00:00People lining up to dunk on me this morning.
00:02Go right ahead.
00:03I fell for the banana in the tailpipe.
00:05Poster him.
00:06I believed in Team USA, but it was stereotypical.
00:12Both my bravado and their performance.
00:16A face plant.
00:18From the jump.
00:19Yeah, that's the thing that was so infuriating to me.
00:22They weren't ever in that game.
00:23They came out flat and like...
00:26In the box.
00:27Nobody's going to challenge.
00:28No one's going to defend.
00:29I know.
00:30We got a geriatric center back that doesn't want to play.
00:33Doesn't want to challenge.
00:34Loses the battles.
00:35Plural.
00:36And then we got our goalie, Wicked Smott from Harvard.
00:39Yeah.
00:39Dumbest play I've ever seen.
00:41We've got it.
00:422-4-8-5-3-9-97-97.
00:47Tom would like to nominate an athlete locally as our most underappreciated.
00:54So, out of the weekend, a lot of Tiger stuff.
00:56You know, we'd speculate yesterday a little bit about you got to trade Scoobo no matter what.
00:59And are they in it technically?
01:01Blah, blah, blah.
01:02And we had a lot going on yesterday.
01:04But something stood out to me over the weekend with Riley Green.
01:08Three straight all-star appearances.
01:11First Tiger outfielder to do that since Al Kaline.
01:14And that really hit home.
01:16Now, is he Al Kaline?
01:17No.
01:18No.
01:18Okay?
01:19I'm not trying to say that.
01:20What I am trying to say is I really feel like we underappreciate Riley Green.
01:25And I've always been a Riley Green supporter.
01:27Yeah, he had a bad second half last year.
01:30And with the strikeouts, got to be too much.
01:32He's corrected that some.
01:33He's got 101 in 89 games this year.
01:36So, that's a little bit better than last year.
01:38But he seems to have found this groove where he has been striking out more since earlier in the season.
01:44But he had to do that in order to get his power.
01:47And he's finding this groove of 2024 again when he was a five-plus war player.
01:52And I don't know if he's heading quite to that this year.
01:55But positive war player every single season.
01:57Three straight all-star appearances.
01:59And I actually think he is the most underappreciated athlete in Detroit.
02:03And part of my reason why is I see the ticket text all show long.
02:08There is a venom from some people towards Riley Green that I absolutely don't get.
02:14It's because of strikeouts.
02:15People hate strikeouts.
02:16You don't understand modern-day baseball.
02:18I know.
02:19Look, I get you.
02:20Plus, the other thing you mentioned is that we saw this weekend, he's back to being a terrific fielder.
02:26Yes, that play on Sunday.
02:27And it was ironic.
02:28A lot of times I'll send my prep Sunday morning.
02:31I kind of got to – it's when my mind is the freshest all week.
02:34And it's kind of like if anything else happens throughout the day, we're going to talk about it no matter
02:38what anyways.
02:39And it was funny.
02:40I put this in the prep before Riley Green had that game.
02:44Three for four with the homer, the triple.
02:45Yeah.
02:46Yeah, almost a cycle.
02:47They walked him so he couldn't get it.
02:48No, they were still in the game technically.
02:49So that's why they did it.
02:50Did you hear Dickerson's game?
02:52Yes, I was listening when it happened.
02:53Come on.
02:54Classic Dickerson.
02:56But I think we take Riley Green for granted.
02:59Is he – and I guess let's use basketball.
03:03Is he a Batman?
03:04I don't think so.
03:05No.
03:06I think he's a Robin to a baseball team.
03:09Well, we know how hard it can be to find a Robin.
03:11Yeah.
03:11Yeah.
03:11And I think we really take this guy for granted for what he is.
03:17And, you know, I'm a little torn on do they – is he part of the core?
03:23I'm leaning towards yes.
03:25He has to be.
03:26The way you're talking about him, you would think he'd be a hard yes.
03:29I mean, they have three position players that are the core of this team.
03:32And they're the three All-Stars.
03:34The three All-Stars.
03:34Yeah, it's pretty easy to find.
03:35Spot the All-Stars.
03:36You don't see Riley Green jerseys.
03:39You know, it seems like people only want to talk about Riley Green when it's bad.
03:43They're overlooking how good he is.
03:46I'll give you a great example.
03:48We did a draft of Detroit's best athletes in the spring.
03:53We went around the room.
03:5416 names.
03:55You know who didn't come up?
03:56Riley Green.
03:57Riley Green.
03:59And it's because he's coming off that strikeout-ridden season
04:01where he was over 200 strikeouts and people were sick of his stuff.
04:04I assume so is the spring.
04:06I assume Scuble was the only Tiger then.
04:08McGonagall actually got taken too.
04:10And Dingler.
04:10And Dingler.
04:11Before they even played a major league game?
04:13This was right as the season was starting.
04:14Okay, Dingler, obviously.
04:16Yeah, this is right as the season was starting.
04:17So we did have the other two Tiger All-Stars.
04:18But to Tom's point, who was left out?
04:21Riley Green.
04:22You say we take Riley Green for granted.
04:25We ask the question, is he the most underappreciated athlete in Detroit?
04:29Three straight All-Star appearances now.
04:31He's cut the strikeouts down.
04:33And it's not a small feat.
04:35He's pacing to cut it by 10% for the year.
04:38And you see it in all the geeky numbers.
04:40He's swinging less.
04:41He's swinging out of the zone less.
04:43He has curbed those strikeouts while still becoming a productive ball player.
04:48Is he our most underappreciated athlete?
04:50Or do you want to nominate somebody else?
04:52Well, 248-539-9797.
