It's Been a Solid First Month For The Tigers
PLUS: THE YOGI BERRA MUSEUM IS A HOME RUN FOR FANS OF ALL TEAMS
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Reader Reacts
“Fort Myers actually has four Spring Training Ballparks standing and in use.
My favorite is Terry Park. In use since the 1920s and designed by Connie Mack, going there is like stepping back in time. It is a wonderful reminder of a bygone era. It is still used for college tournaments and other events.”
— Larry Cancro, executive vice president, Boston Red Sox
Pregame Pepper
Did you know…
The Milwaukee Brewers swiped a club-record six bases in the first inning of their game against the Athletics last weekend . . .
In his second game with the Atlanta Braves, Alex Verdugo went 4-for-5 with two doubles, scored two runs, and knocked in one . . .
After sweeping Minnesota, the Braves had the best combined batting average at home of any team in the major leagues . . .
Speaking of hitting, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge is streaking toward his third MVP award with a batting average well above .400 . . .
Tampa Bay’s Kevin Cash is the longest-tenured manager in the majors (11 years), while Atlanta’s Brian Snitker leads the National League with 10 . . .
Giving $15 million to 41-year-old Charlie Morton, now 0-5 for the Orioles, has to be the biggest blunder of the off-season . . .
On the other hand, signing fellow right-hander Max Fried has been a shot in the arm for the Yankees, even though giving any pitcher to an eight-year contract is unquestionably risky.
Leading Off
Detroit Tigers: First Month Observations
By Joe Underhill
The first month of the MLB regular season is almost in the books, which gives us a great opportunity to evaluate how teams are faring.
Of course, with only 15 per cent of the schedule completed, there is plenty of time for fortunes to shift.
For fans of the Detroit Tigers, this has been a good start to a season headlined by a pair of former No. 1 overall picks living up to that draft status.
Here are some early observations:
Former top overall picks Casey Mize and Spencer Torkelson came to spring training fighting for roster spots.
Not only have did they win those spots, but in the early goings have been two of the best players on the roster.
Mize has made four starts, posting a 3-1 record with a 2.22 ERA and a WHIP of just 0.945. His ERA+ is 181 highest among the Tigers starters.
Torkelson has been exactly the player the Tigers thought he would be when they made him No. 1 overall in 2020. Currently Torkelson leads the team in home runs (seven) and RBI (21), while posting a .273 batting average along with an OPS+ of 179.
Last season, the Tigers rode “pitching chaos” to the playoffs. They had to embrace the chaos model because they only had two viable starters (Tarik Skubal and Keider Montero), this year. Even with free agent signee Alex Cobb still on the IL, Tarik Skubal, Jack Flaherty, Reese Olson, Mize and rookie Jackson Jobe have formed one of the best rotations in baseball.
The bullpen has had some injury issues, notably stalwarts Beau Brieske and John Brebbia, but has performed exceptionally well.
Pitching is the foundation of the team’s success and the Tigers have to feel that as long as the health of their pitching continues, they will be in every game and every series.
The offense is better than it looked like it would be. At the time of this writing, the Tigers are ranked third in the American League in runs scored, fourth in walk percentage, sixth in batting average, and have a wRC+ of 107 as a team.
This is all with spark-plug center fielder Parker Meadows and OF/IF Matt Vierling still on the IL with their respective injuries.
The reemergence of Torkelson, joined by Zach McKinstry as an offensive force, have these Tigers showing a balanced lineup that gives manager AJ Hinch a significant number of options to mix and match.
High-priced Javier Baez came to camp healthy and in the early season unveiled a new batting stance that has led to him lowering his chase rate out of the zone. Though the power hasn’t fully shown up yet, he is hitting .273 and, most importantly, isn’t swinging wildly.
Baez’ biggest contribution is coming from his defense. He has always been an elite defender, but now he is playing short, third, and even center field. The move to center is a result of the Tigers’ top three options all being on the IL.
Baez has actually looked comfortable there and has made several difficult catches. Maybe the most impressive observation on Baez has been his willingness to embrace whatever it takes to help the team be successful.
Right now, the Tigers are tied with the New York Yankees for the best record in the American League. Detroit has won six of its eight series, with the Dodgers the only team that swept them.
The Tigers have a strong mix of pitching and timely offense, plus a pilot who is an expert game manager. All of this bodes well for fans in the Motor City and suggests it will be an exciting summer of baseball in Motown.
