What most fans of the game of baseball knew for quite a while now is finally official. Detroit Tigers’ ace Justin Verlander will start for the American League in the 2012 MLB All-Star Game this Tuesday at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium. Verlander, who has a record of 9-5 and an ERA of 2.58 will duel against Matt Cain of the San Francisco Giants. Cain has a record of 9-3 and an ERA of 2.62 on the season. He also pitched a perfect game earlier in the year against the Houston Astros on June 13.
The decision made by Texas Rangers manager, Ron Washington, should have been no surprise to Verlander and the rest of the baseball world. Some of the other major pitchers in the league are either out due to an injury or have pitched more recently with their respected clubs.
Verlander is the freshest of the bunch, and to be honest, the best of the bunch. He has had many games this year where he has deserved better. His record, which is still impressive, should be better than what it is. In my opinion, Verlander is and has been the most dominant pitcher in the game over the past two seasons. His stuff is electric and his mentality is none like I’ve ever seen before. He is probably the most competitive person that I have ever met, and he uses that competitiveness to his advantage on the field.
The fact is, Verlander should have started the All-Star Game last season (When he won the American League Cy Young and MVP), but he was not even able to pitch because he started for the Tigers the Sunday before the game. Justin is still very humble about that incident to this day. When asked last week if he was owed this start because he should have gotten it last year, Verlander simply responded with, “You aren’t owed anything in this game.”
However, Verlander was still very open in expressing how cool the opportunity would be, “It would be nice, it would be fantastic,” Verlander said, “I would like to have it on the resume.”
So how does Verlander continuously impress everyone, even when everyone in the game expects greatness every single start? Well, apparently its nothing too complex, Verlander told me that he just goes out there and tries to “Just be who I am.”
Keeping it simple might just be what allows Justin Verlander to be Justin Verlander. Although, not too many people have the right arm that Justin has. Either way, Verlander will take the ball Tuesday night and start his first ever All-Star Game. Just another accomplish that Justin will jot down on his already impressive resume.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
Castellanos hit a home run to center field at the Futures Game Sunday at Kauffman Stadium. In this photo, he gives a high five to Rob Brantly. Another Tigers prospect who is the catcher for the Toledo Mud Hens.
By James Nahikian
The 2012 All-Star Futures Game was incredible if you are a fan of the USA or the Detroit Tigers. Team USA beat the World Futures by a score of 17-5, but that wasn’t what all the chatter was about in the Detroit organization following the game. All the hype was about Nick Castellanos.
Castellanos is the top positional prospect in the Tigers farm system. He started off the season in High-A as apart of the Lakeland Flying Tigers in the Florida State League. That league proved to be too easy for Castellanos, he racked up 87 hits and batted over .400 and was then promoted to Double-A Erie. In his short stint so far with the Erie SeaWolves, Castellanos is the owner of a .307 batting average and has 35 hits in just 27 games. That success followed him to Kansas City.
Amongst the top prospects in Major League Baseball, Nick Castellanos was the best and took home MVP honors at this years Futures Game. Nick went 3-4 with three runs scored, three runs batted in, three hits and a walk. Oh yeah, and a monster home run to dead center field. Castellanos worked the count to 3-2 before unloading on a pitch and placing it over the center fielder’s head.
Nick Castellanos is a beast, he can flat out hit the baseball. He has torn the ball off the cover at every level that he has played at, and now he did so against the best talent that the minor leagues has to offer.
So what is next? Well, that question remains unanswered.
Nick Castellanos plays third base, so does Miguel Cabrera. And with Prince Fielder locked in at first base for years to come, Cabrera is not going anywhere either. So just move Cabrera to DH and slot in Castellanos at third? Not a chance. Not only is that an awful idea given Cabrera’s young age, Miguel has been very open to the public on his opinion of being the designated hitter. He hates it, so therefor he is not going to be the DH anytime soon. Also, when Victor Martinez comes back, he will be the everyday DH.
So where does that leave Castellanos? There has been many rumors regarding that very question.
The first one being pretty obvious, change his position. Since his promotion to Erie, Castellanos has purchased an outfielders glove and is taking fly balls at left field. This position seems to be open in Detroit as Delmon Young’s future remains uncertain in the upcoming years. However, this is still a work in process. Castellanos continues to play third base everyday for Erie and he is only catching balls during batting practice with very limited instruction.
A position change is without a doubt a very realistic solution, but so is the next idea; a trade. Many teams could use a future hitting machine at third base, and the Tigers may be keeping Castellanos at third base for this very reason. By keeping him at third, you have more buyers interested in Castellanos. Nick has been in trade talks as early as last year when Detroit was thinking about acquiring Ubaldo Jimenez. He remains in the talks this year as Detroit looks for another elite pitcher or long term solution at second base.
