Today, another opportunity for readers to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful dialog and a variety of opinions are welcomed.
Let’s create some running conversational threads. And for those of you still going into offices, here’s a question to take with you – or use via Zoom calls – as you talk to your co-workers.
Here is today’s hot topic. ______________________________________________
The Detroit Tigers are struggling mightily with their offense, ranking either #29 or #30 in MLB and among the leaders in being shut out.
Meanwhile, they have seen a number of pitching prospects come up to Detroit and appear to have potential.
Should the Tigers simply try to work through their inability to score runs or should they trade for some bona fide hitters by using a pitching prospect or two as bait?
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
Last week, we delved into the specifics of the Tigers’ Training and Conditioning department. If you didn’t read the article or need a refresher, you can read it here:
Today, let’s dig into all the injuries the team has experienced this year. Injuries that have helped derail the season and spared only 1 original starting pitcher in the rotation.
But as we know, all injuries aren’t created equal. While we see that the Tigers rank near the top in the number of players who have been on the IL, we can’t really draw valid conclusions until we break down the types of injuries.
For example, freak accidents can’t be blamed on anyone or the conditioning process. Therefore we must exclude the IL stints for:
Javy Baez
Rony Garcia
Riley Greene
Micheal Pineda
As well, players with the unusual health conditions:
Austin Meadows
Will Vest
That now leaves 12 players who need addressing.
First, what we may group together as “soft tissue injuries.” The primary cause of these injuries is due to insufficient stretching and strengthening or overuse.
There were/are 5 players who fall into this category:
Groin – Andrew Chafin and Robbie Grossman
Hamstring – Derek Hill
Quads – Victor Reyes (2 times)
Rib area – Eduardo Rodriguez
The groin and hamstring issues happened very early in the year and can probably be attributed to the shortened spring training.
Rodriguez’s injury remains a mystery.
But Reyes’ second quad injury immediately after being reinstated from injuring the other quad is highly suspicious. Trainers and physical therapists will tell you that an injury forces other parts of your body to compensate, which can then also create other injuries. Reyes’ right quad got injured because it was trying to compensate for the left quad still being weak and not having fully recovered.
And it isn’t comforting to hear Reyes explain what happened. “They haven’t said anything about why. They’re surprised because it’s the same thing, but in the other leg, but they didn’t give me any specifications about why this issue is bothering me so much.”
Great. He’s saying this about the Tigers’ medical/T&C staff. Meanwhile, Reyes is back on the IL for at least another 3 weeks.
Shoulder – Jose Cisnero, Kyle Funkhouser, Matt Manning
Two of these players, Rogers and Turnbull, were injured last year. Both requiring Tommy John. If both had been pitchers, it would have raised some concerns.
But the fact that 3 pitchers all have shoulder issues, should be a cause for investigation.
As well for 3 elbow injuries that show no signs of progress but instead, setbacks. Again, a reason for the Tigers to explore possible connections about how their pitchers are conditioned.
To be fair, Casey Mize came to the Tigers with an injury history and the fact that he took it upon himself during the lockout to bring back his splitter without consulting Chris Fetter may appear to be self-induced. The splitter is the #1 pitch that can cause arm issues.
With all these injuries, one would hope that the Tigers are digging deeply into why they are happening. But Victor Reyes’ comment is a huge red flag.
Or at least should be.
And so is Michael Fulmer’s recent statement about his past elbow injury that required surgery. You may remember that he previously had knee surgery and Doug Teter put Fulmer into a leg brace in order to pitch.
Legs are used to help generate power and velocity and when Fulmer couldn’t regain his, he tried to compensate by throwing harder. It ended up injuring his elbow, which required surgery.
Fulmer confessed that he changed his mechanics in order to compensate for his knee. A knee that should never have been put in a brace so he could pitch. A knee that he said still wasn’t healthy when he returned.
He said he completed the rehab but that it didn’t accomplish the intended goal. And in one of the most stupefying moves on record, the Tigers green-lighted his return to the mound.
In what world do you believe that pitching in a brace is going to lead to good things?
Michael said he “absolutely believes that knee surgery led to (sic) his elbow surgery….You start trying to regenerate things, and ultimately, something else is going to give out that’s not used to that much effort.”
