WEBVTT 00:00:04.680 --> 00:00:08.660 Look, we get it, Tiger fans. We know the baseball 00:00:08.660 --> 00:00:11.660 season can be a grind. Luckily, when you're ready 00:00:11.660 --> 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 --> 00:00:27.039 and fewer bullpen meltdowns. So when Sunday rolls 00:00:27.039 --> 00:00:29.839 around, don't just pace around like AJ Hinch 00:00:29.839 --> 00:00:33.259 waiting for a reliever. Fire up Litterbox, a 00:00:33.259 --> 00:00:35.719 Detroit Lions podcast, wherever you're listening 00:00:35.719 --> 00:00:39.000 now, and roar with us through the NFL season. 00:00:47.830 --> 00:00:51.229 Billy P from The D and Chet here. Thank you all 00:00:51.229 --> 00:00:53.390 for listening to Litterbox, a Detroit Tigers 00:00:53.390 --> 00:00:55.810 podcast. If you enjoyed the show, please make 00:00:55.810 --> 00:00:57.570 sure you hit that subscribe button so that you 00:00:57.570 --> 00:00:59.750 never miss an episode. We'd love hearing your 00:00:59.750 --> 00:01:02.350 thoughts too. Leave us a rating or just drop 00:01:02.350 --> 00:01:04.489 us a comment. Please let us know what you think 00:01:04.489 --> 00:01:06.969 and whatever you want us to cover next. Your 00:01:06.969 --> 00:01:09.569 feedback really helps us grow and keeps the Tigers 00:01:09.569 --> 00:01:12.329 talk rolling all season long. Go Tigers and thank 00:01:12.329 --> 00:01:22.450 you. You're listening to the litter box a Detroit 00:01:22.450 --> 00:01:26.530 Tigers podcast with your hosts Chet West and 00:01:26.530 --> 00:01:30.609 Bill Patterson Welcome to the Detroit Tigers 00:01:30.609 --> 00:01:33.209 litter box and thank you all for supporting us 00:01:33.209 --> 00:01:35.909 and listening This is your host Billy P with 00:01:35.909 --> 00:01:40.269 my co -host Chet and the Tigers Limped their 00:01:40.269 --> 00:01:43.250 way into the playoffs as a wild card and now 00:01:43.250 --> 00:01:47.310 have a best of three series at progressive field 00:01:47.310 --> 00:01:50.370 in Cleveland against the Guardians or Indians 00:01:50.370 --> 00:01:54.170 as my co -host likes to call them Tigers by accident. 00:01:54.170 --> 00:01:58.370 I don't do it because I want to spite the new 00:01:58.370 --> 00:02:00.569 guardian name I don't care about the guardian 00:02:00.569 --> 00:02:03.930 name thing. It's fine. I get it, but I keep saying 00:02:03.930 --> 00:02:06.250 it by accident It's more of just a mental slip 00:02:06.250 --> 00:02:10.229 my apologies. I wasn't accusatory and I'm sorry 00:02:10.229 --> 00:02:13.610 that really did so I wasn't apologizing to you 00:02:13.610 --> 00:02:16.949 So if I can my son Grady and I have always had 00:02:16.949 --> 00:02:21.240 a very hot take on the Indians switching their 00:02:21.240 --> 00:02:23.539 name to the Guardians, because the Indians wasn't 00:02:23.539 --> 00:02:25.639 Cleveland's original baseball team's name. No, 00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:27.639 no. Do you know what it was? Yeah, I know you 00:02:27.639 --> 00:02:31.219 do. It was a dumb question. Spiders. And Grady 00:02:31.219 --> 00:02:33.840 has always thought, what a cool name that would 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:35.659 be. Cleveland Spiders? Like, why would you keep 00:02:35.659 --> 00:02:38.539 that? You could do so many things with the ball 00:02:38.539 --> 00:02:41.840 cap and the jersey and the just the branding 00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:45.860 of the team nickname and moniker. And it just 00:02:45.860 --> 00:02:49.330 seems like such a letdown to be. Yeah. Because 00:02:49.330 --> 00:02:51.930 you already have spiders as part of your pedigree 00:02:51.930 --> 00:02:55.409 in history. Why wouldn't you continue that opposed 00:02:55.409 --> 00:03:00.189 to Guardian just seems really Benign is that 00:03:00.189 --> 00:03:02.289 fair to say or it's supposed isn't it supposed 00:03:02.289 --> 00:03:06.069 to be like a Marvel was big and so the Guardians 00:03:06.069 --> 00:03:08.650 of the Galaxy thing wasn't something around all 00:03:08.650 --> 00:03:12.189 that It's a weird deal. I don't really get it. 00:03:12.430 --> 00:03:14.370 I don't understand why they've gone Guardians. 