Tenacious D

Mattison, too.

From Bowden in The Athletic

He never suggested otherwise.

Dude will play in the bigs next season. Now it’s just about getting reps cause he’s been on the DL quite a bit as a professional. Erie is looming. Starts in Toledo next season and a short drive away.

They still have a good foundation of mostly young players with a lot of upside—Anthony, Mayer, Campbell, Casas, Duran and Crochet. Starting pitching looks like their weakness—don’t know much about the guys they got from SF. Will be interesting to see if they sell off Bregman at the deadline (if healthy) or if he opts out after the season.

In fairness to Avila, he was typically moving vets that had some baggage. The three Red Sox were at the top of their game and still young.

Devers to SF? Rare blockbuster trade in June.

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.