WEBVTT 00:00:04.679 --> 00:00:08.660 Look, we get it, Tiger fans. We know the baseball 00:00:08.660 --> 00:00:11.640 season can be a grind. Luckily, when you're ready 00:00:11.640 --> 00:00:14.939 to trade hot dogs for tailgates, we've got you 00:00:14.939 --> 00:00:18.199 covered with Litterbox, a Detroit Lions podcast. 00:00:18.800 --> 00:00:21.000 It's the same unfiltered Detroit sports talk 00:00:21.000 --> 00:00:23.839 you get here, just with more biting kneecaps 00:00:23.839 --> 00:00:27.050 and fewer bullpen meltdowns. So when Sunday rolls 00:00:27.050 --> 00:00:29.829 around, don't just pace around like AJ Hinch 00:00:29.829 --> 00:00:33.250 waiting for a reliever. Fire up Litterbox, a 00:00:33.250 --> 00:00:35.729 Detroit Lions podcast, wherever you're listening 00:00:35.729 --> 00:00:39.070 now. And roar with us through the NFL season. 00:00:45.469 --> 00:00:48.049 You're listening to the Litterbox, a Detroit 00:00:48.049 --> 00:00:52.130 Tigers podcast with your hosts, Chet West and 00:00:52.130 --> 00:00:58.600 Bill Patterson. Litterbox listeners the Tigers 00:00:58.600 --> 00:01:00.719 did exactly what we wanted them to do this past 00:01:00.719 --> 00:01:03.659 week or weekend Labor Day weekend. They took 00:01:03.659 --> 00:01:06.799 two out of three from the Royals They kept the 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:10.060 distance between them and the Royals in the central 00:01:10.060 --> 00:01:12.420 nine and a half games is where it sits right 00:01:12.420 --> 00:01:15.540 now Cleveland is ten and a half back Royals in 00:01:15.540 --> 00:01:18.159 Cleveland are still a thought for a possible 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:20.739 wild card, but they are that is becoming less 00:01:20.739 --> 00:01:24.590 and less attainable By the day at this point. 00:01:25.010 --> 00:01:27.269 So we'll see how things kind of shake out here 00:01:27.269 --> 00:01:29.829 in the final month of the season We are heading 00:01:29.829 --> 00:01:32.329 down the stretch. We have September call -ups 00:01:32.329 --> 00:01:35.709 coming pretty soon To discuss once we know what 00:01:35.709 --> 00:01:38.290 those names are probably in the next episode 00:01:38.290 --> 00:01:40.769 Maybe in our Mets recap, but I wanted to touch 00:01:40.769 --> 00:01:43.209 on something real quick bill bill. Are you a 00:01:43.209 --> 00:01:46.780 rib fan? Do you enjoy ribs? Yes It's a sometimes 00:01:46.780 --> 00:01:49.439 food, though. It's a sometimes food. Is it because 00:01:49.439 --> 00:01:52.540 of the you just don't dig them that much or because 00:01:52.540 --> 00:01:54.739 your stomach can't handle that type of a rich 00:01:54.739 --> 00:01:57.400 barbecue? I just don't think it's really all 00:01:57.400 --> 00:02:00.719 that healthy. They're delicious. And, yeah, I 00:02:00.719 --> 00:02:04.120 think health being cast aside, who wouldn't want 00:02:04.120 --> 00:02:06.760 to eat ribs? There you go. That's every other 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.219 day, every third day, but it's just not A, it 00:02:09.219 --> 00:02:12.770 might lose its specialness, B, I can't imagine 00:02:12.770 --> 00:02:15.250 what your doctor would say if you did eat that 00:02:15.250 --> 00:02:17.969 way regarding cholesterol, hypertension, overall 00:02:17.969 --> 00:02:20.449 health. Certainly a barbecue dish that you're 00:02:20.449 --> 00:02:22.270 not eating every day or any barbecue for that 00:02:22.270 --> 00:02:24.689 matter shouldn't be eating every day. No, I don't 00:02:24.689 --> 00:02:26.889 get how people in Texas that do eat barbecue 00:02:26.889 --> 00:02:30.229 every day or certain areas of the country. have 00:02:30.229 --> 00:02:33.090 life expectancies beyond 55. And maybe they don't. 00:02:33.129 --> 00:02:35.789 They may not. They may not. I'm not 100 % sure 00:02:35.789 --> 00:02:38.289 they do. We had, you know, our typical Labor 00:02:38.289 --> 00:02:41.270 Day fair this past weekend, had a friends, uh, 00:02:41.270 --> 00:02:45.169 friends had a barbecue and I ran into probably 00:02:45.169 --> 00:02:49.409 one of the more perfect home -cooked barbecued 00:02:49.409 --> 00:02:53.650 ribs slabs I have run into in my life. A big 00:02:53.650 --> 00:02:56.960 hats off to my friend Adam. He cooked some ribs 00:02:56.960 --> 00:03:00.280 for us. They were delicious. I mean, I couldn't. 00:03:00.460 --> 00:03:02.879 I kind of sat there questioning why I bothered 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:05.500 doing barbecue sometimes when I taste somebody 00:03:05.500 --> 00:03:09.379 else's barbecue. It's so good. And I think that, 00:03:09.379 --> 00:03:13.460 you know, a way to a man's heart is to compliment 00:03:13.460 --> 00:03:16.639 him on his meat. And I give him the highest compliment 00:03:16.639 --> 00:03:19.099 on his meat that he produced for us this past 00:03:19.099 --> 00:03:22.259 weekend. I haven't had ribs fall off the bone. 00:03:22.719 --> 00:03:25.539 Homemade ribs, homemade ribs, not. at the store, 00:03:25.659 --> 00:03:28.000 not the restaurant, you know, I got a lot of 00:03:28.000 --> 00:03:30.159 good restaurant ribs out there, but homemade 00:03:30.159 --> 00:03:32.319 ribs. It takes a lot of time to put something 00:03:32.319 --> 00:03:34.500 like that together. They fell off the bone. They 00:03:34.500 --> 00:03:36.719 were delicious and they didn't need a ton of 00:03:36.719 --> 00:03:39.680 barbecue sauce, which is kind of the key. It's 00:03:39.680 --> 00:03:42.759 kind of the key. And were they babybacks or St. 00:03:42.939 --> 00:03:45.379 Louis? Yes, they were. I believe they were babybacks. 00:03:45.900 --> 00:03:47.580 Somebody did ask that question. They were like 00:03:47.580 --> 00:03:49.840 st. Louis style or baby backs and he said yes 00:03:49.840 --> 00:03:52.560 So I believe they were baby backs. I believe 00:03:52.560 --> 00:03:56.139 that was the method and the cut how did he prepare 00:03:56.139 --> 00:04:00.360 them? He grilled them on a big green egg Which 00:04:00.360 --> 00:04:03.099 I mean, I've got a green egg too. I do not do 00:04:03.099 --> 00:04:06.479 my ribs quite as well. I do a decent rib But 00:04:06.479 --> 00:04:08.599 sometimes the consistency with whether they fall 00:04:08.599 --> 00:04:11.139 off that bone I'm gonna have to get more direction 00:04:11.139 --> 00:04:13.379 and education from him on this I did not pick 00:04:13.379 --> 00:04:15.819 his brain on it last night because he was busy 00:04:15.819 --> 00:04:18.439 running around and tending to us and whatnot 00:04:18.439 --> 00:04:23.240 So I do have fall off the bone Meaning that is 00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:26.300 how I do mine as well. You like them that way 00:04:26.300 --> 00:04:28.180 because there is a there's a school of thought 00:04:28.180 --> 00:04:31.649 around this That some people want to wrestle 00:04:31.649 --> 00:04:34.449 with it. They want like a jerky on there and 00:04:34.449 --> 00:04:36.930 they want to yank at it. It's like getting your 00:04:36.930 --> 00:04:38.750 teeth flossed and everything else by the rib 00:04:38.750 --> 00:04:41.110 meat. I don't like rib meat in my teeth. No, 00:04:41.209 --> 00:04:43.930 that's an uncomfortable situation and then later 00:04:43.930 --> 00:04:45.949 in the evening you find a hunk of it. It's awful. 00:04:46.350 --> 00:04:50.050 Yeah, I like it to fall right off. Clean. Clean, 00:04:50.250 --> 00:04:54.209 nice and tender, juicy. Sometimes you gotta really 00:04:54.209 --> 00:04:56.149 sather them in a barbecue sauce if they're not 00:04:56.149 --> 00:04:58.069 that way just to soften them up a little bit. 00:04:58.110 --> 00:04:59.649 I didn't find these to be that way at all. They 00:04:59.649 --> 00:05:02.629 were delicious. Tasty. But I agree with you on 00:05:02.629 --> 00:05:05.589 the health side of it. I now am, in my later 00:05:05.589 --> 00:05:08.170 years, I am finding I can have about a quarter 00:05:08.170 --> 00:05:11.610 to a half slab and then like two in the morning 00:05:11.610 --> 00:05:14.569 I'll wake up just sweating. Just in a full sweat 00:05:14.569 --> 00:05:17.269 in bed with me for no reason. Just meat sweats. 00:05:17.449 --> 00:05:19.410 I never used to get them and now I'm getting 00:05:19.410 --> 00:05:22.430 the meat sweats more often. I'm chalking it up 00:05:22.430 --> 00:05:25.949 to age. So did he prep these, Adam, that is, 00:05:26.110 --> 00:05:28.589 prep these ribs in any way that we know of outside 00:05:28.589 --> 00:05:31.170 of on the green egg? This is what I gotta ask. 00:05:31.350 --> 00:05:33.610 Okay, cuz I don't know what he's described it 00:05:33.610 --> 00:05:35.990 to me once before a long time ago when we were 00:05:35.990 --> 00:05:39.310 talking about this many years back, and it sounded 00:05:39.310 --> 00:05:42.370 very simple. Now the key to this whole thing 00:05:42.770 --> 00:05:45.550 The real, the braggadocio around this is that 00:05:45.550 --> 00:05:47.370 you make it sound simple. Like, I don't do that 00:05:47.370 --> 00:05:49.029 much, I just, you know, I got the magic touch. 00:05:49.490 --> 00:05:51.610 But I don't know what he did, so I'll have to 00:05:51.610 --> 00:05:53.370 pick his brain a little more and get his true 00:05:53.370 --> 00:05:56.149 process down. Can I share mine? Go! I'd love 00:05:56.149 --> 00:05:59.389 to hear yours. So, if there's a key, it's getting 00:05:59.389 --> 00:06:03.839 good aluminum foil. Not the thin... cheap stuff 00:06:03.839 --> 00:06:06.740 for the thick stuff made for grilling. Yes. Okay. 00:06:06.939 --> 00:06:09.639 That's step one. All right. Step two, dry rub. 00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:12.800 I'm a salt pepper and a little bit of brown sugar 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:15.279 guy, but only for ribs. I wouldn't do that for 00:06:15.279 --> 00:06:17.360 brisket or anything like that. Yeah. And then 00:06:17.360 --> 00:06:22.360 I put it in the oven if I need to at 200. Okay. 00:06:22.600 --> 00:06:24.660 And let it sit for a few hours. So you're an 00:06:24.660 --> 00:06:27.779 oven first. Well, preferred method. Okay. Okay. 00:06:27.920 --> 00:06:31.399 And what I'm looking for is baby backs, never 00:06:31.399 --> 00:06:33.439 St. Louis style. I just don't prefer that cut. 