2025 Detroit Tigers Spring Training

[gehringer_2]

19 hours ago, HeyAbbott said:

This roster is starting to look like one horribly ****ed up disaster

Two things have to happen and they will be OK: Sweeney has to hit as well as last season, and Javy needs to play 3b and hit as well as '22.

The first one is fairly likely, the second is as much hope as anything else, but as long as the possibility is still in play, the lineup can work. If it ends up 3B (or worse SS) by committee it will be a lot more ugly.

I don't see a problem on the other side with Tork, Keith, and Torres. There are enough AB to go around if they all hit and if someone doesn't it's that much simpler.

Well, the other thing that needs to happen is Meadows has to get back. I guess that's more ordinary injury issue than line-up issue but it's still a hole they can't adequately fill as it stands.

[Edman85]

In fairness to Shep, if you parse his tweet. I believe him when he says Gibby prepares better than anybody he's worked with... when you realize they saddled him with Morris and Monroe, that is undoubtedly true.

[Sports_Freak]

57 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Two things have to happen and they will be OK: Sweeney has to hit as well as last season, and Javy needs to play 3b and hit as well as '22.

The first one is fairly likely, the second is as much hope as anything else, but as long as the possibility is still in play, the lineup can work. If it ends up 3B (or worse SS) by committee it will be a lot more ugly.

I don't see a problem on the other side with Tork, Keith, and Torres. There are enough AB to go around if they all hit and if someone doesn't it's that much simpler.

Well, the other thing that needs to happen is Meadows has to get back. I guess that's more ordinary injury issue than line-up issue but it's still a hole they can't adequately fill as it stands.

This Tiger team would be that much better with an effective Tork. We need his RH bat hitting for power. But, the biggest problem, IMO, is the loss of Meadows. The Tigers were 54-28 with him in the line-up in 2024. Replacing his defense isn't possible.

 

[gehringer_2]

I have no particular sympathy for Shep. As a broadcaster he made a very conscious decision about how to do his broadcast and it was the wrong one and he never adjusted - his fate was in his own hands to get better/fix what was wrong -  and he never moved off his initial stance/style. People don't want the PBP to act like a sycophant with the player - they like the idea of the player as a regular guy, and the PBP needs to stand in for the listeners as a regular guy having a regular back and forth with the player, just like you would want to do yourself if you were there. Shep never went there, and to to me that's what was always wrong with his work. His approach was "nobody wants to hear what I think when there is a ball player next to me" but that is exactly wrong. Look at all the popular sports broadcasting/podcasting etc. Your job is to be an interesting equal - not just lap up whatever the other guy says. If you aren't bringing anything yourself, there is no reason for you to be there - get someone who believes he knows something about the game and is willing express himself and maybe go back and forth with the player - etc. It was especially dumb when Shep would ask the player some question that was so trivially basic that any baseball fan could answer it but he still refused to speak for himself. Those kinds or interchanges were always too obsequious and stagey to be any kind of good game coverage. The idea that you had to have played the game to know the game is nonsense - had he never heard of Patrick, Ernie, Vin, Red, Dickerson, even Costas?

Do dumb ****, get bad results.

Edited March 19 by gehringer_2

[Tiger337]

Just now, Sports_Freak said:

This Tiger team would be that much better with an effective Tork. We need his RH bat hitting for power. But, the biggest problem, IMO, is the loss of Meadows. The Tigers were 54-28 with him in the line-up in 2024. Replacing his defense isn't possible.

 

They are not going go 54-28 with him in the line-up again, but I agree they really need him healthy.  He is probably going to be 3-4 wins beter than his replacement and, given where they are at, that could very well be the difference between making the playoffs and going home.  

[Sports_Freak]

4 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

They are not going go 54-28 with him in the line-up again, but I agree they really need him healthy.  He is probably going to be 3-4 wins beter than his replacement and, given where they are at, that could very well be the difference between making the playoffs and going home.  

I worry about KC more than I do Cleveland. The Twins or WSox? Not so much. But it looks like the Tigers have a very good pitching staff. The experience the BP guys got last year is a real advantage. But 2 regulars missing to start the season and 3 or 4 players playing out of position (or Keith, learning a new position) is a bit scary.

[gehringer_2]

1 minute ago, Sports_Freak said:

I worry about KC more than I do Cleveland. The Twins or WSox? Not so much. But it looks like the Tigers have a very good pitching staff. The experience the BP guys got last year is a real advantage. But 2 regulars missing to start the season and 3 or 4 players playing out of position (or Keith, learning a new position) is a bit scary.

Javy throwing to Keith is going to be scary for sure. Obviously it's way early on the learning curve, but at best, it would be hard to say he looks like a natural there, much more a work in progress and we have to hope the progress part comes fast enough it doesn't cost games.

[Motor City Sonics]

Hinch is Dr. Frankenstein and the roster is The Monster.    Outside of Greene, Torres and Rogers (sort of), the rest of the team is just going to be pieced together and it's either going to dazzle us with a stirring rendition of Puttin On The Ritz or it's going to freak out at the sight of fire and destroy everything. 

 

 

Edited March 19 by Motor City Sonics

[monkeytargets39]

7 hours ago, Edman85 said:

In fairness to Shep, if you parse his tweet. I believe him when he says Gibby prepares better than anybody he's worked with... when you realize they saddled him with Morris and Monroe, that is undoubtedly true.

