(We've uploaded a second edit which will hopefully correct Kurt's low mic level)

After a forced hiatus, Al and Kurt return to record a quick and dirty (and not entirely about Jose Valverde) Bless You Boys Podcast. BYB Podcast 77 has a running time of 51 minutes and features Kurt Mensching and Al Beaton.

Topics:

Where has the podcast been hiding? Al's desktop passing on to the great beyond, his step-son graduating high school and a medical issue kept us off the the internet tubes.

Where's Allison this week? Working!

The BYB Meetup deadline for tickets is getting closer.

This week we took questions from Facebook and Twitter. Many thanks to those who contributed!

What to do with Jose Valverde and the bullpen?

Austin Jackson returns, Avisail Garcia sent to Triple-A Toledo and how it affects the outfield.

The Tigers' below .500 road record and and their post-seventh inning offense struggles.

The fan base bitching over Jim Leyland.

We call out @JohnMoz.

Jhonny Peralta and Biogenesis.

Kurt is hungry and wears many hats.

Kurt's Detroit News columns can be found by clicking here.

Click on Allison's payment details so you can join us at the BYB Meetup on August 3rd.

Like us on Facebook!

Find us on Twitter: @NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @BYBKurt, @BlessYouBoys, @SBNationMLB

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

As the Tigers travel to Cleveland, The BYB Podcast returns hoping to soothe a ridiculously nervous fan base.

BYB Podcast 76 has a running time of 56 minutes and features Kurt Mensching, Allison Hagen and Al Beaton.

Topics:

What the Hell happened in Texas?

Apparently two bad starts means Justin Verlander is washed up.

Miguel Cabrera, Baseball God.

Jose Valverde has been Lucky with a capital L.

Is it a coincidence the Tigers have slumped in Austin Jackson's absence?

Al Alburquerque's demotion has the bullpen in disarray.

Drew Smyly is is being badly misused.

Don Kelly should not be playing over Andy Dirks or Matt Tuiasosopo.

Is Alex Avila irreparably broken?

The baseball media is buying into the Indians wholeheartedly. Should we as well?

God help us all if the Tigers lose in Cleveland in the same walk off fashion the Mariners have over the past three games.

Find us on Twitter: @NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @BlessYouBoys, @SBNationMLB

Kurt's Detroit News columns can be found by clicking here.

Click on Allison's payment details so you can join us at the BYB Meetup on August 3rd.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail dot com. You can also contact us via Twitter and Facebook!

Kurt, Allison and Al return after an eleven day hiatus!  BYB Podcast 75 has a running time of 60 minutes and features Kurt Mensching, Allison Hagen and Al Beaton.

Topics:

Where were we last week?

Who are all these new writers at Bless You Boys?

Justin Verlander, no-hitters and pitch counts.

The strikeout streak, cool or meaningless?

Miguel Cabrera is on a 194 RBI pace.

Lineups, or in the words of a vocal minority, why is Don Kelly playing again?

Bruce Rondon was clearly not ready, so why was he anointed the closer last winter?

Looking ahead to Bryce Harper and the Nationals and the Indians with their star AL player of the week, Ryan Raburn!

Are the Astros just plain bad, or can they be 1962 Mets or 2003 Tigers bad?

What in the Hell happened to the Angels?

Does any team in the Central scare you?

Find us on Twitter: @NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @BlessYouBoys

Click on Allison's payment details so you can join us at the BYB Meetup on August 3rd.

Check out BYB's newest podcast, the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak and Goro! To streamline things, we're adding the 20 Grade Podcast to the Bless You Boys Podcast RSS feed. If you are downloading the BYB Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio or another podcatcher, you'll find the 20 Grade Podcast in the feed as well.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail dot com. You can also contact us via Twitter and Facebook!

Check out the sixth episode of the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak, Goro, and Galea.

