2026 Exhibition Spring Games

[Edman85]

1 hour ago, gehringer_2 said:

are WBC guys prepping somewhere else? Seems it would be important that players going to WBC get some work in prior because you know there is a high probability guys will overdo it there.

Yes, the ones that aren't in camp have had friendlies. Each WBC team has several exhibitions the next week before the tournament starts up.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, chasfh said:

or they have a plan and it is optimal and they know how to execute it.

i know it's hard to fathom we could actually ever have that, but that's a possibility, too. 😏

one hopes. I was happy to see Edman's post that WBC guys have their own training/exhibition setup. You'd think this stuff was all obvious but historically we know they've often screwed things up because the planners were more concerned with the $$ than the players.

[ICroupier]

19 hours ago, Longgone said:

So you're mad they didn't add a hitter.

ESPN has our lineup ranked 22nd. I think that's pretty spot on.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48017129/mlb-2026-ranking-baseball-best-lineups-dodgers-mets-mariners-braves-yankees-cubs

[IdahoBert]

Thayron Liranzo homers (1) on a fly ball to right field. Josue Briceño scores. Hao-Yu Lee scores. Tigers lead BJs 4-3. 

[IdahoBert]

Looks like all the pitchers did pretty well against Toronto except for Vest who gave up three hits and three runs in 2/3,although I haven’t been following the game and he could’ve been squeezed in a weird way. Riley walked 3 times. 

[IdahoBert]

Callahan, who has spent a lot of time on the DL for the Tigers in the minors just Homered against the Phillies to make it 5–3 Phils. Phils win. BFD. 

[gehringer_2]

they put up 7 runs today, that's good trend to keep up.

[Tigermojo]

Liranzo really does look slimmed down. Hopefully he can have a big season. 

[chasfh]

6 hours ago, ICroupier said:

ESPN has our lineup ranked 22nd. I think that's pretty spot on.

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/48017129/mlb-2026-ranking-baseball-best-lineups-dodgers-mets-mariners-braves-yankees-cubs

I don’t know, I’m having a little trouble taking seriously an ex-NBA writer who would bat Parker at the top of the order and Colt #9.

[Tiger337]

55 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I don’t know, I’m having a little trouble taking seriously an ex-NBA writer who would bat Parker at the top of the order and Colt #9.

I wouldn't take the opinion of any writer seriously for something like this.  

[IdahoBert]

By the way, the Thursday afternoon February 26 game of the Tigers @ Orioles will have an Orioles TV broadcast and a Tigers WXYT-1270 radio broadcast. Montero is the starting pitcher.

[ICroupier]

12 hours ago, chasfh said:

I don’t know, I’m having a little trouble taking seriously an ex-NBA writer who would bat Parker at the top of the order and Colt #9.

So where is he wrong?

Grades: Hit: D- | Patience: C- | Power: C | Baserunning: F | Durability: D+ | Depth: A+ | vsR: D | vsL: D | Stars: 1 | Holes: 3

We had 1 starter hit over .260 last year. We were bottom 5 in the league in Ks. Dead last in SBs.

The areas we performed best in, we ranked in the middle of the pack. Other teams below improved in the offseason. We didn't make a single move.

We have a lineup with very little projection or upside. 6 out of 9 guys we know who they are. We need Dingler to at least maintain, and we need significant improvement from Keith and Meadows. Of those 3 things, I think 1 is likely to happen.

Beyond that, maybe we get 200 ABs from McGonigle. Unlikely but maybe we get a contribution from Anderson or Lee.

At best, we have a middle of the pack lineup. I believe the 18-20 range is more realistic.

[ICroupier]

11 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I wouldn't take the opinion of any writer seriously for something like this.  

So then what's your opinion on our lineup? Where is he wrong?

What's the case for this projected starting lineup to be better than middle of the pack?

[Sports_Freak]

Exhibition games are meaningless but the best we can do is a couple of ties?

[NorthWoods]

15 minutes ago, ICroupier said:

So then what's your opinion on our lineup? Where is he wrong?

He's wrong with the F for baserunning.

The "move" was to simply allow the core youngsters get another year closer to what should be their peak years.

Patience is often rewarded.

[Sports_Freak]

11 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I wouldn't take the opinion of any writer seriously for something like this.  

Typical spring training fluff pieces. They have to justify their trip to sunny and warm Florida to their bosses. Write something controversial and get people talking. I usually skip those articles and just try to find transactions or injuries.

