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The other problem with trading for Juan Soto is that to make the trade worthwhile to any degree, we would have to pony up minimum 15/450 to lock him down, and if he wasn’t willing to take that from his current team because they’re not close to competing for a ring any time soon, he won’t take it from the Tigers who would have decimated their chances just to get him on board for just this year.

It’s reasonable to hope for that.

I do see a sliver of a potential silver lining in this: I don't sense that Baby Doc is a hands-on owner to anywhere near the same degree that Papa Doc was. It wouldn't have mattered who the GM was—if Papa wanted to trade for Prince, or sign Jordan Zimmermann, or extend Miggy to enshrine his legacy as a Tiger, then gosh darn it, wasn't no one gonna stop him. In terms of fulfilling his wish to win a ring, in that specific way, Papa was his own worst enemy. But I could see a situation where Baby surprises us all by hiring a sharp, innovative, young GM out of a forward-thinking system, and then largely stays out of the way while he's gallivanting about looking for pennies-on-the-dollar real estate deals around town. If true, then worst case, Baby Doc puts his ugly thumbprint only on the Red Wings rebuild, in the belief that he knows at least as much about hockey as Stevie does.

Probably depends how knowledgeable those fans are. If all they're looking at is saves, period, those fans would probably conclude that Soto is within shouting distance of being the very best reliever in the league.

I'd be surprised to see Barnhart moved. He's not only having his worst year ever, it looks to me he's a candidate for a DFA before the season is over. Might as well give Ali Sanchez a month to show what he can do. What are the chances he would be worse than Barnhart?

The guy who plays Badger is 40. Skinny Pete actor is 50. Aaron Paul himself is 42. I''m thinking the clock has run out on sequels.

I'm not saying Soto is rotting chopped liver who's unworthy of being in the big leagues. He's a thrower with legit skills who might be moldable into something more consistent. But as things stand now, Soto is decidedly not one of the top closers in the game. In many key respects he's in the bottom third. He's a guy who platoons the seventh inning depending on who's due up. Chafin, Lange, probably Vest, even Joey J are all better this year, at least so far. Wouldn't surprise me to hear the Tigers get more calls on Lange than Soto.

My wife got $300-something from Facebook on this one. I never get anything. In fact whenever I have sent these in, I never hear back. I’m obviously doing it wrong.

They forget they’re not beat cops.

I don’t think the Tigers would pay $32 million to actively forego Miggy reaching career milestones they can promote.

Cody was huffing hopium on June 29 because Soto had just finished a stretch of four straight three-batter-inning outings. Plus, Cody has to live in this town. Put it this way: If Avila can pull a rabbit out of his butt and unlock a top 50 prospect for Gregory Soto—who just last night turned an 0-2 count on Ian Happ into an ugly, ugly walk—then that might be the feather in his cap that keeps him in this job for at least another year.

Chinny chin chin. Wordle 396 6/6 ⬜⬜⬜🟨⬜ 🟩⬜⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩⬜⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩⬜🟩 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

Do they have their own bespoke system in texts they are not stored by an outside data provider such as AT&T or T-Mobile?

If ”right-to-lifers” want to ban abortion but allow exceptions for rape, incest, or any of it, then it’s not about right to life for them, because rape and incest babies are just as much lives, too. It’s about replacing women prerogative with their own.

US Supreme Court reconvenes in October.

“Gene Takovic” called Best Vacuum for another extraction after getting made by that cab driver as being Saul. So wouldn’t that mean adios, Omaha?

Believe it or not, we are in the middle of what could end up being the worst six-year stretch in the previously-storied history of the Detroit Tigers. In the six seasons 2017 to 2022, so far, the overall record is 312-560, for a four-digit winning percentage of .3578. That is worse than even the 1998-2003 stretch, when the Tigers' record was 377-676, coming in at .3580. And unless I'm mistaken, 2022 was supposed to be in the middle of our window to contend after six years of tanking for draft picks and selling All-Stars for prospects. A team is not supposed to be challenging the 100-loss mark in Year Six of a rebuild. This organization is doing exactly that. I believe both this version of ownership and this front office are simply incompetent, and as long as both remain in place as currently constructed, I have no reasonable hope for this franchise. I'll still root for the team because I'm a native and it's still my birthright, and I will savor whatever victories they achieve along the way. But I will expect nothing but losing until changes are made at the top.

Old innovators inevitably fall behind the new innovators.

I agree completely. I was not stating my desire. I was just predicting what we might see.

Schoop back to first, some Castro or other to second.

Freep beat writer fluffing up Soto, I assume in advance of a trade. I approve of the effort. Here's my favorite giggle-inducing part: For as much flak as Soto gets for his command, he has been consistent — and nearly perfect — for the Tigers over his two seasons as the closer, converting 36 saves in 39 save opportunities. That makes him one of the best closers in baseball.

It’s finally under $7 for premium here in the city. Progress!

I wonder if he was copying the kid in Highland Park, whose name and face were featured in news accounts in a way I thought news outlets were trying to avoid.

I think the owners like that Rob Manfred has become the lightning rod Baseball needs when they do something controversial, like rules changes, or juicing or deadening the ball, or integrating gambling into every nook and cranny of the game. Manfred is the face of whatever anger fans direct toward Baseball, and playing the heel is a pretty lucrative role for him, especially if he doesn’t really love the game all that much, which many suspect.