00:03:14.370 --> 00:03:16.949 It doesn't I don't get the name. Here's what 00:03:16.949 --> 00:03:18.389 I want you to do though I'm gonna give you an 00:03:18.389 --> 00:03:21.069 assignment. Yeah homework. I love it when this 00:03:21.069 --> 00:03:24.030 series is done winner lose we're gonna We're 00:03:24.030 --> 00:03:26.830 either gonna cap off the season with a pod, or 00:03:26.830 --> 00:03:29.090 we're gonna introduce whatever's next for the 00:03:29.090 --> 00:03:31.949 playoffs in the top, whichever way we go. I would 00:03:31.949 --> 00:03:34.770 like you to do a quick homework assignment, because 00:03:34.770 --> 00:03:37.689 I know you like these things. I want you to A, 00:03:37.889 --> 00:03:40.289 why did they name themselves the spiders? Was 00:03:40.289 --> 00:03:42.949 it just because spiders are like a dangerous 00:03:42.949 --> 00:03:44.990 being animal that bite, and so they were like, 00:03:45.030 --> 00:03:49.039 eh, let's pick an insect that bites? Or is there 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:51.039 something about Cleveland and spiders? Do they 00:03:51.039 --> 00:03:53.979 have a massive spider infestation that took out 00:03:53.979 --> 00:03:56.159 half the city? I don't know. I have no clue. 00:03:57.020 --> 00:04:01.000 Or, I'm going with the previous. Or, I also want 00:04:01.000 --> 00:04:04.939 to know, like, where did the Guardians come from? 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:07.759 Do the real research on that. If it's a Marvel 00:04:07.759 --> 00:04:10.000 thing, I'm going to die laughing. So Guardians, 00:04:10.060 --> 00:04:12.080 I don't have for you, but spiders, I already 00:04:12.080 --> 00:04:15.300 did. You do. You have that. I showed up to class 00:04:15.300 --> 00:04:18.819 prepared, Professor. Oh my goodness. A plus. 00:04:19.300 --> 00:04:22.800 A plus. So, they were... Now, mind you, these 00:04:22.800 --> 00:04:26.660 were all... The team themselves was known as 00:04:26.660 --> 00:04:30.579 the Cleveland Baseball Club. The writers that 00:04:30.579 --> 00:04:33.240 followed them were the ones that assigned all 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:38.100 the names. Okay. Meaning that, like, the Chicago 00:04:38.100 --> 00:04:40.259 Cubs were originally the Whales, and then they 00:04:40.259 --> 00:04:43.259 became the Cubs because of Cap Anson was the 00:04:43.259 --> 00:04:47.079 manager, and they were his baby... or whatever. 00:04:47.579 --> 00:04:49.579 Whales or cubs, they were the baby cubs. Yeah, 00:04:49.579 --> 00:04:51.660 but I don't know how it went from whales to cubs. 00:04:51.800 --> 00:04:56.139 That's a different pod. The spiders were because 00:04:56.139 --> 00:05:01.819 they had skinny, lanky builds and they wore black 00:05:01.819 --> 00:05:05.779 and gray uniforms with the nickname sticking 00:05:05.779 --> 00:05:10.199 after a rival executive made the joke. They look 00:05:10.199 --> 00:05:15.209 spidery. Oh my gosh. That is incredible and that 00:05:15.209 --> 00:05:18.730 might be some of the great people we are Basically 00:05:18.730 --> 00:05:21.649 dropping pearls on you all over this podcast 00:05:21.649 --> 00:05:25.709 all season long bill Just brought something special 00:05:25.709 --> 00:05:27.930 to the table there. I learned something today. 00:05:27.930 --> 00:05:31.329 I appreciate that that day from a three to a 00:05:31.329 --> 00:05:34.699 solid four Thank you for that. Real quick, weekend 00:05:34.699 --> 00:05:36.439 and recap, even though everybody already knows. 00:05:36.459 --> 00:05:37.720 But I want to know why they did the Guardians, 00:05:37.980 --> 00:05:40.439 so that's assignment number two. Hold on. We 00:05:40.439 --> 00:05:42.899 got to tease that just a little. I didn't... 00:05:42.899 --> 00:05:46.600 I took your high heat and laid off it, and now 00:05:46.600 --> 00:05:48.500 I'm going to wait for you to throw your Tommy 00:05:48.500 --> 00:05:52.839 Cannelly knuckle. Oh, dear. Here come the playoffs, 00:05:52.879 --> 00:05:54.959 people. I'm going to tee off on it. Here come 00:05:54.959 --> 00:05:57.860 the playoffs. Friday night, the Tigers lost to 00:05:57.860 --> 00:06:01.160 the Red Sox. They were competitive. And what's 00:06:01.160 --> 00:06:04.639 interesting about this is that the Red Sox clinched 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:07.920 playoff berth and essentially the AL East was 00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.759 out of reach for them. So they took their foot 00:06:10.759 --> 00:06:12.660 off the gas, which was nice. So that was a 4 00:06:12.660 --> 00:06:15.079 -3 loss for the Tigers. Saturday was a different 00:06:15.079 --> 00:06:18.439 story. The Tigers won 2 -1. Weird game. We'll 00:06:18.439 --> 00:06:21.920 get to it in just a minute on this. Then the 00:06:21.920 --> 00:06:25.399 Tigers clinched because the Astros... If we thought 00:06:25.399 --> 00:06:28.759 the Tigers showed an exercise in futility in 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:31.720 the month of September, the Houston Astros might 00:06:31.720 --> 00:06:35.040 have set new precedent with the exception they 00:06:35.040 --> 00:06:37.259 didn't blow a 15 and a half game lead. Go ahead. 