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    Baseball

    Bless You Boys: for Detroit Tigers fans

    The official home for audio programming from Bless You Boys, SB Nation’s community for fans of the Detroit Tigers.

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    Latest Episodes:
    BYB Podcast 98: Breaking down the Tigers 2021 roster with Kenon Carter Mar 19, 2021

    We're joined by an old friend on this edition of the Bless You Boys podcast. Kenon Carter, who runs the Detroit Tigers Minor League Tracker accounts on social media joins us for an in depth dive into the Tigers spring training roster battles. Most of you will remember Kenon from his work covering the Tigers farm system for Bless You Boys for a few seasons. In this episode we'll unpack the Tigers training camp with under two weeks left to Opening Day.

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    BYB Podcast 97: Spring training chat with David Laurila of FanGraphs Mar 03, 2021

    With Grapefruit League action underway, and the long awaited return of Dan Dickerson's dulcet tones to the airwaves--many of us are still waiting for MLB to actually permit us to watch our favorite teams--the spring ritual has arrived. In that spirit, we're joined on this episode by David Laurila of FanGraphs.com. Laurila has written for Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus in the past, so his work at FanGraphs completes the baseball writer trifecta. He is a frequent contributor as a host for FanGraphs Audio, and his articles and interviews are a weekly staple for the site.

    In this episode, we'll consider the Tigers offseason, contrasting a more patient approach from Laurila to we Tigers fans here at Bless You Boys. We'll consider the Tigers approach to free agency and some of the interesting young veterans they signed this offseason. The chat touches on A.J. Hinch and the Tigers new coaching staff, and the development of the club's top prospects. Throughout, Laurila deploys an ample supply of interviews and anecdotes collected over the years with which to spice the conversation. We ultimately get to a key reason why they didn't do much more as the conversation ends with us somewhat bleakly considering the breakdown in relations between the league and the players as a next CBA looms over all of MLB's endeavors this year. But we hate that topic, so let's just learn one of the key lessons of the past year and take it one game at a time for now.

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    BYB Podcast 96: Preseason roundup with Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic Detroit Feb 20, 2021

    With spring camp underway and Mr. Stavenhagen, the Tigers reporter for The Athletic Detroit, days away from a flight to lovely Lakeland Florida to cover them, he joins us for a preseason conversation about the 2021 Detroit Tigers.

    This is a pretty wide-ranging, state-of-the-organization conversation, but we start off discussing some of the interesting small scale additions like Nomar Mazara and Julio Teheran while also lamenting the lack of any major moves this offseason. The 2021 Tigers do feel different as AJ Hinch and his coaching staff make their presence felt, and Cody talks about the contrasts with Ron Gardenhire's staff, but we appear set for another year in a holding pattern hoping for a lot of player development. We talk through the pitching staff and what constitutes progress in another season where the team is largely treading water. The need for the young pitching prospects to start establishing themselves is very clear as well. Finally, we consider the farm system and the meager depth in mid-tier prospects, particularly on the pitching side, that informed the Tigers collection of veterans they'll invite to camp on minor league deals. Finally we discuss a few key players and our hopes for a farm system that needs to show major improvement in 2021.

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    BYB Podcast 95: Uncle Al's Discount Boutique Feb 12, 2021

    Welcome back Tigers fans. We didn't get the big deal we were hoping for this offseason, but as the yearly scramble for odds and ends hits high gear, Al Avila and the Tigers have added some interesting names that will at least be interesting projects for the new coaching staff. We'll talk Jonathan Schoop, Renato Núñez, and Nomar Mazara, and how the roster is shaping up overall. Finally, we'll talk about MLB's attempt to de-juice the baseball, and offer wise alternatives to make the game a more watchable product on the field, as well as a few ridiculous ones. We're just days away from pitchers and catchers reporting, so while it's still frigid in the northern realms, we can feel the first faint rays of sunshine as the 2021 baseball season gets underway.

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    BYB Podcast 94: The hot stove won't keep you warm like Anya Taylor-Joy will Jan 19, 2021

    We are back with another overdue episode of the Bless You Boys podcast. Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan return with an overview of the quiet offseason to date, and what may lie ahead. First we'll catch up on some of the signings and news from around the league. Then, we'll discuss the new coaching staff, the signings so far, and what the Tigers may do in the month remaining until pitchers and catchers are supposed to report to Lakeland.


    And, since we're regularly asked to do a segment after the baseball portion of the podcast on what we're reading, watching, or listening to, particularly in this year of the quarantine, there's a whole bonus segment past the 52:00 mark in which we'll dive into some of the best movies and shows we've seen over the past year.

    This exercise is almost entirely an excuse to obsess over our mutual favorite obsession of 2020-2021, the actress Anya Taylor-Joy. With the Queen's Gambit breakout star as the centerpiece, we'll talk about her career, some of her co-stars, and follow that chain into some of non-Anya Taylor-Joy work we've been most impressed by over the past year. Tom Hardy, Johnny Flynn, and Aubrey Plaza will all be name-checked along the way. Next time out, we'll include a segment on what we've been reading. Once again, this is totally self-indulgent on our part, and if you're here for baseball alone, the 52:00 mark is going to be your stopping point.

    As always, thanks for reading and commenting at BlessYouBoys.com. One more month and we'll all be in the best shape of our lives once again. It can't come soon enough.

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    BYB Podcast 93: Talking Tigers with Jeff Riger of 97.1 The Ticket Nov 09, 2020

    There is no more recognizable voice in Detroit Sports media than that of Jeff Riger. As a reporter and broadcaster, he's made a name for himself by his willingness to ask the questions fans want asked, and at time irritate the powerful. Joined by Mark Gorosh from the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build podcast, we had a fun chat about the Tigers past, present, and future, got some good Jim Leyland stories, and talked the state of talk radio in the social media era.

    The first hour is devoted to the state of the Tigers and some of Jeff's experiences covering the team. Starting at about the hour mark we get into Jim Leyland stories. Three way calling via Skype remains a bit of a crapshoot, and the sound is not ideal. My apologies. We have some investments coming up that should make for a more consistent product going forward.

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    BYB Podcast 92:: Talking A.J. Hinch with Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic Detroit Oct 30, 2020

    What wizardry was this? Certain that the White Sox would hire the former Astros skipper, we didn't really allow ourselves to hope this would happen. Now, as we record on the evening of Thursday, October 29th, A.J. Hinch appears to be a lock to become the 49th manager in Detroit Tigers franchise history. For this episode we're fortunate to be joined the Tigers beat writer for the Athletic Detroit, Cody Stavenhagen. He'll provide his own inside insight into how this decision came to pass.

    -White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf goes old-school, does it his way.

    -A.J. Hinch is coming to Detroit (we're 99 percent sure).

    -We'll explore how Hinch can overcome his damaged reputation, and why he feels like such a perfect, and necessary, fit for the Tigers.

    -We'll preview what promises to be a slow moving offseason market.

    -Finally we'll talk a bit of instructional league ball and Tigers farm system and player development staff.

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    BYB Podcast 91: Reality bites back at the Tigers playoff hopes Sep 11, 2020

    Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan back to discuss a very interesting two weeks of Tigers baseball. After pushing to the .500 mark, they've slumped to a 3-7 record over their last 10 and now look at a three-game road series in Chicago. At the end of a stretch of 12 games over 10 days, there is no choice but to win. A tired Tigers club has their backs against the wall now, and somehow need to find a way to take the series if their impressively scrappy campaign for a wild card spot is going to live a little longer.

    -A couple of brutal losses have laid bare how far the Tigers have to go to becoming a legit threat in a normal length season. But that doesn't mean baseball can't produce a miraculous little run over their final 15 games. Anything can happen in 15 games. We'll discuss the fun and disorienting ride of the 2020 Tigers.

    -The compressed nature of the season has produced a wild rollercoaster of narratives, and not enough bankable information. Jeimer Candelario and Victor Reyes seem like viable pieces, but the track records are still a little hard to trust. Meanwhile Mize, Skubal, and Paredes haven't impressed much, while Willi Castro has. Knowing the numerous wild swings in performance that accompany the average player's regular season, how much can we really trust in such an odd, short, season of baseball?

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    BYB Podcast 90 - Midseason Tigers checkup after a quiet trade deadine Sep 01, 2020

    Monday night after a trade deadline with no real action from the Detroit Tigers, we're back with part two of our midseason review. Mark Gorosh of the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build podcast joins host Brandon Day for another wide ranging conversation.

    We'll reflect on what was already expected to be a pretty quiet deadline, and was in fact very quiet. That's not necessarily a bad thing either, but whether a team makes real moves or doesn't, they're telling you something about how they see themselves.

    The position players are our focus tonight after talking about the pitching staff last time out. With the Tigers in it to win it, kinda, how do you best optimize this roster and still work to develop your young players? How much of the surprisingly strong performance through 32 games is real, and how much just a temporary streak? You probably won't love the answer, but there are also real positives throughout the organization now, and the team has been fun no matter how it plays out in the end.

    We both believe the Tigers have a mountain to climb to return to being a regular postseason threat, but for now we'll take the club's cue and enjoy the show for another month.

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    BYB Podcast 89 - Halfway home and the Tigers are hanging tough Aug 29, 2020

    Well here we are now, and the Tigers are actually entertaining us. The Motor City Kitties are just a game under .500 and right on the heels of the final Al Wild Card spot. Things couldn't be going too much better.

    Brandon Day and Mark Gorosh got together Friday night prior to the club's Saturday doubleheader victories over the Twins to take stock of what we've seen from the surprisingly resilient Tigers over the first half. This will be another two part epic, with this episode focused on the pitching staff.

    First we'll talk about the big news of the week, namely Matt Manning and Alex Faedo getting shutdown with forearm strains. We'll consider why the Tigers seem down on Jake Rogers, and then we'll get into general impressions of the 2020 Detroit Tigers thus far.

    We'll talk about the rotation first, and we're definitely feeling more optimistic about that group with Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal in the mix. Matt Boyd should settle in, and some of the concern there is overblown. Michael Fulmer is a bit of a problem, but Daniel Norris and Tyler Alexander have generally had some solutions. And finally, Spencer Turnbull just needs to go out there and play catch, because as long as he's throwing strikes, they can't hit him.

    From there we ponder the question: Now that we have a bullpen what are we gonna do....with it?

    Hope you enjoy. We'll be back with part two, mainly focused on the lineup, the trade deadline, and who we may yet see called up from Toledo, early in the week. Take care, and thanks as always for your support.

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    BYB Podcast 88 - The Kids are Alright but the Team is not Aug 22, 2020

    We're back in the wake of an exciting week of call-up, that, unfortunately, did little to curb the Tigers rapid descent to last place. Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan meet up for an admittedly lengthy podcast (sorry about that) recorded on Thursday night after the Tigers were swept by the Chicago White Sox.

    We'll talk about the happy stuff first, as the Tigers addition of Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Isaac Paredes is going to make this a fun five weeks of baseball. We'll then discuss the host of Dombrowski guys in their late 20's and whether any of them have a place in the Tigers future. We'll expand from there to see if anything more can do down to stave off the suck factor.

    At about the 40 minute mark, we'll get into a long segment of listener questions (thank you!).

    Finally we wrap up with the old boys network being a pain in the butt to the rest of baseball fans everywhere. Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a 3-0 grand slam with a seven run lead and a bunch of people were upset. Fortunately, everyone else piled right in on social media to shut that nonsense down. Finally, we'll wrap with the ugliest story of the week, as Reds broadcaster Thom Brenneman showed his true colors in a hot mic moment and probably got himself fired. He of course followed up with the save my job style apology and played the victim while taking a long time to even apologize to the community he slandered. Not good. Not good in society. Not good for baseball, and definitely not good for baseball having a strong future that welcomes all fans to the table. We're really sick of this crap. Imagine how others feel.

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    BYB Podcast 87 - The Al Avila era of Tigers baseball finally begins Aug 18, 2020

    Hi folks, we're back with another podcast summit with the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build podcast. Our special guest is Cody Stavenhagen, Tigers beat writer for The Athletic Detroit.

    Thanks to Cody for sitting in with us yet again as we recorded Monday night during the Tigers' loss to the Chicago White Sox. With the imminent debuts of three of the Tigers top prospects, there was much to discuss.

    We'll kick things off discussing Casey Mize, Tarik Skubal, and Isaac Paredes, and get the latest word from Cody on reports out of Toledo prior to their call ups. Then we move on with a little speculation as to who else might find their way to Detroit in the very near future. We'll also get into the sense that these call ups mark the end of the teardown phase, and the beginning of Al Avila's mark finally making itself felt on the major league roster, for better or for worse.

    Of course, this isn't your Daddy's AL Central either. The competition appears set up to be a lot fiercer than during the Tigers 2011-2014 run atop the division.

    Finally, we discuss the struggles of Miguel Cabrera and Matt Boyd, debate the merits of the Jhonny Peralta card where Paredes defensive home is concerned, and consider which Tigers prospects will now get the invite to Toledo to work out with the Tigers alternates.

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    BYB Podcast 86: Early returns say the 2020 Detroit Tigers may be pretty fun Jul 29, 2020

    After a night of pure dominance from the vaunted Tigers bullpen (just go along with it) the club is out to a solid 3-2 start in this compressed season of madness. The Tigers have a tendency to look their best early in a season before the long fade to the bottom begins, so don't get too excited, but there are at least reasons for optimism and in 2020, optimism is an especially valuable commodity.

    Hang in there long enough, Tigers, and your front office may reward you with some top prospect backup in the rotation and bullpen. In the meantime, Daniel Norris seems soon to return, and the club could really use him right now.

    Hosts Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan will talk early returns from the Tigers' position groups. Obviously the flame-throwing work of relievers Gregory Soto and Jose Cisnero has been the most obvious thing to get too-soon excited about, but overall there are encouraging signs from the offense as well. We knew they'd be better this year, and if they could just trim the punchouts a little bit they might surprise with league average performance.

    Michael Fulmer's return to action went reasonably well, but oddly it's the rotation where the club now looks weakest. At least for the moment. Funny how things change.

    From happy thoughts on the Tigers, we'll then wrap the show discussing the league's miserable handling of the Miami Marlins COVID-19 outbreak, why we still have no idea if baseball can pull this off, Justin Verlander's injury, and a few more odds and ends before we wrap.

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    BYB Podcast 85 - Riley Greene is here to show you a good time Jul 16, 2020

    Summer Camp has only been underway for about two weeks, and yet here we are only another week until Opening Day. Co-host Ashley MacLennan is back as we take a look at the early returns.

    We discuss baseball without fans and how best to present this unusual package via television broadcast. We'll take the temperature of the notables based on their performance so far, and consider the possibilities for the starting rotation and the bullpen.

    Then it's on to some of the fringe candidates fighting for a job, and the likelihood the league can pull off a complete season without having to shut it down due to COVID-19 cases spiking in one or more organization. We'll talk about speculation over players who haven't reported yet and why it shouldn't be assumed they have the virus.

    First though, we must marvel at young Riley Greene who has repeatedly looked like the best player on the field over the past week. That has been quite fun, as Mr. Greene seems to do something spectacular every time he's in a game.

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    BYB Podcast 84: Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic Detroit reports from Summer Camp-Part Two Jul 15, 2020

    Welcome back. Thanks for joining us for round two. As these do, the conversation stretched out into a two-hour marathon last Friday night, and so here is the second half of our chat with Cody Stavenhagen, Detroit Tigers beat writer for The Athletic Detroit.

    In this half, we'll talk bullpen, you'll hear why Brandon and Mark regard Spencer Turnbull as a bit of a hot potato, and then talk turns to some of the position players hanging onto a spot on the Tigers' roster but in need of a modest breakout to secure their role. Guys like JaCoby Jones, Jeimer Candelario, Harold Castro and more will take their turn under the lens.

    Finally, we'll talk about the AL Central, the impossibility of making predictions this season, and then chat Cody up about the COVID enforced sabbatical from baseball and how he spent the break.

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    BYB Podcast 83: Part One-Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic Detroit reports from Summer Camp Jul 13, 2020

    Welcome back folks, and thanks for joining us. This is another combination pod with Brandon Day of the Bless You Boys podcast, and Mark Gorosh of the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build podcast. The Detroit Tigers beat writer for the Athletic Detroit, Cody Stavenhagen, joins us for a lengthy chat after a week of Summer Camp.

    In part one, we'll talk about some early impressions made, particularly by players on the cut-line and fighting for a roster spot. We'll talk Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson. We'll talk about the catching group. And we'll size up where Casey Mize and Matt Manning are respectively, in their quest to earn a major league debut this summer. All that, and a look at constructing the starting rotation are on the docket for part one.

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    BYB Podcast 82: Ian Casselberry on Bless You Boys history and this season of COVID-19 Jul 04, 2020

    One of the early managing editors of Bless You Boys, the lovely Ian Casselberry joins host Brandon Day and the host of the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build podcast, Mark Gorosh, for a wide-ranging conversation.

    You can find Ian these days writer for Awful Announcing, and links to his myriad podcasts can be found at his Twitter handle, @iancass.

    We'll talk about the early history of the Bless You Boys blog, and the Wild West days of the Tigers' nascent blogosphere in the mid-00's. Social media has radically changed the landscape over the years, while the analytics era has radically changed how the game is covered. We'll talk about that and the history of the Tigers in the intervening timespan, and contemplate sports in the year of COVID-19.

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    BYB Podcast 81: Spencer Torkelson signs and Summer Camp 2020 is nigh Jul 01, 2020

    There was quite a bit of news on Tuesday, and blessedly little of the unexpected variety. We'll take it after the past four months. However, it wasn't all good. On the positive side, Spencer Torkelson is now officially a Tiger, and headed to the taxi squad (why isn't Uber in on the branding there?). Unfortunately, MLB also announced as expected that the minor league season would be cancelled.

    It's hard not to have a split perspective right now. One can't realistically consider any potential outcomes in this strange short season without considering the chances that playing games just isn't realistic without increasing the likelihood of serious illness and even death for many of the participants. Hosts Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan will have to speak out of both sides of our mouths a bit. We'll discuss possibilities for a really interesting season if the Tigers were to, you know, try to win and stuff. But in the end, this may be best viewed as nothing more than exhibition baseball, and we'll have to take whatever we get until the pandemic is under control.

    Intro: “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House” -Yo La Tengo

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    BYB Podcast 80 : The Business of Baseball and the Secret History of Yogi Berra with author Jon Pessah Jun 26, 2020

    In the wake of their strange and ultimately futile renegotiation of this season of COVID-19, and with the looming CBA negotiations next year, we brought in a heavy hitter for this one. Jon Pessah is one of the founding editors of ESPN the Magazine, and the acclaimed author of two books on baseball which will frame our discussion.

    The first, is The Game: Inside the Secret World of Major League Baseball’s Power Brokers. A behind-the-scenes history of the business of baseball from the tenure of early MLBPA chief, Marvin Miller, to the Rob Manfred/Tony Clark era, The Game focuses particularly on the 1994-1995 lockout and strike through the lens of Commissioner Bud Selig, Yankees’ owner George Steinbrenner, and MLBPA chief Don Fehr. The book is comprehensively researched and sourced, the product of hundreds of interviews with all the major players, and a tour de force exploration of the games behind the game.

    As a result, Pessah is uniquely situated to understand the power structure and dynamics behind major league baseball, and their evolution to the present day. We talked about the current strife, how all of this is a product of relatively recent history, and look ahead warily to next year’s expiring collective bargaining agreement.

    Second, is the biography, Yogi: Life Behind the Mask, which was just released in April. Again the product of hundreds of interviews and years of research, the biography unpacks the man behind the myth and places one of the greatest players of all-time in his rightful context as the true hero and force behind the classic Yankees’ teams of the 50’s and 60’s.

    For the final 20 minutes or so, we chatted about the life and times of one of the more enigmatic players in baseball history. Circumstances dictated we do this by phone, so please forgive the sound quality and occasional car passing in the background.

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    BYB Podcast 78: Post-draft special with Vinnie Cervino and Brian Sakowski of Perfect Game Jun 12, 2020

    Well, that was something! The Detroit Tigers, the team we know and love so well, had quite a night for themselves on day two of the draft. Somehow, they took not one pitcher, spent a high pick on a catcher, and still manage to procure a nice array of position players without reaching an inch. Instead, Al Avila and company just lay in the cut while interesting players dropped into their laps over and over.

    Vinnie Cervino and Brian Sakowski, the top evaluators for Perfect Game USA, were gracious enough to join hosts Brandon Day of the BYB Podcast, and Mark Gorosh of the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build Podcast, for another podcast summit.

    Together, as our two intrepid guests covered the final five round picks, (you're going to hear some rustling and typing in the background, sorry), we reflected on the overall picture from the past two days. In particular, we were broke down a wild day for the Tigers, and our generally positive impressions of the results.

    1. IF Spencer Torkelson (Arizona State)

    38. C Dillon Dingler (Ohio State)

    62. OF Daniel Cabrera (LSU)

    73. IF Trei Cruz (Rice)

    102. IF Gage Workman (Arizona State)

    132. IF Colt Keith (Biloxi HS)

    Intro: “Suzie Thundertussy” -Junie Morrison

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    BYB Podcast 77- Final approach to the draft with Keanan Lamb of Baseball Prospectus Jun 09, 2020

    With the draft under 48 hours away, host Brandon Day spoke to Keanan Lamb, Senior Draft Writer & Amateur Scouting Coordinator for Baseball Prospectus. Schedules are frantic between work and other media engagements, so we kept it to a tight half hour or so.

    Lamb weighed in on the positive developments in the Tigers' farm system over the past two years and the new hires last fall. Then it's into draft talk. This is such a peculiar and compelling draft, and we're so starved for real baseball news, that we can't help feeling like it's almost Christmas morning waiting for draft day to arrive. Without amateur baseball to watch for much of this spring, many of the usual cues prospect writers and scouts look for were absent, lending even greater uncertainty to the coverage. We can expect the unexpected, but then the draft never fails to hold some big surprises.

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    BYB Podcast 76: Primed for the MLB draft with Brian Sakowski of Perfect Game USA Jun 06, 2020

    Hey we're back with another podcast summit between BYB and the Don't Call it a Rebuild, it's a Team Build podcast. Hosts Brandon Day and Mark Gorosh spoke to Brian Sakowski, National Scouting Supervisor for Perfect Game USA about the Tigers, the draft, and the challenges of evaluation in a fast-changing game. Unfortunately, Cody Stavenhagen of the Athletic Detroit wasn't able to join us on this one as planned, but we'll hope to have him back on soon as well.

    Open- Introductions and setting the stage with a look at the Tigers rebuilding effort, then we'll take a look at Spencer Torkelson and the other top guys on the board.

    33:00 - A look at Perfect Game's recent mock draft for the Tigers

    52:00 - The undrafted, and how to lure them to sign for a measly $20K

    1:10:00 - Dealing with the unmeasurables in player evaluation.

    1:32:00 - Quick snapshot of the developing 2021 draft class.

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    BYB Podcast 75 : State of the Tigers with BYB staff writer Trevor Hooth Apr 25, 2020

    We've been gently easing our way toward draft season in recent podcasts and we'll continue on with the theme here. On this episode, we have a first timer on as we talk Tigers and start sussing out an overview of their draft options. BYB writer Trevor Hooth joins host Brandon Day for a little getting to know you conversation, an assessment of the Tigers current state, and the opportunities and pitfalls available in the 2020 MLB draft.

    In the first half, we discuss Trevor's path into baseball writing and sports journalism at large. We then get into discussion of the Tigers current assets and the trajectory of the organization as they attempt to transition into a more modern, data driven approach to drafting and player development.

    Draft conversation starts right around the (52:00) mark. This is a long one folks, but as this is Trevor's first appearance, we figured some introduction was in order. We discussed the Tork/Martin decision with the first overall pick, consider the draft class overall, and speculated on other higher round options the Tigers seem likely to consider.


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    BYB Podcast 74: Early look at the Tigers 2020 draft with Joe Doyle and Jay Markle Apr 10, 2020

    Welcome back folks. We don't usually begin our draft coverage for a few more weeks, but then again, we're usually two weeks into a baseball season and covering the opening of the minor league season by this point. With tentative plans for a partial season still very much in the early stages, the draft is the one thing we've got to look forward to for certain, so let's start getting into it.

    Joining host Brandon Day are a pair of strong guests. First we have Joe Doyle, who writes for Lookout Landing, our Seattle sister site on the SB Nation platform. He covers amateur players and the draft for Prospects Live and Baseball America. Secondly, we have former BYB prospects writer Jay Markle. He's now with Motor City Bengals on the Fansided platform.

    We'll talk about the strange new rules that will govern the revised 2020 draft, the bonus pools, and how the draft class sets up for this five round free-for-all.

