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The Detroit Tigers are off to a 4-7 start and tied for last place in the AL Central, is this a cause for concern this early in the season?
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00:00Is it a good morning for you?
00:02Well, it's more of the same on the ice, and this Tigers thing may be a thing.
00:06Okay, but in terms of your sports life...
00:09If it might not be a good morning, but did you wake up in a good mood this morning?
00:13You know what I did? I got a decent night's sleep.
00:15There you go. Heather, how are you this morning?
00:17I'm okay.
00:18Yeah?
00:18I'm battling this little illness, like a little cold.
00:22Yeah, we got this in case of the sniffles.
00:24I do.
00:24Okay.
00:25But otherwise, I feel great.
00:26Otherwise, it's good?
00:26Yeah.
00:26Okay.
00:27And behind the glass?
00:29Yeah, checking my ring finger. That national title ring's still there.
00:32So, yeah.
00:34Did you replace the other one?
00:37No.
00:38No.
00:38No.
00:39No.
00:39Yes.
00:40Greg, are you going to the parade on Saturday?
00:42I'm not planning on it.
00:43I thought you actually might. I mean, you're an alum.
00:46John, are you going?
00:47No. No. Ruby will be rowing against the University of Texas on Belleville Lake,
00:53so I will be there rooting her on.
00:56First time I get a chance to see her in person.
00:58If the hockey team wins, do they get a parade?
01:01Well, I don't know.
01:02It's funny because the parade will end at Yost,
01:05and Michigan hockey could be playing that night for the national title.
01:10Obviously not at Yost, but like the synergy of it all.
01:13In Vegas.
01:14Yes.
01:15They should have an end at LCA where the Wings could be eliminated Saturday night.
01:19Okay, so I texted you this last night.
01:22I was trying to avoid this conversation as long as possible, but here we go.
01:26Let me just do the revelation that I had.
01:28So, talk about the game.
01:31But they cannot be eliminated on Thursday.
01:33The soonest the Wings could be eliminated from playoff contention.
01:36Mathematically?
01:37Mathematically.
01:38Spiritually, they're already out.
01:40Emotionally, they're already out.
01:42But mathematically, right, we love math on the radio.
01:44The soonest they could be eliminated would be Saturday.
01:47And the irony is, Saturday is their last home game.
01:51Also known as...
01:52Fan Appreciation Day.
01:53Fan Appreciation Day.
01:57Help us celebrate 100 years of hockey.
01:59Synergy.
02:03The good news with the Red Wings, and I will give you this,
02:05they can't hurt us much longer.
02:08The thing about last night is, like, if you were trying to be kind of...
02:14What's the word?
02:16I can't get it.
02:17Optimistic?
02:17No.
02:18If you were to kind of say the script is...
02:20Apathetic?
02:20No, the script is written, and I'm going to...
02:23It's almost like an old lion's way.
02:25Like, I'm going to script the way they're going to lose,
02:26and you're not going to believe it.
02:27And then they get it.
02:28It's just going to be a shootout in overtime.
02:30But no, you had the two points, just like down in Florida earlier,
02:35and you give up a goal with 17 seconds left.
02:37Okay, it is...
02:38I mean, if I were to say to you, this is how they're going to lose tonight, Jim.
02:41Like that, rub my hands together.
02:43This is why I tried to give the PSA yesterday.
02:48Like, just go do something else.
02:51And in the back of your mind, you can still be a Red Wings fan.
02:54I'm like, we're not asking you to abandon your fandom,
02:56but I just want you to protect yourselves.
03:01Last night, first of all, it's been an agonizing...
03:04I don't even want to say decade, because we knew at the beginning of this rebuild
03:09that that was good.
03:10It's been an agonizing four years.
03:13And it is culminating in an agonizing finish to this season
03:19where they just won't die.
03:22They refused to live.
03:25And then last night, with 17 seconds remaining...
03:33They shoot you.
03:35They stab you in the heart.
03:36And then you go into overtime.
03:39Then you go into the shootout.
03:41And it's like they stabbed you as you're facing them.