00:06:37.259 --> 00:06:40.720 True. The depth of the lead wasn't as incredible, 00:06:40.779 --> 00:06:43.439 but they still blew it. And if you want to take 00:06:43.439 --> 00:06:46.699 it another step further, look at the Mets. And 00:06:46.699 --> 00:06:50.160 the Mets are a disaster. I read an article the 00:06:50.160 --> 00:06:52.120 other day about this in the athletic. They have 00:06:52.120 --> 00:06:55.339 a 300 plus million dollar payroll and they didn't 00:06:55.339 --> 00:06:59.240 make the playoffs. And it's chaotic. Their manager, 00:06:59.759 --> 00:07:03.759 who I think as of a year ago was getting all 00:07:03.759 --> 00:07:06.899 sorts of accolades and pats on the back for the 00:07:06.899 --> 00:07:09.600 work he had done. Now he gets this 300 million 00:07:09.600 --> 00:07:12.680 payroll and you can't get them to the playoffs. 00:07:12.819 --> 00:07:16.079 And apparently the locker room has got not riffs, 00:07:16.139 --> 00:07:18.699 they just don't have clear leadership. And you 00:07:18.699 --> 00:07:20.720 start reading that stuff and it's like the chemistry 00:07:20.720 --> 00:07:25.420 of baseball, of assembling a roster that gets 00:07:25.420 --> 00:07:28.800 you to the promised land. It's high science here. 00:07:29.300 --> 00:07:31.480 It's high science. It's a very difficult thing 00:07:31.480 --> 00:07:36.470 to do. Is it alchemy? It's alchemy. It's alchemy. 00:07:36.470 --> 00:07:38.930 Thank you for that word. That's lovely. What 00:07:38.930 --> 00:07:40.970 I guess what I'm saying is you're either buying 00:07:40.970 --> 00:07:43.129 it outright, like the old school Yankees, and 00:07:43.129 --> 00:07:45.550 I say old school, 15, 20 years, whatever, 10 00:07:45.550 --> 00:07:49.370 years, 15 years ago, or the current Dodgers where 00:07:49.370 --> 00:07:52.910 you've got like Otani and Betts and you're like 00:07:52.910 --> 00:07:56.129 worst player in the everyday lineup is who? Like 00:07:56.129 --> 00:07:58.850 Kike Rodriguez? I don't even know. I don't know. 00:07:58.889 --> 00:08:01.810 That's a fair comparison. Or Kike. Is it Kike? 00:08:01.889 --> 00:08:04.850 What's Kike's last name? You look him up while 00:08:04.850 --> 00:08:07.110 I just say that I'm gonna disagree with you a 00:08:07.110 --> 00:08:09.189 little bit on the we're talking about the late 00:08:09.189 --> 00:08:14.029 90s early 2000 Yankees teams The core of that 00:08:14.029 --> 00:08:19.290 team was homegrown and Jorge Posada Kike Rodriguez 00:08:19.290 --> 00:08:23.870 Derek Jeter. Yeah, Bernie Williams. Yeah Mariano 00:08:23.870 --> 00:08:28.199 Rivera were these stalwarts of that team, which 00:08:28.199 --> 00:08:30.959 reminded me somewhat, it's what we hoped the 00:08:30.959 --> 00:08:34.519 84 Tigers would have become. Somewhat, yes. But 00:08:34.519 --> 00:08:36.620 obviously better players all the way around. 00:08:37.100 --> 00:08:39.600 And then the Yankees filled it in wherever they 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.899 needed to because they had more money. They'd 00:08:42.899 --> 00:08:46.159 go buy a veteran and just... Right there. Dodgers, 00:08:46.200 --> 00:08:51.039 for some weird reason, not only have an unbelievable 00:08:51.039 --> 00:08:55.269 farm system, they also... Sign whomever they 00:08:55.269 --> 00:08:58.029 want free agent no surprise and then they go 00:08:58.029 --> 00:09:00.549 get guys the trade deadline, too they are quiet 00:09:00.549 --> 00:09:03.009 then even fleece the rest of the league and some 00:09:03.009 --> 00:09:06.669 of these trades that are just Mind scratch or 00:09:06.669 --> 00:09:09.750 head scratching if I had to give kudos Going 00:09:09.750 --> 00:09:13.330 back to game two. It was the Monteros that actually 00:09:13.330 --> 00:09:16.950 did the yeoman's work on this Yep, and Kenter 00:09:16.950 --> 00:09:20.220 only allowed a run. He pitched foreign one any, 00:09:20.480 --> 00:09:22.879 or four and a third. And then Raphael came on 00:09:22.879 --> 00:09:25.059 and pitched one and a third, and they did fairly 00:09:25.059 --> 00:09:27.620 well with that. The Tigers lost four, three on 00:09:27.620 --> 00:09:32.200 Sunday. And fortunately for the Tigers, they 00:09:32.200 --> 00:09:35.799 did not start Tarek Scoobel because the guardians 00:09:35.799 --> 00:09:40.840 also won that day. And so had they wasted that 00:09:40.840 --> 00:09:44.100 Scoobel start, even if they had won in Fenway, 00:09:44.519 --> 00:09:46.139 it wouldn't have mattered. So they lost four, 00:09:46.139 --> 00:09:49.840 three. They didn't take the division. It's still 00:09:49.840 --> 00:09:53.620 a 15 and a half game collapse It's the largest 00:09:53.620 --> 00:09:57.059 collapse in the history of divisions or totally. 00:09:57.080 --> 00:09:59.799 Yeah, whatever Yeah divisions in baseball, but 00:09:59.799 --> 00:10:03.200 they still get a postseason birth and I learned 00:10:03.200 --> 00:10:06.080 this nugget today The Detroit Tigers have been 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:08.940 playing baseball for 125 years Do you want to 00:10:08.940 --> 00:10:11.320 take a stab at how many playoff appearances they 00:10:11.320 --> 00:10:19.100 have in 125 years? In 125 I'm going to say 42. 00:10:20.179 --> 00:10:24.519 20. 