    The Tigers number one pick still has folks divided between Vanderbilt's Austin Martin, and Arizona's Spencer Torkleson, along with a few Asa Lacy believers to spice the mix. We'll talk about each of them, and look into the heart of the draft for the Tigers, who will hold picks 38, 63, and 74. Getting those picks right is going to be the key, and in a pitcher-rich draft class, finding a good arm or two without neglecting the dire need for good positional talent may influence the Tigers approach here.

    Along the way we'll talk about the Tigers farm system, their strengths and weaknesses, and whether they can close the gap between them and the top farms any time soon.

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    BYB Podcast 73: Dreaming of baseball with the quarantine blues Apr 07, 2020

    Welcome back! It's been tough finding topics to talk about that aren't completely up in the air along with the rest of the game right now. So, to alleviate the issue, we've got a pair of special guests on tap for this one. We recorded on Sunday night, before the full release of MLB's new tentative plans for a partial season based in Arizona on Monday the sixth of April, but as it turns out we anticipated a lot of the potential issues in advance.

    Cody Stavenhagen, Tigers beat writer for the Athletic Detroit joins us on the podcast to talk about his impressions of spring training and hopes for the season prior to the COVID-19 delay.

    We're also joined by friend of the pod Mark Gorosh, host of the Don't Call it a Rebuild, It's a Team Build podcast (we need to shorten this moniker btw) over on the Tigers Minor League Report network of pods.

    Discussion started with MLB's contingency plans for a partial season and the problems and possible opportunities at hand as a result. We looked into the potential impact of the Tigers revamped player development department, though it's still going to be some time until their impact, for good or ill, becomes tangible. Stavenhagen also gives us his impressions of Casey Mize and some of the other standouts he observed down in Lakeland a few weeks ago, though it now feels like it's been months since we saw any action.

    Finally, the last half hour or so is largely a quick discussion of some of the music, books, movies, and tv shows getting us through the lockdown.

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    BYB Podcast 72: Matt Boyd and other joys with Alex Fast of the Pitcher List Mar 06, 2020

    If you're not familiar with the website the Pitcher List, well you should be. One of our favorite sites for analysis and good writing, the site has evolved from fantasy coverage and video focusing mainly on pitching, into a full-blooded baseball site covering all topics with a lot of great insight. We were pleased to welcome Alex Fast to the podcast to talk about the Tigers 2020 pitching staff and pitching in general.

    We talked a lot about Matt Boyd, because Boyd remains one of the more intriguing pitchers and developing personalities in the game. Beyond him, we look through the Tigers rotation and the odds of a better showing this season. You can check out Pitcher List's recent interview with Boyd here.

    Joe Jimenez is another interesting breakout candidate, and we'll discuss his stuff, and the Tigers organizational philosophies as it comes to pitching and pitcher usage.

    Finally we'll talk the Tigers big three, as Casey Mize, Matt Manning, and Tarik Skubal continue to turn heads in Lakeland.

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    BYB Podcast 71 : Too early takeaways from spring camp Mar 04, 2020

    I'm told that it's still too early to say anything, so what follows is an hour of silence. Yes of course I'm kidding. The numbers don't matter, although some of them are hilarious, but what's happening on the field and on the backfields as well, does matter. With all that in mind, Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan will take a look at some early returns. We'll also check in on how several roster battles are shaping up in the early going.

    The prospects are making their presence felt in Lakeland, and that's been more fun than anything else. We'll check in on Riley Greene, Casey Mize, Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal and the rest, and what they're working on this spring.

    Matt Boyd has become the staff leader, and took his fellow lefties to Driveline this offseason.

    Finally we'll discuss Keith Law's farm system rankings briefly, and explore how whining about bias has come to substitute for rational thought and inquiry. Good times.

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    BYB Podcast 70 : Talking defensive runs saved with Mark Simon of Sports Info Solutions Mar 03, 2020

    On this edition of the Bless You Boys podcast, host Brandon Day is joined by Mark Simon of Sports Info Solutions. Mark has worked supplying statistics for ESPN, has appeared on MLB Network, and is one of the authors of the brand new Fielding Bible V hitting stores next week.

    Sports Info Solutions is the creator of defensive runs saved (DRS), probably the most popular and useful defensive metric available. For this new edition of the Fielding Bible, DRS has been radically overhauled to help take the prevalence of defensive shifts into account, and more accurately account for the individual parts of a player's defensive game, as well as the greater whole. It also allows a better sense of which teams do the best job of positioning, gaining or losing value by putting their defenders in better/worse positions to succeed.

    We'll talk about DRS and defense generally, and chat about other areas of the game where new metrics are having a major impact, both in quantifying player skill, but also in terms of altering what is measured and valued.

    You can tweet any questions about defense, or baseball generally, to Mark @SportsInfo_SIS, and we thank him for joining us for a discussion on the podcast. Fielding Bible V meanwhile, is available for pre-order on Amazon and will hit stores next week as well.

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    BYB Podcast 69: Nice times in Lakeland Feb 20, 2020

    Mercifully, after a strange offseason, spring camp has arrived full of feel-good stories, talented prospects, a lean, mean Miguel Cabrera, and all the trappings of the 2020 season’s beginning. We’ll take a look at some of the news, notes, and general chicanery coming out of Lakeland with the boys now back in town.

    MLB announces pay raises for MiLB players, which is good, but as expected, they seem to come at the expense of a lot of jobs rather than any commitment from owners to treat their players more fairly.

    Finally, the sign-stealing scandal won’t leave the headlines as players weigh in with frustration and anger, and Rob Manfred’s story seems to change every day. Now we wait for the other shoe to drop in Boston, and at least one of us (Brandon) fears this is going to get worse before it gets better.

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    BYB Podcast 68 - Tigers farm system chat with Jay Markle Jan 31, 2020

    We’re back with a special edition on the state of the Detroit Tigers farm system. Joined by BYB prospect analyst Jay Markle, we’ll run through a host of prospect topics in this one. Also, I need to apologize in advance for a little racket at times caused by a grouchy graphics card. The sound quality has improved a lot since we started the podcast up again, but we're still working with a time and resource crunch. Thanks for your understanding.

    First, we take a look at FanGraphs recent top 39 list for the Tigers system and discuss what surprised us and stood out in their evaluations. We’ll also look at some of the published data they have available and some hints that the Tigers are making some progress in using data to improve their pitchers.

    We’ll take turns offering up players we’re higher or lower on than FanGraphs or the rest of our staff seem to be.

    Several players are in a position where at least a modest breakout is required this season. We’ll discuss who really needs a good year to stay on track in the system, and which of the 2019 draft class will move fastest.

    Finally we’ll talk a bit about the state of the organization, the future and how to get there successfully, and positive and negative signs from the Tigers’ front office.

    This will be Jay’s last podcast with us before taking on his new role over at Motor City Bengals, and we’d like to thank him for all his hard work over the past four years. We’ll also miss him personally, but the baseball writing community remains tight knit and ever changing, so perhaps this isn’t Jay’s last rodeo with us here at BYB. Check out his work over at MCB coming in February, and as always we’d also like to recommend our friends over at Tigers Minor League Report for more excellent prospect coverage.

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    BYB Podcast 67 - The Astros refuse to stop losing the offseason Jan 30, 2020

    Sorry. The Tigers have been quiet, and these damned Astros won't stop putting their whole foot in their own mouth. This whole offseason has felt like a steady dose of black eyes to MLB, and baseball you can get here any time now, thank you very much.

    Hosts Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan will talk a little about that creeping pitchers and catchers reporting vibe we're starting to catch as the Tigers Winter Caravan breezed through our social media feeds and then disappeared without a trace as there was no Tigerfest to center these quite random events on.

    We'll look at the incredibly tone deaf responses Astros players have offered in their first questioning over the Trash Can Conspiracy, Bang-gate, Bang-hazi, or whatever you prefer to call the cheating scandal. And most painfully, our long-time hero Justin Verlander proves again to be a hypocrite of the highest order, and should probably stop talking and start showing some leadership as the face of the Astros organization.

    Nicholas "Nick" Castellanos is headed to Cincinatti on a deal packed full of deferred money and opt-outs. Wish we knew how to do those things here in Detroit. However, Castellanos is good for the Reds, but might not move the needle enough for the Reds to thread it in their brief window for contention in a closely packed NL Central.

    Finally we'll chat a bit about FanGraphs new top 38 Tigers prospects list, and one very interesting decision they made at the top of said list.

    Thanks for tuning in, and please keep a lookout on Friday when we'll have a lengthy prospects conversation with BYB prospect writer Jay Markle. And as always, please check out our friends at the Tigers Minor League Report for further coverage of the Tigers farm as well.

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    BYB Podcast 66: Astros bang their way into the doghouse Jan 15, 2020

    The Tigers signed Ivan Nova, which is cool and all, but like all the moves this offseason, they promise a more watchable brand of baseball but don’t do anything for the organization’s longer term goals. But yeah we’re gonna talk a whole bunch about the Houston Astros sign stealing scandal, and the fallout from the isolated, but stern punishments delivered by MLB on Monday.

    In the final analysis, pitchers and catchers are the ones needing a technological solution, and some way to surreptitiously convey signs needs to be developed in a hurry. One of the wilder things about the Astros scheme is just how low tech and brazen their signaling system was. Probably other teams who really wanted to could come up with something rather more clever.

    Somehow the players involved escape punishment, which sucks, and other than the draft picks, Jim Crane and the Astros get to move on like nothing happened. Other than in the court of opinion where their 2017 World Series title will forever be tainted. Man, these are tough times for a baseball fan. MLB has so many credibility problems going on at once. Can we ever just get back to baseball?

    Not bloody likely.

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    BYB Podcast 65 : We'll be your Tigerfest this winter Jan 10, 2020

    BYB staff writers/editors Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan are back after the holiday break, and there is much to discuss. We'll tackle the weirdness surrounding the Tigers decision to end the winter version of Tigerfest in favor of doing in July, and why that seems like a terrible idea poorly communicated. The Tigers did reinvest their Nick Castellanos savings in a few solid stopgap players this offseason and we're reasonably happy with their choices. The club also brought back reliever Alex Wilson, who resumed graduate studies in psychology last year and will function part-time as the Pitcher Whisperer. And finally we'll discuss Dan Dickerson's fanpost on the baseball itself, the juiced ball era, and the league's failing credibility on this and other issues.

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    BYB Podcast 64: Minor moves and a Thanksgiving mailbag Nov 28, 2019

    There are a few minor bits of news to discuss as we reach Thanksgiving, but our listeners/readers responded to the call with plenty of good questions, so we dive right into our mailbag in this episode. Hopefully we have a few good answers.

    Topics range from the Rule 5 draft and free agency to recent Tigers history, Comerica Park's dimensions, and much more. Thanks to BYB's community for reading our work, listening to the podcasts, and always participating in smart, lively discussion on the site.

    On behalf of the whole staff, we wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving!

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    BYB Podcast 63 - Arizona Fall League and Minor League Restructuring with Emily Waldon Nov 26, 2019

    We're back with a special guest, as Emily Waldon of The Athletic Detroit and Baseball America joins host Brandon Day for a conversation on her time scouting the Arizona Fall League, the Tigers roster crunch at Triple-A, and the minor league restructuring proposals MLB has put forward.

    -We check in on Daz Cameron, Anthony Castro and some of the action from the Arizona Fall League.

    -2020 is going to be crunch time in the upper minors within the Tigers system.

    -Rob Manfred says it's his way or the highway, and surprisingly everyone is quite upset about his confrontational posture and desire to contract the minor leagues.

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    BYB Podcast 62 - Tigers protect, Manfred attacks, can't we just have baseball back? Nov 22, 2019

    The Tigers set their 40 man roster, and protected just about every likely suspect this week. We'd like to encourage them to sign Travis d'Arnaud or some other decent catcher please. The Astros punishments should be coming soon. It's going to be very interesting to see how a year of blunders and reprehensible conduct is dealt with by MLB. Finally, Commissioner Manfred sounds an awful lot like he's daring the players union to strike, and we're not thrilled with he and the owners right now.

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    BYB Podcast 61 : Sweet Lou Your Time Has Finally Come Nov 06, 2019

    Ashley MacLennan and Brandon Day are back with a new episode as the offseason speculation begins to warm up the ol' hot stove. We'll talk the Washington Nationals' party, Lou Whitaker's long awaited shot at a much deserved place in Cooperstown, and start setting the table for roster moves and free agent signings for both the Tigers and a few of the bigger names in the game.

    -The Nationals are on a pretty epic post World Series bender

    -Lou Whitaker leads the new Modern Era Committee ballot and is the early favorite to finally get his rightful spot in Cooperstown.

    -Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg, and Anthony Rendon lead another strong free agent class into another very uncertain offseason.

    -Yasiel Puig to Detroit? On a one-year deal? We're not convinced on MLB Trade Rumors' Tigers predictions.

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    BYB Podcast 60: The Washington Nationals are World Series champs Nov 01, 2019

    We're back after our postseason break to take a brief look back at the postseason, and a much more in depth reflection on the World Series, the Washington Nationals' incredible October run, the Astros and their self-inflicted wounds, and the coming out party for Juan Soto and to an extent, Stephen Strasburg.

    -General impressions from the World Series

    -The rise of Juan Soto

    -The Trea Turner play and other strange moments

    -Max Scherzer and Anibal Sanchez get their ring, produce all the feels (shoutout to Fernando Rodney too!)

    -How the Astros may have lost the World Series before it began

    -Not a great show from the umpires

    -The Tigers fired Doug Mientkiewicz as Toledo Mud Hens' manager

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    BYB Podcast 59: 2019 Tigers farm report with Jay Markle - Part Two Sep 25, 2019

    In the second part of our overview of the 2019 season in the Tigers farm system, Bless You Boys prospect writer Jay Markle and host Brandon Day take a look at the position players. The situation remains somewhat grim despite a few bright spots.

    We discuss Riley Greene, Isaac Paredes, and the crunch of mediocre outfield prospects destined for Toledo. Can Parker Meadows or Wenceel Perez take the next step into guyhood? Should we be panicky about Daz Cameron's down year? The system has a number of interesting positional prospects, but very little of the top tier talent they need to power a future contending team.

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    BYB Podcast 58: 2019 Detroit Tigers farm report -Part One Sep 25, 2019

    Host Brandon Day and Bless You Boys prospect writer Jay Markle get into reviewing the 2019 Tigers farm system. This is going to be a two part episode, with each running roughly an hour, but it still feels like we barely scratched the surface.

    This episode starts with an overview of the system, but we'll heavily focus on the top pitching prospects, and save the position players for part two.

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    BYB Podcast 57 - Projecting on the Tigers with Dan Szymborski of FanGraphs Sep 16, 2019

    Host Brandon Day is joined by Dan Szymborski, creator and operator of the ZIPS Projection System and writer for FanGraphs. We commiserated over the duel misery of the Tigers and Orioles franchises and took a look at the Tigers rebuild. The discussion ranges over projecting baseball players, the future of sports gambling, the impact of data on player development, and a host of tangents and digressions from Tom Selleck to Len Koenecke. You can find his latest piece on the Tigers' season here and you'll find his work at ESPN as well as at FanGraphs.

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    BYB Podcast 56: Dave Dombrowski finds Boston a tough crowd Sep 13, 2019

    We’re back with our latest episode as the 2019 season mercifully enters its final weeks. Brandon Day and Ashley McLennan survey some of the disappointing starts for the Tigers callups this year, and advise everyone to chill just a bit. We’ll also check in with our favorite former Tigers, and look at the fallout from the Boston Red Sox surprise firing of Dave Dombrowski.

    Intro: “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House” -Yo La TengoThe young Tigers have been a disappointing group, but there’s nothing to do but be patient with them. We spend most of the first hour discussing the youth movement, the immediate future, and whether or not the Ilitch family has a plan other than waiting to sell the team.The Tigers and Athletics caused Baseball Reference to blow a fuse.Justin Verlander had a wild couple of weeks, for both good and bad reasons. We’ll breakdown the Verlander kerfuffle with Freep writer Anthony Fenech, and Verlander’s savvy PR move in throwing his third no-hitter in the aftermath.Nick Castellanos is blooming like a desert flower in the love of Cubs fans.Dave Dombrowski someone gets himself fired in Boston, and no one wants to talk about it.

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    BYB Podcast 55: John Hicks is in Justin Verlander's head Aug 22, 2019

    In the wake of the Tigers stunning takedown of the Houston Astros, host Brandon Day flies solo to unpack the rash of injuries, the shutdown of Casey Mize, Isaac Paredes, Travis Demeritte, and much more.

    There are three segments to this one, roughly 30 minutes each.

    -In part one, we'll look at the Tigers incredible victory over the Astros, and the rash of injuries and shutdowns plaguing the organization.

    -Part two is a look at the coming roster crunch in pitching at Toledo and Detroit next year, the possibility for some creative usage, and the potential for a deep bullpen in 2020.

    -In part three, I'll discuss Travis Demerrite and Joey Wentz and the strong early returns they've provided for the Shane Greene trade. And finally, Isaac Paredes isn't exactly neglected, but he still seems to be flying just a bit under the prospect radar. Tigers fans should be excited for him anyway.

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    BYB Podcast 54 : It's hard out here for a Tigers fan, Nicholas Castellanos Aug 14, 2019

    We're back after another somewhat grim week in Tigers baseball. The losing has ceased to feel grim, but rather is expected, with wins being savored where possible. But the loss of JaCoby Jones, Christin Stewart's concussion issues, and rough outings from Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd have rubbed the salt in. Of course, no one is rubbing the salt in more than our dear friend Nick...

    -Matt Boyd is giving up homers. Nick Castellanos is hitting them.

    -Blaine Hardy and JaCoby Jones are probably done for the year. Can we at least try an actual CF now please?

    -David McKay and the Tigers attempts to identify pitchers with upside.

    -2020 Tigers schedule preview

    -A quick look at the AL Central in the near term

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    BYB Podcast 53: Jake Rogers and the joy of the new guy Aug 09, 2019

    Well it's been a long, bleak season with only a few exceptions. We'll talk about a couple of those exceptions, but more importantly, we're finally seeing some of the Tigers young talent making the jump to the major leagues. Debut stories are suddenly an abundant resources as young men fulfill their dream, and in some cases, make an immediate impact on the field as well.

    -Nick's new gig is going well, while Shane Greene is struggling.

    -Jake Rogers and the new guys are finally giving us something to watch for.

    -Rehashing the 2017 deadline only hurts us.

    -It's no mystery what Al Avila has to get done over the next calendar year. Bats, bats, bats.

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    BYB Podcast 2019 Trade Deadline Edition : Thanks and good luck to Nicholas Castellanos and Shane Greene Jul 31, 2019

    Today we welcome in BYB prospect writer and draft guru Jay Markle in the aftermath after a modest but productive day for the Tigers' organization. GM Al Avila didn't find the deal he needed for Matt Boyd, but did a solid job collecting some pieces to add to the organization. The Tigers weren't fancy, or particularly aggressive, but results are what matter.

    We would've like more from the Braves for closer Shane Greene as he was probably the most valuable reliever traded over the past week. There are some minor injury concerns and a velocity dip with LHP Joey Wentz, but he's also a very nice pitching prospect, and still quite young. And by taking a couple of solid project arms from the Chicago Cubs for Nick Castellanos, the Tigers played to their stronger side in player development and continue to gather a talented and deep crop of pitchers into the farm system. I think the reviews on the return for a rental player with a really limited market have rightly been pretty positive.

    We'll chat about the Tigers moves, the move they didn't make, and take a look at a hectic but somewhat unsatisfying trading deadline.

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    BYB Podcast 52- Al Avila gets an extension while Gardy gets to drive a tank Jul 17, 2019

    We’ve been on hiatus for various reasons, but not because there hasn’t been much to talk about. Al Avila got himself a brand new extension, while the team on the field seems dead set on matching the 2003 team for futility. Host Brandon Day rides solo for this one, and after two weeks off, there is a lot to say.

    There are three sections to this episode, and it’s a long one, so we encourage you to pick the sections you’re interested in because it may be too much to digest in one sitting.

    First, an assessment of Al Avila’s extension and a general consideration of the progress in some areas, and lack in others, behind the Tigers front office. Yes, we’d prefer to move on, but all is not lost either and the Tigers have shown some small signs of growth.42:00- Second we’ll talk some farm system. Specifically, the super rotation under construction in Erie. Casey Mize is almost back, Matt Manning is in a reset phase, and Tarik Skubal is dropping jaws.1:14:00-Finally, some thoughts on Riley Greene v. Daniel Pinero, the meaning of batspeed and plate discipline, and some ideas the Tigers should explore to not only catch up, but perhaps innovate in their own right for once.

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    BYB Podcast 51 - The JaCobaissance and other silver linings Jun 26, 2019

    The Tigers lost again on Tuesday, their fifth straight. Times are grim, but we thought we’d step back to look at the smattering of things that have gone right this season. Unfortunately that only occupied about 10 minutes of show time.

    JaCoby Jones is still hitting and other successes.Hall of Fame conversationRiley Greene and Nick Quintana off to a good start, while Franklin Perez is trapped in a Groundhog Day scenario.Mets merrily MetsingThe Rays’ wild non-plan to not really move to Montreal but only sometimes.

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    BYB Podcast 50: Will robot umps tweet angry tweets? Jun 19, 2019

    We kind of wanted to call this episode "The Locus of the Suck" but the Phillip K. Dick reference was too tempting. We consider whether manager Ron Gardenhire is doing a good job or not, and further, whether one can even make an accurate assessment when the talent level on the field is this woeful. The possibility, and maybe even the necessity of a Matt Boyd trade, has to be the pill that is hardest to swallow right now.

    -Gardy is generally billed as a good teacher of the game, but the 2019 Tigers have played sloppy baseball. They're flat too often. They don't make the routine play, and they're prone to the big mistake as well. But with the collection of players he's got to work with, it's a pretty tough job to scratch out wins.

    -Two weeks ago, Miguel Cabrera seemed in pretty dubious shape, but here he is playing 1B in the National League. Is that good, bad, or probably doesn't matter? I vote the latter.

    -Nick Castellanos said his piece, and there isn't much more to say.

    -Six weeks to the trade deadline, and the Tigers figure to be up to their ears in rumors. Opinions are already ranging widely as to who to deal and what kind of return to expect. And Brandon can't help wondering what Spencer Turnbull is worth right now. Probably the time isn't yet ripe.

    -The farm will be lively soon with new prospects from the draft, and the return of Beau Burrows and Franklin Perez, may he hopefully stay healthy.

    -Max Scherzer broke his own nose with a bunt...in batting practice.

    -The umpires union issued the hottest tweet of 2019. #umpshow

    https://twitter.com/MLBUA/status/1141032325293195268

    -

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    BYB Weekend Edition #5 : Casey Mize hits the injured list Jun 14, 2019

    In the wake of Casey Mize's injury, everyone's favorite messenger of joy and good tidings, BYB staff writer and co-host of the BYB Podcast, Brandon Day, brings you an angsty look at the situation and what it says about the organizational plans as a whole.

    -We'll take a look at what this means for Casey Mize, and why Matt Manning is possibly (no guarantees here folks!) the slightly better bet for durability.

    -The internet pitching mechanics ghouls were out in force so we will take them to task for their self-promoting, conspiracy-ridden nonsense.

    -The Tigers have built their rebuild around pitching thus far, and now plan to deal their best and most durable arm to make up for their inability to find positional talent anywhere in the draft or the international free agent market. None of this adds up very well folks.

    -Finally, Nick Castellanos broke his silence and put the Tigers on blast on Friday, and we'll give that a quick look as well.

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    BYB Podcast 49: Your time is now, JaCoby Jones Jun 12, 2019

    Ashley and Brandon return to discuss the rise of JaCoby Jones, and whether this, like so many hot streaks before it, will prove a mirage in the long run.

    We also marvel at Spencer Turnbull’s breakout season, and the sense of everyone turning away from Nick Castellanos within the fanbase. Setting the table for the assignments, promotions, and trade candidates who will be occupying our attention over the next six weeks as we approach the new hard and fast trade deadline.Listener QuestionsFinally, Madison Bumgarner says let the kids play, but let him yell and scream about it, and...we’re good with that.

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    BYB Podcast 48- Riding the Miguel Cabrera Rollercoaster Jun 05, 2019

    Ashley and Brandon return on Day 2 of the MLB draft, but the Tigers matchup with the Rays, and more particularly, the lows and highs of one day with an aging superstar, ended up taking precedence.

