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Detroit Tigers Clips
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Detroit Free Press
Seidel: Tigers’ Norris, local boy bond over cancer fight (Seidel)
Retired Tigers coach Jeff Jones is still pitching in (Fenech)
Sharp: Tigers’ McCann catching on to leadership role (Sharp)
U-M's Jim Harbaugh to coach first base for Tigers (Fenech and Snyder)
The Detroit News
Henning: Ausmus knows Tigers eventually will show their stripes (Henning)
Rich Dubee wants Tigers to pitch more aggressively inside (McCosky)
Farmer adds cutter, curve in bid to win rotation spot (McCosky)
Tigers take first strides in correcting base running blues (McCosky)
Tigers have luxury of time to determine Fulmer’s role (McCosky)
MLive.com
Jim Harbaugh to coach first base for Detroit Tigers (Iott)
Detroit Tigers will watch free agent Tim Lincecum throw in showcase (Iott)
Detroit Tigers notes: Prospects Joe Jimenez, Michael Fulmer to see early game action (Iott)
A look at $40 million renovation project at Detroit Tigers' spring training facility (Iott)
MLB.com
Dubee learning what makes Tigers' staff tick (Beck)
Ausmus stresses smarter baserunning (Beck)
Tigers hope tryout camp uncovers another gem (Beck)
ESPN.com Jim Harbaugh to coach first base for Tigers in spring training game (Strang)
Tigers to attend Lincecum showcase (Strang)
Detroit Tigers' updated pitching schedules for Grapefruit League play (Strang)
Tigers' Miguel Cabrera gets into Oscar spirit (Strang)
Oakland Press
Pat Caputo - Detroit Tigers have plenty to play for this spring, and it’s not about wins and losses (Caputo)
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Daily Transactions
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Seidel: Tigers’ Norris, local boy bond over cancer fight
February 28, 2016
By Jeff Seidel/ Detroit Free Press
On a cold winter day, Tigers pitcher Daniel Norris sat in the press box at Comerica Park, looking across the
frozen field, while playing a video game displayed on the giant scoreboard beyond the leftfield fence.
Hunter Bowman, an 11-year-old from Ludington, sat next to Norris, playing against his hero. Hunter wore a
white Tigers jersey with No. 44 on his back, the same number Norris wears. Hunter has thyroid cancer, similar
to the kind Norris had last season.
Norris was fortunate to catch his cancer at an early stage. He had surgery in October, and the cancer was
removed. But Hunter wasn’t so lucky. The cancer spread through his neck, lungs and lymph nodes, and surgery
could not remove all of it. He is considered to be in Stage 4, but the cancer has stabilized.
A TV crew with two cameras, a director and several technicians moved quietly through the press box, trying to
capture the moment.
Later, Hunter would call it “the best day of my life!”
This is a story about how cancer has brought together a professional baseball player and a child from west
Michigan. It’s about fight and hope, and it includes several twists: from a surprise meeting in Comerica Park to
an unexpected trip to Florida for spring training. It is part of Chevy’s new national social-media campaign tied
to the Leap Year.
It’s called “Day It Forward.”
The point is to encourage everybody to use the extra 24-hour window that comes along every four years on Feb.
29 to do an act of kindness for somebody who doesn’t expect it. Examples will be released Monday at
www.chevydayitforward.com.
It is expected to be promoted on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, ESPN and ABC’s “Good Morning America” and
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
The campaign features more than 20 “acts of goodness” by celebrities, enabled by Chevy, and it involves
recently retired race-car driver Jeff Gordon, basketball star Pau Gasol, actor Kevin Spacey and actress Eva
Longoria.
Craig Daitch, communications manager at Chevy, said he has seen the video of Norris and Hunter.
“There wasn’t a dry eye in the room,” he said. “It’s special. We all kind of took a deep breath. It was really
cool.”
But that’s getting ahead of the story, at least as it involved Norris and Hunter.
It actually started with an e-mail and an indoor flag football game at Detroit Country Day.
Making a connection
Journalists are trained to stay out of the story. But in the interest of full disclosure, I have to explain how I
played a small role in this one.
On Jan. 25, I received an e-mail from Thomas Ezdebski, who works at Spectrum Health Ludington Hospital.
“I’m part of an organization that helps kids in this area that have cancer,” Ezdebski wrote. “We are currently
helping an 11 year old boy who has thyroid cancer. It is very rare for children to have this and there is no
specific course of treatment. ... I would somehow like to connect this young man to Mr. Norris. What would be
the best way for me to proceed with that?”
I simply forwarded the e-mail to the Tigers. That was the extent of my involvement.
But what happened next was pretty cool.
Ron Colangelo, the Tigers vice president of communications, forwarded the e-mail to the Tigers’ community
relations department. Before nearly every home game, the Tigers set it up so that a player meets with somebody
from the community on the field during batting practice. Most of the time, it happens under the radar. Many
times, it involves sick kids.
And I figured that is what would happen in this case. But suddenly, this situation took on a life of its own.
Which brings us to the football game.
Inspiring story
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Jordan Field, the director of the Detroit Tigers Foundation, was watching his son, Logan, 10, play a flag football
game with one of his buddies, Aiden Aronoff.
Aiden’s mother, Tracy Aronoff, happens to be a strategy director at an advertising agency that works with
Chevy. Field and Aronoff have known each other for years and are practically neighbors.
“We are cheering on our sons,” Field said. “In a casual conversation, she tells me about work.”
She told him about the new Chevy campaign and asked if he knew of any special stories involving local
athletes.
“Jordan has the best job in the world, right?” Aronoff said. “He’s always helping dreams come true.”
Field told her about Hunter.
“It could be an inspiring story to get those two people together,” Field said, “Norris and this boy, who is in this
battle for his life.”
That’s when this story reached warp speed.
Quiet moment
On Feb. 13, Chevy flew Norris from Lakeland, where he had been training, to Detroit to meet with Hunter.
Hunter receives treatment at the University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center in Ann Arbor, and his
parents, Caleb and Miranda Bowman, told him a white lie, saying they had to meet with a specialist. They drove
by Comerica Park to get a picture by the giant Tiger in front of the stadium. Hunter got out of the vehicle, and
Norris was there to greet him — along with a TV crew that filmed everything.
Hunter was shocked.
“I had no clue what was happening,” he said.
They toured the stadium, walked across the snow-covered field — Hunter’s picture was up on the giant
scoreboard — and played catch in the batting cages under the stadium.
Norris gave him a quick batting lesson, and Hunter cranked the first pitch.
“First try!” Norris said. “That’s awesome!”
While in the press box, there was another surprise: Norris invited Hunter and his family (his parents and four
brothers and sisters) to Florida for spring training.
“It will be a lot warmer in Florida,” Norris said. “Maybe we can play some catch down there.”
Hunter is quiet and reserved, and he looked overwhelmed by the presence of the TV crew.
But there was a wonderful moment in the Tigers’ clubhouse when Norris and Hunter were able to sit down
together and talk in front of their lockers. They had set one up for Hunter next to Norris’.
“That’s where I felt he was getting more comfortable,” Norris said. “I don’t think he felt the cameras at that
point. I think he had a really good time. If I had one key message to him, it was, ‘Just keep living.’
“I just wanted him to take that to heart. No matter what comes your way, you gotta keep living.”
Norris didn’t sense that Hunter was afraid of his cancer.
“I think he was timid at times to talk about it,” Norris said. “I know that I’ve been timid at times. I don’t want to
talk about it. I want it to be something in the past. But this opportunity was something special.”