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:37.620 It's just too, it gets too much in your teeth, 00:06:37.720 --> 00:06:40.639 too grisly, too much fat. And what I'm looking 00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:43.939 for is an inch to an inch and a half of bone 00:06:43.939 --> 00:06:46.360 exposed away from the meat. And that was on his, 00:06:46.399 --> 00:06:48.500 he had that perfectly done. I noticed it when 00:06:48.500 --> 00:06:49.980 he went to pull them off. I was like, Oh, look 00:06:49.980 --> 00:06:52.480 at the bones in there. The bone is exposed. Yeah. 00:06:52.579 --> 00:06:55.120 So I'm looking for an inch to maybe even two 00:06:55.120 --> 00:06:58.759 inches. And then I finish them on the grill. 00:06:58.779 --> 00:07:02.480 Okay. And then I sauce some. I don't sauce them 00:07:02.480 --> 00:07:04.220 all. And sorry, there's one other thing I do. 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:08.019 I cut up an onion into big wedges and put it 00:07:08.019 --> 00:07:12.660 in with the ribs to keep them moist. Artsy. I 00:07:12.660 --> 00:07:15.639 just, it doesn't really add anything other than 00:07:15.639 --> 00:07:17.959 it just keeps them moist so you don't have to 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:20.870 like spray and all that. Okay. I've heard other 00:07:20.870 --> 00:07:22.730 people, like, do some other stuff like... It 00:07:22.730 --> 00:07:25.389 was cider, whatever, apple juice mix, whatever, 00:07:25.410 --> 00:07:29.029 yeah. So, I enjoyed it. I enjoy a good slab of 00:07:29.029 --> 00:07:32.089 ribs more than any, probably any other barbecued 00:07:32.089 --> 00:07:35.089 meat. And, you know, I'm a Twin Anchors fan in 00:07:35.089 --> 00:07:37.389 Chicago. You can't go wrong with a Twin Anchors 00:07:37.389 --> 00:07:40.670 slab of ribs. We need to pod from Twin Anchors 00:07:40.670 --> 00:07:42.709 at some point. Do a podcast from Twin Anchors 00:07:42.709 --> 00:07:44.689 and just talk about ribs and meats the whole 00:07:44.689 --> 00:07:47.629 time? Yeah, we can cover, I don't know, a sport, 00:07:47.850 --> 00:07:50.449 but yeah. That would be incredible. I wonder 00:07:50.449 --> 00:07:53.329 if they would allow that. I don't know. You think 00:07:53.329 --> 00:07:55.389 they would allow that? Yes. Okay. We'll have 00:07:55.389 --> 00:07:57.730 to have our people get out, get in touch with 00:07:57.730 --> 00:07:59.889 their people. I'm already covered. I've got it 00:07:59.889 --> 00:08:02.670 covered. We just can't do it at 7 30 p .m. when 00:08:02.670 --> 00:08:05.790 their rush is happening. And now that you mentioned 00:08:05.790 --> 00:08:09.379 this chat. Mrs. Billy P has work trips upcoming, 00:08:09.740 --> 00:08:12.060 so I think I'm going to fire up a couple different 00:08:12.060 --> 00:08:15.220 styles of ribs here for Grady, my son, and myself. 00:08:15.639 --> 00:08:18.319 Why not? Some father -son meets. Yeah, we can 00:08:18.319 --> 00:08:21.019 be carnivores. That's great. When he finishes 00:08:21.019 --> 00:08:23.699 crew every evening and gets home around 6 .30, 00:08:23.860 --> 00:08:28.240 he devours whatever's in front of him. He needs 00:08:28.240 --> 00:08:30.360 calories and he needs them quick. All right. 00:08:30.560 --> 00:08:32.899 Let's talk about this Tigers do exactly what 00:08:32.899 --> 00:08:35.179 they want what we wanted them to do and that 00:08:35.179 --> 00:08:39.240 was they took the series and I think my only 00:08:39.240 --> 00:08:41.899 frustration is that the sweep was there for them 00:08:41.899 --> 00:08:45.100 They won 5 -3 Friday night and then Saturday 00:08:45.100 --> 00:08:47.460 was where I was really focused I know they lost 00:08:47.460 --> 00:08:50.159 3 -1 but there were moments in that game Saturday 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:53.559 night where it was there for the taking and it 00:08:53.559 --> 00:08:56.960 just didn't happen and then Yesterday was master 00:08:56.960 --> 00:09:00.600 class yet again Tarek Schubel, doing what Tarek 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:03.600 does. Yeah, I mean, he's back. Five -nothing 00:09:03.600 --> 00:09:09.120 win. And outside of Dylan Dingler and his usual 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:12.399 amazing production, I do have to give a shout 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:15.259 out to Riley Green being the first Detroit Tiger 00:09:15.259 --> 00:09:19.059 to eclipse 100 RBI's. And he did it, you know, 00:09:19.179 --> 00:09:20.759 fairly early in the season, too. Got a whole 00:09:20.759 --> 00:09:24.340 month left. Yeah. And did it with 500 at -bats, 00:09:24.340 --> 00:09:28.039 you know, ish. And he was the last or the... 00:09:27.899 --> 00:09:31.639 The previous last Tiger to do this was Nick Castellanos 00:09:31.639 --> 00:09:35.159 in 2017. So that's a blast from the past. So 00:09:35.159 --> 00:09:38.360 I feel good about everything. Saturday left me 00:09:38.360 --> 00:09:43.120 a little bit frustrated just because we were 00:09:43.120 --> 00:09:45.480 with neighbors all day watching college football 00:09:45.480 --> 00:09:47.019 and it just would have been a great, let's call 