[Sports_Freak]

7 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

He's wrong with the F for baserunning.

The "move" was to simply allow the core youngsters get another year closer to what should be their peak years.

Patience is often rewarded.

The Tigers were near the top in MLB in going 1st to 3rd. Near the top in successfully taking an extra base. They take pride and work on their aggressive baserunning. I didn't read the article but if a writer is calling us a bad baserunning team because of our low stolen base number? Just another example of a misleading stat. Cherry picking the negative.

[chasfh]

30 minutes ago, ICroupier said:

So where is he wrong?

Grades: Hit: D- | Patience: C- | Power: C | Baserunning: F | Durability: D+ | Depth: A+ | vsR: D | vsL: D | Stars: 1 | Holes: 3

We had 1 starter hit over .260 last year. We were bottom 5 in the league in Ks. Dead last in SBs.

The areas we performed best in, we ranked in the middle of the pack. Other teams below improved in the offseason. We didn't make a single move.

We have a lineup with very little projection or upside. 6 out of 9 guys we know who they are. We need Dingler to at least maintain, and we need significant improvement from Keith and Meadows. Of those 3 things, I think 1 is likely to happen.

Beyond that, maybe we get 200 ABs from McGonigle. Unlikely but maybe we get a contribution from Anderson or Lee.

At best, we have a middle of the pack lineup. I believe the 18-20 range is more realistic.

Baserunning an F? After all the stories written all year about their historic baserunning achievements and then ending up with the high percentage of extra bases taken by a wide margin? It’s obvious he didn’t watch the team.

That’s the only data point I need to dismiss the guy. If he gets something that basic and well-known wrong, how can you trust anything else he says?

[Sports_Freak]

33 minutes ago, ICroupier said:

So where is he wrong?

Grades: Hit: D- | Patience: C- | Power: C | Baserunning: F | Durability: D+ | Depth: A+ | vsR: D | vsL: D | Stars: 1 | Holes: 3

We had 1 starter hit over .260 last year. We were bottom 5 in the league in Ks. Dead last in SBs.

The areas we performed best in, we ranked in the middle of the pack. Other teams below improved in the offseason. We didn't make a single move.

We have a lineup with very little projection or upside. 6 out of 9 guys we know who they are. We need Dingler to at least maintain, and we need significant improvement from Keith and Meadows. Of those 3 things, I think 1 is likely to happen.

Beyond that, maybe we get 200 ABs from McGonigle. Unlikely but maybe we get a contribution from Anderson or Lee.

At best, we have a middle of the pack lineup. I believe the 18-20 range is more realistic.

It's a team game. This young and improving team has gone to the playoffs 2 seasons in a row and we've improved our pitching, by a lot. Starting pitching and relief pitching. If some outsider doesn't see that, it just means his knowledge of this team is seriously lacking.

[RatkoVarda]

29 minutes ago, ICroupier said:

We have a lineup with very little projection or upside.

as someone who has wanted Harris to do (a lot) more, IMO this is wrong.

They are what they are: Baez, McKinstry, Jones are not going to outperform 2025 numbers; same for Dingler

Low ceiling, not much more there: Meadows, Wenceel, Rogers, Sweeney

but

With a little health luck, could see big improvements: Torres, Carp, Vierling

Still have another gear, which they may or may not find: Tork, Greene, Keith

Future Allstars: McGonigle, Clark

Lots of other young bats: Valencia, Lee, Anderson, Cruz, Briceno, Liranzo

[chasfh]

24 minutes ago, RatkoVarda said:

as someone who has wanted Harris to do (a lot) more, IMO this is wrong.

They are what they are: Baez, McKinstry, Jones are not going to outperform 2025 numbers; same for Dingler

Low ceiling, not much more there: Meadows, Wenceel, Rogers, Sweeney

but

With a little health luck, could see big improvements: Torres, Carp, Vierling

Still have another gear, which they may or may not find: Tork, Greene, Keith

Future Allstars: McGonigle, Clark

Lots of other young bats: Valencia, Lee, Anderson, Cruz, Briceno, Liranzo

I agree with most of this. Jones might not even make the team because we might unlock whatever Austin Slater had for the Giants, plus he's a better defender. I might be buying Sweeney a little more than you. I don't think Carp is going to to be any more than he is right now, which, really, should be good enough for another year or three. I'm shorting Tork more than most. I'm with you on everything else.