So is Detroit going to trade Castellanos? I have no idea, but if they are going to, they will do it very soon. He has been tearing it up in the minor leagues and after winning the MVP at the Futures Game, his stock cannot get any higher. This is a guy, with other pieces added in, that could possibly get you Cole Hammels or Zack Grienke. He could also get you a second basemen.
With that being said, he could also switch to the outfield and potentially have a 90+ RBI season in the future with the Tigers.
I personally want nothing to do with these trade talks involving Castellanos. I said it last year when fans wanted Ubaldo and i’ll say it again this year, Nick Castellanos will be a beast in the Major Leagues.
However, the fact is, Detroit is going to make moves at the deadline this year. And if they want the bigger named guys, they will trade Castellanos.
Like I said, his stock is currently off the charts, but so is his potential.
It will be very interesting to see what happens with Nick Castellanos in the upcoming months. One thing is for certain, if Detroit doesn’t trade him now, they never will.
OTHER TIGERS AT THE FUTURES GAME
Rob Brantly (Catcher) was 1-3 with an RBI double that plated Castellanos. He also threw out a runner at second base who was trying to steal. Brantly is currently with Triple-A Toledo and projects to be the Tigers future back up catcher behind Alex Avila.
Bruce Rondon (RHP) pitched 0.2 scoreless innings in relief. Rondon constantly throws above 100MPH and today touched 101 on multple occasions. Bruce is currently with Double-A Erie and projects to be the Tigers future closer, or be placed somewhere in the back end of the bullpen.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
Right on schedule, and as Major League teams play across the country, the next generation is in Kansas City and ready to kick off the All-Star festivities. If you go on Twitter right now, you know what I am talking about, as #FuturesGame is trending worldwide. The Futures Game is set for 5PM today at Kauffman Stadium. The top prospects in baseball get together to play at a Major League ballpark and to show the world why they are the next big thing.
This years crop is absolutely loaded. These players truly will be the stars of tomorrow.
Starting with Team USA:
Leading off for Team USA is the Cincinnati Reds’ top prospect, Billy Hamilton. This shortstop is nothing less than a burner. Hamilton is the fastest guy in baseball. Yes, including the major leagues. Hamilton has over 100 steals already this season for High-A Bakersfield in the Reds Organization.
Batting third for Team USA will be a hometown favorite, as Kansas City gets a preview of their future star, Wil Myers. Now when I say future star, I mean soon to be star. The right fielder will more than likely be in the major leagues within the next couple of months, and he will probably be the everyday right fielder. This guy is a hitting machine.
Batting 4th will be the third basemen, Mike Olt. Olt is the third overall prospect in the Texas system and currently has 22 home runs in the Double-A ranks.
The guys batting 5th and 6th are no slouches either. Houston’s Jonathan Singleton, first base and Oakland’s Michael Choice, left field are both the top prospects in their organizations.
Batting 7th is Detroit Tigers’ super prospect, Nick Castellanos. This guy is an absolute stud. Castellanos tore up the Florida State League this season as he batted over .400 with 87 hits. He earned a promotion to Double-A Erie where he is now batting .307. The 6’4″ third basemen will be the team’s DH. Castellanos has been heavily rumored in Detroit trade talks for the past couple of seasons, but if Nick stays in the Detroit organization like I expect he will, Castellanos will be in the Motor City in no time. Possibly even this year, Detroit has quietly been having Nick take fly balls in the outfield. His bat just might earn himself a September call up.
Don’t forget about the guys coming of the bench either. Manny Machado is the top prospect in the Baltimore farm system. The Orioles, in my opinion, have the best minor league system in all of the major leagues. Machado will more than likely be the Opening Day shortstop come 2013, and will probably see some time in the big leagues in the months to come. Nolan Arenado will also be coming of the bench, Nolan is a third basemen who is the top prospect in the Rockies organization.
The starting pitcher will be another hometown favorite in Jake Odorizzi. The righty is also in the Kansas City farm system and will duel against another future Royal, Yordano Ventura of the World Team.
However, the best pitchers in today’s game will be those in the Team USA bullpen.
Dylan Bundy (Baltimore), Gerrit Cole (Pittsburgh), Jameson Taillon (Pittsburgh) and Danny Hultzen (Seattle) were all at least top 4 overall picks and will all be top of the rotation guys in the big leagues.
