1984Echoes

Berggren will be the extra forward so I didn't know where to put him, at least at this point... but yeah, I should've listed him. As for Gustaf/ Chiarot/ Holl/ Petry... Let's look at the team mid-season and see where these questions/ viewpoints land. As for Chiarot specifically... Holl is not ahead of him, Edvinsson is. Holl is simply the right-shot pairing with Simon. So Chiarot is either 1st pair LHD with Mo, or 3rd pair LHD with whomever ends up as 3rd pair RHD. I think that will be Petry on 3rd pair, not Holl. And as for Chiarot... I've voiced multiple times my displeasure with him in here so I think you know why I have little confidence in him. I will give you he was better in 2023-24 than 2022-23... I don't think that will last. Ideally, I WANT him as 3rd pair so he can go simply knock a few people around and play 3rd/4th lines instead of 1st/2nd lines. He can be assistant captain from the 3rd pair this season. If he's 1st pair this year with MO, I think he will look like the same **** he did as in 2022-23 and will have to be separated again. I'm planning on it, as you can see above. Gustaf has young legs and is a decent defender, therefore I stuck him with Mo. Ideally, here, Edvinsson acclimates to NHL level quickly and takes over top pairing with MO and pushes Gustaf down to 2nd pair, where he belongs. I don't even know if he belongs there... like you said, low rent.

On Tork... I think he'll be in Spring Training camp next year... but after that, I wouldn't put money on anything... And I hear ya' chas on him being sent to Toledo if he can't make the opening day roster, that's probably the most likely outcome... The only thing that's striking me a little bit at the moment (and I don't really know what that means for Tork's future...), but it sure seems like the Org is testing lots of different guys out at 1B. In Detroit, that's been Canha, Urshela (yesterday) and today it's Ibanez. Just an interesting factoid if nothing else...

I think the rumor was Toronto wanted to get rid of the contract, maybe even at this trade deadline. So the cost might be less in prospects than what one would think if they're trying to dump a contract or open up a space for someone else... And if he claims the position, meaning he's back to being a 4-ish WAR SS... Then eat the cost of Baez's contract, that's a no-brainer decision... And offer a 3-year extension to Bichette: FA at 29 (or is that 30?). Even if he declines, like I said, I think the prospect cost might be less than one would expect. Hell, offer him 5 years and good money... This is an easy no-brainer... for me. I don't know about Bichette... and... YMMV.

And the HBP's... He had two of them yesterday. Ditto on the Org sees potential... You can see the "stuff" that he has. It's good. He just has to be able to consistently "harness" it. I have no idea if that means repeatability, smoothing mechanics, gaining better command and/or control... or whatever. It's there, he has "it"... but he does have to do better than the 1.70 Toledo WHIP that he has or the 1.43 minors WHIP... Pitching consistently like yesterday though... keeps him on the "future rotation" list.

I think I saw that on Trade Rumors somewhere... Yes, I would definitely be down with a trade for Bichette.

4 lines: Tarasenko - Larkin - Raymond - I want to see this line in action. Debrincat - Compher - Kane - I'm putting Kane-Cat together and I'm LEAVING it like that. Rasmussen - Copp - Kasper - I think this could be a great two-way line. I almost want Compher here moreso than Copp but then I'd have to figure out the #2 Center... I'm fine with Copp here though... Or maybe Kasper is centering and Copp slides to wing? Maybe... but it wouldn't start out that way, Kasper would have to acclimate to this level before he gets his Centerman shot and pushes Copp to wing... IMO. Motte - Veleno - Fischer - checking line? Can anyone steal a job from any of these 3? Mazur? D pairings: Gustafsson - Seider - is Gust better than Chiarot? Is this the best pairing we can get for Mo? At least until Simon is ready for 1st pair? Edvinsson - Holl - I had Petry here but he's 36 and Holl is 32. Petry on 2nd pair? meh. Worse than meh. I think Holl will surpass Petry in training camp this year and be on the 2nd with Simon... just a guess. Chiarot - Petry - I'll take whatever we can get here from these two guys 7th & 8th: Maatta and Johansson. I have no idea what playing time either of these guys will get so they are here for now. Both LHD so they're sort of blocked. But they'll get playing time. I just won't guess where that will be at this point...

