We at Bless You Boys have said all through the off season we'll record podcasts whenever there's breaking news. Former Brewers 1st baseman Prince Fielder signing with the Detroit Tigers qualifies, you think? So we got the gang back together and started recording!

BYB Podcast 28 has a running time of 1:01, and features Kurt Mensching, Allison Hagen, Rob Rogacki and Al Beaton.

Topics discussed:

• Prince Fielder? For real?
• Was Tigers owner Mike Ilitch the driving force behind this signing?
• Is this contract all due to Victor Martinez tearing his ACL?
• Have the Tigers become prohibitive favorites in the AL Central?
• It's World Series or bust for Ilitch.
  
• Jim Leyland has to bat Miguel Cabrera 3rd and Fielder 4th, right?
• Where does Cabrera best fit in the field, if at all?
• If Cabrera moves to 3rd base, what happens to Brandon Inge and Don Kelly?
• A year from now, the Tigers will have Cabrera, Martinez and Fielder on the roster. Who plays where? Could we see a trade?
  
• If not Cabrera, who will be the DH?
• You may want to ignore them, but there are some parallels to 2008.
• The Cecil Fielder factor.
• Can the Tigers afford 3 players making $20 million plus a season?
• Is it too early to worry about future contracts and roster fallout 4-5 years down the line?
• Let's not forget the Tigers still need a starting pitcher, and possibly a DH.
• Is Yoenis Cespedes still an option?
• We’re already seeing a backlash. Some pundits and bloggers say the deal is too long, too expensive, Scott Boras is evil, Fielder won’t age well, the Tigers are over loaded with 1B/DH types, they should have signed a starter and a table setter, and so on. Do they have a point?

Brandon Inge mentions: Several!

Blogs mentioned: Fangraphs

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail.com.

Click to directly download the MP3, or listen via the streaming version posted below.

The BYB podcast is available on iTunes!

The BYB Podcast can be streamed on-demand over your iPhone, Android Phone, BlackBerry or Palm phone via Stitcher radio! You can find links to the app at Stitcher.com.

Click here for the podcast RSS feed.

We said in the last episode the BYB staff would convene for another podcast if there were news to cover. The Tigers announcing Victor Martinez tore his left ACL and would miss the entire 2012 season is considered NEWS, with a capital NEWS. Thus, we recorded Bless You Boys Podcast 27 (aka The David Tokarz Memorial Podcast) to discuss the fallout.

BYB Podcast 27 has a running time of 57:11, and features Kurt Mensching, Patrick O'Kennedy, David Tokarz and Al Beaton.

Topics discussed:

• No trolling, please!
• David has an announcement.
• How soon can Martinez return?
• Should the Tigers go for the short-term or long-term fix?
• WAR and Martinez.
• Lynn Henning says GO BIG with a trade, Drew Sharp, in a moment of lucidity, says get Vlad Guerrero..
• In house replacements: Why not Delmon Young or Ryan Raburn?
• What about Ryan Streiby?
• Unrealistic free agents, aka the Prince Fielder portion of the podcast.
• Realistic free agent pickups, aka the pretty much everyone else portion of the podcast.
• Is a trade possible?
• Prediction time: What will the Tigers ultimately do in their attempt to replace Victor Martinez's production?
• Bye bye, Zoom Zoom: Joel Zumaya signs with the Twins.

Brandon Inge mentions: Zero

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail.com.

Click to directly download the MP3, or listen via the streaming version posted below.

The BYB podcast is available on iTunes!

The BYB Podcast is available via streaming on-demand for your iPhone, Android Phone, BlackBerry or Palm phone on Stitcher radio! You can find links to the app at Stitcher.com.

Click here for the podcast RSS feed.

As the old saying goes, "Out of sight (or in our case, out of hearing), out of mind." With that in mind, here's the first Bless You Boys Podcast of 2012!

BYB Podcast 26 has a running time of 56:03, and features Allison Hagen, Kurt Mensching, and Al Beaton.

FYI: Old Time Family Baseball is hosting a weekend long blogathon ro raise money for Doctors Without Borders. They're good folk and it's a great cause. Click here to make a DONATION.

Topics discussed:

• Holidays!
• Pitchers and catchers report on February 20th. We were all burned out at the end of the season. Has the itch for baseball returned?
• Justin Verlander, Conan O'Brien and Taco Bell.
• Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, Lou Whitaker, hall of fame voting and the stupidity of the BBWAA.
• Rumor mongering with Roy Oswalt and Yoenis Cespedes.

