MONDAY MUSINGS

by Holly Horning

Today, it’s about quick hits – thoughts that hit me as the week goes on as well as connecting the dots re ongoing stories.  Even the quirky.

There will be something here for everyone.

So let’s get to it!  Here are the most interesting topics that hit my brain cells over the past week………..

1. Parker Meadows has had such a terrific debut and extended time with the team so far.  One that even included a walk-off homer to win the game no less.  His entire family was in the stands for most of his first games.  But his brother, Austin, was missing although Parker had talked to him before his first game.

I have to feel for the older brother who is going through so much.  The fanfare over his brother certainly can’t be helpful for his progress – and may even set him back further from recovering from anxiety. As we see now, the Tigers announced that Meadows will not be back this year and is most likely to be non-tendered in the off-season.

2. How good is Spencer Torkelson at becoming the power hitter many thought he would be?  If you use what MLB teams do – a “barrel” – he’s becoming elite.

A “barrel” is the ability to strike a ball that is most conducive to hitting HRs and extra-base hits.  It involves the right combination of exit velocity and launch angle.

Tork is only 1 of 9 ballplayers with 50 or more barrels.  The others?  Shohei Ohtani, Ronald Acuna, Jr.Pete Alonso, Mookie Betts, Matt Chapman, Adolis Garcia, Matt Olson and Corey Seager.  He’s also in the top 10% in barrel rate, exit velocity and hard-hit rate.

3. I know we’ve been accustomed to Al Avila’s lack of trade acumen but fans have to start giving Scott Harris some credit – or at least the benefit of the doubt.  He got so much grief for not trading Chasen Shreve and Jose Cisnero by the trade deadline because their contracts expire after this year.  But you know what?  They are untradeable.  Both put on waivers and not one single team that wanted them.

4. Andre Lipcius was just called up, bypassing Dillon Dingler, Sawyer Gipson-Long (who just got called up), Colt Keith, Justyn-Henry Malloy and Wenceel Perez who are all ranked higher on the prospect list.  The reason?  According to Scott Harris, he can contribute to all facets of the game at the MLB level.  There are those players, esp. Keith and Malloy, who are still having defensive issues.

Lipcius put up outstanding offensive numbers in the minors and he has incredible plate discipline and bat-to-ball contact skills.  He walks a ton and his strikeout percentage is one of the lowest.  But he can also play 1B, 2B, 3B, LF and RF.  It’s this factor esp. that warrants the call-up as the Tigers are trying to figure out who they have for what positions going into next season. He is exactly the type of player Scott Harris said the Tigers will be playing.

5. Riley Greene’s health has become a huge concern for the Tigers.  And the latest diving catch that resulted in another injury to his elbow is just the latest proof that he needs to move to a corner slot.

All of those highlight reel catches are exciting to watch but in reality, it is not because the player excels defensively.  In fact, it’s quite the opposite.

The analysts point to Greene not getting the best jump on fly balls or taking the best route to them.  His speed is helping to compensate for his tracking and timing.  Those amazing catches are really about overcoming his defensive deficiencies.

This is why the Tigers have been talking about moving Riley to either LF or RF and inserting Parker Meadows into CF where his defensive skills are much better and his speed is elite.

6. So many fans are anxious to see players like Colt Keith or Justyn-Henry Malloy come up to Detroit but A. J. Hinch has made it clear that players only get promoted when all facets of their game have been developed and they are confident that these players will fully contribute.

So far, we’ve seen the Tigers wait a little longer in promoting Parker Meadows, which appears to have paid off. He’s performing well and appears to be adjusting much more smoothly than those who came before him.

Isn’t this better than bringing up a player like Spencer Torkelson who strugged in Detroit for well over a year as he attempted to develop his skills but at the major league level? He has talked about how extremely challenging and disheartening his debut was.

7. We know the Bally tv broadcast team for the Tigers is beyond horrible. We also believe it can’t get any worse. But we need to be very careful about what we wish for….

Yes, they actually outdid themselves last week during a game in which Matt Shepard and Kirk Gibson started playing “rock, paper, scissors.” And the tv cameras focused in on them, instead of the game. Worst of all, when the action went back to the field, you could still hear those 2 continuing to play that game in the background.

Is there any other team in MLB that would accept their employees acting in this most childish and unprofessional behavior?

Which one of these stories resonated the most with you?

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