At the end of the day, Norris and Hunter ate lunch together. Beforehand, Norris bowed his head and said a silent
prayer. Then Norris and the Bowman family held hands, as Miranda said a prayer out loud.
“I was thanking God for the time with Daniel and for this day and the experience in general,” she said. “Our
faith is really important to us.”
Norris was touched and deeply moved by the whole experience.
“It’s tough,” he said. “The whole time, all day, I felt myself feeling guilty. I’m so fortunate to be one and done
with it. I know he’s still going through with it. I just wanted him to feel special today.”
Coolest thing everLast Sunday, Chevy flew Hunter and his family to Florida for a whirlwind trip that included
two days at Disney World. All expenses paid.
On Monday morning, Hunter watched Norris practice at the Tigers’ spring training facility. After practice, they
played catch in Joker Marchant Stadium and hung out.
“It was incredible,” Miranda said.
Hunter was far more relaxed.
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“It was really good,” Norris said. “We kind of walked around and played catch a little bit and talked. He was
excited about being out of the cold. He’s a pretty shy kid. When I was that age, I was the same way. It was
nice.”
A couple of times, Norris overheard Hunter repeat the same thing.
“This is the coolest thing that has ever happened to me,” Hunter said.
Which is the whole point.
It kind of makes you want to do something special for somebody, no?
Contact Jeff Seidel: [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go
to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel/.
How to help
Donations for Hunter Bowman can be sent to: Childhood Cancer Campaign, P.O. Box 10, Ludington, MI
49431. The campaign is part of the Mason County Community Foundation, and it is tax-exempt.
The Bowman family has set up a website to follow Hunter’s fight: facebook.com/huntersupdates/
For openers
What: Tigers’ Spring Training opener against Florida Southern College.
When: 1:05 p.m. Monday.
TV/radio: None.
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Retired Tigers coach Jeff Jones is still pitching in
February 28, 2016
By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press
LAKELAND, Fla. – Retired? Jeff Jones laughs at the notion.
From helping his daughters move to getting run into the ground by his granddaughter to helping young high
school pitchers, the Tigers’ former pitching coach had his hands full this winter, which he called one of his
busiest off-seasons ever.
“I stayed extremely busy,” Jones said. “But I’m enjoying it a lot.”
Jones is back in Tiger Town to help new pitching coach Rich Dubee get acclimated to the team’s pitching staff,
the one that Jones oversaw for the past five seasons.
“It’s been great to get down here to see the guys and just help out in any way I can,” he said. “It’s gone well.
It’s gone very well. I’ve tried to give him a little lowdown on most of the guys that I’ve had and the little
idiosyncrasies about them and certain things we worked on, certain things that I think can be continued to work
on.”
Jones, 59, has been in baseball for 38 seasons. He hails from Southgate, now lives in Carleton and doesn’t have
any plans to curb his passion for helping pitchers.
This winter, he found himself in an old barn in the area for six hours a day at times, helping high school kids.
Now, he wanders around the Tigers’ clubhouse at Joker Marchant Stadium like old times, with what passes for
a gray beard.
“The young guys are eager,” Jones said. “A lot of the big leaguers, they’re pretty set in their ways. With the
younger kids, I think a lot of it is they’re just really eager for knowledge. They want anything you can offer
them, and it’s not so much to get them into the big leagues as much as it is to help them get a scholarship to
college just to be successful in life.”
Jones came to spring training at the request of manager Brad Ausmus.
Jones thinks the itch to keep going will always be there — “There’s always that thought,” he said — but he’s
enjoying the less stressful times of retirement, spending more time with his family and working with a different
brand of pitchers.
“I enjoy working with kids and pitchers in general,” he said. “You can make an impact on some of these young
kids just by telling them one certain thing and helping them become better pitchers and people.”
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Sharp: Tigers’ McCann catching on to leadership role February 28, 2016
By Drew Sharp/ Detroit Free Press
LAKELAND, Fla. – The sun had not yet peeked over the eastern horizon. James McCann thought he had
arrived at the Tigers’ clubhouse on time. A couple minutes before 5:30 a.m.
But Victor Martinez was already there. The first guy in, sitting at his cubicle and wondering why McCann
wasn’t there at 5:20 as Martinez insisted. The intended lesson: Attention to detail matters when morphing
professionalism into a passion for doing whatever is necessary to win.
“I get here at 5:15 now,” McCann said.
It’s no coincidence the Tigers put the second-year catcher’s spring training locker between Martinez’s and
Justin Upton’s. They’re confident McCann is Martinez’s heir, the successor to the leadership throne. Successful
teams normally have accountable clubhouses. Players demand high standards of each other. But players can
lead only when they demand more of themselves than anybody else.
McCann’s gradually filling that role. “It’s a day-to-day thing,” he said about leadership. “It takes a long time to
build that kind of reputation. You’re constantly building over the course of your career, and it can break down
pretty quickly. You realize that even one mistake can hurt that reputation, and it’s very hard to build that back
up.”
His development is essential for a divisional title season, working on his admitted weaknesses such as pitch
framing. There’s usually a balancing act, particularly with young catchers, not wanting to put too much on them
too soon. If they get overwhelmed, their performance could regress. But Martinez thinks McCann can be
something special. Martinez says he knows the right qualities when he sees them.
“You can tell how badly he wants to win,” Martinez said. “You can’t fake that. You can tell how hard he’s
ready to work and push himself. He likes working hard, and that’s the right attitude that you need.”
The right attitude also requires the right timing. There are fewer secrets these days, because the camera
seemingly catches everything. TV cameras captured a combustible moment in the Tigers’ dugout Aug. 7 against
Boston when McCann didn’t appreciate shortstop Jose Iglesias’ casualness on a grounder by the Red Sox’s
Rusney Castillo that turned into a single. McCann got into Iglesias’ face following the inning, pointing to the
field and the play that resulted in a big inning for the Red Sox.
Iglesias pushed McCann with both hands. Nick Castellanos and Anthony Gose stepped in and broke up the
skirmish.
But the narrative was already established in the public’s mind.
Rookie or not, McCann wouldn’t tolerate anything less than maximum effort.
“Yeah, people still bring it up,” McCann said. “But that’s in the past. It was an in-house issue. Passion makes
stuff like that happen.”
The episode branded McCann as a fiery competitor. And how many people think the cure for every ill over a
162-game season is an angrily thrown chair or a bat smashed to smithereens in a rage? But true leadership’s
more about choosing the right tactic at the right moment. The worst thing for McCann’s growth is believing that
every response must come at high decibels.
Martinez can help him with that balancing act as well.
“There are plenty of times when the best thing a young player can do is keep his mouth shut and his ears open,”
McCann said. “I’m getting a great opportunity learning from the one best leaders in the game. You just want to
be a sponge and soak it all in.”
McCann was decent offensively in his 2015 rookie campaign, batting .264 and driving home 41 runs. But he
should play far more than last year’s 114 games. He altered his diet, eating less red meat with the hope that will
make his body more resistant to the grind of catching 140 games.
But McCann’s biggest role will be further gaining the trust of the pitching staff in his ability to call games and
gaining the confidence of teammates with a stronger voice to steer the Tigers where they need to go.
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U-M's Jim Harbaugh to coach first base for Tigers
February 28, 2016
By Anthony Fenech and Mark Snyder/ Detroit Free Press
LAKELAND, Fla. – Jim Harbaugh threw out the first pitch before a Tigers-Pirates game last summer. He will
take it a step further this spring.