1) I said multiple times with Trei that he's not ready yet, most likely AAA next year. I also said multiple times he's a utility guy at this point. It's not like I'm talking him up as the "next great thing" or anything. But he gets his shot. Even if no one wants to give him one. So yes, I think he should get a shot... Trei Cruz. 2) It's time to find out. From a talent perspective, yes, I think there is enough there. From a developmental perspective: Do we have the right hitting coaches? Is our system hitting approach a help for these kids? Or a hindrance? Isn't it time to find out? And they ALL have to get "blooded" in MLB at some point to find out if they can adjust to the highest competition in the world. And either sink... or swim. The timing is absolutely perfect, IMO, for RIGHT NOW (meaning both 2024 and 2025 in my description...). One more point: and Lee mentioned it above: I actually agree with this. Let's call it: Andy Ibanez. He's 31 already. But has proven himself to be a steady, positive contributor for this team. Both at the bat as well as in the field. Let's add another: Gio Urshela. 32 this year and mostly a starter at 3B and a little at 1B. I would NOT be opposed to re-signing Urshela. Here's the thing though: No PROMISES could be made. So whether it's Urshela or Ibanez or someone similar: Jung could be the starter at 3B and Tork at 1B. By the END of the season, Urshela could have quite a LOT of playing time as a 2/3-game starter per week at 3B (Jung at DH), coming in late innings as a PH'er/ defensive replacement, Jung or Tork could falter and be sent back to AAA and Urshela would pick up the starting spot at either position as long as the remediation of one or the other is happening... But... no PROMISES. If Urshela is willing to come back in 2025 with no promises except that the team will find a way to get him whatever playing time they can muster... than absolutely, I would agree with that 100%. As long as our rotation is not yet set: I'm all for getting Flaherty back. Or someone (veteran) just as good... although I can't think of anyone I'd want back more next year than Flaherty. Flaherty as a vet at/near the top of the rotation; and we still have Maeda as a 4/5 starter at the back end next year. As for catcher, I would look for a guy who will reside in AAA, but has some kind of MLB experience that he can be called up in case of injury or other. Maybe even a lot of MLB but is 30-ish and iffy but would at least be reliable defensively. For catcher, IMO, it's defense first and any offense is just gravy. I don't think you could sign a Carson Kelly on that basis... I don't have a name to pop in here... SS? That's a ****ing problem. Harris needs to figure something out. AAAA guy worth a shot, or a blocked prospect, trade for Bo Bichette? (down year but the bet is he'd revert to prior years' excellence... and CI would just have to be willing to EAT the cost of the remaining Baez contract... just a thought), or whatever...

Is Keith's shoulder permanent? Will he never regain 100% full strength back? Did he have enough arm for 3B prior to the shoulder injury? I mean... I don't know the answers to those questions... But I think positive answers to those would mean that the team would NOT preclude making the swap back... And a negative answer would mean he's not going back to the left side so 2B or 1B... But I don't know these answers. You?

And he is not magically going to get better at it at any point in the next 5 years. So my point stands. He's as far as he's going to get. He's as ready as he will ever be. He was DRAFTED KNOWING he had fielding limitations. He was drafted for his BAT, not his fielding. So he has time until Spring Training next year to get as ready as he will ever be. Not today. 2025. The Tigers are going to have to live with his liabilities if they believe his bat is ready. They're going to have to try him out in MLB to see what they can get out of him. Exactly what I've already stated. Best case scenario? Keith's shoulder is doable at 3B by next year. He was better at 3B than Jung. And I believe Jung was better than Keith at 2B. How about next Spring Training... the team figures it out?

Yes he is.

Jace Jung is ready for 3B in 2025.

One other perspective... and I'll try it from the fans' side this time... As a fan, if Harris came right out and said this is what we're going to do in 2025... I might just say (and I think I already have): "**** IT!!! Let's DO this!!!" But that's just me...

Catcher - Jake Rogers and Dillon Dingler 1B - Tork, or someone else: Ibanez, Keith, Malloy, Jung, Bigbie, Vilade. (somethin's gotta stick). 2B - Jung, Keith, Ibanez, Lee has a chance IMO, others as utility backups: Vilade, Cruz, etc. SS - You got me here. Cruz on a wild outside shot (I don't think he's ready for MLB in 2025 opening day... just sayin', as a "tryout" to see where he is or how far away...). 3B - Jung, Ibanez, Vierling, Vilade (utility guy has played everywhere except SS and C at Toledo.) Keith if his shoulder is strong enough. LF - Greene, Malloy, Vierling, Vilade, Perez, Bigbie? CF - Meadows, Greene, Vierling, Perez, Cruz (as a utility guy if he were to make it this far, if not, AAA). RF - Carpenter, Greene, Vierling, Perez, Vilade, Bigbie? DH - anyone. Did I miss anyone? Add him in... "whatchu talkin bout willis?"

