Tiger Cubs (notes on the minors)

[Tenacious D]

On 10/29/2025 at 10:57 PM, gehringer_2 said:

Max Anderson leading the AFL with a 517 BA in 42 PA

https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/arizona-fall-league-early-statcast-standouts

https://www.mlb.com/arizona-fall-league/stats/batting-average

Anderson has hit a wall in AZ—batting average down to .465

[papalawrence]

5 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Anderson has hit a wall in AZ—batting average down to .465

Both Max and McGonigle are hitting .400+

[Dan Gilmore]

1 hour ago, TigerNation said:

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/kevin-mcgonigle-talks-hitting/

Interesting that the interview mentioned Riley, and strikeouts, and towards the end, not hunting the perfect pitch to drive (Tork?). I’m eager to see McGonigle move up.

[Sports_Freak]

 

[gehringer_2]

6 hours ago, Dan Gilmore said:

Interesting that the interview mentioned Riley, and strikeouts, and towards the end, not hunting the perfect pitch to drive (Tork?). I’m eager to see McGonigle move up.

It was interesting - also very notable that he said the Tigers pretty much wait for hitters to come to them. I suppose with all these guy having private coaching that all you can do without risking the infamous "too many voices in his ears" that Hinch mentioned in '24 when Tork was struggling. It was also interesting to here him say he was basically a 'see ball, hit ball' guy even though you hear a lot of people say you can't hit that way. 

[Tiger337]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

 It was also interesting to here him say he was basically a 'see ball, hit ball' guy even though you hear a lot of people say you can't hit that way. 

I noticed that too.  Hopefully, he is smart enough to make the addjustment if you really can't hit that way in the majors.  Either that or he so talented that he is one of the few who can still hit that way.    

[Dan Gilmore]

Doesn’t differing ability to do the “see” part of that phrase define how well a hitter does the “hit” part? It’s expected that hitters will crush a mistake pitch, a hung slider or cutter that stays true. But those cookies do get popped up or sprayed foul. With so short a time recognize a pitch, plot its path and coordinate a swing, failure is the norm.

McGonigle does mention some areas he feels he needs to improve on, or at least be aware of how a pitcher might try to defeat him. And he has worked on his bat speed (an area the coaches have assisted in) to at the least foul off the pitches he didn’t see well or were too well placed to barrel up. I am eager to find out if his approach and skills continue to work well as he moves up levels. The contrast with Tork is significant to me.

[gehringer_2]

2 hours ago, Dan Gilmore said:

Doesn’t differing ability to do the “see” part of that phrase define how well a hitter does the “hit” part? It’s expected that hitters will crush a mistake pitch, a hung slider or cutter that stays true. But those cookies do get popped up or sprayed foul. With so short a time recognize a pitch, plot its path and coordinate a swing, failure is the norm.

McGonigle does mention some areas he feels he needs to improve on, or at least be aware of how a pitcher might try to defeat him. And he has worked on his bat speed (an area the coaches have assisted in) to at the least foul off the pitches he didn’t see well or were too well placed to barrel up. I am eager to find out if his approach and skills continue to work well as he moves up levels. The contrast with Tork is significant to me.

actually when Tork came back from Toledo he said trying to hit more pitchers where he saw them was part of what he was trying to get back to, that he had become too focused on the 'perfect swing' on the perfect pitch. The way McGonigle talks about aiming for center- to oppo against the FB and pulling the off-speed when he recognizes it is pretty much the same thing Tork says now. I do think Tork continues have trouble sticking with it though!

I'm also think guys need to be careful chasing bat speed. Chasing bat speed is OK, but only up the point that it starts costing accuracy with the swing. There is already plenty of energy in most of these guys' swing, and some of the guys with great bat speed don't hit all that well. I believe at one point it was reported that Trey Sweeney had the best bat speed on the team!