03:45And then as you're walking away, they continue to stab you in the back.
03:50The most agonizing possible way for this season to die.
03:54Every night, seemingly, now is agony.
03:56In a new, different way.
03:58I mean, blown leads, that's...
03:59We've seen that.
04:00But, John...
04:00And I do apologize, because I did say,
04:03hey, if you can't take it anymore,
04:05if you just need a mental health break from the wings,
04:09do something else.
04:10Maybe go watch the Tigers.
04:12Oops.
04:12Oops.
04:12Oops.
04:14Although, Kevin McGonigal.
04:16Yeah, but he can't drive in every run.
04:18No, he can't drive in every run,
04:19but he is masking some of their ineptitude.
04:24Yeah, more on them in a second.
04:25With the wings, though.
04:26Tom is right.
04:27There's an element of sick twistedness going on.
04:30Because they blew a lead,
04:31but they blew two leads in the game.
04:33They had two different one-goal leads.
04:35And you know who scores the game tying
04:37and ultimately game-winning goal in the shootout?
04:40About guys from Michigan.
04:44Like, just an extra twisting in the wound.
04:48Hey, Fantilly, where'd he play his college hockey?
04:50Right here in the great state of Michigan.
04:52Zach Rowinski, I don't know if you heard about him.
04:53Him and Dylan Larkin are best buds.
04:55Guess who wins the game?
04:56Larkin fans on it with the shootout.
04:58Rowinski goes, blocker side, top shelf.
05:02Like, it's just...
05:03And then how about this?
05:04The vets, right?
05:05Kane has the stupid penalty against the Wild.
05:07Perron has two in the second period.
05:10One that leads to a game-tying goal.
05:13So, yeah, it's painful.
05:16Not only are they collapsing
05:18and doing the same thing they've done,
05:19but they are twisting a knife in the fans.
05:23I mean, you're sitting there last night,
05:24and you're like, okay, Ottawa's winning.
05:25We can keep pace at least.
05:28And then you fail to get two points.
05:30We can lead in under a minute again.
05:32They just pour salt in the wound.
05:34Yep, and again, it's three points,
05:35but effectively four points down
05:37because of the tiebreaker with Ottawa.
05:39Ottawa has that tiebreaker.
05:41Four down with four games to go.
05:44Can't be eliminated Thursday.
05:45The soonest would be Saturday.
05:47So, at a minimum,
05:49they're going to have to go two and two
05:52in the final four
05:53and hope that everyone else loses out.
05:56Yeah.
05:57Which isn't going to happen.
05:58Right.
05:58They probably have to win four of four
06:01to make it.
06:02Yes.
06:04When's the last time this team won
06:06consecutive hockey games?
06:08Let alone have a four-game leader.
06:09No, I'm going to pull this up
06:10because I truly don't know the answer.
06:12When's the last time this team
06:13won consecutive hockey games?
06:14I'm not asking for four in a row.
06:16March.
06:18Yeah, Flames and Canadians,
06:19they won back-to-back.
06:21When's the last time?
06:21March isn't so bad, right?
06:23Yeah.
06:23When's the last time they won four in a row?
06:27Well, they won three
06:28at the beginning of February.
06:29Oh, in January.
06:31Yeah.
06:32Before the Olympic break.
06:33Early January.
06:34My guess was going to be
06:35when they fired the loan.
06:39Well, yeah,
06:40because they had, what,
06:41seven in a row at that point.
06:43Yeah, but sorry, wrong season.
06:44Yeah, all blurs together.
06:46Anyway, I know a lot of people
06:47are heated about Dylan Larkin
06:50and there's a conversation to be had there.
06:51We'll do that at 635.
06:53How about the Tigers, John?
06:54You were going to offer people
06:55that as the alternative.
06:56Yeah.
06:59And then there wasn't much there
07:01to be had last night.
07:02And it was,
07:03so the alternative was,
07:05is tuning to them,
07:06it was a school ball start.
07:08And all of a sudden,
07:09you're thinking,
07:09all right, hey,
07:10you know,
07:10they lost the last school ball start.
