2026 Exhibition Spring Games

[IdahoBert]

4 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

So, is the “Jonesy” Dan is broadcasting with Todd Jones? The voice seems different but it is playing through my hearing aids off an iPhone.

It is Todd. Jones is a lot better playing off someone like Dan instead of being a commentator on his own. There were times last year where he looked like a deer caught in headlights. Being a color guy is a lot better than being a standalone analyst for him.

[Motor City Sonics]

Parker Meadows with a robust .056.    Is that also is OBP ? 

 

[Motor City Sonics]

1 hour ago, IdahoBert said:

Matty gets his third hit and drives in his fourth run against subpar pitching but still it’s production. 10-2 Tigers. 

Meadows can't hit subpar pitching.       Meadows couldn't hit water if he fell out of a boat.   

[Tiger337]

1 hour ago, IdahoBert said:

It is Todd. Jones is a lot better playing off someone like Dan instead of being a commentator on his own. There were times last year where he looked like a deer caught in headlights. Being a color guy is a lot better than being a standalone analyst for him.

Did he bring his peanut butter knife?

Edited Friday at 10:21 PM by Tiger337

[Sports_Freak]

9 hours ago, Longgone said:

You are a genius if you can determine this after 7 initial spring training games that you likely didn't even attend.

Well, to be fair, the little I've seen of him in spring games, he does look overmatched. But the coaches, and Hinch, will make that call. And...in Hinch we trust...😅😅

[Sports_Freak]

9 hours ago, Shelton said:

This is where I come out, too. The optimism is basically gone. If the two of them basically combine to cover CF and bat ninth, that’s acceptable if they are catching all of the fly balls.

I think Javy (not unlike Parker) is getting a lot of hype from folks that want to believe. So Javy becomes more tha jst a bench bat, and Parker becomes less than a true starter. Seems like a good compromise to me.

Vierling and Perez don’t feel like real options for CF, so I think you need to keep both Parker and Javy and let them share the spot. It makes sense from a L/R standpoint. 
 

I think Vierling is the choice over Wenceel because I don’t think wenceel’s switch hitting is enough of a factor. Hinch was very complimentary of Vierling the other day, and our issue last year felt like a lack of right handed bats. He can play all three outfield positions and a bit of third base (although I recall that they had him working on first base recently, which makes sense because we don’t really have a true backup there).

Anyway, I know people will disagree, but it seems like you gotta cut one of Vierling, meadows, or Perez, and Perez to me feels the most useless all things considered.

Agreed. It seems like the best position for Perez is RF and we have that covered by a few other guys. I read that Carpenter is getting some time in LF with the hopes of giving Greene some games as DH so as not to wear him out. So if Carp starts in LF against RH pitchers, Perez would be a LH bat to start on RF? I dont know what Hinch will do but I do know the team that comes north isnt the final team. Usually there are some changes made going into April or May. But, come on, Meadows has to hit, at least a little bit. Toledo is calling his name.

[IdahoBert]

14 hours ago, diaspora04 said:

I think you mean Boaty McBoatface PARK at Fifth Third Yard.

I stand corrected, I like your style. 

[IdahoBert]

:begin rant: I have to admit I’ve been following the WBC games more than I thought I would and even find it somewhat interesting. But it still effaces the value of spring training for me. If the overlords who run MLB decide we need to have the WBC more often it will really bug me. :end rant:

[IdahoBert]

For today’s games, March 7:

Mize starts in Lakeland against the Pirates at 1:05 PM w/both Tigers TV and radio feeds

Skubal is set to start at 6:00 PM in the WBC game featuring the USA against Great Britain from Daikin Park, Houston on FOX. 

[Edman85]

I don't know if anybody saw my Tweet, it went a bit viral though.

Kevin McGonigle getting an extension signed before the year could cost the Tigers up to four first round picks next year. Between a potential lost pick for his PPI (which is pretty high likelihood right now, I would say), and the AAV of such a deal very likely pushing the Tigers over the CBT. That would mean any compensation picks for QO Free Agents would be after the fourth round instead of the first round. Skubal is a damn near certainty to net one of those picks, but don't rule out Mize or Flaherty.

Just FYI.

Edited 9 hours ago by Edman85

[NorthWoods]

Edited 8 hours ago by NorthWoods

[Shelton]

1 hour ago, Edman85 said:

I don't know if anybody saw my Tweet, it went a bit viral though.