Topics discussed include:

• Erie OF - Fields K%, is he a prospect? ... Collins, will he be a MLBer?
• Garcia or Castellanos - who gets the call first?
• Picks from last week's pitcher/hitter of the week
• This week's picks

All of that and more on the latest 20 Grade Podcast!

If you are downloading the BYB Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio or another podcatcher, you'll find the 20 Grade Podcast within the same feed as well.

Download the 20 Grade Podcast.

Stream the 20 Grade Podcast.

On the fourth consecutive Bless You Boys Podcast recorded after a Tigers loss, Allison wants money, Ian compares Jose Valverde to a blankie and Al issues a warning.

BYB Podcast 74 has a running time of 1:10 and features Allison Hagen, Al Beaton and special guest Ian Casselberry,

Click here if you don't understand the episode title reference.

Topics:

Where's Kurt? (Helping to cover the NFL Draft for the SBNation mothership)

All things Jose Valverde, good and bad.

The new normal in the bullpen.

Were does Bruce Rondon fit?

What instructions did the Tigers give Brayan Villarreal, and will they work?

Octavio Dotel is 39 years old and has a bad elbow. That combination does not equal a speedy recovery.

Max Scherzer vs. King Felix Hernandez.

Weirdness in Anaheim.

Rick Porcello was the unluckiest man on the planet.

Where's the offense?

Andy Dirks isn't hitting. Could 2013 left field be the new 2012 right field?

No reason to be concerned over Victor Martinez.

Did the Tigers break Alex Avila?

Overrated? REALLY?

Why do sabermatricians hate the Tigers?

Luck, extra innings and the Orioles.

If Derek Jeter cannot return as a shortstop, he becomes a far less valuable player.

Who might be the best closer available at the trade deadline? Jason Grilli. Yes, THE SAME Jason Grilli Tigers fans ran out of town in 2008 already has nine saves for the Pirates.

Every time an idiot sports talk radio host says a closer is more valuable than a starter, baby Jebus cries.

Find us on Twitter: @NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @IanCass

Find Ian's takes on the Tigers can be found at The Daily Fungo and his baseball columns at The Outside Corner.

Click on Allison's payment details so you can join us at the BYB Meetup on August 3rd.

Check out BYB's newest podcast, the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak and Goro! To streamline things, we're adding the 20 Grade Podcast to the Bless You Boys Podcast RSS feed. If you are downloading the BYB Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio or another podcatcher, you'll find the 20 Grade Podcast in the feed as well.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail dot com. You can also contact us via Twitter and Facebook!

It's episode 5 of the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak (Brian Sakowski) Goro (Jordan Gorosh) and Nick Galea, who needs a nickname! In this edition of the 20 Grade Podcast, the gang talks about:

-Matt Hoffman.

-Bruce Rondon, when will he be freed?

-What's up with Schotts?

-Devon Travis, as usual.

-Where will Schotts, Thompson and Collins move up?

All of that and more on the latest 20 Grade Podcast!

If you are downloading the BYB Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio or another podcatcher, you'll find the 20 Grade Podcast within the same feed as well.

On the third consecutive Bless You Boys Podcast recorded after a loss, Kurt makes stats up, Allison makes a triumphant return and Al dreads the inevitable return of the Big Potato.

BYB Podcast 73 has a running time of 58 minutes and features Kurt Mensching, Allison Hagen and Al Beaton.

Topics:

The Tigers are having both a great West Coast trip and start to the season.

The Tigers' 14 inning win in game two of the Mariners series was epic, weird and epically weird. It may be years before we see another game remotely like it.

Revisiting the Doug Fister trade.

ESPN's Jim Bowden (ESPN Insider link) seriously suggested trading either Avisail Garcia or Drew Smyly for Padres closer Hutson Street. NO WA...Well, not so fast on Garcia...

Changes are looming in the bullpen.

Jose Valverde, Bruce Rondon or both?

Is it time to retire the #AustinJacksonStrikesOut hash tag?

Brandon Inge, beer, peanuts, drunk fans and Toledo don't mix.