    -Miguel Cabrera's knee will never be right, as announced on Tuesday. Of course, he then had a three-hit night with a grand slam for good measure. Still, while the full-time move to DH is finally here, it's hard not to start thinking about his legacy and the different perspectives one has when comparing his baseball career to his personal issues.

    -Tigers/Rays tears Ashley apart, and it's fun.

    -Day 2 of the draft is where it all starts to blur into a forest of solid tools, athletic builds, and strong makeup game.

    -The offseason never ended, and the final two big free agents may finally sign soon.

    -Assignments for new draftees, promotions for prospects, and re-evaluations of farm systems are all on the docket between now and the All-Star game.

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    BYB Podcast Draft Edition: Riley Greene, Nick Quintana, and his hair are Tigers now Jun 04, 2019

    Day one of the 2019 MLB draft is in the books, and no the Tigers didn't draft a hard-throwing right-hander. 1B Andrew Vaughn didn't fall to the Tigers, but OF Riley Greene is a nice prospect to add to the mix and immediately becomes the best bat in the farm system. There weren't too many early surprises overall, but the Tigers offered a minor one in the second, selecting 3B Nick Quintana from the University of Arizona. Quintana had a monster junior season though struggles in the Cape Cod League last year continued to keep expectations a little short of first round talent.

    Brandon Day, co-host of the BYB Podcast examines the opening day of the draft. We'll take a look at both players, make the best player available argument, and caution against any hasty assessments of what look like a quality pair of picks for the Tigers in the first two rounds.

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    BYB Podcast 47: Rejoice at a Tigers series victory with Roger Martin of Tigers SRD May 30, 2019

    Co-host Brandon Day is joined in last minute, heroic fashion by the host of the Tigers SRD podcast, and friend of Bless You Boys, Roger Martin. What follows is a wide-ranging conversation on the state of the Tigers and some of the other major league organizations trying to rebuild, or having already completed the process. The second half is largely devoted to answering listener questions, so thank you for all the good questions and feedback!

    -The Tigers finally won a series, and remain a group of surprising strengths and pretty striking weaknesses.

    -The Minnesota Twins appear to have leveled up into one of the better orgs in the game, while the Cleveland Indians are hanging on by a thread.

    -We look at the Tigers rebuilding effort, and some of the other struggling franchises around the game.

    -From about 48:00 on, we dive into a deep mailbag of listener questions.

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    BYB Podcast 46- It's alright Ma the Tigers are only bleeding May 22, 2019

    We’re back to find that it’s hard to talk about the Detroit Tigers right now without cursing and yelling. We knew the chance of a true meltdown of a season was far from zero, but it’s hard to look it in the face. It’s also not too much fun to talk about in the middle of a long losing streak. Things won’t stay quite this bleak, but for the moment, we decided to focus on listener questions for this episode because all our topic ideas were sad.

    The Tigers have perfected losing, and even Matt Boyd has been showing some cracks in his last two outings.Are the Tigers options to fill out their final two starting spots as bad as they seem?We explore how close Casey Mize is to a call-up (not close), and whether the Tigers are handling his workload well.Thank goodness for Mize and Matt Manning, because Franklin Perez and most of the Tigers top pitching prospects are hurt and the Tigers aren’t saying much of anything about them.JaCoby Jones isn’t going to get the Jeimer Candelario treatment after this many opportunities.We discuss the non-pitching prospects, and who may yet make their MLB debut this year.Briefly we consider whether Isaac Paredes, Daz Cameron, Jake Rogers or Willi Castro has it in them to be plus offensive players in the majors.Niko Goodrum appears to have turned back into a pumpkin, but there is still hope for him.

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    BYB Podcast 45: Yes we're still mad at you, Brad Ausmus May 08, 2019

    The Tigers are still hanging around .500, but the quality of baseball is a rollercoaster. Some days they look good. Others they look like a lock to lose 100 games. Ashley and Brandon investigate the Jekyll and Hyde nature of the 2019 Detroit Tigers, fearing that Mr. Hyde is near to setting up permanent shop in the dugout.

    -The Tigers keep hanging in, but it all depends who is starting.

    -Help for the offense is on the way, but help for the pitching staff is going to be hard to come by.

    -Brad Ausmus and the Angels are in town, and everything is still his fault.

    -The Rays are winning and have an absolutely stacked farm system. How about we poach Chaim Bloom as Tigers GM, and he and Yzerman can lead the Ilitch sports ventures into a bold new era of success.

    -Drew VerHagen DFA'd, which is fine, but who do we have to rescue the bullpen and rotation?

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    BYB Weekend Edition #4: More dingers, less talking, Miguel May 05, 2019

    We're back with another weekend edition of the BYB Podcast. The Tigers continue to look good some days, and terrible on others, and it all comes back to the starting rotation. We'll look at some rather unnecessary comments from Miguel Cabrera on his lack of home run power and who is to blame. Finally, it's best a very nice opening month for a lot of the Tigers' top prospects. We'll talk Mize, Manning, and Alex Faedo, talk some sleepers, and process the current state of the rebuild.

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    BYB Podcast Episode 44: Warm in the afterglow of Casey Mize’s no-no May 01, 2019

    After a rough stretch in which the Tigers lost 4 straight to plunge below .500, they rebounded with a win in Philly on Tuesday. But that doesn't erase some ugly memories from their weekend in Chicago. On the plus side, Matt Boyd and several other younger players have continued to impress.

    20:00 We get into Casey Mize's no-hitter, and his poise and polish in the aftermath. We also consider the pace of the rebuild, how to bring these arms along, and consider where the bats are supposed to come from.

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    BYB Podcast #43: Nick Castellanos is everything to Scott Boras now Apr 24, 2019

    The 2019 Tigers keep figuring out how to win ballgames. It's been a fun ride and we are here for it as long as it lasts. The news with the biggest potential fallout this week, was the change in representation by Nick Castellanos. The Tigers right-fielder switched agencies, and will now be represented by Scott Boras, bringing an end to any hopes of an extension, and potentially positioning Castellanos at the center of what will be another interesting offseason for free agents. We're kind of sad about this, but more importantly, it's hard not to feel the Tigers rebuild timetable slipping further away.

    -We look back at another successful week for the Tigers, enjoy Matt Boyd and Chris Sale's pre-game run-in, and marvel at the fact that they're winning with Nick Castellanos and Miguel Cabrera still searching for their first home runs.

    -Daniel Norris made his first start of the year and it went quite well. Be patient with Daniel Norris, Tigers fans. He's worth it.

    -Nick Castellanos is now a Scott Boras client and that move has many potential repercussions.

    -We take some listener questions, look at a few stories from the week in baseball, and preview Ashley's YouTube channel.

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    BYB Podcast #42: The Tigers are a .500 team but no one is happy Apr 17, 2019

    Of course, there are plenty of good reasons to suspect they won't hang around .500 too much longer. Still, it's great to see that even a team without major ambitions this year is bringing out a passionate response from the fanbase. Some of that response, particularly in regard to the offense through 16 games, has been decidedly negative. It's bound to improve, but the question is whether or not we've already seen the best of the pitching staff. Ashley and Brandon dive into these, and many other topics, at the 10 percent mark of the 2019 season.

    The Tigers are a .500 team and the fanbase is PUMPED! Huh, they’re not pumped? Oh.Should be play role reversal with Niko Goodrum and JaCoby Jones?Brandon rolls his eyes at the Tigers handling of Daniel Norris briefly, but here we go so hang onto your butts.Matt Boyd has turned himself into quite a good starting pitcher, and we believe.A Zach Greinke story, and the possibility that a Trevor Bauer, Greinke summit would either destroy the universe or save it.MLB is cracking down on minor league video now, and seems dedicated to getting its sticky little paws into every nook and cranny of baseball fandom.So, you wanna be a baseball writer?We didn’t know we needed this many guinea pig avatars of Shane Greene, but it turns out that we did. https://twitter.com/ComericaEric/status/1118329109250285569

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    BYB Weekend Edition #3: Talking the Tigers Farm with Chris Brown Apr 13, 2019

    While the Minor League Tracker podcast is on a brief hiatus, BYB Podcast host Brandon Day pinch hits with a way too early look at the Tigers farm system. Today we are joined by friend of BYB, Chris Brown. He writes about prospects and the Tigers farm system for the long-running site, Tigstown. He is the co-host of the Tigers SRD podcast alongside Roger Martin, and has recently launched the Locked On Tigers Podcast, a compact daily podcast hitting on all the Tigers news of the day.

    It is, of course, too early to draw even vague conclusions about the Tigers farm system this year. But, we take the early temperature of the team's starting pitching prospects. We check in on a night of blown saves throughout the system and some of the better relief prospects the Tigers have. Finally, we look at some of the position players, and consider the Tigers efforts to improve in player development versus how much of improvement is simply on the players themselves.

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    BYB Weekend Edition 2: So how about these Tigers, eh? Apr 06, 2019

    We're back with another weekend edition, to tamp down your enthusiasm for the starting rotation, and your fears about the offense. Topics under consideration include... A look back at the Tigers road series victory over the Yankees.The incredible transformation of Matt BoydOpening Day in Detroit is more special with a win.Just how good is Spencer Turnbull?Our first looks at Casey Mize, Matt Manning and the best of the Tigers farm system.

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    BYB Podcast #41: Give us taco and margarita Tuesdays at the ballpark Apr 03, 2019

    The Tigers have pitched and scrapped their way out to a 3-3 start, despite rather weak efforts at the plate. Brandon and Ashley discuss the merits of the Tigers rotation through their first six turns. Niko Goodrum gets his usual dose of love, and we very much enjoyed Bryce Harper's return to Washington. This was recorded on the night of taco and margarita Tuesday, in the small sample size glow of the season's first week, and with regard to these conditions we refuse to be held responsible for any claims, suggestions or arguments put forth in the recording of this podcast. Dustin Peterson came up big, and all you can talk about is Niko Goodrum.This rotation, eh? Ok, let's just hold onto our butts because it's six games.Bryce Harper returned to Washington like a boss. It was a fun first week of baseball around the league.The David Hess situationCheck out Ashley's YouTube channel.

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    BYB Weekend Wrap-Up : Tigers ride good starting pitching to a split series Apr 01, 2019

    We're going to try a little something extra with the BYB Podcast this year. The normal full length episodes featuring Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan will continue as usual, and will generally drop on Wednesday. But we'll also be adding in a weekend edition. This is the first of that series. Generally they'll come out on Saturday or Sunday, and allow a quick rundown of the Tigers' results for the week, who had the standout performances (both good and bad), and touching on any other major news around the franchise. Hopefully this allows the full podcast to breathe without having to catch up on the full week's news, and allows us to touch on the major stories, both from the Tigers organization, and around the wider MLB landscape, and also to digress at length and at will. Four starts, and the Tigers rotation looks great. However, the Blue Jays lineup is bad, so don't get too excited.Jeimer Candelario broke out on Sunday, but it was a rough go for the offense against a pretty good-looking Blue Jays rotation in the Rogers Centre.The bullpen was a little shaky in the backend, but got several strong performances as well.The Toledo Mud Hens kick things off on Thursday of this week, so let's run down some of the arms in Toledo that are likely to make an impact in the majors this season.

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    BYB Podcast #40: Tigers baseball is finally back Mar 27, 2019

    With Opening Day just a day away, Bless You Boys staff writer Brandon Day, and deputy editor Ashley MacLennan look over the final roster and look ahead to the 2019 season. Spencer Turnbull wins the final rotation spot.What the heck are the Tigers doing with Daniel Norris?So, who is playing CF again?A look over the Tigers final roster, and some bold predictions.AL Central/NL Central PreviewExtension ManiaThe usual blend of history and true crime ephemera.

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    BYB Podcast #39: Michael Fulmer is hurt and it's awful Mar 20, 2019

    It's a grim day in Tigertown as Michael Fulmer is out for the year with a blown elbow. We discuss some of the fallout from this most awful news, and whether the Tigers should take the opportunity to get a little more radical in deploying their pitching staff. Baseball appears ready to confront its labor issues before things get worse, and our old colleague, Emily Waldon, is leading the charge. Plus, Mike Trout gets paid in full, our season preview series continues, and we answer your listener questions. Michael Fulmer is headed toward UCL reconstruction surgery and we're a bit gutted.Who takes Fulmer's spot in the rotation, amid other fallout from the news?MLB seems to be taking the ongoing labor strife seriouslyEmily Waldon pushed the minor leaguers pay to the forefront with a great piece for the AthleticMike Trout signs an extension that is easily the biggest contract ever, and still not big enough.Quick previews of the AL/NL EastListener questions

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    BYB Podcast 38: Miguel Cabrera doing Miguel Cabrera things Mar 13, 2019

    Nick Castellanos's plaintive plea for an extension falls on Avila's deaf ears.Miggy has two bombs and a hidden ball trick.Jordan Zimmermann is dealing.Matt Moore and Tyson Ross post good outings to right their ships.Daniel Norris had a little breakthrough (we'll see how he does against Boston today), but Michael Fulmer is scaring people.Daz Cameron is shining.Niko Goodrum is a delight.Nick's plaintive plea for an extension falls on Avila's deaf ears.Can Brad Ausmus become an "analytics manager" and wtf is that, even?

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    BYB Podcast 37: Halfway to Opening Day Mar 07, 2019

    As the initial spring training glow gives way to the dog days of Grapefruit League play, we take the Tigers temperature and look over some of news, and the perennial "best shape of their lives" stories from Lakeland. But with Opening Day just three weeks away, there should be a lot more news as cuts start coming in waves, and more games are televised. Right now, highlights from games are just whetting the appetite for opportunities to sit down a watch a few hours of Tigers baseball on another frigid day in the north. Casey Mize has impressed.Miguel Cabrera has been healthy and swinging the bat well.Daniel Norris and Michael Fulmer, among others, are a little scary so far.Bryce Harper finally signed on with the Phillies and ended our long winter's vigil.We go off the rails with our weekly fixation on Trevor Bauer.

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    BYB Podcast 36: Manny Machado delivers the goods Feb 20, 2019

    Brandon and Ashley do their best to deliver the goods in the wake of spring training opening, and the Padres' monster acquistion of Manny Machado. The path was twisty, but we examined the minor news out of spring camp, argued one last time for another free agent addition, and answered listener questions. We also digressed into serial killers for some reason. Camp is underway and so far, Daniel Norris, Michael Fulmer, and Miguel Cabrera are obviously in the best shape of their lives.Casey Mize is making a good impression, as are the Tigers investments in technology.We consider the Tigers' Opening Day starter, and whether there isn't still a move that makes sense for them.The Manny Machado deal and its impact on the game.Listener questions

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    BYB Podcast 35: Truck Day means we're a week away Feb 06, 2019

    Brandon and Ashley return to gnaw on a meager diet of Tigers news. The Tigers and their gear are making their way south for spring camp, and pitchers and catchers are set to report in less than a week. The free agent market is still quiet, the Tigers still need a catcher, and Nick Castellanos doesn't seem to be going anywhere. We touched on these and a host of other topics. Truck Day brings warm vibes.The Tigers ended the Big D experiment.Danny McClain's Cy Young award went to auction, and Kirk Gibson is now a special assistant to Al Avila.Nick Castellanos is primed for a good year.Niko Goodrum needs to seize his opportunity.Stop this madness and sign a catcher, Tigers.Keith Law isn't impressed with the Tigers farm system.Arbitration wins, and a record arb eligible one-year deal for Nolan Arenado may point the way beyond the free agent freeze.

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    BYB Podcast Episode #34: Mariano Rivera leads a new HOF class Jan 22, 2019

    We're back with a Hall of Fame heavy episode. The Tigers did a few minor things, but most of the talk around the game revolved today around Mariano Rivera's unanimous first ballot selection to Cooperstown, a feat which, bizarrely, no one had ever managed until today. Sportswriters man...someone always has to be the curmudgeon. Imagine not voting for Greg Maddux the moment he appeared on Hall of Fame ballots. Ridiculous. We take a look at the Tigers minor league signings and wonder what they say about hopes for the Tigers actually signing any more real major leaguers this offseason.The Baseball Writers Association of America elected Mariano Rivera, Mike Mussina, Roy Halladay, and Edgar Martinez to the hallowed halls on Tuesday.We look at Jay Jaffe's JAWS system for peak years and Hall of Fame credentials.Put more catchers in the Hall of Fame. Do it.Listener questions

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    BYB Podcast 33: Ok we're ready for more baseball now, please Jan 16, 2019

    Ashley and Brandon fire up a podcast that’s been sitting out in frigid temperatures undriven for a month. Unfortunately, there is still precious little warmth emitting from the hot stove to help us along. We took a look back at the Tigers offseason, the options they have remaining this offseason, and the chilly relations between free agents and teams around the league. The Tigers signed Jordy Mercer and Tyson Ross, and that’s fine. More please.Are the Tigers going to do anything else, and other cries for help.Will Nicholas Castellanos be traded or has the ship already sailed on those possibilities?Matt Shepherd takes over as the Tigers new play-by-play man.State of free agency.More complaints about how the Tigers could benefit from picking up a few more free agents.Listener questions Intro: “Let’s Save Tony Orlando’s House” - Yo La Tengo

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    BYB Podcast #32: Non-tenderered is the night Dec 05, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon return to a modest array of Tigers news. The offseason has started with some major moves, but until Patrick Corbin signed with the Nationals, trades rather than free agent signings took the center stage. As for the Tigers, they added Matt Moore for some reason. They then joined the flood of 39 rostered players who were not tendered new contracts on the final day of November, by adding Alex Wilson and James McCann to a seemingly vast pool of cheap, decent MLB caliber players. Matt Moore seems like Blaine Hardy's doppelganger in terms of potential role on the 2019 Tigers. We bid goodbye to Alex Wilson and James McCann and pray their roster spots aren't cleared in vain. Finally Michael Fulmer's surgery was a little more complicated than expected so DO NOT RUSH BACK, MICHAEL FULMER. Thank you.(32:00) We take your listener questions, which largely revolve around the Seattle Mariners for various reasons.(55:35) Finally, we look at an already slow free agent market that was flooded as teams declined to tender contracts to a whopping 39 players. If this offseason plays out like the last, and it seems well on its way, there are going to be hard words spoken.

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    BYB Podcast Episode 31: Arizona Fall League with Emily Waldon of The Athletic Nov 15, 2018

    This is kind of a funky episode. We recorded an interview with Emily Waldon, prospect writer for The Athletic, on Thursday, November 10th. Issues prevented it coming out over the weekend, so we added a little news and commentary as an opening segnment. You can skip to our interview with Ms. Waldon at about 30:00 of the podcast. To lead off, co-host Brandon Day flies solo with a quick rundown of MLB awards season, and the Tigers posture toward free agency as the hot stove season gets underway. Justin Verlander is defeated by Tampa for the third time in Cy Young Award votingBob Melvin was a bit of a strange choice for Manager of the YearThe Tigers' claim their payroll is weighing them downEmily Waldon of The Athletic

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    BYB Podcast Episode 30: Requiem for the 2018 Detroit Tigers Oct 05, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley put a bow on a somewhat dismal season of Tigers baseball, because it's time to look ahead to October baseball and the offseason to come. Hopes for a little more rookie fireworks failed to launch in September.Tigers Way 4.0The Tigers have to be careful not to let the rebuild get away from them.Jose Iglesias and James McCann may leave opportunities more than holes.Listener questions.The Addison Russell problem.Rooting in all directions in October.

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    BYB Podcast Episode 29: The Boys are Back in Motown Sep 07, 2018

    After a road trip that saw the Detroit Tigers finally flex a little offensive muscle, the club returns home to meet up with Justin Verlander and the Houston Astros. Some of the young guys are contributing, and we'll take a look at their vital signs, as well as examining and speculating irresponsibly about the Rod Allen/Mario Impemba kerfuffle. The story of the day is the reported scuffle between the long-time broadcast duo. Just know that the chair is not the chair.The Tigers have finally found a bit of power as players like Mikie Mahtook, Niko Goodrum, Dawel Lugo, and Ronny Rodriguez have brought a spark to a miserable lineup.Daniel Norris is back and we’re happy.Pennant races are shaping up with a wild finish expected in the National League.Shohei Ohtani is amazing, Sean Doolittle and Ian Kinsler are fun, and sometimes amazing.The service time games continue to look bad, and may herald part of a contentious collective bargaining agreement.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 28: Roster expansion as the season enters the homestretch Aug 30, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon return to discuss the week in Tigers baseball, for better and for worse. Daniel Norris is on the way back and Christin Stewart should be coming with him.Matt Manning looks like one of the better pitching prospects in the game after a fantastic 2018.The James McCann era nears its end, and we aren't sad about it.Women's baseball at the highest level has been pretty awesome.On the art of becoming a fan favorite.Baseball is becoming too insular and inaccessible for its own good.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 27: Andy Dirks is our life coach now Aug 08, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley welcome in the honey voiced perspective and insight of one Andy Dirks to the podcast. The native born Kansan, transplanted Michigander, former Tigers outfielder, real estate maven, podcast host, and all around life coach talks his current endeavors, Tiger tales, and the mentality of success on the field and in life. There’s also that time that Jim Leyland challenged Jered Weaver to a fiery bout of fisticuffs. Hold onto your butts. Dirks retirement and how he applied lessons learned in baseball to his life after retirement.Get Your Game Right- How Andy’s podcast aims to teach the mentality of the game through conversations with coaches, scouts and player development personnel.The role of confidence is playing consistently good baseball.Brandon wonders if plate discipline can be taught (asking for some friends).Sometimes Miguel Cabrera just sees things other can’t, and how a normal player makes adjustments.What’s in a good clubhouse?Andy Dirks doesn’t really want to hear players complain about West Coast travel.Looking back at a three year major-league career in which the Tigers never missed the playoffs.Jim Leyland’s greatest hits.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 26: Lou Whitaker and Bill Freehan will be avenged Jul 25, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon return to touch on all things Tigers, except that no one really wants to touch the Tigers right now. Ashley rants about MLB's weird resistance to the future regarding the All-Star game blackout.We look back at the All-Star game and the many ways in which it was a microcosm of major league baseball writ large.The Tigers are struggling along, and while their appear to be a lot of trade candidates, the market continues to look a little bloated with options to expect much in return.We look around the league at team's position heading toward the deadline.Listener questionsAlan Trammell and Jack Morris are about to be inducted into Cooperstown and it's awesome.

