Possible moves in Tigers and Red Wings trades

But that don't forget the message boards are open the number is right down there Jeff We were talking about the Detroit Tigers before our quick unscheduled break and the conversation is it accurate that they are back? What he described back okay, so so what they won five straight. They've won five straight They've won eight of nine as well see this is where I struggle a little bit And I think this is a big series this weekend the Phillies are a great team with great pitching and a very impressive offense right and By the way the Tigers just shut him down the first two innings if the Tigers win this series I Jeff Rieger will say yes, they're back and headed in the right direction, but the winning is started And I know it's been a 33 game stretch, but they took on the Yankees that really struggle. They're injured They took on the Rangers without Seager and without Wyatt Langford, and they just took on an ace team They swept an ace team that had lost 15 of 18 games So I kind of feel they hit a bunch of teams at the right moment just like teams hit them in May So I need to see more well. You know what we have heard that before from former manager Jim Leland It's not who you play when you play when you play And the Tigers are getting these teams exactly at the right time where they can get it What's been the biggest difference lately is it confidence is it pitching or is it just better timing? I think the pitching is amazing I mean we're talking 40 games where guys don't allow more than four runs over the last 13 to 14 games You're talking about an ERA right around two and a half whether it's Troy Melton Jack Flaherty over his last five starts a 190 ERA go back to June 1st Whatever happened in May they were able to flush on June 1st against the Tampa Bay Rays They went 6 and 22 in the month of May since then 33 games spanned or 21 and 12 That's the best record in the American League, so if they keep that up absolutely in a bad American League They're gonna be able to do a decent job, but the pitching's been amazing, but the offense is going yard, too That's the other part. I mean what did we see 60 home runs in the last 33 games for the Tigers remember when you and I? And everybody else don't act like you're better than okay remember what we all were saying Scott Harris What were you thinking? Come on Scott Harris saying you know the offense keeps me up at night And how did we turn from a top eight offense to a bottom eight offense now this offense? Maybe is the one he's envisioned because they're hitting with power They got the most home runs in the American League, and it's not just the homers Pitches they can attack on they're attacking on if this squad had a heart monitor Would you say that they're finally out of the ICU? So there's seven under five hundred there four and a half out of the vision we think they were dead yes They're there three you know I saw whoa Joe on this very station. Yeah, yeah, but the fork in them whoa Joe What are those positive guys you'll ever meet stuck the fork in them? What does he know? Voices from the side love it and one they still need help though right like if they want to be buyers at the deadline and I know this school bull question is looming over everything But they need at least one or two high leverage arms in the pen and you probably could benefit from a right-handed stick as well So if they truly are back per se and the trade deadlines August 3rd You better be buyers, and don't make it a deadline like last year You know what Jeff we point to things with this team all the time And what's the one thing that Detroit is doing now that they simply weren't doing a month ago? Well, I just think everything's working right like I think the pitching's been outstanding I think the offense has been great, but yeah the injuries were probably a factor, too And I also think they've run against some teams recently that have kind of been down on their luck a little bit I think you add it all together, and they look fantastic, but I want to remind people go ahead Please it's such a long season the Boston Red Sox are one of the hottest teams in baseball They've killed them in Boston more than we've killed Detroit here in Detroit. They've made fun of them They fired their manager, and now they're three games out of a wild card spot right look at the Yankees the Yankees were a plus 128 run differential one of the best teams in the entire American League they get injured they lose Aaron judge now They're like a plus 85 run differential. It's such a long season I don't think you can make too big of a deal out of a 12 game sample size But it's been 33 games it has been you know it's it's almost like seeing a hockey coach come in and take over a team Right before the playoffs Yes, we have seen that you know what fans and us media types We also look at stats with this team, and you know we're chatting with that What stats should fans maybe ignore or what stats should they start to look at that? They're not looking at okay, so I think the offense look at it Everybody's hitting on this team, but I ask you how much of it is real like for instance Zach McKinstry's had a brilliant July and June is that gonna continue? I think people look at Dylan Dingler who is injured right now, but he's not injured for long Dylan Dingler had an Unbelievable month of June, but if you look at May if you look at April if you look at even July Which is very young still he hasn't been as good so I think you won't look at this offense And you start to wonder who's real. I think Riley green real. He's streaky. Yes real I think Kevin McGonigal without a doubt real. I think Dylan Dingler. We think I think he's real, okay I'll go real who else are you sure is real on this offense? Am I sure I'm not sure about Torkelson trust I'm not sure Torkelson has been good of late, but I would agree with you right Kerry Carpenter I don't know