Arlington

So statistically, Avila did good on the Verlander trade. 🙃

Looking at the MLB 30 ranking with Smith, Campos, Santana, Graham and Mattison taking the last five spots. All but Mattison were top 15 a year or two ago with expectations they could take that leap. Now it's looking possible but unlikely for the 5 and a few will drop off when the drafts picks are added. Anyway, I tried to remember who got dropped when the trade deadline prospects were added. Can't recall.

I always wonder how much influence Avila had in getting rid of DD.

It was a sad day when they released DD and gave the job to Avila. DD just started the rebuild and got a decent haul in July 2015. I would have like to have seen what he could have done going forward. I suspect that Mr. I was losing control of the team and was pressured to make the change. The switch to Avila was just weird and lazy, and we now know, bad.

What improved the farm system more this year - the draft or the prospects brought in by the FA signings and flipped?

Thank god, no Johnny Damon, Jacob Turner or Stephen Drew.

DD was genius in the 2000s at trading prospects. The Tigers' drafts were miserable, but the WAR DD picked up was huge, even setting aside the lopsided Cabrera deal. If you add up the WAR post-trade for the players going and coming in the numbers are stupefying. Adding to DD's brilliance was his ability to regularly upgrade the team's worse position to an All-Star level. Harris seems to have an entirely different approach emphasizing development, he's more the farmer while DD was the trader. I haven't looked into the numbers but I bet he has drafted many more prep over college players than Tigers have in the past. He's signing FAs and picking up fringe players with an eye for development and then flipping them. The FAs signed and flipped this year contributed more to the MLB top 30 than the draft this year. I think he should continue in this line until we are competitive and when so, become a buyer at the deadline with the surplus talent accumulated, upgrade This approach has time pressures as control over the core will disappear in a few seasons and it's not a fan favorite because it accepts development over winning sometimes. But if all works, we will have a core of strong home grown players, popular with the fans, and a competitive team that hopefully will win a title or two.

Is it time for some multi-season contracts or do we keep grabbing short-term help that have potential to flip if we tank? I hate long-term ones unless they are extensions like Keith's. Aside from 2b the whole infield needs help. Two years ago who would have thought the Tigers would rank last or near the bottom at SS and 1b. Jung hopefully will be this year's Keith.

Yea, it's a bit like a 26th man argument. Most important news is Dingler

I doubt that was on Harris' mind back in August when he signed Kelly. Harris was seeking a path to the playoffs, and he needed a backup catcher until Dingler. Kelly did the job.

Hicks to Erie. Who is being promoted to replace Dingler?

Should have gotten Izack Tiger for the name alone

We are well into the draft were the alignment of our opinions and the future are totally random.

Before 24 would be special. Aside from Green, who else has contributed to the Tigers before that age?

Oh man, never thought I'd see the day when someone posted I wish we could be more like the Mets. LOL

I'd be happy with 9 lefty's. How often would hey see a left-handed pitcher? Some teams don't even have a LH starter and most have only 1 or 2 in the pen. Plus lefties get that extra step coming out of the batters box.

Glad Gibby was calling this one. Really reflected his competitive spirit.

Torkelson is starting to look like the second coming of Eric Munson, god forbid. Munson was the third overall pick in 1999 and the first college player picked. He left Detroit a FA by 2004. Their stats are terrifyingly similar, career WARs approaching -2.0. Here are comparison career totals to date' AB M-1056 T-1175; BA M-.214 T-218; SB M-4 T-3; SLG M-.394 T-386; HR M-49 T-43; OBP M-.289 T-.296; and, here's the kicker, OPS M-683 T-683. Munson was even asked to play 3rd base out of position just as Tork was. There is a difference in that Tork has accumulated his numbers over two seasons. His career is not done. Munson took about 7 years of part-time play including about 300 PA with Houston to accumulate his stats. Although he played the year after he was drafted, he was never handed over the position like Tork was. Josh Hamilton and Josh Becket were drafted in front of him and the 4-6 players drafted that year never made it to the majors, so the Tigers joined a lot of teams in getting a dud with their high overall pick in 1999.

Jobe looked commanding in that K reel. A lot of foolish swings and misses on a slew of different pitches all over the zone.

As for cost, remember that the Tigers are paying him $14 this year. Going into the $20s is not that far off. I would be all for signing Flaherty at the market rate if he's willing. Would love to see him in the rotation next year. The Tigers can absorb the risk. But it should be done soon. Why the wait until the trading deadline? Four months left in the season. Two at the trading deadline. It would behoove someone like Baltimore who has minor league talent to swoop in and make an offer that can't be refused, now.