by Holly Horning
Today, it’s about quick hits – bits of news that catch my radar during the week as well as connecting the dots re ongoing stories. Even the quirky.
So let’s get to it! Here are the most interesting topics that hit my radar over the past week………..
Isn’t it interesting that with so few articles about the Tigers in the 2 major Detroit dailies that they somehow had tons of space covering the debut of the new City Connect uniforms? One paper had 3 articles while its competitor had a whopping 6 of them! All in 1 day.
The latter newspaper even had an offer for free shipping. I wasn’t sure if I was reading a sports section or shopping online.
The only reason for publishing so much about pushing a product had to be commission-related. But I don’t remember seeing the obligatory “If you click on this link, we may receive a commission.”
And if you were watching the games on tv, you couldn’t escape the constant sales pitch by everyone with a microphone. Even a delivery of the new uniform to the broadcast booth.
However, it was interesting that the team decided to return to the traditional home white uniform for Sunday’s game. They were supposed to wear the new City Connect items.
So much for the AL Central being MLB’s easiest division. There are articles appearing that show its rise or “revival.”
The Central is MLB’s only division currently that has an overall win-loss percentage above .500. Until yesterday, it was the only division that has 4 winning teams.
The bonus is that there is no juggernaut team in this division unlike those with the Dodgers or Yankees.
A national article points to the Central’s strategy of “winning in the margins ball” and how all of the teams (except for the White Sox) practice it.
But now that this division is picking it up, it means the Tigers will have to tweak their strategy and step it up.
The Tigers are far from alone in having their rookies like Parker Meadows and Colt Keith now struggling in the majors. A national article points to this year as one where quite a few rookies are in the same situation and being sent down, including 3 who were tapped as RoY contenders. Some of those sent down are #1 draft picks like Jackson Holliday and Henry Davis.
They point to the lack of quality pitching in the minors overall that doesn’t adequately test hitters and is the main reason why they struggle when they reach the MLB level. The gap between what they experience at the plate in the minors and what they see once they reach the majors is bigger than ever. It’s a huge learning curve.
Some also point to the jump in advanced scouting as being a factor. In the minors, you don’t have as much information about a hitter as you do in the majors. If you’re pitching against a minor leaguer, you have less info to go on which is an advantage to hitters and produces better stats. But once you reach the MLB level, every single detail about a hitter is available to all teams. Details that facilitate struggles for the hitter.
Then there’s the factor of the minor leagues’ 6-game series that was introduced during Covid times. Seeing a pitcher multiple times in a short period gives the hitter the advantage.
The question to ask is whether a return to the minors for more seasoning is the best answer or whether teams should simply allow hitters to struggle at the major league level longer. Whatever the solution, it appears that many prospects and rookies will take a longer time getting up to speed.
Fans continue to discuss which Tigers should be extended long-term. And I’ve got the perfect candidate.
Chris Fetter. Maybe Robin Lund, too.
The Tigers pitching continues to receive industry-wide buzz. Their bullpen has been ranking at times at #1. And now, their entire pitching staff ranks #4 in MLB. The other 3 are the expected teams that usually play October baseball.
When you think about it, the Tigers have Scott Harris under a long-term contract. And they just extended A. J. Hinch to one as well.
Why not lock down your pitching gurus long-term?
You’ve got to believe that other teams are just itching to hire them.
The Tigers need to lock them down before another team asks permission to interview to either Fetter and/or Lund and makes them an offer they cannot refuse.
Which one of these stories resonated the most with you?
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