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    BYB Podcast Episode 25: You're the All-Star of our Hearts, Nick Castellanos Jul 11, 2018

    With the Tigers stumbling toward the break, the editorial staff assesses their chances of a profitable trading season and an interesting second half. The Tigers are scuffling, and too many players they hoped to trade are going in the wrong direction.Jordan Zimmermann is suddenly pitching some of the best baseball of his career despite the endless plague of injuries.How will the Tigers fill out their pitching staff in the second half if they move multiple starters?Joe Jimenez is an All-Star, and Nick Castellanos isn't, and we're kind of alright with that.All-Star selections always seem to whiff on a few players, and Chris Archer and Justin Verlander have some ideas for improvements.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 24: Dog days and few chips to trade Jul 03, 2018

    After a hiatus, we return to unpack the Detroit Tigers season at the halfway point. Ashley McClennan and Brandon Day take on the past few weeks of Tigers baseball and try to make sense of it all. Injuries and poor performances have the Tigers looking like modest sellers at best this July.Chris Bosio was fired and it seems like the Tigers handled the situation about as well as an organization can.The SixOneNine podcast is kind of a landmark in bridging the gap between players and fans.Nicholas Castellanos has matured into the heart of the Tigers clubhouse. Should they keep him?A look around the NL Central.The Tigers farm system is proving more entertaining that the major league club

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 23: The Tigers were aggressive in the 2018 draft Jun 06, 2018

    Bless You Boys managing editor, Rob Rogacki, joins host Brandon Day for some early reactions to the Tigers' picks in the 2018 MLB draft. The first 10 rounds are in the books, and beyond is chaos, so it's time to look at the Tigers' approach and break down their picks. Early returns seem positive. The Tigers played the percentages at 1-1, and then made some pretty bold plays by their standards in the later rounds. They got a nice collection of athletes and guys with loud tools in hopes of a big reward. Does the birth of the Tigers analytics department show up in their draft strategy?The Tigers selected quite a nice mix of college and high school positional talent.Casey Mize freed the Tigers to take some shots in the next few rounds.Parker Meadows has the potential to be a power-hitting centerfielder. A look through the later round selections.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 22: Tigers talk with Max Bultman of the Athletic May 25, 2018

    Host Brandon Day welcomes Max Bultman, who covers the Detroit Tigers for the Athletic, to the show. Join us for a wide-ranging conversation about the Detroit Tigers season, state of the rebuild, and some of the wider issues in major league baseball. IntroWhat is a quintessential Detroit Tigers loss in 2018?Which Tigers have been a pleasant surprise in the early going?The secret history of Shane Greene.Casey Mize is totally unphased by all the draft hoopla.Bullpenning and the changing economics of the game.The advent of national sports betting and the implications for MLB.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 21: Into the midseason grind May 22, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley, staff writers and editors at BlessYouBoys.com return to talk you through the dark times. The Tigers got off to a fun, respectable start considering their last place finish in 2017. We even had dreams of seizing first place for a little bit and sending the AL Central, and many fans, into a tizzy. The spell is broken. The bullpen has blown leads repeatedly, and the offense is really starting to miss Miguel Cabrera and Jeimer Candelario. But, there are a lot of Tigers topics to discuss despite these woes. The fun start is giving way to reality as injuries and the team enters the long midseason grind.Is there any help for the bullpen?Is JaCoby Jones slumping a bit, or turning back into a pumpkin?The Tigers look to have some trade chips to deal, but one of the big ones hasn't helped his value so far.Casey Mize is a lock to the Tigers at 1-1, but maybe then again he isn't.The Rays used Sergio Romo to open a pair of games and a Hyperbowl broke out.Sports gambling is coming and everyone wants a share, but how are they going to preserve the game's integrity and get all these players a piece of the pie?Listener questions

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 20: Expectations are a bitch so we don't have any May 16, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon return with a sense of complete bemusement at the 2018 Detroit Tigers and their scrappy and ridiculous ways. There is a lot to discuss both around the league and in the Tigers' neck of the woods, as they attempt to seize first place this week against the Cleveland Indians. The Tigers are ridiculous right now, winning games they shouldn't, booting the ball around and coming through with huge performances to bail themselves out.Blaine Hardy broke Robinson Cano's hand, but you'll never guess what happened next!Ashley and Brandon made it to episode 20 without a big ol' PED discussion, but no further.MLB and their petty fight over custom cleat designs.Expectations have been a bitch for years, and there is something freeing about watching the Tigers without them.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast Ep. 19: The injury bug finally bites May 10, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley return to take a look at the week's news. Miguel Cabrera to the DLJordan Zimmermann gets hurt just as he's hitting his grooveDaniel Norris goes under the knifeJose Iglesias and Ron Gardenhire butt headsChristin Stewart is coming on strong in ToledoListener questions

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    Bless You Boys Podcast Ep.18: Are the Tigers best of the worst? Apr 25, 2018

    Brandon Day and Ashley McLennan of BlessYouBoys.com look back at the week in Detroit Tigers news, survey the farm system, and take the temperature of various teams around the league. The Tigers may not be too bad, but in an era of haves and have nots, the middle isn't the place to be.JaCoby Jones and Jeimer Candelario are getting Tigers fans all tingly.Drew VerHagen is DFA'd, Blaine Hardy is a dominant starting pitcher now, and don't ever do that with Shane Greene again, Gardy.Justin Verlander as right-way guy isn't the best Justin Verlander. Troll Justin Verlander, however, is pretty amusing.Who's hot on the farm?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast-Ep. 17: Baseball can't wait on the weather Apr 18, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley return, and baseball is again played in Detroit after a lengthy series of postponements. We take a look at the early success of the bullpen, and the wonders of Canadian ice, among other topics. Is being bad what it takes for the Tigers' bullpen to be good?Mikie Mahtook heads to Toledo and it's time to see a lot more JaCoby Jones. Gardy discovers Meijer'sQuick hits from around the Tigers' farm systemThe wonder of Ohtani-maniaMLB v Pitching NinjaMLB goes to Puerto Rico and could learn some things from the baseball obsessed culture there.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 16: Baseball is back Apr 04, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley look back at the Tigers first five games. So far the 2018 season has been played in frigid, wet spring weather. And while the rotation and the big bats have shown up, the team's thin roster is already dragging them down. Opening Day was weird, and the first game was even weirderFrancisco Liriano, Jordan Zimmermann and the rest of the regular rotation looked pretty good.Miguel Cabrera is smoking the baseball and having a good time.Outside of Castellanos, Cabrera and potentially Martinez and Candelario, this offense is more holes than substance.Is JaCoby Jones something new? And should he and Niko Goodrum get more of a shot this spring?The bullpen has blown up a few times, but they've held their own for the most part. Let's just hope Shane Greene just doesn't like the cold.Ohtani and the Angels are fun now and it feels weird.The minor league calendar kicks off on Thursday

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 15 Talking Minor League camp with Emily Waldon Mar 28, 2018

    Brandon and Ashley are joined by Emily Waldon, who covers the Tigers' farm system for the Athletic. Emily is a BYB alum, and has also written for 2080 Ball. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 19 and jacked a colossal walkoff home run that could not be ignored just moments before recording started. Emily covered the Toronto Blue Jays system for 2080 Ball last year and knows the thump of the young phenom.Emily discusses her time on the back fields of Joker Marchant Stadium and which prospects looked hot, as well as which did not.State of the system.Minor league players get the royally screwed treatment in Washington.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast Ep. 14: Drink if your Opening Day starter had a 6.00 ERA Mar 21, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon take on the week's issues in Tigers baseball, and wade into a thick stack of listener questions. Jordan Zimmermann is the Tigers' Opening Day starter, and it's weird.Franklin Perez is hurt, but Blaine Hardy is not.Gardy wants a dedicated one-inning closer because of course he does.Who wins the final roster spots coming off the bench?Is there even a candidate for Tigers ROYMLB wants another exemption from Federal Labor Law for minor league players.Alex Cobb finds a home and proves sometimes holding out is best.What is the Tigers absolute best case scenario in 2018?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 13: Roster battles build character Mar 14, 2018

    With a few weeks of baseball under our belts, the Tigers' 25-man roster is beginning to take shape. On this episode, we take on the task of parsing the meager information at hand to try to sort position groups, and then move on to a quick preview and prediction for the American League, and finally take on listener questions. Is John Hicks our backup catcher? Does Jarrod Saltalamacchia really have a chance to find work with the Tigers?The Tigers seem to have five relievers just about set for Opening Day. Is one of the other two spots reserved for Daniel Norris? And where is the starting pitching depth coming from with Farmer and possibly Saupold bound for relief?JaCoby Jones is starting to carve a niche into the 25 man roster with another strong spring.Who is making an impression?A quick preview and prediction of the American League divisions and wild card spots.Listener questionsReading list BYB needs your support. We have rewards outlined for $1, $3, and $5 tiers at our Patreon page here, and we’re continuing to solicit and consider your suggestions and requests. Thanks as always for reading, listening and participating in the best Detroit Tigers community around.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 12: Spring training will not be televised Mar 07, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon lament the lack of televised Grapefruit League action, while considering the week's news and what lies ahead for the Detroit Tigers this spring, and beyond. Early spring returnsTigers DFA Jairo Labourt and it's still weirdThe season may begin before the offseason endsJustin Verlander wants some answersJustin Upton feels the chill between players and teamsDevelopment vs. veteran depth

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 11 : Conversation with R.J. Anderson Mar 06, 2018

    R.J. Anderson of CBS Sports joins the podcast for a wide ranging conversation about the state of baseball, the Tigers outlook and the future of smart baseball. The bizarre state of free agency and labor relations this offseason and what it bodes for the future.Why aren't teams taking advantage of an incredibly slow free agent market to try and contend?Obligatory Justin Verlander hero worship from Brandon.What are you doing over there Rays, you goofs?The Tigers are at a crossroads and the future is dark and full of terrors.Which free agent, which team?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 10: The Grapefruit League is bittersweet this year Feb 28, 2018

    Kurt Mensching is leaving and it sucks.Spring Training play gets under wayInjury ReportMLBPA is aggrieved.Fringe pitchers are trying to make a name for themselvesDick McAuliffe and his place in Detroit Tigers loreBook Report

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 9: The Rays sell and all Ashley's teams are bad now Feb 21, 2018

    Ashley returns from a well earned vacation to find her back up team in a bizarre March sell-off. Doom is all around us. The Rays offer no relief. Meanwhile Ron Gardenhire and his folksy ways begin to grow on us, to our mild irritation. Pre-show gnashing over a devastating series of Rays trades that rocked Ashley's baseball word. What are the Rays doing, is Florida doomed, and can the Tigers profit via Corey Dickerson?Gardy is buddies with everyone, while Chris Bosio is full of ideas for his pitching staff.J.D. Martinez lands in Boston as expected, while the Padres sign Eric Hosmer to an 8 year deal for some reason.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 8: Betting the Farm on the Tigers Feb 07, 2018

    Ashley and Brandon are joined by Chris Brown, co-host of the TigersSRD podcast and writer for Tigstown to talk prospect rankings and the Tigers' farm system. The last gasp of the franchise playerMLB and the players heat up their battle of wordsWe take a look at the major prospect rankings already released, the process of evaluating players and the state of the Tigers' farm system

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Ep. 7: Chris Bosio wants gunslingers not belly itchers Feb 03, 2018

    IntroThe career of Bill FreehanAlex Avila signs with ArizonaEduardo Jimenez and an intro to BYB Prospect RankingsProtective netting and pitch clocks

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Episode 6: Prospects and Pitch Clocks Jan 25, 2018

    Host Brandon Day is joined by Bless You Boys Managing Editor, Rob Rogacki, to talk about the week's news in Detroit Tigers baseball and beyond. ESPN released its top 100 prospects list, and the Tigers didn't fare too well.Matt Manning's exclusion, and Daz Cameron's inclusion are discussed.State of the Tigers' farm system.Commissioner Rob Manfred wants a pitch clock. The Player's Union would like something in return, but it won't change the fact that free agency is looking a bit sickly these days.Listener questions

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Episode 5: The One with the Detroit Meteor Jan 18, 2018

    The staff of BlessYouBoys.com breaks down the Tigers offseason and begins light warm-ups for Spring Training. Managing Editor Rob Rogacki joins Brandon and Ashley to take stock of the Tigers position, and the frustrations at the end of an empire. A brief recap of the Tigers offseasonWhat is the state of Tigers rebuildWhen is the right time to trade Nick CastellanosThe free agent market is brokenListener questions sprinkled throughout

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Episode 4: Conversation with David Laurila of FanGraphs Dec 20, 2017

    Impressions from the Winter MeetingsThe state of the Detroit Tigers and their front office personnelThe new coaching staff headed by Ron GardenhireThe Ian Kinsler trade and the Tigers Rule 5 selectionAlan Trammell and Jack Morris elected to the National Baseball Hall of FameAre modern players smarter or better educated than their predecessors?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Episode 3: You can't afford Michael Fulmer Dec 13, 2017

    The Winter Meetings finally feature a fully functioning hot stove. The Yankees are interested in Michael Fulmer, but the cost has to be exorbitant. Ian Kinsler, however, is getting shopped hard just in time for Christmas. Ok Mike Fiers, sure, fine, that's fine. Alan Trammell and Jack Morris are Hall of Famers now and it's great. The fallout from Giancarlo's move to the Big Apple. Shohei Ohtani makes the Angels interesting, as long as he's healthy.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast- Episode 2: The Darkness Before the Winter Meetings Dec 07, 2017

    Topics Include -Leonys Martin? Alright -Derek Norris? MEH, why? -Bruce Rondon is gone and we'll try to move on. -How confident are you in your front office? -Ten years of Miguel Cabrera

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    Confronting the Detroit Tigers Offseason Dec 01, 2017

    Brandon Day and Ashley MacLennan, writers/editors at BlessYouBoys.com, reboot the BYB podcast. We discuss survival strategies for a rebuilding team's quiet offseason. Propose landing spots for Ian Kinsler Consider the possibility of using Alex Avila as a perpetual prospect lure And look around the league at the free agent market currently clogged by Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Otani

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 27: Sorry, Buck Farmer Apr 08, 2016

    Like the Detroit Tigers, we're back! Although... we are a bit rusty. Rob and HookSlide discussed the first week of the new baseball season, remembered 24 of the 25 players on the Tigers' roster (sorry, Buck Farmer), and answered a heap of listener questions in their first episode together in nearly a month. Luckily, there were plenty of good things to talk about. The Tigers are off to a roaring start at 2-0, winning a pair of exciting games over the Miami Marlins. Your fearless podcast hosts break down the important aspects of the two wins, but probably spend just as much time giggling manically at the idea of what a healthy Victor Martinez could do to this Tigers offense. Hey, winning is fun! Of course, things weren't all sunshine and rainbows in South Florida. Francisco Rodriguez struggled, Logan Kensing showed why he is a career MLB journeyman, and... James McCann didn't get a hit? Even manager Brad Ausmus couldn't draw any ire after a job well done through two games. Topics in this week's episode include: Baseball is back! But it might kill us.The Tigers looked very good in MiamiVictor Martinez is healthy and everyone should be terrifiedAnibal Sanchez: not deadCC Sabathia might be in trouble this weekendThe Tigers' difficult April scheduleBad slides and baseball in dressesListener questions!Which baseball players do we hate most?When Brad Ausmus goes right Contents: 2:41 - Rounding the Bases: this is how you win the division 43:31 - Warming in the Pen: tough sledding ahead 58:23 - High and Tight: baseball in dresses 1:12:45 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: more Salty, please 1:33:50 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: who kidnapped Brad Ausmus?

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 26: Hijacked! Mar 22, 2016

    With Rob Rogacki on vacation this week, and HookSlide refusing to do the show solo, the podcast was taken over by the guys from The Podcastellanos to keep things interesting. (Ok, it was really taken over, they were invited by HookSlide, but it sounds more interesting the other way.) In this week's episode, Jordan Hall and Eric Wayne join HookSlide to talk about spring training and what to do now that all the interesting prospects (Jimenez, Fulmer, etc.) have been sent to minor league camp. They also talk about the worst commercials played during Tigers' games, try to remember the last ten starting pitchers on Opening Day, take the usual stack of listener questions, play a Family Feud-style game, and get into some serious power-rankings. Topics include: Tigers Twitter was wrong, againWhat if Anibal Sanchez isn't ready for April?The best and worst television/radio commercials (spoiler: Weingartz didn't make the list)Which Tigers is the most likely to own 10 cats?How do you pronounce "Aviles"?What's going to happen at the trade deadlineWhy live tweeting is the worst Contents 2:46 - Rounding the Bases: Tigers Twitter was wrong about something 33:17 - Warming in the Pen: let’s play the Feud 48:44 - High and Tight: and now for a word from our sponsors … 1:02:03 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: forget spring training, let’s talk about the trade deadline 1:22:16 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: if this van’s a-rockin’, please, please come a-knockin’ Thanks to Jordan and Eric for helping make this show happen. Find The Podcastellanos online at podcastellanos.com, and get in touch with Eric (@ComericaEric) and Jordan (@JordanHall23) on Twitter.

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 25: Goose Gossage is a f***head Mar 16, 2016

    Things get a little testy on this week's episode! Okay, not really. But Rob and HookSlide celebrate their 25th episode the best way they know how: talking about the Detroit Tigers and laying into an old geezer who thinks stats are ruining baseball. This week's target? Hall of Fame reliever Goose Gossage, who went after stat-heads and current players alike for ruining the game of yesteryear. You know, the one where players like Kirk Gibson fist-pumped their way around the bases after hitting a clutch playoff home run. There's plenty of content prior to that discussion in this week's show. Victor Martinez has a hamstring injury, Anthony Gose is bunting his way to glory, and Steven Moya is hitting the cover off the ball! We also take our usual bag of listener questions, and even throw one back to you! Topics in this week's episode include: Victor Martinez is hurt so we should cancel the season nowWho is the Tigers' backup DH?Anthony Gose and bunting: what could go wrong?Bryan Holaday and Steven Moya are spring training starsThe Detroit Tigers and the terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad seventh inningDave Dombrowski and Al Avila are still bros, but how awkward was Al's Thanksgiving?Which former Tiger would help the current roster out the most?The best hats in Major League BaseballJust how wrong can one old pitcher be? Contents: 2:21 - Rounding the Bases: the one guy you didn’t want to get hurt just got hurt 21:07 - Warming in the Pen: the Tigers have been bad at the 7th inning 48:29 - High and Tight: Avila and Dombrowski are still on good terms, sort of 1:03:28 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: speaking hypothetically, nothing means anything 1:30:44 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: Goose Gossage is a [censored]

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 24: Sparks could fly Mar 10, 2016

    The Detroit Tigers suffered a few more injuries in spring training last week, including Cameron Maybin's wrist fracture, but things as a whole are looking up. Bryan Holaday is hitting the cover off the ball, Steven Moya is drawing walks, and the biggest names on the roster aren't on the injury report. So far, so good, right? The Tigers capped off a productive week in Lakeland, and while we don't care about the results of games -- they're 6-4 after Wednesday's win, our crack research team revealed -- the Tigers are doing plenty of tinkering. Rob and HookSlide delve into these mysteries on this week's podcast, along with some of the position battles taking place throughout the roster. They also gush over a couple prospects -- namely, Joe Jimenez and his wicked breaking ball -- answer a few listener questions, and talk about Anthony Gose's disdain for defensive metrics. Not bad for a week's work. Topics in this week's episode include: Cameron Maybin's brittle wrists, and who replaces him on the rosterAnibal Sanchez and the right arm that won't keep quietWho the **** is Lucas Harrell?How playing 10 games gives you a 0-0 recordBlaine Hardy's terrible, horrible, no-good, very bad spring trainingJoe Jimenez and scouting terms to knowListener questions!Steven Moya's future in DetroitAnthony Gose doesn't like stats Contents: 2:09 - Rounding the Bases: who got hurt this week? 20:28 - Warming in the Pen: the Tigers have improved their record to 0-0 39:36 - High and Tight: the spring training storylines are getting good 58:33 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: Moya, Moya, Moya 1:16:01 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: Anthony Gose is having growing pains

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 23: All limbs are still intact Mar 02, 2016

    At long last, baseball is finally back! Well, sort of. Games are being played now, and some of them are even on TV. They don't count for anything, and bad results should just be shrugged off, but it's still baseball! The Detroit Tigers got their Grapefruit League schedule underway this week, playing games against the Florida Southern Mocs and Pittsburgh Pirates. By the time you listen to this podcast, they may have already played the Pirates again, along with a televised (!) game against the New York Yankees. On this week's podcast, we do our best to break down the results of the two games, and discuss which players fans should pay attention to during game action. They also talk about the numerous injuries taking over TigerTown, including Anibal Sanchez's triceps injury and Alex Wilson's bum shoulder. They take another swing at the lightning round during listener questions, rank the top 10 foods at Comerica Park, and rant about bad baseball terminology. Topics in this week's episode include: Spring training games! On TV! Anibal Sanchez and the dangers of throwing a baseball What is a shoulder subluxation? Spring training games! And box scores! Why spring training box scores don't matter Players we want to see succeed during spring training (and one we don't) The top 10 foods at Comerica Park Bad baseball terminology, including "complete game shutouts" Contents: 3:11 - Rounding the Bases: can you please just be healthy? 18:33 - Warming in the Pen: grapefruits, anyone? 38:41 - High and Tight: spring training storylines 54:48 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: power-ranking ballpark food 1:21:07 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: stop using these baseball terms

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 22: Juan Uribe in a swimsuit Feb 24, 2016

    Baseball is officially back! Spring training is now in full swing, though we still have another week or so to wait until games begin. This is bad news for our poor beat writers, who are doing their best to churn out content, but good news for The Voice of the Turtle. That is, if you don't mind off-topic discussions about certain risqué Google searches. In this week's show, we take a look at the early storylines of the spring, including Francisco Rodriguez's visa issues and Steven Moya's productive winter. They also sympathize with the beat writers (minus the weather), and break down the Detroit Tigers' latest signings. Listener questions take an odd turn this week, and the lightning round returns! Finally, Rob and HookSlide speak with Steve Mikkelson, oddsmaker for Atlantis Casino in Reno, Nevada, about what goes into a team's preseason World Series odds. Topics in this week's episode include: Spring training is here! Now what?The Tigers are in the best shape of their livesVictor Martinez can swing nowBobby Parnell might be a favorite to make the rosterDo the Indians have enough offense to contend in 2016?Listener questions!Is Brad Ausmus a good manager? Or just noA reasonable breakout from Nick CastellanosOddsmaker Steve Mikkelson takes on the sports betting world Contents 2:18 - Rounding the Bases: what’s holding Shane Greene back? 20:27 - Warming in the Pen: bullpen insurance 30:16 - High and Tight: those pesky White Sox 44:18 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: has Brad Ausmus learned anything? 1:01:39 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: a casino oddsmaker talks about the Tigers

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 21: Catching up with Dan Dickerson Feb 17, 2016

    The end of darkness is almost here. We are two days away from the Detroit Tigers' first spring training workouts in Lakeland, Florida, and less than two weeks away from hearing Tigers radio announcer Dan Dickerson back on the airwaves! Rob and HookSlide couldn't wait that long, however, so they brought Dan on The Voice of the Turtle to help preview the Tigers' season. Topics range frrom the team's chances at contention to their best moves of the offseason to how the front office has changed under Al Avila. Believe us: this is one interview you don't want to miss! There is always more to talk about, though. Before talking to Dan, Rob and HookSlide take an in-depth look at the Tigers' roster and how it compares to all those computer-generated projections that seem to be so down on the the Tigers' chances this season. They also make their Tiger-centric predictions for the upcoming season, and add in a few prop bets along the way. Topics in this week's episode include: PECOTA projections and whether we should ignore them entirelyMiguel Cabrera: he's really good"Can he stay healthy?" is the Tigers' 2016 mottoRole players that need to step forward this seasonJustin Verlander: staff ace or Hall of Famer?Jordan Zimmermann's transition from the National LeagueUpgrading bullpen expectations from impossibly low standardsThe most important prop bets everListener questions!The Tigers' Baserunning WayDan Dickerson previews the 2016 Tigers Contents: 2:13 - Rounding the Bases: boooo, projection systems! 34:45 - Warming in the Pen: armed and dangerous? 1:01:42 - High and Tight: predictions galore 1:20:51 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: worst-case scenario 1:41:08 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: Dan Dickerson

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 20: Save us, baseball Feb 10, 2016

    We might be losing it. With no real baseball to talk about over the past two weeks, Rob and HookSlide still found a way to turn in their longest show to date, recording a two-hour, 21 minute podcast entirely about J.D. Martinez's two-year contract extension. ...and a few other things. This week's show also covers what the Tigers' master plan is, what with all the contracts expiring after the 2017 season. In the meantime, Rob and HookSlide also discuss where the Tigers sit in the AL Central race for 2016, and just how good of a job general manager Al Avila did this offseason. They also break away to talk about the team's top prospects, including those heading to spring training as non-roster invitees. Naturally, there were also a few listener questions involved, and Rob finishes up the show with a rant about how awful most of sports media truly is (besides BYB, of course). Please get here soon, baseball. Topics in this week's episode include: What do we call J.D. Martinez's new contract?Al Avila's master plan for baseball dominationThe Tigers' best, worst, and most underrated moves of the winterWhich team will most certainly win the AL Central because we picked them to do soThe players we will have to Google during spring trainingThis whole prospect thing? Kind of funListener questions!Where Calvin Johnson would play if he were a TigerHow awful sports media is, and why BYB is awesomeSpring training and your slow descent into madness

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 19: Year of the Upton Jan 20, 2016

    Let it be known: we decided to record this podcast before the Detroit Tigers made waves across baseball, signing free agent outfielder Justin Upton to a six-year, $132.75 million contract. See, there's a post and everything. Anyway, what originally planned to be a dull episode became very exciting when the Tigers finished their offseason with a flourish. Rob and HookSlide break down the deal, discuss what it means for the Tigers roster in 2016 (and beyond), and debate whether opt out clauses -- the newest trend in baseball, apparently -- are worth the hassle. Of course, other things have happened too. The Baltimore Orioles signed Chris Davis to a seven-year contract with all sorts of deferred money, while the Kansas City Royals inked Ian Kennedy to a deal more expensive than anyone expected. There are also the never-ending Yoenis Cespedes rumors to discuss, and St. Louis Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak's recent comments about the DH making its way to the National League. It's good to be back. Topics in this week's episode include: Whether Al Avila is listening to this podcastThe benefits to Justin Upton's opt out clauseHoly crap we signed Justin Upton (the exuberance was a bit delayed)Bruce Rondon's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad offseasonChris Davis' roundabout trip back to BaltimoreAll the drugs the Royals must be takingAre the Tigers World Series contenders?Listener questions!Who bats where?Does the National League need the DH?Old-timey baseball, or at least a way to return to it

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 18: Options, options, options Dec 16, 2015

    Mere hours after Rob and HookSlide finished recording their last episode of The Voice of the Turtle, the Tigers' new general manager pulled the trigger on yet another move, acquiring left-handed reliever Justin Wilson from the New York Yankees. Sent the other way were two pitching prospects, righthanders Luis Cessa and Chad Green. The deal is a week old, but this is our hosts' first chance to take a look at the move, and they do it with the help of Tanya Bondurant, managing editor of Pinstripe Alley, SB Nation's excellent Yankees community. Tanya tempers expectations a bit, but given her lofty standards for bullpen arms -- the Yankees have both Andrew Miller and Dellin Beances at the back of their pen, remember -- we lowly Tigers fans should still be happy about the improvements made thus far. Topics in this week's episode include: Egg nog: fair or foul?What the Tigers are getting in Justin WilsonIs this a good bullpen?Outfield options, and if another addition is neededBruce Rondon got into more troubleJordan Zimmermann's contract looks even betterThe Tigers Way: a necessary endeavorWhy Ender Inciarte isn't the godsend some thinkInterview with Tanya Bondurant of Pinstripe AlleyDo the Yankees care about losing Justin Wilson? Contents: 3:51 - Rounding the Bases: Is the bullpen finally good? 19:47 - Warming in the Pen: tweak the roster now, or do it later? 27:18 - High and Tight: Bruce Rondon is a brawler – is that ok? 45:35 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: who’s getting traded before April? 1:05:09 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: what do Yankees fans think of the Justin Wilson trade?

