HeyAbbott

I am ordinarily not a believer in using a promotion to shake things up. Right now, it needs to be on the table.

Clark wants the bright lights. He will bolt at his first chance.

Benetti is excellent on national broadcasts. He and Andy have reeled in the 12 year old boy humor quite a bit. So long as they remember that there is actually a ballgame going on for them to provide analysis they are OK. For play by play, I still prefer Dickerson and Petry.

I cut the cord long ago, so my Baseball has come through Fanduel/Bally sports streaming in the past. I went through the maze on MLB.com the first or second day it was available and signed up. It has worked on my Samsung phone perfectly through the MLB app, and my TV as well. On my Samsung 65" 4K TV (2024 Vintage), I simply searched for the MLB app, found and installed it on the TV . I logged into the app on my tv, and scanned the displayed QR Code and activated the app. That was it, It found the DSN subscription and has worked perfectly ever since. The picture quality is fantastic, and it looks like a 4K signal, although I'm not totally sure. The pricing is identical to my last year's Fanduel subscription. Between over the air, streaming, and Samsung TV which come through my internet connection on the TV, I am just shy of 500 channels plus the streaming. Life is good.

If Vierling is healthy this year, didn't we, in effect, get an impact RH bat?

I have read that blog before. In my opinion, it is kind of like watching matte finish white paint dry on a wall.

My view is that both Skubal and Boras are looking for a way to accelerate Skubal's departure to a different market. Skubal's loyalty is to Skubal and the CBA and nothing more. The sooner Skubal gets to say, the New York or LA market, the sooner Skubal gets paid serious money. I would like to believe that serious negotiations for the long term may have been held and whatever meager possibility for Skubal staying were explored and rejected long ago. I would have respected the Tiger's arb offer if it was at least 25 million. Where does that leave me? I feel that both Skubal and Boras will "protect" Skubal this year if he stays on the Tigers by seeing Skubal mostly pitching no more than 5 innings. If the desire for Tarik to leave strengthens, perhaps some mysterious "Stomach Bug" inflicts him . Whatever else, I am convinced the current strategy is to accelerate Skubal's departure by other means. Personally, I would trade him now and take my chances.

I would not sign Skubal. It locks in too much risk. We were one bat shy last year, and unless Veirling and the various outfield pieces prove to be healthy, we will likely be a bat shy this year.

Reading over this thread, I have to place myself as some kind of a pragmatist. I give Harris good overall grades. I believe he is reminiscent of a financial sort of guy mostly, not a riverboat gambler like Dombroski or Mike I. I think that Skubal is here for a year, and if one looks at his long term injury and surgery history, I'd place him at an even bet to require another arm surgery by '28, although no one knows for sure. I will accept the premise that we have a pitching shortfall,but, I am still convinced we are one bat in the lineup shy for 2026. I don't think Harris ever expected the Tigers to be a playoff team 2 years in a row, and he has not adjusted his thinking for the facts on the ground. There are other things brewing in the background that might be creating a perception of undue risk to an overly risk adverse chap like Harris.

I don't have much argument except I think the lineup is one bat shy. Maybe it is found in-house. Maybe it's not. I am looking forward to the '26 season. As far as Skubal is concerned, I think it is wiser to focus solely on his 2026 contributions.

Skubal plays here in '26, walks in '27. It is as simple as that. The only thing that bugs me about this is the Tigers, knowing this, haven't got one more bat to make a better playoff run likely.

Well, I can take the rhymes with Rocco for granite, of quartz.

It's looking a lot like a clearance sale of week old bread at a local mom and pop bakery. I do not see much in quality.

Well, It looks like another exciting Harris styled off season. This year has had all the excitement of the breath-taking, non-stop action, of a paint drying tournament , white semi-gloss division. I do think there has been one thing said in this thread that makes sense. Given that the Tigers have not resigned Skubal, and the pitching looks might suspect for '27 and beyond, why would someone want to commit long term and sign here when the team can't go all in on its best player, and one of the best in the game? If you're a player and want a ring, why come here when you can go elsewhere, have a better chance at winning all, while being in a bigger market with better weather, and a more committed ownership? I suddenly have the feeling that every passing cloud contains a cast iron anvil with my name on it.

I think that I am perfectly OK with an impact infielder FA coming to Detroit, If not Bregman, then somebody else. The infields contribution to wins has mildly improved with a hernia-repaired Torres and the departure of Ibanez. If they sign Bregman, will we see less of Sweeney? That would be my hope. We need a replacement OF as the overall health of our outfield may be less than what is required. Let Clark mellow like fine scotch in Toledo. I also think the pitching in the minors is somewhat thin, and I wouldn't be surprised to see Olson go under the knife this year, possibly before the ASB. Jobe or Madden will not be available replacements more than likely either IMO. We need a starting pitcher. We need a bullpen arm or 2. We need an outfielder. We need Bregman. for the IF.