07:12They can't possibly lose
07:13two school ball starts in a row,
07:14can they?
07:15Sure did.
07:16They can.
07:18And it was, what,
07:19four and two-thirds innings.
07:21And it was just,
07:23he wasn't his peak self.
07:25No.
07:26It gave up, what,
07:27eight hits,
07:28four runs,
07:30all of them earned.
07:31And then,
07:32I mean,
07:33the bullpen came in
07:33and they were good after that.
07:35And then Kevin McGonigal,
07:37two of three with runners
07:38in scoring position.
07:40And he's back up
07:41to over 300 on the season
07:43in terms of just,
07:44I'm just giving,
07:45you know,
07:45some easy stats.
07:47But it was,
07:48hey,
07:48seventh inning.
07:49When you got it,
07:50when you got to start
07:51to have to have it,
07:52runners in scoring position,
07:54boom,
07:54single,
07:55scores a run.
07:55And then he's got to have it again
07:57in the ninth,
07:58scores another run.
08:00Like,
08:01he is,
08:02every time he's up to bat,
08:05I am paying attention.
08:07Absolutely paying attention.
08:08Whether I'm listening to it
08:09on the radio
08:10or I'm watching at home,
08:11if I'm in the garage working
08:12and I hear on the radio
08:15because I'm listening on the app
08:16that he's coming up,
08:17I'm going to go inside
08:18and I'm going to stop
08:19what I'm doing,
08:19go inside and watch
08:21because he's exciting.
08:23He's fun.
08:24But he's about the only thing
08:27that fun.
08:27Colt Keith has been really good.
08:29Wasn't his best night last night,
08:31but he's been their best
08:33first bat.
08:35Sure.
08:36I want to make a note
08:37of something with that.
08:39Far be it for me
08:40to challenge AJ Hinch,
08:42but three straight games,
08:43we've seen Jemai Jones
08:44be used as a pinch hitter early
08:46and therefore get multiple
08:48at bats
08:49and have to face
08:50a righty late.
08:52I'm on board generally
08:54with the platoon strategy.
08:56I think more than
08:56the average person
08:57I'm on board with.
08:59Hey,
09:00it's the ninth inning.
09:01You got a matchup.
09:03I'll take out Colt Keith
09:04or I'll take out Riley Green.
09:06I know that bothers people.
09:07I'm cool with it
09:07for one final chance
09:09getting the right matchup,
09:10but when it's the fifth inning
09:11or the sixth inning
09:11or the seventh inning
09:12and I know I'm going to have
09:13multiple spots for that slot.
09:15I don't know why
09:15I need to see Jemai Jones
09:17getting multiple at bats
09:18and facing right handers
09:20late in the game
09:21because you play your cards
09:22too soon.
09:23I would have liked to see Keith
09:24get one more at bat
09:25in that ninth inning, right?
09:26Right.
09:27So are you with me on that?
09:30That like this Jemai Jones thing,
09:31he's had two at bats
09:33in each of the three games here
09:35that they've lost
09:36and I get it.
09:37They're trailing.
09:37They're trying to use their bats,
09:38but if you make that change
09:39too early in the game,
09:41you don't get the Colt Keith
09:42at bat late against a righty.
09:43I 100% agree.
09:45I mean,
09:46to me,
09:49I don't have the baseball
09:51knowledge or experience.
09:52Never will that AJ has.
09:54So I'm going to somewhat
09:55defer to him.
09:58But for my limited knowledge,
10:00I only want to create
10:02those matchups.
10:05If it's basically,
10:07you know,
10:08anyone other than McGonagall
10:09or Colt Keith,
10:11I have no issue
10:12with you doing that
10:14at any point.
10:15But your two best bats,
10:17the reason they're one
10:18and two in the lineup
10:19is because you want them
10:20to have maximum
10:22at bats.
10:23Right.
10:23I'm not taking out
10:24Colt Keith in the fifth
10:26knowing that
10:27I would like to maybe
10:28have his bat
10:29in the ninth.
10:30Right.
10:32Anyone else?
10:33Fine.
