Bless You Boys: for Detroit Tigers fans

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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!

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices