2025 Detroit Tigers Spring Training

[chasfh]

I don't think McKinstry, who was signed to a major league contract of $1,650,000 for 2025, is in any danger of being DFAed any time soon.

[monkeytargets39]

21 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I don't think McKinstry, who was signed to a major league contract of $1,650,000 for 2025, is in any danger of being DFAed any time soon.

I don’t either—but that’s why one of Jung or Sweeney won’t make the team

[gehringer_2]

2 minutes ago, monkeytargets39 said:

I don’t either—but that’s why one of Jung or Sweeney won’t make the team

Baez may be in the best shape of his life, but if he still can't hit they'll have to work out some kind of deal to get him off the roster. I suppose if that turns out to be the case but it's not a proven case by the end of ST, they could option Sweeney out, but even if Javy hits in ST I would have a hard time starting the season with Baez and McKinstry as my SS depth. McKinstry just isn't a very good SS and this team thinks it's after the playoffs again and the right right of the ID is already questionable. Of course the fact that I would have a hard time doesn't mean Harris will!

Unless the team ends up way more optimistic about Baez playing 140 games and being a plus player than we all are!

[IdahoBert]

I saw on mlb.com that Torres is growing a beard and working on his fielding abilities with Cora. 

[gehringer_2]

11 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

I saw on mlb.com that Torres is growing a beard and working on his fielding abilities with Cora. 

Well I suppose if he doesn't go to his left well he should benefit from having an ex-2b on that side, who should have more than average range for a 1B. Hope Tiger pitchers stay ready to cover 1st.

[1776]

29 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Hope Tiger pitchers stay ready to cover 1st.

Gerritt Cole has been brought in as a special instructor. 

[Sports_Freak]

3 hours ago, monkeytargets39 said:

I don’t either—but that’s why one of Jung or Sweeney won’t make the team

I don't like all the media fluff pieces in the early spring. I was reading some Hinch quotes today and he supposedly said "Jung can really hit" and "Mize and Manning can both make the starting rotation."

[gehringer_2]

21 minutes ago, Sports_Freak said:

I don't like all the media fluff pieces in the early spring. I was reading some Hinch quotes today and he supposedly said "Jung can really hit" and "Mize and Manning can both make the starting rotation."

The media machine drives everything to over-exposure. All the things that the reporting is casting in stone are all actually still completely fluid. No-one knows who is going to hit or pitch well, or who will have the misfortune of finding that it's back to the drawing board because for whatever reasons, the off season tweaks they worked on don't work against live opposition. So now every normal decision they have to make will be reported like some kind of big reversal of plans.

[Sports_Freak]

35 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

The media machine drives everything to over-exposure. All the things that the reporting is casting in stone are all actually still completely fluid. No-one knows who is going to hit or pitch well, or who will have the misfortune of finding that it's back to the drawing board because for whatever reasons, the off season tweaks they worked on don't work against live opposition. So now every normal decision they have to make will be reported like some kind of big reversal of plans.

And we all know that results matter in the spring games. If Tork has the same spring he had last year? He'll head north....to Toledo. Same with our #4 and #5 starting pitchers. Mize and Jobe? We don't need a 5th SP for a couple of weeks. I don't see Manning making it though, the organization seems to have soured on him.

[Tenacious D]

For all of you Tiger podcast listeners, I had no idea the bearded one is Kieran.  How does a guy who has a beard sound like his balls still haven’t dropped yet.  His voice belongs with Cody’s face.  This is really messing with me.

 

[HeyAbbott]

6 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

For all of you Tiger podcast listeners, I had no idea the bearded one is Kieran.  How does a guy who has a beard sound like his balls still haven’t dropped yet.  His voice belongs with Cody’s face.  This is really messing with me.

 

Of Tiger Podcasters that I have heard, only Chris Brown of Tigers Minor league report sounds like he doesn't head a weekly testosterone injection.

[romad1]

I had jokes about the Detroit Tigers beat writers for this but I'm not gonna. 

[romad1]

listening to Tiger Territory this AM they said our prospective Toledo rotation would be better than anything the White Sox MLB club could put together.  That's fun.

[Jim Cowan]

I asked Hinch how Larish, Fick, Munson and Shelton were looking at third base and he had the same thing to say about each of them:  "Moves well for a big man, has soft hands and a strong, accurate arm."

[romad1]

4 minutes ago, Jim Cowan said:

I asked Hinch how Larish, Fick, Munson and Shelton were looking at third base and he had the same thing to say about each of them:  "Moves well for a big man, has soft hands and a strong, accurate arm."

I would never use that law firm. 

[chasfh]

16 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Baez may be in the best shape of his life, but if he still can't hit they'll have to work out some kind of deal to get him off the roster. I suppose if that turns out to be the case but it's not a proven case by the end of ST, they could option Sweeney out, but even if Javy hits in ST I would have a hard time starting the season with Baez and McKinstry as my SS depth. McKinstry just isn't a very good SS and this team thinks it's after the playoffs again and the right right of the ID is already questionable. Of course the fact that I would have a hard time doesn't mean Harris will!

Other things being equal in your scenario, whom do you replace McKinstry with?

[chasfh]

I almost caught a bat it the stands from Jeff Larish during a game on the south side—by which I mean, I almost caught one in the face. The bat slipped out of his hands at the end of the swing and came tomahawking into the stands. This was back before the extended nets, of course. It landed to the other side of the guy next to me.

[gehringer_2]

19 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Other things being equal in your scenario, whom do you replace McKinstry with?

To me it's not a matter of replacing McKinstry, I don't mind him as the utility guy but I want a real shortstop ready behind Javy - i.e. I think Sweeney has to be on the team and not just a trip from Toledo away unless Javy is by some miracle going to be playing at a 9 out of 10 game pace. Or put another way, I don't mind how much McKinstry plays or even if he does or doesn't make the team as long as he isn't asked to play much SS.

Of course that's the problem because if Javy is playing but only 1/2 time or even worse RH platoon, they don't want to carry a utility guy and a second SS. I would say tough - drop an OF if you have to, you have to catch the ball on the IF. It's simply more important (IMO) than another marginal bit of match up flexibility for Hinch.

Edited February 18 by gehringer_2

[SoCalTiger]

24 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

To me it's not a matter of replacing McKinstry, I don't mind him as the utility guy but I want a real shortstop ready behind Javy - i.e. I think Sweeney has to be on the team and not just a trip from Toledo away unless Javy is by some miracle going to be playing at a 9 out of 10 game pace. Or put another way, I don't mind how much McKinstry plays or even if he does or doesn't make the team as long as he isn't asked to play much SS.

Of course that's the problem because if Javy is playing but only 1/2 time or even worse RH platoon, they don't want to carry a utility guy and a second SS. I would say tough - drop an OF if you have to, you have to catch the ball on the IF. It's simply more important (IMO) than another marginal bit of match up flexibility for Hinch.

I was a bit surprised when they resigned McStinky this off season and rationalized it as insurance for Baez's health because if ElMago can indeed play and Sweeny is the "starter" then where does McStinky's playing time come unless you cut Ibanez or demote Jung. This is even more tru if they want Tork to DH and have Carp in RF and Verling play some third. Of all the names just mentioned only McStinky and Baez are not long term high (potentially) ceiling players.And one makes $$$.

But Hinch loves his utility knife and Harris hates losing"his guys" so we shall see.

[Tigermojo]

55 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

To me it's not a matter of replacing McKinstry, I don't mind him as the utility guy but I want a real shortstop ready behind Javy - i.e. I think Sweeney has to be on the team and not just a trip from Toledo away unless Javy is by some miracle going to be playing at a 9 out of 10 game pace. Or put another way, I don't mind how much McKinstry plays or even if he does or doesn't make the team as long as he isn't asked to play much SS.

Of course that's the problem because if Javy is playing but only 1/2 time or even worse RH platoon, they don't want to carry a utility guy and a second SS. I would say tough - drop an OF if you have to, you have to catch the ball on the IF. It's simply more important (IMO) than another marginal bit of match up flexibility for Hinch.

Another reason for Sweeney to play third. If Baez is out, Sweeney plays short and Vierling plays third. They don't have that flexibility with Jung and probably much worse defense. Not that I would give up on Jung. If he hits, they will make room for him.

[romad1]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

I almost caught a bat it the stands from Jeff Larish during a game on the south side—by which I mean, I almost caught one in the face. The bat slipped out of his hands at the end of the swing and came tomahawking into the stands. This was back before the extended nets, of course. It landed to the other side of the guy next to me.

Find out much later that Larish had people watching your house, monitoring your mail.  He had it in for you Chas!

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

To me it's not a matter of replacing McKinstry, I don't mind him as the utility guy but I want a real shortstop ready behind Javy - i.e. I think Sweeney has to be on the team and not just a trip from Toledo away unless Javy is by some miracle going to be playing at a 9 out of 10 game pace. Or put another way, I don't mind how much McKinstry plays or even if he does or doesn't make the team as long as he isn't asked to play much SS.

Of course that's the problem because if Javy is playing but only 1/2 time or even worse RH platoon, they don't want to carry a utility guy and a second SS. I would say tough - drop an OF if you have to, you have to catch the ball on the IF. It's simply more important (IMO) than another marginal bit of match up flexibility for Hinch.

I don’t know, it feels to me like a tall order to require a 13-man position player roster carry three “real” shortstops. Two players who are primarily shortstops and a third guy who can cover just in case seems like enough for me. And I do think McKinstry will not be expected to play a few dozen innings at most there. He did play almost all of his innings at shortstop last year after Baez went out and before Sweeney came aboard.

[chasfh]

36 minutes ago, romad1 said:

Find out much later that Larish had people watching your house, monitoring your mail.  He had it in for you Chas!

Jeez, who doesn’t anymore! 😂

[Tenacious D]

One of the Pods suggested that McKinstry could get squeezed (DFA’d) and tyt his salary would probably discourage another team from claiming him, allowing him to serve as insurance in Toledo, which would be the best outcome.

[Tenacious D]

If you’re into this kind of thing…