The World Team also has some players to keep your eyes on:
Starting with the man batting second, Jurickson Profar. This shortstop is the top prospect in the Rangers organization, and is the No. 4 prospect in Major League Baseball. Profar is currently in Double-A but has been in the middle of a lot of trade talks as Texas already has an everyday shortstop in Elvis Andrus.
Batting right behind Profar is Oscar Taveras, who is the No. 3 overall prospect in the St. Louis system. Taveras has 17 home runs and 63 RBI’s in Double-A this season.
Xander Bogaerts is the DH and will be batting 5th. Bogaerts will be the pride of the Red Sox in this year’s Futures Game. He is the No. 2 overall prospect for Boston and is currently playing in the Class-A Advanced Carolina League.
The bench is highlighted, in my opinion, by Francisco Lindor. The shortstop is the top prospect for the Cleveland Indians. The youngster born in 1993 has 80 hits, 18 stolen bases and an on base percentage of .348 for Class-A Lake County.
Both teams have an abundance of talent, but like I said, you will be most impressed by the USA pitching. Cole, Taillon, Bundy and Hultzen are all futures aces and have dynamic arms.
So sit back, relax, and watch future Hall of Famers take the field in Kansas City in about an hour. Just two days before one of the biggest events on the baseball calender will take place, the stars of tomorrow will shine today.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
I have always supported the Detroit Tigers manager, Jim Leyland. I have always believed in him. In fact, I have always been honored that a man with such a great resume and reputation has been the head of this fantastic organization. The thing that most every fan does not understand with Leyland is not the easiest to explain, but it is the reason that I will always trust him with this team.
This theory that I have about Leyland is a multipart theory. First off, there will always be times during the season where you will simply have no clue why Leyland decided to do what he did. You just have to accept that fact and be patient. Most of the time, if you just let it play out, his decisions will begin to fall into place. However, most fans are the furthest thing from patient. They want answers and wins now. Well, baseball is a long season. Its the longest season out of any of the main sports. You have to let things play out and you have to realize that there is time for those decisions to start to make sense, and for Leyland, most of the time they do. You just can’t expect to understand everything he does as soon as it happens. The length of the season brings me to the second part of my theory.
You can never be perfect for 162 games. You are going to make wrong decisions and they are going to look bad. Jim Leyland is old school, and he is a players manager. He will say it how it is and he will always have his players’ back. This is what fans get frustrated about most in my opinion. He sticks with his players to the very end (Just think of what happened with Inge and what is happening with Raburn). Leyland knows how long the season is, so he manages to that known fact. He lets things play out and he sticks with his team because he knows what they are capable of, and he knows that there is time to turn things around. He never stresses the importance of a single series, but he always stresses the importance of playing an entire season.
So before you judge him, wait and see everything play out to the end. Wait and see where the Tigers are come late September.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
Look at him however you want, but Jim Leyland is still a World Series champion, as well as an absolute legend.
By James Nahikian
Yesterday, I had the privilege of spending the entire day at Comerica Park. I watched batting practice on the field, talked with several Tigers, had Prince Fielder refer to me as his “Buddy,” ate press box food with all of the professional reporters and writers, hung out with Fox 2 celebrities all day in Ryan Ermanni and Charlie Langton (My step-dad), helped shoot “Let it Rip” on the stadium concourse, had $1 hot dogs in the secret empoyee’s lounge, then I watched the game live from the press box, watched the post game fireworks on the field, headed inside to the Tigers Clubhouse after the game, listened to Miguel Cabrera’s post game interview, and even asked Justin Verlander a question in his post game interview after he threw a complete game. Pretty complete day huh? Well actually, I left out the best part.
My day all started at 3:35 in the office of Detroit Tigers manager, Jim Leyland. About 15 of us huddled in the skipper’s office as he lit up a cigarette, watched the Tampa Bay Rays vs. New York Yankees game, and opened the floor up for questions. I sat in the office as five or six questions went by, and after Quintin Berry got brought up, I decided what the heck. I had a question in mind, and I figured I’d ask the man the question. It didn’t cross my mind at the time that an 18 year-old job shadow (In the company of grown men, with ages ranging from approximately 25-60+) with a Tigers hat on, sitting in the back of a room of a World Series manager might come off as a little bit strange to Leyland. Looking back on it, I don’t know what I was thinking. My mentor even told me to just sit back and watch the press conference, and later on in the day, a man who has been covering the Tigers for years, told me that it took him three years to ask the old school manager a question.
