1984Echoes

Gotcha...

This has absolutely ZERO to do with what Hongbit posted and you quoted. Why are you taking this angle? When Hongbit's point (not to put words in your mouth HB) was Homes needed to work FASTER on a Hutch extension because waiting just makes him more, and more... expensive. NOTHING to do with trading for Parsons...

I'm waiting to hear the signing of Smith...

I think it's time for this thread also to get started... General Detroit Lions topics outside of the game threads... First topic: After they set the 53... I'm going to guess subsequent practice squad: Starting with Hendon Hooker. I'm going to guess here that they try to keep him, on the practice squad... although DC might just be ready to move on (from his comments...). So this is maybe even less than 50/50. More like 25/75. But guys I think they will DEFINITELY try to keep by putting them on the PS: Deon Jackson, RB Jackson Meeks, WR Tom Kennedy, WR Kingsley Eguakun (I think he doesn't make the 53 but they want to keep him in the Org...) Mitchell Agude, Edge Nate Lynn, Edge Anthony Pittman, LB Nick Whiteside, CB Erick Hallett, DB Ian Kennelly, S Morice Norris, S I think the team actually LIKES a lot of these guys that they are releasing... they're releasing them early to try and slip them through the cracks... IMO. But... We'll see.

I'm going to take a wild guess that there is actually some ability in there. And if this year is a practice squad year (Lions or otherwise...) I think the UFL is a great suggestion. I think he needs a vast amount of work IN-game, on-the field, so he can actually develop some timing/ reading (defenses)/ etc... and the UFL is the place for him to get it. So... we'll see.

Not really. They're thinking of Decker's past history of injuries. First priority is a competent starting or starter-replacement tackle. That's not Skipper. He's the gimmick guy. Or the 3rd tackle for a "Heavy (3 OT's)" line... They'll get him back on the roster. After they put guys on IR...

Bert + Anti-Bert = nothing. They cancel each other out. So... New ballgame in the bottom of the 5th...

Who STILL has to negotiate per his client's wishes/ demands. If Max tells Boras "I want one of those 8 year deals with little-to-no MLB experience"... Boras will get him the best 8-year deal he can on that basis... If Skubal tells Boras "It's Detroit or nothing."... Same thing. On Skubal... I think he desires finding out his market value on the open market; which Boras would agree with. On Max and McGonigle and Clark... I like those 8 year deals for kids that you REALLY believe in... I like the Keith deal, for example...

12-5. 13-4 if they avoid injuries and Goff has good protection. If they struggle with a few (hopefully very minor) injuries and O-Line learning curve issues, then 12-5.

Lions Practice Squad. IMO.

Like a horse race... "Tork back in front leading Wenceel by a nose .815 to .812..."

I think his ears must have been burning...

Good Jack is worthy of the #2 spot in our rotation. Bad Jack creates problems in the rotation for us... especially come playoff time... IMO.

Wenceel bypassed Tork in OPS (.816 to .813) with that HR...

I think Sweeney just read my posts on his smartphone and decided to take some positive action... 😉 Nice triple BTW...

But they trust Sweeney's...? Or Sweeney's bat?

I could live with this. Especially if Holmes could finagle a 6th/ conditional (stays on roster all year) 5th...

I want to bring up Trei Cruz and send down Sweeney. See what happens with that...

The argument for cutting Hooker I think would go something like this: 1) Cut him. As the last cut. 2) No team is going to add him after the last cuts (this obviously is a guess/ the biggest risk) 3) We can put him on the Practice Squad and try to "coach him up"/ develop him there. 4) If we do NOT cut him then we have to cut: ________ ___________ . Personally, if the decision were to cut either Hendon Hooker or Jackson Meeks (just as an example of the last cut choice...), I'd rather keep Meeks. If we can get Hooker over to the Practice Squad where the coaches can work on him/ with him... That's what I want to do. It's a risk... should we attempt it...? Just my 2 cents.

Keep that GOING!!!