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 17: Al Avila does not sleep Dec 09, 2015

    The Hot Stove doesn't get any hotter than this week, as all 30 MLB teams are represented in Nashville and the deals are flying left and right. From trades to free agent signings, every fanbase is hoping their team makes a bit move to bolster their chances in 2016. Free agent signings? The Tigers have had three since our last episode, and we're breaking down the ins and outs of all of them. Roster moves? Backup catcher Bryan Holaday appears to be on the outside looking in, and we'll discuss what his future holds. Trades? The Tigers don't currently have anything on the docket, but the Arizona Diamondbacks pulled off a doozy mere minutes before our show went live. As fate would have it, we had the D-Backs represented on this week's show, courtesy of special guest Charlie Gebow from AZ Snakepit. Still blown away by the blockbuster moves of the past week, Charlie discussed the Diamondbacks' chances at contention now that their rotation is topped by Zack Greinke and Shelby Miller. Topics in this week's episode include: Mike Pelfrey might be better than we thinkJarrod Saltalamacchia: big name, big potentialIs Bryan Holaday heading back to Texas?Relievers, relievers, and more relieversAre the White Sox and Indians still alive?Christmas ideas and The Tigers WaySnap reactions to the Shelby Miller dealWhat the Diamondbacks need to do to return to contention Contents: 2:20 - Rounding the Bases: why would the Tigers sign a pitcher who isn’t good at pitching? 34:02 - Warming in the Pen: would you be comfortable if the season started tomorrow? 50:27 - High and Tight: are the Tigers back to being the toast of the Central? 1:09:14 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: all I want for Christmas is this 1:32:32 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: Zack Greinke is the Diamondbacks ace

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 16: Everything we say is wrong Dec 02, 2015

    Not two minutes into last week's episode of The Voice of the Turtle, Rob told our faithful listeners that the Detroit Tigers -- and other MLB teams, for that matter -- wouldn't be up to much over the Thanksgiving holiday. Like usual, both he and HookSlide were dead wrong. Sure, things calmed down a bit after now-former Tigers catcher Alex Avila signed with the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, but the weekend came to a loud and abrupt close when the Tigers inked Jordan Zimmermann to a five-year, $110 million contract. Not to be outdone, the Boston Red Sox signed David Price (another former Tiger!) to a seven-year, $217 million contract just hours before we recorded. Oh, how good it is to be wrong. There was plenty to talk about on this week's podcast, from the new contracts to how the Tigers are going to fill out their roster to the interesting comments owner Mike Ilitch made during Zimmermann's introductory press conference. We also take another round of listener questions, and even ponder what Thanksgiving was like this year in the Avila household. Topics in this week's episode include: Nope, nothing happened last week. Not at all.Dan Dickerson likes Jordan Zimmermann, and you should tooWhat do we make of the Tigers starting rotation?The Winter Meetings are coming! The Winter Meetings are coming!Does Al Alburquerque have a place in next year's bullpen?Alex Avila is now the enemyJohnny Cueto doesn't like the desertHow many 'n's are on this thing?Listener questions!Mike Ilitch says YOLO to the luxury taxWho is really at fault for the Tigers' problems?

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 15: This is Moneyball Nov 25, 2015

    It's Thanksgiving week, but before you sit down to stuff your face, old Uncle Mort has a few burning questions. Namely, what are the Detroit Tigers doing? He also wants to know why Brad Ausmus is still around, but you haven't had enough gravy to answer that question yet. On this week's podcast, Rob and HookSlide break down the trades that brought Francisco Rodriguez and Cameron Maybin to Detroit, try to decipher general manager Al Avila's master plan, and decipher what big data baseball moves are coming to the Tigers organization. Rob also reveals his strategy for answering Tigers-related questions at Thanksgiving, and HookSlide explains why a Doug Fister reunion is a good thing. The overarching theme of the week, of course, is analytics. The Tigers are using them more and more, but Avila's jigsaw puzzle is far from finished. There are a few pieces still missing, and some over-sized pieces that tend to break easily. Still, there is a lot of time left in the offseason -- we're not even at the Winter Meetings yet! -- and a bit of cash to spare. Stay patient, Tigers fans. Topics in this week's episode include: K-Rod is not Joe NathanMontreal Robertson: baseball pitcher or TV detective?BLOCKBUSTER TRADES (involving Liam Hendriks)Marcell Ozuna may be on the moveIs this outfield finished?How to deal with old Uncle Mort at ThanksgivingWhere the Tigers fit in big data baseball Contents 2:29 - Rounding the Bases: Al Avila is the anti-Dombrowski 32:31 - Warming in the Pen: the Marlins are a merry-go-round of madness 46:39 - High and Tight: the Tigers aren't done upgrading the outfield, right? RIGHT?! 1:03:59 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: 5 topics to go with Thanksgiving dinner 1:27:47 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: bringing big data to Detroit

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 14: All smoke, no fire Nov 18, 2015

    It wouldn't be the offseason without a big Dave Dombrowski move. Less than two weeks in, here we are. The Boston Red Sox traded a bevy of prospects for Closer of Worlds Craig Kimbrel, while the Detroit Tigers fanbase was left wondering where they now stand. Rest easy, Tigers fans. It's still early. On this week's episode of The Voice of the Turtle, Rob and HookSlilde sift through the offseason rumors, and whether the Tigers are taking the right approach to a pivotal offseason. From Hisashi Iwakuma to Shawn Kelley, the Tigers are showing interest in just about everyone with a curveball. Oh, and some guy named Jose Fernandez may be on the trade block too. In the final segment, we welcome in special guest Chris Lemieux, writer for Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Detroit Lions blog. Chris breaks down the Lions season so far, whether there is hope for the future, and the striking similarities between the Lions and Tigers. Topics in this week's episode include: Which pitchers the Tigers are not interested in (because they want just about everyone) Bullpen Wars: Al Avila vs. Brad Ausmus Dave Dombrowski finally gets his closer Will the Tigers ever beat the Angels? How many farm systems it would take to acquire Jose Fernandez Takeout slides, replay, and what's good for the game Lions, Tigers, and old, title-hungry owners (Oh my!) If Matthew Stafford is the answer at quarterback for the Lions Why football fans make bad baseball fans (and vice versa) Contents: 2:31 - Rounding the Bases: the Tigers are all smoke, no fire 16:09 - Warming in the Pen: Damn you, Dombrowski 33:48 - High and Tight: what would you give up to get Jose Fernandez? 54:42 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: Jose Iglesias will NOT be traded (until he is) 1:15:15 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: the Lions and Tigers are same, but different

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 13: Speculation overdrive Nov 11, 2015

    After what might be the most painful week of the baseball offseason -- January is Netflix and chill month, if we're being honest -- Rob and HookSlide are back to discuss and debate all of the Hot Stove action that took place! Unfortunately, there wasn't much. There were a few rumors, though, including the potential return of 2015 Tigers closer Joakim Soria, and a longshot reunion with 2006 draft pick Andrew Miller. Will those moves happen? We don't know, but our fearless co-hosts did their best to predict the future with a free agent draft. There was a bit of actual news to discuss as well. The Tigers hired new analytics expert Jay Sartori to bolster the front office, but lost reliever Guido Knudson and prospect JaCoby Jones to waivers and a suspension, respectively. Plus, Rob and HookSlide answer your listener questions, including the one must-have free agent on the market this offseason. Topics in this week's episode include: The worst parts of the baseball offseasonWhy in the world the Tigers are interested in Andrew MillerA showdown between Darren O'Day and Joakim SoriaAwful pirate jokes, and where Guido Knudson fits inWhether Jay Sartori was responsible for the iPhone 6sWhich free agents are not worth a draft pickThe Twins and Indians, and why anyone cares about themThe harsh reality of minor league suspensionsAl Avila's master planListener questions!Which bullpen pitchers are actually worth holding ontoThe free agent draft game!

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 12: The dark, cold baseball offseason Nov 04, 2015

    On this week's episode, Rob and Hookslide discuss the news of the first few days of the offseason, break down what the Tigers should (and should not) do over the course of the winter, and vent their frustrations over the loss of yet another awesome thing on the internet: Grantland. Our hosts are also joined by special guest Meg Rowley, a very talented writer who can be found at Lookout Landing, Baseball Prospectus, and Just a Bit Outside. Meg offered up her unique opinion on being a female in a male-dominated sports industry, discussed the strides baseball is making to better integrate its game, and whether she would ever get to see a female player or coach in a Major League Baseball game in her lifetime. Topics in this week's episode include: The savior of the pitching staff is here!Daniel Norris is cancer-free!Shane Greene is throwing againThe offseason is here, and we need new playersWere the Kansas City Royals actually a great team?Grantland is no more, and it's all because the internet sucksWhich Tigers would be great Big Lebowski characters?The importance of ESPN's Jess MendozaThe importance of gender integration in baseball Contents: 2:56 - Rounding the Bases: changes for the 2016 pitching staff 20:03 - Warming in the Pen: really, that guy might be back in 2016? 36:02 - High and Tight: the Kansas City royals are still a fluke, right? 56:42 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: the offseason – what’s the worst that could happen? 1:10:13 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: who doesn’t want women involved with sports?!

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 11: Fix left field or we're toast Oct 28, 2015

    How do you fix the Detroit Tigers? There are a lot of different solutions, and most of them involve a lot of money. Rob and HookSlide have other ideas, though, and they share them on this week's episode of The Voice of the Turtle. Rob delivers his offseason plan for the Tigers, including what it takes to "coordinate" the roster for maximum efficiency. Meanwhile, HookSlide avoids increasing his stress levels when discussing bullpen roles. After all, we need to be ready for next year's World Series, right? In addition to Pinky and the Brain discussing what they're going to do this offseason, our fearless hosts break down the Tigers' search for a new pitching coach, the Tigers' trade options, and whether the Tigers would be better off with one of the other available managers on the open market this offseason. Plus, what's late October without a little Halloween fun? If you're interested in hearing about what Tigers players should dress up as, this podcast is for you. Topics in this podcast include: Who will be the Tigers' next pitching coach?Trade Anibal Sanchez! Trade Jose Iglesias! Burn everything down! Or notFix left field, or we're toastSTOP SPRAYING CHAMPAGNE IN THE STANDSWere the Tigers premature in retaining Brad Ausmus?Would we ever give up bacon?Rob's plan for offseason domination Contents: 2:47 - Rounding the Bases: the Tigers have a big hurdle in 2016 that's completely out of their control 26:45 - Warming in the Pen: Do you want to finish in third place? Because this is how you finish in third place 43:52 - High and Tight: baseball is kind of a grumpy old curmudgeon 58:26 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: what does bacon have to do with baseball? 1:18:31 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: the key to success this offseason

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 10: The man with the plan Oct 21, 2015

    It's MLB playoffs time, and that means one thing! Well, unfortunately, this year it means no more Detroit Tigers baseball, and no more podcasts as your fearless hosts have been enjoying the postseason festivities. While no baseball is being played, there has been plenty of note in Tigers land lately. Daniel Norris was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, while Jeff Jones announced his retirement from baseball, all within the span of a few hours on Monday afternoon. Rob and HookSlide also rehash some old news in discussing general manager Al Avila's plan for the offseason, take some listener questions, and finish off the show with a debate on takeout slides, one of the hotter topics of this year's postseason. Topics in this week's episode include: The worst Saturday ever (for Rob, at least)Playoffs! They're fun! And not stressful!The best bat flips ever, and whether they're actually bat flipsTigers postseason awards, including an unlikely Cy Young candidateDaniel Norris is diagnosed with thyroid cancerThe Tigers need a new pitching coachAl Avila: the man with the planWho should the Tigers not sign?Listener questions!The future of Miguel Cabrera's hairTakeout slides, and when enough is enough Contents: 4:20 - Rounding the Bases: really good postseason, or best postseason ever? 29:57 - Warming in the Pen: Daniel Norris was diagnosed with what? 48:48 - High and Tight: Al Avila's got a plan! 1:08:09 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: insane sports radio callers 1:33:15 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: play the game hard, just not that hard

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 9: Meet the new boss, same as the old boss Oct 07, 2015

    In this week's episode, Rob and HookSlide talk about the biggest news in Tigers-dom: Tom Gorzelanny's new arm angle and whether Neftali Feliz should be tendered a contract. Oh, and that whole thing about Ausmus returning next year, too. They also look east to discuss the feud that went down in our nation's capital between Jonathan Papelbon and Bryce Harper, and point out the key differences between the still employed Brad Ausmus and newly-fired Matt Williams. Topics in this week's episode include: Pick protected!Why the No. 9 overall draft pick is a good thingJ.D. Martinez didn't hit 40 homers, but that's OKDaniel Norris threw 54 pitches in an inning and everyone hated itTom Gorzelanny, Neftali Feliz, and other players we don't want to see in 2016Guess who's back? Back again. Ausmus is back. Tell a friend...Does Al Avila need to Ausmus-proof the roster?Which teams will (not) win the World SeriesJonathan Papelbon and workplace etiquetteListener questions!Rest in peace, Buck FarmerThe Tigers' new direction Contents 2:29 - Rounding the Bases: what was the best and worst part of the 2015 season? 21:49 - Warming in the Pen: why to avoid watching Tigers baseball in 2016 44:11 - High and Tight: when did baseball players become above the law? 59:32 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: the guy the Tigers need in 2016 1:15:49 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: why the Tigers are already behind the 8-ball in 2016

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 8: Will the real Bruce Rondon please stand up? Sep 25, 2015

    In this week's episode Rob and HookSlide discuss the week that was in Detroit Tigers baseball... all four games of it. Luckily, they were some eventful games, including a Maddux, near-no-hitter, and more #MustSeeJV. Mixed in with all the on-field madness was an off-field fiasco, the dismissal of reliever Bruce Rondon. The Tigers haven't said much, but fans have been able to read between the lines to get an idea of what exactly infuriated the team so much. Then, to properly celebrate the only team in the organization with playoff success, we invited Whitecaps play-by-play announcer Dan Hasty into the virtual studio to break down their improbable run to the Midwest League Championship. Topics in this week's episode include: An eventful series against the Chicago White SoxJeff Samardzija's free agent market, and how to actually spell his nameThe Whitecaps!The Tigers' farm system, and whether all these prospect gurus are wrongThe AL Central in 2016 and beyond, including the terrifying Minnesota Twins (yes, really)Whether this is the most pivotal Tigers offseason in recent memoryBruce Rondon's early winter vacationThe future of baseball and medicineListener questions!What in the world happened to Kurt MenschingA conversation with Whitecaps play-by-play announcer Dan Hasty Contents 2:10 - Rounding the Bases: at least the Tigers are winning championships somewhere!28:09 - Warming in the Pen: sizing up the AL Central44:46 - High and Tight: how to get extra vacation time using this one weird trick!1:07:34 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: maybe we should send this player home early, too1:30:41 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: talking with Whitecaps PBP announcer Dan Hasty about how you get this lucky

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 7: Tanking the right way Sep 21, 2015

    This week, Rob and HookSlide discuss tanking, Draft Kings fever, and whether or not fans should boo their team. The Detroit Tigers have been solid lately, winning three of the past four series they have played, including a recent series victory over the Kansas City Royals. Baseball is getting more watchable in Detroit, and Tigers fans just aren't sure how to handle it. Amid their restlessness, Rob and HookSlide discuss the recent boo birds that have come to nest at Comerica Park, and the pros and cons of daily fantasy sports. Their commercials -- and auto-playing video web ads -- might be the devil, but the product is, dare we say, kind of fun? Also, what should you be watching for as the Tigers play out the last two weeks of the season, and is it worth it to spoil the Minnesota Twins' playoff hopes? Topics in this week's episode include: The Tigers are good again! Sort of.What's up with Miguel Cabrera?What the Tigers should expect out of Anibal Sanchez in 2016The trials and tribulations of third base coach Dave ClarkTanking the Right WayTMAre Tigers fans booing too much?That time that Brad Ausmus was rightListener questions! Including whether your favorite Tiger is a sandwichDaily fantasy sports, and whether they will make you richInternet advertising, and how it won't make anyone rich Contents 2:49 - Rounding the Bases: are you ok, Miggy? 27:07 - Warming in the Pen: you need to stop waving this guy around third 41:48 - High and Tight: the art of booing 1:03:34 - Into the Mob Scene at Home: this is the one guy we’re excited to see leave in 2016 1:21:51 - The 7th Inning Kvetch: get rich quick, so you can start paying for content

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 6: How to get fired in 3 easy steps Sep 12, 2015

    The bright spots are getting fewer and fewer, and unfortunately, things aren't very fun in Tiger Town at this point. That didn't stop Rob and HookSlide from bantering back and forth about the week that was for nearly two hours, though. There was plenty to talk about, including the recent rumors about manager Brad Ausmus' job security. We're still 20-odd games from debating legitimate candidates for the new job, but a name or two may have popped up in this episode. We also get away from the doom and gloom of Tigers baseball for a moment to discuss what the MLB playoffs have in store for us. Topics in this week's episode include: The Tigers are still badJ.D. Martinez is slumping, but are we concerned?Why the Tigers designated Daniel Fields for assignmentThe potential for a protected draft pick, and why that mattersWhether Anthony Gose will be the center fielder in 2016Who we're rooting for in OctoberBrad Ausmus' chances at staying in Detroit next season (Spoiler: 0 percent)The early frontrunner to become the Tigers' next managerListener questions! Including a debate on how many Hot 'n' Readys we can physically carryHow an MVP is truly defined

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 5: How to watch meaningless September baseball Sep 03, 2015

    Since Rob and HookSlide last went back and forth on episode three of The Voice of the Turtle, the Detroit Tigers have lost nine of their 11 games. They have dropped 20 (!) games behind the Kansas City Royals in the AL Central and are close to scraping the bottom of the American League's depths. This means one thing: bad September baseball! Obviously, we're not excited about this, but episode five of the podcast helps shed some light on a few bright spots and things to watch in the last month of the season. Topics in this week's episode include: HookSlide wanted a dumpster fire in Toronto, and he got oneJustin Verlander is still worth watchingWhat is a pseudoaneurysm? Will Shane Greene be okay?The excitement (or lack thereof) of September call-upsWays to stay entertained by meaningless games in SeptemberAre the Tigers giving up on the 2015 season?Will Victor Martinez bounce back in 2016?Listener questions! Including whether Nick Castellanos' pants have a certain mojo about them.What kind of manager should the Tigers hire, assuming Brad Ausmus is fired?

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    Voice of the Turtle, Episode 4: this is your brain on baseball Aug 28, 2015

    In this episode of the podcast, HookSlide talks about baseball, brains, and your brain on baseball. Justin Verlander has certainly returned to dominant form, and just in case we were still on the fence about that, he just took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning in his last performance. Verlander's resurgence will certainly make General Manager Al Avila's job in 2016 a bit easier, because, hey, who can't build a decent starting rotation when you've got an ace like Verlander to be the cornerstone? Going into weekend, the Tigers get to face the Toronto Blue Jays and their ridiculously good offense, and on the mound they'll be sending out ... Boyd, Farmer, and Simon? So who will get shelled the least? At least one MLB team is making plans to extend the nets at the ballpark and do something to preserve fan safety from flying foul balls. Why are some people opposed to this? In the final segment of the podcast, a licensed professional counselor who specializes in neurofeedback "brain training" talks about what EEG data can do for athletes looking to achieve peak performance, and explains what happens in the brain when a player gets angry and starts smashing water coolers.

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Ep. 3: A masochist's view of the Tigers' playoff chase Aug 22, 2015

    With the Detroit Tigers inching closer to the playoffs despite a rotation held together with bubble gum and paperclips, Rob and HookSlide return for another episode of The Voice of the Turtle, and discuss whether 2015 is all for naught or if there is still a chance at cracking the AL wild card this season. Topics in this week's episode include: How fun was that series against the Chicago Cubs?Who is actually in the starting rotation now?Miguel Cabrera: good at baseballJustin Verlander: also good at baseballThe key to Nick Castellanos' turn-aroundCan the Tigers actually make the playoffs?Dave Dombrowski: Public Enemy No. 1 (sort of)Your weekly "this bullpen is awful" segmentListener questions!Why are you a Tigers fan? Contents 03:20 Rounding the Bases: the one thing that's got Nick Castellanos back on track25:25 Warming in the Pen: why the wild card chase just got a whole lot more difficult37:40 High and Tight: who wins in a showdown between Dave Dombrowski and Al Avila?55:30 Into the Mob Scene at Home: what was the worst trade Dave Dombrowski ever made?1:16:50 The 7th Inning Kvetch: what makes you a die-hard Tigers fan?

