04/07/2026 7:40pm EDT Detroit Tigers at Minnesota Twins

[NorthWoods]

2 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

So, he could be our Kirk Gibson?  I am not a big fan of flashy players, but I agree the team is very bland.  I don't know that every team needs a vocal leader (sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn't), but from a fan's perspective, a little variety would be interesting.

He doesn't come off to me as intense as Gibby.  I knew Gibby a bit at MSU and he was INTENSE.   Clark seems to be more of keep things loose but "let's go win" guy.   I've followed him on twitter and watched/listened to his workouts that he posts.  Under the flash there's a pretty solid, intelligent, high effort person.  It just strikes me that he's the kind of leader this team needs.  

The spotlight falls on him, doesn't faze him and the others fall in line and follow him....I'm thinking we may see sooner than later.

[gehringer_2]

12 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

He doesn't come off to me as intense as Gibby.  I knew Gibby a bit at MSU and he was INTENSE.   Clark seems to be more of keep things loose but "let's go win" guy.   I've followed him on twitter and watched/listened to his workouts that he posts.  Under the flash there's a pretty solid, intelligent, high effort person.  It just strikes me that he's the kind of leader this team needs.  

The spotlight falls on him, doesn't faze him and the others fall in line and follow him....I'm thinking we may see sooner than later.

Correct. Max has some personality, but I don't see him as the type to come into a clubhouse the tear into it and a HOF manager the way Gibson did in LA at all. Max is more what I'd call a "Peacock" on a Myers-Briggs scale. Outgoing, likes to be seen. Gibby was a piranha.

Edited 6 hours ago by gehringer_2

[Tiger337]

9 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

Correct. Max has some personality, but I don't see him as the type to come into a clubhouse the tear into it and a HOF manager the way Gibson did in LA at all. Max is more what I'd call a "Peacock" on a Myers-Briggs scale. Outgoing, likes to be seen. Gibby was a piranha.

 

21 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

He doesn't come off to me as intense as Gibby.  I knew Gibby a bit at MSU and he was INTENSE.   Clark seems to be more of keep things loose but "let's go win" guy.   I've followed him on twitter and watched/listened to his workouts that he posts.  Under the flash there's a pretty solid, intelligent, high effort person.  It just strikes me that he's the kind of leader this team needs.  

The spotlight falls on him, doesn't faze him and the others fall in line and follow him....I'm thinking we may see sooner than later.

I wasn't really suggesting that Clark was similar to Gibson, just that he has a distinct personality from their current group.  From a fan's perpective. I do like to see different personalities on the team.  Watching the game last night, I was thinking I don't know McGonigle from Keith from Dingler.  They all look and act the same.     

[Tigermojo]

Jones seems like the cheerleader type. He has different celebrations for everyone I think. 

[NorthWoods]

1 minute ago, Tigermojo said:

Jones seems like the cheerleader type. He has different celebrations for everyone I think. 

Could be true but I'm not sure he has the standing in the room to be the leader of the pack....

[kdog]

This season is about Riley and Tork establishing if they are part of the offensive core or if they are just guys. It's early.

[Tiger337]

1 minute ago, kdog said:

This season is about Riley and Tork establishing if they are part of the offensive core or if they are just guys. It's early.

Yes, If Greene, Torkelson and Carpenter hit even at their normal levels, it will solve a lot of problems

[gehringer_2]

20 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

Yes, If Greene, Torkelson and Carpenter hit even at their normal levels, it will solve a lot of problems

I was really hoping we'd see a Riley that has moved away from the extreme swing but I'm not seeing it. I see Riley as a guy who can either be a very good 20 HR hitter or a pretty useless 35 HR hitter and he seems determined to be the later. He's just not built to hit homeruns without the long swing. His frame can't generate the power that a big guy like Judge or Cabrera, or even a more compact but powerfully built guy like Trout can without having to over commit on his swing. And the over-commit is going to leave him a poor OBP hitter if he won't change it. Be a good hitter and let the HRs come on the good barrels and he'd be fine (IOW if he had just continued to let his '24 approach improve)

Edited 5 hours ago by gehringer_2

[Tiger337]

3 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I was really hoping we'd see a Riley that has moved away from the extreme swing but I'm not seeing it. I see Riley as a guy who can either be a very good 20 HR hitter or a pretty useless 35 HR hitter and he seems determined to be the later. He's just not built to hit homeruns without the long swing. His frame can't generate the power that a big guy like Judge or Cabrera, or even a more compact but powerfully built guy like Trout or Aaron could without having to over commit on his swing. And the over-commit is going to leave him a poor OBP hitter if he won't change it. Be a good hitter and let the HRs come on the good barrels and he'd be fine.

