Useful Idiot

Now I want you to follow very closely here....Max and Nick and Correa had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with our "rooks of the future" being here now, and each of them could have been signed this past year. But our commitment to "fiscal excellence" is why we now have E Rod instead of Max, Baez instead of Correa, and "whoever" instead of Nick. How are the teams doing who signed those guys (yes I know the Phillies are in 4th place) Yet we are underperforming even them

It's gotten so bad that I understand A. Avila was trying to get the Rally Goose to come back to Comerica Park, as a co-mascot. The Goose claimed he had a better offer in Japan.

But hey, now that "warm weather is almost here", I'm sure they'll come around? The fact that other teams have been enjoying success against us despite the cold weather, is totally irrelevant. Must be some other cliches worth adding? If we were like .490, or .460, or even .430 then some of the more convenient excuses might have merit. Perhaps one could argue "we've got a few kinks to work out, then we're good" and have some basis for credibility. But there is no excuse for a sub .333 team. When you're bad, at least have the grace to own it

Much of my dissatisfaction stems back to the organization's decision that we didn't need to field a decent product during the rebuild. Seeing former players such as Verlander, Scherzer, JD Martinez and Castellano go on to experience success, while we became pitiful.... was a hard pill to swallow. Hard to believe we'd be in the mess we are in now if we had those guys with us now in addition to the rooks we have our hopes hung so highly on. And we COULDA got Max, we COULDA got Nick, we COULDA got Correa....'cept for that contempt we have for large numbers........so instead we got 8-17 Hope that clarifies the confusion over my "almost as good as" comment that some were struggling with earlier.

I guess the fan experience differs from person to person? Somehow the shinola from AA patting himself on the back for disdaining "drunken sailors" is seemingly taking on new relevance now that our prudence is paying off so handsomely. Which is why I congratulated mr Ilitch's enjoyment with keeping his money, in my very first post. I believe that blaming injuries for our predicament is little more than convenient scapegoating. We could have reached for the stars, but instead settled for "almost as good as" coupled with an economics lecture. And You know? I'm really sorry that I keep repeating myself, but I just don't get excited enough to cheer "fiscal responsibility"....obviously a character flaw on my part, to hear the sunshiners tell it. "More bang for the buck" takes on a damning meaning when one sits in the cellar...we ARE the "store generic" brand...sorry if my candor ruffles some feathers

I've always hated the reds, so I get more joy out of their current predicament, than I'm getting from my preferred ball club. Earlier in the year with the fans expressing their disfavor, and Reds President Phil Castellini threatening them to "be careful what you wish for"......THAT WAS A CLASSIC!!! If A Avila made such a boast, I'd be like "threaten me with a good time?"

What I find even more annoying is the "cooked" statistics that they try to make appear to be significant "Most pinch hit home runs by a switch hitter before the age of 25" and garbage like that, presented in a table listing 6 guys, taking up half the screen.

I have that objection about most sportscasters. So many of them get lost trying to inject a "human interest" aspect into the game. Frankly I couldn't care less about Akil Baddoo's or Beau Brieske's parents/family/childhood....and the fact that they frequently go off on extended tangents with insitu interviews that interfere with play by play, really irritates me. Especially when the game play gets shrunken down to the size of a postage stamp while the family member interviews sprawl across the screen. But, I guess garbage like that appeals to some folks?

It's kinda corny I'll admit, but I actually find the segments where Dan Petry demonstrates pitching grips to be entertaining. I respect Kirk Gibson, but he seems to get lost in the details. So I try to be forgiving. Morris reaches WAYYY too far to find something positive to say about garbage. C-Moe is C-Moe....tolerable except when he gets giggly Don't miss Mario or Rod one bit. Mario was a ham, and Rod was neurotic.

Being the manager to supersede Buck Showalter has on occasion worked out well for others

It's plausible that we over-achieved during the second half of last year

You really believe that a team that continues to trot out Joe Jiminez is "doing all it can" to be competitive? How many times are we expected to listen to "oh, he's been fixed now" only to see the wheels come off again? Are the fans required to assume the role of "gullible" in the name of team spirit? I'll concede that the players you mention SHOULD make this a better team than the one made up of the likes of Ronny Rodriguez, Brandon Dixon, and Jose Urena. But I believe if/when we fall short of optimistic expectations, I think the people who have been paying attention to our organizational priorities these past few years, will know where the blame rightly rests. At that point, views towards A J, I think, would be more geared towards believing a change of scenery might do him good. (you know that drill) I think we win 75 games this season...ONLY if we play a full schedule.