Kevin McGonigle getting an extension signed before the year could cost the Tigers up to four first round picks next year. Between a potential lost pick for his PPI (which is pretty high likelihood right now, I would say), and the AAV of such a deal very likely pushing the Tigers over the CBT. That would mean any compensation picks for QO Free Agents would be after the fourth round instead of the first round. Skubal is a damn near certainty to net one of those picks, but don't rule out Mize or Flaherty.

Just FYI.

Yeah, but it feels like the benefit of these pre-debut deals is gone now. Not sure why they did it with Keith. Anyway, you can’t do it before the debut anymore and I doubt we ever see it again as long as the rules remain the at they are.

Roman Anthony’s deal is a fair comp, and as long as they give Kevin a similar deal a day or later after his debut they will be just fine. 
 

I haven’t heard anyone discussing a pre-debut deal for Kevin. 

Edited 8 hours ago by Shelton

[IdahoBert]

Rough 2nd inning for Casey Mize today. Glad it’s just a tuneup issue most likely.

[Tigermojo]

45 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

Rough 2nd inning for Casey Mize today. Glad it’s just a tuneup issue most likely.

Pregame mentioned he would be working on breaking stuff. 

[Sports_Freak]

Greene in mid-season form. Runner at 3rd and one out. He strikeouts on 3 pitches, swinging from his heels. Not even trying to make contact. Let the season begin, he's ready.

[IdahoBert]

45 minutes ago, Tigermojo said:

Pregame mentioned he would be working on breaking stuff. 

That’s good to know thank you. I tuned in a little too late to catch the beginning of the game.

[tiger2022]

If McGonigle makes the team, I think Javy is the centerfielder and Meadows is a Mudhen.  A guy has to hit at least a little bit to stay in the maiors.

[Graterol]

1 hour ago, tiger2022 said:

If McGonigle makes the team, I think Javy is the centerfielder and Meadows is a Mudhen.  A guy has to hit at least a little bit to stay in the maiors.

The problem is that Javy’s revival last year still wasn’t very good. Against RHP, Javy had a 75 wrc+ last year. Meadows was 83 last year and 97 for his career. I think Meadows is absolutely a platoon OFer at this point, and Vierling or Javy should play CF against LHP. I would also be open to an upgrade on Meadows (maybe even Vierling full time in CF). But I don’t think we should expect any better results from Javy with the bat compared to Meadows. And a handful of spring training at bats doesn’t really change that.

[Edman85]

I think it's easy enough to send Wenceel Perez to Toledo to start the year and let McKinstry/Vierling/Baez play a bit more outfield than they would otherwise.

[Edman85]

5 hours ago, Shelton said:

Yeah, but it feels like the benefit of these pre-debut deals is gone now. Not sure why they did it with Keith. Anyway, you can’t do it before the debut anymore and I doubt we ever see it again as long as the rules remain the at they are.

Roman Anthony’s deal is a fair comp, and as long as they give Kevin a similar deal a day or later after his debut they will be just fine. 
 

I haven’t heard anyone discussing a pre-debut deal for Kevin. 

The cost certainty is huge, particularly if you can buy out a couple more years. If you are talking about the aggregate, I disagree.

If you are talking about the Tigers, accelerating AAV when you are currently $5M under the Tax is tough. The time to strike was a couple years ago.

[IdahoBert]

Skubal gives up a first pitch home run to Great Britain’s Nate Eaton whose real job is with the Red Sox. 

[IdahoBert]

Most of “Great Britain‘s“ team are, according to the announcers, “journeymen minor leaguers.”

[IdahoBert]

Viza the pitcher for Great Britain hasn’t pitched in even the minor leagues since 2022 and was last in the majors just for a cup of coffee in 2019. 

[Edman85]

Granted it was against Israel, but Enmanuel De Jesus shoved today.

[Graterol]

I have had this theory that McKinstry is a sleeper to be traded because his versatility doesn’t matter as much with McGonigle at short, a left handed heavy lineup, and Javy able to play IF and CF against LHP.

I asked chat gpt to derive the ideal lineup vs RHP and LHP using historical wrc+ splits (or last year in certain cases if it made more sense). Used a rough adjustment for defense. The conclusion was that to optimize each lineup McKinstry would be off the roster. If you add a constraint that each starter rests 15pct of the time, McKinstry would be in and Perez out.

To me that seems logical and given Perez has options, it seems to be the most likely scenario. But I do think this team is missing a LH hitting corner outfielder with a big platoon split. Best case scenario would be to package some combination of Jung, Lee, McKinstry, Perez, etc to get such a player…

 

 

Edited 1 hour ago by Graterol