Quote from: Billy Hoyle on Today at 10:41:00 AMJV was 4-11 last year with an ERA under 4. The guy still has gas in the tank and will be a great mentor for the younger dudes.

He needs to be a 5th starter, mentor, big brother.  Olson and Jobe won't be around this year.  Which meant Montero, Melton, and Gipson-Long.were the likely 5th starter candidates.
I like Montero.  I think he is the designated extra starter for double headers.  I think Melton will be used in middle relief.

If Skubal, Valdez, Mize, Flaherty, and Verlander stay healthy enough to start 140+ games this season, I think Detroit does very well.

I hope they remember how to hit in the playoffs.

Quote from: TSmith34, Inc. on Today at 10:19:42 AMI disagree that it has "shown that Shaka's strategy was a poor one." I think it has shown that his strategy can work, but not if you completely whiff on back-to-back recruiting classes.

Unless you're recruiting alongside programs like Duke, there are always going to be recruiting whiffs. That's especially true when you're largely recruiting from a pool of players ranked in the 75 to 150 range. The portal allows programs to correct those whiffs. Shaka's strategy has been to not make those corrections. That's a poor strategy when all your competitors are trying to make corrections.
If you can guarantee there won't be whiffs, or they'll be very rare, then Shaka's strategy can work. But I don't think he can make that guarantee.

Quote from: 18thandWells on Today at 10:33:47 AMMeanwhile, in Denver...

Is he the Kawhi Leonard of MLB?

Quote from: 18thandWells on February 10, 2026, 04:24:26 PMI thought I had read Melton was being considered for a starter, and Jobe should also be back after the All-Star Break. I suppose there is no such thing as too much pitching depth.

JV was 4-11 last year with an ERA under 4. The guy still has gas in the tank and will be a great mentor for the younger dudes.

Quote from: GoldenEagles03 on Today at 10:26:26 AMYou don't think Marquette would be able to offer them $1 million?

I think it is funny how some here believe MU pays players so much that they will never transfer, and some believe MU has no resources to attract transfers. 

Meanwhile, in Denver...

Quote from: GoldenEagles03 on Today at 10:26:26 AMYou don't think Marquette would be able to offer them $1 million?

The question is whether they will under RGV.

Quote from: DoctorV on February 10, 2026, 10:23:22 PMDevin Cleveland is one of the best PGs I've seen on tape.

This reaks of Pemberton to MU as Devin heads elsewhere, completely speculative from my end

That said, I also thought Shaka failed in missing on Nyk Lewis to get Nigel James as a fallback but I don't feel that way anymore.

Get em Shaka

Always healthy to admit when you get it wrong......🤫

Quote from: TSmith34, Inc. on Today at 10:19:42 AMI disagree that it has "shown that Shaka's strategy was a poor one." I think it has shown that his strategy can work, but not if you completely whiff on back-to-back recruiting classes.

I'd guess there a multiple P5 programs who have wiffed on back to back classes, but they replaced the misses with proven D1 players and thus are playing for the NCAA tournament.

I would agree that making HS recruits a primary pipeline for the program is sound. The failure is not using the portal to replace the misses.

Quote from: Billy Hoyle on Today at 09:10:11 AMMoney talks, though. If St. John's or UConn (or other P4 programs, I chose them because they're close to his home) come out and offer James $1 million all bets are off.

You don't think Marquette would be able to offer them $1 million?