20. I thought it was going to be under 20 00:10:24.519 --> 00:10:30.220 in 125 years. Yes. That's amazing. That's absolutely 00:10:30.220 --> 00:10:33.299 amazing. So secondary stat to go along with that, 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:35.259 or did you? No, I guess basically what I'm trying 00:10:35.259 --> 00:10:37.320 to say is wasn't there some stater on the back 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:40.700 to back playoff bids that they received? Because 00:10:40.700 --> 00:10:42.799 I know they haven't done that very often. It's 00:10:42.799 --> 00:10:45.620 something like five times some crazy number. 00:10:45.789 --> 00:10:50.330 Yeah, because even in when we grew up 68 they 00:10:50.330 --> 00:10:52.649 won the World Series I don't believe they made 00:10:52.649 --> 00:10:57.210 the playoffs in the 70s and then They made it 00:10:57.210 --> 00:11:01.330 in 84 won the World Series They made it in 87 00:11:01.330 --> 00:11:04.070 lost to the Twins in the LCS and then had a drought 00:11:04.070 --> 00:11:07.909 until like 2006 Wow, that's crazy unless there's 00:11:07.909 --> 00:11:10.409 been a lot of gaps. We'll just put it that way. 00:11:10.570 --> 00:11:14.179 Yeah Do you so game two I would like to take 00:11:14.179 --> 00:11:16.759 a second and just please tell you how I feel 00:11:16.759 --> 00:11:21.559 We haven't had a chance To do an appreciation 00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:23.820 game for this gentleman, but I feel like to my 00:11:23.820 --> 00:11:26.460 Jones This is the Jami Jones appreciation game 00:11:26.460 --> 00:11:29.340 and well -deserved and I'm glad you did it because 00:11:29.340 --> 00:11:32.639 I had it in my shot shit Good good that I wanted 00:11:32.639 --> 00:11:35.539 to give away. No, I hundred percent I think it's 00:11:35.539 --> 00:11:37.480 here's a guy that out of spring training like 00:11:37.480 --> 00:11:39.259 he was scrappy and spring down I was like they 00:11:39.259 --> 00:11:41.750 should have this guy's a bench guy He seems like 00:11:41.750 --> 00:11:44.570 the kind of guy that'll produce a clip that's 00:11:44.570 --> 00:11:46.850 good for our bench. Yeah. And then they didn't 00:11:46.850 --> 00:11:49.149 bring him up immediately. I think he did some 00:11:49.149 --> 00:11:51.070 AAA time there at the beginning of the season, 00:11:51.230 --> 00:11:54.250 maybe in the first half of the season. And I 00:11:54.250 --> 00:11:56.690 thought it was in error. I think they brought, 00:11:56.830 --> 00:11:59.169 who did they bring up, of Cridler or somebody 00:11:59.169 --> 00:12:01.129 like that to start the season? And I was like, 00:12:01.330 --> 00:12:03.730 ugh. I'd much rather have a Jemai Jones on the 00:12:03.730 --> 00:12:05.649 roster right now. I'm sure it had to do with 00:12:05.649 --> 00:12:08.429 position need or whatever. Are you just airing 00:12:08.429 --> 00:12:10.909 all your dirty laundry before the playoffs by 00:12:10.909 --> 00:12:13.110 bringing up Ryan Cridler? No. We'll do that for 00:12:13.110 --> 00:12:16.750 the end of season podcast. This is just my example 00:12:16.750 --> 00:12:19.309 of when I first noticed Jemai Jones could be 00:12:19.309 --> 00:12:21.850 a productive player on our team, and it took 00:12:21.850 --> 00:12:24.750 all the way until game number 161 for him to 00:12:24.750 --> 00:12:28.450 get his bouquets, as you like to say. So I give 00:12:28.450 --> 00:12:32.019 Jemai Jones the game ball. For game 161. Excellent. 00:12:32.179 --> 00:12:34.940 I love it. What about 163? What happened there? 00:12:35.440 --> 00:12:40.940 Two? 162. There isn't a 163 yet. Game 162. It 00:12:40.940 --> 00:12:42.559 might have felt like a 163 even. They lost 4 00:12:42.559 --> 00:12:48.980 -3 and I feel like it was basically the month 00:12:48.980 --> 00:12:52.480 or the last six weeks of the season in a microcosm. 00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:56.360 Yeah. Things went well, but things also didn't 00:12:56.360 --> 00:13:00.259 go well. And I know I'm being very vague in that. 00:13:00.259 --> 00:13:04.080 Yeah. But that is essentially the microcosm that 00:13:04.080 --> 00:13:09.100 has become the Detroit Tigers second half of 00:13:09.100 --> 00:13:13.259 the season. It's bewildering how this team can 00:13:13.259 --> 00:13:18.299 be so good and yet so bad. And here's how I would 00:13:18.299 --> 00:13:23.440 summarize yesterday's game. You had a chance 00:13:23.440 --> 00:13:27.269 to tie it. Yeah. with a runner on, two outs, 00:13:27.529 --> 00:13:30.409 and guess who came to bat? It's gotta be like 00:13:30.409 --> 00:13:32.850 Trey Sweeney or something. Somebody infuriating. 00:13:33.009 --> 00:13:35.730 Jake Rogers? The center field version, Parker 00:13:35.730 --> 00:13:38.289 Meadows. Really? Okay, Parker Meadows. But Parker 00:13:38.289 --> 00:13:40.470 has been better. He went two for four yesterday. 