According to multiple people with knowledge of the situation, the Michigan football coach will serve as the
Tigers’ first base coach during a split-squad game on Wednesday against the Pirates in Bradenton, Fla.
Harbaugh's team will attend the game.
The Wolverines will be in Bradenton for spring practices at IMG Academy.
It won’t be his first time in the coaches’ box. Last spring in Arizona, he served as the Oakland A’s first base
coach. He is close with A’s manager Bob Melvin.
“I wanted to be a big leaguer,” Harbaugh said before last year’s first pitch at Comerica Park. “I’ve been
practicing since I was 5 years old.”
Harbaugh’s trek to Comerica Park that night began with longtime friend and U-M equipment manager Jon Falk,
who connected him with Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. The two spoke before the game and Harbaugh, after
throwing out the first pitch to Tigers manager Brad Ausmus, sat in Hurdle’s seats in the stands.
Hurdle is a Big Rapids native and lifelong U-M fan.
“I told him with his passion for stirring things up, why wouldn’t he just half the game, coach the game for the
Pirates,” Hurdle told the Bradenton Herald recently. “I don’t think that’ll fly, but that’s right up his alley. I’ve
encouraged him to try and get out early to spend some time with our group and our team before the Tigers get
onto the field.”
And when they do, for at least one of the nine innings, Harbaugh will be right with them.
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Henning: Ausmus knows Tigers eventually will show their stripes
February 28, 2016
By Lynn Henning/ The Detroit News
Lakeland, Fla. – Spend a few days at big-league spring camp, any camp. And prepare to be impressed.
The pitchers are throwing bullets. Hitters are ripping the ball. Everyone’s making plays and whipping crisp,
clothes-line relays.
It’s hard to see how any team will lose so much as a game in 2016.
And then it’s April. And maybe as quickly as Opening Day, all the innocence and songbird glee is gone.
Because baseball is difficult. And losing is inevitable.
Reality was woven into Brad Ausmus’ words following Saturday’s workout at Tigertown. The Tigers manager
was asked if he could detect anything, even the faintest of gut feelings, about his team 10 days into spring
rehearsals.
“Too early to put stock in anything,” Ausmus said after the Tigers had wrapped up three hours of drills. “A
team shows its true colors when things aren’t going well.
“In spring training, it’s very easy to be relaxed.”
Ausmus naturally figures he can get a better bead on pitchers and hitters when Grapefruit League games begin,
which in the Tigers’ case is Tuesday against the Pirates at Marchant Stadium.
Even then, spring training can deceive. Hitters who aren’t good long-term bets can get hot. Veterans can take a
while to get unhinged. Starting pitchers might get rocked because they’re working on a particular pitch.
It is wise and necessary to be careful, very careful, about assessing teams and players during February-March
tune-ups.
Ausmus said Saturday he would trust his chiefs and tribal elders to help modulate the Tigers’ emotions and
anxieties. Victor Martinez, Ian Kinsler, Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander – these are the clubhouse
psychologists who can be important in keeping a team’s head straight.
“It’s a little like Reaganomics,” said Ausmus, resurrecting an economic philosophy from the 1980s. “It’s
trickle-down. If you have good veterans, it’s trickle down.”
Of course, you can have a clubhouse full of veterans on hand and find, to take his economic metaphor a step
further, a team is in a genuine Depression. That’s what the Tigers ran into late last summer after David Price,
Yoenis Cespedes, and Joakim Soria had been dealt once the team’s playoff picture turned bleak.
Too often, they couldn’t compete. The Tigers were outmanned and out-muscled. They finished in last place.
Even with Kinsler and Martinez and others working overtime alongside Ausmus to prop up players’ psyches,
the team was simply no match for opponents.
“Credit to Kins (Kinsler) and Victor,” Ausmus said. “They were on it (the misery of losing) 100 percent. But
they (players, particularly veterans) want to win. Losing stinks. They didn’t like it.
“I’m just glad there weren’t any (fractures).”
He’s right. A losing clubhouse is a somber clubhouse. But on the field a team’s soul stayed intact.
In fact, a couple of visiting scouts said during confidential press-box conversations last August and September
that they were surprised how hard the Tigers played even after the deadline trades and the white flag had been
raised.
Those dispiriting weeks from 2015 are in deep contrast to what you see this month in Lakeland. Roster repairs
have been extensive. There is more quality depth than the team seemingly has brought to camp in years.
And so, once again, during that blissful interlude known as spring training, baseball is never better. Because
there haven’t been any defeats, none that matter. And because everyone looks good and strong and as such a
noble match for that most humbling of games.
About the Tigers’ rotation
It’s easy to put a number designation on Detroit’s 2016 starters. You begin with Justin Verlander as top dog.
Hotshot newcomer Jordan Zimmermann is the team’s acknowledged No. 2 man. Anibal Sanchez, as long as
he’s healthy, is No. 3.
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Conventionally speaking, most Tigers students consider Mike Pelfrey the team’s fourth gun, with a stream of
contestants sorting out a fifth spot: Daniel Norris, Shane Greene, Matt Boyd, Buck Farmer, etc.
A slightly different list is in place here. That it runs against the grain, and against a likely order Ausmus will
unveil in April, is acknowledged. But strictly because of his talent and the fact the Tigers need a left-handed
starter as close as possible to the top or mid-region of their rotation, it has been too tempting to think of Norris
as the No. 4 guy, with Pelfrey in the fifth slot.
This order is all but certain to be reversed, mostly because the Tigers will want to keep Norris’ innings in check
in 2016. But in terms of potency and potential, Norris gets a nod here as a pitcher who not only is all but locked
into a slot, but as a pitcher who could soon be viewed as one of the better bets in Detroit’s starting five to give
the Tigers a quality start and an edge in any single game.
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Rich Dubee wants Tigers to pitch more aggressively inside February 28, 2016
By Chris McCosky/ The Detroit News
Lakeland, Fla. – It’s probably not at the top of Rich Dubee’s long list of career highlights – the man has a World
Series ring and molded Cy Young Award winners in his 34 years of coaching -- but it’s up there.
Imagine pitching batting practice to a young Bo Jackson, on an artificial turf field, with television cameras and
reporters encircling the field. It had to be both terrifying and exhilarating.
“That was great; that’s when I was able to throw,” said Dubee, 58, who replaces the retired Jeff Jones as the
Tigers’ pitching coach. “It was on turf in Memphis, Tennessee (in July of 1986). We had just signed Bo when I
was with Kansas City. We had a day game, and after the game we pulled the cage out.”
And Jackson proceeded to hit screaming liners and majestic 400-foot shots into the seats while Dubee ducked
and shook his head in awe.
“It was really like being in the World Series, with that many cameras and that much press all lined up,” he said.
“He was just, wow. Bo Jackson was really impressive.”
Dubee’s task with the Tigers may not be quite as harrowing, but he is taking over a pitching staff that ranked
near the bottom, starters and bullpen, in nearly every statistical category last season.
And he’s inherited an eclectic mix of talent and personalities – from set-in-their-ways veterans like Justin
Verlander and Francisco Rodriguez, to an enigmatic talent like Bruce Rondon to a whole crop of wet-behind-
the-ears prospects.
“It’s been great,” he said of the transition. “The guys have been phenomenal. There’s been a lot of quality work
done. Knowing some of the people here beforehand (like bullpen coach Mick Billmeyer) and Jonesy being
around and being able to pick his brain is a great resource.
“It’s been smooth and there’s still a lot of building to do.”
As far as initial assessments, Dubee said he’s been impressed with the power arms of Joe Jimenez and Michael
Fulmer. He called Drew VerHagen an “interesting guy” because of his size (6-foot-6), stuff and demeanor.