Joe Underhill is a high school administrator and diehard baseball fan and fan of the city of Detroit. Joe currently writes for the HTP Newsletter. You can follow Joe on Twitter@TransplantedDet and @transplanteddet.bsky.social. His email is joe.underhill@auburn.org.
Cleaning Up
Don’t Miss A Visit To the Yogi Berra Museum
By Dan Schlossberg
I’m lucky enough to live near the Yogi Berra Museum, a small but intimate tribute to the three-time Most Valuable Player, 10-time World Series ring recipient, and pennant-winning manager in both leagues.
Located adjacent to the campus of Montclair State University in Little Falls, NJ, the museum contains photos and artifacts from the career of the long-time catcher and manager, who spent his entire career in nearby New York (mostly with the Yankees but a little with the Mets too).
Brothers Larry, Tim, and Dale visit often, along with grand-daughter Lindsay, who made a fine documentary about her famous ancestor.
Over the last few weeks, I was at the museum for the annual in-person meeting of SABR’s Elysian Fields (Northern New Jersey) chapter and for a book-launch party honoring world-class baseball artist James Fiorentino and his new book The Art of Baseball.
Both events centered in the auditorium, which is dominated by a replica of the old Yankee Stadium scoreboard, topped by an ad for Ballantine Beer.
I’ve been to other events there too, meeting Ted Williams, Duke Snider, Jim Bouton, and so many other baseball luminaries over the years. Hank Greenberg’s son Steve was there too during his brief tenure as Deputy Commissioner of Baseball.
My favorite artifacts are the framed newspapers from World War 2, when Yogi won a purple heart after suffering an injury during the Normandy invasion on June 6, 1944, plus the plastic “Holy Cow” given to Yogi’s friend Phil Rizzuto.
There’s a store that sells hats and books and a balcony that overlooks a baseball field below. Parking is free and easy — and admission is free for veterans (I qualify).
Officially called The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center, the place is perfect for a quick visit or a prolonged stay. Reading all the descriptive plaques would take awhile.
I call it a little version of the Baseball Hall of Fame and think that’s an apt description.
Many other players also have individual museums but Yogi’s might be the best of the bunch. Anyone living near or headed for the New York - New Jersey Metro Area should make it a point to stop by.
Former AP sportswriter Dan Schlossberg of Fair Lawn, NJ is a national baseball writer for forbes.com and a contributor to USA TODAY Sports Weekly, Sports Collectors Digest, and many other outlets. His email is ballauthor@gmail.com.
Timeless Trivia: the Bombing of Baltimore
Losing Corbin Burnes to Arizona via free agency burned the Baltimore Orioles . . .
The biggest blunder was signing 41-year-old Charlie Morton, who was obviously over the hill last year in Atlanta, was a major mistake — especially for a $15 million guarantee . . .
The oldest man in the league (and second in the majors to Justin Verlander), Morton jumped out to an 0-5 record and bloated 10.89 earned run average . . .
Baltimore starters had the worst earned run average in the majors, at 6.11 entering play Tuesday . . .
That was hardly typical of a team that once had four 20-game winners in the same season . . .
Their 15.4% per cent strikeout rate was worst in the majors, not to mention their 7.9% swinging-strike rate . . .
No rotation in the majors — not even the one in hitter-happy Denver — has allowed home runs at a higher rate than the Orioles’ 1.86 HR/9 . . .
Just two teams had yielded higher average exit velocities and hard-hit rate . . .
Without multiple fixes, the once-proud O’s could finish last in the tough five-team American League East, thus becoming the Least of the East in a heartbeat.
Know Your Editors
HERE’S THE PITCH is published daily except Sundays and holidays. Benjamin Chase [gopherben@gmail.com] handles the Monday issue with Dan Freedman [dfreedman@lionsgate.com] editing Tuesday and Jeff Kallman [easyace1955@outlook.com] at the helm Wednesday and Thursday. Original editor Dan Schlossberg [ballauthor@gmail.com], does the weekend editions on Friday and Saturday. Former editor Elizabeth Muratore [nymfan97@gmail.com] is now co-director [with Benjamin Chase and Jonathan Becker] of the Internet Baseball Writers Association of America, which publishes this newsletter and the annual ACTA book of the same name. Readers are encouraged to contribute comments, articles, and letters to the editor. HtP reserves the right to edit for brevity, clarity, and good taste.
The Brewers' six steals in an inning were more than a club record. Elias says it's THE record since the dawn of expansion (1961) and I think it's likely the legit all-time record. The eight steals in an inning by Washington (1915) and Philadelphia (1919) came under rules no longer in effect.