Spencer Torkelson popped into the dugout for the first time as an official member of the Detroit Tigers. He turned the corner and stuffed an extra Wilson glove into a cubby hole above the bat rack.
“Gotta be ready,” he said Thursday afternoon, walking toward the outfield to warm up.
Yes, we are all ready.
For one amazing party.
The Tigers will open their season on Friday at Comerica Park — an unofficial holiday in Detroit.
Yes, it’s supposed to be cold — downright frigid compared to spring training.
Yes, it might be raining — so basically, it’s going to be a typical Opening Day in Detroit.
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“I’m happy for the fans,” Tigers manager AJ Hinch said. “The fans are the ones that deserve to come in here with the full capacity. They missed baseball. This ballpark can be a great home-field advantage for us. Obviously, our players are going to enjoy the atmosphere.”
As the Tigers went through a practice Thursday afternoon, workers put the finishing touches on the seats behind the dugout — the last chance to spruce up the stadium. A helicopter buzzed overhead. And you could feel the anticipation building.
Al Avila, the Tigers general manager, stood on the edge of the infield grass. He did an outstanding job putting together this roster.
When Riley Greene was lost to a broken foot, Avila made a surprising trade for outfielder Austin Meadows, who was a 2019 All-Star.
Avila brought in a two-time Gold Glove catcher and a Gold Glove shortstop, making this team stronger where it matters the most — right up the middle.
“If you’re strong at catcher, you’re strong up the middle, your team functions a little bit better,” Hinch said.
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Synchronize your watches
This team is vastly improved from a year ago. The outfield is better and the infield is more stable.
So what should we expect?
I firmly believe this team will have a winning record — I’m picking 87 wins, which is more optimistic than most. But I believe in Hinch.
I think it will play important games in September and will have a shot at the playoffs.
Anything less would be a major disappointment.
It is important for this team to take that step forward. To learn how to win as expectations are rising.
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Because the clock is now ticking.
Casey Mize and Tarik Skubal, the nucleus of the young pitching staff, are entering their second full seasons.
Barring any contract extensions, the Tigers are now in a five-year window when they have Mize and Skubal before they can reach unrestricted free agency in 2027.
Before they get the huge bucks.
Matt Manning will get there in 2028.
That might seem like a lifetime from now.
But it’s not that far off. I mean, Spencer Turnbull will hit free agency in 2025.
Think backward for a second. Think about the end of the journey and consider how you get there.
Before you can win the World Series, you have to be a legit contender.
Before you can be a legit contender, you have to get to the playoffs.
And before you can get to the playoffs, you have to learn how to win. To expect it night in and night out. To have the right mindset.
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And that’s where this team has climb this year. It has to make a jump forward to set up the next few years when these young prospects are still relatively cheap.
“I’m more interested in the mentality than I am anything,” HInch said, “and I think the vibe around camp coming into the season was very positive.”
That is how Hinch is building a winner.
Brick by brick.
You have to get the mentality right before you can win in the playoffs. Shoot, before you can even get to the playoffs.
“We expect to win the Friday’s game,” Hinch said. “I mean, that’s really the reality.”
As he talked, you could almost envision him putting down another brick.
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Just the beginning?
Now, here comes the good news.
I’m not saying it’s a five-year window and then it will slam shut. It’s a five-year window with Mize and Skubal. Because this franchise is actually trying to build something sustainable.
More waves of pitchers and prospects are coming. Don’t be surprised if Alex Faedo and Beau Brieske make an impact this year. Dylan Smith and Ty Madden are a few years away. And Jackson Jobe is going to be a gem.
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Envision what is possible three or four years from now.
Mize, Skubal and Manning will be seasoned pros. Greene and Torkelson should have hit their stride. I would expect Ryan Kreidler and Dillon Dingler to be in Detroit. And there will be another wave of young players arriving. In an ideal world, guys like Cristian Santana, Izaac Pacheco and Roberto Campos will be knocking on the door.
That will be the sweet spot, when he waves keep that window open.
But to get there without delay, they have to play meaningful games this fall.
Going backward this year, or even treading water, can’t be acceptable anymore.
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Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.