Listener questions:

• Corey Luebke, fan trade scenarios and rosterbation.
• How will the Tigers fill the final rotation spot?
• Will the Tigers go with platoons at 2nd and 3rd?
  
• Really? Bad platoons?
• Spring training invitees: Surprises?
• What's the current status of ex-Tigers Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen and Joel Zumaya?
• Will Comerica Park be used in the NHL's next Winter Classic?
  
• How would you improve the game of baseball?
• Between Two Dugouts with the funny and mysterious Phil Coke's Brain: Was the interview for real?

Blogs mentioned: Brain Matters, Old Time Family Baseball.

Brandon Inge mentions:1

Sorry we didn't get to all your questions! We'll get them next time.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail.com.

Click to directly download the MP3, or listen via the streaming version posted below.

The BYB podcast is available on iTunes!

The BYB Podcast is available via streaming on-demand for your iPhone, Android Phone, BlackBerry or Palm phone on Stitcher radio! You can find links to the app at Stitcher.com.

Click here for the podcast RSS feed.

It's been almost a month since we cranked out the last episode of the Bless You Boys Podcast. The holidays have come and gone, but we're dying to talk a little baseball...so we're going to hit the record button.

I'd like to try an all listener question show, as I know the BYB readership is just bursting at the seams with things to say. Plus, it makes my job easier when I don't have to come up with the questions!

So please give your friendly BYB editor a hand. Start typing up those questions!

Remember, there are several ways to submit a question to the BYB Podcast.

The easiest way to get involved is to leave your question in the comments of this post.

You can also email your question to: BYBPodcast at Gmail.com. Please mention your BYB handle in your message so the community knows who to blame!

Aren't registered to comment at BYB? Even though you should be, you can still reach us on Twitter, where the all the cool kids are making fun of, well, something or someone. Send us your question as an @ reply to our Twitter account, @BlessYouBoys.

Aren't on Twitter? Like everyone else in the universe, we're on Facebook too!

As always, your help and downloads are much appreciated!

MLB Network announced today a new game show that should be pretty interesting to follow and give us a little baseball between now and the start of spring training, Baseball IQ.

Each team nominated a trivia expert to compete bracket-style against representatives of the other teams. The opening round features rivalries. So we'll be able to watch as Tigers director of marketing Ron Wade goes head-to-head against White Sox director of baseball operations Dan Fabian.

The date that episode will air has not yet been announced, however the series begins 9 p.m. Jan 24. Two episodes will air each day, Tuesday through Thursday, leading up to the start of spring training.

"Baseball fans are passionate about the sport's statistics and launching Baseball IQ is a way for us to expand our offseason programming lineup to let viewers test their baseball knowledge," said MLB Network President and CEO Tony Petitti. "The premise of Baseball IQ is a natural extension of how fans talk about baseball at home or during a game by putting a current story, player or moment into historical context."

The winner of each episode will receive $5,000 for the organization's charity they represent. The championship episode will award $25,000 for the winner's charity and $15,000 to the runner-up's charity.

Wade's charity is the Detroit Tigers Foundation.

You can find more information about the show, including the rules, here.

The gang at Bless You Boys decided to get together one more time before the holidays to record the final Bless You Boys Podcast of 2011. It's our Christmas gift to you!

BYB Podcast 25 has a running time of 1:05 and features Allison Hagen, Patrick O’Kennedy, David Tokarz, Matt Wallace, Kurt Mensching, and Al Beaton.

Topics discussed:

• Allison takes on MLB's Winter Mettings...and both MLB and Allison survive.
• Brandon Inge got in a car accident, which is the only way he can hit something.
• Meet Octavio Dotel!
• We say goodbye to Ryan Perry, hello to Collin Balester.
• Will Rhymes was non-tendered.
• Could Miguel Cabrera bat 3rd in 2012?
• Tigerfest cancelled!
• Rumor mongering with Jacob Turner.
• Billy Beane wants the moon for Gio Gonzalez.
• Are the Hanley Ramirez rumors just Ken Rosenthal throwing crap to see what sticks?
• Could the Tigers really be interested in Jimmy Rollins?
• Any off season moves will be based on first acquiring Yoenis Cespedes.
• Do the editors agree with the BYB readership, is a big move or two needed to win the AL Central?
• Are you outraged over the Ryan Braun PED scandal, or have you reached the point of 'roid fatigue?
• Albert Pujols and CJ Wilson get crazy money from the Angels...or are they crazy like a fox?
  
• The Marlins are throwing around cash like Tony Montana snorts cocaine.
  
