Well, too bad Monroe is in the lineup to offset anything Casey gives us.

It makes zero sense to play Monroe instead of Thames. Isay it and say it and say it, and no one listens. It drives me crazy. Thames is the same as Monroe at worst, and likely significantly better.

Yes Dan. We’re well aware of your Marcus Thames man crush.

Gimme a break, Brian. Do you think Monroe is a better bet than Thames? If so, why? Yeah, I admit have a weakness for players who hit the bejesus out of the ball and have some upside beyond the below average (for a leftfielder) hitting of Monroe’s. Yeah, it’s a “man crush”. I love that phrase. How clever!

Hey Brian, I know it’s de rigeur to knock the way I talk about the Tigers and all, but I also know that deep down you know I’m right. I know you’re involved with The Hardball Times, and I know you’re at least somewhat familiar with Baseball Prospectus, so there’s no doubt in my mind that you know I know what I’m talking about. You’re just not going to admit that I’m right because you think it would be seen as an approval of my methods.

Fair enough. I just don’t understand why I can’t find a web site where I can have a real discussion about baseball without all the bullshit.

WHy is Monroe up and not bunting in the 9th! What the hell is going on! I can’t believe my eyes!! This is an obvious bunt situation!!!!!

Incompetence. Absolute incompetence. This is garbage, just horseshit baseball. Monroe pops out. Of course.

Go ahead, argue with me.

Inge has left something like 11 men on base in two games.

Leyland is easily the most overrated manager in major league baseball.

Todd Jones just walked Greg Zaun. If Todd Jones is your closer you deserve to love. He is awful.

Wow. Looks like Jones’s complete inability to miss bats didn’t hurt us this time. It’s bound to screw us eventually.

Terrible ballgame. Badly managed and pathetically played on defense.

Here’s the deal Dan. Some of what you say makes sense but when you mix it with the ranting and the venom, it just comes across poorly.

Let’s take Craig Monroe and Marcus Thames. You say Marcus Thames is a better player, but in fact we really don’t know because Thames has never had a chance to play as a regular for a full season. You also regularly say Craig Monroes is horrible when he’s not. He has a .259 career EQA, which makes him pretty much average. Thames is has a career EQU of .264 and he’s probably a big lighter on defense. Thames had a good first half last year, but Monroe had a better second (I’m speaking from memory). So when Thames cooled off last year, he started getting less time.

So i’m not going to get all bent out of shape everytime Thames is in the lineup. And as far as the in game stuff, it’s easy to second guess what happens from your arm chair. Regardless, I’d rather sit and enjoy the game then get all pissed off.

And it may have been a terrible game but they won. Sometimes you play bad and win and other times you play well and lose. That’s just the way it is.

Monroe is terrible. He is as useful as a spring-loaded dummy.

Sorry Brian, but it pisses me off when morons end up running baseball teams that I care about. No one says a thing about the dumb moves, and improvements are not made. The newspaper guys have no clue, so if pressure to do things in a smart way isn’t applied via the internet, then we might as well just sit back and enjoy watching shitbags like Todd Jones ruin baseball games. We have a first baseman who is flat out awful, just not good by any objective measure, and no one notices or cares a hoot.

No one but me. Oh, I’m sorry, too much venom? Look, if I say it the way most of these schmoes say it, it doesn’t have the same bite:

“I just don’t think Sean Casey is our man, but I still believe in Grandy and Maggs! Go Tigs!!”

See?

Brian, as for Thames and Monroe, you’re just plain wrong. I can prove it, or at least present compelling evidence, but it won’t do any good. I’ve done it before. Maybe I’ll do it tomorrow. It’s late.

You’re wrong.

Also, second guess? Brian, every single thing I complain about, EVERY SINGLE DECISION, is a bad decision AS IT’S BEING MADE, and many of my posts are being made before they go badly. Many of my posts are angry about a decision that doesn’t end up hurting the club. It has nothing to do with second guessing. That’s typical cliche garbage. Second guessing. I’m first guessing.

Brian, I hate to have to break it down in these simple terms, but it’s otherwise difficult to to make this point to people who have made it this far in life without understanding it: You ever play blackjack? If you’re playing, the dealer is showing a 6, you have a 16, and you hit and get a 5, that doesn’t mean it was the right decision. It was the wrong decision. Do it 162 times, and you’re going to lose more than you should.

Sorry for the venom. I happen to give a damn. If you don’t care what decisions your beloved old man makes, and if questioning obviously stupid ones is “second guessing” then why don’t you just sit in the corner, roll a set of dice and root for the “6”? What’s the difference?

Screw the 6, I am big believer in 2.

Okay, then I’ll make it simple. All you do is whine and complain. It’s easy to find something wrong with just about anything. The Tigers won 95 games last year despite having an “overrated manager” and and an anchor in left field at least in your opinion.

So you call it passion but how can even watch a game and enjoy it when all you do is try to find something wrong with what’s happening?

Dan,

You’re obviously passionate. Why not start a blog of your own to present all your information on? As long as you kept the swearing to a minimum, I’m sure people would link to your site and opinions.

Working on that as we speak, Kurt. Thanks for the suggestion.

OneAngryTigersFan.blogspot.com 😉 I jest. Just be sure to let us know the address when you’re done. I thought it might present you with a more organized way with more tools to present your argument.