Oh the other thing that’s hilarious is to listen to Benetti call a game and then find a clip of Sheppard calling a game. It’s so funny that these two work in the same industry.
If the team is serious about winning, they will DFA his ass. They need to pay him anyways, just release his sorry ass.
Manning getting a lot of love from the beat writers so far this spring. Curious to see what they do with the last two spots in the rotation between Mize, Manning and Olson. Olson's the only one who has looked decent in the big leagues so far, but seems like he's third of the three so far this spring in terms of results.
Fangraphs isn't impressed by the beat writer love: Matt Manning, Detroit Tigers I buy the Tarik Skubal dominance, but with Matt Manning, not so much. Low strikeout pitchers can survive in the majors, but the ones who do are generally the ones who keep the ball down and don’t get hit very hard. Manning doesn’t really do either at this point. The numbers ZiPS uses aren’t the same as Statcast’s xStats, but Manning’s 5.00 zFIP was nearly as bleak as the xERA that Statcast produced (5.48). I’d say “when in doubt, learn a splitter,” but that’s mostly because of my long-term stanning of Kevin Gausman. I’m generally optimistic about the Tigers this year, but I think Manning’s ceiling looks pretty low from here.
Getting caught up on roster projections. I must admit I am somewhat surprised that a lot of people think Olson is the odd man out in the rotation. I guess I just assumed with Manning’s solid Spring that Mize would start in Toledo since it’s been two years since he saw big league hitting.
They can avoid Olson getting Super 2 status if he stays in the minors until whenever this season. But agree that Mize should probably start in Toledo. He's walking a lot of guys, and command is usually the last thing that comes back.
Fangraphs is still listing Olson. Good news for whomever doesn't make the rotation is they should only have to wait for 10-15 minutes until Maeda, Flaherty and Manning are injured.
Baseball America asked their writers to name what team would surprise in 2024. Three of the nine picked the Tigers. Tigers Playing in the AL Central helps, but the Tigers’ young pitchers have returned from injuries, and maybe righthander Jackson Jobe could make an impact at some point. There’s an impressive wave of young hitters ready to arrive, so the pieces are there for the Tigers to take a big step forward in 2024. (JJ) The Tigers benefit from playing in the weakest division in baseball, but many of their young hitters showed progress in the second half of 2023, and the organization has a few prospects who should join up in 2024. The Tigers extended Colt Keith for six years and $28.6 million, which is a low-risk move for a prospect with strong offensive skills. Detroit’s signings of free agent righthanders Jack Flaherty and Kenta Maeda add depth to the pitching staff. It wouldn’t be surprising to see steps forward from a young hitting core that includes Spencer Torkelson, Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Parker Meadows, and 2024 hopefuls Justyn Henry-Malloy and Jace Jung. (CC) The Tigers counter the loss of Eduardo Rodriguez with a full season of an ascending Tarik Skubal, the pending return of Casey Mize and the eye-opening late-season performances of Reese Olson and Sawyer Gipson-Long. That would be reasonable justification to leave the rotation as is, especially with Jackson Jobe—and Ty Madden and Troy Melton—waiting in the wings. Instead, the Tigers signed Jack Flaherty and Kenta Maeda, plus reliever Shelby Miller, and signed Colt Keith to an extension. With Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene ready to take the next steps forward, and Parker Meadows looking like a potential leadoff hitter and irritant on the bases, the Tigers might surprise in 2024. (DW)
First BA Mock Draft. Tigers pick #11. Spoiler 1. Guardians — Charlie Condon, INF/OF, Georgia Condon has been on another planet in the first few weeks of the 2024 season. Through 21 games he has hit .521/.648/1.192 with 13 home runs, eight doubles and nearly twice as many walks (23) as strikeouts (12). Condon has a chance for a plus hit tool with 70-grade raw power which could be more than enough to make him the 1-1 pick in the 2024 draft class. The defensive versatility he’s shown early this season—which was the one key area for him to improve on in our preseason to-do list—won’t hurt either. He’s simply been the most dynamic player in the class. He has forced himself to the top of the draft board. 2. Reds — Jac Caglianone, LHP/1B, Florida Caglianone is the most unique player in the class. He would be a first-round talent as a hitter and a pitcher if he only picked one side. The Reds feel like a team that would take a gamble on his impressive physicality, athleticism and upside despite some risks in his profile. He’s played well enough to fit as a top-three pick in the class. On the mound, he has posted a 1.77 ERA through four starts and 20.1 innings with 34 strikeouts and 13 walks while making a low-80s changeup a more prominent part of his arsenal. As a hitter, Caglianone has slashed .415/.489/.683 with seven home runs and most importantly has upped his walk rate and cut his strikeout rate. If he maintains that throughout SEC play, it’s hard to see him falling outside of the top five picks. At the moment Caglianone and Condon are favorites for SEC player of the year. 3. Rockies — Travis Bazzana, 2B, Oregon State Bazzana has been one of the hottest hitters at the top of the class not named Charlie Condon this spring. Through 18 games he’s hitting .429/.560/.843 with six home runs, 20 walks and 11 strikeouts. He seems to be hitting for more power this spring, which amplifies an offensive profile that was centered on some of the best contact ability in the class. He’s a strong athlete and should be able to handle second base, but he’s a good enough runner and throws from an unusual enough slot that some teams might want to experiment with him as a center fielder in pro ball. 4. Athletics — Chase Burns, RHP, Wake Forest In terms of pure arm talent, Burns is in an elite tier that basically includes Arkansas lefthander Hagen Smith and Iowa righthander Brody Brecht in this draft class. He pitched excellently in a highly-scouted matchup against Duke two weekends ago. On the season has a 2.08 ERA with a 48.7% strikeout rate and 10.4% walk rate. Burns has averaged 98 mph on his fastball so far, which is two ticks better than his 2023 average. He backs the 70-grade fastball with a double-plus slider and solid curveball and changeup. To this point it’s been a tightly contested battle for SP1 between Burns and Smith. 