2025 Detroit Tigers General Discussion Thread

[gehringer_2]

I can see it setting up for Baddoo and Malloy to rotate back and forth to the Hens depending on what kind of pitching the Tigers are going to see over each couple of week period - and of course whether they keep producing. When one of them goes that makes room for Vierling. Jake will replace Nido. The big question is who gets bumped for Parker? I'm still guessing it will be Andy Ibanez. Or Andy will be saved for the time being by some one else going to the IL.

Edited Monday at 02:34 AM by gehringer_2

[monkeytargets39]

2 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I can see it setting up for Baddoo and Malloy to rotate back and forth to the Hens depending on what kind of pitching the Tigers are going to see over each couple of week period - and of course whether they keep producing. When one of them goes that makes room for Vierling. Jake will replace Nido. The big question is who gets bumped for Parker? I'm still guessing it will be Andy Ibanez. Or Andy will be saved for the time being by some one else going to the IL.

Torkelson and Javy as RH bats producing a lot (along with Gleyber being added) is starting to make Ibanez a bit more expendable.  McKinstry playing well and being more versatile isn’t helping him either.

 

[Arlington]

Just now, chasfh said:

Is a 51/49 right-handed/left-handed split too right-handed?

I's say yes if 75% of pitches thrown come from a RH pitcher.  Not sure of the actual percentage.  Chat says 75%/25%.  I felt the imbalance gave them an edge last year.

[Arlington]

19 minutes ago, monkeytargets39 said:

Torkelson and Javy as RH bats producing a lot (along with Gleyber being added) is starting to make Ibanez a bit more expendable.  McKinstry playing well and being more versatile isn’t helping him either.

 

I think you're right.  Second and third are now RH bats so he has fewer pinch hit and no platoon opportunities there.   Carpenter is batting more against left-handers.  I can see him hitting for Parker some late in games but Javy would more likely take over earlier.  You hate to release a player who has done everything asked of him, but that what happens when you get good. 

[monkeytargets39]

11 minutes ago, Arlington said:

I think you're right.  Second and third are now RH bats so he has fewer pinch hit and no platoon opportunities there.   Carpenter is batting more against left-handers.  I can see him hitting for Parker some late in games but Javy would more likely take over earlier.  You hate to release a player who has done everything asked of him, but that what happens when you get good. 

I definitely feel like we could deal him for something rather than release him if we end up getting to that point.  There are plenty of teams out there that could use the skill set that he has shown.

[SoCalTiger]

Javy- Tork and McStinky are our co MVP's this year and one most wanted let go for 75 million, one given up on and the last did a Houdini act to stay on the roster last year. Baseball....you gotta LOVE it !!!

[CMRivdogs]

Speaking of podcasts. From my morning funnies 

 

[oblong]

7 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Javy- Tork and McStinky are our co MVP's this year and one most wanted let go for 75 million, one given up on and the last did a Houdini act to stay on the roster last year. Baseball....you gotta LOVE it !!!

I was thinking about that yesterday... imagine if in early August of last year that you were told in mid May of 2025 Zach and Tork would be in the heart of our lineup because we had no better options, what would your thoughts be?  

 

[chasfh]

9 hours ago, Arlington said:

I's say yes if 75% of pitches thrown come from a RH pitcher.  Not sure of the actual percentage.  Chat says 75%/25%.  I felt the imbalance gave them an edge last year.

FWIW we were at a 54/46 RHB/LHB split last year, and league split right now is 56/44, so by that measure, we’re more last handed this year and more left handed than the league in general.

I think the big difference this year is that our right handed hitters are actually hitting. It’s been a huge boost.

[chasfh]

10 hours ago, monkeytargets39 said:

Torkelson and Javy as RH bats producing a lot (along with Gleyber being added) is starting to make Ibanez a bit more expendable.  McKinstry playing well and being more versatile isn’t helping him either.

 

Malloy sure did help his case yesterday for sticking around, didn’t he? At least in our eyes he did, anyway. Probably made no difference to Harris and AJ, who look at the whole performance and do not seem to be swayed by the anecdote at all.

I will tell you what: seeing Malloy’s eyes light up as he threw the guy out at second; seeing him bounce off the field excitedly afterward; seeing him just feeling himself at the pate the following inning; and seeing him basically flip the bat after taking his walk—I was just grinning from ear to ear the whole time watching him. It’s as if I felt a little of the same thrill he must have been feeling. That’s the best of baseball right there.

[chasfh]

38 minutes ago, oblong said:

I was thinking about that yesterday... imagine if in early August of last year that you were told in mid May of 2025 Zach and Tork would be in the heart of our lineup because we had no better options, what would your thoughts be?  

 

I would have thought Tork would have had to improve some to be at the heart of the order this year, because I never did think Harris would just resign to running the same guy out there because of his pedigree no matter how bad he is. Probably not crushing like he is this year, but improved enough.

As for McKinstry, if you told me last August he would be a starter hitting in the heart of the order, I would have thought he must be having a good run but, also, that Riley would probably have to be injured, because no way would McKinstry bat in the middle of the order if both Riley and Tork were healthy and raking. That’s what I would’ve thought back then, anyway.

[gehringer_2]

2 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I would have thought Tork would have had to improve some to be at the heart of the order this year, because I never did think Harris would just resign to running the same guy out there because of his pedigree no matter how bad he is. Probably not crushing like he is this year, but improved enough.

As for McKinstry, if you told me last August he would be a starter hitting in the heart of the order, I would have thought he must be having a good run but, also, that Riley would probably have to be injured, because no way would McKinstry bat in the middle of the order if both Riley and Tork were healthy and raking. That’s what I would’ve thought back then, anyway.