00:13:40.470 --> 00:13:42.889 He did go two for four, so... Come on. He's been 00:13:42.889 --> 00:13:44.769 better since the call -up. He has been better. 00:13:44.950 --> 00:13:50.330 That is certainly true. Since the injury. This 00:13:50.330 --> 00:13:52.649 was the lineup, though, yesterday, which tells 00:13:52.649 --> 00:13:56.299 you how serious the Tigers were. Meadows batting 00:13:56.299 --> 00:14:01.539 leadoff McKinstry and the two Malloy Karp Perez 00:14:01.539 --> 00:14:07.340 Baez Sweeney a banyas Jake the most kind of like 00:14:07.340 --> 00:14:09.279 the let's make sure everybody gets to play once 00:14:09.279 --> 00:14:11.659 for the season Yeah, it is a pretty rough lineup 00:14:11.659 --> 00:14:14.919 and the pitching was like paddock. Yes, Paul 00:14:14.919 --> 00:14:18.200 Seewald and Tanner Rainey It was like yeah, I 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:20.259 hope you didn't come to the ballpark to see the 00:14:20.259 --> 00:14:23.169 Tiger Stars out there flashing the leather Had 00:14:23.169 --> 00:14:25.409 I known that's how deep they were going to go, 00:14:25.409 --> 00:14:27.610 I would have brought my mitt and shown up at 00:14:27.610 --> 00:14:30.129 Fenway because I probably would have gotten a 00:14:30.129 --> 00:14:32.590 long toss in at least. We're looking for someone 00:14:32.590 --> 00:14:35.950 to play left field. I don't think, I still think 00:14:35.950 --> 00:14:38.470 they were better situated with what they threw 00:14:38.470 --> 00:14:41.610 out there than having any of us play. But I get 00:14:41.610 --> 00:14:45.029 where you're going from. Maybe I get where you're 00:14:45.029 --> 00:14:47.090 going with that. Hey, do you know who's gotten 00:14:47.090 --> 00:14:49.970 hot recently as well? So one more shout out if 00:14:49.970 --> 00:14:53.110 we can give a game ball. Yeah. Abanez went three 00:14:53.110 --> 00:14:55.389 for three, and you're right about Meadows going 00:14:55.389 --> 00:14:58.269 two for four, but Abanez has been on a slight 00:14:58.269 --> 00:15:01.529 heater of sorts, so just something to be on the 00:15:01.529 --> 00:15:03.549 - Just playoff cookies, playoff thoughts there, 00:15:03.669 --> 00:15:06.750 treats for you. Here's my prediction, okay? Because 00:15:06.750 --> 00:15:08.490 can we move to the playoffs? Yeah, let's move 00:15:08.490 --> 00:15:09.610 to the playoffs. Or do you want - Let's just, 00:15:09.629 --> 00:15:12.070 I'm done with the regular season. Okay. Game 00:15:12.070 --> 00:15:15.789 162 is over and out. We are now in the playoffs. 00:15:16.250 --> 00:15:19.610 We start tomorrow. We got the illustrious noontime 00:15:19.610 --> 00:15:23.029 start central time. Let's go. What do you got? 00:15:23.110 --> 00:15:26.490 You've got the two smallest markets Playing in 00:15:26.490 --> 00:15:29.009 the postseason. I get it. I get it. We're just 00:15:29.009 --> 00:15:31.250 we are second -class citizens in Major League 00:15:31.250 --> 00:15:33.850 Baseball this year. So what would you like first? 00:15:33.909 --> 00:15:35.809 Would you like why the Guardians are named the 00:15:35.809 --> 00:15:38.070 Guardians? Would you like Billy P from the D's 00:15:38.070 --> 00:15:40.409 prediction on this series? Do you already have 00:15:40.409 --> 00:15:42.970 an answer? Oh, yeah. To essay question number 00:15:42.970 --> 00:15:45.889 two. Oh, please. You share it with the crowd 00:15:45.889 --> 00:15:51.639 here. All right. They decided on their new name 00:15:51.639 --> 00:15:55.860 and logo because it was inspired by the Art Deco 00:15:55.860 --> 00:16:00.399 Guardians of Traffic statues on the Hope Memorial 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:04.000 Bridge in downtown Cleveland. It is a landmark 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:08.460 close to progressive field and that is what they 00:16:08.460 --> 00:16:13.000 decided to do because they were under heat in 00:16:13.000 --> 00:16:16.960 2021 is when they made the change because Indians 00:16:16.960 --> 00:16:21.419 was offensive to Yeah, we know the story on that. 00:16:21.840 --> 00:16:25.080 I find that reachy. I think some kid sent in 00:16:25.080 --> 00:16:27.620 Guardians, and it sounds cool. Can we find a 00:16:27.620 --> 00:16:30.980 local flair to pick this up? And they said the 00:16:30.980 --> 00:16:32.860 Marvel Guardians of the Galaxy is pretty cool. 00:16:32.940 --> 00:16:35.039 I don't know, I like my story better. I like 00:16:35.039 --> 00:16:37.299 your story better, too. However... I still think 00:16:37.299 --> 00:16:39.500 it's a dumb name for a team. That's all I'm gonna... 