5. White Sox — Hagen Smith, LHP, Arkansas Like Burns, Smith has come out of the gate strong this spring. He put together one of the best outings of the season in a week two effort against Oregon State where he struck out 17 batters in six shutout innings. Through five starts and 23 innings he has a 1.57 ERA with a silly 58.8% strikeout rate and 9.4% walk rate. He looks stronger and the delivery looks a bit cleaner in 2024. His fastball velocity is up three ticks to 96 mph on average, while his mid-80s slider has been a consistently plus weapon that likely earns some 70 grades. Smith has unique arm talent from the left side that currently puts him near the top of the draft board and a candidate to be the first pitcher selected. 6. Royals — Braden Montgomery, OF, Texas A&M Montgomery is one of the rare switch-hitting bats that figures to go in the first round this year. He’s done a nice job on both sides of the plate early this season. The lefthanded swing might be better overall, but he has made plenty of impact from both sides. He offers a tantalizing power and OBP combination while profiling as a solid right fielder with top-of-the-scale arm strength. Montgomery has hit .380/.511/.831 with eight home runs, an 18.9% walk rate and a 15.6% strikeout rate in 19 games. He’s getting top-five pick buzz. 7. Cardinals — Nick Kurtz, 1B, Wake Forest Kurtz entered the season as the No. 2 player on the draft board and was one of the favorites to be the first player taken. He’s slid a bit after five weeks of the season thanks to more modest offensive production and a recent shoulder injury that is projected to keep him out at least three to four weeks. Through 17 games, Kurtz is hitting .241/.475/.444 with three home runs, a 30% walk rate and a 15% strikeout rate. As the focal point in Wake’s offense, Kurtz is getting pitched around more than previous seasons and he’s happy to stay within the zone and take his walks. Scouts still view him as a top-10 pick at this point because he was putting together quality at-bats consistently and looked like the hitter he was expected to be, but with a first base profile he’ll need to put up numbers to secure a top five pick when he comes back to the field. At this stage others in the class have looked more impactful. The recent injury news only clouds his draft stock. 8. Angels — JJ Wetherholt, 2B, West Virginia Wetherholt played in just four games before suffering a hamstring injury that has kept him out since Feb. 19. He also dealt with a hamstring injury that limited him last summer with Team USA. When he’s been on the field he’s been one of the best—if not the best—pure hitters in the class. It’s hard to get a read on Wetherholt’s draft stock given his lack of playing time, but his profile hasn’t changed. I’d still expect him to be a top-10 pick even if he misses a significant chunk of time. The hitting traits are simply too good to ignore. Oregon State second baseman Nick Madrigal missed two months with a wrist injury during his draft year and still went No. 4 overall. While Wetherholt’s contact ability might not be as extreme as Madrigal’s, he provides considerably more physicality and power upside. If he comes back and continues raking it would be unsurprising to see him gone before this pick. 9. Pirates — Konnor Griffin, OF/SS, Jackson Prep, Flowood, Miss. There’s some thought that the eight players off the board before this pick are forming a top tier of sorts, though the group remains fairly nebulous. Truthfully, Griffin doesn’t feel like a Pirates sort of pick, but he might be the best player available in this mock. He’s looking like the clear favorite to be the first high school bat off the board by a decent margin. He offers considerable upside thanks to some of the best athleticism and raw tools in the class. Griffin would provide impact potential for a system built on pitching and contact-driven offensive profiles. 10. Nationals — Seaver King, SS/OF, Wake Forest Griffin does feel like the sort of athletic, physical, tooled up player the Nationals have coveted in the past, though it’ll be interesting to see if their preferences change after a scouting department shakeup over the offseason. With Griffin gone, King can provide some of the best position player upside available thanks to his 70-grade running ability, twitchy bat speed and the athleticism to handle a number of premium positions. Of all the college hitters in the class, King’s 2024 performance could be the most important for his overall resume considering his first two years were spent with Division II Wingate. 11. Tigers — Caleb Lomavita, C, California Lomavita entered the year in the back third of the first round and clustered with all the other top catchers in the class. But he might be pulling away from the pack and entering the 11-20 range thanks to a hot start. He’s hitting .361/.413/.708 with eight home runs through 17 games. Scouts have praised his defensive work behind the plate and admired his rare athleticism and speed for the position. His approach is overly aggressive at times, which could limit him, but the industry loves the college catching demographic. Most of his hitting peers still on the board either have significant hit tool questions or profile on the opposite side of the defensive spectrum. 