Jeff Seidel | Detroit Free Press
LAKELAND, Fla. — This strange, restricted, distant spring training has been reduced to this:
Standing behind a chain-link fence, looking through binoculars, gazing across the field and trying to figure out if Spencer Torkelson has a wrap around his injured finger on his throwing hand.
Torkelson, one of the Tigers top prospects, cut his finger Wednesday and required at least one stitch. He is out indefinitely from game action, but practiced Thursday and fielded ground balls, although he didn’t throw using his injured hand.
Was his finger wrapped?
I can confidently report: I don’t know.
Maybe, it was flesh colored.
Maybe not.
I couldn’t tell because I was too far away.
Either way, it is a serious bummer for Torkelson because he was scheduled to get some action in the first few games.
“He can do everything but hit or throw, so he did,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said Thursday. “He took in some early work. He’s doing some late work. So just the hitting and throwing are a no-go for a while.”
[ How Spencer Torkelson’s injury will affect his debut and Tigers’ position battles ]
Get ready for Clemens
With Torkelson out and several players missing from camp, Hinch will have to juggle his lineup over the first few games.
One of the biggest beneficiaries will be second baseman Kody Clemens, who will get more time with Torkelson out.
Early in Grapefruit League action, which begins Sunday, Clemens will now play in every game at some position, according to Hinch.
“I’m looking forward to seeing him compete,” Hinch said of Clemens. “If he competes anything like the Clemens last name, it’s gonna be pretty fierce.”
Hinch, who loves versatile players, suggested Clemens will be given the chance to pick up another position, in addition to his duties at second base. But Hinch didn’t want to go into details until he talks with Clemens.
“He’s going to have to hit his way to the big leagues,” Hinch said. “You never really doubt guys that are mature and have a very good understanding of their skill set… a lot of people rave about his baseball IQ.”
[ The lessons Tigers prospect Casey Mize discovered from watching film ]
Soto a ‘real weapon’
Gregory Soto threw a live batting practice Thursday, although most of the hitters he faced were tracking pitches and didn’t swing.
“In terms of numbers, I would say I was throwing 85- to 90%,” Soto said through an interpreter. “I was not 100% today.”
Soto has had a couple of weeks off since pitching in the Dominican Republic.
“He’s a real weapon and he can pitch in a lot of different roles,” Hinch said. “He’s pretty focused on earning the closer role. I see him as a valuable guy regardless of what we call him at the beginning of the season.”
Another Perez sighting
The Tigers are trying to keep Franklin Perez healthy by bringing him along slowly.
After throwing a bullpen Thursday, he will have a couple days off to rest and recover.
Perez will throw another live batting practice again early next week. Depending on how that goes, he might throw another live batting practice before he gets into a game.
“It will be based on his first live BP,” Hinch said. “Then after that, we’ll make an assessment on what’s best for him and how we can work him into a game.”
[ Tigers reveal starting pitchers for first two spring training games ]
Enough live BP, bring on the games
The Tigers appear ready for games — and so am I.
Hinch has never been a fan of live batting practice, not as a manager and not as a catcher.
“I didn’t like it either way, hitting or catching,” he said. “You always find a way to get a foul ball or dinged up a little bit as a catcher … it’s a pitchers’ practice. We shouldn’t even call live BP.”
Amen to that.
Bring on the games.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.