2023 MLB (non-Tigers) catch all thread

[Tiger337]

i was told that gambling was a positive thing for baseball and that it was foolish to think there might possibly be conflicts of interest.  

[Tiger337]

 

[Tigeraholic1]

[Tiger337]

I have no idea if Ohtani was involved in gambling, but the story about his money getting stolen by his interpreter sounds unlikely.  It's easier to believe that he was paying his interpreter's gambling debts.  They probably won't be able to prove any wrong doing on his part (if there was any), but his name is going to be dragged all over social media in all kinds of conspiracy theoriies.  His image may be tainted and perhaps his marketing appeal takes a hit.  

[gehringer_2]

45 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

I have no idea if Ohtani was involved in gambling, but the story about his money getting stolen by his interpreter sounds unlikely.  It's easier to believe that he was paying his interpreter's gambling debts.  They probably won't be able to prove any wrong doing on his part (if there was any), but his name is going to be dragged all over social media in all kinds of conspiracy theoriies.  His image may be tainted and perhaps his marketing appeal takes a hit.  

Or it might set him up as the perfect replacement for Jamie Foxx at MGM...

[SoCalTiger]

So does Lorenzen signing for only 4.5 million dent the Tigers image of "come to Detroit and Improve " or does it prove that to stay good you need to stay in the "D" ? 

[oblong]

There is no way on God's green earth that MLB will let it be known that Ohtani had a gambling problem if that's what occurred here. Not saying he did, I'm willing to believe that it's simply this guy racked up debts and Ohtani wanted to pay it off for him.  But the changing of the stories makes believing that suspect.  I just saw a list of the MLB players with the highest endorsement earnings, he was over $60-70M a year.  The next guys up were under $10.  MLB isn't going to let that type of marketing be tainted.

It's not unusual for performers at such a high level to be into gambling to such a degree, we have Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods as examples. I believe the competitive fire that makes them excel at such a level can be triggered by the same things  in the brain that a gambling win, no matter how bit or small, delivers.  They have to compete, they want to win. 

[casimir]

I wonder how Bruno Mars is with translating.

[casimir]

6 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

So does Lorenzen signing for only 4.5 million dent the Tigers image of "come to Detroit and Improve " or does it prove that to stay good you need to stay in the "D" ? 

I think Lorenzen probably hit a wall late in the season.  He hadn't logged that kind of workload in his career.  He ended up at 150 innings and had pitched over 100 only once, his rookie season in 2015.  So I think that factors into his specific situation.  The Tigers did well to trade Lorenzen before the season got too long for Lorenzen.  Lorenzen did well to establish himself as a starter while in Detroit.  Both sides were able to parlay that into a trade to a contender for a prospect.  I think that both would agree it was a win-win at the time.  Its just unfortunate that Lorenzen cam back to earth later in the season, but again, the unchartered waters might have been a main culprit to that.

Gregory Soto is the pitcher that sticks out to me as having success after leaving the Tigers that might give me pause to before canonizing Fetter for sainthood.  But there are exceptions to every rule, and Soto very well may be an example of that.

We'll see how the imported Tiger pitchers perform this season.  Flaherty is going to an intriguing follow this season.  Can Chafin bounce back?  How about guys like Miller and Maeda, can they deliver a favorable return on investment and maybe deliver a spike season or two?

So, I don't know, I think there's something to the "come to Detroit and improve".  But there are still going to be some limits as far as what those improvements can be.

Edited March 21, 2024 by casimir

[gehringer_2]

52 minutes ago, casimir said:

So, I don't know, I think there's something to the "come to Detroit and improve". 

They should be getting (and maybe will) get a lot credit for rebuilding Casey Mize into a power pitcher - assuming he ends up as good this season as he looks now.

[gehringer_2]

Kind of an odd story in DetNews today that the players - unhappy about the way FA has gone this year, were agitating not to replace Tony Clark, but for Clark to replace his number two guy. It's a 'who cares' issue but still an odd dynamic.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2024/03/19/tigers-player-rep-casey-mize-explains-why-union-is-trying-to-force-a-leadership-change/73032110007/

[Tiger337]

3 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Kind of an odd story in DetNews today that the players - unhappy about the way FA has gone this year, were agitating not to replace Tony Clark, but for Clark to replace his number two guy. It's a 'who cares' issue but still an odd dynamic.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2024/03/19/tigers-player-rep-casey-mize-explains-why-union-is-trying-to-force-a-leadership-change/73032110007/

The remaining free agents will do better in May.  

