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In terms of actual players to get an established six-win guy like Kim, it might take something like Skubal (establishing) and Malloy (untested) and Keith (untested) plus something else, possibly cash. To get a Soto or equivalent, it might take at least two of the above plus absorb 100% of remaining salary.

Dealing from the top of the system.

I think they will honestly try to win the division next year while sticking to their plan of focusing on cleaning the rot out of the system. The key might end up being big steps forward from young guys already in the system, versus getting top tier free agents or dealing from the top of the system for established major league regulars.

Joey Wentz had a really good outing. A decent offense would have gotten him the win.

Yeah, the Angels are also 2-8 in their last ten.

He’ll end up with 31.

He’s still basically a minor leaguer. That’s gonna happen for a while before he fixes it, if he can.

Bases loaded, one out, and our two putative biggest threats each strike out swinging on pitches a foot above the zone. They gotta work on that this winter.

I would bet a lot of those biggest deals were owner mandates.

Here are two very opposite interpretations of the same WaPo article. Take your pick: Separate thought: I may never live to see if even if it does come out, but I wonder when we might ever learn that dozens or hundreds of GOP politicos sprinkled throughout the America landscape had been on the direct payroll of the Kremlin? We'd probably have to go through a whole cycle of fascist right wing takeover and domination, complete remaking of the denuded American liberal democratic political system, their downfall by whatever means, and full reconciliation and redress before we get to that point. It's probably decades from now, if ever.

I especially like the irony of his Twitter profile picture showing him in a suit.

They also got something decent out of Rondell White and Fernando Vina. Jason Johnson and especially Troy Percival, not so much.

Nolan Ryan pitched 226 innings in his first three major league seasons, and 358 in his first four. But even summing it up like this is doing a lot of heavy lifting of the point: he also pitched 120 innings in the minors as an 18-year-old, and another 202 innings in the minors, plus three in the majors, as a 19-year-old. That's 327 innings of professional ball pitched as a teenager. Ryan then pitched another 34 in the minors as a 20-year-old before suffering an arm injury that team doctors actually recommended surgery for, but Ryan refused, I guess because back in those days, he could. he rehabbed it himself as he saw fit, after which he transformed into the freak we all know. I wonder how he rehabbed himself into that? 🤔

Agreed, which is why I think Malloy might have an inside track to win left field to start with. Especially since he has been terrible at third base—basically, worst in the International League, through yesterday, of any third baseman with over 250 innings logged there: That's the worst fielding percentage, 35th of 35 guys, and the only guy in the eight hundreds, and his range factor is fifth worst, and he has among the most innings played there. On the other hand, Colt Keith has far superior rate stats albeit in far fewer innings: only one error in 173.2 innings, range factor of 2.24, which would put him about middle of the pack in the list above. Now, here is an interesting thing I learned from game logs: The Tigers used Malloy as the regular third baseman from start of the season up to May 29, during which he started 36 of his first 50 games there, the other 14 at DH. Then, starting May 31, he almost never started at third: in his next 59 games through August 22, he started only three games at third, while starting 29 games in left, 15 games in right, and DHing 12 other times. Since then, he has once again started mostly at third, 20 of 25 games, the rest of DH. During the period he wasn't playing third, Keith spent a decent amount of time there. Obviously, he hasn't since. So, I don't know whether they found something in his play and he has improved in his second stint there, versus his first stint, or not. Maybe someone who's plugged in to what's going on with our AAA team can fill us in?

Speaking of nothing left to prove: as I think more about it—and I know I suggested less than a day ago we have no place to put him—Malloy's got a real shot to win the left field job, since Riley won't be playing the field next season and Baddoo hasn't exactly locked it down.

Willie could definitely hit .250 and jack 15 bombs for this team. Of course, he is almost 81 years old, so ...

I wouldn't be surprised to see the Tigers weren't willing to spend this winter, given where they are in the rebuild cycle. They are still clearing the rot out of the system and that's where the focus is going to continue to be for at least another whole year. I don't think it's a case of, they won't spend because they don't care and they don't want to win yet because the diabolical immutable plan. I think it's more like, we are putting the best team we can on the field while we clean up this system and figure out who here can do what, and also who out there can come in and help us take a step forward, and we're hoping our improved developmental processes will yield more wins, and perhaps with this group, we can make it a race in '24, and maybe even steal the division. After all, teams who have successful rebuilds frequently—if not usually—make one giant leap from sub-mediocre one year to playoff contender the next. If this rebuild goes as planned—big if, I know, but still, if—then I expect this team will take that leap, too. it could be in 2024, or it could be in 2025. I would say, though, that if they haven't done something like that by 2026, if they're still playing sub-mediocre ball, something will have gone wrong.

Great! Now his campaign team just needs to announce a "Republicans for Biden" group and he can preempt Trump completely.

I'm not saying he can't do anything. Of course he can do something, and I suspect he will do as much something as he can. What I'm basically saying is, I'd be surprised if he pushed all his chips in this winter and started dealing from the top of the system in exchange for established major leaguers in a long-shot bid to win a weak division next year. In any event, maybe the key to winning next year isn't trading top prospects for established major leaguers, or even signing top free agents. Maybe the key is to get more out next year of the players we have on the team and in the system already. They've poured a ton of resources into the development function for just that reason.

Oh ha ha, I just took you at your (now I know was joke) word that it was Avila. That’s how closely I’ve been following the fortunes of Brenan Hanifee!

They signed top free agents by throwing more money and years at them than anyone else cared to. That was the last administration's jam. I doubt it will be this administration's.

I'm not sure either are likely to be on the opening day roster as of today. I think they would have to have monster springs for that to happen. Keith especially, he of all of 300 or so plate appearances at AAA, and I think Harris will want to give him a smoother path to onboarding into the majors than just throwing him out there as though he were a 27-year-old non-prospect we need to fill a sudden opening. And since Riley is going to be a full-time DH, I don't see anyplace to put Justyn, either, unless we punt on defense at third, which may not be the best way to onboard him into the majors.

Really? Costco members can't do better in wine than this? Good thing I've kept my money in my pocket this whole time ...

Yes, shame on Democrats for thinking they can play that game, too ... 😉

Is that the top shelf at Walgreens?