00:16:39.500 --> 00:16:42.480 I'm gonna leave it at that. I agree, 100%. Sorry, 00:16:42.679 --> 00:16:44.500 Cleveland. Spiders would be better, Indians would 00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:47.740 be better. Yeah. Really quick, or just... the 00:16:47.740 --> 00:16:50.879 Wahoos because Chief Wahoos actually would be 00:16:50.879 --> 00:16:53.960 a pretty good name. That was the mascot on the 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:57.799 hat. That was great. Real quick, one last thing. 00:16:58.120 --> 00:17:01.259 When we go to Cleveland to do a live pod in the 00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:04.099 future, we're going to this Hope Bridge and I 00:17:04.099 --> 00:17:06.559 don't care if I have to climb barricades and 00:17:06.559 --> 00:17:09.259 get arrested. I'm climbing up to see who these 00:17:09.259 --> 00:17:12.460 guardians are to get a To get a closer look at 00:17:12.460 --> 00:17:14.900 him? No, I want to Instagram and tweet this stuff 00:17:14.900 --> 00:17:17.680 out. So you can join me or not. Or just pay my 00:17:17.680 --> 00:17:20.099 bail to get me out of the Cleveland municipal 00:17:20.099 --> 00:17:21.779 whatever. Let's see what it looks like when we 00:17:21.779 --> 00:17:24.079 get there. I may just take pictures of you. I 00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:26.019 may just take pictures of you for the Instagram 00:17:26.019 --> 00:17:28.700 from down below. Done. I like it. All right. 00:17:28.859 --> 00:17:33.480 Game one. You got Scoobs and you got Gavin. Yeah, 00:17:33.680 --> 00:17:40.049 here's the thing. I'm a fan. of this matchup, 00:17:40.190 --> 00:17:43.029 I think it's gonna be a doozy. All right? I do 00:17:43.029 --> 00:17:45.930 too. I think Scoobble's gonna come right a roll. 00:17:46.609 --> 00:17:51.009 I don't think the home field advantage is that 00:17:51.009 --> 00:17:53.769 big a deal. Mainly because the Guardians just 00:17:53.769 --> 00:17:57.829 swept us at home this past September. Twice. 00:17:58.069 --> 00:18:01.069 Twice? No. They didn't sweep us at home twice. 00:18:01.450 --> 00:18:03.269 No. You're holding up two fingers. What does 00:18:03.269 --> 00:18:05.569 that mean? They just won the last two series 00:18:05.569 --> 00:18:07.650 in decisive fashion. Oh yeah, but one of them 00:18:07.650 --> 00:18:11.009 was a sweep at home. And whatever, we can win 00:18:11.009 --> 00:18:13.289 away, we can win home, whatever we need to do. 00:18:13.490 --> 00:18:15.690 I'm not picky about this right now. We got Scubal 00:18:15.690 --> 00:18:18.190 going first, who should be the Cy Young winner 00:18:18.190 --> 00:18:20.309 this year. Notice I didn't call him the Cy Young 00:18:20.309 --> 00:18:22.650 winner this year. You got on me in the last episode 00:18:22.650 --> 00:18:25.509 for that. I think all we need to do is just play. 00:18:25.990 --> 00:18:28.430 Our offense needs to show up a little bit. Give 00:18:28.430 --> 00:18:33.910 Scubal four runs. We win this game. So, I'm making 00:18:33.910 --> 00:18:38.009 four runs as the magic number. Oh, easy. I would 00:18:38.009 --> 00:18:41.009 even lower that by one and say three. Tigers 00:18:41.009 --> 00:18:43.549 win this series in two. They're gonna get the 00:18:43.549 --> 00:18:46.670 win. Oh, they're getting the win tomorrow. Look 00:18:46.670 --> 00:18:49.990 who went to positive town. Holy cow, okay. And 00:18:49.990 --> 00:18:53.750 I'm giving a shout out to a quick gentleman by 00:18:53.750 --> 00:18:57.369 the name of Justin Bibb. You familiar with him? 00:18:57.750 --> 00:19:01.319 Justin Bibb. Why would I know whom this is? You 00:19:01.319 --> 00:19:03.119 wouldn't, because he's the mayor of Cleveland, 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:07.680 and I'm challenging him from this pod that Justin 00:19:07.680 --> 00:19:11.019 Bibb, when we win, you're gonna send Chet and 00:19:11.019 --> 00:19:14.000 I some of your delicious Cleveland Polish boy 00:19:14.000 --> 00:19:16.640 sandwiches. Does he know this? He doesn't know 00:19:16.640 --> 00:19:19.119 this. This is our invitation here. Oh, yeah. 00:19:19.400 --> 00:19:22.420 And then he gets to pick what he wants, either 00:19:22.420 --> 00:19:24.599 if he wants walleye on a stick from the Twin 00:19:24.599 --> 00:19:28.119 Cities... and or one of Chicago's delicacies. 00:19:28.880 --> 00:19:31.220 Or, you know what, we'll even send him a Detroit 00:19:31.220 --> 00:19:36.480 delicacy. Justin, we love what you're doing politically. 00:19:36.519 --> 00:19:38.799 We love what you're doing for the city of Cleveland. 