The Tigers have not had a full-time 1Ber since 2020 and have been platooning since Tork’s demotion. He has been a plus defender at 1B.
Call-ups are in September. Should the Tigers bring him back to Detroit for more experience and evaluation? Another opportunity to prepare for the 2023 season?
They currently have no other prospects who are easily seen as candidates inheriting the 1B position.
Or will bringing him back only compound his offensive issues? Should the Tigers keep him Toledo for the rest of the season?
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At this point, what could it hurt to bring him up? We are going nowhere fast, and at least he’s a plus defender. If he doesn’t hit–well he will be no different then the rest of the group.
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Spencer was a -4 in defensive runs saved so I think it is quite possible that we overrate his great scoops on bad Javi throws. I think he needs to be in an environment for the rest of the season where he simply focuses on plugging the holes in his swing and learning to master his position. How this determination impacts the big league team is completely inconsequential of course, so I think Toledo is the place for him to prove his worth with excellence.
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Agree, Hughie. Just because Spencer was a #1 pick doesn’t make him heir to the throne until he proves himself, just like any other draft pick. Thus far, Tork’s been unable to impress at AAA.
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He had the job handed to him this spring complete with a glove ceremony from Hinch and Miggy. Before he had done anything. He needs to earn his way back.
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I agree, Sandy, but only if it doesn’t hurt Tork’s confidence or hinder his development. It’s plain he’s been rushed through the system – hence his initial struggles at each level. Pretty sure he’ll turn out well in spite of how the Tigers have handled him.
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If his confidence or feelings get hurt by having to actually earn his promotion by mastering AAA pitching…perhaps he doesn’t have the mental fortitude to succeed at the Major League level. Of course it’s too soon to tell if that’s the case but a worrying about a player’s feelings if he doesn’t hit well enough to be recalled to Detroit should never be a consideration for promoting a player
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Bring him up and have him play 3rd and 1st. That way Tigers have flexibility to sign a FA 3rd or 1st baseman depending.
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Let him play his way back on Team. He has the talent now just needs the confidence. Hopefully we get a new batting coach and he is able to help all batters improve!
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I agree with Brian in terms of playing his way back, particularly when he was sent down it was implied that he resisted instruction. I hope he is a star, but incredibly Harold Castro is our cleanup hitting first baseman with the teams best batting average (and a better DRS at first than Tork). If only we could wish you into greatness, Spencer.
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Bring Tork back up as long as they play him everyday. He needs to see as much major league pitching as possible. Agree with Sandy’s comment.
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Leave him in Toledo the rest of the year. If he’s hitting well, he ends the season feeling good about himself and starts spring training with a clean slate. If he’s not hitting well there then he won’t hit well here.
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Absolutely agree. I don’t care where he was drafted. Produce, or ride buses between games.
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He probably would have benefited from a 2nd year of Minor League ball before getting called up to Detroit. I think they should keep him down in Toledo until he’s hitting at an .800 OPS clip. Whether that’s this September or next year sometime that should depend on his actual performance on the field rather than expected potential.
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The team rushed Tork to bring him up with his pal Riley Greene. They were billed as the new Lou and Tram combo to anchor the future. When Riley got injured it put the spotlight directly on Tork and he got burned – hopefully only a temporary setback.
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As mentioned, he is struggling in Toledo as well. If he absolutely rakes over the next month, I might consider it. But I do not see a reason to rush him right now. Many a good player has struggled, been sent back down to the minors, and came back stronger the following year.
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The minor league season ends September 18. Unless Tork is batting really poorly in Toledo then, why not call him up for the last couple weeks of the season fir some more ABs?
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No question that he was brought up too early which is a consistent habit of this team’s management. Keep him in the minors until he learns to hit. Continue to play Harold at first where he is playing acceptably, and getting better, while continuing to hit well enough to be the Tigers’ best hitter.
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The catch, Tommy, is few players ever learn to hit in the Tiger farm system. Drives me nuts that our player development system is so bad. It’s been more of a “sink or swim” system.
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You bring him back up and give him another chance. The Tiger method has always seemed to be to leave guys in the minors until they are annual all stars at that level and locks to be ready for the majors. Look how that has worked.
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The kid had 1 year of player development before getting his shot. Hardly seems like he left to rot on the vines to me.
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Referencing the Tiger’s normal advancement of players. They waste years in the minors. What prospect has been advanced over the past 20 years and stayed that wasn’t named Verlander or Zumaya?
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I have very little faith in our present coach’s ability to help a hitter. I watched Mike Hessman while he was with the Mudhens and he either struck out or homered. His batting average was around .200. I quit going to the games as to watch endless strikeouts, gets boring fast. All you have to do is review the stats of past tiger players with their new teams and you quickly realize how poorly our hitting coaches have performed.
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Difficult choice but in the end voted keep him in Toledo and during the winter hopefully he hires someone with a proven track record of improving hitters and then see how ST goes next year
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If the Tigers were smart this kid wouldn’t have much free time on his hands this winter. The expectation would be that he plays Winter Ball somewhere where he can hone his craft.
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Why would the Tigers bring Torkelson back in September ? He hit .238 at Toledo in 2021, .197 at Detroit in 2022, followed by .232 at Toledo in 2022. Shouldn’t Torkelson first prove he can hit Triple-A pitching before promoting him again ?
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Sky Seymour……I couldn’t agree more. The kid only had 1 year of player development and the results were far from ideal. Everyone wants to talk about the 30 homeruns he hit at 3 levels but there’s more to hitting than reaching the fences off of 18-21 year old kids.
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People need to cut Torkelson and other draftees some slack. They lost the bulk of their last college season and missed valuable training time after being drafted due to everything shut down. Their next full season in the Minor Leagues in 2020 was wiped out. So in essence, all those players lost nearly two full years of valuable mentoring and they have all been forced to now play catch up. I voted to keep Torkelson in Toledo the rest of the way.
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Dangle the carrot. Let him know that if he hits in Toledo, he will be back this year. Let Legendary Lloyd earn his reputation by getting Tork back to being Tork.
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