Tag: prospects

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Detroit Tigers: prospects getting tough love

Embed from Getty Images In an attempt to prepare top prospects to take the next step. The Detroit Tigers are tutoring pipeline players in Florida. It starts now. It has to.

 

For the rebuilding Detroit Tigers, player development is taking center stage.  Tigers player development manager Dave Littlefield is spearheading the charge. Noting that this is what is best for the players and the organization. Littlefield should know, He oversaw a Pittsburgh Pirates minor league that went on to push the parent team to solid play.

 

Growing pains come with every team in every sport. Players come, players go. But when a team is rebuilding and it is all hands on deck. It is paramount development takes place and players begin to play fundamental ball.

 

In his short call up outfielder Christian Stewart missed the cut-off man and a run scored. Manager Ron Gardenhire was less than happy. Gardenhire said the minor leagues need to get back to basics.

 

Gardenhire, had seen his fair share of sloppy fundamental ball. And was the one who was voicing both his concern and displeasure. He wondered out loud just what the Detroit Prospects were learning. As the major league manager Gardenhire is well within his rights to have his voice heard.

 

While there is not enough days to work with and teach all of the Tigers prospects in one offseason. Ron Gardenhire said next season nothing is off the table. That includes in-game benchings.

 

It is not that mistakes were and are made. That is life. It is and was the fact that players made no adjustments. Sometimes good old fashion tough love is needed. These are the tough love time for the Tigers.

 

These are the right steps for the Detroit Tigers to take. Better player development as well as tough love. Something needs to break through to the players. The Tigers never really did in-depth player development in the past. It is high time that changes.

 

The team traded top prospects to win division titles. That is the old way of doing business not only for the Tigers but all MLB teams. Teams have started to put a premium on prospects in order to win and stay on top longer.

 

That is a much more sound way of doing things.

 

 

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Detroit Tigers: are losing again and that is a good thing

Embed from Getty Images While I do believe the Detroit Tigers are as bad as their record. I also believe they may be tanking a bit. Giving the franchise another top 5 draft pick in  next June’s MLB draft, and that is alright.

 

In a week that saw the Tigers finish 1-5 against teams that were suppose to be worse than them. There is little question the tank is on. As I have stated before it is the quickest way to competitive baseball. Like it or not.

 

It seems the Detroit Tigers front office, has chosen bad unwatchable baseball over wining. For the Tigers too add to an already rising minor league systems this is the best rout for the organization to take. To the dismay of some of the fan base.

 

In a season that has seen Matt Manning, Alex Faedo, Christian Stewart, Jake Robson, Daz Cameron, Kody Clemens, Isaac Paredes dominate in the minors adding another top 3 draft pick would do nothing more than speed up the rebuild.

 

Impatient fans will try to say Tigers general manager Al Avila has not done enough or done things fast enough for their liking. That is a joke. In today’s MLB it is all about drafting assets and developing that talent to keep them together for a prolonged playoff run.

 

It will not happen next season either. The Detroit Tigers, are on a 2020 trajectory for a return to competitive baseball. There is absolutely no reason to rush player development.

 

There is also no reason to think Al Avila is doing a bad job. Baseball rebuilds take time. When done right, it is well worth the wait. When the season started the Detroit Tigers minor leagues were ranked 30th. They are now #9.

 

#9 staring at another top 3 draft pick. Detroit is doing this the right way. That is good news.

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Detroit Tigers: prospects keep moving up

Embed from Getty Images For all intent and purpose the Detroit Tigers season is over. Losing has final taken it’s grip. The good news though is Tigers prospects continue to shoot through the system.

 

I go from Franklin Perez to Daz Cameron,  in which player I like more. Both Detroit Tigers prospects came to the organization via the Justin Verlander trade last season. Perez a starting pitcher has been hurt most of this season though still widely considered a can not miss prospect.

 

Then there is the dynamic center fielder Daz Cameron. Though rated as the Tigers #7 prospect I have him higher. As in #5. He may very well be the centerpiece of the Verlander trade. Cameron went from High A ball, to Double A, Erie Seawolves and today has been promoted to Triple a, Toledo Mud Hens.

 

Cameron demanded to promotion with his play. In 53 games, Daz is hitting .285,  five home runs and 35 RBI along with 22 stolen bases. Daz Cameron is the son of former MLB center fielder Michael Cameron. Daz is that good.

 

Also on the move in the Detroit Tigers pipeline is 2B Kody Clemens and OF  Brock Deatherage who are moving from Single A, West Michigan Whitecaps to High A, Lakeland Flying Tigers.

 

Also on the move is outfielder Parker Meadows. He appears headed from Gulf Coast League to Penn League affiliate. the biggest mover is SS  Wenceel Perez. Wenceel, at 18 years old has made a big impression. Hitting .317 the   Dominican Republic native looks like a tremendous pickup.

 

Even in a rebuild there is a lot to keep and eye. The Detroit Tigers minor leagues have some very good talent. Talent the will soon find itself on the Comerica Park field.