Anyway, I went for it, “Jim. I know that Berry isn’t in the lineup tonight with a lefty on the mound. Moving forward, as you face five lefties in a row, how will you use Quintin in these upcoming games?” He picked up his head, looked me directly in the eye, and answered my question. He explained that you have to “Pick your spots” with him in the upcoming games and that he would probably start against a slower lefty, like Kansas City’s Bruce Chen. He also mentioned that he was going to have to “Watch him too.” Berry plays a very fast paced game, and Leyland doesn’t want him to wear down.
It was actually a very genuine and thorough answer. Another reporter even ended up asking a follow up question. Leyland then went on to crack a few jokes. A reporter asked him if he was going to have to watch Verlander extra carefully do to the intense heat, Leyland responded with, “You have to watch me extra carefully, I’m old.” He then went on to say that the stadium would “Probably sell a lot of beer tonight.”
As I left the office, I began to realize how awesome the experience actually was. I was probably about ten years younger than everyone in that office, but Leyland still took me serious and answered my question the best that he could. He told me his plans for Quintin Berry in the future and told me what type of pitchers he thought Berry could be successful against.
It turns out that Leyland did exactly what he told me he would. He told me that he was going to have to pick his spots when choosing to play Berry. Well, in the 8th inning of today’s game against the Minnesota Twins, Leyland did just that. Berry didn’t start the game, but Leyland thought that with a runner on 3rd base and Ryan Raburn due up, that it would be a perfect time to pinch hit. Berry ended up walking, and scoring a run in the inning that saw Detroit strike for five runs and take a 7-3 lead, that score ended up being the final.
View Leyland any way you want. Criticize him for making “wrong” decisions at times, complain that you want him to be fired, or laugh at him because he sometimes eats his dinner during post game interviews. The fact is, Jim Leyland is a legend, I am honored that he was the biggest part of my first day as a big league reporter.
I will continue to be a huge supporter and I will always respect him for the way that he treated me for the brief moments that I was in his office.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
When Rick Porcello was just 20-years old and in his rookie season, former Boston Red Sox infielder, Kevin Youkilis, charged the mound at Fenway Park. After Youkilis threw his helmet at Rick, Porcello got the best of Youkilis and knocked him over.
By James Nahikian
After a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays last night, the Tigers are back at it today in game number three of the four game set. With the White Sox losing in the Bronx earlier today against the Yankees, Detroit is now 4.5 games out of first place in the Central Division. A win tonight would give Detroit a chance to win the series tomorrow afternoon in the final game between the two teams.
Detroit will hand the ball to Rick Porcello tonight, in a game that will be nationally televised on FOX with the first pitch set for 7:15PM. Porcello, who is 5-5 with a 4.71 ERA, has been pitching very well as of late. The 23-year old’s biggest problem in his career so far has been consistency, but he has put together very strong outings in his last three appearances. Rick dominated a very potent Texas Rangers lineup in his last start, as he logged six innings and only allowed one earned run while striking out seven batters. The start before, he kept in check another strong lineup as he faced the St. Louis Cardinals, Rick pitched seven innings that night and only allowed two earned runs, but was stuck with the loss as St. Louis’ Jake Westbrook pitched a complete game. Finally, in Porcello’s third most recent start, he picked up a win against the Chicago Cubs at historic Wrigley Field.
The righty has all of the tools to be a very effective and successful pitcher. He has had double digit wins in each of his three big league seasons so far, and people still have to realize that Rick is extremely young. Drew Smyly, who is the Tigers’ No. 4 overall prospect, made his big league debut this season, and is now also 23-years old. Smyly has shown positive signs, but has sense struggled to stay in games. Rick has also shown signs, and he has proven that he can be a winning pitcher, but his potential has still not been fully discovered. Porcello made his debut at the age of 20, but people tend to think of him as a veteran when compared to Smyly, but the fact is that the two are both the same age. Which brings to life the reality that Rick still has much to learn, as we are now are seeing first hand the struggles of his peer, Smyly.
It is obvious to me that Rick Porcello can be a top of the rotation type of guy. He has the wins to prove that he is getting close, but his age is showing that he still has much to learn. Many like to compare Rick to his teammate, Justin Verlander. Both were at one point, the Tigers’ top prospect, both are the same height and build, and both have similar pitches. If you want to make that comparison, that is fine, but here is what you should know.
Justin Verlander also went through his fair share of struggles, in his third season in the big leagues, and at the age of 25 (Two years older than what Porcello is now), Verlander struggled mightily. He had an ERA that was nearing five and he managed to lose 17 games. Many people questioned if Justin had what it took to be “The Guy’ that he currently is now. I think we all know at this point what happened, but it wasn’t until the age of 28 that Verlander had is break out season, now granted he did have other very impressive years, but it wasn’t until last year that Verlander really showed the rest of the league exactly what he was capable of.
