2025-2026 Tigers Off Season Thread

[gehringer_2]

6 minutes ago, casimir said:

Was his swing just too long in general or did he struggle mostly low in the zone?  Kid has long limbs, so I can see how it’d be easy to get too long.

IDK, So I just looked back at some film of Parker 2023 vs 2025 and one thing you can see is that he was standing up much straighter in the box last season. I don't know how good an idea that can be for a guy 6 and half feet tall.

[Tigermojo]

The article Bert referenced did say Meadows had a hot streak between his slow start and season ending slump. His defense is so good, he'll get plenty of opportunities if he's healthy. 

[1984Echoes]

2 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

... one thing you can see is that he was standing up much straighter in the box last season. I don't know how good an idea that can be for a guy 6 and half feet tall.

That doesn't sound very smart at all.

He needs to figure out how to be less exposed/ more plate coverage...

[casimir]

2 hours ago, Tigermojo said:

The article Bert referenced did say Meadows had a hot streak between his slow start and season ending slump. His defense is so good, he'll get plenty of opportunities if he's healthy. 

Well, there’s another variable.  Will the Tigers need much offense out of him or will his defense be enough.  It’s not just his bat.  It’s how well the Tiger offense is performing overall.

[chasfh]

14 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

IDK, So I just looked back at some film of Parker 2023 vs 2025 and one thing you can see is that he was standing up much straighter in the box last season. I don't know how good an idea that can be for a guy 6 and half feet tall.

I had wondered how much stance contributes to the elevation of swing and miss over the years. Remember guys who used to hit like this? They almost never struck out.

 

[gehringer_2]

10 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I had wondered how much stance contributes to the elevation of swing and miss over the years. Remember guys who used to hit like this? They almost never struck out.

 

for a number of years the Tiger org was on board with 'stand up straight' hitting stances - think Alex Avila,  but that was well before the current regime.

[chasfh]

30 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

for a number of years the Tiger org was on board with 'stand up straight' hitting stances - think Alex Avila,  but that was well before the current regime.

Is there any example of any organization that's not on board with 'stand up straight'?

[Sports_Freak]

13 hours ago, casimir said:

Well, there’s another variable.  Will the Tigers need much offense out of him or will his defense be enough.  It’s not just his bat.  It’s how well the Tiger offense is performing overall.

The Tigers could carry his bat if other players are hitting. If Javy, Tork and Keith all start out slumping, Parker will need to hit. In early 2024, the whole lineup seemed to be slumping the first 2 months. The same as late in the 2025 season.

[RatkoVarda]

guys with too much noise in their stance need to calm it down, and guys who are too rigid need to be more dynamic

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

Is there any example of any organization that's not on board with 'stand up straight'?

well there was the Charlie Lau school back in the day. There was some crouch there,  but the Royals hitters like Brett also leaned back IIRC. It seems logical to me that you are giving up something the further your eyes start from the path of the pitch. I suppose it comes down to whether you think it's swing mechanics or seeing the pitch that is more important. And the truth is that probably varies by player.

Maybe best hitter in the game (Judge) has some bend his knees and angle to his back at the plate even if you wouldn't call it a crouch.

Edited December 30, 2025 by gehringer_2

[gehringer_2]

29 minutes ago, RatkoVarda said:

guys with too much noise in their stance need to calm it down, and guys who are too rigid need to be more dynamic

the second part is pretty close to what Tork said he had to do. He put it more terms being 'more athletic'  instead of always trying to take the 'perfect' swing

[Stormin]

3 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

The Tigers could carry his bat if other players are hitting. If Javy, Tork and Keith all start out slumping, Parker will need to hit. In early 2024, the whole lineup seemed to be slumping the first 2 months. The same as late in the 2025 season.

I think it will be interesting to see who is playing the majority of Center Field innings come June 2026.

• Parker Meadows: The job seems to be his if he can hit a little.
• Javier Baez: He was an All Star Center Fielder last year. It may be the only potential  path for Javy delivering close to contract value in 2026.
• Matt Vierling: I think Matt Vierling has very good 4th outfielder skills.  I kind of hope his days at third base are over.  I would rather see a combination of Keith, Baez, and McKinstry at third.
• Wenceel Perez:  For me, Wenceel Perez is sneaky good.  Steadily improving at the plate and in the field, 103 OPS+ last year,  above average in right field last year and maybe an average center fielder.  Probably the highest floor of this group.

