Tiger337

No player has ever won an arbitation salary of more than 20 million.  However, based on performance  the 32 million dollar seems very reasonable to me.

I know the arbitation scolds will scold me for that.

12 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I like what Harris has done with the bullpen. He has 3 closers for Hinch to mix and match. Hopefully, we'll be like KC was several years ago and shorten games up. Having a lead going into the 6th inning would mean a win in most games. Bullpens really do decide many of the games these days...

Three closers, but still no dominant reliever.  That's OK, but I wouldn't say that their bullpen is a real strength.  On the other hand, give Hinch some reliever depth and he can take it a long way.    

39 minutes ago, buddha said:

i dont think we can say there were no better alternatives to paddack and morton.

1) it would hard to be worse; and 2) we dont know who else was ultimately available.

part of me misses dombrowski and his ability to find quality mlb players for prospects.  part of me also dreads the idea of dombrowski trading mcgonigle for a 37 year old closer with an 89 mph fastball because he has "experience" and knows how to "get the job done."

and lets be honest, dombrowski would never have drafted mcgonigle to begin with...

Dombrowski would not have traded McGonigle for a 37 year-old closer.  He would have traded Max Anderson for him.  He would have traded McGonigle for a young star hitter close to free agency like he did for Cabrera.  I don't want that kind of GM.  I kind of want a GM with Harris's analytic and patient approach but with some of Dombrowski's boldness on occasion. Maybe, we'll see that eventually with Harris.   

I think a lot of time when people mock minor league or waiver acquisitions, they are just being humorous and not being critical.  

Complaining about stuff is good for the forum.  I think once the season starts, it's best to accept the roster and enjoy the season.  Then start complaining again at the deadline!

I don't remember Chas defending the acquistions of Paddack and Morton.  He usually defends non-moves rather than moves.  

I have one fantasy league that I've been in for about 20 years.  Everybody puts in $200 at the beginning of the season.  The money is divided among the top 3 in the league at the end of the season.  It makes the season more fun, but that's the extent of my gambling activities.  I agree it's good to stay out of professional gambling.  It is designed to screw you and it feeds off addictions.    

44 minutes ago, papalawrence said:

Short McGonigle hustle clip

 

 

Hits like Hornsby.  Hustles like Eckstein.  

9 minutes ago, chasfh said:

So ironic that you conclude your post with "the future is now" when so many fans want to trade away our generationally-talented two-time-defending Cy Young pitcher so we can possibly compete three or four years from now at the explicit expense of now.

Here, it's mostly just ATF who wants that.  

8 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I think the losses in the two previous trips to the WS also make fans more attuned to the idea that when you get a chance to get there, don't scrimp. As we've discussed on the forum many times, it's doubtful how much you can improve your odds of winning a WS once in the playoffs no matter what you do, but it's also doubtful the majority of fans, being less statistically immersed, think that way.

My own preference to build a WS team would be HR power and pitching depth, but that's the best way to build any playoff team.

"pitching and three-run homers"

4 minutes ago, RedRamage said:

I mean, I guess it pays the bills and if the on-screen notifications are minimal I guess I can accept them... but I mostly agree with you that not having them at all would be best.

They aren't minimal.  They are pervasive.  It downgrades the viewing experience for me.  

Just now, Shelton said:

Yes, lunatics. 

Short sighted maybe, but what part of that is that loony?  

4 minutes ago, chasfh said:

It’s true, although I don’t think that happens so often to a team coming off two straight playoffs after a long drought and is universally regarded as a team on the way up with bright prospects even for the coming season.

I think the long drought and two playoff appearances make it even more likely that fans would complain.  They are eager for a winner and they have seen that those opportunities have not been all that common for the Tigers over the years.  Fans might not see the Tigers as a team on their way up with the best pitcher in baseball leaving after next year.  Some fans might see the Tigers as being there already rather than up and coming.  They can win a championship this year and with Skubal leaving we don't know that their chances are necessarily going to better in 2 or 3 years.  The future is now.  

