How did the Tigers get so good all of a sudden? For ages they found ways to lose. They would lose 12-11 one day and 1-0 the next. Infuriating.
The few times I tuned in over the past few years I would see a collection of free swingers, no plate discipline, mediocre to poor pitching and no swagger
I watched the playoffs last year frankly suprised they were in and wondering if it was a fluke. This year I’ve tuned into a few games and what I see is really smart disciplined play. Quality at bats, solid pitching and an overall swagger.
Amazing. Has this been percolating for a few years now?
As @stephenboyd57 said, player development has been fantastic.
Started under Avila who actually drafted well the last couple of years but alway struggled with player development, that has changed with Harris and Hinch. They have completely revamped what DD left, which was a bare cupboard in lower level talent, completely ignored Analytics, think dark ages in analytics and revamped the development staff.
Harris had a thorough plan for every level and hired people from the Dodgers, Rays two teams that have embraced develpment and analytics.
Really I see a lot of similarities to the Lions. Draft well, develop them. And keep loading up the next wave of guys. Smart way to build a roster without breaking the bank.
As @stephenboyd57 mentioned…player development has been huge. As much as Al Avila deserved to be let go…he did put A LOT of this talent in place. I loved Gardy…but I didn’t think he was the manager for a young inexperienced group. Gardy would do well with a veteran club like the Dodgers or events Mets. But those are big hitting teams and Gardy is a small ball type manager. But in any case AJ Hinch is the perfect manager for this young group and he is the guy I was banging the table for. I see a lot of similarities to the 2006 team…a break out with a lot of young players who haven’t quite broken out yet. The Tigers don’t quite have a big name yet, same as in '06. I mean the biggest name they had was Pudge, who was on a decline and maybe Maggs. Verlander was a rookie but they did have KRog. This team is similar to me and after this year I anticipate an increase in budget!
In large part because Chris Fetter is one of the best, if not the best, pitching coaches in baseball.
Scott Harris completely revamped and modernized the player development system.
Now, I have no idea what caused the complete 180 in our ability to hit the ball amongst several key players. I’m obviously in all the Tigers threads and read the article excerpts that @frm710 posts, but it appears to be a bunch of things that have all come together and happened at the same time.
We did have two all stars last year, including the unanimous AL Cy Young award winner, but I agree with you that it feels like our best players aren’t complete household names yet.
If you pay any attention to baseball, you know who Tarik Skubal is…but EVERYONE knows who Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge are.
Like the Lions this staff has identified the type of player they will draft, key attributes.
Once drafted the new staff, few years now, puts a plan in place specifically for that player.
Tigers now have three hitting coaches in Detroit, multiple pitching coaches under Fetter as well.
One of the things I had been told by those in Detroit was how much Tork had resisted changing things. His way worked it got him drafted 1OA, he changed that view this offseason.
Pretty much a 180 from DD who went after the big arms as they always had trade value. He wanted nothing or very little to do with Analytics. Avila started the change but, dark ages is what I was told when it came to analytics. As Marty said he deserves a lot of credit for the foundation. But Harris has taken to a different level.
Yep you are right about that I did overlook Skubal. He is definitely a big name and has established himself. He ain’t no rookie like JV was in '06 so my bad on that!
Thank your White Sox fans and team for chosing LaRussa over Hinch, never thought he would end up in Detroit.
But every player loves this guy and has total buy in as Campbell does with his players. To see the “big name players as they are at this point” like Greene, Carpenter have no issue with being replaced for a pinch hitter late in key moments because of that trust with Hinch.
Not sure you would get many players to agree with that approach in today’s pro sports. It helps that his philosphy worked and put the team in the playoffs last season.
