Tenacious D

Warm weather team?

Bert might 6 HR’s!

How do you define bad luck? It’s mostly the entire lineup and bench, over 100 games. This isn’t a few bloop hits that should have dropped. There have been some weird things going on besides the Tigers (Fernando Tatis just hit his first HR of the season), but it’s widespread here. And the pen is a wreck—we don’t have a single pitcher that you can mostly count on. It used to be that Fetter could coach up anyone. I don’t think the injuries are that impactful—Torres and Carpenter in the lineup worsen our defense and neither has hit particularly well when healthy. With our offense, I’m not sure we win that many more games if both Skubal and Mize are healthy the entire time. Ironic that Baez, who was left for dead before last season, might be the player we miss the most.

I wouldn’t trade Greene. Still young and is a generally productive hitter. That just creates another hole. If Tork and Carpenter can salvage their seasons, I can see them dealt, but we shouldn’t expect much of a return. The truth is that many guys we were counting on have regressed offensively. They should be embarrassed that a 21 year old rookie with 200 AB’s has outperformed. Player development was supposed to be a hallmark of this organization.

With the right moves, this team can be good again soon. I suspect both Skubal and Mize will be dealt this deadline and we should get some good players in return. We also will clear a ton of salary this offseason (Skoobs (regrettably), Flaherty, Jansen, Verlander and Torres). The rotation will include Valdez, Montero, Melton, Jobe and some combination of pitcher(s) we get in trade return, Reese and a free agent or two. McGonigle, Keith, Greene and Dingler will be back. Hopefully the Max’s will be ready. I can see a free agent or trade upgrade at 1B and/or RF. The pen is a mess—can really only count on Vest at this point, but Holton and Finnegan will likely be back, too. There is a foundation, but Harris is going to have to be more aggressive than he has previously been to acquire impact players.

Love this. Drunken sports fan mob mentality was at a fever pitch in the 70’s and 80’s. Simpler times.

Not unless we get Trey Sweeney back.

Harris only gets fired if it somehow gets publicly embarrassing for Ilitch. That’s what finally happened to Avila. This ownership has traditionally been loyal to a fault—this extends to the Wings, as well.

Let’s agree this was a pretty flawed team even before the onslaught of injuries. Those only made things worse. The team’s record over the last 100 games or so, going back to last season is one of the 3 worst. Player development at both the major and minor league levels has taken a setback. Colt Keith is a prime example. The kid is huge and a good contact hitter, with zero homers through 1/3 of the season. That’s hard to accomplish and probably something mechanical. Our minors are a mess, too. A handful of healthy, promising pitchers and many positional players who have regressed (though many have moved up a rung so could be adjustment periods). Here’s our organizational team records through 5/29:

Just go all in for the tank now? Wouldn’t take much effort.

On a day where we collectively mourn the trading of Connor Seabold, let me offer some levity

Typical Hinch. Did he forget how to manage a pen? 2024 isn’t that far away.

I think the league will catch up to Murakami. Apparently some teams were scared off based on his contact skills. If true, pitchers will figure out how to exploit that.

Chris Sabo available?

Can’t even blame Vest for that

They might be worse than us

There was a time when we would not have cared.

Gritty Angels!

Given his propensity for giving up dingers (this season), he probably shouldn’t close on the road. At least at home, we have a chance to get the runs back. Give Vest the road save opps.

Fedder seen begging with Anderson

What could go wrong?

If we are going to trade him, please get the most you can for him.

He’s going to need to put together 4-5 good starts before then to prove he’s healthy and effective. His salary doesn’t help matters, either, unless teams have no regard for the luxury tax. Tampa Bay might be an exception. We might be willing to take on a bad, expiring contract to offset, especially if it improves the prospects in return.

At least we’re not the loser Angels!

For what it’s worth, Sweeney did help us get to the playoffs during pitching chaos ‘24. I don’t understand how you can be one of the best teams for over a half season and turn into one of the worst over the same time period with largely the same roster.