SeattleMike

I never thought managers mattered all that much. Last year has me rethinking that assumption, at least a little.

Tigers have lost 3 of Skubal's 5 starts. Baseball.

I ended up subscribing to the Root Sports app. I like to watch the Mariners live sometimes after the Tigers finish and this is the only way (unless you go the cable route, which I dumped years ago). Really hate that the Tigers only trip to Seattle this year was in March. But went last night and glad I did.

So Tigers pitching has allowed 3 HRs in all four of its games. Crazy. Just glancing at scores around the league wonder if scoring will be up this year.

Don’t believe so

Not a bad start

Note to self: Margot not a speed demon.

My audio on MLB TV broadcast is about 10 seconds behind. Amateur hour.

Look around the league. Mize is a pretty good 5th starter. In more than 2/3 of his starts he allowed 3 runs or fewer. Handy guy to have around.

It's one thing to trade away a player at the deadline for a top 100 prospect and guy who starts almost immediately for you at SS and then resign him in in the offseason. It's a whole another level of insanely good fortune to also make the playoffs in the same year.

The Alvin Davis era, Mr Mariner

Shelton was not a rookie in 2006. He had 450+ plate appearances the yearbefore as a 25-year-old and posted a 132 OPS+. He started hot in 2006 but faded in June and July and was sent down at the trade deadline. 106 OPS+ in 2006. Only 150 PAs in MLB after that (with Texas and Seattle; 75ish OPS+). Strange decline but also strange some second division club didn't give him 600 PAs to see if he could rediscover his magic.

I don't think the 86 wins was a mirage. The last two months most definitely was. Before the trade deadline the Tigers were hampered by a few injuries and young player growing pains that depressed the W-L record. If the Tigers had had KC health all season long I suspect they would have finished close to 86 wins even without the super heater in the closing months. I definitely want them to bolster the roster, but if they only tinker with it I wouldn't be surprised if they finish around 85 wins again.

My understanding, through secondary sources, is that Tork has consistently resisted making changes that the organization has recommended. Maybe he is beginning to come around.

After Tork returned from minors and Greene the IL, Tork had a 125 OPS+, only one point worse than Greene. So not accurate to say he contributed next to nothing to the playoff run. That's not to say he is a long-term solution at 1B.