Morning, Tiger fans! First off, congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays! What an incredible accomplishment, and what a great example of an organization that understands how to build a winning baseball team. I wrote about this a few posts ago. Tampa Bay has been doing things the right way for years. They understood analytics early, but here’s what separates them from so many other organizations: They never forgot the importance of baseball people who actually understand the game! You need a bridge between analytics and old-school baseball knowledge. Somebody who understands both and knows how to apply them together. That’s exactly what Tampa Bay has done. A good friend of mine, somebody I started playing professional baseball with, spent years in that organization as a coach, advisor, and front-office executive. He told me firsthand what they were doing and how they were doing it. This isn’t something new. They’ve been building this way for years! Now, to the MLB owners. YOU’VE GOT A PROBLEM! Two of baseball’s lower-payroll teams are playing in the World Series! So much for your argument that you need a salary cap to compete! THAT DOG AIN’T GONNA HUNT! Baseball is thriving financially. You’re bringing in enormous television revenue, franchise values are soaring, and now you’re talking about potentially locking out the players? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? You guys created a system, the Dodgers figured out how to take advantage of it, and the rest of you stood around holding your dicks in your hands! Now you want the players to pay for it? I’m calling BULLSHIT! And don’t give me another labor battle that drags into spring training while everybody figures out how to split up billions of dollars. Meanwhile, congratulations to two organizations that prove you don’t have to spend like the Dodgers to reach the World Series. You just have to know what the hell you’re doing! I’m pulling for Milwaukee! I just hope that week off hasn’t killed the Brewers’ momentum. Happy Tuesday, everybody! Might be a great day to get out and play some golf!

Evan Petzold, I have to laugh at this idea that Scott Harris has some brilliant long-term plan of bringing in as many starting pitchers as possible and turning some of them into high-leverage relievers. Are you kidding me? That’s what baseball has been doing for DECADES! Organizations draft and develop starting pitchers. The ones who can’t make it as starters, but have the stuff to get big-league hitters out, move to the bullpen. Some become outstanding high-leverage relievers. That’s not innovation. That’s Baseball 101. We’ve been doing that forever. And we’re still talking about Scott Harris and his LONG-TERM PLAN? Folks, he’s been here FOUR YEARS! How much longer does this long-term plan need? I’ll give Harris credit for one thing. He’s improved the minor league system, which desperately needed attention. But let’s not pretend that was some monumental accomplishment. That was low-hanging fruit. Take the West Michigan Whitecaps. When I was with the organization, I pushed for improvements to their hitting facilities, including batting cages. Things that should have been done years earlier. They wouldn’t do them. Eventually, the Tigers finally grew some brass balls and demanded improvements. And they needed to! You’ve got Great Lakes, the Dodgers’ affiliate, with a beautiful facility just down the road. That’s a pretty attractive alternative if you’re not willing to improve your own facilities. Now, don’t misunderstand me. West Michigan is one of the greatest places in minor league baseball to watch a game. The fans are unbelievable, and the entertainment is outstanding. And a huge reason for that is Bob Wells. That man is the heart and soul of the entertainment experience. Take Bob out of that equation, and I guarantee it’s a different ballgame. The organization better appreciate what it has in him and eventually figure out how to replace someone who’s nearly impossible to replace. Toledo? Terrific place to play. Erie? When I was there, it was a dump. I haven’t been there in years, and I would certainly hope things have improved considerably. But back to Harris. Four years is enough time to start producing results beyond improving the farm system. In my opinion, Harris should already be on the clock. But I doubt he is, because I believe A.J. Hinch has far more control over this operation than people realize. Sometimes it feels like Harris is the puppet and Hinch is pulling the strings. Look around baseball. Cleveland knows how to build an organization and sustain success. Look at the progress the White Sox have made. Organizations don’t need endless excuses and an unlimited number of years to show meaningful improvement. And yet, every move Detroit makes gets packaged as another piece of some brilliant long-term strategy. At some point, the long-term plan has to become a WIN-NOW plan. Improving the minor leagues was necessary. But that’s not the finish line. That’s the starting line. I’ve spent enough years in professional baseball as a player, scout, and coach to recognize the difference between an actual organizational strategy and something we’ve been doing in baseball for 50 years. So please, stop selling the idea of developing starters and converting some into relievers as if Scott Harris just reinvented the game. He didn’t. And it’s time we start judging this organization on RESULTS instead of constantly praising its PLAN. #DetroitTigers #ScottHarris #RepDetroit #VandyOnTigers #shegone @shegone03 #TheHugeShow