Arlington

I am all for getting our socks knocked off by a great offer for Skube. Despite the success of the Tigers, you can't build a team for the WS, just the playoffs. Statistically, a 537 pct team (Tigers) playing a 574 pct team (Dodgers) isn't going win 50% of the time but its going to be darn, no not darn, damn, damn close to that. What is more important than star power is player control and depth. I want quality players who will contribute for a number of years in specific roles and help ensure a playoff spot in 2026 and beyond. With the quality of players we have projected for the next 5 years, it would be foolish to diminish years 2-5 because of a perceived better chance for year 1 due to one player. I don't believe for a second that the players will feel betrayed if they trade Skubal for quality players. They didn't in 2024. Spring training 2025 held an optimism that we hadn't felt in years. 2026 is going to be filled with eye opening prospects who are already used to winning. I would be very happy to add two or three more prospects to the mix for Skubal. w

With respect to position players - I pray that the Tigers do not sign a long-term FA. This team came within a base hit of beating Seattle. Nearly every player seems to be on the upwards path of their career trajectory. Do not throw into the mix a long-term contract with a player on their downside path. It seems to me that most long-term signings eventually become regrettable. We are lucky that Javy was flexible and contributed in a number of ways this year. Even then, every long-term signing going back to Miggy has been regrettable, some ludicrously bad. With so much talent coming through the pipeline, I'd like to see every position made available to the home grown talent. Maybe make a few commitments ala Colt Keith to some of the sure thing standouts.

I just liked your post. It's probably called something else by the rest of the world

I feel that time seems to speed away from deaths. It's hard to believe that it's been over 8 years since my parents passed, for example. Time also speeds away from projects too. Like it was how many years ago I started the kitchen cabinets. Good thing I didn't finish right away cause they would probably need to be redone again by now.

Actually, he fell off of a lot if not all the top 100 lists I know. But he is still a prospect at a valuable position and a heck of a pick-up as a side for a trade that probably got the team into the playoffs.

Turns out the world was perfect, but not as perfect as if Kurtz had been available.

They were. And if you go to Pornhub, I am told, most of them were caught on video.

That's why we don't use stuff like the "like" link here.

I hate those time span comparisons mainly because they make me feel so damn old. One that kills me is how long ago the Tigers won the World Series. This year the time span takes us back to 1943 and next year 1942. BTW the Tigers won in ;45 and '68, so this has really been a drought.

Getting into the playoffs is competing.

I thought Torres worked out well too. Right side of the infield worked out much better than anticipated. Should be noted though that Torres was not among the silver slugger nominees. That second half injury probably the cause. Really would like to see him get a QO that he refuses.

And the ensuing ridicule of losing that challenge. Wonder how many games will end with a challenge? Why not, right? They should make the last strike of a game an automatic challenge just to get things over with.

Here's a summary of the strike zone throughout the years ~Pre-1950 Top: shoulders; Bottom: knees (various wording) 1950 Top: armpits; Bottom: top of knees 1963 Top: top of shoulders; Bottom: knees 1969 Top: armpits; Bottom: top of knees 1988 Top: midpoint between shoulders & pants line; Bottom: top of knees 1996 Top: midpoint between shoulders & pants line; Bottom: hollow beneath kneecap MLB.com

Moe Berg went on a Japan tour with Babe Ruth and other stars of the era and filmed cities from heights. He had to smuggle the film out and provided it to the forerunner of the CIA. It's disputed as to whether it had value to our defense, but it's all captured in The Catcher Was a Spy, the story of Moe Berg's career. A great read.

Gonzalez went on strike when he went to Detroit. The fence, it's too far! Hardworking people hated him. Looking over Higgenson and Fryman's stats they both dropped off the map in their early 30s. Cleveland got two good years from him. That's it. But we were starved for talent those years. Didn't we trade for Matt Drews twice? When Higgy started going south, I was in an elevator with Reinsdorf once and suggested he should trade for trade. He didn't engage and just said he doesn't get involved in player decisions.

Yep, Good old Al complaining that good prospect deals just weren't available anymore.

Tigers held a pretty good offensive team at bay for the whole series. I don't see a terrible need to improve the offense. That will happen as players mature. Greene is young but man I don't like his play. Max Anderson and McGonnigle may be significant contributors next year.

Tigers will likely have Skubal, Mize, Olson, Melton, Jobe, and Keider, Dylan Smith, SGL, Madden. I wish they would but they likely won't trade Skubal. They will probably pick up a couple of projects and maybe 1 third level starter. If everyone was healthy it could be a fairly good staff.

Don was beamed in May 1968 and reportedly was never the same hitter. His stats bear that out. The '68 helmet card was probably taken before the beaming.

We're going to have to make all the plays to win this

Yep, we already loss one but that doesn't mean a thing. I think of it more of a wins thing before your time (losses) runs out with the clock resetting every series.

It may be sacrilege to say but those guys had 0 WAR. Miggy had negative -2.2 WAR through the final 7 years his extension. He would have had a higher career WAR if he retired after his age 33 season.

In the end, Cleveland didn't thwart Detroit. Their true victims were Houston who didn't make the playoffs at all because of them.

MIze should be able to go again on short rest considering he threw only 62 in his start.

Then Tork should have a very good year in 2026