00:09:47.019 --> 00:09:50.220 it the icing on the cake. Which is what baseball 00:09:50.220 --> 00:09:53.590 becomes to a degree on Saturdays. early fall, 00:09:53.649 --> 00:09:55.870 late summer. It's like you watch your college 00:09:55.870 --> 00:09:57.289 football, you get what you want from that, and 00:09:57.289 --> 00:09:58.570 you're like, oh, let's just cap it off with a 00:09:58.570 --> 00:10:00.470 little baseball here and see what happens. Now, 00:10:00.509 --> 00:10:03.090 I do have to say, I don't think he listens to 00:10:03.090 --> 00:10:06.850 the pod, but somebody got to Jonathan India because 00:10:06.850 --> 00:10:10.929 his hair did not look nearly as gelled, moust, 00:10:11.309 --> 00:10:13.629 whatever this weekend series. He looked like 00:10:13.629 --> 00:10:15.850 it was blown dry. Like he's putting a conditioner 00:10:15.850 --> 00:10:17.970 in there and just leaving it or something. He 00:10:17.970 --> 00:10:19.590 looked like he, you know how they have like blow 00:10:19.590 --> 00:10:22.919 -dried bars where... Yeah. Yeah. Got a blowout? 00:10:23.120 --> 00:10:24.899 You think he got a blowout? I don't know, but 00:10:24.899 --> 00:10:27.919 he did not look as sweaty. Either that or maybe 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:30.899 the weather's cooled in Kansas City. You know, 00:10:30.980 --> 00:10:33.159 maybe Kauffman these night games. I don't know. 00:10:33.379 --> 00:10:35.840 The humidity in his hair. His hair is responding 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.019 to less humidity right now. I'm not sure. Or, 00:10:39.059 --> 00:10:41.440 I think the most likely answer is he listens 00:10:41.440 --> 00:10:43.440 to the litter box. It's possible. Tiger's podcasting. 00:10:43.559 --> 00:10:45.759 He's like, I gotta stop putting motor oil in 00:10:45.759 --> 00:10:47.019 my cloth here. He's like, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, 00:10:47.340 --> 00:10:50.299 these guys. These guys are on to me. Yeah, they're 00:10:50.299 --> 00:10:52.240 totally on to me. Maybe it doesn't look like 00:10:52.240 --> 00:10:54.120 I'm showering. Maybe it doesn't look like I wash 00:10:54.120 --> 00:10:57.000 it. Maybe you let it get in his head one way 00:10:57.000 --> 00:10:59.120 or the other. So I'll get let me give it let 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:00.720 me just give a couple thoughts on the series 00:11:00.720 --> 00:11:03.320 and we'll move along here Okay, so one thing 00:11:03.320 --> 00:11:05.679 that happened in this series game one I thought 00:11:05.679 --> 00:11:08.039 we were dead to write that we're dead like I 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:10.220 just we give up three runs in the first inning 00:11:10.220 --> 00:11:13.820 paddock had a Rather pedestrian out he did settle 00:11:13.820 --> 00:11:18.200 down and get us into the fourth But he 3 .2 innings 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:20.279 three runs five hits. I was like, oh here we 00:11:20.279 --> 00:11:22.639 go again another pitcher blowing the game early 00:11:22.639 --> 00:11:26.740 your favorite is the three run first or second 00:11:26.889 --> 00:11:30.289 Or the four -run second. You get excited to see 00:11:30.289 --> 00:11:33.110 a game, and your pitcher goes out there and just, 00:11:33.110 --> 00:11:37.210 you know, messes the bed. But the offense, to 00:11:37.210 --> 00:11:39.929 their credit, came right back in the second inning, 00:11:40.070 --> 00:11:42.529 grabbed two runs, added two more in the fourth, 00:11:42.990 --> 00:11:46.289 and our bullpen, I mean, we went through the 00:11:46.289 --> 00:11:49.889 whole crew here, Holton, Melton, Finnegan, Vest, 00:11:50.210 --> 00:11:52.190 which, by the way, those are probably your top 00:11:52.190 --> 00:11:54.600 four relievers at this point. If you're a tiger 00:11:54.600 --> 00:11:58.659 and that would be a law firm that would Melton 00:11:58.659 --> 00:12:01.259 Finnegan invest. Yeah, they would win you. Yeah, 00:12:01.259 --> 00:12:04.120 whatever a lot of cases one. Yeah, right there. 00:12:04.139 --> 00:12:07.379 Yeah, that group of names. I so they they closed 00:12:07.379 --> 00:12:09.820 it out. They did a great job. They closed out 00:12:09.820 --> 00:12:13.659 the final five plus innings and that's kind of 00:12:13.659 --> 00:12:15.820 what you want to see going down the stretch because 00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:17.279 I know what you're going to ask me about here 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.480 in a couple minutes and we're going to need a 00:12:19.480 --> 00:12:23.389 bullpen with this starting staff game to You 00:12:23.389 --> 00:12:26.029 know game two is just one of these. I just you're 00:12:26.029 --> 00:12:28.509 not gonna sweep every time Okay, and a sweep 00:12:28.509 --> 00:12:30.470 would have been incredible and it would have 00:12:30.470 --> 00:12:32.929 been quite a statement. We had no offense We 00:12:32.929 --> 00:12:35.309 just couldn't get a run across Jack Flaherty 00:12:35.309 --> 00:12:39.090 goes actually does a decent job Kolek flummoxed 00:12:39.090 --> 00:12:42.990 