Now take Porcello, is it fair that we judge him at such a young age? When the best pitcher in the game struggled more than what Porcello ever has, and he did so at an older age of what Porcello is now. My point is, Rick has won games every single year, and he still has more than enough time to take his game to the next level. As shown by Verlander, who is probably the best pitcher in the game, it wasn’t until his sixth full season that he discovered his full potential. Porcello is only in his fourth season, and he has been successful, and is now looking to become great.
As for now, Porcello will pitch in front of a national audience. Something that he is very accustom to.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
Detroit’s Third Basemen, Miguel Cabrera, is having quite the 2012 season.
By James Nahikian
Most of the talk this year that has surrounded the 2012 Detroit Tigers has been very negative, the team is underperforming, they are the owners of a losing record, and they sit 4.0 games out of first in the Central Division as the league nears the All-Star break.
However, one of Detroit’s biggest stars is starting to come around, as he is putting together another monster season. This player is Tigers’ third basemen, Miguel Cabrera. His numbers are now starting to get some league wide attention, as they very well should be. After Cabrera’s four hit night in which he parked an opposite field home run at Tropicana Field in the Tigers win against the Rays last night, Miguel now has 62 RBI’s, 16 home runs, and is batting .312 on the year. He also has 23 doubles, 96 hits, an on base percentage of .370 and a slugging percentage that is well over .500. All of these numbers rank among the league’s best and Cabrera is now finally hitting his stride, although he didn’t get off to a slow start whatsoever, he seems to be very locked in as of late. Not to mention that he is more than holding his own at his new position this year.
So can Miguel win the MVP? Without question. As of now, the top five guys are all relatively close, with the leader probably being Josh Hamilton, Josh got off to a ridiculously impressive start but has sense cooled off and currently has 69 RBI’s and 24 home runs. The other four in my mind would include Cabrera, Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays, who leads the American League in home runs with 26 and also has 61 RBI’s. Adam Dunn has to be in the mix as he is having quite the bounce back season with 24 home runs and 57 RBI’s, however if he continues to lead the league in strikeouts and his .214 batting average doesn’t improve, I don’t see him winning the award. Dunn currently has 25 more strike outs than anyone with 121 already. Finally, I’d put Edwin Encarnacion in the fifth and final spot. This guy is quietly having a remarkable season with a .285 batting average to go along with his 22 home runs and 54 RBI’s.
So as it sits right now, I’d put Miguel slightly behind Josh Hamilton and maybe Bautista as well, but there is still so much more baseball to be played. Cabrera is on pace to rack up more than 120 RBI’s, batt well over .300 and possibly reach 40+ home runs. Those are without a doubt MVP caliber numbers. I expect some players to cool off and come back to the pack, and I also expect Cabrera to remain hot.
By the end of the season, the Detroit Tigers could very well have their second MVP winner in as many seasons.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future
The Tigers are now in Texas (45-28) and playing the best team in baseball. Detroit recently won four straight series before dropping two of three in Pittsburgh against the Pirates. The Tigers are 3.0 games out of first place in the Central Division, and will face a very difficult task this week in facing quality teams in the Rangers and Rays, both of which will be on the road.
The series that is particularly interesting to me is the series in Texas. The Tigers will need to play very good baseball to win the series, and they can’t be bailed out like they were yesterday by their ace, Justin Verlander. So how will this team fair with the big boys as they try to claw their way back to 1st place before the All-Star break? That won’t be answered for a few days, but the series is very intriguing.
-Will the Tigers be overmatched without Justin Verlander and with inconsistent, young pitchers taking the mound in Porcello and Smyly?
-How will Smyly perform after returning from the DL? The Tigers have not had much success in players returning from injuries, both Avila and Fister, more noticeably, have tried to come back too soon only to return back to the DL.
-It will be really cool to see the Japanese star, Yu Darvish pitch on Tuesday. Darvish dominated the Tigers earlier in the year and is off to a great rookie season, as he has 9 wins and an ERA of 3.45.
-It will also be interesting to see Roy Oswalt take the bump on Wednesday. Oswalt was recently acquired by Texas and won his debut on Friday. Oswalt was one of the more talked about free agents this offseason in the pitching market, and the Tigers were even rumored to be a possible destination, but Roy was picked up a few months into the season and is still a very quality pitcher.
-The Tigers will NEED to get off to quick starts. Texas has a dominant bullpen, remember the ALCS? If Texas gets early leads, it will be next to impossible to come back. The good news is that Alexi Ogando and Neftali Feliz are both on the DL, both have been particularly dominant against Detroit in the past.