And, he’s been pleased with what he’s seen from Rondon thus far.
“Bruce has been going about it fine,” he said. “He worked hard during PFP (pitchers fielding practice). He’s
going about it at a much more upbeat tempo. And he had real good focus today throwing.”
Rondon threw his first live bullpen session Saturday and it had everybody from Dubee to general manager Al
Avila to the hitters who faced him (Dominic Ficociello, JaCoby Jones, Nate Schierholtz, John Mayberry, Jr.)
nodding their heads encouragingly.
But this is all preliminary stuff. Dubee said he will gradually incorporate his ideas and philosophies throughout
the spring.
“Everybody has a lot of the same philosophical things – throw strike one, pitch ahead in the count,” he said.
“But after you see guys over the course of time, then you can see if they aren’t pitching inside enough or using
the proper breaking ball to finish guys off.
“That will be stuff we’ll get into as we see more games.”
One thing he’s already imparted on his pitchers, though, is the importance of not just pitching inside, but
establishing ownership of the inside quadrant – on and even a little off the plate.
“It makes most hitters uncomfortable,” he said. “There is a little fear there. There are different ranges of fear for
every hitter but there’s also an understanding that it doesn’t feel good if that (ball) hits you. There is pain there,
though you see a lot of armor worn now. That’s gone to an extreme.
“But you’ve seen a lot of guys years ago bail. They stepped away from the plate. Today hitters are right out
over the plate because pitchers won’t pitch inside.”
Dubee knows there will be some pushback – not from hitters, he couldn’t care less about that; but from his own
pitchers. And when the pushback comes, he’s ready with his Jamie Moyer story.
“I don’t know that they won’t do it, but some are reluctant,” he said. “You’ve got to be committed to do it. I
was around Jamie Moyer for years in Philadelphia and he threw 82, 83 mph. But he was committed to pitching
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inside and he was as good as anybody I’ve been around without velocity. But he knew he could get it in there,
knew where he had to get it.
“He was committed to it and trusted it and 269 wins later, he had a pretty good career.”
Part of being a successful coach is being able to tailor the details and delivery of your message to different
personalities. Certainly Dubee has run the gamut from hot heads like Mitch Williams and Jonathan Papelbon to
polar opposites like Cliff Lee and Roy Halladay.
“If Doc Halladay was a student, he’d be the guy who studies a couple of nights before a test,” he said. “Cliff
Lee probably didn’t study before a test. And both got A’s.”
Lee, Dubee said, was low-maintenance and anti-information in terms of game preparation. Halladay made his
own videos and wanted every piece a data he could get.
“Everybody is different,” Dubee said. “Game preparation for Cliff was easy because he didn’t want any
information. He’d have a hard time taking all the analytics in today’s game. He wouldn’t look at it.
“There are guys like that who can really pitch with their eyes. They see how hitters react to certain pitches and
they know how to go after them. It was plain and simple as can be for Cliff.”
Halladay, not so much.
“He was nice – but demanding, demanding in a good way,” Dubee said. “Doc was a two-time Cy Young Award
winner, but when he threw his bullpens, he wants your input. There was a lot of dialogue back and forth about
where he was and how he felt. Just the complete opposite of Cliff.”
Yet, Dubee was able to adapt his process to facilitate success for both.
“Good players make you look real smart,” he said.
He is in the process of learning which buttons he can push with this Tigers staff.
“You like to find out what makes people tick and what makes them comfortable,” he said. “Players have to be
relaxed and comfortable to play this game. And everybody is different. That’s why spring training is so
important.”
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Farmer adds cutter, curve in bid to win rotation spot February 28, 2016
By Chris McCosky/ The Detroit News
Lakeland, Fla. – Some pitchers truly don’t care if they start or work out of the bullpen. Michael Fulmer is one of
those guys.
“Whatever they need me to do,” he said. “I have to get guys out regardless of when I pitch.”
Kyle Ryan has toggled between starting and relieving but he has made it clear he prefers to come out of the
bullpen.
“I’m an adrenaline junkie,” he said last year. “I love coming out of the bullpen. The atmosphere of 40,000 fans
yelling and screaming on top of you. It just, it gets my heart going.”
Buck Farmer wants to start. He will do whatever it takes to make the club, but in his heart, he is a starting
pitcher. And it appears, at least for the early part of spring training, he is in the hunt for the fifth starting spot
with Daniel Norris, Matt Boyd and Shane Greene.
He will get the start Wednesday in a split-squad game against the Pirates in Bradenton.
“I am excited,” he said. “Ready to go.”
Farmer to this point has been a cautionary tale of sorts for the Tigers, an example of why you don’t rush players
to the big leagues. Farmer was drafted by the Tigers in 2013, pitched in 13 games for Low-A Connecticut that
year and by the end of 2014, made his debut for the Tigers.
All told, he had made just 18 starts for Class-A West Michigan, two for Double-A Erie and two for Triple-A
Toledo that year before getting called up.
He wasn’t ready, as his 0-5 record, 8.15 ERA and 1.752 WHIP in 18 Major League games the last two years
would attest. Farmer essentially had to rely on his 93-mph fastball and changeup against left-handed hitters, and
fastball and slider against right-handers.
The rest of his repertoire was undeveloped.
Left-handed hitters have tortured him -- .383 average, 1.086 OPS. Last season, lefties hit .421 off his fastball,
.400 off his changeup and .360 off his slider.
Something had to change, and it has. Farmer has added a cutter and a curveball to his arsenal.
“I had to have something I could get inside on lefties,” he said. “All they really had to look for was the fastball
and changeup. I’ve also got back to throwing a curveball. I threw one in college (Georgia Tech) and a little bit
my first year.”
The cutter, besides darting in on left-handers, gives him something that moves away from right-handers with a
little more speed than his slider.
“It’s actually working out very well,” Farmer said. “I am still playing around with stuff as far as finding a grip
that’s comfortable and arm angle, but it’s a pitch I enjoy throwing.”
Manager Brad Ausmus hasn’t seen Farmer’s cutter yet, but that’s not what he’s looking for from him.
“A cutter is one way of getting in on lefties,” he said. “But quite frankly, I think you have to have the ability to
throw inside with the fastball.”
Farmer understands. It’s a matter of him trusting his stuff, trusting that he can work the inside part of the plate
and jam left-handers without getting hurt. Thus far, he hasn’t accumulated enough positive results to have that
confidence.
That’s what this spring is about for him. He’s had his baptism under fire. He’s added pitches to his tool box. By
all rights, this should be the first spring that he legitimately has a shot at getting to the big leagues, the first
spring where he’s fully prepared to pitch at that level.
That’s not how it went. The pitching depth grew thin, the club got desperate and Farmer went from Low-A to
the big leagues in five months. But the experience, he said, didn’t ruin him, it made him stronger.
“Absolutely,” he said. “It helped me prepare more and it helped me know what to expect. I feel like I am ready
to go.”
14
Tigers take first strides in correcting base running blues February 28, 2016
By Chris McCosky/ The Detroit News
Lakeland, Fla. – Brad Ausmus was dead serious about putting in the requisite work to improve the team’s base
running efficiency this season.
He and assistant coaches Omar Vizquel and Matt Martin assembled a small group of players at 8 a.m. Saturday
morning for a brisk tutorial.
“Just reading the ball off the bat, runners on first or second, having the mindset of going first to third or second
to home but being smart,” he said. “Running the bases intelligently is the biggest thing.
