ATTITUDE OR ENVIRONMENT?

by Holly Horning

As we get closer to spring training, we start to think about all those loose ends from last year.  The question marks.  The concerns.

The hot topics.

And there is nothing hotter than continued speculation about Spencer Torkelson’s future.

Afterall, he was the #1 draft pick and poster child who would help validate the rationale for why the Tigers decided to tank.

But should we blame Tork for what happened – or didn’t happen – last year?  Did he burst our bubble?

The answer is no.

Many fans forget that Spencer had exactly 1 year of minor league experience before being called up to Detroit.  (In contrast, Riley Greene had almost 2.5 years.)  He was nowhere near ready to face the demands of professional baseball.

He unfortunately was the solution for an increasingly desperate GM who needed to solve a long-term problem at 1B and prove to ownership and fans that the rebuild was going well as he faced increasing scrutiny.

So no one should be surprised that Tork struggled all year at the plate and was sent down to Toledo.

He should never have been put in that situation.

But it’s the interview that was done at the end of last year that raised eyebrows among the fans – and the Tigers’ new leadership.

Potentially, Spencer interviews horribly but he came across as not particularly concerned about his first year in the majors.  He did not address his struggles nor did he outline a plan for his off-season strategy.

We did instead hear about the quality time he was going to spend with his new puppy.

But it was the statement about his hitting that caught everyone’s attention.  That there was nothing wrong with his swing, thank you very much.  It’s just fine and there are no plans to change it.

Two days later, the Tigers announced that AAA hitting coach Adam Melhuse would be spending the winter in AZ working with Tork.

Not a coincidence.

And now several other reports in both the local and national media recently that Spencer is still refusing to change his swing.

That was followed by an announcement that the 4 new hitting coaches went to AZ last week to meet – and presumably work – with Torkelson.

Again, not a coincidence.

So is this an issue of attitude?

Maybe.

But I think there’s more going on.  That there’s more than 1 factor.

Yes, highly-talented players, esp. those who end up at the #1 draft pick, are maybe a little more prone to having an attitude or inflated sense of one’s self.

But also, there are those who have historically breezed through those hurdles who start to struggle.  Then they have a hard time accepting that changes have to be made to what initially got them to the top.  That potentially, there is a sense of denial.

And there is always the issue of youth/naiveté that can keep someone from advancing at first.

But I also think that the Tigers corporate culture is to blame.

There have always been rumors that the former player development system didn’t create a strong one that put responsibility on the players.

We also saw it in Detroit.  Players who didn’t return their manager’s phone calls.  Management that appeared shocked when players showed up for spring training significantly overweight and out of shape.  Off-seasons when players were left on their own to train.

And we also saw it in other young players like Kody Clemens who hit .145 last year and was asked by A. J. Hinch to play winter ball.  Clemens said he’d think about it but he had 3 big weddings planned for the winter that probably wouldn’t allow it.

And guess who isn’t with the Tigers anymore?  More on that in a minute.

There was, simply, no system of accountability or emphasis on personal responsibility and growth being taught in the minors.

Could Torkelson have been caught up in that?  When that culture is prevalent throughout an organization, everyone can get lazy.

But we’re starting to see changes now that Scott Harris is in charge.

And undoubtedly he saw that there were issues as he did his deep dive into the organization and also talked with A. J. Hinch and Ryan Garko.

How do I know?

Because Harris included the corporate culture issues into 2 of his 3 tenants:

Acquire, develop and retain young players.

Create a culture of development. Players should think they can come to DET and get better.

This, too, is not a coincidence.

It’s also a major reason why Kody Clemens is no longer with the team.  He did not pass the requirement test presented to him that would continue his tenure with the team.

So now Torkelson is being tested and the Tigers will spend more time trying to shape him because of the skills that got him drafted at #1.  And it’s also going to take some time to undo the culture mentality that dominated before the new regime took over.

And then there’s undoubtedly some mental damage done by promoting him too early last year that needs to be repaired.

Contrary to the erroneous headline in one of the papers, Torkelson is not being handed the 1B job in Detroit next year.  The Tigers are expecting that he will meet the criteria. By saying this, they are putting the ball in his court.  It is, really, his job to lose.

It’s a strategy that both offers confidence to the player while also setting goals for him to reach.

And Harris diplomatically said that the Tigers have not filled the 1B position, adding that they could find another way to fill it from inside if need be.  But it’s not what they want to do. 

It’s letting Tork know it’s there for the taking – if he works at getting better.

Instead of a push, it’s a carrot-and-stick strategy.  Motivation instead of intimidation.

Meanwhile, I’m certain that Michael Brdar, Keith Beauregard, James Rowson and Robin Lund are compiling extensive reports, analysis, video and advanced summaries right now in AZ.  And having some sit downs with Tork. Sometimes you have to present hard evidence in the form of stats and video to help inspire change.

It may be a year late in coming but hopefully they keep Torkelson from falling through the cracks as others before him have undoubtedly done.

The changes won’t be immediate.  They may not even be visible to most of us. 

But let’s hope we hear and read comments about how Spencer has embraced change, accepted advice and tweaked things.

That’s the first step.

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