Detroit News

By Lynn Henning |  Special to The Detroit News Oh, Tigers, we must repeat: You might have hit it big last December on baseball’s new version of the roulette wheel, the MLB Lottery. In a bit of good fortune seemingly rare in recent Detroit pro sports annals, the Tigers ended up not picking sixth in July’s

Detroit — Given the track record of Tigers president Scott Harris, you had to know he had more moves up his sleeve. Even if they don’t immediately appear to make sense. The Tigers Monday acquired light-hitting utility infielder Zach McKinstry from the Cubs for minor-league right-hander Carlos Guzman. McKinstry, the former Central Michigan University standout,

The press box table was too high and the chair too low. He’d stand up and strain to see the field, sit back during the timeouts, then stand and strain again. Jerry Green had come all this way after all these years and he was going to watch Matthew Stafford in the Super Bowl the

Lakeland, Fla. — Just as they said goodbye to the Grapefruit League season Sunday, the Tigers got busy with a clutch of roster decisions ahead of Opening Day. And none of the deliberations became easier in Sunday’s spring finale. Especially not after one of those manic Grapefruit League games that saw the Tigers get a

Lakeland, Fla. — In years past, that last Grapefruit League game in March was D-Day for guys hoping to make the big-league cut. Not so Sunday at Publix Field/Marchant Stadium where the Tigers were waiting, perhaps till mid-week, to seal their Opening Day roster. “Today is a little bit of a fake last day,” Tigers

Dunedin, Florida – To the rescue came Tyler Alexander. On a sultry night at TD Ballpark when Tigers pitchers walked 12 batters – and when the Blue Jays left 19 men on base in a game in which they somehow scored but a single run – the Tigers could thank Alexander for bringing sanity to

Dunedin, Florida – One slice of roster anxiety a front office and manager are thrilled to avoid is catcher. Toughest position on the field. Defense, pitch-calling, watching opponents on bases that for some speedsters are more like starting blocks – it’s a monster assignment. And then, oh, by the way, please hit for average and

Lynn Henning |  Special to The Detroit News Lakeland, Fla. − Another night, another home run for Nick Maton, which doesn’t necessarily surprise a Tigers team that insisted Maton be part of January’s deal that shipped Gregory Soto to Philadelphia. The homer he slammed Friday night against the Pirates at Publix Field/Marchant Stadium was a keeper

West Palm Beach, Fla. — During those merry times a decade ago at Comerica Park, everyone knew the Tigers had a 1-2 punch on the lethal level of a double-barrel shotgun. Devastating, were Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer. Not everyone could have guessed the Tigers in fact had two guys topping their rotation who were

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Lakeland, Fla. – You’d think with just three games left on the Grapefruit League schedule there’d be more clarity about the Tigers’ Opening Day roster. Not so much, not even after three more players were sent out of camp on Friday. “All configurations are still up for debate and conversation,” manager AJ Hinch said after

Show Caption Hide Caption Former Detroit News columnist Jerry Green, the only writer to attend all 56 Super Bowls. Former Detroit News columnist Jerry Green, the only writer to attend all 56 Super Bowls. The Detroit News For the first 56 years, Detroit always had been represented at the Super Bowl — by one man. Jerry

Lakeland, Fla. — There is a steeliness about Tigers ace Eduardo Rodriguez. It’s almost shark-like. Ask him about pitching in the playoffs and he will tell you straight-up, “Just another game.” Ask him about pitching in the World Series or the WBC, same answer: “Just another game.” It’s genuine. It’s his method for staying focused

Lynn Henning |  Special to The Detroit News Sarasota, Fla. – After this Disney World of a Grapefruit League game wrapped up Thursday night at Ed Smith Stadium, one could appreciate Tigers manager AJ Hinch’s take. “It’s when a tie feels like a win,” Hinch said, reflecting in the visiting manager’s office about a game that

Clearwater, Fla. — The name Will Vest never came up in the discussion. Still, his ears might’ve been burning back in Lakeland Thursday morning. Because even though he wasn’t mentioned directly, the Tigers’ reliever was the embodiment of the topic at hand: When it comes to making those final roster cuts, how much weight is

Clearwater, Fla. — Who knows how this will play out in the next five or six days? But one thing that seems certain, left-hander Joey Wentz is going to be a big factor in the Tigers’ pitching plans this season. “His growth has been incredible,” manager AJ Hinch said before Wentz went four innings against

Lakeland, Fla. — There are 41 players still in camp and only eight days and six spring games left before the season opener against the Rays. The math is bad and manager AJ Hinch understands the angst this creates in his clubhouse. “I told our group this morning to hang with us the best you

Lakeland, Fla. — After every game this spring, Toledo pitching coach Doug Bochtler walks by the group of reporters waiting to talk to manager AJ Hinch shaking his head, saying, “Not today, not today.” It’s a funny bit. And the joke, as Bochtler knows, is in the fact that assistant coaches, even Triple-A assistant coaches,

Lakeland, Fla. — Michael Lorenzen knew he should’ve stayed up. He had a feeling the ending of the WBC championship game between Japan and the United States on Tuesday night was not only going to be epic, it could end up being settled by friends. “I mean, I have an injury, so I have to

Tampa — Not that he ever would, but Ryan Kreidler can’t say he wasn’t given an honest opportunity to make the Tigers’ Opening Day roster. He made another start at shortstop Tuesday. He’s played in 17 of the Tigers’ 26 spring games and entered with the third-most at-bats on the team (39). He’s also played