“People talk about being aggressive, but sometimes being aggressive runs you into an out. It’s about being
smart.”
Nick Castellanos, Jose Iglesias, Cameron Maybin and Ian Kinsler were among the players taking part in the
workout. Ausmus brought over several outfielders from the minor league camp, including Michigan State
product Cam Gibson, to assist.
He stationed runners at first, then at second, and hit balls to the outfielders. He challenged the runners to read
the outfielders to determine the feasibility of taking the extra base.
“See the outfielder,” Ausmus said. “Is he moving laterally? Is he moving away from the throw to third, or from
the throw home? Then knowing whether you can take the extra base.”
The mindset, Ausmus said, is to consistently think 180 feet, or two bases.
“Instead of when a ball is hit thinking, ‘Oh, I can get to third,’ it should be, ‘I am going to third until I can no
longer get to third.”
It’s been a source of frustration for Ausmus that he has put a high level of emphasis on base running in his first
two years as manager, and yet the Tigers were dead last in net runs gained by base running, minus-107,
according to Bill James’ research.
The Tigers made 60 outs on the bases last season, including 25 at home. They were picked off 19 times. They
went first to third just 73 times out of 321 chances, second to home 100 out of 183 chances and first to home 29
times in 75 chances. Only two teams (Dodgers and Orioles) took fewer bases than the Tigers (130).
“You can give them the concepts but a lot of times they have to experience it,” Ausmus said. “We told them,
‘Don’t worry about getting thrown out here in spring training. Let’s do it, try to learn and recognize what you
are capable doing during this month-long, 30-game schedule.’”
Kirk Gibson will be back in Lakeland in early March to work with base runners, some individually and in small
groups.
15
Tigers have luxury of time to determine Fulmer’s role
February 28, 2016
By Chris McCosky/ The Detroit News
Lakeland, Fla. – As of right now, the battle for the final spot in the Tigers’ starting rotation is between Daniel
Norris, Matt Boyd, Buck Farmer and Shane Greene. So where does that leave Michael Fulmer?
“I don’t know,” Fulmer said. “Whatever they want.”
Ausmus has said Fulmer's best chance of winning a spot on the Opening Day roster is in the bullpen. Yet, he is
working in a five-day rotation this spring just like the other starting pitchers.
“They said they want to keep me on a five-day rotation for now,” he said. “If they need me, then it’s an easier
transition to go to the pen than to go the other way around. I just have to keep getting my work in.”
Ausmus put it this way: “We’re not really set on anything because there is time to adjust.”
Sanchez update
Anibal Sanchez, who has been shut down with triceps inflammation, is still on track to resume throwing on
Monday.
“He’s back to exercising his shoulder,” pitching coach Rich Dubee said. “Once he starts playing catch again we
will have more feedback to see where he’s at. But he’s talking very well about it. He’s upbeat.”
Dubee praised Sanchez for alerting the medical staff quickly to the soreness.
“We talk about honesty – you have to be honest about where you are at,” Dubee said. “There’s a difference
between acute pain and general soreness. Hopefully we caught Anibal early enough. Because he mentioned
something wasn’t right, the doctors were able to narrow it down.”
Pitching lineups
Ausmus revealed his lineup of pitchers for Monday’s Grapefruit League tune-up against Florida Southern.
Kevin Ziomek will start, followed by Jairo Labourt, Montreal Robertson, Joe Jimenez, Lendy Castillo, Drake
Britton and Preston Guilmet.
On Tuesday, in the Grapefruit League opener at Marchant Stadium, lefty Matt Boyd will start against former
Tiger Kyle Lobstein, now with the Pirates. Following Boyd will be Fulmer, Angel Nesbitt, Kyle Ryan and
Logan Kensing.
Things will get a little nuts on Wednesday with split-squad games in Tampa (Mike Pelfrey starts) and
Bradenton (Buck Farmer). This early in the spring, pitchers aren’t stretched out too far, so there will be some
pitchers added from the minor league camp.
“It’s going to be mayhem,” Ausmus said.
Norris and Greene will be featured Thursday against the Braves in Orlando.
Rag ball final
The championship of the pitching staff’s annual Rag Ball Tournament is set for Sunday – Justin Verlander vs.
Lendy Castillo.
“Castillo is a former shortstop,” Verlander said. “So if I win, I get a lot of bragging rights.”
Rag ball is essentially a defensive drill where the pitchers line up in front of a screen and take hard hit rag balls
off the bat of Omar Vizquel from about 20 feet.
Norris, arguably the best all-around athlete among the pitchers, was the prohibitive favorite coming in, but he
was knocked out in the semifinals. Verlander showed no compassion.
“Yeah, well, some fall along the way,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do for him.”
Game on.
Around the horn
Centerfielder Anthony Gose was ill Saturday and did not practice.
… According to ESPN.com, the Tigers will be among the teams attending former Giants right-hander Tim
Lincecum’s workout in Arizona next week. Lincecum, who helped the Giants beat the Tigers in the 2012 World
Series, had hip surgery in September.
16
Jim Harbaugh to coach first base for Detroit Tigers
February 28, 2016
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
Jim Harbaugh will take in a little baseball next week while in Florida with the University of Michigan football
team.
He'll have a pretty good view of the action on the field.
Harbaugh will coach first base for the Detroit Tigers for at least an inning Wednesday during their split-squad
Grapefruit League game in Bradenton, Fla., against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Tigers confirmed Saturday.
Major League Baseball would have to approve of the plan, but a hangup seems unlikely. Angelique Chengelis
of the Detroit News was the first to report the news that Harbaugh would coach first.
Harbaugh spoke of his love for the Tigers this summer after throwing out the first pitch at a Tigers game at
Comerica Park.
"Gates Brown and Mark Fidrych (were my favorite players as a kid)," Harbaugh said. "And Alan Trammel. And
Lou Whitaker. And Bill Freehan. And Al Kaline. And Ernie Harwell. And George Kell. I loved them all. (The
Tigers) were my team."
Harbaugh will be in Bradenton with his football team next week for spring practice at IMG Academy. That isn't
far from McKechnie Field, the spring home of the Pirates.
17
Detroit Tigers will watch free agent Tim Lincecum throw in showcase February 28, 2016
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers don't have many spots open on their pitching staff. But they will be in
attendance when free agent pitcher Tim Lincecum holds a showcase.
More than half of the teams in the majors are expected to have someone in attendance at the showcase, which
reportedly will take place in Arizona sometime in the near future. The Tigers confirmed to MLive.com that they
will be among those teams.
Katie Strang of ESPN.com was the first to report that the Tigers planned to attend the showcase.
Lincecum had hip surgery in September and did not appear in a game in the final three months of the season. He
went 7-4 with a 4.13 ERA and a 1.480 WHIP in 15 starts last season for the San Francisco Giants.
Lincecum, 31, is 108-83 with a 3.61 ERA and a 1.268 WHIP in 269 career appearances in nine seasons in the
big leagues, all with the Giants. He has double-digit pitching victories in seven of his past eight seasons, but his
numbers have been so-so since the 2011 season.
The Tigers have four of their five rotation spots filled with a handful of young pitchers competing for the final
spot in the rotation. The Tigers also appear to have five of their bullpen spots with Drew VerHagen as the
favorite to earn one of the other two spots.
18
Detroit Tigers notes: Prospects Joe Jimenez, Michael Fulmer to see early game action
February 28, 2016
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Detroit Tigers fans will not have to wait long to see two intriguing pitchers take the
mound.