-Texas has a very potent lineup, its a toss up if guys like Porcello and Smyly will be able to survive.
The Tigers are off to a great start so far as they had a great first inning and now lead 6-0 in the 5th inning, Porcello looks good and is getting his ground balls. Also, Kevin Youkilis is making his White Sox debut tonight, he is 0-2 so far with two ground outs.
It is also good that both Cleveland and Chicago are losing tonight, which means Detroit could be only two games back at the end of the night.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future posts
Quintin Berry called Thursday afternoon’s walk-off single the “Biggest” hit in his short big league stint so far. With the bases loaded, Berry hit a ball up the middle with a drawn in infield and propelled the Tigers to a 2-1 10th inning win against the St. Louis Cardinals at a very toasty Comerica Park, marking the team’s fourth straight series victory.
Detroit’s top prospect, Jacob Turner, made his first start of the 2012 season. The 21 year old righty went 5 innings, allowing just one run and was stuck with a no decision. Prince Fielder unloaded on an off speed pitch in the 4th inning and drove a ball 425 feet to right field, it was the Prince’s 11th home run on the year, and his 10th solo shot. The bullpen was great, as Octavio Dotel, Phil Coke, Brayan Villarreal and Joaquin Benoit combined to throw five scoreless innings. It was a collective team effort and the Tigers chipped away in the 10th inning before Berry’s clutch knock.
The Tigers are now just one game under the five hundred mark and only 2.5 games out of first place in the Central Division. The team now hits the road and will face tough opponents in Pittsburgh, Texas and Tampa Bay before returning home to wrap up the first half of the season against Minnesota and Kansas City. The next few weeks will be a very good test for the surging Tigers. I expect the team to be a first place club come the All-Star break.
It is hard to tell how the team will react to finally being on a good streak, but one thing is for certain, the Tigers are officially hot.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future posts
(ABOVE) Highlights of Tigers second overall pick, Austin Schotts of Centennial High School (Frisco, Texas).
This past week, I had the chance to perform a complete and direct interview with Detroit Tigers’ second overall pick (No. 121 overall, Round 3), Austin Schotts. To view how this took place, take a look at my previous article (http://wp.me/p2leU7-4a).
For Austin Schotts, his career in sports started on the very first day of his life, “I think my parents had sports on their mind when they had me,” Schotts explained. “They both played sports in college and they must have wanted the same for me too. My dad brought a football and baseball to the hospital the day that I was born so he could expose me right away.” Little did Schotts know at the time, his exposure to the game that he loves would pay off in a big way. His passion and dedication would lead him to be selected in the 3rd round of this year’s MLB Draft to the Detroit Tigers.
Although Schotts enjoys various outdoor activities, such as fishing and golf, his life pretty much consists of sports, and it always has, “I started swinging a bat when I started walking, and actually started on my first team in kindergarten.”
Baseball is where Schotts shines brightest, but growing up in Texas, it was impossible for him not to play football as well. And although he will not be playing in the NFL, Schotts was still very impressive on the gridiron. He had a great senior season, including a game where he had two interceptions, three TD’s, three bat downs on defense, and a 90 yard kick return for a TD.
It wasn’t until this year that Austin even realized that baseball was going to be the sport that would carry him through, “I always thought that I would play both football and baseball in college,” Schotts said. “One day, something just hit me and I really felt like my future would be in baseball. I couldn’t be happier that I made that decision.”
That same decision and all of the work, came to a head on June 5th, the day that Austin was drafted. “I wanted to hear my name more than anything,” said Schotts. “But I knew that I had a great college like Oklahoma State to play for if things didn’t go the way I hoped for.” Schotts was indeed committed to go and play for the Cowboys, but everything just seemed to fall into place for Austin and his dream of playing professional baseball will now come true. “I had said that if i wasn’t selected in the top three rounds, then college was the path that I would go.” That step will no longer be necessary. Schotts’ .398 batting average this past season, along with his 9 home runs, 30 RbIs, 26 stolen bases, 1.000 slugging percentage, coupled with his district offensive player of the year award, was more than enough for Detroit, as they decided to make Austin their second overall selection (No. 121 overall, Round 3).
Along with his impressive numbers, Schotts’ MLB.com scouting profile describes him as having “Incredible speed.” Which is not too hard to detect from watching him play, as he runs a 6.3 sixty yard dash and touches first base from the batters box in less than four seconds. MLB.com also points out that Schotts has “one of the more polished prep bats in the draft” which “should allow him to hit for average at the next level.”