10:36Comes back to bite you.
10:37Yeah.
10:39And so,
10:40I mean,
10:40the question is like,
10:42it's early in the season,
10:44but is what's your level
10:46of concern with what
10:47you've seen from the Tigers
10:48so far?
10:49Is it just a,
10:50it's 11 games or four and seven.
10:51They're tied with Chicago
10:52in last place.
10:53When you say it like that,
10:53it's like,
10:54oh,
10:54whoa,
10:54wait,
10:54hold on.
10:57But it's only 11 games.
10:59It's three schoolable starts
11:00and you've lost two of them.
11:02Seven of the last nine
11:04they've lost.
11:05Yeah.
11:05And these are against
11:07teams that are not expected
11:08to be very good.
11:10Right.
11:10St. Louis and Minnesota
11:10are teams that are going to be
11:12in the lottery.
11:14My dad sent me a screenshot
11:15of the crowd
11:17to start the game last night
11:19and it was,
11:20it was like 44 degrees.
11:21So it wasn't like
11:22it was bitter cold
11:23like it was on Monday night.
11:26And there was,
11:27there was a hand,
11:28when I say a handful.
11:30So imagine though,
11:31like a few years ago,
11:32they won,
11:32they won the division,
11:33right?
11:33It's been more than
11:33a few years now
11:34and they cut payroll
11:35and they've gone south
11:36every year
11:37and fans aren't stupid.
11:38I mean,
11:38we would deal with it
11:39the same way in our city.
11:40Like there's no,
11:41there was literally
11:42no one there last night.
11:43Yeah.
11:43Well,
11:44they had a humongous
11:45fire sale last year.
11:47Like they're sellers.
11:48They started revolting last year
11:49and the attendance was poor,
11:51especially in September.
11:52I mean,
11:52they're going to be a team
11:53that loses 90 games.
11:56Should be.
11:56Yeah.
11:57The baseball is,
11:58you just never know.
11:59How about just the expectation
12:01coming into the year
12:01where the Cardinals
12:02are a very young team.
12:03The twins are going
12:04through a rebuild.
12:06These are two teams
12:06not expected to have
12:07a winning record
12:08and the Tigers have lost
12:09now three straight games.
12:11Yeah.
12:12No,
12:12I mean,
12:12look,
12:12if you're going to have
12:13an early concern,
12:14it's just,
12:14it's a knee jerk reaction
12:16to last night,
12:16but Riley Green
12:17struck out three times.
12:18He has 10 for the season
12:19and 11 games.
12:20So he's still pacing
12:21below last year.
12:22He's got six walks.
12:23So that's a good thing.
12:25But the fact that
12:26I'll raise an eyebrow
12:27that Torque or Green
12:28don't have a homer yet.
12:30Right.
12:30Yeah.
12:31Those are the guys
12:32are supposed to bring
12:32in runners.
12:33It didn't end up mattering,
12:35but I was a little annoyed
12:35that Riley didn't challenge
12:37what looked like ball four
12:39in his final at bat.
12:40He ended up working the walk,
12:41which is why it didn't matter,
12:42but I thought he actually
12:42had two pitches in the at bat.
12:44Like,
12:44hey,
12:45tap the head.
12:46Let's take the base.
12:48It's going to be interesting
12:49to see how that strategy
12:50evolves throughout
12:50the course of the season.
12:51Didn't your boy lose
12:52his first challenge last night?
12:53Dingler.
12:54Dingler.
12:54Yeah.
12:55Perfect.
12:55Yeah.
12:55By the way,
12:56he's down to 207.
12:59All right.
13:00We got the Tigers.
13:00We got the wings in the mix.
13:03Wait,
13:04what did you just say?
13:05Buckeyes.
13:06You're turning on him already.
13:07No,
13:07I'm not turning on him.
13:08I'm just,
13:08I like to throw that in everyone.
13:10Speaking of turning on him,
13:11the Dylan Larkin conversation.
13:12I know everybody,
13:12you know,
13:13wants to get on Dylan,
13:14so we'll talk about that
13:14at 635.
13:15635.
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