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Tigers Hire A.J. Hinch As New Tigers Manager and New Coaches

https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/10/01/the-saturday-survey-154/
THE SATURDAY SURVEY.
Totally Tigers

Every Saturday, readers are offered the chance to make their opinions known about the progress and performance of the Detroit Tigers.

Want to know how many other fans feel the same way as you do? It will be here ? in the poll results.

Come vote, and if so inclined, share your thoughts in the Comments section. All opinions are welcome and respected by our community. But please, no more than 4 sentences.

Want to know which option is leading the pack? Come back later in the day to check the results and read the comments of other passionate fans.

Now, let?s get to this week?s question!

With only 2 games left in the season, the Tigers have surprised all of MLB with their performance. Expected to be 1 of 3 of this year?s poorest performing teams, they are finishing at #18 (through Thursday?s game). A large part of the credit is being given to Manager A. J. Hinch and his hand-selected coaches.

Hinch came to Detroit with a little bit of a dark cloud hanging over his head after he was deemed to not have done more to stop the cheating in Houston. At the time of his hiring, fans were all over the page about how they felt. But now? How do you feel about A. J. Hinch today?

How do you feel about A. J. Hinch?

1. Love him

2. Accepting him

3. Still on the fence

4. Can?t accept him

VOTE
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/10/07/five-for-friday/
FIVE FOR FRIDAY.
Totally Tigers

This week, we saw the annual end-of-year press conference by the Tigers in which Al Avila and A. J. Hinch took center stage.

What a difference a year makes. The window into this rebuild has opened juuuuust a little bit more. If you were listening carefully, there are some interesting takeaways beyond the actual words spoken.

Here?s my top 5 list of the most important points expressed during their time on the dais.
 
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podca...=80085&ign-itsct=pod_foxsports_flippinbatspod
Flippin' Bats Podcast with Ben Verlander. 72 minutes.
DETROIT TIGERS MANAGER AJ HINCH + ASTROS TAKE 3-2 LEAD IN BOSTON + BRAVES OVERPOWER DODGERS.

Ben Verlander is joined by 2017 World Series Championship Manager with the Houston Astros and current Manager of the Detroit Tigers, AJ Hinch! Hinch walks Ben through the experience of being a MLB Manager in October, pressures of making the right or wrong moves in the postseason, art of pitching in the playoffs, building a new culture in Detroit, the growth of the Tigers young and talented rotation, his story of Miggy's historic 500th HR, why Shohei Ohtani is this seasons MVP and MORE!


Also, Ben break down both Championship Series, why MLB Umpires need more accountability, pressures of managing in the postseason and Ben's Top-5 lists including; 2021 Postseason Performers, All-time Postseason Home Runs and his All-time Postseason Base Stealers!
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/10/21/five-for-friday-3/
FIVE FOR FRIDAY.
Totally Tigers

I?ve written a lot on this blog about the importance of corporate culture.
It is the beginning and ending point for all teams (and quite frankly, all organizations) in their quest to be the best.

Changing the corporate culture is responsible for teams such as the Cubs in finally winning a World Series. It is why the Yankees are MLB?s most successful team.

And it is why the Mets have had scandal after scandal and currently cannot find a single quality candidate who wants to be considered for their GM slot.

And excellent corporate culture is exacting. It?s demanding. It is clearly defined. And it demands that everyone buy in.

Traditionally, corporate culture is set at the very top. However, some dynamic individuals have been able to start the progression from elsewhere within the organization. All it really takes is an owner (or the guy at the very top of the pyramid) who is willing to allow change to happen. Willing to allow someone else from within to instigate it.

Case in point is when Theo Epstein moved to the Cubs and got carte blanche from the Ricketts children to change almost everything about the organization.

I could go on but I want to address the Tigers? corporate culture. A system that has made me very unhappy over the years. A system that has willingly embraced mediocrity, resignation, outdated methods and loyalty above performance.

But now the Tigers have a new manager ? and new coaches ? and we are seeing changes. Good changes. Big changes.

And it?s a very good start.

What A. J. Hinch is promoting is actually spreading in all directions. It probably started in the interview process and fueled Chris Ilitch to take that first big step. It then spread to the players and finally arrived in the Front Office. Now it is filtering down into the minors.

