I'm here thanks DK. Went to Bethel Park High and Pitt. Moved back. PGH is beautiful. But I love Florida. It's my home. Yet again. Here We Go Steelers Here WE Go!!!
I was in college at Michigan in 1984, and now live in southwest Michigan, and can tell you this: Detroit loves its sports teams. Also, if the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, and Pistons were all good, the Tigers would be the most popular franchise. People cared more when they were terrible; people go nuts when they're good. The Bucs could generate that good will (though probably not to the same extent) with just decent management--but alas...
I've always had serious doubts that, if the pirates made the playoffs, Shelton could manage effectively. Playoff baseball requires a different use of players.
The Tigers put together a win streak for the ages to make the playoffs. Supplanting Javier Baez at short may have been the turning point. They play 'team first', not 'me first' baseball now.
When I've watched how the Detroit and Cleveland games have been managed during the playoffs, they've been games of chess, NOT checkers. I shudder at the thought of Derek Shelton ever managing a playoff series-- he can't even properly manage a regular season game. The Pirate players won games in 2024 in spite of Shelton, NOT because of him. Why are Shelton and Cherington STILL here? Even if the Pirates happened to stumble into the playoffs, Shelton would have them tripping over themselves on their way out of the first round. He rarely puts players in the best positions to succeed, and when they don't succeed due to his boneheaded decisions to place them in the wrong spot at the wrong time (when he had other options available), Shelton blames the players publicly in postgame interviews after a loss for "not executing." Shelton (and Cherington) all too often "don't execute." I've NEVER heard Shelton say after a loss, "I made a mistake and shouldn't have put him in there." On the flip side, I've heard other MLB managers state publicly -- with humility -- that they made a crucial mistake in a particular game. Several losses in 2024 were directly related to Shelton not possessing the baseball IQ required to manage games in the ways that Hinch and Vogt can. When you compare them, it would appear that Shelton couldn't manage his way out of a wet paper bag. It's a double travesty that Shelton is the manager for a pathetic and maddening second reason-- he doesn't CARE about winning (just like it's been scripted). Unfortunately for the players and also the fans, he's either not intelligent enough or bold enough to flip the script.
I'm from Michigan, and I was at the penguins game last night, and DK is SPOT ON with everything he is articulating. The atmosphere at LCA was wild!
I'm here thanks DK. Went to Bethel Park High and Pitt. Moved back. PGH is beautiful. But I love Florida. It's my home. Yet again. Here We Go Steelers Here WE Go!!!
I was in college at Michigan in 1984, and now live in southwest Michigan, and can tell you this: Detroit loves its sports teams. Also, if the Tigers, Lions, Red Wings, and Pistons were all good, the Tigers would be the most popular franchise. People cared more when they were terrible; people go nuts when they're good. The Bucs could generate that good will (though probably not to the same extent) with just decent management--but alas...
I've always had serious doubts that, if the pirates made the playoffs, Shelton could manage effectively. Playoff baseball requires a different use of players.
Going to be a long off-season. Thanks for continuing. See ya in Bradenton
And they have one good starting pitcher
I completely missed that the Tigers made the playoffs. Feels like just yesterday they were as down in the dumps standings wise as the Bucs
Tarik Skubal of the Tigers, the pitching Triple Crown winner in the American League, will be the Cy Young Award winner in the A.L..
Well be having the same conversation 20 years from now. Think about that.
The Tigers put together a win streak for the ages to make the playoffs. Supplanting Javier Baez at short may have been the turning point. They play 'team first', not 'me first' baseball now.
When I've watched how the Detroit and Cleveland games have been managed during the playoffs, they've been games of chess, NOT checkers. I shudder at the thought of Derek Shelton ever managing a playoff series-- he can't even properly manage a regular season game. The Pirate players won games in 2024 in spite of Shelton, NOT because of him.
Why are Shelton and Cherington STILL here? Even if the Pirates happened to stumble into the playoffs, Shelton would have them tripping over themselves on their way out of the first round. He rarely puts players in the best positions to succeed, and when they don't succeed due to his boneheaded decisions to place them in the wrong spot at the wrong time (when he had other options available), Shelton blames the players publicly in postgame interviews after a loss for "not executing."
Shelton (and Cherington) all too often "don't execute." I've NEVER heard Shelton say after a loss, "I made a mistake and shouldn't have put him in there." On the flip side, I've heard other MLB managers state publicly -- with humility -- that they made a crucial mistake in a particular game. Several losses in 2024 were directly related to Shelton not possessing the baseball IQ required to manage games in the ways that Hinch and Vogt can. When you compare them, it would appear that Shelton couldn't manage his way out of a wet paper bag.
It's a double travesty that Shelton is the manager for a pathetic and maddening second reason-- he doesn't CARE about winning (just like it's been scripted). Unfortunately for the players and also the fans, he's either not intelligent enough or bold enough to flip the script.
I was bummed. I root against Cleveland no matter what sport
Cherington is incapable of evaluating talent. He is also incapable of developing the talent he has. He is completely in over his head.