mtutiger

13 minutes ago, mtutiger said:

I'd argue that local and smaller outlets are able to engage in and elicit revealing responses from politicians in ways that the big outlets never could or would.

GOP lawmaker called out after claiming credit for projects she voted against

Perfect example here...

4 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

I think the Pitchbot has probably done more the make the people at the Times think twice about it's headline writing on Biden stories than anything the admin has or could do. The self-righteous hate to be made fun of. 

Every admin gets petty with the press, but as a devoted NYT reader, I absolutely agree the Times is doing the country a total disservice in it's Trump coverage.

On one hand, I still don't know that Biden has been out there engaging enough, but there is a strategy being employed that revolves around more exposure on local TV under the guise of meeting people where they are at. I don't know that I fully buy it, but that's part of what's going on. At some level, the friction is of a personal nature, but Biden's campaign and how it's allocating it's resources doesn't benefit the Times the way that other campaigns in the past have done, so it's making the Times' job tougher. Not a huge surprise that it's reflecting in their coverage, for better or worse.

However, this is flying under the radar in what everyone else has said, but I think it's worth highlighting from the piece:

Quote

In Sulzberger’s view, according to two people familiar with his private comments on the subject, only an interview with a paper like the Times can verify that the 81-year-old Biden is still fit to hold the presidency. 

I have to rant about this for as second....

This characterization of Sulzburger (from anonymous sources) is the sort of arrogant, elitist, condescending bull**** that people sort of hate about the media in general, particularly the coastal set. 

And at a time when the journalism AS A WHOLE is facing an existential crisis (ie. less and less local news sources, newspapers dying - something that many of their staff have spent time highlighting / virtue signaling about on Twitter as well), there's something really unseemly about seeing this sort of entitlement from one of the few profitable operations in America today.

Like, who the hell do these people think they are? Do they think that ABC12 in Flint are incapable of practicing journalism or asking tough questions? If the last few years have taught me anything, I'd argue that local and smaller outlets are able to engage in and elicit revealing responses from politicians in ways that the big outlets never could or would.

I personally cannot wait for this upcoming series with the Royals, now that "Downriver Johnny" Schreiber is on the team.... what's the over/under on McCoskey mentions there?

McCoskey's Super Bowl. Starts now.

7 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

don't remember the view being particular bad at the metrodome (always a matter of what seats you have!) but yes it was dumpy, the sound was both deafening and completely unintelligible, and the bounce in the outfield made the game a joke. But it was convenient as the SO was working across the street.

I sat down the 3rd base line the time I went, which meant craning one's neck at a 50 degree angle the entire game. At least in my experience.

2 hours ago, oblong said:

We are going near the TB region this year for vacation, we went in 2021 but they had red tide which made swimming in the gulf not really an option, plus it rained 3 of the 4 days.  This will be a do over.  My wife is like "Why don't we go to a game?"  I'm trying to tell her that stadium is horrible and I have no desire.  I'm open to going to a minor league game somewhere if we can find one.  As it is, they are away anyway so dodged that bullet. "What kind of fan are you if you don't want to go to another MLB ballpark".  "The kind of fan that doesn't need to go to the equivalent of the Pontiac Silverdome"

I went there once when I was a kid, like 20 years ago.... I recall it being not a terrible place to watch a game insofar that the seating layout is more conducive to baseball than most stadiums like that (ie. domes). Which makes sense given that it was built in part to try to attract MLB relocation. But, aesthetically, it's just a cold, ugly looking place with little character.

The Metrodome remains the worst place I've ever seen a game at.... Shea Stadium and Olympic Stadium are up there, but the Metrodome was an all-of-the-above mix of ugly and horrendous sightlines.

Happy Bleach Injection Anniversary Day to all who celebrate

Just now, gehringer_2 said:

He's hunting the perfect pitch to get his 1st HR - it's inside his head now. But tonight not withstanding, he's holding his own.

