05/12/2026 7:10pm EDT Detroit Tigers at New York Mets

[monkeytargets39]

JFC 💀💀💀💀💀

[Tigermojo]

What a joke.

[chasfh]

This team is a walking dead worst-case scenario.

[monkeytargets39]

I don’t have answers right now, but I know Smith, DeJesus and Vanasco need to go ASAP.  Try someone else.

 

At least we got Rogers in to shut the door

[gehringer_2]

meanwhile, just to add insult to injury, the Mudhens have scored 18 runs tonight.

[monkeytargets39]

Rogers is a machine.  

[chasfh]

Jahmai Jones takes the borderline called third and leaves one challenge on the board.

[SoCalTiger]

Wow, Just wow. Who da thunk it.

[SoCalTiger]

1 hour ago, monkeytargets39 said:

I’m ready to call up Clark just for the outfield defense.  Wenceel is atrocious out there.  Put Clark in CF and Vierling in RF

Nah no need to expose him to this mess and he's not ready. Just put McStinkey in RF and Lee st second base for now. At the minimum we can give Lee a long look for evaluation and shore up the outfield defense. Plus this might be the end for MStinky as well but he can catch, throw and run.

 

[casimir]

8 hours ago, IdahoBert said:

This season is reminding me of 2008 in terms of what a letdown that season was. 

I heard this comment on a podcast last week and I wanted to ignore it.  But, it sure seems like its more true than I want it to be.

[casimir]

8 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

If I recall correctly, 2024 was just as bad with injuries.  Plus, they traded away any remaining pitcher that was good.  

Hey, they got one of those pitchers back.

[Motor City Sonics]

Hell of a performance Tigers.     Injuries Schminjuries.  You're a ****ing joke.  

[Motor City Sonics]

If this goes on much longer they do have to consider a change at Manager.    They just do.     He had a hot streak from August 2024 to July 2025, but other than that A.J. Hinch really hasn't been all that good, has he?     This team is just lifeless, listless and lethargic.       I'm so grateful they are in the AL Central because almost any other division and their season is pretty much over already.    That's how bad it's getting.     Last place in the weakest division, but thankfully only 3 games out.   But sinking fast.  

Edited 7 hours ago by Motor City Sonics

[chasfh]

10 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Nah no need to expose him to this mess and he's not ready. Just put McStinkey in RF and Lee st second base for now. At the minimum we can give Lee a long look for evaluation and shore up the outfield defense. Plus this might be the end for MStinky as well but he can catch, throw and run.

 

💯

There is no urgency here because we are just so decimated right now. Yes, I know it's early and we should recenter our focus on winning now, but that's just it: it's early, and we have a weak division. We do have a good deal of time yet, so rushing guys back, or rushing guys up, smacks of the kind of desperation that's not warranted just yet.

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

If this goes on much longer they do have to consider a change at Manager.    They just do.     He had a hot streak from August 2024 to July 2025, but other than that A.J. Hinch really hasn't been all that good, has he?     This team is just lifeless, listless and lethargic.       I'm so grateful they are in the AL Central because almost any other division and their season is pretty much over already.    That's how bad it's getting.     Last place in the weakest division, but thankfully only 3 games out.   But sinking fast.  

I don't think Hinch can do anything about having poor players. Hinch is about as good managing a pitching staff as I've seen and that is 90% of a manager's job. Yeah - I think his motivational talent is maybe marginal but I don't think that is all it's cracked up to be in baseball and we don't seem to have clubhouse issues. I haven't seen figures for this year but I still feel like the Tigers take too many strike ones, but I'll live with the two latter nits for the sake of the former.

[SoCalTiger]

5 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I don't think Hinch can do anything about having poor players. Hinch is about as good managing a pitching staff as I've seen and that is 90% of a manager's job. Yeah - I think his motivational talent is maybe marginal but I don't think that is all it's cracked up to be in baseball and we don't seem to have clubhouse issues. I haven't seen figures for this year but I still feel like the Tigers take too many strike ones, but I'll live with the two latter nits for the sake of the former.

I agree. Cleveland is in first place because they have a consistently performing superstar, a solid bullpen and good defense and we do not. Our strength is based on depth and starting pitching which the injuries have decimated. What is worrisome is some of our depth is starting to look shaky.

[ben9753]

0% chance Hinch goes anywhere.

[monkeytargets39]

1 hour ago, SoCalTiger said:

I agree. Cleveland is in first place because they have a consistently performing superstar, a solid bullpen and good defense and we do not. Our strength is based on depth and starting pitching which the injuries have decimated. What is worrisome is some of our depth is starting to look shaky.

They always have these things though.  Year after year after year.  Even when they purge half their roster every other season.

So let’s look less at Hinch and more at Harris and our scouting/development team.  Most of the players on our roster and even in the minors have MASSIVE flaws.  That’s why Hinch has to manage the way he does with all the platooning, defensive versatility and bullpen chaos.  If he had 9 guys he could throw in a lineup every day in the same position and get consistent results with—he’d do that.

Granted, that takes time to build up in a system—but the lack of trades/solid signings and international signings are a major weakness and Harris has been here long enough now that we shouldn’t be seeing this much regression.

Edited 1 hour ago by monkeytargets39

[Tenacious D]

The Ilitch family has a track record of being loyal to a fault with their front office personnel. But if Tigers fans turn on Harris and Chris, that could be a turning point.

This mess is on Harris, not AJ.  He could be on a short leash.

[Nate7474]

I can’t blame the front office or on field staff for the injuries this year and frankly that is why they are under performing. Injuries are part of the game and you either have good or bad luck in that department. Didn’t love every signing absolutely not. I hated the Anderson signing and wish that money would have been put toward true bullpen help.
 