that you're trusting him is so-called real Yeah But I think that's a problem with the manager because they don't bat him against left-handed Since getting rid of Jamie Jones Kerry Carpenter's had a chance to hit against more lefty Well, that's true, and he's been decent and of course Eduardo Valencia. We saw a big blast last night. That was huge That was amazing. Hey, I'm getting some texts in from you fans out there, and I got one right here Yes, it says Jeff Tigers are back And you better believe it scuba wants to win badly and our pitching staff has been amazing all right. Let's talk What are they doing with Tarik school, what are you Woody Woodruff doing with Tarik school? What am I doing? What do you do? He is on the trade block? I think you're trading I need to trade him and now I need to trade him for as much as I can get now if That is prospects or whatever then it has to be prospects or whatever because the pitching staff I have now without Tarik scuba seems to relax me a little bit I like to a six-man rotation after the all-star break that is true now If if you get rid of scuba and get those guys in that's fine because we need to start moving this thing forward I Agree with you. I still think you're seven under 500 at this current juncture still a lot of work You have to trade Tarik's yes, and people talk about what I think would make Scott Harris a hero Mm-hmm. I think the perfect scenario would be trade scuba. There should be a huge bidding war there should be many teams interested Yes, pay off the remaining 11 10 million that you owe him So he makes more attractors He's more attractive that way get a nice return and then go to war with what you got and even dare I say be buyers at the deadline well We've been chatting about maybe being both yeah You can sell and buy a red line, and then you can work both sides of the street basically I love that idea now I don't know what's gonna happen if I had to guess I don't think they're trading Tarik scuba And if they continue to win I definitely don't think they're trading Tarik scuba look. I thought that you know When I when I first when he first came back from from the engine with him with the elbow thing okay I'm thinking trade him instantly hundreds, but then I was thinking you know what maybe give him a few starts Maybe two or three to let other people see that you know what he is back fully And this is not something that could be long term or anything like that now that we've seen two or three starts Go Sunday might be his last start But it could be a classic pitching matchup Zach Wheeler who's awesome in the National League against Tarik scuba Who's got about a three era since coming back? Do you pitch Tarik on Sunday the day before the all-star break I do I do pitch for the win? Or for other teams to see how healthy he is how about both okay fair fair? I would trade him you would trade him. I don't know that Scott's gonna trade well, and here's here's my fear Here's my nightmare scenario ahead. Can I give you my nightmare, please do please do my nightmare scenario is this team? Will be just good enough to miss the playoffs, and if they keep Tarik scuba could you imagine losing scuba? You get a comp pick and you don't make the playoffs How do you if you're Scott Harris tell the media? This is what I just decided to do that that to me would be unforgivable, and I am fearful of that There are so many questions going around here How apprehensive are you to raise the expectations because we have seen this team? Maybe get to a point and then fall back again, and everybody's like oh come on by the way bad news Derek Hill The former Tiger just went yard on Jack Flaherty. It's one nothing Philly those things happen and solo home runs will not beat But what about my question about raising expectations, how apprehensive are you I think again if it sounds crazy It is crazy, but because this team is so bipolar and just when you want to bury him like we did two Sundays ago They were 14 games under right now. We're celebrating them I waiting until Mid July after the all-star. I'm waiting till I want to wait till they all that's trade deadline Because I don't know that I believe just yet, and I don't know that you shouldn't believe but again 33 games when they've been one of the best teams in baseball Having said that now we can start to maybe look at the rest of the division at least who scares you more white Sox or Guardians, I think the white Sox do I don't know when Jose Ramirez is coming back But I think when you look at the white Sox you say to yourself well They have no experience their starting pitching is abysmal, so I don't know that they're real I think you look at the Guardians their starting pitching is fine But they have injury issues right and then even the Minnesota Twins have been playing better baseball There are a couple games out. I would say of the three the white Sox scare me a little more with their offense But you know this ability for the Guardians to beat the Tigers that and they're currently 6-0 against Detroit this year We have seen that before you know I got another text here It says and this goes back to the pitching Jeff you talked about a six-man rotation Maybe after the ulcer yes What about Justin Verlander coming in the bullpen and becoming maybe the closer that you're looking for do we think we're gonna see JV? Again, I don't know he wants to come back. I love that's a big part of it So when Justin Verlander was brought into Detroit. Yeah, I thought to myself. He's gonna retire a tiger He's gonna go to Hall of Fame as a tiger. He's gonna have this magic book story book ending Yeah, he's gonna pitch for a team that has World Series aspirations. I was so geek and it's not his fault He's got injured. He's he's 43 years. It's true, but I would love Verlander in the bullpen I would love Verlander to start at least one more time I am NOT counting on it though because this is now twice right that