 

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Detroit Tigers: the kids are alright

Embed from Getty Images As the Detroit Tigers, have come down to earth. 9 losses in a row will do that. There is good news. Detroit, has moved several top prospects around in the minor leagues.

Having one of the worst minor league systems in all baseball last season. This seasons the Detroit Tigers, systems has gone from being ranked #30 to being ranked #9 this season. Not to shabby.

In a full rebuild, the Tigers had a great 2018 draft. One that will speed up the rebuild. It gets better. This week the Tigers, have promoted many of the teams top prospects. All of them needed to be bumped up. They earned it.

Pitcher Matt Manning, went from A-ball West Michigan Whitecaps, to High- A Lakeland Flying Tigers. He should make around six starts before being moved to the Erie Seawolves Double-A team.

Pitcher Alex Faedo, moved from Lakeland to Erie. In 66 innings pitched Faedo has 58 strikeouts on the season. He was far too good to be in Lakeland and was never going to be there long.

Outfielder Daz Cameron, Also started the season with the Flying Tigers. Last week Cameron, was named Double-A player of the week. He should arrive in Toledo with the Mud Hens, before the season ends.

Pitcher Tyler Alexander, was promoted from Erie to Toledo. He will be a welcome arm in the Detroit bullpen at some point this season.

Outfielder Jacob Robson, also went from the Seawolves, to the Mud Hens. Robson should get a September call up when the MLB rosters are expanded.

Al Avila, and the Detroit front office and coaches are trying to figure out where the prized new draft picks will be placed. All of them including top pick Casey Mize will be putting in work this Summer.

While the Tigers, begin to fade in the standings. The top prospects are being moved up in the system. This is great news going forward.

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Detroit Tigers: when should a prospect be called up

Embed from Getty Images With many of the organization’s top prospects thriving in the minor leagues. Detroit Tiger, fans are wondering when they will be called up.

A prospect is inserted because they can help the parent team. Or they are ready. A prospect should never be called up if a team is struggling. There is a bigger picture to take into consideration.

Players need to develop. There is so much for them to learn. Rushing a prospect can spell disaster for the player and set the team back further. Because Detroit is in a rebuild and will not contend for a few seasons it is best to let the kids play and grow.

Certainly, a player or pitcher can get a spot start here or there. That is nothing more than to see how far they have come and what work still needs to be put in.

My advice is to enjoy the Detroit Tigers and the minor league teams this season. Do not wish the season away. The process is long the reward is great. That needs to be the focus.

No band aids to help a struggling team. That solves nothing. I do not remember a struggling team call up a player and then go on a winning streak.

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Detroit Tigers: what is fueling this team

Embed from Getty Images Picked to be one if not the worst teams in baseball the Detroit Tigers are not allowing forecasters dictate team success and or failure.

Two times this past week the Detroit tigers, put 10 or more runs on the scoreboard. But that is impossible! They were picked to be awful. It seems Ron Gardenhire’s players did not get the memo. Or they ripped it up and threw it away.

The Tigers while not a top team do have something major going for them. The 2018 Detroit Tigers are balanced. from number one to number nine in the batting order. That is extremely rare for rebuilding teams. Will it last all season? Probably not.

But, it is not going as so call experts said it would. They painted doom and gloom in Motown. Meanwhile, the Detroit minor league top prospects are all shining. They are living up to their draft billing, something else that is rare.

Tiger, scouts have done a very good job at drafting. If Christian Stewart can cut down on his strikeouts he is absolutely a guy who can lead the Detroit next wave of good teams.

The minor league pitching has been spot on the early part of this season capped of Friday night when the Tigers number two top prospect Matt Manning struck out 10 of the 12 batters he faced in Grand Rapids. Oh by the way that was his first start coming off a spring training injury and on a strict 70 pitch, pitch count.

It won’t be long before these players are strutting their stuff at Comerica Park.

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Detroit Tigers: made the correct call

As the Detroit Tigers prepare for what looks like will be a very long Summer amidst the infant stage of a rebuild. General manager Al Avila made the correct call by beginning to assign the teams to prospects to minor league affiliates.

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2017 top pick Alex Faedo will begin the season and his professional career in Lakeland Florida, with the Flying Tigers. Not in Grand Rapids,with the Whitecaps as some had thought.
Other top prospects Beau Burrows, Christian Stewart, Dwell Lugo, will start the season in Erie PA, with the Seawolves. Though many, my self included expect Burrows to get a start or two in Detroit at some point this season.
As this is published. We are still waiting on word where other top prospects such as Matt Manning and Issac Paredes will land. With the end of an era of Detroit Tigers baseball. I’m looking forward to another chapter in the storied franchise.
No prospect of a bad two or three years can scare me from following this team begin to find they’re stride again.
My focus is going to be on the tomorrow. The yesterday’s are gone. So it will be a Spring, Summer of prospect watching. But, it’s baseball. Glorious baseball.