• You should be reading the blogs of Phil Coke's Brain, Dirk Hayhurst and Rogo.
• Kurt's birthday is on Christmas Eve...and no one ever remembers.

Brandon Inge mentions:1

We apologize for the lack of listener questions. They'll be back, so hang in there.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail.com.

Click to directly download the MP3, or listen via the streaming version posted below.

The BYB podcast is available on iTunes!

The BYB Podcast is now available via streaming on-demand for your iPhone, Android Phone, BlackBerry or Palm phone on Stitcher radio! You can find links to the app at Stitcher.com.

Click here for the podcast RSS feed.

We're baaaaack! The batteries have been recharged and there is news a-plenty, so the Bless You Boys Podcast has come out of hibernation!

A wide ranging podcast runs 1:36 (that's what happens when you take time off, there's a backlog of news), featuring the dulcet tones of Allison Hagen, Rob Rogacki, Kurt Mensching, and Al Beaton. We also introduce Patrick O’Kennedy as TigerDog1.

FYI: The BYB Podcast is now available for streaming on-demand on your iPhone, Android Phone, BlackBerry or Palm phone via Stitcher radio! You can find links to the app at Stitcher.com.

Topics discussed:

• BYB has access! We're somebody now!
  
• Allison is headed to MLB's Winter Meetings, plans to stalk Dave Dombrowski.
• The history, the process, the results, the DIBS Awards.
• Little Victor lost the DIBS vote? We want a recount! Heads will roll...
  
• Justin Verlander sweeps the Cy Young and MVP!
• Dave Dombrowski honored.
• Manager of the Year = overrated.
• Silver Slugger and Glove Glove awards are not to be taken seriously.
• Jose Valverde's option picked up.
  
• Ramon Santiago re-signed.
• Platoons at 2nd and 3rd base? It could happen...
• The return of G$, aka Gerald Laird.
  
• 40 man roster updates.
• Why won't the Tigers talk about their arbitration decisions?
• Rumor mongering with Yoenis Cespedes, Aramis Ramirez, Mark Buehrle, Octavio Dotel, Coco Crisp, Kelly Johnson, Maicer Izturis, Martin Prado, and Chone Figgins.
• Stupid crazy free agent contracts.
• Gene Lamont will not be freed.
• Patrick breaks down the new CBA.
• Final thoughts are just glad to be back!

Brandon Inge mentions: 2

We apologize for the lack of listener questions. They were left out because the podcast would have been a good 6 hours long otherwise. They'll be back, so no worries.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you would like to have your question on the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail.com.

Click to directly download the MP3, or listen via the streaming version posted below.

The BYB podcast is available on iTunes!

Click here for the podcast RSS feed.

After months of weekly Detroit Tigers talk, and 23 episodes, the Bless You Boys Podcast is ready to take a short hiatus. The BYB Podcast will return later in the year. Heck, we may even be back next week if the Tigers pull the trigger on a deal!

But the plan is to produce a shorter show whenever news warrants, such as for free agency, trades, and the winter meetings. We'll then return to a longer, weekly format in the spring.

So this being the final show for what could be a least a few weeks, we wanted to make sure the last regularly scheduled episode of the 2011 season was fully populated with editors. We were ultimately missing one, but made do.

Bless You Boys Podcast 23 has a run time of 1:14, and features managing editor Kurt Mensching, deputy editors Rob Rogacki, Allison Hagen, and Matt Wallace, along with your host, deputy editor Al Beaton.

Topics discussed included:

• Post playoff hangovers, who's got one?
• Who's watching the World Series?
• Tony LaRussa is a...he is...what the...Honestly, we don't have an explanation for his World Series game 5 shenanigans.
• Dave Dombrowski, MLB Commissioner?
• Most memorable moment of 2011.
• Most forgettable moment of 2011.
  
• We name our players of the year!
  
• Possible off season strategies, will it involve trades or free agency?
• Which player(s) could be trade bait?
• Listener questions were all over the place, including: Injury updates, Granderson trade winners and...winners, stop second guessing Jim Leyland, to tender or non-tender Delmon Young, middle relief, 2012 payroll and we hear rumors about chicken and beer.
  

Final thoughts: Thank yous all around, it's a podcast love-fest!

In this episode, the number of times Brandon Inge was mentioned is...well, just once. We won't ever have a BYB Podcast without Binge....though there are times when we wouldn't mind it.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you would like to have your question on next week's podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail.com.

Click to directly download the MP3, or listen via the streaming version posted below.

The BYB podcast is available on iTunes!

Click here for the podcast RSS feed.