Perhaps irrelevant to you. Do you really believe that after years of witnessing this team gut the talent to reduce payroll, and then signing "almost as good as" talent to fill out the roster...that blame for consistency in the Tigers fortunes would be credited entirely to Hinch? IMO, the constraints are more obviously elsewhere. Obviously, I don't have a crystal ball. But it will be interesting to see if it plays out exactly as I suspect

All from "column B" IMO. I hope they all thrive and have exemplary seasons. But do not lose sight of the reality that all of them are here mostly because they were cheaper than available alternatives.

It's funny you say that. Don Kelly might just be the next Brad Ausmus.😆

I believe anyone paying attention will see the resources he's been given to work with, and understand the results for what they are.

Wait until he sees a better offer.

I believe it is more a matter of having to heal his reputation due to the sign stealing "mess". His stint with the Tigers will give him "re-hab" creds. I don't think anyone doubts his ability to manage a ball team. When the time comes everyone will know where the blame for the Tigers failure belong$

I'm usually the one that clings to hope long after "more sensible" minds know to cut their losses. But this is epic fail. The expressions on players faces reminds me of the kind of looks you see on the faces of 4 year olds when you first remove their training wheels. Most of the wins we have had thus far this season seem to have been decided by mistakes And it's getting really annoying listening to Jack Morris' (et al) pre-fab platitudes during the broadcasts. "hey, for a guy who just gave the game away on a silver platter, I think this kid shows a lot of courage" and ersatz sparkle such as that. I guess those guys would all be fired for reporting truthfully? My bet? Hinch concludes his image rehabilitation with us and moves on to a team willing to commit to winning, while we get stuck with Uncle Al's incessant "optimism" that ~next year a wildcard should be within our grasp~ - - -

I had really bought-in to the claims this team had been reinvigorated, the new commitment to winning, yada yada. But the truth is, this is a budget team put together with fiscal responsibility a higher priority than winning. Enjoy your money Mr Ilitch, you can force your minions to spin a silver lining around this dark cloud, but I am unimpressed. There is no swagger, the batters at the plate remind me more of 300 lb fat kids walking on a frozen lake listening for the ice to start cracking.

I think the teams that build the all $tar rosters have a better chance in the playoffs, but for most owners (other than the really big market teams) the prospect of making it to the playoffs and then being eliminated is "success enough" for them. And, upsets happen just often enough to make that work for them

Well I think a big part of it too, is with the "hope kept alive" later into the season, there is less pressure on ownership to build a dominant roster. If you can persuade your fans that "squeaking into a WC slot in September is just as good as leading your division "wire to wire"...then you might get away with an annual payroll of $140 million instead of $200+ million. And yes, I believe the owners are devious enough to look at it exactly that way. I actually agree with Casimir, the thought of 4 team divisions, just plain sucks. But I don't believe that the integrity of championships is as high on the priority list of the owners, as it is to fans. For the owners it's more a matter of show business masquerading as a sport.

I don't know...I thought a big part of the wildcard pie was in keeping fans in the stands longer into the season, clinging to playoff hopes. I'm not saying that I endorse the idea, but that's what I thought it was about. Otherwise you have so many fans that by August their team is out of the excitement of contention, etc. Instead with more division winners and more wildcards,... they cling to the hope of once in the playoffs, their team might roll the dice and get lucky?

I guess they feel that with 4 division winners AND 4 wildcard teams, the excitement of uncertainty can be extended deeper into the season.

Ouhhh Ouhhh! How about the Orioles, Rays, Rangers and Astros in a new Southeast division, the Yanks, RSox, Guardians and Jays in the East......and the Tigers, Wsox, Twinks, and Royals in the new Central, leaving the Mariners, A's Angels, and the new mystery team in the West... Vegas perhaps?