00:19:39.259 --> 00:19:41.240 This is just a fun little mayor bet, even though 00:19:41.240 --> 00:19:43.900 we're not mayors. We're the kings of our own 00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:46.619 castle. We're the mayors of litterbox town. Yeah, 00:19:46.619 --> 00:19:49.519 and we just thought if we could break bread with 00:19:49.519 --> 00:19:52.400 you, you'll look like a guy that probably enjoys 00:19:52.400 --> 00:19:57.720 a good... encased meat or sandwich or Fried fish 00:19:57.720 --> 00:20:01.880 on a stick game two who is now? Here's I know 00:20:01.880 --> 00:20:04.759 Tanner baby's gonna be starting for the Guardians 00:20:04.759 --> 00:20:08.519 We've gotten to him before we've hit him a little 00:20:08.519 --> 00:20:12.519 bit before Who is starting for us bill? I this 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:16.420 is like the 24 million dollar question who goes 00:20:16.420 --> 00:20:21.839 after school bull is it Flaherty? Mize or a wild 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:26.140 card like Melton So, going back to my prediction, 00:20:26.660 --> 00:20:28.720 provided the Tigers get the win tomorrow, it's 00:20:28.720 --> 00:20:31.680 going to be all three. You think so? You think 00:20:31.680 --> 00:20:34.799 it's going to be a three -headed monster? A monster 00:20:34.799 --> 00:20:38.140 of Flaherty, Mize, and Melton. Okay. Okay. That's 00:20:38.140 --> 00:20:40.079 a t -shirt. You just did it. That's a bumper 00:20:40.079 --> 00:20:44.960 sticker. So here's the deal. Who's going to start 00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:46.640 the game is what I want to know. The law firm 00:20:46.640 --> 00:20:50.009 of Flaherty, Mize, and Melton. You're going to 00:20:50.009 --> 00:20:54.809 go Melton in late in terms of starting. Probably 00:20:54.809 --> 00:20:58.190 I would go Mize for the first four, depending 00:20:58.190 --> 00:21:00.930 on how he's doing, and then bring Flaherty in 00:21:00.930 --> 00:21:04.650 for two to three. Really? And then go Melton, 00:21:05.009 --> 00:21:08.730 then go Vest, or Finnegan Vest. Oh my goodness. 00:21:08.890 --> 00:21:11.049 It depends on how close it is. Here's the deal. 00:21:11.130 --> 00:21:13.470 I think they're going to put Flaherty in the 00:21:13.470 --> 00:21:15.650 number two game. I think he's going to get number 00:21:15.650 --> 00:21:18.369 two. Mize will get number three. I would really 00:21:18.369 --> 00:21:20.980 like to see Troy Melton out there. I really would, 00:21:21.240 --> 00:21:23.440 because I think he's a better pitcher than probably 00:21:23.440 --> 00:21:26.079 Flaherty is. I don't know, because Flaherty's 00:21:26.079 --> 00:21:28.099 been good in September, though. But if we get 00:21:28.099 --> 00:21:30.519 bad Flaherty, oh, here we go. We're going to 00:21:30.519 --> 00:21:33.220 overthink this. Just start Flaherty in game two, 00:21:33.420 --> 00:21:35.920 Mize in game three, and go with it. That's all 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:37.880 we got to do. Troy doesn't have to pitch quite 00:21:37.880 --> 00:21:40.779 yet. We'll keep him in the pen for relief options, 00:21:40.980 --> 00:21:42.920 long relief, whatever, from there. I know what 00:21:42.920 --> 00:21:44.900 I just said was fantasy, and I was saying it 00:21:44.900 --> 00:21:47.319 tongue in cheek. I do think if the Tigers win 00:21:47.319 --> 00:21:54.329 game one... that all hands on deck will go for 00:21:54.329 --> 00:21:57.410 everything game two. The Tigers are gonna try 00:21:57.410 --> 00:21:59.710 to get out of there quick. Yeah, do you think 00:21:59.710 --> 00:22:01.569 we should roll with the same lineup we rolled 00:22:01.569 --> 00:22:04.349 with in game three versus Red Sox this past weekend? 00:22:05.269 --> 00:22:10.440 No. It's a test. It's a test. I threw all these 00:22:10.440 --> 00:22:12.059 other difficult questions at you. I wanted to 00:22:12.059 --> 00:22:14.740 make sure that you were still locked in. Yeah, 00:22:14.779 --> 00:22:16.779 we're not gonna do that, I hope. So we should 00:22:16.779 --> 00:22:19.180 bring Green and Karp off the bench. So you've 00:22:19.180 --> 00:22:22.220 got Tigers in two. Two. I think that's the way 00:22:22.220 --> 00:22:26.730 they win. If they drop game one... Sayonara on 00:22:26.730 --> 00:22:29.490 the season. Peace out. If they can't get game 00:22:29.490 --> 00:22:31.970 two, Sayonara on the season, I think they have 00:22:31.970 --> 00:22:35.549 to go boom boom, win one, win two. Sorry, I just 00:22:35.549 --> 00:22:38.269 don't see this thing going three games, one way 00:22:38.269 --> 00:22:39.950 or the other, just because of the way they've 00:22:39.950 --> 00:22:43.509 played and momentum and everything else, so I 00:22:43.509 --> 00:22:45.430 think they gotta get game one with Scoobal on 00:22:45.430 --> 00:22:48.950 the bump. Game two, with Flaherty, don't let 00:22:48.950 --> 00:22:51.990 this go game three. God, don't do that to us. 00:22:52.410 --> 00:22:55.329 And every game in this series is a noon start, 00:22:55.470 --> 00:22:57.789 by the way, people. So if you want to watch, 00:22:58.349 --> 00:23:00.250 you're going to sit on your phone at work and 00:23:00.250 --> 00:23:02.509 be half as productive as normal, which is like 00:23:02.509 --> 00:23:04.569 half as productive as normal people, I know. 00:23:04.890 --> 00:23:07.450 But it's like you're going to have to watch on 00:23:07.450 --> 00:23:10.230 your phone. You're taking the day off, whatever 00:23:10.230 --> 00:23:12.529 you're doing, because we can't have nice things. 