So...What Do We Think of the Detroit Tigers Moves Thus Far?

The biggest concern, and goal of the fans this off season was to see Dombrowski go out and pick up as many above average pitchers as possible. The Detroit Tigers bullpen blew over 30 saves last year, and cost the team at least 40 games alone. Cut that in half and the tigers were winning the division.

Well...up to this point they have fanned on every attempt to get relief pitchers to date. They lost J.J. Putz (It is pronounced "pootz" so you don't sound stupid), the former Seattle closer to the NY Mets, who also landed the coveted K-Rod. They watched Kerry Wood end up on another team. The bullpen has not changed other than scrubs getting cut to this point.

So...what have they done? Many people may not like the moves, but I am happy with the SS and Catcher signings. Only reason is that it is clear the Tigers are trying to cut salary like the best diet pill to an NFL player's weight. They signed Adam Everett at SS for around $1 Million. A far cry from having to trade players to get Jack Wilson (why do we like this guy so much?) and take on that $7 Million deal for his mediocre services. Then they picked up Ger4ald Laird at catcher who makes around $1.5 Mil. Exactly what I wanted to see. OK players, at cheap prices. Saving probably $10 mil at those spots when we really didn't need hitting help anyways.

Then we traded Matt Joyce to Tampa Bay to pick up starter Edwin Jackson. If you look at the numbers for yearly totals you will think he is the next Nate Robertson. You may be right. Look at his game logs though. He had about 15 quality starts last year, and a stellar run that helped push the Rays into the division crown. Plus he is only 25 years old, and Joyce is never going to be more than a bench/journeyman player anyways. Total wash, or better for us I would say.

BUT...

We STILL haven't pulled any bullpen help. Fromt he sounds of it the Tigers may be interested in Colorado’s Brian Fuentes. He is the lefty closer they have used forever, and nothing sexy. They also seem to be in the running to landing lefty specialist Joe Beimel.

Fuentes is expected to command a high price. The $10 Mil range, and by all accounts is probably no better, or worse than Beimel, who the Tigers could get for much, much less. A staple of Dombrowski's approach to the bullpen is that he thinks relievers are hit or miss, and paying a ton for guys that could most certainly miss isn't a sound strategy. I agree to an extent, but ONE reliever isn't going to cut it. I'm sure we are all sick of the headcase Fernando Rodney coming tho the mound late in the game to "freak out". If more doesn't happen that is exactly what we are going to see, and with that a lot of late game losses. Get some damned relievers DD!

Detroit Lions Go to 0-14, Bengals win 2nd game, #1 Pick Secure

2 more games to be the first to 0-16!

Looks like none of us will be looking for travel deals for the playoffs, although I am heading to Green Bay the last week to take in the record game. Bad feeling about New Orleans next week, but the Cincinnati Bengals win Sunday was the nail in the coffin for getting the worst record and the #1 pick.

Still...we want it all. The coveted 0-16 trophy. We could win the last 2 and be fighting it out with Oakland and Seattle for the #1 pick, but it is highly unlikely.

Wonder what sign I should bring to the Packer game this year. Can't go with the reliable "Fire Millen" anymore so I have to come up with something new. Any ideas?

Michael Curry is Called a Coach?

Think his title may be wrong. More like a PR guy that gives interviews after the game, or a spokesperson for term life insurance would suit him. He sure doesn't do any actual coaching as far as I can tell.

Pistons run no offense. No plays. Guy who brings the ball up the court dribbles around for 15 seconds and then shoots, or gets it blocked. The rest chill out at the 3 point line and watch. Rip Hamilton used to run around the offensive end constantly. Every possession. Now? Maybe 4-5 times a game.

They have fast guards and they just stand around watching guys dribble. I wasn't aware we were watching the Atlanta Hawks now. Can't imagine anyone respects him as a coach. No wonder AI didn't give a crap about going to practice. Wasn't going to learn anything anyways.

Going to the Detroit Pistons Game Today

Got some pretty choice seats I guess too. Came with some promotional business gifts to one of my boys apparently. Not exactly sure where they are, but I hear we have some of the higher priced face value tickets in the arena. Hopefully I'm close enough to yell things that can be heard on TV. I'll try not to swear a lot I guess, although these guys can bring it out of you when you watch them play like they are great one night, and clueless the next.

Just had to go at least once this year to see A.I. in person. I have been to a least 20 Pistons games, and have yet to see Allen Iverson play live as long as he was in Philly. I never got to see Grant Hill play either. He was always friggin' hurt when we went. Big surprise, eh? He was even hurt when we went to see the Pistons play Orlando when he was on the Magic.

Hopefully I can find some gear with the OLD Pistons logeo on it. You can't even guess how hard it has been to find new gear with that logo on it. It just isn't around. I want that logo from the Bad Boys days. Not the horse, or the new "improved" one. I want old school.