What else can we evaluate about how well the Tigers keep their players from hitting the IL?
It’s really about what’s missing.
A recent interview with Tucker Barnhart revealed that he just learned about the importance of breathing in sports from a coach outside the organization. Breathing (pace and depth) is essential for enhancing focus, stamina and reaction time.
It also appears that the Tigers remain one of the last holdouts in MLB that does not include yoga and/or pilates in its training and conditioning program. Most of the other organizations have it in their programs. A few teams require their players to take classes over the winter. (And in an interesting sidebar, more than a few players actually ended up marrying their instructors.) And college baseball teams routinely include it in their programs.
Both disciplines include breath work but their highest value comes in elongating muscles and soft tissue, coupled with increased flexibility that helps prevent injury.
So far, the Tigers have had 16 “official” injuries only 6 weeks into the season. There will be more.
The question to ask is at what number do the Tigers finally say “enough!” and actually do something about it.
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
Surprise, dear readers! On this holiday, I’m turning the tables on you.
Instead of my weekly trio of observations about the past week, I’m asking you to share just a single one of yours.
What smaller story came to your attention over the past week that you found most interesting?
For this day only, you’ve got 6 sentences max to tell us all about it.
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
The Detroit Tigers have been struggling all year and continue to rank as one of MLB’s worst teams. A surprise for many fans considering that the roster performed better than expected last year and played over .500 baseball for the second half of the season.
Granted, there is always the chance that things improve as they did last year. But frankly, the current signs are not encouraging. And it doesn’t help that Detroit ranks near the top in players on the IL.
So how did the team get to where it is today?
If you had to point your finger at 1 group as the single biggest factor in creating these results, who would you pick?
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
On this long holiday weekend, how better to relax and connect with baseball than to listen to some of the best voices in the game.
No, we’re not talking broadcasters, esp. those who work for Bally Sports Detroit.
Rather this is about story tellers, historians and those who have been around the game and have interesting takes on what they see and hear.
I read and listen to a lot of baseball shows. And there’s a lot of great stuff out there.
Today, I’m going to share 5 resources for you to check out. Some focus on history, some on the written word. Others focus on players of yesterday and those of today. And the list wouldn’t be complete if we didn’t dig beyond the dugout.
These shows or podcasts may be found across multiple sites depending upon your subscriptions and devices. Google the show to find out how you may best access it.
What do they all have in common? Engaging hosts who keep you tuned in and begging for more.
BASEBALL BBQ
Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman cover the good, bad and bizarre baseball culture from All-Star traditions to the on-field brawls. All addressed with perfect wit and just the right amount of respect.
BASEBALL BY THE BOOK
Justin McGuire, a veteran baseball journalist interviews baseball authors about their books. This is where you get your reading list.
BLACK DIAMONDS
Bob Kendrick, President and historian of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum is the host and shares incredible and funny stories about players. His tales of Satchel Paige will keep you glued to the program.
EXECUTIVE ACCESS
Reporter Mark Feinsand looks at the people building baseball teams through interviews with Front Office personnel. Who they are, what they do, what they see and why they do it.
REMEMBER WHEN
Hosted by Ed Randall and Rico Petrocelli (with Kevin Kennedy on occasion), they cover the greats of the game, baseball history and interviews with retired players, their families, reporters, baseball executives and broadcasters. All forms of baseball play and culture are addressed here, including book reviews and author interviews. The repartee between Randall and Petrocelli is exceptional.
Enjoy your holiday weekend, everyone!
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
There’s a lot of crazy stuff being said out there in the social media threads about all of the Tigers’ injuries.
Given the vast number of those on the IL, so many fingers are being pointed. So many want to assign blame.
A few even, who are gathering their pitchforks, tar and feathers as I write…..
The problem?
Fans who don’t understand where the responsibility lies.
Some who believe this is all A. J. Hinch’s fault. Fans blaming him for how he trains his players and their poor conditioning.
The problem is that Hinch doesn’t train his players. He’s not even responsible for creating the program. Nor can he even tell those who are what to do.
Others lay the blame on Doug Teter because he is the “head trainer” while others claim it is the job of the strengthening/conditioning coaches.