12. Red Sox — Jonathan Santucci, LHP, Duke Boston has one of the most hitter-heavy farm systems in the game. There’s some thought they could be targeting pitching in 2024 after taking bats in the first round for five straight drafts going back to 2018 (the team didn’t have a 2019 first round pick). If that’s the case, Duke southpaw Jonathan Santucci could be one of the best options available here. He had a fairly forgettable game in a highly-scouted matchup against Wake Forest two weeks ago, but he sits in the mid-90s with a riding fastball, shows a plus slider and has the makings of a solid changeup as well. If he keeps posting throughout the spring it’s hard to not see him going somewhere in the middle of the first round—or higher. 13. Giants — Vance Honeycutt, OF, North Carolina Honeycutt will be an enigma for teams because he has the best athletic and tools package of the college class. He’s a great defender in center field and through 19 games this spring he has hit .329/.441/.605 with six home runs and 12 stolen bases. Despite that production he’s been a slight down arrow prospect from his preseason No. 6 ranking because of hit tool concerns that still haven’t been alleviated. San Francisco drafted him in the 20th round out of high school, so perhaps they’d be excited to sign him here three years later. 14. Cubs — Jacob Cozart, C, NC State Cozart continues a run of North Carolina college products in a great year for the state. Like Caleb Lomavita, he should benefit by being a college catcher who’s putting up offensive numbers. Through 15 games Cozart is slashing .351/.519/.649 with five home runs, a 25.3% walk rate and a 15.2% strikeout rate. 15. Mariners — Brody Brecht, RHP, Iowa Brecht’s 19.1% career walk rate would represent a new high-water mark for college pitchers in the first round. Scouts believe his arm talent is enough to stomach it. Only Chase Burns and Hagen Smith have comparable arm talent in the class, and evaluators seem to think he’s not going to last too long—reliever questions or not. The Mariners have done an excellent job developing starters, though Brecht would represent a project different from George Kirby (coached at Elon by current Iowa pitching coach Sean McGrath who also worked as a pitching coach for the Mariners) and Logan Gilbert. This situation might be more similar to how the organization managed to coax more control out of Bryce Miller. 16. Marlins — Cam Smith, 3B, Florida State Smith has a pro-ready body now with impressive raw power and arm strength to go with it. Last summer in the Cape Cod League, Smith did a nice job improving his approach and eye at the plate. So far this spring that’s still the case for the FSU third baseman. Smith is hitting .486/.558/.757 with a 16.3% strikeout rate that’s significantly lower than the 28.7% mark he managed as a freshman in 2023. If he maintains this contact throughout ACC play, he could continue to push up draft boards—though Smith and most of the players in the second half of this mock draft remain polarizing from team to team. 17. Brewers — William Schmidt, RHP, Catholic HS, Baton Rouge, La. Schmidt has added more velocity and been an up-arrow prospect this spring after entering it with loud expectations and day one draft stock. He’s now put himself in position to be the first prep arm off the board and he also has some of the best innate feel to spin the baseball in the class. That makes him as good a fit for the Brewers at this spot as any we could come up with on March 18 considering their penchant for high spin rate arms.
It won't let me copy and paste the whole thing from my phone, but Olson is the odd man out of the rotation and Brieske and Wentz fill out the bullpen with Faedo going down. All the position players are as you expect, unless you expected someone to make it over McKinstry.
It's pretty remarkable that Alex Faedo somehow still has a minor league option left. How is that possible?
It sure is a change of pace to have a player like Olson, and not have a place to play him, at least for now. Sort of bugs me b/c I don't think they're starting their best five starters, but this rotation's durability questions means we'll still see plenty of Olson and the odds are this team isn't good enough for this to matter either way.
The story on the The Athletic is crazy. Flaherty is on the 8-person council of veteran guys who are basically the board of the MLBPA. And he's one of the people mentioned in story pushing for this guy (Harry Marino) in a coup attempt to make him the head of the PA and replace Tony Clark and his current #2 (Bruce Meyer). It's a giant clusterfuck and I don't know how the PA moves forward from here. Either the coup works and this 33 year old with very limited experience is running the show, or Clark and Meyer stay on in spite of this mess and I don't see how that doesn't lead to disaster if they're still around for the next round of CBA talks in 2+ years.
I've tried for years to be in "believe it when I see it" mode on Parker Meadows. But a lot of smart prospect gurus are in on him and his spring has been really good to the point where I'm beginning to give in and believe this could actually happen. And if it does, it's going to change my perspective on what this org is capable of doing from a development standpoint going forward.
I don't know what they're going to do, but while Manning has missed more bats this spring than before, he's now allowed 6 HR in 16 innings. I'm not sure how that shakes out compared to Mize and his 9 walks in 15 innings.