us this time Stephen Kolek and their bullpen 00:12:42.990 --> 00:12:46.669 shut us down Tommy Canley siding though Bill 00:12:46.669 --> 00:12:49.610 Thoughts on that. He actually put in one and 00:12:49.610 --> 00:12:52.269 a third and only gave up a hit struck out three 00:12:52.350 --> 00:12:56.549 The changeup was working. If the changeup's working, 00:12:56.990 --> 00:12:59.789 Tommy Canalee is lethal. And when it's not, we 00:12:59.789 --> 00:13:02.230 know what it is. I had too soon to say if he's 00:13:02.230 --> 00:13:04.789 fixed, but let's knock on wood and say, let's 00:13:04.789 --> 00:13:06.990 hope so. Tyler Holton, not so much, but pitching 00:13:06.990 --> 00:13:08.730 on back to back days again, I think he's just 00:13:08.730 --> 00:13:12.370 overworked. Tyler Holton is absolutely overworked. 00:13:12.679 --> 00:13:14.879 That'll go to my question in just a few. Can 00:13:14.879 --> 00:13:18.220 I talk about the lineup Saturday and how lackluster 00:13:18.220 --> 00:13:21.379 I felt it was. Colt Keith has been somewhat a 00:13:21.379 --> 00:13:23.980 revelation batting lead off. He was DH, but he 00:13:23.980 --> 00:13:28.059 went 0 for 4. So that's never good. And he wasn't 00:13:28.059 --> 00:13:30.559 seeing a lot of pitches. Here's where I really 00:13:30.559 --> 00:13:34.960 questioned this lineup. And it's not so much 00:13:34.960 --> 00:13:38.509 now it's. What's going to happen 30 days from 00:13:38.509 --> 00:13:42.990 now? You cannot have your bottom three beat Dylan 00:13:42.990 --> 00:13:45.590 Dingler, who was three for four and unreal. He 00:13:45.590 --> 00:13:49.450 is not part of the problem. It's Trey Sweeney 00:13:49.450 --> 00:13:52.750 after him, who actually had a decent game for 00:13:52.750 --> 00:13:55.350 Trey Sweeney, but he's still batting 2 -0 -9 00:13:55.350 --> 00:13:58.070 with a 5 -83 OPS. It's just not enough right 00:13:58.070 --> 00:14:01.639 now from your shortstop. No, and then Andy Abanez, 00:14:01.740 --> 00:14:04.679 who has had his moments, goes 0 for 2 in his 00:14:04.679 --> 00:14:08.440 pinch hit for ZMAC, and neither of them delivered 00:14:08.440 --> 00:14:12.480 anything. Combined, they were 0 for 3. I just, 00:14:12.480 --> 00:14:16.139 I really, really get concerned. You know, I love 00:14:16.139 --> 00:14:20.080 Keith and Glebar Torres and Kerry Carpenter and 00:14:20.080 --> 00:14:23.779 Torque and Green, and I even really think the 00:14:23.779 --> 00:14:26.620 world of Wensil Perez and Dingler. After that, 00:14:26.980 --> 00:14:31.179 we do not have Guess bias would be your next 00:14:31.179 --> 00:14:34.399 best batter. Is that fair to say? I think I mean, 00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:37.220 I think so you mentioned Wenzel Perez in there 00:14:37.220 --> 00:14:39.039 and I would like to say he gets a little bit 00:14:39.039 --> 00:14:41.679 of an honorable mention for kind of You know, 00:14:41.740 --> 00:14:45.120 like the quiet contributor if you will he just 00:14:45.120 --> 00:14:47.720 he keeps plugging away and keeps getting hits. 00:14:48.220 --> 00:14:53.220 He Has graduated in my mind from being a utility 00:14:53.919 --> 00:14:57.360 like nice to have guy that is now someone that 00:14:57.360 --> 00:15:00.559 should be one of the eight position players. 00:15:00.820 --> 00:15:02.960 I mean, the sample size at this is, it is what 00:15:02.960 --> 00:15:06.159 it is chat. Matt Verling is scheduled to come 00:15:06.159 --> 00:15:09.100 back within the next week. So is Parker Meadows. 00:15:09.340 --> 00:15:14.570 We will see on that. All things. What does that 00:15:14.570 --> 00:15:16.909 do? What does that do for the September run? 00:15:17.029 --> 00:15:18.950 What does that do for the playoff roster? What 00:15:18.950 --> 00:15:21.350 does that do? Outside of maybe moving Sweeney 00:15:21.350 --> 00:15:24.250 down, it doesn't do anything. You know, unless 00:15:24.250 --> 00:15:26.870 we get the Meadows that was good the last Sweeney 00:15:26.870 --> 00:15:28.710 out is what ends up happening eventually. Yeah, 00:15:28.710 --> 00:15:31.549 so that's the plus, but... I don't know how excited 00:15:31.549 --> 00:15:34.549 I am about Matt Farrelly coming back in any way, 00:15:34.769 --> 00:15:36.690 shape, or form. It's games like that where we 00:15:36.690 --> 00:15:38.529 don't play to run and you start asking these 00:15:38.529 --> 00:15:40.570 questions. And then you go into the next day, 00:15:40.769 --> 00:15:44.070 Scubal lights it up, game three, we played five 00:15:44.070 --> 00:15:47.230 runs, all systems firing. I will say Kerry Carpenter 00:15:47.230 --> 00:15:50.309 has fallen off quite a bit. I am worried. I need 00:15:50.309 --> 00:15:52.750 him to start sparking back up here in September, 00:15:52.870 --> 00:15:55.149 especially for the playoff run. He has been in 00:15:55.149 --> 00:15:57.919 a little bit of a drought. Yes, he has. He's 00:15:57.919 --> 00:16:00.419 down to 258 on the average. Still has that OPS 00:16:00.419 --> 00:16:02.940 up above 800 though. That's like the calling 00:16:02.940 --> 00:16:05.100 card on this team. That's the important part. 00:16:05.100 --> 00:16:07.720 High OPS middling average, so that's good. Scubal 00:16:07.720 --> 00:16:11.019 went seven, four hits, two walks, four Ks. I 00:16:11.019 --> 00:16:14.720 mean, he's got a 2 .1 ADRA at this point. I think 00:16:14.720 --> 00:16:18.320 he is the Cy Young leader for the AL. He has 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:20.539 some competition. He has to be. But I believe 00:16:20.539 --> 00:16:23.259 he is the front runner at the moment by all accounts. 