Having the right attitude and describing the right vision can go a long way into getting people to buy in. It can also create the right level of enthusiasm that allows others to decide to step up their game.

The mindset, the actions and the words we?ve seen and read this year all come from an evolving corporate culture.

Is it perfect yet? No. But it?s moving in the right direction and that?s what counts. For this moment, at least.

So what exactly am I seeing this year that?s new? Here are my 5 biggest difference-makers that are starting to improve this team.....
 
When A.J. Hinch met with the media on the final day of the regular season, I asked him about something he said in April. Responding to my suggestion that his young team was better than its projections, the Detroit Tigers manager had told me that it wasn?t important to him ?what people think we are.?

On May 7, what people thought about the Tigers was anything but positive. The club had staggered to a 9-24 start and was looking every bit a team whose rebuild was going nowhere fast. Then things turned around. From that point forward, they went 68-61, finishing the season a respectable 77-85.

What do people think about Hinch?s team now? Are the Tigers viewed in a more favorable light than they were going into the season?

?I would think so,? Hinch told me on October 3rd. ?Number one, the emergence of our young pitching has really earned respect. When you faced us, we were throwing a pretty good starting pitcher at you virtually every day. [They] didn?t always go five, six, or seven innings, but stuff-wise you?d hear managers, coaches, and players [talk] about how our rotation was pretty good. And when you go out and beat teams you?re not supposed to beat ? we swept Houston in April; we ended up sweeping the Yankees at home; we split season series with playoff-caliber teams ? I think that has to garner a little bit of respect.

?We?re not where we need to be yet,? added Hinch. ?But I hope the view is that our arrow is pointing in the right direction? We?re about to have an emergence of some pretty good young talent that hopefully that leads to more wins. We?re not a winning team yet ? we?re under .500 ? but we are a team that?s making progres. That leads to hope for the future.?

As for that future, count me among those who believe that bringing back Justin Verlander would be a prudent move. The future Hall of Famer is unlikely to return to his once-lofty levels ? not with his 39th birthday right around the corner ? but there is reason to believe that he can still be a productive pitcher. Moreover, he?d be both a gate-attraction and a fantastic mentor to the likes of Matt Manning, Casey Mize, and Tarik Skubal. Returning to full health as he recovers from October 2020 Tommy John surgery, Verlander ? a free agent at the conclusion of the World Series ? profiles as a perfect fit for Hinch?s Tigers.

Fangraphs
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/11/22/pipeline-problems-2/
PIPELINE PROBLEMS.
Totally Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are spending this off-season on free agents and trades as they try to fill the many holes they have. Catcher?. Starting pitchers?..shortstop?. outfielder?.

So what else is new? For decades, this has been their m.o. .

Yes, this is a team that has improved over the last year but when you scratch just below the surface, there?s not a whole lot there.

Certainly there?s no depth.

But will there ever be?

How many years has this team not had a decent catcher, shortstop, centerfielder?.? Heck, they didn?t even have a full-time first baseman anywhere on their roster or in the minors for the 2021 season.

And this is the most concerning issue for the organization. An issue that is going to shorten their life span and keep them from being consistently competitive if not addressed quickly.

The lack of player development.

For decades, the Tigers have had a highly unsuccessful program to develop and promote solid players. Dave Littlefield, VP Player Development (and recently demoted) held the position for 7 years. Before him, there was Glenn Ezell who lasted 3 years and left the Tigers in the middle of the draft. There is some controversy as to whether he resigned or was fired.

And from 2010 until 2014, I can?t find any documentation that proves someone else was assigned that job. After Ezell left, Dave Dombroski said that Al Avila would take over that slot until they found someone new.

But did anyone within the Tigers establish anything within that field that could be considered decent quality? How many solid players with lasting careers did they bring through the system?

I count only two. Nick Castellanos and Justin Verlander.

Two successful home-grown players since 2004.
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2021/11/23/watercooler-wednesday-12/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

On the day before Thanksgiving, we?re keeping it simple, folks. One question, one answer, one vote.

For what are you most grateful for from the 2021 Tigers' season?

1. Hiring Hinch and new coaches.

2. A better win-loss record.

3. Revamped Player Development Dept.

4. The Tigers are starting to spend again.

VOTE
 
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