Schotts has talked to Detroit every single day since the draft, and he also has informed Oklahoma State of his plans, “Even though I signed to play at a great school like Oklahoma State, being a Tiger was just too hard to pass up,” Schotts expressed. “I have informed them (Oklahoma State) that I will be a Tiger instead of a Cowboy and they were very supportive. ”
It has been rumored that Schotts will move to the outfield in the Detroit farm system. That transition would be no problem for him, “I will play anywhere that I am needed most, I am up for whatever challenge comes my way.” A pretty great attitude for a guy that has played shortstop his entire life.
Schotts is also good friends with the Tigers’ first overall selection and Texan native (No. 91 overall, Round 2), Jake Thompson. The two have played against each a lot, but it wasn’t until this year, where Jake’s Rockwall-Heath High School just won the Texas 4A State Championship, that the two became friends, “We were at a few of the same pre draft workouts and got to know each other better,” said Schotts. “We will be flying to Florida together and will be rooming together. I am glad that we are both Tigers.” Who knows, we may just see the two youngsters at Comerica Park together before we know it.
This whole experience has been life changing for Schotts, who admits that he and his family got a little emotional on draft day, “We all jumped up and started screaming and crying,” as Schotts explained. “It was a dream of mine for as long as I could remember and I couldn’t believe that my dreams were coming true.”
As for now, Schotts will be flying out to Florida on Tuesday, where he will begin his career as a professional baseball player. As for which minor league team he will start with, Schotts has no idea, “I will get started wherever they put me, and work hard to climb up as fast as I can.” One day, he hopes to be playing with the best that Detroit has to offer. When I asked about the opportunity of potentially playing with guys like Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder, Justin Verlander, and fellow Texan Austin Jackson, Schotts wasn’t shy in expressing how cool that would be, “It would be amazing! It would be an honor to play with those guys and to learn from them.”
That day may come sooner than he expects. Austin Schotts is a very special talent. It is clear to me from watching his highlights, assessing his tools, and being around his personality for the past few days, that he really is a true professional. Most guys with his talent, especially at such a young age, take the easy way out. They rely on their talent too much and when it comes time to play with the big boys, they fail because they didn’t work hard enough.
Will Austin Schotts ever make it to the big leagues? My prediction, without any hesitation or doubt, absolutely. Although it is truly impossible to predict how young talent will pan out, if Austin doesn’t make it, it won’t be because he didn’t work hard enough. His talent combined with his work ethic and great attitude will make him a successful big leaguer, “I approach the game with 100% passion,” Schotts said. “I give 100% every time I am on the field.” Austin then went on to express how awesome it has been to interact with fans, and he offered one last final message for Tigers fans everywhere, “I just want Tigers fans to know that I will give 150% effort everyday. I am so lucky that I was selected by a team who has such amazing fans and I am so excited to be apart of this great organization.”
Whoever or wherever you are, you will always have doubters. There will always be people out there who will tell you that you won’t make it, that you can’t do it. Austin Schotts will have those doubters as well, he is too young, he’s too small, he came out too early. Those doubters will not bother him one bit. Twenty years from now, Austin will be reflecting and finishing up a great big league career, and i’ll be the reporter who knew it all along.
The Complete Q&A With Austin Schotts:
When and how did you get into baseball? I think my parents had sports on the brain when they had me. They both played sports in college and must have wanted the same for me too because my dad brought a football and a baseball to the hospital the day I was born so he could start exposing me right away. I started swinging a bat when I started walking and actually started on my first team in kindergarten.
Football is obviously king in Texas, so when/how did you decide that you were going to have baseball be your main sport? Or did you not, and you just happened to be better at baseball? I decided that I would focus on baseball after football ended my senior year. I always thought I would play both football and baseball in college. One day something just hit me and I really felt like my future would be in baseball and I should devote 100% of my efforts to it. I couldn’t be happier that I made that decision.
What other hobbies or activities do you like to do besides sports? Not too much to be honest with you. I lift weights, fish, golf….anything I can do outside.
Athletes are very much known for having unusual routines and rituals, do you have any of these that you do before games, or on game days? I don’t do anything unusual before games.
After seeing a lot of your highlights and reading scouting reports, it is very obvious that you have incredible speed, and one of the top and most polished prep bats in this years draft. But how would you describe your game? What is your approach/focus on the diamond? I will take advantage of whatever situation is given to me during the game. I play to win at all times. Whether I am called to drive in runs or lay down a sacrifice bunt, I am all in if it is for the good of the team. I approach the game with 100% passion, I give 100% every time I am on the field, and I feel like if I don’t leave everything out on the field then I haven’t done the best for my teammates.