Verlander's had him close remember Father's Day He was supposed to start and then all of a sudden You know right, so I'm not counting on it if Justin Verlander could somehow be a piece in a run It would be magical, but I just don't think you should count on it Well, you know what? I think everybody looks at him and looks at the Giants run from last year when he was straight down the stretch Right, and he was solid and they were hoping that hey Let's come on here and be the one-two punch with school bull and move that all the way down I think you're absolutely right but you know he wants to come back and desire plays a big role in this because maybe that can offset some of the Injury questions where it's like hey, I'm getting out there. Anyway, would there be anything more magical think about this? Great season meaningful game. Let's say against the Guardians and JV is on the mound and let's say a Sunday about Comerica Park If you don't get chills, then you don't like sports. It would be magical. It would be amazing I'm just not counting on you know what I got to take a quick break But I got a little homework assignment for you fans out there I got a question for you. If this Tiger season was a movie. What would the title be? Send me a text? You got the number right here. We'll see on the other side of this break You're in touch with the sports office right here on Fox to Say hello to Vincent would our eight-month-old Future Ryan's Tigers Red Wings Pistons fan his dad Ian here tonight. Thanks a lot for coming in guys. Appreciate it. Good to see you Good to see Vincent and what a cute kid, huh? Hey, listen, we were talking about the Tigers before the break Let's continue to with to stay with that. I asked the question Jeff Rieger if the season was a movie What's your answer to that? All right, so I'm not allowed to say this word on TV, but it was gonna be from gritty to But now maybe go from that word back to gritty, oh so it's yeah gritty to gritty Yeah, well gritty to blank to gritty again. Are we watching the way this team is going right now winners of five straight? Are we watching the start of a second half surge? I like to think so I would and the American League is so bad Woody. I mean, that's the thing That's what makes this entire thing. So frustrating and makes you a believer to the American League has so many bad teams I think there's six teams above 500 and There's no reason why the Tigers could not get hot right could not make a run in the AL Central could not make a run For a wild card. They're only three out of a wild card despite having I think four teams in between there But it's still about can they do it I still worry about their bullpen I still worry about the offense coming back down to earth and Can this starting pitching continue to be as dominant as it's been you mentioned the standings just a minute ago What's the one thing the standings don't tell us about this team? About the Tigers about the Tigers. Yeah, I think this I think the standings Well, see it's weird because when they were pitching so well, they were still losing games true, right? And I think you look at this 30 to 3 game stretch where they're 21 and 12 and you say to yourself That's an unbelievable record, but let's not forget up until 10 games ago. There were still 14 games under 500 Do you remember they went 5 and 5 in that long homestead? Yes, I did lost the last we were saying that was gonna be the most important home stand of the year They needed to do something and they blew big leads to Houston and he sock parades in the last couple games that everybody buried him Yet again, so yes, they've made a run here But I think what the standings don't tell you is how good the starting pitching has been It's been absolutely dominant and you look at the starting pitching and you say to yourself This team should be higher in the rankings and the standings, but they're not because of their bullpen They blow in so many games. They have because of the offense early on That's the that's been the one problem has been the bullpen this year But then you see a guy like cater Montero step up and all of a sudden emerge like, you know He's too easy. He feels like it feels like he is two people. He's the other mound, you know And there's so many people and I always get a chuckle out of this people are like what did cater do wrong Why are you throwing them to the bullpen? Why can't this guy get a break? He's such a good starter, right? I think the answer is because your bullpen is not very good And he's a really productive piece in the bullpen and I know he's going back to the rotation, right? After the all-star break, but mark my words as soon as the pen has trouble Montero is gonna go right back to the pen and look at last night. Look at last night They got Kenley Jansen on the mound to try to get a save with a three-run lead and he almost coughed it up So as much as you want to believe in this team and you should in this American League You gotta add to the pen if you have any chance to do something special. I totally agree You got some text from you fans. I asked the movie question before I got a title here. There we go Who did this and why? That would be a pretty good movie title. You got another one here What's our path to 500 for the Tigers as fast as possible? I gotta think it's keep winning Well, yeah, there's seven under 500 right now at one point They were 16 under as recent as two Sundays ago They were 14 under so they've cut off seven games in the span of eight nine nine So that's pretty impressive, but you're right. You're gonna keep winning, but it's a big weekend series They have to win today because the next two pitchers that the fields are throwing out there You get Wheeler you get Sanchez you better win today And then I don't want to see this team maybe fall off because they've had time off Right, we've seen that with other teams, but what do you do as of right now because this