00:23:12.529 --> 00:23:15.490 We can't have a prime time game. And I'm bitter 00:23:15.490 --> 00:23:18.859 about that. Quick question. I sense your bitterness 00:23:18.859 --> 00:23:22.559 and recognize it. I don't like it. I find it 00:23:22.559 --> 00:23:26.440 very unusual that Major League Baseball is keeping 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:30.960 the same time slots for each game for all three 00:23:30.960 --> 00:23:34.039 games. Isn't that weird? Usually I thought they 00:23:34.039 --> 00:23:37.759 shuffled it around a little bit. So did I. And 00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:43.619 I understand the LA... Sure right time because 00:23:43.619 --> 00:23:46.500 they're at home. Yeah, I would be super upset 00:23:46.500 --> 00:23:49.160 if I were Reds fan right now Yeah, if and I say 00:23:49.160 --> 00:23:52.380 if because it's a big if we were to win we go 00:23:52.380 --> 00:23:56.039 on to play Seattle I believe and those games 00:23:56.039 --> 00:24:05.200 are all at night Okay, so we get the night games 00:24:05.200 --> 00:24:08.920 if we play Seattle I'm not opposed to daytime 00:24:08.920 --> 00:24:12.220 playoff baseball. I'm with you. I find it a little 00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:14.619 interesting that they kept the same time slots 00:24:14.619 --> 00:24:17.740 It seems a little lazy on baseball like they're 00:24:17.740 --> 00:24:21.339 keeping the same crews They're the same so anyhow 00:24:21.339 --> 00:24:24.220 is what we get for extra teams in extended So 00:24:24.220 --> 00:24:26.380 remember when we had like a one game wild card 00:24:26.380 --> 00:24:29.619 or whatever it was a week while is terrible So 00:24:29.619 --> 00:24:32.819 real quick just so you know if Flaherty does 00:24:32.819 --> 00:24:36.019 start Wednesday Yes. He will not be in September 00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:39.539 anymore, buddy. He'll be in October. October 00:24:39.539 --> 00:24:42.819 Flaherty. Is that a good Flaherty? We don't know. 00:24:43.140 --> 00:24:44.700 I don't know. All right. He wasn't good last 00:24:44.700 --> 00:24:47.519 year for the Dodgers. So you alluded to your 00:24:47.519 --> 00:24:50.640 pick as well, a sweep. I'm staying with you in 00:24:50.640 --> 00:24:53.619 the fact that we go, we win the first two games, 00:24:54.000 --> 00:24:56.519 but we don't win this thing at all. So the analogy 00:24:56.519 --> 00:24:58.839 I heard today, you probably heard it as well, 00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:03.180 is that the Guardians, Spiders, Indians, There's 00:25:03.180 --> 00:25:06.059 no more toothpaste left in the tube. They exhausted 00:25:06.059 --> 00:25:09.579 it all. Really? Yeah. And what did we do? Store 00:25:09.579 --> 00:25:12.519 some for later? I don't... I guess we put fluoride 00:25:12.519 --> 00:25:15.019 on our teeth and just forgot to rinse. I don't 00:25:15.019 --> 00:25:19.140 know. Mouthwash and nothing else. Boy. Yeah, 00:25:19.140 --> 00:25:21.380 Chet, I don't have an answer for you on that, 00:25:21.380 --> 00:25:24.099 but I thought it was funny enough to repeat. 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:28.259 And yeah, I love that as a closer for this episode. 00:25:28.440 --> 00:25:31.779 I felt like that strong will go out on the fluoride 00:25:31.779 --> 00:25:36.849 comment. Folks, the Tigers have a best of three 00:25:36.849 --> 00:25:40.329 series to wind this whole thing down. 2025 has 00:25:40.329 --> 00:25:43.150 been an absolutely insane season up to now. I 00:25:43.150 --> 00:25:46.210 hope it extends well beyond. I hope we get a 00:25:46.210 --> 00:25:48.130 lot of postseason play. If we don't, this has 00:25:48.130 --> 00:25:51.089 been a ton of fun. Regardless, Bill and I will 00:25:51.089 --> 00:25:54.509 be back to cover whatever happens after this 00:25:54.509 --> 00:25:58.049 series. Try to enjoy yourself some noontime baseball 00:25:58.049 --> 00:26:00.509 over the next two to three days. Hopefully it's 00:26:00.509 --> 00:26:10.430 only two. Go Tigers! Alright, that's gonna do 00:26:10.430 --> 00:26:12.710 it for this episode of the Litterbox, a Detroit 00:26:12.710 --> 00:26:15.490 Tigers podcast. Thanks for hanging out with us. 00:26:15.650 --> 00:26:17.710 We're Bill and Chet. We'll be back soon with 00:26:17.710 --> 00:26:20.549 more Tigers Talk. If you're enjoying the show, 00:26:20.769 --> 00:26:23.789 be sure to follow or subscribe on Spotify, Apple 00:26:23.789 --> 00:26:26.670 Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. 00:26:27.150 --> 00:26:29.549 And hey, if you got a minute, leave us a quick 00:26:29.549 --> 00:26:32.759 review. Until next time, Go Tigers!