1) Toronto cap relief, reasonable cost 3 Eugenio Suárez Offensive 3B/bench bat (need #3) Moderate-to-high prospect package 4 Bo Bichette Lineup spark High prospect cost, defense concerns 5 Nolan Arenado Superstar bat Massive cost, salary commitmenY 🎯 Final Take Absolute must: Acquire a closer (Finnegan is the top target) and at least one high‑K reliever (Hoffman, Bednar, or similar). Strong consideration: A middle-of-the-rotation bat like Suárez—boosts depth and lineup versatility. Go for gold only if value is right: Bichette and Arenado are headline moves but come with steep costs and risks.

Not quite ready to give up on Cristian Santana—shown some signs of life at Lakeland this season. Only 21 years old.

Next 18 games against Baltimore, Cincinnati. Pittsburgh, Oakland.Tampa Bay and Minnesota. How we feeling? 10-8

Pitching! Skubal and Flaherty are aces. Mize not far behind.

Do what I do—just squint while watching the games.

Is this good?

Lee and McGonigle will be knocking on the door next season. Combined with Keith and Jung in the middle infielder mix, I don’t see them extending Torres. Both player and team entered into this with the idea that it would be for one season. Could change, but I doubt it. He’s only willing to play one position, which limits his flexibility and is not the type of profile Harris and Hinch love.

The extent of my reading comprehension and information is fully formed here. Just hope none of you put up a paywall on your significant insights.

I don’t see the Tigers blocking a path for all of the middle infielders coming. And they are going to start having to do what the Lions have—pay their own players. Skubal being the obvious, but at some point you’ll want to lock up Greene, Carp, maybe, Tork. Our payroll could soon climb.

Our Rooftop Jones!

You’re comparing apples to oranges, a bit. An apt comparison would be Jason and Andy and both of those guys would be all over this like a bum on a ham sandwich.

6/3/25: Revenge of the Nerds