What these blame games all have in common is a failure to understand the structure and hierarchy within the Tigers’ organization as well as the job description of each group.
And that’s what we’re going to tackle today. For all the angst and energy fans spend on assigning blame, let’s at least make sure everyone is pointed in the right direction.
To start, there is a entire department called Training and Conditioning. They are the ones primarily responsible for creating policy and structure. However, also assume that they communicate to some degree with the Player Development Department as well as Performance Science.
The head of T&C, Sr. Director of Medical Services, is Kevin Rand. You may remember him. He used to be the Head Athletic Trainer. He is in charge of the entire athletic training program for the Tigers – from the minors to the majors. (Scared yet?)
Rand is a Dombrowski disciple and part of that Expos/Marlins/Tigers clique that is still clinging to life under Al Avila. Kevin worked for Dave in Montreal since 1992 and following him to the Marlins and then the Tigers, where he’s been for the last 20 years.
Doug Teter inherited Rand’s job as Head Athletic Trainer. He has been in the Tigers’ system for almost 30 years.
Now, what exactly does Doug do?
He provides on-site medical care, performs player intake assessments and manages medical records. In conjunction, he uses his knowledge of sports-related injuries to diagnose and treat players. Preventing injury is also part of his job.
But off the field, his responsibility is to also create exercise and nutrition plans and set health and fitness goals with the players (and often coordinating with their families).
Teter also designs treatments, training and rehab programs for the players.
He has 2 Assistant Athletic trainers, Chris McDonald and Matt Rankin. The former has been with the Tigers for 21 years, the latter for 26.
Under Teter, McDonald and Rankin, is the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator, Steve Chase, now in his 17th year with the organization.
Chase’s job involves implementing the department’s strength and conditioning program and working with the Head Athletic Trainer to rehab players and get them back to active play. His 3 major goals are to improve athletic play, reduce injury and teach fitness and movement skills.
Matt Rosenhamer is his assistant. He’s been with the Tigers for 7 years. He appears to be the only young whippersnapper of the group.
Rounding out the department is Medical Services Coordinator, Gwen Keating and Massage Therapist, Janet Szwaboswki.
So what we now know is that strength and conditioning get their orders from Doug Teter. In turn, Teter gets his from Kevin Rand.
So to whom does Rand report?
That’s unclear from available documents but the logical assumption to make it that it comes from the Baseball Operations Department. Specifically, Player Development.
So it may just be likely that Kevin has a brand new boss in Ryan Garko.
He could also be under the auspices of Dr. Georgia Giblin’s Department of Performance Science. She is a rising star and has just won several awards nationally for her work. It has been rumored that the Tigers are in the process of expanding her department and powers.
And this is where it may finally land. Teams now are revamping their T&C programs to reflect the emphasis now being placed on kinesiology and biomechanics. Giblin could be overseeing all of this in the near future.
If there is any silver lining in this big black cloud of injuries, it’s that baseball teams historically have made significant changes to their entire medical/T&C departments when they set records on the number of players who end up on the IL.
And if the Tigers continue to work their way up on that list, Ryan Garko may have another major project to address in less than a year after becoming the VP of PD. It really should be no surprise that his predecessor, Dave Littlefield, addressed none of this during his tenure.
This first year has been about priorities for Garko.
But potentially we may see changes coming soon to the medical/T&C areas. Just a little over a week ago, the Tigers were squarely in the middle of MLB’s number of players on the IL.
Today, they sit at #5 with 16 players.
The only thing we can be confident knowing is that there are some within the organization who are watching this all very carefully.
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
Today, another opportunity for readers to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful dialog and a variety of opinions are welcomed.
Let’s create some running conversational threads. And for those of you still going into offices, here’s a question to take with you – or use via Zoom calls – as you talk to your co-workers.
Here is today’s hot topic. ________________________________
Offense in baseball has reached new levels not seen in 54 years. Hitting is down across the board with all of MLB now holding a .233 batting average. (The Tigers, btw, are hitting .219 as a team.)
This season, 23% of all plate appearances end in strikeouts. Strikeouts are soaring and run scoring is decreasing.
Part of the change has to do with analytics that show a team is more likely to win if they swing for the fences which is why the game appears to have morphed into an all-or-nothing, home run or strikeout game and favors power above all else.