I prepare more for each game than Morris and Monroe did

[romad1]

He's so damn good

Jason: "It was quiet uptown for Gleyber Torres." 

Carlos:  "I was in the room where it happened"

Edited March 19 by romad1

[gehringer_2]

16 hours ago, Motor City Sonics said:

Let's say it wasn't Gibby's choice to leave. 

You know what?   I'm fine with that.   There comes a time when all of us won't be able to keep up anymore.  For most of us it will be age.   Most people avoid this by retiring when they get the chance, but for those of us who love what we do, there will be a time where we just can't do it anymore and when that happens, the ones who don't recognize it will be asked to leave.   It sucks for Gibby, but it was pretty clear last year that he was really struggling.    Doesn't make the Tigers the bad guys here.  They didn't do it for personal reasons, they likely didn't do it to save money, they did it because it was painfully clear.    Parkinsons' Sucks.  

Not to mention that Benetti + Gibson wasn't working for some reason. Gibby constantly needled him and Jason would end up not knowing where to go with it or having to avoid the direction Gibson was pushing (i.e talking about Jason's own disabilities) I thought it was getting pretty strained sometimes.

Edited March 19 by gehringer_2

[Shinzaki]

I heard Benetti on 97.1 one morning raving about working with Gibby..so who knows

[Tigermojo]

They should have just hired a new team when they brought Benetti here instead of trying to fit him into a sub par broadcast. 

[davidsb623]

Torres to 3B, Keith back to 2B and keep Tork at 1B (as long as he produces).  We should be catering to Keith since he is on a long contract with the team and play (one year contract) Torres where he is most needed to make this team it's best.  

[gehringer_2]

2 hours ago, Shinzaki said:

I heard Benetti on 97.1 one morning raving about working with Gibby..so who knows

Indeed - Maybe he was fine with it, but I don't think it was working as game coverage. Sort of TMI

[gehringer_2]

45 minutes ago, davidsb623 said:

Torres to 3B, Keith back to 2B and keep Tork at 1B (as long as he produces).  We should be catering to Keith since he is on a long contract with the team and play (one year contract) Torres where he is most needed to make this team it's best.  

If Javy doesn't work out there, I wouldn't be surprised if things move in that direction - of course assuming Tork is actually fixed. And I suppose that's probably the key. They aren't going to approach Torres until they are sure about Tork and Gleyber can see the advantage to the team himself (much like they weren't going to bother asking Tork to practice in RF until they saw if he had accomplished something on the hitting side).  From what I read about the episode with the Yankees, it may not even have been the idea of playing third as much as they wanted him to do it with zero notice and no prep/practice - so we'll see.

[Motor City Sonics]

I sure like the idea of Pena & Dirks in the booth with Jason a lot better than other options.   Petry's okay, but a little dry.   

Craig Monroe was just flat-out annoying with his cheerleading schtick. 

[romad1]

49 minutes ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I sure like the idea of Pena & Dirks in the booth with Jason a lot better than other options.   Petry's okay, but a little dry.   

Craig Monroe was just flat-out annoying with his cheerleading schtick. 

If Carlos Pena and Jason Benetti are going to riff that flawlessly i'm here for it.  I think those playoff run booths with all the guys were starting to have the similar energy as the Lions Dan Dickerson calls of the game videos.  Which are amazing drama.  

[papalawrence]

1 hour ago, Motor City Sonics said:

I sure like the idea of Pena & Dirks in the booth with Jason a lot better than other options.   Petry's okay, but a little dry.   

Craig Monroe was just flat-out annoying with his cheerleading schtick. 

Nothing against Craig, but his voice always seems as if he has a frog in his throat. Like nails on a chalkboard to me. Since I have mlb.tv I would watch the opposing team's broadcasts. Shep and Monroe were just plain annoying to me. As were Shep and Morris. I thought they sucked, and was not surprised when Detroit's broadcasts were rated inferior. I like Gibby, but I don't think he fits as an analyst commentator. God speed to him. Keep him around. He is an iconic Tiger

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, papalawrence said:

Nothing against Craig, but his voice always seems as if he has a frog in his throat. Like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Agree this was an issue. - I guess he was trying to use a gravelier "announcing voice" in the TV both because when he was on the radio it wasn't nearly as bad.

[chasfh]

I always put Dan on the audio feed over the MLB.tv video. Problem solved.

Although I will miss Andy being on the radio with him. I thought it worked well because Dan is all business, which led Andy to moderate his propensity for clubhouse-like joking. When Andy is on with Jason there are no guardrails, so it can get to be really too much between the two of them as they start competing to top each other.

[monkeytargets39]

I’d prefer Benetti with Petry or Pena, and Dickerson and Dirks together.  I’ll miss Keats and Johnny Kane, but I would like to see more Mickey York.

[Tenacious D]

4 hours ago, monkeytargets39 said:

I’d prefer Benetti with Petry or Pena, and Dickerson and Dirks together.  I’ll miss Keats and Johnny Kane, but I would like to see more Mickey York.

More Mickey York?  His wife doesn’t even say that.

[Edman85]

Haven't listened yet, but Tony Paul dropped a 1+ hr podcast interview with Al Avila that appeared to be pretty revealing.

[casimir]

On 3/17/2025 at 11:10 AM, Tiger337 said:

Great points. One of your best comments ever.  

Wow, thank you very much.