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    The Voice of the Turtle, Episode 2: Why should we keep watching the Tigers? Aug 14, 2015

    After a tumultuous trade deadline in Tiger Town, things returned to normal last week. And by normal, we mean losing. The Tigers lost two of three to both the Boston Red Sox and Kansas City Royals. HookSlide and Rob talk about these games, the upcoming week of Tigers baseball, and how to fix the beleaguered Detroit bullpen without burning the whole thing to the ground. Topics in this week's episode include: * This podcast has a name! * What happened against the Boston Red Sox? * Victor Martinez might be back to his old self * Jefry Marte is good, but how good? * What are we watching for as the Tigers finish out 2015? * The single-biggest thing to be excited about for the Tigers in 2016 * The dugout fight that was (or wasn't) * Listener questions! *How to fix the bullpen

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    Podcast Zero: The BYB Podcast gets rebooted Aug 06, 2015

    The Detroit Tigers have been busy: they became sellers at the MLB trade deadline and traded away David Price, Yoenis Cespedes, and Joakim Soria for prospects, and then Mike Ilitch "released" Dave Dombrowski from his contract and replaced him with new GM Al Avila. Hookslide and Rob Rogacki talk about these recent events, as well as the rebooting of the podcast and plans for the future.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 149: scouting 101 and the MLB draft (wsg Brian Sakowski) Jun 12, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide talks with Perfect Game USA National Scouting Coordinator Brian Sakowski about the ins and outs of baseball scouting: how to spot talent, how to evaluate skills and flaws, what the terminology means, and more. We also talk about a few of the Detroit Tigers' selections in the 2015 MLB Draft: Beau Burrows, Christin Stewart, and Cam Gibson, son of former Detroit Tiger Kirk Gibson. Finally, we talk about some of the prospects currently in the system, such as Joe Jiminez, Michael Gerber, and Derek Hill with the West Michigan Whitecaps, as well as what's going on in Toledo and Detroit.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 148: watching the world burn (wsg Mario Impemba) Jun 06, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide chats with Detroit Tigers television play by play announcer Mario Impemba of Fox Sports Detroit. HookSlide and Mario break down the Tigers' eight-game losing streak, their first such streak since 2005, and talk about everything from Brad Ausmus' role in the melt-down to the starting rotation, to the faltering offense, and everything else in-between.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 147: Good riddance, west coast baseball May 31, 2015

    On this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide and Bless You Boys site managing editor Rob Rogacki analyse the past week of Tigers baseball on the west coast. Topics include the still-limping offense, the missing impact of Alex Avila, Anibal Sanchez and his on-going home run problem, Alfredo Simon's emergence as at least a number two starting pitcher, the role and future of Hernan Perez, looking back at last year's team slump, the Ryan Howard trade rumors, and injury updates for Justin Verlander, Alex Avila, Bruce Rondon, and Victor Martinez.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 146: Injuries, Walkoffs, and Astros May 23, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide chats with Ryan Dunsmore of SB Nation's Houston Astros site as well as BYB staff writer Jon Erkkila. Astros topics include: early dominance in the AL West, the apparent success of the rebuilding project, World Series odds, and more. Tigers topics inclue Victor Martinez's trip to the disabled list, whether Victor's contract extension looks any different in light of his injuries, the emergence of Alex Wilson as a stable bullpen piece, the struggles of Joba Chamberlain, Brad Ausmus' sometimes questionable strategies, and analyzing the issues behind the streaky Tigers offense.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 145: Miguel Cabrera gets 400 May 17, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide talks with Tigers beat writer and MLive columnist Chris Iott about the past week of Tigers baseball. Topics include whether the bullpen has graduated from "terrible" to "not too bad," whether Dave Dombrowski might be looking to trade for another bullpen arm in July and who would be on the trading block, the ongoing neck-and-neck race between the Detroit Tigers and the Kansas City Royals, an "anemic" offense (to use Brad Ausmus' word) that seems to be coming back to life, Alex Avila's knee injury, and Brad Aumsus' growth as a manager in 2015.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 144: Staying Afloat on the Road May 08, 2015

    In this episode of the podcast, HookSlide catches up with Detroit News columnist Kurt Mensching. Topics include Shane Greene's recent rough outings, Brad Ausmus' bullpen management, Joba Chamberlain's struggles, Victor Martinez, and the recently opened spot on the Tigers' 40-man roster.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 143: A Royal Pain May 02, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide chats with BYB staff writer Jon Erkkila about the past week of Tigers baseball. Topics include the Tigers/Royals matchup, Justin Verlander's status and upcoming (third) MRI, Victor Martinez's slow start, analyzing JD Martinez's fair-to-good start, and more.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 142: So long, Joe Nathan Apr 24, 2015

    In this week's episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide talks Tigers baseball with Rob Rogacki, and chats with Max Rieper of Royals Review about the Kansas City Royals in preparation for their upcoming series with the Tigers. Royals topics include: what's behind the Royals' hot start, why is their offense suddenly so good, how much did losing James Shields hurt the starting rotation, why is there suddenly bad blood with the Oakland A's, and how is Ned Yost's approval rating so far? Tigers topics include: why is David Price doing the one-good-outing/one-bad-outing thing again, what happened to Anibal Sanchez, Joe Nathan's season-ending injury, and what to expect out of new reliever Alex Wilson given his recent results in Toledo.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 141: Second verse, same as the first Apr 18, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide talks about the West Michigan Whitecaps and the Detroit Tigers with Ryan Schuiling, host of the WBBL Morning Show and color commentator for the West Michigan Whitecaps. Topics include who's hot for the Whitecaps so far, Brad Ausmus' early approval rating, what to do with Joe Nathan, Dave Dombrowski and the bullpen, the improved Tigers defense in 2015, and more.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 140: A roaring good start Apr 11, 2015

    In this week's episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide and Rob Rogacki talk about the Detroit Tigers' opening week of baseball. Topics include the sweep of the Minnesota Twins, Anthony Gose's solid offense and defense, Shane Greene's pitching debut, Alex Avila's new approach at the plate, and whether this is truly the best team that Dave Dombrowski has assembled so far.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 139: Meet Joe Mantiply Mar 01, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide talks with former West Michigan Whitecaps relief pitcher Joe Mantiply, who has joined the Detroit Tigers for Spring Training in 2015. We'll be talking about Joe's journey to the major leagues, life in the minor leagues, and much more.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 138: Saying Farewell to Ben Chiswick Feb 07, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide chats with former West Michigan Whitecaps radio play by play announcer Ben Chiswick to talk about the upcoming 2015 season. Topics will include which Whitecaps players to keep an eye on in 2015, the general state of the Tigers' farm system, Joe Mantiply's invitation to spring training, and more.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 137: Counting Down with Jon Erkkila Jan 31, 2015

    In this episode of the Bless You Boys podcast, HookSlide catches up with BYB staff writer Jon Erkkila to talk about Brad Ausmus, Max Scherzer, James Shields, the new baseball commissioner Rob Manfred, and more!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 136: Dan Dickerson and Neil Weinberg Jan 17, 2015

    In this podcast episode, HookSlide gets "white and nerdy" with Tigers play-by-play announcer Dan Dickerson, and FanGraphs writer Neil Weinberg. Topics include: what to expect from Joe Nathan in 2015, how to construct an optimal Tigers lineup, whether the Tigers will produce a lot of runs in 2015, how similar are Shane Greene and Rick Porcello, and is the pitch clock a good idea?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 135: Cespedes Family BBQ Jan 10, 2015

    HookSlide catches up with Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman of Cespedes Family BBQ to talk about Yoenis Cespedes, Barry Bonds, Backyard Baseball, and more.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 134: Christmas Break with Rob Rogacki Dec 20, 2014

    HookSlide talks with Rob Rogacki about Miguel Cabrera's surgery, Bruce Rondon's recovery, the Tigers' acquisitions of Alfredo Simon and Yoenis Cespedes, and the loss of Rick Porcello in the starting rotation.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 133: Taking it one day at a time with Tony Paul Nov 01, 2014

    The Bless You Boys Podcast returns as Big Al and HookSlide discuss the Detroit Tigers' off-season with Detroit News baseball columnist Tony Paul. BYB Podcast 133 was recorded Halloween afternoon on October 31, 2014, has a running time of 80 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Tony Paul of The Detroit News. You can follow Tony on Twitter at @TonyPaul1984. Also be on the lookout for the return of Tony's Hardcore Baseball show on Detroit Sports 105.1 in early 2015. Topics: Paul interview: Have the Tigers plateaued under Dave Dombrowski's control? Did the team explore making a manager change with the availability of Joe Maddon (who became the Cubs' manager on Halloween) and Ron Gardenhire? Do the Tigers have any other options, or is Victor Martinez a must sign player despite his advancing age and demand for a four-year deal? How will the bullpen be addressed? Is there a possibility the Tigers eat the final year of Joe Nathan's deal? Torii Hunter is a free agent, and Andy Dirks was released by the team, only to be claimed by the Blue Jays. How will center and right be addressed? Is David Price trade bait? Will the 2015 Tigers remain an elite team or is it one in decline? In the second half of the show, the guys discuss what they have been up to since the end of the Tigers' season, give their thoughts on the World Series and why ratings were down, the busy day in Tigers' news, Miguel Cabrera's surgery, Dave Dombrowski not saying much of anything during his post season presser, what direction the team's payroll is headng, and which Tigers are trade bait.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 132: Tigers post-mortem with Matthew B. Mowery Oct 11, 2014

    In the first BYB Podcast of the off-season, Big Al and HookSlide ask Matthew B. Mowery of The Oakland Press to conduct a post-mortem on the Detroit Tigers' disappointing 2014 season. Bless You Boys Podcast 132 was recorded October 10, 2014, has a running time of 86 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Matthew B. Mowery, Detroit Tigers beat writer for The Oakland Press. Follow Matthew on Twitter at @MatthewMowery. Topics: Mowery interview: Matt gives us an in-depth look at the life of a baseball beat writer, covers the good, bad and ugly of an up-and-down Tigers' season, how and why they were bounced so quickly from the ALDS by the Baltimore Orioles, the bullpen issues and how Dave Dombrowski has addressed it (unsuccessfully) over the years, grades out Brad Ausmus' first season as manager and how dealing with the rookie skipper was vastly different than working with the old-school Jim Leyland, and what changes the Tigers may make for 2015. The remainder of the show Big Al and HookSlide go off on one long tangent, giving their takes on the Tigers getting swept out of the ALDS by te Orioles, Ausmus' use of the bullpen and non-use of Al Albuquerque, the possibility the team could eat Joe Nathan's contract, the availability of Ron Gardenhire, what Dombrowski may do to rebuild the outfield, how the Royals run to the ALCS feels similar to the Tigers' run in 2006, a fairly compelling ALCS compared to a utterly meh NLCS, and the state of the BYB Podcast heading into the off-season.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 131: ALDS preview Oct 02, 2014

    The BYB Podcast is in playoff mode! Big Al and HookSlide preview this week's Tigers - Orioles ALDS. Bless You Boys Podcast 131 was recorded October 1, 2014, has a running time of 84 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Mark Brown, writer, editor, podcast host, and resident nerd of SB Nation's Baltimore Orioles blog Camden Chat. Follow Mark on Twitter at @EatMoreEsskay. Mark Brown interview: Mark gives us the Baltimore Orioles' point-of-view on the suspension of Chris Davis, Manny Machado's injury, former Tigers and current Orioles Delmon Young and Qunitin Berry, Buck Showalter, how the Tigers match up and his prediction for the series. Tigers win fourth straight division crown: Our thoughts on what was one of the more grueling regular seasons in memory. ALDS rotation announced: It'll be Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, David Price, and Rick Porcello vs thew Orioles. Raji Davis and the ALDS roster: A roster announcement appears to be on hold until there is a final determination on Rajai Davis' injury status. Concerns going into the playoffs: Who and/or what bothers you about this Tigers team heading into the post season? Positives going into the playoffs: Who and/or what has you excited for the Tigers' chances going into the post season? AL wild card game: The Royals beat the Athletics 9-8 in a truly wild 12 inning, five hour marathon. Words could not describe how glad we are the Tigers avoided a glorified game 163. TV weirdness: This ain't your grandfather's (or even your father's) TV schedule. Twins fire Ron Gardenhire: four straight 92 loss seasons apparently sealed his fate.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 130: Dan Dickerson Sep 26, 2014

    Dan Dickerson, play-by-play man for the Tigers radio network, joins Big Al and HookSlide to talk about his broadcasting days in Grand Rapids, working with Ernie Harwell and Jim Price, sabermetrics, and Detroit's outlook for the post season and in 2015. Bless You Boys Podcast 130 was recorded September 26, 2014, has a running time of 1:15 and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Dan Dickerson, play-by-play broadcaster for the Detroit Tigers Radio Network. Dan goes in-depth about calling Magglio Ordonez's ALCS walk-off home run, taking part in the final broadcast from Tiger Stadium with Ernie Harwell, the differences between working radio and TV, the line he has to walk when criticizing the team, his use of advanced metrics during broadcast, what to expect from the Tigers in the playoffs and the roster changes we may see this coming off season. Follow Dan on Twitter at @Dan_Dickerson. Other topics: Tigers take care of business in Kansas City. The Salvador Perez controversy. More antics from Ned Yost. David Price, the bullpen and the White Sox. September brings a resurgent Justin Verlander. Chris Sale's accusations lead to the coining of Binoculargate and Binoctober. Baseball's history is full of team stealing signs. Tigers are on the verge of clinching the division against the Twins. Ultimately, the Tigers are the who we thought they were. But the Royals weren't. Playoffs on tap! How does the starting rotation shake out for the post season? All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 129: Rod Allen Sep 19, 2014

    Big Al and HookSlide interview Rod Allen, member of the 1984 Tigers and color analyst for Fox Sports Detroit, who talks about his time in the big leagues and playing in Japan, life in the broadcast booth and the team's playoff chances. Bless You Boys Podcast 129 was recorded September 19, 2014, has a running time of 1:13 and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Rod Allen interview: Rod gives us a look into his life in baseball, the experience of playing for Sparky Anderson and the 1984 team, tells of the full back story into his on-field 'fight' while playing for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp in Japan, his thoughts on the three-man FSD booth experiment, the use of advanced metrics versus what your eyes tell you and his how he sees the final week of Detroit's season. Wasted opportunity: After sweeping the Indians, the Tigers failed to extend their division lead, dropping 2-of-3 to the Twins. Rotation set for Royals series: Kyle Lobstein is skipped, Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Rick Porcello will start. Joe Nathan: After blowing Tuesday's game, fans and media once again loudly called for Brad Ausmus to replace Nathan as his closer with Joakim Soria. David Price: The former Cy Young has had some WTF innings since joining the Tigers, posting a 3-4 record and 4.09 ERA. Brad Ausmus: The rookier skipper continues to catch a great deal of heat for his in-game strategy. Anibal Sanchez: He won't be stretched out enough to rejoin the starting rotation and appears headed to the bullpen. How would you like to see the Tigers use Sanchez out of the pen? Middle of the order: If the Tigers don't win the division, it won't be the fault of the 3-4-5 hitters. Royals series: Do the Tigers need to just avoid a sweep? Is taking at least 2-of-3 a must? All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 128: Mario Impemba Sep 12, 2014

    This week Big Al and HookSlide are joined by Mario Impemba of Fox Sports Detroit, talking all things Detroit Tigers and his life in the broadcast booth. Bless You Boys Podcast 128 was recorded September 12, 2014, has a running time of 72 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Mario Impemba, Detroit Tigers broadcaster for Fox Sports Detroit.You can find Mario online at MarioImpemba.com or on Twitter at @Mario_Impemba. His book, 'If These Walls Could Talk: Detroit Tigers: Stories from the Detroit Tigers' Dugout, Locker Room, and Press Box,' is available at Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and bookstores everywhere. Click here to learn more about Mario's project for the troops, 'Operation Opening Day.' Topics: Mario Impemba interview: We cover the gamut with Mario, who is in his 13th season of doing play-by-play on Fox Sports Detroit. Tigers take 2-of-3 from the Royals, was it enough? Tigers' schedule in their favor? Pressure: Did the Royals' shoddy play in two of the three games show they were unaccustomed to playing in a pennant race? Is manager Ned Yost the Royals' Achilles Heel? Joakim Soria returns. Miguel Cabrera, resurrected. Kyle Lobstein, godsend. Victor Martinez, batting champion? The 2015 MLB schedule is released. Baltimore Orioles first baseman Chris Davis suspended. All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 127: A week of treading water Sep 07, 2014

    This week Big Al and HookSlide welcome Rob Rogacki to the podcast. Rob is BYB's resident Doctor of Physical Therapy, who gives us his expert opinion on the Tigers' injury issues. Bless You Boys Podcast 127 was recorded September 7, 2014, has a running time of 77 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: Rob Rogacki interview: We cover the gamut of Tigers' injury issues with Dr. Rob, from effects core muscle surgery had on Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera, to the September status of Joakim Soria and Anibal Sanchez. A week of treading water. Six games with the Royals on tap over the next two weeks. Is Drew Smyly out-pitching David Price? There were numerous September call-ups, unlike the Jim Leyland era. Brad Ausmus - James McCann will not get much playing time. The Justin Verlander - Kate Upton iCloud nude picture hack. Fox Sports Detroit is experimenting with a three-man booth, adding Jack Morris to the Mario Impemba - Rod Allen broadcast team this week. All that, plus tangents galore! Upcoming guests: September 12: Mario Impemba, Tigers play-by-play man for Fox Sports Detroit September 19: Rod Allen, member of the 1984 Tigers, color analyst for Fox Sports Detroit. Tentative, date TBD: Dan Dickerson, Tigers radio play-by-play man.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 126: Starting pitcher bingo Aug 29, 2014

    Big Al and HookSlide welcome another special guest - Jason Beck of MLB.com joins us for a discussion of the AL Central, the rash of Tigers' injuries and his love of obscure jerseys. Bless You Boys Podcast 126 was recorded August 29, 2014, has a running time of 68 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Jason Beck, Detroit Tigers beat writer for MLB.com. You can find the latest from Jason at the aptly named Beck's Blog, and follow him on Twitter at @BeckJason. Beck interview: Jason tells us how working as a beat guy for MLB is no different from any other writer, the differing, unfiltered views he can get from a player compared to the Tigers' organization (such as Jose Iglasias and Anibal Sanchez telling the media their seasons were over, the Tigers saying otherwise), when we could expect Joakim Soria to return, how Miguel Cabrera's ankle injury may have sapped his power, the rash of injuries the team has suffered in general, and we get his take on the AL Central race. We also learn more about Jason's love of obscure Tigers jerseys. Injuries: The Tigers have suffered a devastating string of injuries, but Dave Dombrowski has been catching heat from media members over the lack of depth.Starting pitcher bingo: You can't tell who's starting every fifth day without a scorecard.Tigers claim Astros' closer Chad Qualls off waivers, but were unable to make a deal.With Sanchez out, as implausible as it seemed a month weeks ago, could the Tigers be in the market for a starter?Joe Nathan and the fan base calling a truce?Alex Gordon is not an MVP candidate! All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 125: Meet the beat writer Aug 22, 2014

    HookSlide returns from vacation to rejoin Big Al on this week's BYB Podcast, bringing with him a special guest - Tigers beat writer Chris Iott of Mlive.com. Bless You Boys Podcast 125 was recorded August 22, 2014, has a running time of 60 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Chris Iott, Detroit Tigers beat writer for Mlive.com. Follow Chris on Twitter at @Chris_Iott. Chris Iott interview: We cover the gamut with Chris - life as a beat writer, the demands of social media and how it's changed his job over the years, the reputation of MLive's readership and if they reflect the belief fans have turned on the team, the differences between Jim Leyland and Brad Ausmus and if it's too soon to determine if the rookie manager was the right man for the job and get his take on the Tigers losing Rusney Castillo to the Red Sox and the fallout that may result. Rusney Castillo won't be part of the Tigers' outfield in 2015. Tigers chat: As things currently stand, the Tigers' outfield for 2015 has a scary lack of talent.The offense is becoming a huge concern with no solution in sight.A tale of two starts featuring no-hit stuff.Justin Verlander retruns from injury.Sexual assault charges against Evan Reed dismissed.Playoff positioning, if the Tigers actually make the playoffs. All that, plus tangents galiore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 124: Joe Nathan, public enemy number one Aug 16, 2014

    On this week's Bless You Boys Podcast, HookSlide has the week off, but we welcome back Detroit News columnist and BYB's own Kurt Mensching back to the show to discuss a disastrous week of Detroit baseball, Joe Nathan vs. the Tigers' fan base, Kurt vs. the Tigers' fan base and Victor Martinez asking for fan support. Bless You Boys Podcast 124 was recorded August 16, 2014, has a running time of 53 minutes and features Al Beaton and Kurt Mensching. Topics: Slumping again: The Tigers would not make the postseason if it began tomorrow. These same Tigers held a seven game lead three weeks ago. Weekend disaster, including ten and 19 inning losses, Joe Nathan is in need of PR lessons. Victor Martinez - "We really need the fans." From Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Joakim Soria to Buck Farmer, Robbie Ray and Melvin Mercedes. And we wonder why the Tigers are struggling? On tap, Jim Johnson? The ex-Oriole All-Star and A's washout been up and down while pitching for Triple-A Toledo. Are we a spoiled fan base? Kurt says yes, our friend Rogo says no. All that, plus tangents galore! Upcoming guests: Aug 22: Chris Iott, Mlive.com Aug 29: Jason Beck, MLB.com

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 123: What happened to the offense? Aug 08, 2014

    This week Neil Weinberg joins us to talk Tigers, Rick Porcello, Brad Ausmus, and all things stats and advanced metrics. In the second half of the show, HookSlide and Big Al ponder where the Tigers' offense has gone, why it's disappeared and if it can be fixed. Bless You Boys Podcast 123 was recorded August 8, 2014, has a running time of 1:23 and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Special guest: Neil Weinberg of New English D and Fangraphs. Neil can be found on Twitter at @neilweinberg44. Topics: What happened to the offense? Tigers scored just 6 runs during the 4 game series in New York, and just 2 runs in the 3 losses combined.How to fix it? Who is to blame and is there a quick fix?Austin Jackson: Has the trade of Jackson, who was big part of Detroit's offense, hurt more than anticipated?It it far to criticize Miguel Cabrera?Alex Avila: Hhas the criticism over his bat gotten to the point where it's beyond over-the-top?David Price: Thoughts on his first start? Was Price the pitcher you expected?Jim Johnson: Thoughts on the the Tigers taking a flier on the former All-Star closer?Royals creeping closer: The second place Royals are hot again and have crept within 3 games of Detroit. Time to PANIC?Dave Dombrowski: Out of the running for MLB commissioner. Feel free to breathe a sigh of relief.TV Ratings: The team with the highest local TV ratings (with some of the lowest rights fees) is the Detroit Tigers. Their 8.38 household rating is almost a point higher than the second place team, the Cardinals. All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 122: Meet Ben Chiswick Aug 02, 2014

    On Bless You Boys Podcast 122 Big Al and HookSlide break from the usual format both a live episode and welcome a special guest. Joining us in the first half of the podcast is Ben Chiswick, play-by-play man for the West Michigan Whitecaps, the Single-A affiliate for the Detroit Tigers. Ben will fill us in on life as a play-by-play man and give us an in-depth look at the Whitecaps' current prospects and the outlook on the players the Tigers traded away in the deals for Joakim Soria and David Price. Tigers topics: David Price is a Detroit Tiger!Reactions are mixed in Detroit, happy in Seattle and beyond angry in Tampa Bay.Is Price Max Scherzer insurance?Is Justin Verlander bullpen bound for the playoffs?Tigers and A's in a Cold War style arms race.Outfield is full of question marks with the trade of Austin JacksonCurtis Granderson all over again.Drew Smyly is frowning.Has Dave Dombrowski gone all-in?Worries over Joakim Soria. All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 121: All hail Joakim Soria Jul 26, 2014

    A bleary-eyed Big Al and HookSlide spend another show talking about the Tigers' bullpen, ponder the pros and cons of the Joakim Soria deal along with the Joe Nathan and prospect fallout, ask how Detroit can 'win' the trade, debunk jinxes and revel in the glory that is Ryan Raburn's throwing arm. Bless You Boys Podcast 121 was recorded July 25, 2014, has a running time of 73 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: Tigers acquire closer Joakim Soria from Rangers for prospects Jake Thompson and Corey Knebel.Did the Tigers overpay for Soria?Trading prospects is the equivalent of buying lottery tickets. You could hit big, but the odds are heavily slanted against you.Are the Tigers scrapping their future with prospect heavy trades? Was the Soria trade a "screw the future" deal thanks to an octogenarian owner who wants a World Series win NOW?Should the bullpen have been better addressed during this past off season?Joe Nathan is still the closer. But for how long? Would Soria be best used in higher leverage situations earlier during a game?How do we define "winning the trade?"Fangraphs: Joakim Soria and the value of a postseason relief ace.When Dave Dombrowski says it's 'highly unlikely" Joel Hanrahan pitches for Tigers, he's actually saying "Hanarahan will not pitch for Detroit in 2014."Some things will never change, such as the Tigers' connection with Lakeland.Debunking baseball voodoo: There are no such things as jinxes.Ryan Raburn is gonna Ryan Raburn. Just ask Corey Kluber. All that, plus tangents galore!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 120: The Derek Jeter Invitational Jul 21, 2014

    This week Big Al and HookSlide talk far too much about Joe Nathan and the bullpen in general, wonder how Jim Leyland would handle the closer situation, complain about All-Star Game coverage and the Home Run Derby, and learn Phil Coke is a really nice guy. Bless You Boys Podcast 120 was recorded July 20, 2014, has a running time of 60 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: Bad start to the second half: For better or worse, the Detroit Tigers remain streaky as all Hell. They start the second half by losing three straight to the Indians. Time to replace Joe Nathan? Another bad outing for Nathan in Saturday night's 5-2 loss, giving up three runs in the top of the ninth. Ausmus not ready for a closer change: When asked about the possibility of demoting Nathan, Ausmus admitted it was a possibility. "I'm sure there's a possibility I could reach a point sometime. I'm not near that point. I'll let you know when I am." Bullpen struggles: The bullpen's combined numbers in the first two games of the Cleveland series: Seven innings, eight earned runs, 15 hits, five walks. Miguel Cabrera's admission: He tried to backtrack after admitting in a Spanish language interview his lower body was still affected by last season's groin injury and resulting surgery. The Derek Jeter Invitational, aka MLB's All-Star Game: On FOX, it was ALL DEREK JETER, ALL THE DAMN TIME. The Home Run Derby: It's broken. The derby is too damn long, there's too much Chris Berman, and few true home run hitters take part. Adventures with Phil Coke: Hookslide and Hookslide Jr. have nothing but good things to say about the Tigers' left-hander.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 119: The streakiest bunch of streakers who ever streaked Jul 11, 2014

