A Call For Max

by Battlewagon on Sep 15, 2010 10:52 AM EDT

I'm officially calling for the end of the Gerald Laird 'experiment' here with the Tigers. He's hovered around the Mendoza line all year - and while he may help out defensively, we are far past the point of no return on the season. Give it up.

What's wrong with playing Max St. Pierre at least once per series? I still think they need to give Avila the bulk of the playing time, and I know that they did St. Pierre a favor by calling him up in the first place...but his butt has GOT to be getting sore just sitting there. Give the guy a shot in a non-pennant race situation.

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Bless You Boys writing staff.

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Amen, give the guy a shot, .300 10hrs at toledo last stint, good defense

don’t know why JL would play Laird last 20 games, unless he doesn’t want to get laird or other veterans disgruntled. Laird’s injury almost surely droped him out of type B compensation, but then there is no way arbitration should be risk on a .190 hitter anyway.

by Hack Johnson on Sep 15, 2010 5:37 PM EDT reply actions

Maybe a hot run from Laird will bump him up to a Type B.

So we get the draft picks when he walks.

In my book, he doesn’t deserve even Type C (which I had to make up for this post) offensively, but I’m not sure how the process works. When compared with other C’s offensively or taking defense into account, he could be a Type B. Another 50 AB’s might provide the push.

Granderson was my Tiger, then Sizemore, then Willis. Since they're all gone, I'm taking Raburn and hoping the pattern holds.

by momotigers on Sep 16, 2010 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions

the tigers would not offer arbitration

after the season laird has had he’d almost certainly take it and the team would end up paying a lot more than he contributed.

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by Kurt Mensching on Sep 16, 2010 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Laird won't be offered arby

In fact, the only one that I see being offered is possibly Inge

If you survived 2003, you can get through this!

by Tigerdog1 on Sep 17, 2010 2:30 AM EDT up reply actions

True, I forgot to consider Arby

On a side note, but vaguely related, we haven’t gotten many free Arby’s roast beef games this year, have we?

Granderson was my Tiger, then Sizemore, then Willis. Since they're all gone, I'm taking Raburn and hoping the pattern holds.

by momotigers on Sep 17, 2010 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions

The changed to curly fries, is why.

The motivation is gone.

by rea on Sep 17, 2010 7:02 PM EDT up reply actions

Problem with Arby's roast beef is that their is very little roasting going on...

and even less beef. I prefer to think of it as goo formerly known as meat.

Shameless blog promotion: K3M

by madpoopz on Sep 18, 2010 8:48 AM EDT up reply actions

Must agree on Arbys

was shocked at the fat content, quit going. They must have lost money on the promotion though. Was it last year for the Piston’s they wanted the practically unobtainable triple double. Its like the independent owners had taken a bath on the promotion the year before, from guys like me, and switched it to the the least costly item on there menu.

by Hack Johnson on Sep 18, 2010 2:43 PM EDT up reply actions

probably true about the cost thing.

but I also work in a deli and am quite familiar how their “beef” is made. Sure it’s cow, but it’s not really parts of the cow you’d normally consider eating all rematerialized using a tasty gel. Your “beef” goes from being an ingredient to merely being a spice in the sandwich.

I’m gonna go have a sammich.

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by madpoopz on Sep 19, 2010 10:28 AM EDT up reply actions

Please don't tell us the details

I actually like Arbys.

Deputy Editor, Bless You Boys

Free Scott Sizemore!

by David Tokarz on Sep 21, 2010 12:02 AM EDT up reply actions

The curly fries and Jamocha shakes

more than make up for the content of their sandwiches

semichigansports.blogspot.com

by Lithuanian Sensation on Sep 29, 2010 11:18 AM EDT up reply actions

I don't understand why people like you say things like this.

There’s a saying, “ignorance is bliss,” I am ignorant, let me stay blissful.

