1984Echoes

Well, our report card so far is: Defended democratic portion of South Korea (successfully) Defended democratic portion of Vietnam (unsuccessfully, and the "democracy" was highly questionable) Defended Cuba against Spanish Empire (successfully, went to war with Spain and subsequently took Puerto Rico & Philippines and offered democracy to both, but questionable support in Cuba (dictators) after that until Castro took over) Defended Afghanistan against Russian imperialism (successfully, materials supply until we lost interest and it fell apart) Defended Ukraine (democracy/ EU/ NATO wannabe) against Russian imperialism (successfully so far, money & materials only at this point. I'd love to see EU Peacekeepers establish a no-fly zone west of the Dnieper and bring in air defense, 90,000 EU troops, and EU fighter jets. But that's just me.) Defended Bosnia-Herzegovina & Kosovo after the EU flopped and the Muslims asked why we defended Israel but not them in the name of humanity and Serbia's genocidal attacks (successfully). Defended democratic separatists in Panama against Columbia and created a new democracy in central America (successfully). Oh, and Teddy Roosevelt decided he would get the Panama Canal built (several failures before him) because it would benefit all of the Americas... successfully. We've also: CIA overthrew democratically elected Iranian government (I think it was 1954? and installed the US-supporting "Shah") Supported multiple hard right wing governments including death squad regimes. Attacked Iraq based on pure lies/ fabrication and tried to install an Iraqi-type/requested-democracy. Mixed results. Support Saudi Arabia which in no way resembles a democracy. Support Israel which does. There's a mixed record in there but I think overall... The US ABSOLUTELY has a history of supporting democracy. In multiple countries/ regions.

Well then... Here's a quickie for ya'... it's just a question... based on pure logic and actual facts, as of today: How much of a role has the Navy played in Ukraine's war? Since they are asking us to make a choice between Taiwan and Ukraine that is....

No it doesn't. Taiwan is nearly 100% naval support. Ukraine is military supplies and economic support. One does not have an effect on the other.

We'll see.

They're not trying to trade him... not yet... I believe.

I don't see them keeping him around beyond the trade deadline, and maybe a trade even prior to that... Just guessing...

The simple answer is he likes being with the Lions. Nothing further required. But I'm just guessing...

Yeah... I'm going to do the opposite. Holmes has earned my trust. He's able to spot talent, full stop. I'm just going to trust whatever draft decisions he makes because... what do I know? If he drafts Richardson in the 1st round... I'm just going to trust him that he thinks in a couple years AR can be a dynamic QB and push Goff. I have my preferences, and it's to not draft a QB or RB in the 1st round. I will offer my opinions, my mocks, guys I like the most and why... But in the end... in Brad Holmes I trust.

PS: Just a guess... Schoop gets pushed out the door relatively quickly this season...

That was my against-LH'ers lineup. In the service of active platooning in 2023, my against-RH'ers lineup: 1 - Akil Baddoo, LF 2 - Austin Meadows, RF 3 - Riley Greene, CF 4 - Spencer Torkelson, 1B 5 - Kerry Carpenter, DH 6 - Javier Baez, SS 7 - Eric Haase, C 8 - Nick Maton, 3B 9 - Wenceel Perez, 2B

That's exactly what I think. Spring Training will tell all...

Dude, you're not doing your JOB!!! Aren't you the resident Debbie Downer? And I end up having to pick up the slack?!?!

Pretty crazy too. But I guess SY really knows how to read those tea leaves...

I would agree with this. Although, I think on Opening Day he bats fifth and then gets pushed down as the season goes along....

2-0.

I also want Maata resigned. Can we trade Chiarot for anything? Not impressed...

Oh Chicago, that's right. I don't know why I had Georgia on my mind... getting confused between Curt and Maybin? Been thinking of Ray Charles recently...? Something...

I don't think they bring Edvinsson up to Detroit unless he's playing top 4. Just a guess.

And if they finish 3rd or 4th in the draft order? Anyone interested in Brandon Miller? 6' 9" sharp-shooting SF hitting 44% on 3's...? I'm thinking the Pistons could use some of that...

Curt Granderson? Oh he would be AWESOME!!! (yes, all caps and exclamations!!!)... but isn't he from Georgia? How are we going to pull him away from Atlanta?

I don't think this is true. I think Haase is the backup catcher UNLESS both Rogers and Sands flop. I think both are better defensive catchers and that will be the priority at that position. Also, unless... Haase ups his game behind the plate and then his chances to be the primary kick up a notch. But I think the reality will be that Haase platoons in LF some, DH's when Miggy is not healthy, and he will back up catcher. Just a guess...

PPS: Meadow's career splits are .352 OBP against righties and .296 OBP against lefties... That's why I think he and Baez are perfect swaps at the #2 and #6 spots, aside from any platoon situations that occur...

PS: Baez's career splits are .344 OBP against lefties and .288 OBP against righties... That's also why I put him in the #2 spot in an opening day lineup against a projected lefty...

I think they'll start out slow with Malloy, wanting to get him some AAA at-bats. He might wow in spring training and just make the team... I'm just playing cautious with him as I think the team will also. But he could surprise. If not, I have Nevin place-holding the spot until he gets pushed out (and back to AAA for him, or does he hold onto a bench spot...?) The entire team sucks with OBP, so I put Vierling and Baez in the top two spots as challenges to them to get on base. I think Hinch will challenge them exactly as such. Vierling actually has a minor league obp of .333, a .364 obp his 1st season in a small sample size of 77 pa's and a .297 obp last year in a larger sample of 357 pa's... so I don't know how that will work out. But, again, I think Hinch/ new batting coaches will challenge him. And he does have enough speed to not clog the basepaths, and maybe even take extra bases... If it's a platoon, the same challenge can go out to Baddoo, if he makes this team. Just get on base. I think the same challenge goes out to Baez, who has been spotty, at best. And probably still swings wildly at any and all sliders but... I want this challenge on him. If it's a righty on the mound (I have this as a Lefty facing opening day lineup), he can swap lineup positions with Austin Meadows and drop to 6th. If it's consistent: 2nd against lefties and 6th against righties... he'll just have to live with that. And Meadows the reverse. Greene will be fine in the #3 spot, usually reserved for our best hitter. That's Greene. Tork! in the #4 spot, for now, to challenge him, and to show belief/ confidence in him. We'll see if he can live up to that. Miggy will get the #5 spot... because. But we can put Carpenter at the DH spot against righties and still slot him here to see how that works out. Bottom of the order is Schoop, Nevin, and Rogers (for now). Rogers for his defense. Which, if it's not there, he'll get pushed out by Sands (defense first)/ Haase. Haase can play RF? Or LF only? Either way, he can replace Meadows against occasional lefties if we're looking for more at-bats for him. Or Miggy at DH.

Seems like a good spot for this (probably works in the draft thread too as it might affect draft philosophy): Aidan Hutchinson was double-teamed more than any other NFL pass rusher in 2022 https://sports.yahoo.com/aidan-hutchinson-double-teamed-more-115003446.html PS: This is why I have Myles Murphy high on my list as a bookend to Hutch. All (most) the other guys at DE/ Edge/ pass-rusher on the team seem like situational guys to me, not 3-down defensive ends... And Murphy could slide inside on passing downs so you could have a 4-man rush of Houston-Murphy-McNeil-Hutch...