I am less impressed by Greene every year.  

[chasfh]

3 hours ago, Tiger337 said:

I am less impressed by Greene every year.  

I think it was last year when I really noticed just how dead-eyed Riley Greene is—like, totally vacant, nothing there. I don't know whether that is related to whatever his level of drive for the game is, but even setting that aside as a concept, nothing he has shown me has demonstrated that he has much drive to excel. He strikes me as somewhat of a clock-puncher.

Of course, all Riley has to do is repeat 2024 a few times and no one will give the slightest crap how dead his eyes are.

Edited 1 hour ago by chasfh

[Tiger337]

2 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I think it was last year when I noticed how dead-eyed Riley Greene is, like, totally vacant, nothing there. I don't know whether that is related to whatever his level of drive for the game is, but even setting that aside as a concept, nothing he has shown me has demonstrated that he has much drive to excel.

Of course, all Riley has to do is repeat 2024 a few times and no one will give the slightest crap how dead his eyes are.

Is he the new Tony Clark? 

[chasfh]

4 hours ago, Tigermojo said:

Jones seems like the cheerleader type. He has different celebrations for everyone I think. 

Speaking of which how many of us miss the pizza celly after homers? 😝

Or maybe they are still doing it and I haven't noticed, since the team isn't doing much in the way of hitting homers ...

[Tiger337]

At the end of 2024, everybody was saying the Tigers had perfect team chemistry and they all wanted to win so bad.  Now, all of the sudden, nobody cares and they need someone to shake things up.  What came first, the chicken or the egg?  

[chasfh]

3 minutes ago, Tiger337 said:

Is he the new Tony Clark? 

Good one. Maybe Riley will find a spot in the Players' after he retires from his won 12-win career.

[chasfh]

Can I just add here that I really struggle to understand how so many fans here can regard Tork as an above average first baseman, when literally all the fielding metrics show him to be near the bottom of the heap. Even fielding percentage, the stat that reflects what I guess people love about him, the scoops of throws, have him in the bottom third of the league year after year. My personal eye test shows him to be a statue at first base on balls hit to him and the owner of one of the weakest arms in the league when it comes to turn around the relay to home. But sure, he can scoop a throw now and then.

[Tiger337]

1 minute ago, chasfh said:

Can I just add here that I really struggle to understand how so many fans here can regard Tork as an above average first baseman, when literally all the fielding metrics show him to be near the bottom of the heap. Even fielding percentage, the stat that reflects what I guess people love about him, the scoops of throws, have him in the bottom third of the league year after year. My personal eye test shows him to be a statue at first base on balls hit to him and the owner of one of the weakest arms in the league when it comes to turn around the relay to home. But sure, he can scoop a throw now and then.

Fans only regard him as an above average first baseman when he's hitting!  People used to do the same thing when Cabrera when he played third.  

[kdog]

Tork and Greene have be mid or above average..We can safely say they aren't going to rise above their level...they're not going to develop better contact skills or get their agility back. 

[NorthWoods]

3 minutes ago, kdog said:

Tork and Greene have be mid or above average..We can safely say they aren't going to rise above their level...they're not going to develop better contact skills or get their agility back. 

Tork and Greene would make an enticing 80HR package for some team, it would be great if Harris could use them to fleece someone.

[chasfh]

44 minutes ago, NorthWoods said:

Tork and Greene would make an enticing 80HR package for some team, it would be great if Harris could use them to fleece someone.

 

[SoCalTiger]

52 minutes ago, chasfh said:

Can I just add here that I really struggle to understand how so many fans here can regard Tork as an above average first baseman, when literally all the fielding metrics show him to be near the bottom of the heap. Even fielding percentage, the stat that reflects what I guess people love about him, the scoops of throws, have him in the bottom third of the league year after year. My personal eye test shows him to be a statue at first base on balls hit to him and the owner of one of the weakest arms in the league when it comes to turn around the relay to home. But sure, he can scoop a throw now and then.

I have always thought of him as way below average and he does not scoop the ball well either despite what our announcers may say. He never repositions on the bag for better angles. His planted foot is in cement. Yesterday's McGonigles error was a case in point. If Tork slides down a touch to the corner of the bag he can get the bounce throw easier and stay away from the runner. Agree the arm is weak and chasing foul balls is always a challenge. 

 

Personally I am ready to put Colt there full time for at least two months and see what we have but then again Colt  can't reach the seats and G2 has pointed out he isn't really trying so that hardly makes for a first baseman. 

I feel bad complaining so soon but "something" is off with this team and the core of Tork-Greene - Carpenter might be the issue.