    This week Big Al and HookSlide ponder why the Detroit Tigers are so damned streaky, cover all things All-Star Game, decide Don Kelly will be the odd man out when Andy Dirks returns, reference Brandon Inge for the first time in a year, learn HookSlide is actually a gangster in witness protection and Al admits his man crush on Champ Summers. Bless You Boys Podcast 119 was recorded July 11, 2014, has a running time of 62 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: I've seen streakers: Since June 16, the Tigers have winning streaks of seven, four, and three games. In the same stretch, Detroit has pair of three game losing streaks.All-Stat stuff: Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer and Victor Martinez make the All-Star team.Final Five: Rick Porcello falls short, finishing third in the Final Five vote. Brandon Inge in 2009 (Remember BranTorino?) remains the only Tiger to win the gimmicky Final Vote.All-star snubs: Ian Kinsler may be the most egregious All-Star snub of any player in baseball.Martinez injury: Victor will miss the remainder of the Royals series and it appears he'll be dropping out of the All-Star Game. Time to place Victor on the DL?Athletics trade fallout: Justin Verlander says, "They (the A's) made that trade because of us," then catches heat for telling the truth.Andy Dirks: The Neck finally starts a Single-A injury rehab assignment and should return by the end of the month.Outfield logjam: What happens when Dirks retruns? Do the Tigers go with a short bullpen? Make an outfielder available for trade? Or is the most likely scenario the same Don Kelly went through in 2012? (minus Jim Leyland's tears)Tom Veryzer dead at age 61: The much-too-young death of the Tigers' shortstop from 1975-77 sends Al on a trip down memory lane. All that, plus lots more!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 118: You can't have enough Martinez's Jul 04, 2014

    Big Al and HookSlide discuss another winning week of Detroit Tigers baseball, ask where the team stands at the season midpoint and what may happen at the trade deadline, have the weekly bullpen discussion, realize the Tigers are cornering the Martinez market, and introduce the "Porcello." Bless You Boys Podcast 118 was recorded July 4, 2014, has a running time of 58 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: Tigers reach the season midpoint with their best record since 2007.What area do the Tigers most need to improve at the trade deadline?Weekly bullpen discussion - The Tigers are rumored to have interest in re-acquiring Joaquin Benoit.Earl Weaver was Billy Beane before it was cool.Funny how the Tigers started winning games in bunches again when the starting rotation snapped out of their funk.Rick Porcello pitched a "Porcello."Realinzing you can't have enough Martinez's, the Tigers made a splash with one of their international signings, giving 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Julio Martinez a $600K contract. All that, and more!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 117: What a difference a week makes Jun 27, 2014

    One week after another BYB podcast full of talk of what's wrong with the Tigers, Al and HookSlide revel in their undefeated week, ask what has changed, are impressed by Rick Porcello and J.D. Martinez, appreciate Torii Hunter's honestly, and wave back at Ian Kinsler. Bless You Boys Podcast 117 was recorded June 27, 2014, has a running time of 56 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Things were looking dire last week. The Tigers had lost 3 straight to the Royals, dropping 1 ½ games back and appeared well on their way to 3rd place. Seven days later, the Tigers have 7 wins in a row, and are back to 4 1/2 games up in the Central. But what's changed in one week?Rick Porcello is off to the best start of his career. Thursday night he tossed his first career shutout and second complete game, raising his record to 10-4 and lowering his ERA to 3.41.Dave Dombrowski tells MLB Network Radio the team is confident Joe Nathan has turned the corner, and that if the Tigers do add bullpen help ahead of the trade deadline, it'll likely be for a seventh- or eighth-inning guy.J.D. Martinez is named AL Player of the Week, and continues to bash the living Hell out of the ball.The Tigers' corner outfield positions are getting crowded. Torii Hunter sees the writing on the wall and tells the media he is willing to take a part-time role if that's best for the team.Ian Kinsler homered in his first at-bat in his return to Arlington, then waved to the Texas bench when running to first (with a huge smile on his face).Flying under the radar is Kinsler's bat, which has been just as hot as the Tigers named Martinez.Tigers have reacquired Daniel Schlereth, assigning him to Toledo.All that, and more!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 116: Brad Ausmus has foot-in-mouth disease Jun 20, 2014

    Bless You Boys Podcast 116 was recorded June 20, 2014, has a running time of 67 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. This week we discuss the reaction to Brad Ausmus' unfortunate joke, see encouraging signs despite the Tigers losing 3-of-4 to the Royals, ponder the possibility of benching Torii Hunter, hope Joe Nathan and Justin Verlander are fixed, and know when it's time to not be nice. Topics: Brad Ausmus' attempt at a post-game sarcastic joke causes a firestorm of controversy and several apologies. Was some of the anti-Ausmus reaction caused by frustration with his team's performance?The past week has shown the difference in experience levels between Ausmus and Jim Leyland.HookSlide goes into Little League coach mode to refresh everyone on just what this thing called second place is and how you can find your team there.The Detroit News' Lynn Henning advocates a fire sale on Twitter.Despite the calls for extreme moves, it's still too early to PANIC.Fans want their pound of flesh, but no coaches will be fired. The possibility of a lineup change exists.J.D. Martinez clubbed Royals pitching to the tune of a .500 average, three home runs and six RBIs. Since being called up, Martinez has given the Tigers something Torii Hunter hasn't provided in weeks - offense and not being Hunter on defense.Bullpen roulette: Luke Putkonen is out indefinitely after elbow surgery. Band-aids Corey Knebel and Evan Reed have been sent down, replaced by Band-aids Blaine Hardy and Chad Smith.The Joe Nathan whom we saw strike out the side against the Royals after finding an arm slot issue would go a long way toward fixing what has ailed the bullpen.Justin Verlander as been awful of late, but he cannot be sent down nor should he be sent to the bullpen.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 115: The Torii Hunter problem Jun 14, 2014

    This week the gang discusses Torii Hunter, Joe Nathan, Justin Verlander, the differences between Brad Ausmus and Jim Leyland, the lack of outfield production and HookSlide's visit to U.S. Cellular Field. Bless You Boys Podcast 114 was recorded June 13, 2014, has a running time of 60 minutes, and features Al Beaton, HookSlide, and Kurt Mensching. Topics: The losing continues. Are the Tigers a highly flawed team playing to it's true level? Grading out Brad Ausmus. Would Jim Leyland have done anything differently? Justin Verlander is struggling, but should we be worried? Joe Nathan is no longer JOE NATHAN. Torii Hunter has stopped hitting. How long can you wait before making any changes? The 9th inning is the Tigers' Waterloo. HookSlide's adventures at The Cell.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 114: The fog of baseball Jun 07, 2014

    Big Al and HookSlide commiserate over what has been an awful two weeks of Detroit Tigers baseball, including throwing players under buses, brutal slumps, assigning blame, more shortstop and bullpen talk and remembering that this too, shall pass. Bless You Boys Podcast 114 was recorded June 6, 2014, has a running time of 64 minutes, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: We missed last week due to Al's medical issues and re-scheduling just not working out. Plus, we remembered how bad the podcast went the last time we tried to record the morning after a west coast night game.The slump from HELL.Which are the real Tigers - the team which played like the best MLB, or the worst?A key to the slump is there has been no offensive production from the outfield over the past three weeks. Going into Friday's action, Austin Jackson and Torii Hunter have a lower OPS than Andrew Romine over the [past 3 weeksBrad Ausmus has said the Tigers must get better play from the 5-through-9 spots in the batting order. If Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera and/or Victor Martinez don't hit, the offense has been dead in the water.Eugenio Suarez was called up from Triple-A Toledo and is expected to get most of the playing time at short over Romine. Is the Suarez experiment a panic move?Joe Nathan has blown more saves and given up more home runs in 2014 than he did over the entire 2014 season as a member of the Rangers.Did Nathan throw Nick Castellanos under the bus? Did Brad Ausmus handle the situation correctly?Dave Dombrowski actually broke out from his comfort zone of drafting big, hard throwing right-handed pitchers in the first round of the MLB Amateur Draft by selecting a toolsy high-school outfielder, Derek Hill out of California. There have been comparisons made to a young Torii Hunter, as Hill projects out as a center fielder.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 113: Blame it on the Zubaz May 24, 2014

    The prodigal editor returns! The ever curmudgeonly Kurt joins Al and HookSlide to discuss a miserable week of Tigers baseball, including the odd use of Phil Coke, Danny Worth as a shutdown reliever and look through the remains in bullpen and at shortstop. Bless You Boys Podcast 113 was recorded May 24, 2014, has a running time of 43 minutes, and features Al Beaton, HookSlide, and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Swept in Cleveland. But there's no reason for DOOM. Don't blame the plane or Zubaz for the losing streak, blame the starting pitching. The odd use of Phil Coke: Was it do to the team "trying to get him going" or "The Tigers' bullpen was so worn out, who else would you have used?" The latest bullpen savior, Corey Knebel, is called up. The Robbie Ray experiment was a success, but it was time for it to end. Danny Worth, shutdown reliever. Any solution at shortstop won't include Stephen Drew. But don't expect Hernan Perez or Eugenio Suarez to be the solution, either. Prince Fielder to undergo season ending neck surgery, Ian Kinsler continues to impress. The Tigers will be winning the trade for some time to come. Rumors of Dave Dombrowski becoming the next baseball commissioner won't go away.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 112: Cobb and Gehringer, a list of two May 17, 2014

    This week, Big Al and HookSlide cover another very good week of Detroit Tigers baseball while debating if purpose pitches are a useful strategy, the weekly shortstop discussion, umpires getting the benefit of the doubt over players, an ALCS rematch and compare Martinez, Cobb and Gehringer K rates. Bless You Boys Podcast 112 was recorded May 16, 2014, has a running time of 1:02, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: Tigers are steamrolling the AL Central. They may be getting above average defense, but the Tigers are getting little (Danny Worth) to no (Andrew Romine) offense from the shortstop position. Is the time to sign Stephen drew nigh? Brooming the Birds in Baltimore! Miguel Cabrera does it again. Purpose pitch war with the Orioles results in a Bud Norris ejection and many, many words from Torii Hunter. An umpire touches Hunter during the Norris altercation, gets off without being disciplined by MLB. Do you think Hunter would have gotten off so easy if the situation had been reversed? On May 14, a Victor Martinez steal of second was the Tigers' 35th of the season, equaling their season total for 2013. A Tigers - Red Sox ALCS rematch is on tap. Think anyone is looking for a little revenge? Victor Martinez, Ty Cobb and Charlie Gehringer may have something in common.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 111: The Hanrahan can! May 10, 2014

    Al and HookSlide sum up a great of week of Tigers baseball, keep expectations for Robbie Ray under control, wonder how much it would cost to keep Victor Martinez versus signing Country Breakfast, MOAR ZUBAZ, and realize the NFL can be embarrassingly over-the-top. Bless You Boys Podcast 111 was recorded May 9, 2014, has a running time of 1:03, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: That was one Hell of a good week of Detroit Tigers baseball ... though it was was due to their thumping mediocre to bad competition.Is the division all but in the Tigers' back pocket less than six weeks into the season?Robbie Ray impresses in debut.Before we get too excited over Ray, remember Andy Van Hekken and Andrew Miller?Victor Martinez is not slowing down and is making a case for a contract extension. Should the Tigers consider it?Joba Chamberlain spreads the Zubaz virus. But bad taste in clothes = good clubhouse.The Tigers accommodate the Detroit Lions by moving the start time of their game on Monday September 8 to 4 PM, giving the 7 PM start to the Detroit Lions. Considering where the two teams stand in their respective sports (title contender vs. laughingstock), the better team backed down for the sake of the fans.NFL vs. MLB.More bullpen talk, because the podcast would not be complete otherwise.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 110: Why am I so outraged?! May 02, 2014

    This week Big Al and HookSlide discuss Joel Hanrahan, admit we still still get Hella upset with a first place team, stats refuting what you think your eyes tell you, keeping expectations for a certain pitcher under control, gambling and knowing you have a bad sense of style. Bless You Boys Podcast 110 was recorded May 2, 2014, has a running time of 1:05, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: Detroit Tigers announce signing of free agent relief pitcher Joel Hanrahan.An all Tommy John surgery staffed bullpen? The Tigers are on their way.The Hanrahan signing shows the Tigers will do what they need to do.Leaders of the Central and owners of the second best record in the AL, the Tigers remain the worst first place team ever.Where do the Tigers rank after one month in 2014?Robbie Ray to make first big league start.Keep your Ray expectations under control, no matter if he is God awful, lights out or somewhere in-between.Bryan Holaday versus Alex Avila.Should the Tigers offer Nick Castellanos a contract extension?The most disturbing news of the week? The Tigers are wearing ZUBAZ.Gambling on baseball is a risky endeavor.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 109: The bullpen is a dumpster fire Apr 27, 2014

    This week Al and HookSlide talk more about the worst first place team ever, including Miguel Cabrera being written off by sports talk radio, the bullpen "situation," Torii Hunter refusing to age, Dan Dickerson schooling ESPN and Alex Avila swinging on 3-0. Bless You Boys Podcast 109 was recorded April 25, 2014, has a running time of 1:09, and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Topics: If you plan on attending the BYB Meetup August 2, please pay up!Tigers are still in first place without their best players being at their best.Miguel Cabrera isn't washed up just yet.The bullpen isn't so bad ... until it is.There are no obvious replacements for Phil Coke at Triple-A Toledo.J.D. Martinez will be just fine as a fourth or fifth outfielder.Torii Hunter thinks he still has a few years left to play, but will it be as a Tiger?Dan Dickerson schools ESPN's Jim Bowden.Thanks to NFL schedule makers, Monday, September 8 at 7 PM will be a cluster in downtown Detroit.Michael Pineda is awful at hiding things. Pine tar is the most obvious example.Alex Avila swinging on 3-0 is and will remain, the proper call.Tigers fans sure can get irrationally angry!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 108: Justin Miller, bullpen savior Apr 19, 2014

    This week Al and HookSlide talk the state of the team with the third best record in the AL, robbing Peter (the bench) to pay Paul (the bullpen) in calling up Justin Miller, second guessing Brad Ausmus, Ian Kinsler being a better fit than Prince Fielder, Justin Verlander's first hit and baseball opinions, because everyone has one. Bless You Boys Podcast 108 has a running time of 60 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Kurt Mensching has the week off. Topics: The state of the Detroit Tigers is actually pretty damn good. People tend to forget the Tigers have the third best record in the AL and are 5-2 at home.Bullpen help arrives in the right arm of Justin Miller.With an eight man bullpen, do the Tigers even have a bench at this point?How the Tigers use Alex Gonzales and Andrew Romine continues to confuse the fan base. Shortstop is an issue and will remain an issue until the Tigers make a definitive decision at the position.Brad Ausmus was seriously second guessed for the first time in his managerial career when history repeated itself thanks to a late inning bunt attempt involving Torii Hunter,Ian Kinsler versus Prince Fielder.Justin Verlander gets his first hit, somehow the world does not spin off its axis.Everyone has an opinion on baseball. But it doesn't necessarily mean their opinion has merit.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 107: Luke Putkonen is not a figment of your imagination Apr 12, 2014

    The morning after the Tigers are one-hit in the middle of the night, Al, Kurt and HookSlide struggle their way though discussing the worst 5-3 team ever, dead arms, not-so-imaginary relief pitchers, Andrew Romine, jinxed ballplayers and the umpires not telling anyone about new rule interpretation. Bless You Boys Podcast 107 has a running time of 54 minutes and features Al Beaton, HookSlide, and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: If you believe a certain vocal segment of the Detroit fan base, the Tigers are (voice of Comic Book Guy) the worst 5-3 team ever. EVER.The bullpen finally didn't give up a ninth inning run Friday night. Let's not mention the bottom of the ninth wasn't played...Same pitcher, different season. Phil Coke is getting rocked. The Tigers have seven lefties in Toledo, but not one of them would be an upgrade to the Detroit bullpen?Joe Nathan: "I have a dead arm." Brad Ausmus: "Joe is still the closer."Numbers support Nathan's annual 'dead arm' period.Grantland: Trust in Dombrowski.The Detroit News' Tony Paul writes the Tigers may (and should) keep Drew Smyly in a relief role. Isn't Smyly more valuable to the team pitching 160 innings instead of 80?Anyone else prefer to see the Tigers play Andrew Romine over Alex Gonzalez at short?Both Avisail Garcia and Jose Iglesias are out for the season with injuries, while Brayan Villarreal is buried at Triple-A. Every young player involved in last year's three-team trade is jinxed!West coast baseball is a PITA ... especially for Rick Porcello.Seems the umpires have changed their interpretation of the "transfer rule" and didn't tell anyone.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 106: Dave Clark is glad all over Apr 06, 2014

    The gang is back together, recapping the first week of Detroit Tigers baseball. Al, Kurt and HookSlide talk TOOTBLANs, Brad Ausmus' strategy, Miguel Cabrera's 2000th hit, hiccups with instant replay, and sports talk radio hosts upset over paternity leave. Kurt also learns about the Dave Clark Five. Bless You Boys Podcast 106 has a running time of 58 minutes and features Al Beaton, HookSlide, and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Undefeated! Walk off wins! Small sample sizes!Brad Ausmus' strategy is compared to Jim Leyland's.TOOTBLANs for everyone, especially Nick Castellanos.Relief pitching starts to shake out.Defense isn't great, but it's better than 2013.Starting pitching remains dominant.Offense doing enough to win, but it's no coincidence the Tigers start scoring runs in bunches when Miguel Cabrera's bat wakes up.Working the kinks out of MLB instant replay. Then again, the NFL has had it for years and is still trying to get it right.Sports talk radio hosts like Mike Francesa and Boomer Esiason make asses of themselves over the Mets' Daniel Murphy missing two games for paternity leave.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 105: Miguel Cabrera is a very rich man Mar 29, 2014

    In an episode all about the Benjamins, Al and Hookslide cover the fallout from the Tigers' historic contract extension with Miguel Cabrera, Max Scherzer's contract negotiations ending in futility, the acquisition of ancient shortstop Alex Gonzalez and Forbes estimating the team's worth at $680 million. Bless You Boys Podcast 105 has a running time of 1:03 and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Kurt Mensching will be back next week. Topics: Tigers, Cabrera formally announce 8-year extension, commit to 10-years and $292 million overall. MLB execs disgusted over Miguel Cabrera extension. Fans of advanced metrics are calling the Cabrera extension the worst contract ever. What a surprise! But is it really that crazy of a contract in retrospect? $30 million may look like chump change in ten years. Tigers were between a rock and a hard place. Let Cabrera walk in free agency, the fans get upset. Sign the best hiotter in the game to a contract locking him up for the remainder of his career, the fans get upset. Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski contended it's better to extend a pending free agent early on the process, believing a player is more likely to leave the longer you wait. The Tigers may not be all that worried about the long-term ramifications of a contract extension thanks to the ridiculous amount of TV money MLB teams earn. Max Scherzer and the Tigers cease contract negotiations. Scherzer's agent Scott Boras claims it was the Tigers who rejected a deal. Tyler Collins makes the team as a left fielder. Tigers obtain shortstop Alex Gonzalez from the Orioles for utility man Steve Lombardozzi. Forbes values Tigers at $680 million, 15th overall in MLB. Anyone else think that figure sounds low? Doug Fister will start the season on the DL. The Tigers win the trade!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 104: Andrew Romine to the rescue? Mar 22, 2014

    Bless You Boys Podcast 104 has a running time of 48 minutes and features Al Beaton and Kurt Mensching. Kurt and Al cover the past injury filled week of Tigers baseball, giving HOT SPORTS TAKES on the loss of Jose Iglesias and Bruce Rondon for the season and new shortstop Andrew Romine, wonder if Stephen Drew worth a one-year deal, advise everyone not to PANIC and get in a little NCAA Tournament talk! Topics: Jose Iglesias will likely miss the 2014 season. Tigers acquire Angels infielder Andrew Romine. Stephen Drew willing to sign one-year deal with Tigers. Bruce Rondon to undergo Tommy John surgery. Time to PANIC? Tigers injury woes more nuisance than disaster. Justin Verlander named Tigers' Opening Day starter. MLB starts the regular season in Australia at 4 A.M. eastern time on the same weekend the USA is obsessing over the NCAA Tournament. Aroldis Chapman is the latest pitcher to be hit in the head by a line drive, and was lucky not to be killed. Is there anything baseball can do to protect pitchers?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 103: Leave Nick Castellanos alone! Mar 08, 2014

    Al, Kurt and Hookslide return to discuss Kurt's adventures in Lakeland, the health of Mike Ilitch, Andy Dirks and Jose Iglesias, Ian Kinsler's actually saying what he thinks, Justin Velrander's first world problems and leave Nick Castellanos alone! Bless You Boys Podcast 103 has a running time of 57 minutes and features Al Beaton, Kurt Mensching and HookSlide. Topics: Kurt arrives in Lakeland, finds a second home.Kurt eyes tell him these ain't the same Detroit Tigers.Tigers owner Mike Ilitch admits he has been dealing with health issues.Andy Dirks gone 12 weeks for back surgery.Who will replace Dirks in left field? (And no, Nick Castellanos is NOT an option, despite what sport talk radio hosts may say)Jose Iglesias' shin issues return.Alan Trammell gives Ian Kinsler his blessing on wearing number 3.Kinsler trashes Rangers in an interview with ESPN, catches flack for actually saying what he thinks, then claims his quotes were taken out of context.Is there a Plan B at 3rd base if Castellanos flames out?Can speed and defense replace the production of Prince Fielder, Omar Infante and Jhonny Peralta?Justin Verlander is dealing with first world problems. After buying a $400K Lamborghini Aventador, which he waited 2 years to get, Verlander now has 9 cars, but only an 8 car garage.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 102: The podcast of our discontent Feb 15, 2014

    On this week's BYB Podcast, Big Al and HookSlide welcome pitchers and catchers, quote Shakespeare, compare the Olympics to baseball, say goodbye to Joel Zumaya, delve into the ugly politics of baseball and learn Derek Jeter.may be Jesus Christ. BYB Podcast 102 has a running time of 43 minutes and features Al Beaton and HookSlide. Mysteriously, Kurt Mensching took the Valentine's Day recording session off. He'll be back next week. Topics: Pitchers and catchers report! Spring training and Shakesspeare. Comparing judged Olympic sports with baseball. Or more correctly, judged Olympic athletic exhibitions to an actual sport. Victor Martinez will catch and play first base in NL parks. Bruce Rondon shows up to camp in the best shape of his life, having lost 20-30 pounds. Prince Fielder tells Texas media he's in the best shape of his life. Thus begs the question - why aren't highly paid athletes ALWAYS in the best shape of their life? (John Kruk and Bartolo Colon excepted) The Tigers and Sportservice remodel the Pepsi Porch, adding a bar and replacing bleacher seats with stadium style seats. (Al immediately goes into Abe Simpson mode) After announcing 2014 would be his final season, the deification of Derek Jeter has already begun. According to Albert Pujols, Jeter is the next closest thing to Jesus Christ. Saying goodby to Joel Zumaya. The Angels want to buy off several of Mike Trout's free agency years. It's going to take a $300 million contract to do so. Major League Baseball owners, despite earning more than $8 billion in revenue in 2013, ddcide to cut costs by nickel and dimin employees. They quietly voted in January to allow individual teams to slash or eliminate pension-plan offerings to their non-uniformed personnel.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 101: Upton, Verlander and TMZ Feb 08, 2014

    The Bless You Boys Podcast returns after a six week hiatus! Kurt, Al and HookSlide come out swinging by debating Kate Upton, Max Scherzer's regression, ZIPS Projections, farm system rankings, the BBWAA and the Hall of Fame vote and PED mudslinging. Topics: Justin Verlander has core muscle surgery.Was Kate Upton involved?Tigers to explore a long-term deal with Max Scherzer, avoiding arbitration with one-year $15.525 million contract.Scherzer will not talk contract during season, optimistic about a new deal.How badly will Scherzer regress in 2014?2014 Detroit Tigers ZiPS projections released, are quite optimistic.Nick Castellanos named the 37th overall prospect by Baseball Prospectus.Farm system rankings are as relevant to team success at the big league level as college football recruiting rankings are to winning national championships. It's all BS.Hall of Fame voting causes more controversy as Jack Morris falls of the ballot and Alan Trammell continues to be stupidly ignored.The BBWAA is badly broken. To show just how badly, Dan LeBatard gives his hall ballot to Deadspin, resulting in a sensible ballot and his vote being revoked permanently.Alex Rodriguez PED suspension lowered to 162 games.Everyone came out of the Biogenesis scandal looking bad, especially MLB.Expanded instant replay approved by MLB, will go into effect this season.Expect rules changes to result from controversial replay calls. See the NFL and the 'process of the catch.'