This is an unknown IMO. And it needs to be found out. By Harris. I think that's a critical evaluation for Harris... We have a crapload of young guys from AAA to 2nd year in MLB. Are they good enough? Or not? Can our development team help them succeed, or not? To your point: do we have the right hitting coaches to help these guys succeed? Sort of a critical component of our developmental team/ and to our future success, if we are to have any. The opportunity/ the time/ to figure all that out, really, is right now. 2024-25. IMO.

Lots and lots and lots of... Dr. Pepper.

This part I don't agree with though. I think this Org has NOT been through any sink or swim evaluation. I think it's been band-aided for the past 7 years because we were going through a rebuild. Slowly accumulate young talent. Sign cheap FA's and trade them at the deadline. That is NOT "sink or swim evaluation". That is simply struggling through a rebuild. Avila failed at a previous evaluation of the team (2022 when we "thought" we were on the upswing and he made moves accordingly... the wrong ones); Harris needs to get this evaluation of his young players correct. Now is the time.

I think that's part of the point... or maybe the key point. Everyone in here is looking at the team from a fans perspective. I mean... obviously. But as a GM: I want to know which of these kids (in MLB, rookie or otherwise; in AAA, or in AAA after struggling in MLB; pitching in AAA and where they might end up in MLB (starter, middle, or late-reliever...); or even in AA (Jobe, Lee, etc...)) I should start counting on, on the "foundation" side of the ledger. And all of these guys are high enough up in the ORG that it's time to see what we have with them. One way or the other. I ALSO, as a GM, want to put my developmental guys, especially at the AAA and MLB level, through a stress test. And THIS is the time to do that. Right now. In 2024-25. From a GM's perspective: I KNOW that this would be a MAJOR pisser for fans.... but IMO, I think it just needs to be done. I would be open with the fans too: "2025 is make or break for these kids. Even if they don't hit their eventual high-points, we need to know if they have enough future to be a part of the solution, or not. Whatever holes we feel we have after 2025, we will look for the best possible MLB solution to drop onto our roster. It takes two to tango of course, but whether it's a top of the rotation starter, a closer, a position player, a SS, WHOMEVER, I will implore Chris Ilitch to put best available resources (biggest money FA, trade for a big contract, whatever) into building around whomever we feel should be a part of this team going forward." That's just my 2 cents. And my locked-in position as well.

They're not all but guaranteed anything. Not lose 110, not win 110. But you already know that.

So you're calling Greene and Keith and Jung and everyone else little leaguers? You should tell them that. Personally.

Maybe just as a utility guy. It doesn't change the narrative.

Based on rookie years for Malloy, Keith, Perez... And Tork & Meadows currently in AAA... and probably getting at least one more chance... (and even Vilade and Navigato... what if these guys are nothing but utility guys... but are BETTER than Kreidler and McKinstry... doesn't that count...?) Eddys Leonard & Bigbie too... And Jung and Dingler not yet exposed to MLB (still in AAA at this point)... And a couple AA guys who have an outside chance of contributing in MLB in 2025 (Lee & Cruz), IMO... And a crapload of pitchers in AA or AAA trying to figure out whether they can push for a rotation spot sometime in 2025 (Jobe, Manning) or are simply middle relievers in MLB (Montero, Madden, Flores, Hurter, Lockhart, etc...) or will completely flop out (is Englert good? or NOT good???) or maybe even should be tried as a closer (Manning?)... And a few 2nd or 3rd-ish year guys trying to prove themselves and their position/ upside/ role in MLB (Olson, Brieske, Faedo, even Greene is a guy I feel should be better than he is right now and I expect improvements this year and next year, and Mize too really...), I'm calling Wentz a most-likely-flop-out... I think this is a 2-year tryout. That may not be popular. But that's how I see it.

Or enough kids could click that we win 100.

Give Max Anderson a 1B'man's glove and let's see what happens there...

Well Spring Training is just to make the opening day roster. I would consider the entire year of 2025 for Harris's (and Hinch's) developmental staff to either get the job done... or not. It may even require a few more AAA-MLB swaps to iron everything out. But either: this Organization is a draft & developmental Org, and successful at it... Or not. I want to see it. And I am perfectly fine with "I'll believe it when I see it"... I agree with that. So, Detroit Tigers/ Harris/ Hinch: show me what you've got.

So IMO... It's time to put their development team to the test. 2025: Tryout camp for all the kids from AA up to MLB. Sink... or swim. Whoever can swim, is on the team.