Tiger337

We just need to know who to blame when they don't get the players we want. The media will probably decide that.

That's why it's pencil and not pen. He has earned a chance to show what he can do for another year (or as long as he keeps pitching well).

I thought they might keep him based on his age. His walk rate, while still not good, is adequate this year. It is hard to judge fielding of mult-position guys with small samples at every position, but defense was a problem for him in the past, He is playing mostly OF and 3B, so maybe that works for him like Vierling.

Sale also have over 100 wins. He may have been on the IL when you heard it.

Two expansion teams and four additional playoff teams coming soon.

Most likely true, because you can't usually find enough players under 25 to build a winning team. Most acquisitions from outside the organization are going to be over 25.

I was hit in the head with a clip board by a public school teacher because I couldn't (or wouldn't because I hated the guy) answer a question when called upon. This was junior high school. I was very quiet and all the teachers tried to embarrass me into talking more which of course made me talk less. The only one who left me alone was the math teacher.

Righ now it's Skubal, Mize, Manning, Olson. Hopefully, they add a dependable veteran to the mix to replace Rodriguez. Also, hopefully none of them break before the season starts.

I don't know if Olson is for real but I can't complain about the results and he is approaching 100 IP.

True, but the same can be said of any GM. There's always stuff that they know which fans don't know (a lot of it more obscure than who Hanifee is). Same goes for Al Avila and Randy Smith.

There's still a chance.

I think the owners are the ones who want their GMs to be like the Rays (winning on a low budget). Then they find out it's not so easy and they don't like it. That's what happened in Boston.

Remember when people were saying that the Tigers shouldn't trade Lange because has so many years of control left? That argument never works for relievers.

The Rays have to do it the way they do because have such a small budget. I am amazed that they do it so well. So far, no other team has been so successful on that kind of budget.

It also works! It's just hard to do and always has been. It should however be the ideal that teams try to achieve before falling back on mixing and matching.

That's not the right way to do it. They are living in the 20th Century.

Every Italian from New Jersey.

That's the thing with relievers. They become relievers because they don't have enough pitches to start. They can get away with that in short inning stints for a while, but they tend not to peak very long.

True, but you don't even have to be that good at math. You really just need an intuitive understanding and too many people don't have that.

I am not worried about Covid at this point. The only reason I plan on getting a shot is because I teach and I don't want to have to stay home one day and do a zoom class. So, if I can avoid some cold-like symptoms, it will be good.

Sounds like a job for Adduci. He knows people. What percentage of that 98 million saved can they offer him?

I wouldn't mind seeing JD Martinez coming back, but I agree that's not happening. They'll be looking for flexibility.

Right, you are not going to win a division with a line-up of Jakes Rogerses, but you can carry a few guys with a 100 OPS+ and solid defense to go with your allstars. He's not Cochrane or Freehan or Parrish, but he's Avila.

The stress frature is more concerning and I am worried about his propensity for injury in general. I don't know if any injury is 100% fluke because some people get injured easier than others doing the same things. I think the ability to stay healthy has to be viewed as a skill. His most recent injury occurred because he completely layed out diving for a fly ball, so the injury is not surprising. Still, maybe another player doesn't get hurt as bad doing that. Maybe Greene is the kind of player that can't play that way and needs to play more conservatively. He hits well enough, so it's OK if he misses a few of balls over the course of the season in order to porotect himself.

Losing in 1984 would have been a disappointment because they were so much better than every other team and it would have tainted an amazing season. There wasn't one Dombrowski era team that was so dominant that I thought they had to win the whole thing or the season would be tainted. Plus, I am now used to the idea that the post-season is a crap shoot.