McKinstry has drifted back down to a more normal (for him) 600 OPS in his last 60 PA (since 5/1), which was never a matter of 'if', only 'when', and that's fine. Of course what we don't want to see is Torkelson turn back into a pumpkin - but unlike McKinstry, there is nothing in his BaBIP, xwOBA etc,  to indicate he's gotten any particular good luck to get his results.

[Edman85]

10 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

I can see it setting up for Baddoo and Malloy to rotate back and forth to the Hens depending on what kind of pitching the Tigers are going to see over each couple of week period - and of course whether they keep producing. When one of them goes that makes room for Vierling. Jake will replace Nido. The big question is who gets bumped for Parker? I'm still guessing it will be Andy Ibanez. Or Andy will be saved for the time being by some one else going to the IL.

Tough to do that cycling back and forth with the new five options rule.

My guess is they stick to handedness when moves come. Malloy goes down for Vierling. Baddoo for Meadows. Perez may stay in the minors. But things tend to work themselves out.

[Dino]

41 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Malloy sure did help his case yesterday for sticking around, didn’t he? At least in our eyes he did, anyway. Probably made no difference to Harris and AJ, who look at the whole performance and do not seem to be swayed by the anecdote at all.

I will tell you what: seeing Malloy’s eyes light up as he threw the guy out at second; seeing him bounce off the field excitedly afterward; seeing him just feeling himself at the pate the following inning; and seeing him basically flip the bat after taking his walk—I was just grinning from ear to ear the whole time watching him. It’s as if I felt a little of the same thrill he must have been feeling. That’s the best of baseball right there.

Badoo?

[gehringer_2]

4 minutes ago, Edman85 said:

Tough to do that cycling back and forth with the new five options rule.

true there. Of course we don't know if Baddoo has actually made enough progress with his bat for there to be any interest in slotting him in for more than this little look see. They do seem to like Malloy though  - I guess he is sort of specialty weapon to keep the line moving against a reliever with spotty control. But I had also had the impression Ibanez was under-performing, but looking at his line he's pretty much right where he usually is, so probably less risk of him losing his spot than I speculated.

[Toddwert]

13 hours ago, Tenacious D said:

I have a 4.5 hour commute back and forth every week from Chicago to Detroit, so podcasts are a welcome distraction.

I use to work the night shift by myself so podcasts were a welcomed partner 

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

McKinstry has drifted back down to a more normal (for him) 600 OPS in his last 60 PA (since 5/1), which was never a matter of 'if', only 'when', and that's fine. Of course what we don't want to see is Torkelson turn back into a pumpkin - but unlike McKinstry, there is nothing in his BaBIP, xwOBA etc,  to indicate he's gotten any particular good luck to get his results.

That's because he's not hitting the ball so much in the air anymore. Maybe if he can raise that back up he can recover some of that magic. If not, hey, it was a great run, and it was extremely useful for the first month.

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, Dino said:

Badoo?

That's what I said: Baddoo. 😉😁

[chasfh]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

Baddoo sure did help his case yesterday for sticking around, didn’t he? At least in our eyes he did, anyway. Probably made no difference to Harris and AJ, who look at the whole performance and do not seem to be swayed by the anecdote at all.

I will tell you what: seeing Baddoo’s eyes light up as he threw the guy out at second; seeing him bounce off the field excitedly afterward; seeing him just feeling himself at the pate the following inning; and seeing him basically flip the bat after taking his walk—I was just grinning from ear to ear the whole time watching him. It’s as if I felt a little of the same thrill he must have been feeling. That’s the best of baseball right there.

FTFM

[Tiger337]

Just now, chasfh said:

FTFM

I doubt something like that would influence Hinch.  I also enjoyed it, but eyes lighting up doesn't make someone a better option.  Baddoo isn't even an especialy good fielder, although he's better than Malloy.  

[chasfh]

1 minute ago, Tiger337 said:

I doubt something like that would influence Hinch.  I also enjoyed it, but eyes lighting up doesn't make someone a better option.  Baddoo isn't even an especialy good fielder, although he's better than Malloy.  

Eyes lighting up made me smile. That's all.

[Sports_Freak]

Baseball....the Dodgers swept the Tigers in LA to start the season. OK, they're a very talented group of players. The Tigers won 3 of 4 from the Angels, who looked very bad. So the Angels go into Dodgers stadium and sweep the Dodgers in a 3 game series. Yup, baseball.

[Tenacious D]

I’d like another crack at the Dodgers.  They had already played a few, real games prior.

[monkeytargets39]

3 hours ago, chasfh said:

Malloy sure did help his case yesterday for sticking around, didn’t he? At least in our eyes he did, anyway. Probably made no difference to Harris and AJ, who look at the whole performance and do not seem to be swayed by the anecdote at all.

I will tell you what: seeing Malloy’s eyes light up as he threw the guy out at second; seeing him bounce off the field excitedly afterward; seeing him just feeling himself at the pate the following inning; and seeing him basically flip the bat after taking his walk—I was just grinning from ear to ear the whole time watching him. It’s as if I felt a little of the same thrill he must have been feeling. That’s the best of baseball right there.

I feel like Malloy is safer just because he is among the leagues best at walk rate.  Plus he is younger and is showing more improvement.  

[RandyMarsh]

I know most don't care about Rankings but for those that do the Tigers moved up to number 2 in mlb.com power rankings and to the top spot in CBS's rankings.

I'm sure you'd have to go back to 2014 at the earliest before you'd find the Tigers in the top spot of any national power rankings.