Carlos Quentin is nuts.

Padres CEO Tom Garfinkel, who disparagingly called Zack Greinke "Rain Man", is a despicable human being.

Justin Verlander's contract sends a writer for Slate over a disingenuous, self-righteous, edge. 

It's true, Kurt made up BABIP.

All games should start at either 1 PM or 7 PM Eastern. No exceptions.

Joe Dumars should be fired.

For all your Toledo Mud Hens coverage, check beat writer John Wagner's blog Coop Scoop, his Toledo Blade articles and @JWagnerBlade.

Find us on Twitter: @@NoRunSupport, @BigAlBYB, @BlessYouBoys

Read Kurt's latest columns at the Detroit News.

You can find Allison's payment details here so you can join us at the BYB Meetup on August 3rd.

Check out BYB's newest podcast, the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak and Goro! To streamline things, we're adding the 20 Grade Podcast to the Bless You Boys Podcast RSS feed. If you are downloading the BYB Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio or another podcatcher, you'll find the 20 Grade Podcast in the feed as well.

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail dot com. You can also contact us via Twitter and Facebook!

It's episode 4 of the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak (Brian Sakowski) & Goro (Jordan Gorosh).

In this edition of the 20 Grade Podcast, Sak & Goro talk about:

- "Hot and Not" for each minor league affiliate, including Devon Travis' hot start, Jason King's struggles, and a few surprises.

- Who might play SS and 2B for the Tigers in 2014 from within the organiztion

- Minor league relievers that may be able to come up and help out if the bullpen struggles continue.

All of that and more on Episode 4 of the 20 Grade Podcast.

Brian Sakowski (@B_Sakowski) and Jordan Gorosh (@jgoro8) discuss their trip to West Michigan last weekend in greater detail.

Players discussed:

-Devon Travis (a lot)

-Austin Schotts

-Danry Vazquez

-Jeff Holm

-Endrys Briceno

-Hudson Randall

-Montreal Robertson

And more!

Note from Al: To streamline how we handle our audio, we've added the 20 Grade Podcast to the Bless You Boys Podcast RSS feed. If you are downloading the BYB Podcast via iTunes, Stitcher Radio or another podcatcher, you'll find The 20 Grade Podcast in the feed as well.

On this week's Bless You Boys Podcast, Al makes brats, Allison answers the phone, Kurt says, "I told you so!" and a blown save sends the show off its axis.

BYB Podcast 71 has a running time of 51 minutes and features Kurt Mensching, Allison Hagen and Al Beaton.

Topics:

Bullpen by committee hits a speed bump in game two of the season.

Phil Coke was put in a position to fail when forced to face right-handed hitting.

Justin Verlander signs a five year contract extension, becomes the real life Billy Chapel.

Risk vs reward in signing Verlander long-term.

The rush to sign young stars to long-term contracts has the media saying free agency is D.E.D., dead.

Long-term extensions could make for parity in baseball, changing the philosophy of big market teams like the Yankees and Red Sox..

Tigers 2013 payroll reaches $148 million, have contractual commitments of $612.8 million until 2020.

The Tigers may have lost $400,000 in 2012, but not to worry. According to Forbes, the franchise is worth $643 million.

Bruce Rondon not ready for prime time.

In the game of backup infielder bingo. Ramon Santiago wins.

Tigers watching pitch counts closely in Minnesota.

Someone is bound to take a stranglehold on the closer job. But when?

Tigers making a concerted effort to be more aggressive on the bases.

Yu Darvish narrowly misses a perfect game. No-hitters are the new black.

Click here to read Kurt's latest columns at the Detroit News.

Click here for Allison's payment details so you can join us at the BYB Meetup on August 3rd.

Check out BYB's newest podcast, the 20 Grade Podcast with Sak and Goro!

We LOVE to hear from you. If you have any questions or comments about the podcast, please email us at BYBPodcast at Gmail dot com. You can also contact us via Twitter and Facebook!