The other part is the new, deader baseball that all players say is making them re-learn how to hit this new ball.
Unfortunately, what fans want to see is home runs. That is what sells the game.
But research also shows that they want to see more action and more balls in play. And given that the shift is going to be modified or banned (yet TBD) next year, focusing more hitters who can spray the ball a la Tony Gwynn and Rod Carew, may pay off.
There are currently only 5 players in MLB who do that. They rarely strike out and put the ball into play. However, they only hit a handful of HRs each season.
As a fan, what is your preference?
Would you prefer to watch a player who hits more singles, doubles and occasional triples (but few HRs) and puts the ball into play or a player who hits more HRs and strikeouts?
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
What did you miss on our Twitter feed yesterday?
A better comparison of just how poor the Tigers’ offense is.
Ever since Mr. I passed away, Dave Dombrowski was “released”, Al Avila got promoted and the era of Brad Ausmus was born, Tiger fans haven’t had a whole lot about which to get excited.
There was the on-again, off-again tear down that started in 2015, reversed course in 2016 and then decidedly stuck in 2017. We’ve been wallowing in roster wasteland (say that fast, 3 times) for 6-8 years.
And then, A. J. Hinch and a whole new set of non-Tiger cronies came on board. The first multi-year free agent contract in awhile appeared. Things were looking up.
Despite a disastrous start to the 2021 season, the team actually played .500+ baseball for more than half the year.
Things could only look up, right?
Some of us got giddy with hope. Afterall, we had been wandering the competitive wasteland for quite awhile.
There was buzz about the 2022 season. It involved the possibility that the Tigers would break the .500 barrier for the first time in 7 years.
There were guesses about how many wins this team could get.
And there was speculation (fueled by the local media) that the team would have a fair shot at the playoffs.
Many fans got a little drunk.
Understandably.
When you’ve been parched this long, you’re a little thirsty.
What we should have done was to have pulled back on the reins. Used a little less heart and a few more grey cells.
The fact is, the Tigers still have a very long way to go in order to achieve a competitive level.
What we should have done is taken a look at the current roster and synced it with the future.
But we’re seeing it now, enabled by all the injuries.
As I’ve written before, all legitimate contenders have depth in their system. The Tigers don’t. And it’s become very apparent this year as they continue to dig down into the minors to find replacements for players hitting the IL.
We weren’t supposed to be seeing some of them this year. But we are now.
But that’s just part of the problem.
Who, right now, is going to be part of this team in 2-3 years when many have said the Tigers should be in the playoffs?
In the infield, only Spencer Torkelson. Maybe Javy Baez (he has an opt-out) and Jeimer Candelario.
The Tigers appear to have reneged on the contract extension for Tucker Barnhart at the moment so he’s not a safe bet.
The outfield? Do you see anyone currently who is a safe bet to be here in 2023 or 2024?
Maybe Austin Meadows but he’ll be pushing 30 by then. And how can we include Riley Greene when he has yet to play a single game at the MLB level? He’s likely but not a slam dunk.
As for relievers, the nature of the job is so transient that we’ll leave that analysis alone.
Starting pitching. It’s the only area in which we can be somewhat comfortable.
The main issue is that this roster is turning over at a glacial pace.
After all these years of tanking, the Tigers have only 1 new positional player to show for it.
Which prospects are being seen as legitimate – not hyped – heirs to catcher, second base, third base, LF and RF? How far away are they from reaching Detroit?
And once those new rookies (hopefully) show up? They’re not going to produce at a solid and regular rate for 1-3 years. A level that is needed to make the team competitive.
How many more years is this going to take?
Please tell me it won’t take as long as it took Michelangelo to pain the Sistine Chapel.
After 7ish years of a tear down/rebuild, shouldn’t this team be further ahead than it is?
And Houston Astros fans complained about the 4 long years it took their team to rebuild. The Tigers appear to be headed towards the 10-year mark.
But really, should we be surprised at how long this is taking?
The Tigers have never been known to be quick, decisive or pro-active. They have always been the last to adopt strategy after almost all the other teams.
If we go by pattern, this rebuild, too, will be longer than most.