Joe Jimenez is among the scheduled pitchers for the team's exhibition game Monday against Florida Southern
College, while Michael Fulmer is slated to pitch Tuesday in the Grapefruit League opener against the Pittsburgh
Pirates.
By all accounts, Fulmer is the top-ranked prospect the Tigers have. He came to the Tigers in the trade that sent
Yoenis Cespedes to the New York Mets at the deadline last year.
Fulmer has never pitched above the Double-A level, but he will compete for a bullpen spot this spring and could
even find himself in the rotation if he has a very strong showing. It seems likely that he will start the season in
the rotation at Triple-A Toledo.
Fulmer went 4-1 with a 2.84 ERA and a 1.074 WHIP in six games for Double-A Erie following the trade to the
Tigers. He went 10-3 with a 2.24 ERA and a 1.075 WHIP in 22 minor-league starts last season.
Jimenez was 5-1 with a 1.47 ERA, a 0.791 WHIP and 61 strikeouts in 43 innings pitched in 2015 for Single-A
West Michigan. Some see him as the closer of the future for the Tigers.
"Being the closer is something I like to do," Jimenez said earlier this spring. "I like it to be in the eighth and
then the other team looks to the bullpen and sees, 'Oh, this guy is coming in the ninth.' I like it. It means a lot to
me."
MLive.com ranked Jimenez as the fifth-best Tigers prospect. Baseball America has him listed as the seventh-
best Tigers prospect, while MLB Pipeline has him ranked ninth.
Here are the scheduled pitchers for the first two games of spring, both at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland:
• Monday (exhibition vs. Florida Southern): Kevin Ziomek, Jairo Labourt, Montreal Robertson, Joe Jimenez,
Lendy Castillo, Drake Britton, Preston Guilmet.
• Tuesday (Grapefruit League opener vs. Pirates): Matt Boyd, Michael Fulmer, Angel Nesbitt, Kyle Ryan,
Logan Kensing.
TIGERS NOTES
The return of Lobstein? As of Saturday morning, the Pirates had not announced who will start Tuesday in
Lakeland, but Rob Biertempfel of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review speculated on Twitter that it could be former
Tigers left-hander Kyle Lobstein.
Illness update: Miguel Cabrera was back at the ballpark and feeling fine after leaving workouts a bit early
Friday due to illness. Outfielder Anthony Gose had some stomach issues Friday and went home Saturday
morning after checking in briefly at the ballpark.
Top 10: Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera was ranked 10th on MLB Network's list of Top 10 Players Right
Now. Cabrera was seventh on the list a year ago. The top five: Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, Clayton Kershaw,
Andrew McCutchen and Josh Donaldson. Paul Goldschmidt, Buster Posey, Manny Machado and Jake Arrieta
were also ranked ahead of Cabrera.
Tryout camp: The Tigers will hold a tryout camp March 7 at the TigerTown complex in Lakeland. Registration
begins at 8 a.m. with tryouts scheduled for 9 a.m. The camp is for players ages 18 to 23 with professional
baseball experience. The Tigers signed outfielder Wynton Bernard, who is now on the 40-man roster, out of the
tryout camp in 2014, then signed outfielder Jiwan James out of the camp in 2015.
Not the favorites: The gambling website www.Bovada.lv released its latest baseball odds Friday and listed the
Kansas City Royals as the clear favorites to win the American League Central Division. The Royals have 11-to-
10 odds, followed by the Indians (5 to 2), Tigers (4 to 1), White Sox (6 to 1) and the Twins (10 to 1).
Reunion: Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker are among a large group of former Tigers
who will be honored March 11-13 as part of the tri-annual Tigertown Reunion.
19
A look at $40 million renovation project at Detroit Tigers' spring training facility February 28, 2016
By Chris Iott/ MLive.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- A lot of teams that spend spring training in Florida either have moved recently or will
move in the near future. The Detroit Tigers are here to stay. And their spring training facility is undergoing a
major facelift.
TigerTown is in the midst of a more than $40 million renovation project that will feature stadium improvements
as well as a 78,000-square-foot structure beyond the wall in right field that will house new clubhouses,
administrative offices and player development areas.
The renovation project already has begun and is scheduled to be completed in time for spring training in 2017.
The Tigers are already using their newly constructed batting cages near their four main practice fields. One of
those fields is newly turfed. The construction of the massive structure beyond the wall in right field has already
begun.
The stadium improvements include party decks and a stadium club in the right-field corner as well as a new
covered seating area down the line in left.
The project is being funded by the city of Lakeland, the state of Florida, Polk County and the Tigers.
20
Dubee learning what makes Tigers' staff tick February 28, 2016
By Jason Beck/ MLB.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Rich Dubee had a simple response when asked what it was like to work with Cliff Lee and
Roy Halladay during his time as a pitching coach in Philadelphia.
"Good players make you look real smart," the new Tigers pitching coach said Saturday.
If the Tigers' pitching staff rebounds as many hope, Dubee will look like a genius. At this point, though, Dubee
is learning, not just about his pitchers but their personalities.
He can preach about the value of pitching on the inner part of the plate, talk about the value of first-pitch strikes
and working ahead in counts. Until he sees pitchers in games, he won't have a clear idea about his staff.
"It's one thing to witness them in this type of environment, throwing sides or throwing BP, but it'll change in a
game," he said. "You get a little extra adrenaline going."
Working with his predecessor, Jeff Jones, for the past week has been "a great resource," as Dubee put it, in that
regard.
"You like to find out what makes people tick and what makes people comfortable," Dubee said. "Everybody's
different, so that's why Spring Training is so important, especially for a new person."
He can point to his Phillies veterans as an example in that regard. While he gained respect for his work with Lee
and Halladay, actually working with them provided two near-opposite experiences.
"Cliff was a low-maintenance guy," Dubee said. "Game preparation for Cliff was easy as can be because he
didn't want any info. Cliff would have a hard time taking the analytics in today's game. He was one of those
guys, and there are guys like that, that really can pitch with their eyes. They see hitters react to a certain pitch
and know where to go after that. You always try to teach that, but that's probably one of the toughest things to
teach."
Halladay, by contrast, was demanding, as Dubee put it, but in a good way.
"When he threw bullpens and stuff, he wanted your input," Dubee said. "There was a lot of dialogue back and
forth, where he was and how he felt. Complete opposite of Cliff as far as game stuff. Doc did a lot of his own
video and then would put in what I see and what he saw, but he was really well-prepared."
Dubee is still learning where Justin Verlander falls on that spectrum, and how to handle his personality and his
preparation. So far, he said, it has been smooth.
Among the younger pitchers, Dubee said prospects Joe Jimenez and Michael Fulmer have stood out for their big
arms. He finds Drew VerHagen to be "an interesting guy," given what he throws and how big he is.
He likes what he has seen so far from Bruce Rondon, who threw to hitters on Saturday.
"Bruce has been going about it fine," Dubee said. "He's worked hard during [pitchers' fielding practice]. He's
going about it at a much more upbeat tempo. And he had real good focus [while] throwing."
Dubee is optimistic about Anibal Sanchez, who he said has resumed shoulder exercises and will try to play
catch Monday.
"There's a difference between acute pain and general soreness," Dubee said, "and I think hopefully we caught
Anibal's early enough. He mentioned that something wasn't right. The doctors were able to narrow it down
hopefully, and we'll go from there."
And like many others in camp, he likes the organization's pitching depth, especially in the battle for the fifth-
starter spot.
"You have to have depth in your system, because unfortunately guys are getting banged up, and the guys that
are throwing 210 to 220 innings are becoming rarer," he said. "You need the inventory to cover the workloads."