[HeyAbbott]

37 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Kind of an odd story in DetNews today that the players - unhappy about the way FA has gone this year, were agitating not to replace Tony Clark, but for Clark to replace his number two guy. It's a 'who cares' issue but still an odd dynamic.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2024/03/19/tigers-player-rep-casey-mize-explains-why-union-is-trying-to-force-a-leadership-change/73032110007/

It is possible that the players are trying to build a collusion case against the owners?

[oblong]

 

[theroundsquare]

36 minutes ago, HeyAbbott said:

It is possible that the players are trying to build a collusion case against the owners?

this was my thought when i saw the story

[gehringer_2]

50 minutes ago, oblong said:

 

One would have to suppose for this guy to have access to Ohtani's money he must be more like a personal secretary than strictly an interpreter. I suppose that difference is certainly within the range of normal  inexactitude of US media reporting.

[oblong]

If it's not Ohtani making the bets then I think what happned was this guy racked up the debts and Ohtani paid it.  Then MLB found out and they changed the story and this guy is out.

 

[oblong]

so we're clear.... MLB can take money from gambling.  But players cannot give money to gambling.

 

[KL2]

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Kind of an odd story in DetNews today that the players - unhappy about the way FA has gone this year, were agitating not to replace Tony Clark, but for Clark to replace his number two guy. It's a 'who cares' issue but still an odd dynamic.

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2024/03/19/tigers-player-rep-casey-mize-explains-why-union-is-trying-to-force-a-leadership-change/73032110007/

The guy they are trying to oust negotiated their last deal with MLB. There are some things, despite approving it, players are now upset about. Take for example, the arbitration salaries not being guaranteed and what happened to Davis. 

There is now a croup trying to push to replace No. 2 with the young guy who handled the MiLB deal with owners. 

[gehringer_2]

19 minutes ago, oblong said:

If it's not Ohtani making the bets then I think what happned was this guy racked up the debts and Ohtani paid it.  Then MLB found out and they changed the story and this guy is out.

 

IDK - would it have been a bad story for Ohtani him if the truth was that Ohtani had paid off the guys debt for past loyalty and then fired him? I mean most PR type decisions make no sense to me anyway but how is the angle better for Ohtani to say the guy was able to steal from him as compared to Ohtani bailed him out? Whatever....

I certainly get them circling the wagons to protect Ohtani if the debts were his though...

[gehringer_2]

4 minutes ago, KL2 said:

The guy they are trying to oust negotiated their last deal with MLB. There are some things, despite approving it, players are now upset about. Take for example, the arbitration salaries not being guaranteed and what happened to Davis. 

There is now a croup trying to push to replace No. 2 with the young guy who handled the MiLB deal with owners. 

sure - I just found it unusual the boss seems to be getting a pass.

Edited March 21, 2024 by gehringer_2

[bobrob2004]

4 hours ago, casimir said:

I think Lorenzen probably hit a wall late in the season.  He hadn't logged that kind of workload in his career.  He ended up at 150 innings and had pitched over 100 only once, his rookie season in 2015.  So I think that factors into his specific situation.  The Tigers did well to trade Lorenzen before the season got too long for Lorenzen.  Lorenzen did well to establish himself as a starter while in Detroit.  Both sides were able to parlay that into a trade to a contender for a prospect.  I think that both would agree it was a win-win at the time.  Its just unfortunate that Lorenzen cam back to earth later in the season, but again, the unchartered waters might have been a main culprit to that.

He had an ERA of 8.01 after his no-hitter.  As amazing as it is to see a no-hitter, sometimes it comes at a cost.  He threw 124 pitches in that game, which is a lot for a pitcher like Lorenzen.  Add in the number of innings that he was pitching and you can see fatigue was clearly a factor. 

[SoCalTiger]

1 minute ago, gehringer_2 said:

IDK - would it have been a bad story for Ohtani him if the truth was that Ohtani had paid off the guys debt for past loyalty and then fired him? I mean most PR type decisions make no sense to me anyway but how is the angle better for Ohtani to say the guy was able to steal from him as compared to Ohtani bailed him out? Whatever....

I certainly get them circling the wagons to protect Ohtani if the debts were his though...

Agree it make Ohtani look stupid for letting someone steal 4.5 million without you knowing ? Really ? I agree he looks better just saying he loaned the guy 4.5 million and had no idea what it was for or just tell the truth. At least he looks benevolent instead of clueless.

[KL2]

2 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

sure - I just found it unusual the boss seems to be getting a pass.

No. 2 is buddies with Boras

 

It's the non Boras type players leading the push feeling they are getting the short end

[gehringer_2]

11 minutes ago, KL2 said:

No. 2 is buddies with Boras

 

It's the non Boras type players leading the push feeling they are getting the short end

OK - that's an interesting angle. While Tony remains the friend of the proletariat....

Edited March 21, 2024 by gehringer_2