 

If Baez ends up playing significant center field innings, and Jones is the lefty masher,  I don't know if there is room on the active roster for Parker Meadows (1 option remaining), Matt Vierling (1 option remaining), and Wenceel Perez (2 options remaining).

Edited December 30, 2025 by Stormin

[Arlington]

3 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

guys with too much noise in their stance need to calm it down, and guys who are too rigid need to be more dynamic

It's hard to find a balance when posting.  I think I could be more dynamic.

[Arlington]

It seems like it was settled quite a few years ago, but if Wenceel was over the yips and could field 2nd more than adequately he'd be a valuable asset for some team.  

[chasfh]

4 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

well there was the Charlie Lau school

Charlie Lau is dead going on 42 years, so he doesn't qualify as "is".

Your statement implies there are organizations currently not on board with "stand up straight" today. That's why I asked.

[gehringer_2]

34 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Charlie Lau is dead going on 42 years, so he doesn't qualify as "is".

Your statement implies there are organizations currently not on board with "stand up straight" today. That's why I asked.

I'm not sure there is a seriatum list anywhere of public statements by MLB clubs to the effect of what they are advising their hitters to do that would be available as the definitive source for this evaluation.....😉

That said, just to look at some recent hitters on the leader boards, it you take the range between Judge and Springer as being guys starting with knees well bent and their back somewhere less than 60 degrees through to Eugenio Suarez and Cal Raleigh as guys who start standing dead straight up there is still a lot of variation. As to whether any hitter is doing what his team advises,  who knows?

Edited December 30, 2025 by gehringer_2

[Tenacious D]

6 hours ago, RatkoVarda said:

guys with too much noise in their stance need to calm it down, and guys who are too rigid need to be more dynamic

 

[Sports_Freak]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

Charlie Lau is dead going on 42 years, so he doesn't qualify as "is".

Your statement implies there are organizations currently not on board with "stand up straight" today. That's why I asked.

Isn't he the hitting coach who preached the inside out swing? Teaching hitters to go....oppo taco? 😅

[Sports_Freak]

3 hours ago, Stormin said:

I think it will be interesting to see who is playing the majority of Center Field innings come June 2026.

• Parker Meadows: The job seems to be his if he can hit a little.
• Javier Baez: He was an All Star Center Fielder last year. It may be the only potential  path for Javy delivering close to contract value in 2026.
• Matt Vierling: I think Matt Vierling has very good 4th outfielder skills.  I kind of hope his days at third base are over.  I would rather see a combination of Keith, Baez, and McKinstry at third.
• Wenceel Perez:  For me, Wenceel Perez is sneaky good.  Steadily improving at the plate and in the field, 103 OPS+ last year,  above average in right field last year and maybe an average center fielder.  Probably the highest floor of this group.

 

If Baez ends up playing significant center field innings, and Jones is the lefty masher,  I don't know if there is room on the active roster for Parker Meadows (1 option remaining), Matt Vierling (1 option remaining), and Wenceel Perez (2 options remaining).

Jones came up clutch several times in 2025. But I really dont see him sticking too much in '26. Maybe for a stretch of games if somebody gets injured but he really has limited defensive skills. He really had a good run of hitting LH pitchers though...

[chasfh]

15 hours ago, Sports_Freak said:

Isn't he the hitting coach who preached the inside out swing? Teaching hitters to go....oppo taco? 😅

That works for some hitters, mainly line drive hitters. It could also work situationally, such as grounders to second base to get a runner from third home.

[Shinzaki]

IIRC...Lau taught hitters to use more of a golf swing approach...whatever that mezns

[oblong]

“You want me to hit like a bitch?” - David Ortiz to his MN coaches. 

[Sports_Freak]

How many days until pitchers and catchers report to spring training?

[chasfh]

21 hours ago, oblong said:

“You want me to hit like a bitch?” - David Ortiz to his MN coaches. 

Is this a real thing? I hadn’t heard of anything like this.

[oblong]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

Is this a real thing? I hadn’t heard of anything like this.

Yes.  I forgot specifically which book it was in but the anecdote was shared when discussing his move to Boston. He said MN was very specific in how they wanted his approach to be which wasn’t effective but Bill James saw something there.