IdahoBert

I haven’t been around here in quite a while because I don’t have much positive to say and I don’t want to be like the trolls I used to enjoy banning. But the negative comment I do have to share is that I was wondering how the Ilitch family cannot feel ashamed at what they’ve done to this team and I realize that as really really really rich kids they probably have a pretty thick skin about being disliked. I suppose that Mike as complicated and unsaint like as he most likely was, was at least capable of shame which made him care two shits instead of none.

At least they avoided the ignominy of a No-hitter.

I have a hard time being positive about this upcoming season and I just have a feeling they are shuffling around deck chairs on the titanic.

When can I order my Donny Sands bobble-head?

When we read our New Year’s predictions from last year at dinner today I predicted that the Tigers would win at least 86 games in 2022. Out of my 12 predictions the only one I got right was predicting that Keith Richards would still be alive which is sort of like cheating because we all know he’s deathless.

I don’t have anything against the players making a lot of money but it seems insane and all the money that’s floating around just makes it feel kind of like the end times and that this whole society needs to be sacked and destroyed by the Goths or Genghis Khan or Pol Pot. Billionaires are seeking to own the other planets of the solar system. It’s getting harder and harder to care about all this stuff. It’s like I’d rather just see us tear down all the idols, melt the gold down and give the money away and become hobbits or something.

Yes, that sucks.

They have relegation now in UCI world cycling. Two of the biggest teams Lotto Soudal and Israel Premier Tech were relegated, and it created great consternation, but other teams that are not automatically invited to the biggest races now will be. The big issue is the way points are allocated which many find contrived and irrational. But anyway, relegation is never pretty.

It’s too bad MLB doesn’t have relegation. If the Tigers were relegated to the Mexican League they might even make it into the playoffs.

So is nothing really happening? It’s so bad we’re talking about McCann? Following this team is like watching grass grow. In the winter. Not a hot stove, but a cold stove? The Lions are more interesting than the Tigers? My iPhone is so bored with things that when I tried to tap in the address to this site it automatically tried to send me the Motownsports. My damn phone even forgot to care. I’ve been reduced watching the Premier League, which was sadly on hiatus due to the World Cup, but which at least has the attraction of only taking two hours instead of four. I haven’t been this apathetic in years. I’m watching YouTube videos of people walking in the rain in Japan because it’s more interesting.

I hope his power numbers don’t go down the toilet at Comerica Park.

Has Verlander signed yet? . . I’m sorry. I couldn’t resist…

Wins, like strikeouts, are fascist.

Indeed. I think what’s south of Detroit is either Windsor or the river. I understand when Journey’s performed live in Detroit people love singing along with that line.

In my heart I was born and raised in South Detroit. But I have stopped believing. Is it safe to start believing again?

I’m glad I don’t own a gun because I feel like shooting myself.

This really explains a lot though. Because he appeared at least to be doing a lot of the right things and occasionally when all the planets lined up you had a surprising season like 2021. Then, you see what the deficits really were when you have a season like 2022 and this explains really well at least one of the factors in how that deficit was expressed. I think Woody Allen said that 80% of success is in showing up and Al showed up a lot less often than everybody else.

Thank you for putting this together. This is a very good overview of what was not done that other teams on average are doing. Imagine with the teams who are above that average are doing…

According to the TIGERS official MLB site Schoop is a finalist for the second base Gold Glove award. If he wins that would really redeem this season in my heart of hearts.

Since we’re talking about postseason here this photo came up on my Facebook memories feed from 10 years ago today after the Tigers defeated the Yankees 8-1 and then moved on to be humiliated by the San Francisco Giants in the WS. Wow, it was really that long ago.

That thing about Tork being the worst ever position player drafted first is troubling. I am one of the least astute observers around here. But simply because he was playing first base in college - sort of like me being stuck in right field in LL because it was the one place I could do the least damage - I found myself wondering if we’d be lucky if he were even a diminished version of Dave Kingman and if he was a one dimensional player and that one dimension didn’t work out it would be regrettable. But I heard all this talk about his athleticism which I am in no position to judge so I assumed everything would turn out OK. It’s too early to tell, but I can’t say that I am surprised especially since I hold the development side of this organization in low esteem (another assessment I don’t have tangible facts to back up so I’m going on a hunch). I hope I’m wrong but I really drank the Kool-Aid this season and I feel like I ended up in Jonestown and that I should’ve seen it coming.

Oh I will. It’s hard to live on hope, though. I wish I lived nearby and could go to games easily. When Scott treated me to a game three years ago it was just amazing to be around other Tiger fans. I’ve almost always been the only one I know. It was great to see the intergenerational love for the team among families with the parents and the kids wearing jerseys from different eras passing on the lore of the club. Seeing a happy 13 year old wearing a ‘60s road jersey really warmed my heart.