Once Jones returns home to Michigan in the coming days, it'll be Dubee's show completely.
21
Ausmus stresses smarter baserunning February 28, 2016
By Jason Beck/ MLB.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Saturday was photo day at Tigers camp, so players were dressed in full uniform long
before workouts began at Tigertown. Manager Brad Ausmus took advantage of the opportunity.
While players waited on photo assignments, they hit the fields for a reminder on not waiting while on base. As
outfielders from Minor League minicamp fielded balls, Ausmus had baserunners read their routes and decide
whether to take the extra base.
"It was more about reading the ball off the bat when you're on first or second and having the mindset to go from
first to third, recognizing when you can go first-to-third or second-to-home," Ausmus said.
Like his first Spring Training as manager, expect the Tigers to be aggressive in that regard.
"You can give them the concepts, but a lot of times they have to experience it," Ausmus said. "So we basically
told them, 'Don't worry about getting thrown out here in Spring Training. This is the place to do it. But try to
learn and recognize what you're capable of.'"
The mentality will not change the Tigers into a great baserunning team, but their fall from below average to
league worst last season was steep. Detroit had a net loss of 21 runs in Bill James' team baserunning ratings in
2014, according to the Bill James Handbook, but dropped to minus-107 last year, 36 runs worse than the next
Major League team.
Not surprisingly, Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera both played a role, hobbling through injuries to minus-22
ratings. Worse, however, were youngsters James McCann (minus-28), Nick Castellanos (minus-25) and Jose
Iglesias (minus-23).
Tigers baserunners moved from first to third base on singles 73 times in 321 chances last year, the worst ratio in
the Majors. They fared slightly better going second to home, 100 times in 183 opportunities. Add in 152
double-play grounders, and Detroit had a minus-88 rating running the bases, not counting steals.
A healthier Cabrera and Martinez should make a difference, but the Tigers need more. That's where mentality
makes a difference.
"Running the bases intelligently, I think, is the biggest thing," Ausmus said. "Everybody can talk about being
aggressive, but sometimes being aggressive runs you into outs. So it's more about being a smart, aggressive
baserunner, as opposed to just being aggressive.
"If you're standing on first, the mindset should be [going for] third base. Instead of a ball being hit and you're
running to second and you're saying, 'I can get to third,' it should be, 'I'm going to third until I can no longer go
to third [safely].'"
It's the mentality Tigers coaches tried to instill with Curtis Granderson nearly a decade ago to encourage him to
go for extra bases. He ended up with 38 doubles and 23 triples in 2007, the latter leading the Majors. The Tigers
led the American League last year with 49 triples and finished fifth with 289 doubles. McCann and Castellanos,
despite their low baserunning ratings, had five and six triples, respectively.
22
Tigers hope tryout camp uncovers another gem
February 28, 2016
By Jason Beck/ MLB.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Tigers have signed talented outfielders out of their last two spring tryout camps.
They'll look for more when they hold this year's camp on March 7 at the Tigertown Minor League complex.
The tryout is open for players ages 18-23 or players with previous pro experience with a Major League
organization.
Registration begins at 8 a.m. ET, with tryouts starting an hour later. There is no preregistration or participation
fee. Tryout campers must provide their own glove and workout equipment, while the Tigers provide wood bats,
helmets and baseballs. There will be no changing facilities, so players must arrive ready to try out.
Outfielder Wynton Bernard, currently in Major League camp with the Tigers, is a tryout camp product, having
worked out there two years ago before earning Midwest League MVP honors with Class A West Michigan. He
is ranked No. 23 among the Tigers' top prospects. Last year's camp produced outfielder Jiwan James, who is
expected to move up to Double-A Erie this year.
Tigertown to hold Minor League alumni reunion
Al Kaline, Willie Horton, Alan Trammell and Lou Whitaker are among the list of players scheduled to be
honored by Tigers alumni at the Tigertown Reunion, to be held March 11-13.
The event will also celebrate five decades of Tigers 20-game winners with Frank Lary, Joe Coleman, Jack
Morris and Bill Gullickson. The alumni will also honor 1974 National League Cy Young winner Mike
Marshall, a Michigan native who spent four years in the Tigers system, including 37 appearances out of the
Detroit bullpen as a rookie in 1967.
"Tracking players and researching the Tigers has given me a tremendous sense of pride in being a part of one of
the storied sports franchises in history," said reunion organizer John Young, a Florida State League batting
champion with Lakeland in 1969 before playing in Detroit in 1971. "The opportunity to have played with many
of the 1968 world championship team is very memorable."
Ragball finals set
Justin Verlander has an MVP, a Cy Young Award and a pitching Triple Crown on his resume. He has started an
All-Star Game and World Series contests. Asked where a ragball title would rank for him, he didn't hesitate.
"Right up there," Verlander said.
He wasn't completely joking. He's competitive, for one thing, and he takes a good amount of pride in his
fielding. When Jim Leyland was managing, Verlander would dare him to try to hit fungo balls past him during
Spring Training fielding work.
Ragball, introduced to Tigers camp by Brad Ausmus when he became manager, is a little more intense than
grounders, with coaches smacking squishy version of baseballs at pitchers to get them used to comebackers at
game speed. Joba Chamberlain and Joel Hanrahan won the previous two Spring Training competitions.
Verlander's group won this year's team competition. On Sunday, he'll go up against Minor League pitcher
Lendy Castillo, a former shortstop in the Phillies farm system, for the individual title.
23
Jim Harbaugh to coach first base for Tigers in spring training game February 28, 2016
By Katie Strang/ ESPN.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- University of Michigan football coach Jim Harbaugh will be making a coaching cameo
with the Detroit Tigers next week.
The 52-year-old Harbaugh will coach first base for at least one inning during the Tigers' spring training game
against the Pittsburgh Pirates next Wednesday, a team spokesperson confirmed to ESPN.com.
Harbaugh, who is heading into his second season as the Wolverines' head coach, is already in Bradenton,
Florida, with his squad while his players participate in spring practice at IMG Academy.
According to the Detroit News, which was first to report Harbaugh's new -- albeit temporary -- gig, he may also
switch allegiances mid-game and don a Pirates jersey to coach the Tigers' opponents as well. Pirates manager
Clint Hurdle, a Big Rapids, Michigan, native, is reportedly a big U of M fan and supporter.
“I told him with his passion for stirring things up, why wouldn’t he just half the game, coach the game for the
Pirates," Hurdle told the Bradenton Herald. "I don’t think that’ll fly, but that’s right up his alley. I’ve
encouraged him to try and get out early to spend some time with our group and our team before the Tigers get
onto the field.”
24
Tigers to attend Lincecum showcase
February 28, 2016
By Katie Strang/ ESPN.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- Despite a slew of additions this winter and some strong internal competition in spring
training, the Detroit Tigers remain on the lookout for pitching with the belief that a team can never have too
much depth in that area.
As such, the Tigers will be among the many teams in attendance when free-agent pitcher Tim Lincecum holds a
showcase, general manager Al Avila confirmed to ESPN.com on Saturday.
The showcase, which will likely host a bevvy of talent evaluators from across major league baseball, is
expected to take place within the next week in Arizona. The 31-year-old right-hander underwent season-ending
hip surgery in September and is reportedly already garnering significant interest from teams across the league.
Lincecum's father, Chris, told CSN Bay Area recently that his son has already received multiple offers and is
close to being ready.
“We’re not preparing for a showcase, we’re preparing for a season and his career,” Chris said during an
interview on CSN's SportsTalk Live. “The showcase is just a piece of it. Once that’s over, he can go
somewhere."