team is surging Mm-hmm. If you're Scott Harris, what do you think it are you thinking? We're still gonna sell Casey Mize. You could sell Gleyber Torres. You could sell Kelly Jansen. No, no, no No, I'm telling you I'm if I'm Scott Harris I'm thinking we're doing both Because we're trading Tarik school bull and we're gonna add some some offense or some pitching or whatever So that we can try to make this run That's what makes this so fascinating because we are gonna have these conversation and by the way I don't know if you're on social media There's battles on social media. It's getting really really mean out there meaner than usual There is the trade Tarik people that yell at the top of their lungs There's a lot of that and then there's Tiger fans that say no you're the moron Why would you trade the best pitcher in baseball when you have a chance to make a run in a bad American League? It's gonna get even more volatile plenty of questions But as you saw this ball was just passed to me It has a Pistons headband on it because I want to shift thoughts Kevin We got a text right here. It says now I want thoughts on the Pistons Please don't say they are standing Pat. I want Trey Murphy and Durant if we can do it your thoughts Uh, I don't think you're getting Trey Murphy. I think the pelican Why not about I think the Pelicans want to keep them and I don't know that they were ever gonna trade him my dream And I don't think this is happening either. I do kind of feel this is the team unfortunately And it doesn't mean it has to be the team for this whole season We got the deadline eventually, but my dream and don't laugh at me. Okay, I'm being you know When he says don't laugh at him, I instantly start laughing at him. Go ahead I want to be very vulnerable TV viewers right now. I Want Kevin Durant? I want Absolutely 38 years old. He played in 78 games of 82 last year He was second team all NBA Woody averaging 26 games 26 games by the way a home run for the Tigers Kevin McGonigal 26 points No, no, it's okay. No, no, no, it's fine continue to continue Average 26 points a game. He could be the absolute Robin Decade Cade seems to love him I love this idea. He's still at age 38 such a good player Let me ask this because with the Durant thing and all that contract has Trajan Langdon Maybe regain control of the situation. I think so I think Trajan's handled this wonderfully as soon as Durant decided to say I'm going to Sacramento as Soon as his side his agent said We're gonna start with the Lakers maybe or Boston's interested. I love I love what Trajan has done Trajan Just said alright you do you Jalen you go find the best offer Meanwhile, we're here and we're gonna pay you less and less and less because nobody wants you. Well, we'll see what we'll see What happens there? You know what? I also want to chat about the Red Wings real quick because Villain Larkin and adding Dallas as a destination. I'm thinking when does Chris Illich step in and just say end all this There's your question go. I can't believe Steve Eisenman reportedly asked for Wyatt Johnston and pics and pics That's crazy to which Jim Neal former assistant GM here in Detroit said no and no That is Unbelievable if those reports are true and here's the thing that bums me out about this entire saga, right? Dylan's being childish with his list, right? I think Steve is being childish with not trading him and not accepting a futures package But more than anything we are led to believe that Steve wants an NHL player back, right? Well Dallas reportedly offered Jason Robertson who has Metro Detroit ties But the problem is he wants a lot of money and Steve has no interest in extending who would be your best player now He's a wing. He's not a center But Steve has no interest in extending Robertson who Utah wanted to get 15 million to so Dallas is giving you a really good player for Dylan Larkin and you're saying no Probably cuz Jason Robertson doesn't want to be here. But also cuz you don't want to extend them Look, there is crazy there. It is a crazy situation and there's plenty more talk about it in the time remaining I also want to chat about this Darren McCarty was on Woodward sports and some of his social media to saying that Dylan Larkin called him a liar straight out about all of this because He was saying that Larkin gave the fans what they wanted to hear regarding team loyalty and now turns around and says I'm out What about the reaction of that when you hear a guy like McCarty? Calling the current captain or the guy who's going to be stripped of the captaincy or whatever a liar That kind of opens some eyes. First of all, I like it Now I will say this like I don't know that Dylan's a liar He did say he wants to be the captain here But I think it's weird because if you stick up for Dylan that means you got a bash Steve if you stick up for Steve That means you kind of got a bash Dylan in this current environment But I do think that Dylan is kind of being ridiculous here He offers up three to four teams that he will go to he's a local kid. He's leaving the captaincy He's got five years left on his deal. He's throwing away his legacy I mean, it's kind of bad. It really is now Steve has done a bad job, too But I think Dylan's gonna come out looking pretty bad here. Oh, well, you know what we will see Oh couple texts right here movie titles Sybil See and how about this one sure why not That's pretty good the exorcist would be a great one But in the words of McCarty you're either in or you're in the way, so we'll see what happens with that Hey, Jeff Rieger. Thanks a lot for coming in tonight. Thank you, buddy. Appreciate it. Thanks a lot to you guys Thanks a lot to the fans for texting in and thanks for tuning into the sports office we'll have much more on Monday when we start an entire new week and we'll have plenty to talk about Lions Tigers Red Wings and Pistons to thanks for joining us. The pulse is next right here on Fox 2