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 100: Christmas can eat it Dec 21, 2013

    In the final Bless You Boys Podcast of 2013, Kurt, Al and HookSlide debate the merits of the Tigers' off season moves, eviscerate the BBWAA over the Hall of Fame vote and celebrate the holiday season and Kurt's birthday at the same time by singing horribly. BYB Podcast 100 has a running time of 55 minutes and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Tigers rumors: Austin Jackson for Brett Gardner trade discussed Ervin Santana market down to Tigers, Diamondbacks| Detroit signs Duane Below to a minor league deal Danny Worth clears waivers, assigned to Triple-A Toledo. Are the Tigers a better or worse team as now constructed than the one which finished two games short of making the World Series? Would you have preferred the Tigers had made one more run at a title with the team as constructed in 2013, or had the window closed on this group of players? In other words, did the Tigers need a shake-up? Do you believe the moves were made due to salary concerns or a genuine need to re-imagine the roster? Do the moves of this off season make the future of this team look brighter in 2015 and beyond? Did the Tigers go too far, not far enough or did they do exactly what needed to be done in retooling the roster? What was your favorite moment of 2013? What moment made you angriest? To paraphrase NFL coach Denny Green, were the Tigers who we thought they were?

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    Bless You Boys MLB winter meetings recap: Day 4 Dec 12, 2013

    The Bless You Boys Podcast is broadcasting live this week in order to recap all the news coming out of MLB's Winter Meetings. Detroit Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski has already made splashy moves in trading Prince Fielder and Doug Fister while signing Joe Nathan, but the organization is still looking for bullpen arms and possibly a new left fielder over the next four days. As Dombrowski himself said during Nathan's introductory press conference, he "won't be bored" during MLB's annual transcastion-fest. Kurt, Al and Hookslide will be live at 3PM Monday through Thursday, taking your questions and comments via phone and Twitter. Call in at (914) 338-1798 or use the Twitter hashtag #bybpod.

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    Bless You Boys MLB winter meetings recap: Day 3 Dec 11, 2013

    The Bless You Boys Podcast is broadcasting live this week in order to recap all the news coming out of MLB's Winter Meetings. Detroit Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski has already made splashy moves in trading Prince Fielder and Doug Fister while signing Joe Nathan, but the organization is still looking for bullpen arms and possibly a new left fielder over the next four days. As Dombrowski himself said during Nathan's introductory press conference, he "won't be bored" during MLB's annual transcastion-fest. Kurt, Al and Hookslide will be live at 3PM Monday through Thursday, taking your questions and comments via phone and Twitter. Call in at (914) 338-1798 or use the Twitter hashtag #bybpod.

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    Bless You Boys MLB winter meetings recap: Day 2 Dec 10, 2013

    The Bless You Boys Podcast is broadcasting live this week in order to recap all the news coming out of MLB's Winter Meetings. Detroit Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski has already made splashy moves in trading Prince Fielder and Doug Fister while signing Joe Nathan, but the organization is still looking for bullpen arms and possibly a new left fielder over the next four days. As Dombrowski himself said during Nathan's introductory press conference, he "won't be bored" during MLB's annual transcastion-fest. Kurt, Al and Hookslide will be live at 3PM Monday through Thursday, taking your questions and comments via phone and Twitter. Call in at (914) 338-1798 or use the Twitter hashtag #bybpod.

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    Bless You Boys MLB winter meetings recap: Day 1 Dec 09, 2013

    The Bless You Boys Podcast is broadcasting live this week in order to recap all the news coming out of MLB's Winter Meetings. Detroit Tigers' GM Dave Dombrowski has already made splashy moves in trading Prince Fielder and Doug Fister while signing Joe Nathan, but the organization is still looking for bullpen arms and possibly a new left fielder over the next four days. As Dombrowski himself said during Nathan's introductory press conference, he "won't be bored" during MLB's annual transcastion-fest. Kurt, Al and Hookslide will be live at 3PM Monday through Thursday, taking your questions and comments via phone and Twitter. Call in at (914) 338-1798 or use the Twitter hashtag #bybpod.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 95: HookSlide's enemies list Dec 07, 2013

    Bless You Boys Podcast 95 has a running time of 61 minutes and features Al Beaton, HookSlide, and of course, Kurt Mensching. The gang covers the past week of Detroit Tigers baseball, dominated by the controversial trade of Doug Fister and the signing of Joe Nathan. Fister was traded to the Washington Nationals for either spare parts and a prospect or spare parts and Robbie Ray. Taken in a vacuum, was the Fister deal a good trade or bad trade? But when looked at in a larger context, does the trade start to make more sense? Many are playing the "In Dave Dombrowski we trust" card, saying he must know something others don't. Is it possible owner Mike Ilitch has told Dombrowski the Tigers have reached the upper limits of a self-imposed team salary cap? Is asking Drew Smyly or Rick Porcello to replicate Fister's numbers too much to ask? Could Steve Lombardozzi be the next dividing line in the war between Detroit's traditional fans and those who believe in advanced metrics? The Tigers have their closer, inking 39-year-old Joe Nathan to a two-year, $19M contract, with a club option third year worth $10M with a $1M buyout. Are there concerns in giving an aging Nathan huge money? From all accounts, the Tigers' first choice as closer was Brian Wilson, but talks broke down. Wilson re-signed with the Dodgers for one-year at $10 million, with the second year a player option at $10M. Did the Tigers end up with the right closer? Are the Tigers are at or near a self-imposed payroll cap? Don't expect Shin-Shoo Choo to come to the rescue in left field. Robinson Cano and Jacoby Ellsbury have agreed to what are sure to end up as albatross long-term contracts. ARE MLB GMs NUTS? Speaking of possible albatross contracts, are the Tigers now set up to give long-term extensions to Miguel Cabrera and Max Scherzer?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 94: Dave Dombrowski is a wizard Nov 24, 2013

    Bless You Boys Podcast 94 has a running time of 53 minutes and features Al Beaton, and of course, Kurt Mensching. HookSlide has the week off. Kurt and Al cover the past week of Detorit Tigers baseball, which means they spend the vast majority of BYB Podcast 94 covering all angles of the Prince Fielder / Ian Kinsler trade and the resulting fallout. Topics: When Prince Fielder was traded for Ian Kinsler, our first reaction was "HOLY SHIT!" The second was, "How could Dave Dombrowski trade that contract?" Kurt and Al both predicted ... Fielder would not be traded. Whoops. The Tigers have a large hole in the middle of their batting order. Who plays where? Does Miguel Cabrera move to first base? Why not Jordan Lennerton at first base? Is Nick Castellanos the new third baseman? Where does Victor Martinez end up? The Tigers freed up a ton of cash, but will they spend it? If the Tigers just unloaded a $24 million a season contract, why would they give out another in free agency? In the eyes of Rangers fans, was Kinsler viewed in the same way as many Tigers fans viewed Fielder? Fans completely overreacted to Fielder's ALCS comments. Players have a better attitude about winning and losing than many irrational fans. No ifs, ands or buts about it, Dave Dombrowski is a wizard. All but forgotten in the wake of the trade was Brad Ausmus adding Omar Vizquel and Matt Martin to his staff. Dombrowski denies Robinson Cano was in Detroit, saying, "We plan on having Ian Kinsler as our second baseman this year." But he said "plan, not "definitely." Hmmmm. Phil Coke is coming back.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 93: Spreadsheet nerds Nov 16, 2013

    Al, Kurt and HookSlide cover the past week of Detroit Tigers baseball, including awards season domination, sabermatrician war mongering, trade rumors involving nearly the entire starting rotation, the team's interest in free agent closers and Baseball America dissing the farm system. Bless You Boys Podcast 93 has a running time of 46 minutes and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Miguel Cabrera is named 2013 AL MVP by the BBWAA for a second straight season. Brian Kenny, Keith Law and other bully pulpit owning sabermatriciians declare war, insulting anyone who believed Cabrera was a more deserving winner than Mike Trout. Max Scherzer is your 2013 AL Cy Young winner, no backlash ensues. Should we be celebrating individual awards while the Tigers keep coming up short of winning a World Series title? Depending on the rumor, Scherzer, Doug Fister, Rick Porcello and/or Prince Fielder are all on the trading block. The Tigers have reportedly been linked to free agent closers Joe Nathan and Brian Wilson. Baseball America ranks the Tigers' farm system as the second worse in all of baseball, 29th overall. So what else is new? And does it really make a difference? HookSlide is still in baseball post season rehab, Kurt is infuriated by a trashy tweet and Al teases upcoming podcast hijinks.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 92: Don't blame me, I voted for Kodos Nov 10, 2013

    Kurt and Al cover the past week of Detroit Tigers baseball, including the hiring of new manager Brad Aumus, Max Scherzer trade rumors, the possibility of a payroll crunch, free agency and the made-for-TV waste of time known as MLB awards season. Topics: Meet Brad Ausmus, managerial flavor of the month!It's far, far to early to make any kind of judgment, good, bad or indifferent, about the hiring if Ausmus.Gene Lamont and Jeff Jones return. Tom Brookens won't.Goodbye Lloyd McClendon.Just because there's rumors the Tigers will trade Max Scherzer doesn't mean it's likely to happen. It's improbable, at best,Is there a payroll crunch?This is Omar Infante's one shot at a huge contract.The few Tigers free agency rumors involve closers, the first of which was about Grant Balfour. Expect the Tigers to be linked to any and every closer on the market.Awards season is here and we don't give a damn.The SB Nation MLB Awards were determined by nerds. Don't blame me, I voted for Cabrera!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 91 Nov 02, 2013

    Bless You Boys Podcast 91 has a running time of 1:16 and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Where have we been for the past three weeks? Let's just say Al has something in common with Prince Fielder. Changes in how you listen to and download the show. The Tigers decline the contact option of Jose Veras, making him a free agent. HUH? Darin Downs and Matt Tuiasosopo move on to greener pastures. Is a complete bullpen rebuild coming? Tigers drop the ALCS to the Red Sox in six games. What happened and who's to blame? Is there any solace to be taken from the Tigers losing to the eventual World Champions? Fielder is made the scapegoat, as the fan base blames much of the team's failure to advance to the World Series completely on him and his huge contract. Jim Leyland announces his retirement. What's the legacy of Leyland? Will the vocal minority who have long wanted him gone learn what "Be careful what you wish for, you might get it?" means? Is he a Hall of Famer? There's no obvious, standout name in the search for Leyland's replacement. Does an outside-the-box candidate make sense with a veteran team with World Series aspirations? How much longer will the search drag out? Are there any favorites? Free agency starts at 12:01 AM Tuesday, November 5. Should we expect much action from the Tigers? After an obstruction call ended World Series Game 3, there was a cry of (Mostly from Boston fans) "Umpires should not decide the game!" That's disingenuous at best and utter BS at worst.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 90 Oct 11, 2013

    On BYB Podcast 90, an exhausted Kurt, Al and HookSlide look back at the past week of Tigers' baseball, describe how they survived the ALDS, preview the ALCS, praise Jim Leyland and debunk the Moneyball narrative. Bless You Boys Podcast 90 has a running time of 1:16 and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Surviving the ALDS: The Tigers were on their way to a sweep, were left for dead on the side of the road with fans wanting major changes, then scaring the living crap out of us, and finally on their way to the ALCS. The was plenty second guessing of Jim Leyland, but almost all of him moves worked. Max Scherzer, roller coaster reliever. Justin Verlander, stud ace. So much for Jhonny Peralta being rusty. Despite playing through what appears to be a major injury, Miguel Cabrera showed why you cannot bench him. Who broke Austin Jackson and can he be fixed in time for the ALCS? Sonny Gray or Bartolo Colon? The A's lost the ALDS in Game 4. The ALCS features a match up with the Boston Red Sox, and everything (best record, obnoxious fans, Fenway Park) that goes with it. Peralta and the Green Monster. The Tigers' edge over the Red Sox is their rotation. Cowboy Joe West named umpire crew chief of the ALCS. Expect an ump show! Predictions! The playoffs as a referendum on Moneyball Kurt SINGS!

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 89 Oct 05, 2013

    On Bless You Boys Podcast 89, Kurt, Al and HookSlide look back at the past week of Tigers baseball, preview the ALDS, deny the existence of momentum, call Drew Sharp an idiot, have fun times with lawsuits and HookSlide does his Bill Simonson imitation. Bless You Boys Podcast 89 has a running time of 1:09 and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: Tigers are swept in Miami. Tigers are no-hit in Miami. Should we care about what happened in Miami? Momentum is a myth. The ALDS roster is set, any surprises? Drew Sharp of the Freep says the Tigers would have kept Jhonny Peralta off the roster, then goes into PED hysterics. Do the Tigers' playoff chances hinge on the health of Miguel Cabrera? We predict the ALDS winner. It's all about the Tigers' rotation. Lawsuits are everywhere. Alex Rodriguez gets litigious with Bud Selig and MLB, Albert Pujols looks to take down Jack Clark. Dusty Baker is fired, starting the managerial silly season early. The Wall Street Journal ranks the Tigers third in the playoff hateability index, whatever the Hell that is. HookSlide misses local announcers during MLB's playoffs. Kurt hates the "Downtrodden Detroit" trope. Al wonders how the Tigers even won 50 games going by the fan base doom and gloom over the past week.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 88 Sep 29, 2013

    On BYB Podcast 88, Kurt, Al and HookSlide look back at the past week of Tigers baseball, Jim Leyland's tears, prepare for the post season, root for the Tribe, hope Brian McCann and the Braves lose and Kurt goes OFF on the usual sabermetric suspects. Bless You Boys Podcast 88 has a running time of 1:15 and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and of course, Kurt Mensching. Topics: The Tigers clinch the Central! Yet some fans are still not happy. Jim Leyland is cranky and crusty on the outside, a sentimental crier on the inside. Going into the series with the Marlins, the Tigers still had a mathematical chance at home field. Did they fold up their tents too soon? What worries you about this team entering the post season? Miguel Cabrera is what is at this point. What he isn't is healthy, and won't be anytime soon. The Jhonny Peralta outfield experiment begins to mixed reviews. Who's on and who's off the playoff roster? A wild Wild card race goes to the final day of the season. If Brian McCann and the Braves weren't around to enforce silly unwritten rules and proper home run etiquette, ANARCHY would ensue. Bud Selig announces he will step down as MLB Commissioner in January 2015. Will his legacy be positive or negative? Kurt goes off on extremists. Extremist sabermatricians, that is.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 87 Sep 21, 2013

    On the 87th BYB Podcast, Kurt, Al and HookSlide look back at the past week of Tigers baseball, home field advantage in the playoffs, changes in left field, pinch running for Prince Fielder, swimming Dodgers and Kurt doesn't get any of Al's pop culture references. Bless You Boys Podcast 87 has a running time of 58 minutes and features Al Beaton, HookSlide and Kurt Mensching. Topics include" The summer of HookSlide and HookSlide Jr. ends by attending Tigers' batting practice. Kurt was WRONG. Is playoff home field advance as important as some in the media make it out to be? Injuries continue to pile up, the latest being Jose Iglesias. Bruce Rondon's bullpen role. October left field candidates include Andy Dirks, Matt Tuiasosopo, Don Kelly and Jhonny Peralta. Someone is going to be left on the outside looking in. Prince Fielder, Victor Martinez and pinch running. AL MVP and Cy Young were thought to be all but locked up by Miguel Cabrera and Max Scherzer a month ago. Has their September struggles opened the door for other candidates? The Dodgers go swimming, Diamondbacks throw a hissy fit. Find the BYB staff on Twitter: @BlessYouBoys, @BigAlBYB, @BYBKurt, @HookSlideBYB, @BYBRob, @Tigerdog_1, @JGoro8, @MelissaHeyboer, @NoRunSupport, @SBNationMLB.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 86: The Singing Hot Dog Man Sep 14, 2013

    In this week's Bless You Boys Podcast, Kurt, Al and HookSlide look back at the past week of Tigers baseball, the possible return of Jhonny Peralta, the AL Cy Young race, ump shows, breaking unwritten baseball rules and sing about The Singing Hot Dog Man. Bless You Boys Podcast 86 has a running time of 1:08 and features Al Beaton, along with the singing debuts of HookSlide, and Kurt Mensching. Topics include: A 4 1/2 game lead? DOOOOOM. The Tigers' lead is back to six? Never mind. Jhonny Peralta is working out with the team. Does Peralta's rejoining the team ensure he'll be activated when the suspension ends? Should he be? Should morality play into this decision at all? Peralta in left field. Good or bad idea? Who should be worried about being left off the playoff roster if Peralta is activated? Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez and the AL Cy Young. On top of being injured, Miguel Cabrera is slumping. The future of Omar Infante. Ump show? Ump show! Charlie Marcuse, aka The Singing Hot Dog Man is fired for being anti-ketchup. The Marlins' Jose Fernandez hits a home run, breaks several unwritten baseball rules. Braves react as if Fernandez (and his world class "I don't give a shit" face) is Public Enemy Number One. Which team do you HATE?

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 85: DOOOOOOM Sep 07, 2013

    In the latest Bless You Boys Podcast, Kurt, Al and HookSlide look back at the past week of Tigers baseball, the overreaction to the blowout loss in Boston, Jim Leyland not being a "stats" guy, the ridiculous "Fire Leyland" minority and complaints over expanded rosters. Bless You Boys Podcast 83 has a running time of 1:08 and features HookSlide, Kurt Mensching, Al Beaton and a bad imitation of Kermit the Frog. Topics include: 20-4 loss to the Red Sox = DOOOOOM. The 2013 Indians are not the 2009 Twins. Jim Leyland, run support and sabermetrics. Injuries continue to be an issue, specifically in the case of Miguel Cabrera.Jhonny Peralta's post season status. Nick Castellanos is finally a Tiger. Danny Worth has been FREED. Is it time to sit Matt Tuiasosopo? Would having home field throughout the playoffs be that big of an advantage? The pros and cons of expanded September rosters.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 84: Hey, hey, hey, it's Fat Albert! Aug 31, 2013

    In the latest Bless You Boys Podcast, Kurt and Al are joined by the newest member of the BYB staff, HookSlide. The gang looks back at the past week of Tigers baseball, ask why fans hate Andy Dirks, call out Buster Olney and make fun of Justin Verlander conspiracy theorists. Bless You Boys Podcast 83 has a running time of 1:11 and features HookSlide, Kurt Mensching and Al Beaton. Also, a very special appearance from Fat Albert. Topics include: The Tigers lose three of four to the Athletics, yet their division lead increases by 1/2 game. Would an A's sweep really have been that big a deal in the big scheme of things? The Indians arrive for a three game series, whilre Detroit fans are apparently scared to death the Tigers are going to collapse at any time. More of the same from Justin Verlander, he's consistently inconsistent. After Miguel Cabrera, who is the Tigers' most valuable hitter? Why has Andy Dirks become the fan base's whipping boy? Who gets called up when rosters expand? Tigers send five to the Arizona Fall League. ESPN's Buster Olney throws crap at wall to determine the Tigers are in the Robinson Cano free agent sweepstakes. Young stud pitcher’s elbow blows up, Matt Harvey becomes example number infinity: According to Forbes, the Astros are either the most profitable team ever, or they aren't. Yasiel Puig gets benched twice by Don Mattingly for "disciplinary reasons."

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 83: I forgot Downs was in the pen Aug 24, 2013

    Bless You Boys Podcast 83 has a running time of 1:07 and features Kurt Mensching and Al Beaton. We've nearly at 9K followers. Follow BYB on Twitter and help push us over the top! Topics include: Big series win against the Royals, bad series loss to the Twins. Should we be concerned the Tigers haven't left the Indians completely in the dust? Victor Martinez, catcher. When will be the right time to rest Miguel Cabrera, if there even is one? Prince Fielder's divorce is none of our business. Joaquin Benoit sat for six straight games. How ridiculous is it baseball’s conventional wisdom dictates you absolutely cannot use your closer unless you have a ninth inning lead? Phil Coke is Toledo bound. Will Nick Castellanos be called up by August 31? Will fans expect too much? MLB to expand instant replay, but is a challenge system the way to go? Miguel Tejada is hit with the third longest non-lifetime suspension ever for Adderall use. Why does everyone want a meaningless apology for PED use? Regardless, Ryan Braun issued one. Ryan Dempster causes a cluster over drilling Alex Rodriguez, receives a inappropriately short suspension.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 82: Bad Luck Schleprock Aug 13, 2013

    On the latest Bless You Boys Podcast, Kurt and Al catch up with a couple of controversy filled weeks, from the Jhonny Peralta fallout, the Jose Iglesias trade, Miguel Cabrera doing amazing things and the Tigers bulldozing their way to a stranglehold on the Al Central. Bless You Boys Podcast 82 has a running time of 1:05 and features Kurt Mensching and Al Beaton. Topics include: After months of rumors and speculation, Jhonny Peralta is finally suspended for 50 games. Should Perlata be welcomed back? Yes. Dave Dombrowski shocks us all, acquires a long-term solution at shortstop in Jose Iglesias. Some fans are unhappy with Iglesias wearing Lou Whitaker's number one. Jack Clark spews PED accusations at Justin Verlander and Albert Pujols, loses radio gig as a result. "DETROIT'S BANKRUPT!" The Tigers go on the winning streak everyone has been waiting for, take full control of the Central. Miguel Cabrera, making jaws drop on a nightly basis. Max Scherzer and 17-1. The return of Jeremy Bonderman. Alex Avila placed on the 7-day concussion DL. Welcome Hookslide to the BYB staff! Find us on Twitter: @NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @BYBKurt, @BlessYouBoys, @SBNationMLB.

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    Bless You Boys Podcast 81: Can Brandon Inge play shortstop? Aug 03, 2013

    Al and Kurt get self-righteous over PEDs, ponder the Tigers' contingency plans and talk Jose Veras on this week's Bless You Boys Podcast. Topics: Biogenesis: Ryan Braun cops a plea, Alex Rodriguez the next big target, MLB looks worse by the day. Jhonny Peralta: Questions abound - Will the Tigers' shortstop be suspended? If so, would he serve it right away or appeal? What could the Tigers' plan be if the worse case scenario happens? Hall of Fame ceremonies: The BBWAA didn't vote anyone living into the Hall, But current members did let loose with sanctimonious pontificating over steroids, ignoring baseball's seamy past in other areas. Rob Fick: The former Tiger admits he took PEDs. Apparently, they didn't help him on the field, just get back to it. Hello Jose Veras! Meet the former Astros closer, now the Tigers' new setup man. Goodbye, well, someone: Should Al Alburquerque be worried? Any other deadline moves on tap? Say a left-handed bat? Old folks home for former Tigers: Welcome to Triple-A Toledo Jeremy Bonderman and Jair Jurrjens. Justin Verlander, Prince Fielder and long-term deals: Albert Pujols' struggles, huge contract, and injury drawing attention to the Tigers' own monster contracts. Despite everything, the Tigers are in great shape: Winners of 7-of-8, season high 14 games over .500, three game lead over the Indians and doing so while overcoming injuries to Miguel Cabrera, Omar Infante, Torii Hunter, Darin Downs, Octavio Dotel along with a slumping Verlander and Fielder.RIP James Van Horn, aka Eat 'em up Tigers Guy

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    Bless You Boys Radiodcast 80 Jul 13, 2013

    Al and Ian Casselberry talk Tigers gaming the suspension system, Jim Leyland's blowup and the Yasiel Puig backlash on this week's Bless You Boys Podcast. Topics: Many think the Tigers should have the best record in baseball, not the ninth overall and fifth best in the AL. Are the Tigers getting too caught up in retribution shenanigans? The umpires completely mishandled the Chris Sale - Prince Fielder situation, resulting in a fiasco. Tigers game system, allowing Rick Porcello to dodge missing a start by dropping the appeal of his suspension. Was Colby Rasmus' slide dirty or just hard? Biogensis suspensions may not come down as soon as first reported. Tigers have six All-Stars, most since 1986. Freddie Freeman of the Braves, Blue Jays' Steve Delabar win the All-Star Game Final Vote. Was there a Yasiel Puig backlash? Find us on Twitter: @NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @BYBKurt, @BlessYouBoys, @SBNationMLB, @IanCass.

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    Bless You Boys Radiocast 79 Jul 04, 2013

    Al, Allison and Eric ponder the past week of bad Tigers baseball on this week's Bless You Boys Podcast. BYB Podcast 79 has a running time of 63 minutes and features Allison Hagen, Eric Wright and Al Beaton. Topics: The road trip starts off badly and the Tigers fall out of first place.Phil Coke: "We're way too good to have this record:" Futile is the word to describe the Tigers' offense of late.Miguel Cabrera vs. Fernando Rodney. The Tigers retaliate and Joe Maddon mentions Mario Puzo's "The Godfather."Max Scherzer is 12-0 and the value of pitcher wins.Justin Verlander confirms he's trying to correct a mechanical issue. Everyone is surprised Jose Valverde accepted an assignment to Triple-A Toledo. The Bruce Rondon Experience, take two.

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