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Tigers named Ryan Garko as the club’s Vice President of Player Development and Assistant GM

https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/03/26/deeper-discussions-21/
DEEPER DISCUSSIONS.
Toltally Tigers

The Detroit Tigers are in their first real year of shoring up their roster with competitive players. Their starting rotation is getting stronger and the infield has improved significantly.
Yet there is still much more work to do.

Bullpens are notoriously fickle. The performance of relievers can be unpredictable from one year to the next. Last year, the Tigers? bullpen ranked #22 in MLB.

The outfield is in the process of rebuilding. There is 1 veteran who is on the last year of his contract. Three others with some MLB experience and spotty results so far. And then there is the impressive prospect who just may make the team?s Opening Day roster.

Last year, the outfield was weak defensively with all players ranked below average defensively.

Comerica Park is user-friendly for pitchers, however, it poses a problem for those who man the outfield due to its size and gaps.

So which of these 2 areas needs the most attention?

Which area will help the team more?

Which area will offer the team the greatest improvement in performance?

Which area of the roster should be the priority for improvement?

Today?s blog addresses this dilemma and allows readers to share their thoughts in more detail. And hopefully, to actively engage with others by responding to their posts and creating back-and-forth discussion threads. The more the merrier!

For this one blog only, you?ve got 6 sentences max to share your thoughts. Of course, you can respond to as many other readers as you want.

TT will supply the ammunition. One thought-provoking question. Several options provided. One hard choice to be selected. One vote.

Ready?

Which area of the roster should be the priority for improvement?

1. The Bullpen.

2. The Outfield.

VOTE
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/03/30/the-lost-generation/
THE LOST GENERATION.
Totally Tigers

I want to start with a sad tale. But it?s one that hopefully has a happy ending.

Let?s start by digging into the past. We need to do this so we can compare it with what is going on now.

You will never read about it in the major Detroit dailies but the national sports writers are reporting it.

And many Tigers fans have been aware of it for quite awhile now.

The prospects have been falling through the cracks.

At least until this year.

Too many stories of how long players are taking to climb the minor league ladder.

Too many stories about prospects stalling at certain levels.

Too many stories about prospects who get called up and can?t survive.

Too many prospects simply disappearing or aging within the system.

And it?s not unusual to see some of them in the minors for 6-7 years. Daz Cameron and Kody Clemens have been in development for ages now and are expected to stay there, for the most part, this year as hopefully the new powers that be try to get them back on track.

And then you hear the stories about players who have been struggling and end up hiring their own coaches outside of the Tigers? system.

The list is endless: Derek Hill, Parker Meadows, Jake Rogers and others all hiring Doug Latta to help them with their hitting.

The infamous story about JaCoby Jones being advised by Scott Bream and a Tigers? scout to go hire his own hitting coach.

Too many stories about how Lloyd McClendon continued to teach players an antiquated hitting system that messed them up. Including Jeimer Candelario until he was able to work with someone else.

Then you?ve got the prospects the Tigers got from some infamous trades as they tore down the organization 5 years ago:

Franklin Perez, Daz Cameron and Jake Rogers for Justin Verlander

Dawel Lugo, Sergio Alcantara and Jose King for J. D. Martinez

Grayson Long and Elvin Rodriguez for Justin Upton

Wilkel Hernandez and Troy Montgomery for Ian Kinsler

Nolan Blackwood and Logan Shore for Mike Fiers

Alex Lange and Paul Richan for Nick Castellanos

All of these new players were fairly well-ranked from their former organizations. Where are they now?

Was this simply a matter of Al Avila making horrendous trades or was this an issue of the Tigers? failure to develop them properly?

Or a bit of both?

Take a look at top draft prospects the Tigers collected. Beau Burrows, Christin Stewart, Derek Hill and Jonathon Crawford. The best of the bunch, Matt Manning, spent 5 years trying to make it to Detroit.

If top draft picks are struggling, doesn?t it make sense that the players acquired via the trades listed above would have an even more difficult time?

Well, Tiger fans, there?s good news now at the end of this dark tunnel.

There?s a light.

Changes are being seen as the Tigers were finally motivated to change their Player Development system.

Ryan Garko is now in charge after leaving the best system in MLB (Dodgers) for Detroit. He brought in Director of Pitching Development Gabe Ribas, Director of Coaching and Field Coordinator Ryan Sienko, Lower Level Pitching Coordinator, Director of Latin America Player Development, Euclides Rojas and others. All from a variety of backgrounds that come from MLB, colleges, Driveline, Texas Baseball Ranch and other independent organizations.

In all, Garko brought in 15 new people to oversee the system.
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/04/09/deeper-discussions-23/
DEEPER DISCUSSIONS.
Totally Tigers

The Detroit Tigers showed a different side of themselves on Opening Day with gritty, never-say-die determination that allowed them to win the game.
On Saturday, despite the loss, they never gave up fighting.

Over the winter, A. J. Hinch spoke about his attempt to change the team?s culture. He referenced work that aimed at increasing mental fortitude, team building skills, goal setting and a winning mentality. It was an apparent reference to what the roster lacked in the years before he arrived.

We hear it now from the players and see it in their actions.