Where were you and how did you find out that you had been drafted by Detroit? I was hanging out at home with my family on draft day and didn’t know that I had been drafted by Detroit until I heard my name called.
What were your initial reactions/thoughts? I was beyond excited. We all jumped up and started screaming and crying. It was a dream of mine for as long as I could remember and I couldn’t believe that my dreams were coming true.
What went through your mind before the draft? Did you know Detroit was going to take you or did you think another club was going to select you? Did you know you would be such a high selection? I couldn’t wait for June 4th to come. I wanted to hear my name more than anything but always knew that I had a great college like Oklahoma State to play at if things didn’t go the way I hoped for. I had said that if I wasn’t selected in the top three rounds then college was the path I would go. I had no idea that Detroit was going to select me. The area scout, Tim Grieve, had been to my house and been at many games but so had most of the other teams. I had gone to seven pre draft workouts right before the draft so I had no idea which teams liked me or not. I couldn’t be happier that it was the Tigers!
You are/were committed to Oklahoma State. Have you talked to them since being drafted? You said you are going to Florida soon and I have read that you were leaning towards going pro, what is your signing status or plans on the decision on playing with Detroit or going to Oklahoma State? Billy Jones was the coach that recruited me. I have stayed in touch with him through this process. He is an amazing man that I couldn’t wait to play for. I also have talked to the new coach, Josh Holliday, a couple of times. He seems like he is going to be a great coach. Even though I signed to play at a great school like Oklahoma State, being a Tiger was just too hard to pass up. I have informed them that I will be a Tiger instead of a Cowboy and they were very supportive.
This one sort of goes with the last question, but what has the communication been like with Detroit since being drafted? And you played shortstop in high school, but it sounds like Detroit will be placing you in the outfield? Is that true and how do you feel about that? I have been in close contact with Detroit since being drafted. We have talked almost every day. As far as outfield goes, I have no idea. On draft day I saw it had center field by my name and I heard what was being said on t.v. I have only played short stop my whole life but will play anywhere that I am needed the most. I am up for whatever challenge comes my way.
What is your friendship with Jake Thompson like? Have you guys talked about the upcoming years since both being drafted by Detroit? I saw that you played him this year and I’m sure you have played before, have you had any success with hitting Jake’s pitching? Jake and I have played against each other but it wasn’t until this year that I got to know him. We were at a few of the same pre draft workouts and got to know each other better then. We will be flying to Florida together on Tuesday and will be rooming together. I am glad we are both Tigers.What has this whole experience so far been like? It has to be unreal to go from being a high school kid (Granted you had to know a day like this may come) to someone who was such a high draft pick and will soon be playing professional baseball. This whole process has been the most amazing experience ever. Getting to know all the scouts from different clubs, having so many people come watch the games, having people want to talk and get to know me at games all the way to the draft itself has been incredible. I just got invited to talk to a group of little league Dallas Tigers today and sign autographs and take pictures with them. They wanted me to come since we are both “Tigers.” Who would have ever known that I would be doing such awesome stuff like that? It was awesome.
It is beyond cool that you have been interacting with Tiger fans on twitter. How has that support been from Detroit fans, and if you could tell or inform Tiger fans on anything, what would it be? Tigers fans are the BEST! I have had so many people talk to me on Twitter. They are all awesome. Now all the Tigers fans in the town where I live are coming out too. I just want Tigers fans to know that I will give 150% effort everyday like I always have so that I can get to Comerica Park as fast as possible. I am so lucky that I was selected by a team who has such amazing fans.
Has it crossed your mind yet that one day in the future, you will more than likely get the chance to be around and learn from guys like Justin Verlander, Miguel Cabrera, Prince Fielder and fellow Texan Austin Jackson? That has to be really cool to think about. That would be amazing! It would be an honor to play with those guys and to learn from them.
What are your thoughts NOW on being drafted by Detroit and being drafted so high? Now that the reality may have sunk in a little bit more. My thoughts are still the same as they were when I first heard that Detroit had picked me. I am so grateful that they believed in me enough to draft me. I am so excited to be part of this organization! I can’t wait to get to Florida and get working. I think it is all going to really sink in once I am there and I am cleared to put on a Tigers uniform. That is the day that my dream becomes a reality for me.
James Nahikian blogs about the industry of sports. And specializes in articles about the Detroit Tigers, Major League Baseball and Bowling Green State University Athletics. Email him at jnahikian77@gmail.com And follow him on twitter @KingNahikian or facebook where you can find links to his articles and updates about future posts
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