gehringer_2

you know Trump has told him that he will pardon him after he get re-elected.

yeah - it's sort of been radio silence about him since the intial announcement.

Exactly - it was the fans with the problem more than Riley. I think it was clearly a mistake not to have sent Spencer back down sooner after he struggled so much, and the blame for that lies directly on a FO that probably waited too long because they didn't even have another 1B on the roster.

I don't think the cases are quite comparable. Riley put up a 98 OPS+ in his first 400 MLB AB and played a good CF - 1.4 WAR in a little over 1/2 a season. That's a fine start for any career. He had a few cold stretchs but every player does. His were just being viewed with a microscope.

I don't think it's as much that a AAA 325 hitter isn't ready enough, it's whether after 25 AB he's really a 320 AAA hitter. It's all about the sample size right now - exactly what we saw with JHM, who after exploding out of the gate with a month at 1000 OPS then promptly put up a 2nd month at 700 OPS. The 'working on his defense' argument I'm less persuaded by. The validity of that argument lies in not wanting your developing player to be costing you major league games as he learns his trade, but that assumes you have a competent defender that would be playing there if he weren't. For much of this season that hasn't be true - maybe it will become more true if McKinstry or Ibanez establish that they can handle 3B decently if one of them starts playing it more. Schoop may still have the defensive chops but a bat like Schoop's is exactly what drives the need to call up a Keith. It is true that with the new MiLB scheduling system, MiLB players travel less so theoretically they have a more time to practice. I guess there would be something to be said for that.

Clearly not a Lalonde fan!

I'm wondering if we are aren't now getting close enough to F16's in theater that the AFU is content to keep running primarily shaping operations for the time being - enough offense to keep the Russians tied down yet keeping back most of their force.

The only thing you can say in defense of the hitters on both team is that Miller's K zone was big for both teams.

he's young, the buyout is only 1/3 of his remaining contract - so that saves more than $2M plus the cap space. It's not huge money but it's enough to tell you they must still have some hope he's worth it - which was my initial point.

True - $$ are $$. One other hand, you can't be too worried about serivce time for guy who won't be eligible for FA until he's 32! ( don't know if that deserves a or a 😭 )

The IF situation in the minor is pretty depressing. Keith is a ray of sunshine, but everything is cloudy beyond that. Kreidler will be 26 next season - still hasn't proven he can achieve even utility status, and there is Lipcius - a long shot at best and already 25 himself. Look at Erie and Wenceel can't keep his OPS over 700 and Navigato is 25 at AA. They need Maton to be better, but that's really no better than 50/50.

What they really want is a LH hitting MIF - i.e., they want Maton back in a functional state. The have Camargo - who may be more capable as a 3B, but he's not on the 40 so they'd have to reach another step on the desperation scale.

too soon. 😭 (jk)

Sure, but don't they still have to have the thought that might work? If not just cut him loose and save the $.

Damn - don't know why I had it in my head he was LH. Yeah, he's about it.

two games under 500 in homestand openers.

IDK, there is some kind of deal where they need to maintain his eligibility to be on some list next season that gives them a shot at draft pick or somesuch nonsense.

need a reliable right hander and there is no help anywhere close.

11th shut out?

Tork is like hot and cold water. Some days he can't see anything.

another Tiger with no idea of protecting the plate in a critical situation.

Haase is in such a hitting purgatory you might as well have bunted him.

well that sucks.

that didn't look like a guy with a 9+ ERA.

man - I was muttering to myself - "don't give in here" and Olson gets the breaking ball in for a K.