00:16:23.340 --> 00:16:26.330 And you got... When suppressed two for four in 00:16:26.330 --> 00:16:28.809 that game Jake Rogers had a head and I was gonna 00:16:28.809 --> 00:16:31.690 say there was a mustache side a mustache Showed 00:16:31.690 --> 00:16:35.590 up went two for four triple double. Do you triple 00:16:35.590 --> 00:16:39.330 from Jake Rogers? Do you am I reading that right 00:16:39.330 --> 00:16:43.950 my favorite playing baseball? Yeah To RBI's I 00:16:43.950 --> 00:16:46.750 mean gas to if you saw oh, there's got I could 00:16:46.750 --> 00:16:50.100 just see the sweat coming down his brow and dribbling 00:16:50.100 --> 00:16:54.120 off his mustache. The stash probably just contained 00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:58.379 that like a sauna. And a Rafael Montero sighting. 00:16:58.960 --> 00:17:03.039 Thank you for bringing that up. Wow, that's just 00:17:03.039 --> 00:17:07.359 fantastic. Fascinating cast of characters contributing 00:17:07.359 --> 00:17:10.579 in this series. Yeah. But good to see. And we 00:17:10.579 --> 00:17:13.900 do have so many players outside of Rodgers and 00:17:13.900 --> 00:17:18.180 Abanez. The only other tiger that's playing with 00:17:18.180 --> 00:17:20.759 any regularity and doesn't have an OPS well above 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:23.539 700 happens to be trace weenie. So I don't want 00:17:23.539 --> 00:17:26.180 to. There you go. I mean, pouring kerosene on 00:17:26.180 --> 00:17:29.200 this fire, but the proof is the numbers don't 00:17:29.200 --> 00:17:31.359 lie. You know what I'm saying? Rogers is what 00:17:31.359 --> 00:17:35.599 he is. He is a veteran catcher that, and my question 00:17:35.599 --> 00:17:37.680 to you is, do you think scoops asked for him? 00:17:37.960 --> 00:17:40.619 Like do you think it could be he could have said 00:17:40.619 --> 00:17:43.900 I'd like Rogers out there for me today and I'm 00:17:43.900 --> 00:17:46.119 okay if those are the days of Dingler because 00:17:46.119 --> 00:17:48.779 Unfortunately, we probably don't need Dingler's 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:52.420 bat when scubal goes because of his ERA true, 00:17:52.420 --> 00:17:54.900 etc True. You got a question to ask me that was 00:17:54.900 --> 00:17:56.759 a good series. We got two out of three I'm happy 00:17:56.759 --> 00:17:58.779 with it. What was your question? Now we have 00:17:58.779 --> 00:18:04.220 the New York Mets coming to Detroit And we will 00:18:04.220 --> 00:18:06.599 get off this pod here in a minute so we can both 00:18:06.599 --> 00:18:08.579 go watch a couple innings. Yeah, that'd be great. 00:18:08.619 --> 00:18:11.319 It's glorious weather here in Chicago. Yeah, 00:18:11.319 --> 00:18:13.759 how about you? It's good. We're mid 70s here. 00:18:14.000 --> 00:18:16.279 Late, late August, early September is a secret 00:18:16.279 --> 00:18:18.480 time of year for weather here. I love it. It's 00:18:18.480 --> 00:18:21.420 everything just mellows out and it gets real, 00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:24.420 real nice, especially in the evening hours. So 00:18:24.420 --> 00:18:29.140 my question for you is, is as follows. Outside 00:18:29.140 --> 00:18:32.539 of Tarrick Scoobel, I don't trust another arm. 00:18:32.799 --> 00:18:36.880 two through five or six in the starting rotation. 00:18:37.859 --> 00:18:40.900 What are your thoughts? Am I being harsh? Am 00:18:40.900 --> 00:18:44.759 I being reactionary? Or have I seen enough to 00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:48.819 justify my fears come October baseball that the 00:18:48.819 --> 00:18:52.460 Tigers don't have a true go -to second starter? 00:18:53.599 --> 00:18:56.539 You know, the go -to concept. Let's think about 00:18:56.539 --> 00:18:59.119 this the other night like if I go to the bar 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:01.400 in the summertime and I order a drink I have 00:19:01.400 --> 00:19:05.099 a go -to if they don't do what I want Well, what 00:19:05.099 --> 00:19:08.119 do I go to next and then the wheels fall off 00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:10.640 for the evening if things don't work great, right? 