gehringer_2

With Riley and Carpenter, and Meadows and Keith in the wings, they're on track to get more LH dominant. Even if Torkelson improves, they need more RH power. Malloy might be some of that, but I would agree a FA pickup - esp RH - should be high on the list.

Other than this start he's not exactly tearing it up yet. Good K rate and H/9, but too many walks and HRs.

I think that fact that that hasn't happened after a year means that he is the GM. Tigers probably offered the job as POBO so that the title upgrade would help remove any walkaway issues for a current GM they might offer. Many/Most employment contracts have easy out clauses for promotions. Tigers will talk about it once in a while to keep the fiction alive then more nothing will happen.

Game concluded. Hens won 4-1 Meadows finishes 1/2 2B, 2BB Keith 1/4 HR(!) Wenceel 1/3 BB Gipson-Long 5IP, 4H 0R, 2BB, 8K

Hinch thinks he is too valuable to get run.

Gameday's box (generally more accurate) didn't show it quite as far out as Bally's but still a clear miss by Wolf

Dammit all That wasn't even close! A great AB by Torkelson anyway.

Toledo in a rain delay - no score after 5. If it doesn't get rained out Meadows has a walk and another double.

2 BB today. Still no singles!

Ladies and gentleman, Will-Hit-Walk-Loadthebases-Vest.

I think Javy is totally frustrated. It would be unprecedented for a ten yr pro to do it, but if he wants to salvage his career maybe he should go to winter ball to try the total retool his swing needs.

Against a tough lefty no less.

It's always the same with Skubal recently when he goes off. He can't get any off speed into the bottom third of the zone. It's all either low out of the zone, or he hangs it. Maybe he needs to work inside/outside more so if he missed on elevation it's not right down the middle.

Skubal going into one of his 'can't throw strikes' funks.,,, And there is the 3run HR>

No doubt he had fallen off as his health failed and Dickerson had to do a lot of covering but the two of them together even with Jim at half speed was still a better broadcast than all the people they have tried other than Dirks.

Very nice play by Skubal and Torkelson. to get out of the 3rd

Another dribbler on the ground for a base hit. Tigers IF positioning has been consistently wrong so far.

IDK, depends on how you cut it. No runs allowed in 19 of his last 26 appearances, 3.10 FIP since May 1. I wouldn't say he's pitched badly. Like most not top of line relievers, he has days when he's not good but for a 6,7th inning guy thought he was serviceable. Time will tell if his replacement does better.

two weak ground balls and two men on.

did not expect that. For Vest? gotta be more to that story.

Well, I know Buddha thinks I'm crazy when I mention things like this, but is there some kind of limit on the operating mandate of a US college or University? Is there some point where the connection is so tenuous and so unattached to their core mission they walk away from what left of their involvement? Or maybe it just becomes a licensing, sponsorship and a stadium rental relationship and the team is an otherwise free standing business of its own? Truth is, the more I think about it, the more I think Congress will undo enough of what the NIL court rulings did to allow something pretty much like the current system to survive another generation.

At least he has not been a disaster this season - at least not since May. That's more than I thought we would get. Since May he's on a pace about .9H/game. if he plays in 25 more games out of the 47 remaining, that should get him past Beltre on the all time list. Then again, down the stretch there really isn't any reason not to play him more if he is hitting. What would they be saving him for/from?

True also. I suppose you can accept to see questionable talent tryouts get more priority on a team they know isn't going anywhere. You would hope not to see any of that next season.

I'm less worried about the hitting. Most of the hitters are still in the 'getting' better phase of their career, and one or two of Malloy/Keith/Meadows could be in house improvements by next year. I'd wan to pick up at least one bat, but it's not clear what position they'd be looking for - catcher, 2b or 3b depending on what you expected from Keith? OF is already pretty crowded with guys we like. OTOH - my confidence levels for Manning, Turnbull and Mize are all moderate at best.

Meadows in Center, Greene goes to left. At COPA, left is the field that needs more speed to cover. Riley has good OF speed but no arm so he is perfect for LF at COPA. I assume that since Malloy at least got an audition as a 3b, his arm would play in RF. Vierling's clearly does. Carpenter's is fair. Greene, Meadows, Vierling, 7-8-9 might be as good as some of the TB or Royals OFs of recent years. All that IF Meadows keeps hitting.