The Tigers have one rotation spot open, and that competition is already shaping out to be a fierce one among
top prospects like Daniel Norris and Matt Boyd, as well as Buck Farmer and veteran Shane Greene. There
remains one or two spots up for grabs in the bullpen as well, with the likes of Michael Fulmer, Bruce Rondon,
Farmer and Greene all under consideration as well.
Lincecum, a two-time Cy Young winner, was 7-4 last season with a 4.13 ERA in 15 games for the San
Francisco Giants.
25
Detroit Tigers' updated pitching schedules for Grapefruit League play
February 28, 2016
By Katie Strang/ ESPN.com
LAKELAND, Fla. -- The Detroit Tigers have already revealed who will be starting all games through next
Saturday, but the team provided an extra glimpse of who will be throwing in the opening days of Grapefruit
League play.
Kevin Ziomek will start the exhibition game against Florida Southern College on Feb. 29. Following him on
Monday will be Jairo Labourt, Montreal Robertson, Joe Jimenez, Lendy Castillo, Drake Britton and Preston
Guilmet.
Matt Boyd will start the Grapefruit League opener vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday. Following him will be
Michael Fulmer, Angel Nesbitt, Kyle Ryan and Logan Kensing.
Manager Brad Ausmus indicated Mike Pelfrey is likely to pitch in Tampa vs. the Yankees on Wednesday,
which means Buck Farmer will take the mound vs. the Pirates in Bradenton.
Shane Greene -- who will eventually get a start as well, according to Ausmus -- will pitch after Daniel Norris
against the Braves on Thursday.
Friday will be the first start of the spring for Justin Verlander, against the Yankees, and on Saturday, Jordan
Zimmermann will face his former club, the Washington Nationals in Viera.
• Miguel Cabrera, who came down with an illness on Friday, was back at Joker Marchant Stadium on Saturday
and appeared to be feeling much better. The same cannot be said for center fielder Anthony Gose, who went
home sick after getting hit by the bug Friday night.
Ausmus said on Friday this sort of thing usually runs through the clubhouse at this time during spring training.
26
Tigers' Miguel Cabrera gets into Oscar spirit
February 28, 2016
Katie Strang/ ESPN.com
With this Sunday's 88th Academy Awards quickly approaching, Detroit Tigers star Miguel Cabrera entertained
some Oscar fantasies of his own.
The 32-year-old slugger was well-equipped with some suggestions of who he'd like to see play Miguel Cabrera
in a movie. In fact, he had ideas for each specific genre. It almost seemed as if he had pondered this before...
So who would play Miggy in:
A comedy? "Will Ferrell."
A gangster movie? "Denzel Washington."
An action flick? "Liam Neeson.” (Editorial note: this is my personal favorite.)
A superhero film? "The Rock."
A Romantic Comedy? (OK, Cabrera didn't actually play ball on this one; Rom-Coms are clearly not a huge
favorite of the two-time AL MVP.)
Cabrera didn't sound like he was planning to actually watch the awards ceremony --- which features Best
Picture nominees "The Big Short," "Bridge of Spies," “Brooklyn," "Mad Max: Fury Road," "The Martian,"
"The Revenant," “Room" and “Spotlight" -- but at least he has an idea of casting options should his illustrious
career ever be transformed into a biopic.
27
Pat Caputo - Detroit Tigers have plenty to play for this spring, and it’s not about wins and
losses February 28, 2016
By Pat Caputo/ Oakland Press
Baseball’s exhibition season gets an inordinate amount of attention, even though what occurs dissipates into the
wind once the regular season begins.
But this Grapefruit League season, which starts for the Tigers Tuesday, should be meaningful.
Not that it matters in the least whether the Tigers win or lose. It matters very much, however, how they play the
game.
The Tigers need to tighten up their fundamentals, which were decidedly bad during the disaster of 2015.
The Tigers earned their last place finish in ‘15. Their pitching staff was among the worst in MLB.
While they were among MLB leaders in many offensive categories, scoring runs – the most important – wasn’t
among them.
There was much made about the Tigers’ improved fielding. It was simply not true. The defensive metrics say as
much. Three of the Tigers’ younger players carrying reputations for being good defenders – shortstop Jose
Iglesias, outfielder Anthony Gose and catcher James McCann - actually were below average in the field. All
three cost the Tigers’ runs (Iglesias minus 3, Gose minus 12, McCann minus 4) rather than save runs, according
to the Bill James Handbook.
As for base running, the Tigers were by far the worst team in MLB, according to the Bill James Handbook,
giving up 107 bases in 2015. The next worst club , the Dodgers at minus 71 runs, weren’t even close.
Conversely, Kansas City was plus 41 runs on the bases. Texas was much improved and there were a lot of
eyebrows raised as to why. Here’s a huge reason: The Rangers were plus 241 bases. Think about that. That’s
412 bases better than the Tigers – 2.5 per game. It explains why the Rangers scored 751 runs last season
opposed to 689 by the Tigers, even though Detroit had a considerably better team OPS (.748 to .739) and team
batting average (.270 to .257).
Among the Tigers’ worst base runners were Iglesias (minus 23), McCann (minus 28) and Nick Castellanos
(minus 22). Speed factors into it, but it’s more about fundamental decisions. Adrian Beltre, the Rangers third
baseman was plus 24 at age 36. The metric is based on such factors as going to from first-to-third on a single,
scoring from second on a single, scoring from first on a double, stolen base effectiveness, times picked off,
times thrown out attempting to advance, etc.
Iglesias has excellent speed. McCann is athletic for a catcher and had an inside-the-park home run. Castellanos
has below average speed, but needs to make better decisions on the bases. And it’s not limited to Detroit’s
younger players. Miguel Cabrera was minus 22. It’s a myth Cabrera is a “smart” base runner. He is minus 115
for his career.
General manager Al Avila did address this issue during the off season. Justin Upton (plus 19) and Cameron
Maybin (plus 11) are effective base runners.
Fielding is difficult to gauge during spring training. The infields in Florida are rock hard and the wind blows
unpredictably. But time can be put in on extra fielding practice.
Base-running, however, absolutely can be worked on under game conditions in Florida.
It’s an opportunity the Tigers can’t afford to waste.
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LAST UPDATED: SUN, FEBRUARY 28, 2016, 03:03 EST
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 2016
TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION
Arizona Diamondbacks Rickie Weeks Signed to a Minor League Contract
Los Angeles Dodgers Brooks Brown Released
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2016
TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION
Chicago Cubs Shane Victorino Signed to a Minor League Contract
Cleveland Indians Will Venable Signed to a Minor League Contract
Houston Astros Neal Cotts Signed to a Minor League Contract
Texas Rangers Drew Stubbs Signed to a Minor League Contract
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2016
TEAM PLAYER TRANSACTION
Baltimore Orioles Efren Navarro Designated for Assignment
Baltimore Orioles Yovani Gallardo Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016-2017; Opt 2018)(two-year contract)
Chicago Cubs Aaron Brooks Traded From from Athletics, Oakland (for OF Chris Coghlan)
Chicago Cubs Zac Rosscup Placed on 60-Day DL, (Left shoulder inflammation)
29
Chicago Cubs Dexter Fowler Signed as Free Agent, ( 2016; Opt 2017)(one-year contract)
Oakland Athletics Chris Coghlan Traded From from Cubs, Chi. Cubs (for RHP Aaron Brooks)
Toronto Blue Jays Domonic Brown Signed to a Minor League Contract
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