If I was your math homework I'd be really hard and you'd be doing me on your desk.
I'm a 7 WAR player in bed.

by TheLoneDavid on Sep 23, 2010 3:30 PM EDT up reply actions

+1

Deputy Editor, Bless You Boys

Free Scott Sizemore!

by David Tokarz on Sep 23, 2010 6:20 PM EDT up reply actions

Finally

I believe, if you look deep enough in the box score from last night – there may have, might have, could have been, a MAX SIGHTING!!! Way to go JL. Now how about a whole stupid game???

by Battlewagon on Sep 22, 2010 2:33 PM EDT reply actions

Today Beck reporting that AA is in and Laird probably doesn't fit in the plans

so question becomes Platoon or FA to split duty with AA. Sure would love to see Max get an auditition for the backup role these last, what is it, 9 games.

Considering Laird’s and JL’s comments about playing time it appears management has had the talk with both players. Considering Laird’s comments I might be more willing to offer arb for the sadwich pick if type B. He has moved on, emotionally. Sure would be nice to have those draft picks if they end up signing a Type A FA or two.

by Hack Johnson on Sep 25, 2010 11:28 AM EDT reply actions

I think they'll sign someone

It would be nice to give Max a chance as backup to AA, but I don’t think they’ll do it. For one, Avila isn’t exactly proven yet. His bat was good last year and has been decent lately, but I wouldn’t call him a sure thing as our starting catcher. He probably deserves the shot, but it’s not a lock that he will be successful all season. Second, catcher is one of the positions where your backup actually logs a decent number of innings and AB’s, even when your primary is healthy. I don’t think we’ll take a chance on a guy that might struggle for this. If St. Pierre stinks and we don’t know it until May or June, there aren’t any viable options left to sign.

My guess is a veteran, right handed, backup style catcher…much like the Treanor signing a couple of years ago. If there’s injury and St. Pierre is still playing well, he’s the call up.

Granderson was my Tiger, then Sizemore, then Willis. Since they're all gone, I'm taking Raburn and hoping the pattern holds.

by momotigers on Sep 25, 2010 1:02 PM EDT up reply actions

this sounds right to me

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by Kurt Mensching on Sep 25, 2010 1:48 PM EDT up reply actions

struggle, Even Laird is looking to be a starter in FA with a .200 ave

Have you looked at the free agent list? Max had 10HRs ,300 ave, good def at toledo. While MLB vs AAA, good stats/good def are hard to find on that FA list. When I looked at each player on list, AA became a no brainer. Capable backups like the slow/.230/good def/no power Molina brothers draw big salaries. Thats way I wouldn’t shy away from offering Laird Arb with understanding he will be the backup. Probablty will sign elsewhere for compensation pick, and if not, don’t think they are going to do better at backup. John Buck career offense is aweful, KMart is bad defensively, there are some NL catchers that look average offence/poor def. Hate it when people choose track records of medicrity over taking a risk and potentially hitting a home run. Trades Can be made later if it doesn’t work out.

Also still say either Raburn or Inge, could do it, for 20 starts a season. Betting Inge will be back, and would only sign him if he was ok with backup catcher duty.

by Hack Johnson on Sep 26, 2010 4:22 PM EDT up reply actions

Speaking of long track records...

And speaking of mediocrity, please refer to St. Pierre’s milb stat sheet. This year could very well be the fluke.

After looking at the catcher free agent list, I do agree that it might be worth the risk on Laird for arbitration. I think he made about 3M or so this year. Arbitration might get him 4M, but maybe less. If we’re on the market for a free agent backup (as I suggested above), said free agent could very well cost us about 2M or 3M per year. Laird might be willing to decline arbitration in favor of a possible starting gig somewhere. My guess is that he’s a type B…anyone know what that gets us?

Granderson was my Tiger, then Sizemore, then Willis. Since they're all gone, I'm taking Raburn and hoping the pattern holds.

by momotigers on Sep 26, 2010 9:23 PM EDT up reply actions