08/06/2022 6:10 EDT Tampa Bay Rays at Detroit Tigers

[Motor City Sonics]

2 minutes ago, mtutiger said:

Avila didn't smile or look comfortable the entire time as well.

Well, it is about 100 degrees on that field...........and he's wearing a suit. 

[Motor City Sonics]

It will be cool to go to baseballreference.com tomorrow and see #1 circled on the Tigers page. 

[Sports_Freak]

13 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Very conspicuous that neither Ilitch nor Avila were introduced.  Clearly to avoid being booed mercilessly.  They are on the stage but have had no role.

I was hoping for an announcement...Al Avila moving up in the FO and the new GM....Alan Trammell.

[Motor City Sonics]

1 minute ago, Sports_Freak said:

I was hoping for an announcement...Al Avila moving up in the FO and the new GM....Alan Trammell.

No.  I want nobody currently involved with the team to be the next GM.   Sorry Tram.  

[Tigermojo]

I'm glad they didn't acknowledge them. It's Lou's day. We have plenty of time to boo Ilitch.

[Motor City Sonics]

1 minute ago, Tigermojo said:

I'm glad they didn't acknowledge them. It's Lou's day. We have plenty of time to boo Ilitch.

They knew what would happen. 

[Tenacious D]

Cut to Shep drying his eyes during Lou ceremony.  Bally Sports is awful.

[mtutiger]

17 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

No.  I want nobody currently involved with the team to be the next GM.   Sorry Tram.  

I'm sure it happens in other fan bases, but this obsession with former greats taking over is dumb. 

The Tigers need someone from a different organization to instill new philosophies. They dont need the past.

Edited August 6, 2022 by mtutiger

[Hongbit]

Just now, Tenacious D said:

Cut to Shep drying his eyes during Lou ceremony.  Bally Sports is awful.

Shep is to broadcasting what Akil Baddoo is to hitting. 

[Crazy Cat Gentleman]

Just now, Tenacious D said:

Cut to Shep drying his eyes during Lou ceremony.  Bally Sports is awful.

That was ridiculous.

[Hongbit]

This is going to be a long long night for this tiger lineup.    

[Tenacious D]

Not to take anything away from Lou’s ceremony (very deserving), but this reminds me of 2003 when the Tigers tried to use ‘84 nostalgia to deflect from the on-field dumpster fire.  Deja vu all over again.

[Motor City Sonics]

Just now, mtutiger said:

I'm sure it happens elsewhere, but this obsession with former greats taking over is dumb. 

The Tigers need someone from a different organization to instill new philosophies. They dont need the past.

They need to interview the next-in-line with the Rays, Dodgers and Padres.   All teams draft and develop incredibly well.  Doesn't mean they'll do well here, but if they bring their experience here and are given complete control over hiring, we can start to turn this thing around, even if it means restarting a rebuild - because based on what Al's done with this one, it's at least 5 or 6 years until this team contends again - and that's if everything goes right. 

[Motor City Sonics]

1 minute ago, Tenacious D said:

Not to take anything away from Lou’s ceremony (very deserving), but this reminds me of 2003 when the Tigers tried to use ‘84 nostalgia to deflect from the on-field dumpster fire.  Deja vu all over again.

Well, if you remember, they had this scheduled for 2020 and then the pandemic happened - and then they weren't sure if they could draw many in before 2021 so it was pushed back to today, they made this announcement in the offseason when they (and we) thought they'd have a decent year. 

[Tenacious D]

Just now, Motor City Sonics said:

They need to interview the next-in-line with the Rays, Dodgers and Padres.   All teams draft and develop incredibly well.  Doesn't mean they'll do well here, but if they bring their experience here and are given complete control over hiring, we can start to turn this thing around, even if it means restarting a rebuild - because based on what Al's done with this one, it's at least 5 or 6 years until this team contends again - and that's if everything goes right. 

While the jury is still out, I think the Lions might have done that successfully getting Brad Holmes from the Rams.  Of course, thru also thought they were getting that when they hired Dan Quinn from the Pats.

[1776]

1 hour ago, casimir said:

Well, let’s be honest.  Shame on the Tigers for not honoring Whitaker before now (and, yes, before 2020 when this was originally scheduled).

At least they didn’t wait until he was deceased like they did Sparky.

[Jim Cowan]

3 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Not to take anything away from Lou’s ceremony (very deserving), but this reminds me of 2003 when the Tigers tried to use ‘84 nostalgia to deflect from the on-field dumpster fire.  Deja vu all over again.

Even then they got it backwards, Trammell as manager and Gibson as bench coach.  I remember being shocked by that.

[Tenacious D]

1 minute ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Well, if you remember, they had this scheduled for 2020 and then the pandemic happened - and then they weren't sure if they could draw many in before 2021 so it was pushed back to today, they made this announcement in the offseason when they (and we) thought they'd have a decent year. 

I understand.  I’m not suggesting they scheduled it for this reason, but I’m sure they’ve embraced it as one of the few positive PR opportunities available.  I’m also cynical, so take it for what it’s worth.

[Tenacious D]

1 minute ago, Jim Cowan said:

Even then they got it backwards, Trammell as manager and Gibson as bench coach.  I remember being shocked by that.

Yeah, I hated that.  I’m probably Trammell’s biggest fan and figured it would not end well.  I’m glad he’s part of the organization again—I didn’t know if he’d embrace us again.

Gibby was better equipped to be a manager—he proved that in AZ.

[mtutiger]

8 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

While the jury is still out, I think the Lions might have done that successfully getting Brad Holmes from the Rams.  Of course, thru also thought they were getting that when they hired Dan Quinn from the Pats.

I just think Detroit sports fans tend to get hung up on old greats taking over the team. No doubt that is amplified by Yzerman, who achieved success in the front office elsewhere, coming home.

Salvation for this team is going to come from finding the next Mike Elias. It's not going to come from waiting for a former Detroit great to get the job.

[Motor City Sonics]

12 minutes ago, 1776 said:

At least they didn’t wait until he was deceased like they did Sparky.

That was personal and petty. 

[Motor City Sonics]

11 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

I understand.  I’m not suggesting they scheduled it for this reason, but I’m sure they’ve embraced it as one of the few positive PR opportunities available.  I’m also cynical, so take it for what it’s worth.

I think they also waited because they thought he'd get in the Hall first.     I really don't get why he's not there.  I think if you put up his overall WAR, he's Top 5 of all 2b and there's a whole lot of players with lower WAR that are in.    It's because he was aloof and didn't seek attention.  It's stupid. 

[1776]

5 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

That was personal and petty. 

Not really. It is exactly what happened. 

Edited August 6, 2022 by 1776

[Hongbit]

18 minutes ago, 1776 said:

At least they didn’t wait until he was deceased like they did Sparky.

Sparky was not in great shape for last years of his life.  He had dementia pretty bad which didn’t allow him to be out in public.   Not much they could really do at the time.

[buddha]

1 minute ago, Hongbit said:

Sparky was not in great shape for last years of his life.  He had dementia pretty bad which didn’t allow him to be out in public.   Not much they could really do at the time.

illitch also never forgave him for refusing to manage the strike breakers, iirc.