Over the years, it?s been a topic of conversation during the seasons in which the Tigers were routinely competing for titles. Fans and media did call out players for focusing on advancing their own stats over those of the entire team. The Tigers won many individual awards during those years but not the biggest team award of all.

There were examples of Max Scherzer pulling himself from a playoff game just weeks before free agency, Justin Verlander showing off his latest luxury car on social media within hours of being ousted from the playoffs and, of course, the ?don?t care? attitude and comments by Prince Fielder about having more important things in life when the Tigers got booted from the playoffs.

Could A. J. Hinch be onto something? Could the mental intangibles that have been missing be the key to success going forward?

Is a winning formula more than simply having the physical talent to compete?

Today?s blog addresses this dilemma and allows readers to share their thoughts in more detail. And hopefully, to actively engage with others by responding to their posts and creating back-and-forth discussion threads. The more the merrier!

For this one blog only, you?ve got 6 sentences max to share your thoughts. Of course, you can respond to as many other readers as you want.

TT will supply the ammunition. One thought-provoking question. Several options provided. One hard choice to be selected. One vote.

Ready?
How much impact will the Tigers? increased team-focused skills and mental fortitude have on winning games this year?

How much impact will increased team-focused skills and mental fortitude have on winning?

1. A noticeable amount.

2. Not much at all.

VOTE
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/05/10/watercooler-wednesday-36/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers

Today, another opportunity for readers to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful dialog and a variety of opinions are welcomed.

Let?s create some running conversational threads. And for those of you still going into offices, here?s a question to take with you ? or use via Zoom calls ? as you talk to your co-workers.

Here is today?s hot topic.
The Detroit Tigers are mired in a significant offense slump that has spanned the entire season so far. Through Monday?s game, they are scoring less than 2 runs per game on average. The MLB average is just over 4 runs per game.

Save for 1 hitter, the rest of the lineup simply isn?t hitting. If you didn?t read yesterday?s blog that outlines the issues, here it is:

https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/05/09/truly-offensive/
While it?s usually a combination of factors, if you had to identify which group was most responsible for this lack of scoring ability, which would you select?

The players for their lack of talent and/or hitting ability?

The hitting coaches, Scott Coolbaugh and Mike Hessman, for their lack of results?

Or the architect of the rebuild, GM Al Avila, for being too focused on drafting and developing pitchers and not giving enough attention to developing/acquiring hitters?

Who do you believe is most responsible for the Tigers' lack of offense?

1. The players

2. The hitting coaches

3. The GM/Front Office

VOTE
 
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/05/25/how-high/
HOW HIGH?
Totally Tigers

There?s a lot of crazy stuff being said out there in the social media threads about all of the Tigers? injuries.

Given the vast number of those on the IL, so many fingers are being pointed. So many want to assign blame.

A few even, who are gathering their pitchforks, tar and feathers as I write?..

The problem?

Fans who don?t understand where the responsibility lies.

Some who believe this is all A. J. Hinch?s fault. Fans blaming him for how he trains his players and their poor conditioning.

The problem is that Hinch doesn?t train his players. He?s not even responsible for creating the program. Nor can he even tell those who are what to do.

Others lay the blame on Doug Teter because he is the ?head trainer? while others claim it is the job of the strengthening/conditioning coaches.

What these blame games all have in common is a failure to understand the structure and hierarchy within the Tigers? organization as well as the job description of each group.

And that?s what we?re going to tackle today. For all the angst and energy fans spend on assigning blame, let?s at least make sure everyone is pointed in the right direction.

To start, there is a entire department called Training and Conditioning. They are the ones primarily responsible for creating policy and structure. However, also assume that they communicate to some degree with the Player Development Department as well as Performance Science.

The head of T&C, Sr. Director of Medical Services, is Kevin Rand. You may remember him. He used to be the Head Athletic Trainer. He is in charge of the entire athletic training program for the Tigers ? from the minors to the majors. (Scared yet?)

More to this story about the Training and Conditioning of Tigers Players.
 
https://www.mlb.com/tigers/news/casey-mize-to-have-tommy-john-surgery
Casey Mize needs Tommy John surgery.
Tigers official site

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2022/06/casey-mize-to-undergo-tommy-john-surgery.html
Casey Mize To Undergo Tommy John Surgery.
MLBTR

https://www.blessyouboys.com/2022/6/10/23163162/detroit-tigers-casey-mize-tommy-john-surgery
Former No. 1 draft pick Casey Mize to undergo Tommy John surgery.
The Tigers? budding ace will be on the shelf for a while.
BYBTB

https://motorcitybengals.com/2022/0...r-casey-mize-will-undergo-tommy-john-surgery/
Detroit Tigers? pitcher Casey Mize will undergo Tommy John surgery.
MCBTB

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/s...y-mize-undergo-tommy-john-surgery/7586415001/
Tigers' Casey Mize, 2018 top pick, to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Detnews

https://www.freep.com/story/sports/...ers-casey-mize-tommy-john-surgery/7586350001/
Detroit Tigers right-hander Casey Mize to undergo Tommy John surgery.
Freep

https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2022/06/tigers-pitcher-casey-mize-will-undergo-tommy-john-surgery.html
Tigers pitcher Casey Mize will undergo Tommy John surgery.
Mlive
 
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