49 minutes ago, Shelton said:

Seems like most folks feel the team could do even just a little bit better if only the manager or GM used this one neat trick.

I wish it were possible to truly get a feel for how tigers fans feel relative to fans of other teams. Because to me, it sure seems like the vast majority of tigers fans are ****ing lunatics.
 

And I don’t feel like it’s just a matter of proximity bias, because I don’t get the same sense from Lions fans, M fans, or Wings fans. The Pistons only have 13 fans, but for the most part seem pretty chill. 

Tigers fans are pretty bad, but Red Sox fans are worse.  

On 1/3/2026 at 9:13 AM, chasfh said:

I agree, several other posters do share that view. Numerous other posters have raked Harris for failing to sign the very biggest of free agents, or to successfully trade second-tier prospects for established big league contributors. 

I think every sports forum on the internet has fans that want the GM or manager or both fired.  

21 minutes ago, oblong said:

I assume the plan was executed based on data and processes that the FO is responsible for, along with the coaches. It wasn't just random selection of pitchers.

 

To an extent, that's probably true, but I think Harris's effect is pretty limited.  Hinch/Fetter were quite good at managing the bullpen even before Harris came aboard.  

On 1/3/2026 at 3:03 PM, oblong said:

It was pretty much immediately after the trade deadline. This isn’t an “after the fact” anecdote where they bragged. It was brought up at that time.  No they didn’t say “we have a plan to make the playoffs”.  I didn’t infer that. I brought it up because it was said that all the credit for that run goes to Hinch and the coaches, and not Harris, and I strenuously dispute that. I don’t think anything in this org happens in a silo.  It’s an integrated process and strategy between the front office and the manager and coaches, and the development staff. 

What else were they going to do though?  They had injuries and then Harris traded two of their best remaining pitchers at the deadline (and I don't blame Harris for that).  They had no choice but to go to bullpen games.  The genius was not in the plan but how it was executed.  I have to give most of the credit to day to day management and to the pitchers.  

Minor league contract for Dugan Darnell.  🔥🔥🔥

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2026/01/06/detroit-tigers-dugan-darnell-free-agency/87941082007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=false&gca-epti=z115125p119650c119650u113725d00----v115125&gca-ft=226&gca-ds=sophi

1 minute ago, Edman85 said:

Yeah. In addition to his cement glove, he is a clear platoon guy on the short side. That does have value, but it is limited.

The best I can see from him is a Jahmai Jones type season (and that did have value) but that's going to hard for Jones to repeat.  

1 hour ago, Edman85 said:

I could still see him being roughly replacement level with that line if he was playing in the field.

Someone with an OPS of .840 could play most of the time at DH.  Rooker and Ozuna had OPS significantly lower than that, played mostly DH and had value.  The problem is I don't see Malloy hitting .370/.470 over enough plate appearances to be valuable.  

2 hours ago, papalawrence said:

He had some big hits for the Tigers. His playing time was I inconsistent with the big club. I think he has potential to be a .270/.370/.470 dh, which is decent but replaceable most free agency years. I wish him well. He's going to a good org. 

That would be quite valuable if he could do it.  So far, he has not been close.  

I think that was a good cheap move by Tampa.  They can see if they are able to pull more out of his one strong tool.  I doubt they can, but it's worth a shot. 

19 minutes ago, theroundsquare said:

Justyn-Henry Malloy to Tampa for cold, hard cash considerations

Tampa 😟

1 hour ago, casimir said:

Except that the bullpen wasn't all that good, so.....

I wanted them to acquire a couple of relievers at the deadline.  Finnegan was a good acquistion.  Perhaps Jansen was available and I doubt he would have cost a top prospect.  If he did, then it would have been a bad move.

54 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Wilma was supposed to have edge. The Flinstones was more or less (mostly more) an animated remake of the Honeymooners. so Wilma was modeled on Audrey Meadows' Alice, who was a tough cookie.

Yes, I know.  They were just cartoon characters.  It was a good show.