It is suspect that Chris Ilitch gave Al Avila a contract of undetermined length. It is the only contract like that in MLB.
And you have to ask why.
Is it because, as a new owner, this was uncharted territory and he wanted to have the flexibility to see how things progressed?
Was it because Ilitch wanted to avoid public debate and calls for the firing of his GM during the ugly rebuilding process?
We will never know.
What we do know is that Avila is the architect of this plan. And when your architect starts missing deadlines, over-promising and under-delivering, or keeps making revisions to the plans, it’s time to start thinking about hiring his replacement.
The biggest question to ask is how soon does Ilitch want his plan completed and functional?
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
What did you miss on our Twitter feed yesterday?
Does Al Avila’s latest solution in solving the starting pitching woes say something about his skills?
Throughout the week, there are so many smaller stories hitting the media. They may be bite-size, but often they are just as important as the headline-grabbing news. Sometimes, even more.
And that’s what brings me to today. A way to discuss some of these stories. A way to bring them out in the open for discussion.
And that’s the plan for Mondays. Keeping track of these mighty little bits that hit my radar throughout the week and sharing them with you today because I know one or more will also resonate with you. So, let’s kick off this week’s musings…
A national analysis of the Phillies’ troubles doesn’t paint a complimentary picture of the architect of their roster – Dave Dombrowski. A roster, btw, comprised of heavy hitters who, almost to the man, are horrible defensively.
Substitute “Tigers” for “Phillies” and the description of the team is eerily familiar. The article describes the horrors of having Nick Castellanos and Kyle Shwarber in the same outfield. Keep Nick in there and replace Shwarber with J. D. Martinez and Philadelphia becomes Tigers II.
In a speech we’ve all heard before, Philadelphia said that they believed their players could overcome the defensive runs cost by out-slugging their opponents.
The article goes on to discuss an organization “without a track record of solid player development” and “in their haste to spend their way into contention, the bottom end of their MLB roster and their farm system suffered”.
Translation: We’re pouring our money into free agents and ignoring the care and feeding of the minor league system. And while we have a lot of free agents, the drop in talent between them and the rest of the roster is significant.
Sound familiar?
The piece sums up the belief that Dombrowski is once again using his cookie-cutter formula for roster building unsuccessfully. And that his expiration date will be sooner rather than later.
The Tigers’ season has been a travesty so far and getting ridiculously more insane with each injury.
At one point, the failures of the Front Office were starting to expose themselves as we headed into May. But now, given the massive number of players on the IL, attention has turned from the overall failure to perform to the almost-daily addition to the overcrowded IL.
And this momentum is now serving as cover for Al Avila.
What had started to look like a reckoning at the end of the year if the Tigers had not changed course is now turning into what will probably be a reprieve for the GM.
If I were Chris Ilitch, having spent over $243 million on new players alone, I would be hugely upset if my investment resulted in a significant backslide in performance. I would be thinking that changes needed to be made – and with more than just a pitching coach. It would make me rethink the path of the rebuild.
But now, and taking into consideration the significant impact of public opinion, would I still make Front Office changes given all those injuries?
Probably not. At least for 1 more year. It would be important for the public and press to know I wasn’t punishing the GM for something he couldn’t directly help. I wouldn’t want to be labeled as the bad guy.
Besides, as you know, the Tigers hate to fire anyone. It’s messy and creates bad press.
With each additional player to the IL, it becomes more noticeable that the Tigers don’t even have the bare minimum of players needed in order to field a competitive team.
There is little room for error even if one positional player does down. There really is no one capable within the minors of taking over for more than a couple days.
Ironically, what the unnatural spate of injuries has created is an accelerated program of prospects seeing Detroit earlier than expected. Obviously, it’s never ideal to see someone before they are near readiness but advance peeks into potential can help in the assessment process, esp. for those who are running the Player Development department.
Best that you know what you have sooner rather than later.
Which one of these stories resonated the most with you?
Don’t see your comment? Comments are limited to maximum of 3 sentences. Please make sure to check out the other rules for posting under the link at the top of the page.
What did you miss on our Twitter feed yesterday?
The Tigers may be trying to pull a fast one, heh, heh….
Totally Tigers 