Now I do think they need to look at their training staff and offseason programs and try to figure out if changes need to be made to them to give the team the best chance at having luck go their way with injuries. 

[monkeytargets39]

5 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

The Ilitch family has a track record of being loyal to a fault with their front office personnel. But if Tigers fans turn on Harris and Chris, that could be a turning point.

This mess is on Harris, not AJ.  He could be on a short leash.

The more I actually sit and think about it, the more I’m a lot more understanding of Chris Illitch.  He’s shown that he will spend—although it’s not as often as we want him to as fans….but look at it from the other side.

Could he spend half a billion to lock up Skubal for the next 8-10 years?  Sure….but the outlook on the team/org as a whole doesn’t support that.  
 

We have 2 guys on our offense that are complete players:  McGonigle and Dingler.  Maybe you could throw Torres in there if he can get fully healthy.

 

Tork- occasional HR power in between looking lost and overmatched at the plate.  Gets hot for a short stretch every 5-6 weeks to make it seem like he’s turned a corner when he really hasn’t.

Riley- Best overall offensively weapon, but an absolute wet noodle of an arm.  Is 25 and always needs days off in the field.  Doesn’t run well for some reason.

Carpenter- Sells out for power, doesn’t walk enough and can’t hit lefties much at all

Keith- Borderline unplayable on defense at any position.  Power has regressed sharply.

Javy- Still swings at the low and away slider most of the time.  Doesn’t walk, doesn’t hit for much power anymore.

Meadows- Hasn’t shown he can hit with any consistency and can’t stay healthy—even though that’s not currently his fault this time, it still matters.

Vierling- A 4th outfielder on a good team

Jones- Can only hit lefties (allegedly) and is unplayable on defense

McKinstry- Should be the 26th man on a good team, but we start him all the time because of platoon and defensive deficiencies with other players

Rogers- Can’t hit.

Perez- Below average defensively—and only really plays RF.  Very inconsistent offensively.

 

Then you’ve got the pitchers:

Mize, Olson, SGL can’t make it half a season without ending up on the DL for extensive stints.

Melton hopefully will come back strong, but it’s an unknown until then.

Jobe is a complete unknown as far as what he will be when he’s back.  

Flaherty is completely washed.

Framber was an excellent signing, but hasn’t paid off much at all to this point—and we have all of the pressure of carrying the pitching staff on him now.

Keider Montero is one of the only players in the entire organization who is actually meeting and exceeding expectations.

Vest, Holton, Hurter, Finnegan are all solid but unspectacular bullpen pieces

Hanifee, Anderson, and Brieske are all inconsistent at best

Jansen is at the finish line of his career and it’s showing

and all the other arms shouldn’t arent good enough to be on major league rosters for any length of time or used in any important situations.

 

Whats there to invest 400-500 million on for one or two players when that’s clearly not going to put us over the top until we clear the organization out from all the one-dimensional every day players?

[HugoD]

38 minutes ago, monkeytargets39 said:

The more I actually sit and think about it, the more I’m a lot more understanding of Chris Illitch.  He’s shown that he will spend—although it’s not as often as we want him to as fans….but look at it from the other side.

Could he spend half a billion to lock up Skubal for the next 8-10 years?  Sure….but the outlook on the team/org as a whole doesn’t support that.  
 

We have 2 guys on our offense that are complete players:  McGonigle and Dingler.  Maybe you could throw Torres in there if he can get fully healthy.

 

Tork- occasional HR power in between looking lost and overmatched at the plate.  Gets hot for a short stretch every 5-6 weeks to make it seem like he’s turned a corner when he really hasn’t.

Riley- Best overall offensively weapon, but an absolute wet noodle of an arm.  Is 25 and always needs days off in the field.  Doesn’t run well for some reason.

Carpenter- Sells out for power, doesn’t walk enough and can’t hit lefties much at all

Keith- Borderline unplayable on defense at any position.  Power has regressed sharply.

Javy- Still swings at the low and away slider most of the time.  Doesn’t walk, doesn’t hit for much power anymore.

Meadows- Hasn’t shown he can hit with any consistency and can’t stay healthy—even though that’s not currently his fault this time, it still matters.

Vierling- A 4th outfielder on a good team

Jones- Can only hit lefties (allegedly) and is unplayable on defense

McKinstry- Should be the 26th man on a good team, but we start him all the time because of platoon and defensive deficiencies with other players

Rogers- Can’t hit.

Perez- Below average defensively—and only really plays RF.  Very inconsistent offensively.

 

Then you’ve got the pitchers:

Mize, Olson, SGL can’t make it half a season without ending up on the DL for extensive stints.

Melton hopefully will come back strong, but it’s an unknown until then.

Jobe is a complete unknown as far as what he will be when he’s back.  

Flaherty is completely washed.

Framber was an excellent signing, but hasn’t paid off much at all to this point—and we have all of the pressure of carrying the pitching staff on him now.

Keider Montero is one of the only players in the entire organization who is actually meeting and exceeding expectations.

Vest, Holton, Hurter, Finnegan are all solid but unspectacular bullpen pieces

Hanifee, Anderson, and Brieske are all inconsistent at best

Jansen is at the finish line of his career and it’s showing

and all the other arms shouldn’t arent good enough to be on major league rosters for any length of time or used in any important situations.

 

Whats there to invest 400-500 million on for one or two players when that’s clearly not going to put us over the top until we clear the organization out from all the one-dimensional every day players?

All in all, a pretty accurate roster assessment.  I'm patient and I always wish for the best for these guys, but the truth reveals itself over time - hard ceiling on a lot of the guys.  I know this is a bad stretch, and a lot of team go thru this, but many of the shortcomings are recurring themes.  Oh, they might have some good stretches, but this is a limited bunch.