No doubt.... there may be a whole-team approach about working counts / not swinging early (Cody talked about on his pod today), but man it's frustrating to see him let center-cut 93 mph fastballs go on by.

1 minute ago, Dtrain72 said:

I appreciate AJ trying to keep Tork in the top 4 in the lineup, but it just aint happenin', esepcially as cleanup...yikes.

Dan and Bobby Scales mentioned it in the previous AB, but he let a couple of really nice looking pitches go by, only to strike out.

Same thing this last AB.... one good looking fastball early in the count, ends up popping out on the fastball in on his hands

7 hours ago, casimir said:

The 2024 Chicago White Sux.

There's a team every year it seems at the beginning of the year could push the 1962 Mets/2003 Tigers territory.... the Sox will gather some wins, but the relative lack of depth combined with the lack of anything in their farm at the moment gives them the look of a 40-50 win outfit for sure.

Real 2019 Tiger vibes

15 hours ago, TigerNation said:

Correct, those cleats are no way indicative of being thin skinned.

It's an interesting point.... 

I'm guessing Max isn't oblivious to the Wyatt Langford comparisons, or even just the general nature of this fanbase to bestow holy status on the draft pick that occurs immediately after the Tigers pick in any given first round. 

Ultimately don't know that it's constructive though.

The 2024 Chicago White Sox:

• 3-18 through 21 games (Last in MLB)
• Averaging 2.15 runs per game (Last in MLB)
• Allowing 5.55 runs per game (Last in MLB)
• Team OPS of 0.552 (Last in MLB)
• Team FIP of 5.10 (Last in MLB)

Is that bad???

Buddy Kennedy gives me real "Tyler Holton" vibes

That Pat Caputo insight is aging like a half gallon of milk left out in the Florida sun

20 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

Don’t look now, but Mean Tweets has his batting average up to .289.  No extra base power yet, but not worried.  

Keep the cleats, kid.

Mean Cleats hit a homer tonight lol.

One takeaway from tonight, and maybe it's already in the process of happening, is that they really need to get Parker Meadows going.... he creates action when he's on the basepaths.

Parker Meadows made that happen.... to his credit, when he gets on base, he's a handful!

35 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Tork has really changed his approach the last few games. Lots of nice controlled swings and balls to the opposite field. 

Would still like to see more power, but you're right....

I don't normally share from our old buddy... but come ON lol

Feel really bad for Jack Flaherty, he deserved better than that.

Tonight's a good example of why Flaherty, despite having some struggles in the early going, doesn't belong in the same conversation as Maeda imo.

14 hours ago, Toddwert said:

I guess they bring up SGL and Manning and do some bullpen days

SGL may be getting TJ soon, fwiw

31 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

and the worst take away is having to consider what to do with what is looking like like a $24M bad signing. Dirks noted that Kenta always starts poorly, but that's no comfort when your division is winnable and you are losing games in which you score 7.

Not saying that Kenta is pitching well or isn't of concern, because he is, but this isn't that uncommon of an outcome even for winning teams in this sport. The Cubs (likely an above .500 baseball team) lost a game 12-11 this week; the Yankees lost to the Guardians on Sunday 10-7, etc. And the Texas Rangers, even with their injuries, are still a really good offensive baseball team.... they are hard to keep down for an entire four game series.

But with Kenta, I just think there's a level of production that he's going to have to hit in order to maintain his position, even with his salary and other considerations. Especially if they hang around in this division for any length of time. Manning is too good of a pitcher and the options behind him (ie. Jobe) are lurking as well

1 minute ago, kdog said:

It's a flawed team with limited offense(by design). They need to win on the margins with pitching and defense until some of the offense shows itself. The margins stuff was bad today.

There are no moral victories in this sport, but if offensive performance is where the rubber meets the road for this team, we saw some decent signs in this game that hopefully carry forward.

Maybe I'm just too accustomed to Hinch, but not impressed with how the Rangers manage their bullpen