00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:13.539 So you vodka soda with a lime is your go -to. 00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:17.119 Tequila soda with a lime is my go -to in the 00:19:17.119 --> 00:19:20.019 summer these days Yeah, either Tito's or vodka 00:19:20.019 --> 00:19:23.140 soda probably now we're on to a tequila soda. 00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:27.430 Yeah with a lime. And then what happens is I 00:19:27.430 --> 00:19:29.569 have to go to that number two. I have to go to 00:19:29.569 --> 00:19:32.410 that vodka soda. So who is your Jack Flaherty 00:19:32.410 --> 00:19:34.069 of drinks? And then I've got to deal with, you 00:19:34.069 --> 00:19:35.970 know, the bartender throws a lime in there, but 00:19:35.970 --> 00:19:37.990 I want a lemon. Then I got to take it back and 00:19:37.990 --> 00:19:39.769 be like, can I get a lemon? And the bartender 00:19:39.769 --> 00:19:41.769 looks at me like, oh, you're killing me, dude. 00:19:42.329 --> 00:19:46.150 So it's the wheels start coming off. This tiger's 00:19:46.150 --> 00:19:51.289 starting rotation here. Scoobble, we are blessed 00:19:51.289 --> 00:19:54.650 with this. OK, Cy Youngguy. back -to -back years. 00:19:55.609 --> 00:19:58.130 After him, I don't know. I mean, do you roll 00:19:58.130 --> 00:20:00.470 Flaherty out there and go with that inconsistency? 00:20:00.549 --> 00:20:03.230 Do you play matchups at that point with the other 00:20:03.230 --> 00:20:05.349 team and figure out who's going to have the leverage 00:20:05.349 --> 00:20:10.269 based on their pitch mix? Casey Mize is consistent 00:20:10.269 --> 00:20:14.609 to a degree, but he's like an automatic three 00:20:14.609 --> 00:20:19.890 runs. Chet, that is his ERA over the year. Since 00:20:19.890 --> 00:20:22.089 the All -Star break, he's the worst pitcher. 00:20:22.410 --> 00:20:24.529 starting pitcher in the American League, and 00:20:24.529 --> 00:20:28.450 his ERA is closer to eight. But Flaherty and 00:20:28.450 --> 00:20:31.710 Paddock are prone to explosions. Mize at least 00:20:31.710 --> 00:20:33.470 keeps things kind of steady and you're going 00:20:33.470 --> 00:20:35.130 to get through a game. He's going to give up 00:20:35.130 --> 00:20:37.789 three to four runs, maybe more because he's had 00:20:37.789 --> 00:20:39.630 a couple of bad games, you're right, since the 00:20:39.630 --> 00:20:42.109 All -Star break. But I don't know. Who do we 00:20:42.109 --> 00:20:43.630 throw out there? You may ask that quite like, 00:20:43.690 --> 00:20:45.670 I look at this staff and I think you're getting 00:20:45.670 --> 00:20:49.369 your answer. I don't know. We don't have a starting 00:20:49.369 --> 00:20:52.180 rotation built for the playoffs. Against good 00:20:52.180 --> 00:20:54.660 teams. No, we do not. We're gonna get tested 00:20:54.660 --> 00:20:58.039 against the Mets this week. Is Melton worth moving 00:20:58.039 --> 00:21:00.819 to a starters role? Yeah, I would like to see 00:21:00.819 --> 00:21:03.180 that. I think that has to happen. And I don't 00:21:03.180 --> 00:21:06.740 mean like an overtaxing role. He's not expected 00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:09.480 to go six, seven innings every time. No, we get 00:21:09.480 --> 00:21:11.720 four or five good ones on him to start the game 00:21:11.720 --> 00:21:16.099 off right. And then I know you have been up on 00:21:16.099 --> 00:21:19.339 him, but more down so recently. And that's fair. 00:21:19.359 --> 00:21:22.119 He hasn't pitched as well. I do think his arms... 00:21:22.119 --> 00:21:26.400 Melton? No, Holton. I think his arms exhausted 00:21:26.400 --> 00:21:30.140 and I would really like to see his utilization 00:21:30.140 --> 00:21:34.339 conserved for October because he did Yeoman's 00:21:34.339 --> 00:21:37.059 work last season and I feel like he has it in 00:21:37.059 --> 00:21:40.400 him, but he cannot continue at this pace on innings 00:21:40.400 --> 00:21:43.200 pitched. We need to find our Beau Briskey for 00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:45.559 the stretch run. We need to find our old players 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:47.309 in the pen that are going to... They're going 00:21:47.309 --> 00:21:49.849 to perk up and do it for us when we need it. 00:21:49.890 --> 00:21:51.829 Cause I don't think the starting staff is going 00:21:51.829 --> 00:21:55.569 to keep guys at bay. I just don't see it happening. 00:21:55.670 --> 00:21:58.569 I hope, you know, we'll just be fortunate, right? 00:21:58.789 --> 00:22:01.150 If they can come out and execute, we'll be fortunate 00:22:01.150 --> 00:22:03.289 in my eyes. It's not going to be an expectation 00:22:03.289 --> 00:22:06.789 type like shizer. Well, no, no 88 how, you know, 00:22:06.789 --> 00:22:10.589 he was automatic for the Dodgers. So a funny 00:22:10.589 --> 00:22:12.609 quote, can we put this to bed and then I'll give 00:22:12.609 --> 00:22:17.099 you my quote? X Tiger legend Justin Verlander 00:22:17.099 --> 00:22:20.480 JV got his first win at Oracle Park this year 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:25.099 recently Wow, and took that long It took a real 00:22:25.099 --> 00:22:28.819 long time. Okay, and storied career He pitched 00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:31.640 over a hundred and ten pitches the other day 00:22:31.640 --> 00:22:33.640 as well. So like he's still going strong. The 00:22:33.640 --> 00:22:36.289 guys just don't know he's still gone His quote 00:22:36.289 --> 00:22:40.009 was amazing though when asked did it feel good 00:22:40.009 --> 00:22:42.789 relief? What have you to finally get the monkey 00:22:42.789 --> 00:22:44.970 off your back and win at Oracle field? He goes, 00:22:45.549 --> 00:22:47.269 you know, I really would have preferred to have 00:22:47.269 --> 00:22:50.190 won here in 2012 when the Tigers were in the 00:22:50.190 --> 00:22:51.869 World Series against the Dodgers Yeah, we would 00:22:51.869 --> 00:22:53.730 have to Justin. Yeah, it would have been great 00:22:53.730 --> 00:22:56.789 But I just I thought like the guys going into 00:22:56.789 --> 00:22:59.390 the Hall of Fame with a Tigers D on his hat I 00:22:59.390 --> 00:23:03.019 mean that English D, excuse me And I just thought 00:23:03.019 --> 00:23:05.640 that was just a fun one to include with our listeners. 