There is a flipside to this. Come Spring Training 2026, all bets are off. It doesn't matter if they are on the 40 or not. It doesn't matter who IS on the 40 come ST 2026. If Clark and McGonigle (one, or both) kick everyone's ass in 2026 ST, and the Org BELIEVES they are ready for MLB... Then room will be made on the 40. They'll break ST with the Tigers. And... it does NOT have to be at SS and CF. Gleyber is a FA after 2025, is he not? Who is playing 2B next year? Why not McGonigle? We can still throw out baez at SS until we get a better option... If Clark is able to make the 26 AND Parker is able to keep CF, Clark can easily shift to Left or Right. What is our best defensive OF in 2026? Who provides the most Offense? What if Calrk actually DOES steal CF in ST 2026? I'll let Hinch work that out. But I have ZERO expectations for next Spring Training so whatever happens, happens. I would just be ready for a mild shocker. With the 40 being ZERO impediment in ST 2026. Which may not be a shock at all to some...

They are. Bratwurst or Italian sausage subs are FAR superior!!!

Conversely... The Org could call up Trei Cruz as a band aid for 2025. just to cover Sweeney/SS after they demote him... And open up the SS position in Spring Training 2026 to all competition. Just a guess.

I think last year, Skubal didn't have enough history to command that package. He missed a lot of 2023 with injury and pitched well at the end of the season. In 2024... he hadn't won a Cy Young or anything at the trade deadline... And pitched a partial season the year before. I think aside from the Orioles normal "reticence", and even with 1.3 years left at last year's deadline... teams may have been leery of Skubal's recent health history or just weren't 100% certain about him... But in the 2025 season: Skubal pitched well at the end of 2023. He won the CY YOUNG in 2024!!! (I'm saying this from a marketing perspective... not trying to all-CAP's everybody... the CY, or pitching at that level, is a huge selling point for a pitcher, obviously...). He pitched 192 dominant regular season innings last year and ALSO pitched just as dominant in the postseason, with 19 innings at 0.79 WHIP and 2.37 ERA. What is he doing this year? Leading the Cy Young AGAIN. IMO.. I think the track record, right now, says he's the most dominant pitcher in MLB... right now. To your point, there are teams, probably a lot of them or most of them, who are looking at the 1 year of control and won't offer a package because he doesn't have 2 years or more of control. The Rays and Marlins can automatically be ruled out, of course, amongst others. But I think you are ignoring the fact that certain other organizations operate on a different basis. The Dodgers and Phillies, and sometimes Yankees and Mets, and maybe even a few others, are hell-bent on World Series Championships. you know Dombrowski is. You know that Dombrowski has no reticence whatsoever offering a package of players for a MLB player that he wants. It doesn't matter if it's Miggy, Scherzer, Fister, or anyone... If he wants Skubal, because he thinks he can win WS Championships with him, he will go balls out with everything it takes to get him. You know he will. You know he has no problems whatsoever working with Boras. The Dodgers? Money is no object. And what is the greatest threat to them winning WS Championships? Right now: It's the Phillies. And Brewers. And their problematic starting pitching after Yamamoto. They also will go all out to get a player they believe gives them a huge advantage towards winning championships. Including having to work with Boras. Including making a massive extension offer that satisfies Boras and Skubal and prevents him from getting to free agency (same with Dombrowski, who has a track record of doing exactly THAT!) And including giving up the prospects necessary (IMO) to block other teams from doing that and to put themselves in a position to work with Boras on an extension and getting it done. So... I could be completely full of it and my little "Godfather package theory"... But we'll see what happens this offseason. I won't be surprised if...

I did NOT say set us up better for 2026. I specifically stated that we would have just as good a chance in 2026... It's a small difference, but it's there... Which is predicated on "it's a crapshoot in the playoffs so just get there". As in, anyone can get hot. As in... it wasn't Denny McLain of 31 wins in 1968 that won us the championship... it was Mickey Lolich. I know you know that. It might not be Skubal who wins us a championship. That's just how baseball works. And I won't disagree with you on WANTING Skubal in 2026 because I love having dominant players and Skubal is a majot one. But I also know that "getting hot at the right time" counts for more than just one dominant player. And I'd rather have multiple dominant or near-dominant players that set us up for both 2026 and the next 5 years rather than one dominant player and betting ALL the money on that one player/card winning everything for us. Especially when that ONE player is a pitcher. I prefer a huge package for Skubal... sorry. IF there's one actually out there... I mean, I'm just guessing there will be.