04:54We'd love to hear from you.
04:56Um, to me, there's, I put, I jotted down four names.
05:02Okay.
05:03Okay.
05:03And I have one name.
05:06You can laugh at all you want.
05:07Now, one is probably, he's underappreciated by some because he's so, he polarizes people.
05:13And that's golf.
05:15Goff, you know, I think golf to half the Lions fan base is underappreciated.
05:20And the other half love him and think he's a really good quarterback.
05:24Clearly a top 10 guy.
05:25Yeah.
05:26Okay.
05:27The others are, I don't know.
05:29I couldn't think of anybody else, but do we really, it's like Jack Fox.
05:34The punter?
05:35Yeah.
05:35I mean, he's one of the best punters.
05:38I mean, I don't know.
05:38Cause I was looking through, I'm going through every team real quick.
05:41What does a properly appreciated punter look like?
05:46Um, cause I don't know that that really is a thing.
05:49Okay.
05:49Well, I don't know.
05:50I'm saying there's not too many that come to my mind.
05:53Can I give you a lion?
05:53Cause I don't want you to steal.
05:55You've got a whole list over there.
05:58The name that popped into my head was Sam Laporta.
06:03We're a few years removed from his breakout rookie season.
06:07And because he missed time last year, I don't think he's on people's radar, but dude is
06:12critical for the way this team plays football, especially his blocking ability.
06:16You want to get back to running the ball.
06:17You want to convert third and fourth down in red zone.
06:19Think about what he did in the playoffs.
06:20Like he is an, I don't think we talk about him when we discuss who they're going to pay.
06:25He's the first guy we say, I don't know.
06:28I get Gibbs or Laporta.
06:29Well, I got to keep Gibbs branch or Laporta.
06:31Well, they need defense.
06:32It's got to be branch.
06:33It's always the other guy and not Laporta.
06:35Yet he is, he is the culture of who they are and the way they want to play.
06:39He's so important.
06:40And we don't talk about him that way.
06:42That's fair.
06:43However, I think people love Sam Laporta in this town though.
06:47That's why I mean, you know, if you compare him in the money argument, you're correct.
06:52But I think what you guys are losing here and that might, you make great points about
06:56Laporta and the contract.
06:57He's always the last one that they're not going to keep.
06:59I think some of that is position and paying tight ends in the NFL.
07:02Well, yeah, the difference between him and Riley Green is I don't hear people bag on
07:07Sam Laporta.
07:08Right.
07:09Like for his flaws, they'll single people with Riley Green.
07:13They single out his one flaw.
07:14He's not a perfect baseball player.
07:16He's not.
07:16Like I said, he's not your A-lister.
07:18He's a B-lister, but he's a damn good B-lister.
07:21And I think people take it for granted versus Laporta does get the love.
07:25You see Laporta jerseys in town.
07:26He doesn't get bagged on or criticized.
07:28Correct.
07:28That's why I didn't think it was Laporta.
07:32Is there a red wing?
07:33Well, not.
07:34Well, okay.
07:36Oh, I just ruined Jim's morning with his natural reaction.
07:38We have so many wings that need more love in this city.
07:42Maybe underappreciated isn't the right word, but underrated because he's not greater at
07:47all.
07:49Be careful here.
07:50What are you going to say?
07:51Sherrod.
07:52Are you?
07:53He's underappreciated.
07:54He's the only guy on the tee fence who actually hits somebody.
07:58So you don't have to be great to be underappreciated.
08:01No, I agree with that.
08:02But Stoney, there are moments where I'm like, he's a pylon.
08:06Does he move very well?
08:08No.
08:09Is anybody thrilled with the extension he just got?
08:11I don't think he's that good.
08:13I can hear what Stoney's saying a little bit.
08:15Because when I went to that Vegas game earlier this year, he was one of the guys I kind of
08:18watched his play.
08:19Yes.
08:20He plays pretty solid fundamental hockey.
08:22Right.
08:22He's tough.
08:23Disciplined.
08:23He's a solid fourth defenseman.
08:25I'm not saying that he should be in the all-star game or anything like that.
08:28Ideally, he's a third pair blue liar.
08:29Yes.
08:30But some of those guys can be underappreciated.
08:32Okay.
08:33All right.
08:34Which one's worse, Sherrod or Fox?
08:38I think JT Comfer's underappreciated.
08:42Nobody said that.
08:43He's overpaid, too.
08:44Comfer, that's the...
08:45No.
08:45What about the break-it?
08:46I think Michael Rasmussen is our most underappreciated.
08:48What about the break-it?
08:49Is the break-it underappreciated?
08:50It's a good nomination.
08:52It depends who you talk to.
08:53I think he gets love.
08:55He's a 40-goal scorer.
08:56He stepped up.
08:57He's one of the few guys that played well at the end of last year.
08:59He throws what small frame he does have around.
09:02He's not a soft player.
09:05I think he's properly appreciated.
09:07I don't think the break-it is underappreciated.
09:10I'm looking at guys who get no love.
09:13That's the Fox and the...
09:15Are there any Pistons?
09:17No.
09:19My candidates, Stoney, are a guy that's in a group of Al Kaline.
09:23In terms of outfielders making all-star games three consecutive years.
09:27And your guys are...
09:28Well, everybody else is fully appreciated.
09:32The good players who...
09:33That's my point of bringing this up.
09:34I know.
09:35I understand that.
09:36He is.
09:37So I'm trying to figure out other guys.
09:40On the Tigers, there's one other person.
09:42I'll tell you that when it comes up next.
09:44Stoney T's 97.1.
09:46See you soon.
09:46See you soon.
09:46See you soon.
Comments