SeattleMike

I doubt the current Mudhens could have split a 4-game road series with the Texas Rangers. Then again the current Mudhens, with Greene and Baddoo, probably would have eked out a run or two over the last 15 innings against the A's.

In fairness you don't expect to get any value from a 19th round pick. DH or not the guys is providing incredible value for a 19th rounder.

Among catchers with 150PA he is sixth in RC+.

Time for Tork to be that guy

Meanwhile, Tigers flailing away against junkballer Dunning.

Meyer wasn't traded he was picked up in the expansion draft by the Mariners.

Raburn OPSs last two months of two seasons Tigers were in pennant races: 2009: August OPS 957 September: 1108 2011: August 844 September: 1155

He doesn't hit and he is nothing special in the field, especially at 3B. Pretty sure an organization that was trying to win would have ended the Maton experiment a few weeks ago.

Why most think he'll end up in the pen eventually. Could be a real weapon there though.

Another reason I'm sure you heard about Virgil, at least as a Tigers fan, is that he was the Tigers first Black player. I'm sure you know this.

KC really had nothing to lose.

My favorite trade in this category was Steve Kemp for Chet Lemon. I wasn't crazy about it at the time, but it turned out well for the Tigers. I believe Kemp suffered an injury a year or two later and was never the same.

Haase and Rogers don't work in a platoon. Neither hits righties well. Could use an Alex Avila type but good luck finding a lefty hitting catcher.

The Tigers needed a SS entering the 2004 season. DD signed Omar Vizquel. Very fortunately he flunked the physical. DD then trades Ramon Santiago for Guillen. What if Vizquel doesn't flunk his physical? Probably no Guillen. Sometimes better to be lucky than good.

Erie, Pa can support AA baseball but Boise can't? I suppose Boise's so-called remote location works against it.

Like the way Avila got Olson for Daniel Norris.

I think Dickerson was talking about the insane offensive numbers being put up in AAA this year. And maybe last year as well. All these 25 years old raking at AAA may just be benefiting from whatever is in the water at AAA.

McKinstry?

Interesting. We have stretches like this every summer now, and I don't think any Mariners game has ever been canceled. Helps that they can close the roof, but it's not fully enclosed so air quality is still an issue.

Saw yesterday, on Apple+ TV I think, that the Tigers have the easiest schedule (by opponent's winning percentage) in MLB the rest of the season. Who knows what adding Skubal, Manning, and a healthy Turnbull could mean in the second half. If the Tigers are in this position at the trade deadline would Harris trade Rodriguez? I bet he would if the return was significant.

9th in MLB in BB%. So they are moving up.

Exhibits A and B: the 1987 Twins and 2006 Cardinals

The only area where the offense has improved slightly is in BB/per game. Instead of being 30th in the league, as they were last year, they are 22nd. Pretty much every other category they are 29th or 30th.

Scoing is up almost a half a run in MLB. OPS up 30 points. So you are correct.

Toronto had a couple of brainfarts on the bases as well. That kind of stuff fires of fans, but in the big picture it only marginally affects overall results. You can't "focus on fundamentals" your way to respectability, not at the MLB level. You need better players with better talent. Some organizations are better than others at spotting it and developing it. Hopefully the Tigers are moving in that direction after cleansing the organization of Avila and his minions.