00:23:06.019 --> 00:23:08.359 Do you think, so you are sold on the fact that 00:23:08.359 --> 00:23:10.460 he will go into the hall with the old English 00:23:10.460 --> 00:23:13.740 D and his hat? Is there an option for that? Does 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:16.579 he have a choice at this point? If you play the 00:23:16.579 --> 00:23:18.940 moat, I think it's only if it's like an either 00:23:18.940 --> 00:23:22.420 or with your career. And then I think the hall 00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:25.099 has some influence. Like, isn't Carlton Fisk 00:23:25.099 --> 00:23:26.420 one of the bigger examples? We might have to 00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:29.140 look that up and figure that out. Yeah, there's 00:23:29.140 --> 00:23:32.700 been a couple guys. But you think about him waving 00:23:32.700 --> 00:23:36.160 the homerun is a red sock in the fad it Yeah, 00:23:36.240 --> 00:23:38.740 I mean he was I believe rookie of the year that 00:23:38.740 --> 00:23:43.599 year and bigger moments in a red sock Yeah, he 00:23:43.599 --> 00:23:46.099 played more for the White Sox, but his moments 00:23:46.099 --> 00:23:48.579 were so that's what the Red Sox I think that's 00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:51.380 why he's in is a red sock not a white sock Well, 00:23:51.380 --> 00:23:53.700 I hope JV goes in with the old English D. We 00:23:53.700 --> 00:23:56.279 could certainly use it Representation there. 00:23:56.279 --> 00:23:58.920 Um, you know outside Miguel will go in with the 00:23:58.920 --> 00:24:01.339 old English D When is his when will that be in 00:24:01.339 --> 00:24:03.700 a year or two? Don't know. I mean he's gotta 00:24:03.700 --> 00:24:06.700 be a first ballot There's no way Cabrera is not 00:24:06.700 --> 00:24:09.039 a first ballot Hall of Famer. Yeah, he's got 00:24:09.039 --> 00:24:11.019 to be first, right? I think it's a year or two 00:24:11.019 --> 00:24:13.259 from now. It's four years after retirement. I 00:24:13.259 --> 00:24:17.799 think yeah, so Yeah, yeah. All right with that. 00:24:17.960 --> 00:24:20.359 We will let you all go. Enjoy the game today. 00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:23.640 Uncle Charlie's on the mound uncle Charlie Morton 00:24:23.710 --> 00:24:26.809 So, fingers crossed, hoping for the best. This 00:24:26.809 --> 00:24:30.910 series, Chet, I'm gonna tamper or temper expectations 00:24:30.910 --> 00:24:33.410 and say if they can just not get swept, I will 00:24:33.410 --> 00:24:35.569 be okay with that, despite being a bump. Really? 00:24:35.890 --> 00:24:37.829 Okay. I mean, two out of three would be great, 00:24:37.990 --> 00:24:38.950 but the Mets have been... I think it's a good 00:24:38.950 --> 00:24:41.269 barometer for the postseason. The Mets have been 00:24:41.269 --> 00:24:43.650 red hot, and they're fighting for their playoff. 00:24:43.730 --> 00:24:45.970 I shouldn't say life. They're in the playoffs, 00:24:46.589 --> 00:24:50.039 but they, like the Tigers, really want... to 00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:51.819 not only win the division, but get one of the 00:24:51.819 --> 00:24:54.119 buys, which it seems like the Dodgers, it's a 00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:56.160 foregone conclusion that they and the Brewers 00:24:56.160 --> 00:24:58.180 will have that. So that's what the Mets are playing 00:24:58.180 --> 00:25:00.740 for is to probably avoid playing the Cubs or 00:25:00.740 --> 00:25:03.799 Padres in a three game series. So. Well, I would 00:25:03.799 --> 00:25:06.220 like us to shock the world then and get two out 00:25:06.220 --> 00:25:08.799 of three. That would be lovely. All right. Go 00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:15.390 Charlie Morton. All right, that's gonna do it 00:25:15.390 --> 00:25:17.569 for this episode of the Litterbox, a Detroit 00:25:17.569 --> 00:25:20.329 Tigers podcast. Thanks for hanging out with us. 00:25:20.490 --> 00:25:22.549 We're Bill and Chet. We'll be back soon with 00:25:22.549 --> 00:25:25.390 more Tigers Talk. If you're enjoying the show, 00:25:25.650 --> 00:25:28.650 be sure to follow or subscribe on Spotify, Apple 00:25:28.650 --> 00:25:31.529 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 00:25:31.990 --> 00:25:34.390 And hey, if you got a minute, leave us a quick 00:25:34.390 --> 00:25:37.630 review. Till next time, go Tigers.