New year, new predictions for tigers: 5 things to expect in 2022
For the first time in a long time, Detroit Tigers fans are ready to ring in the new year with optimism. or firm Optimism anyway.
Unfortunately, this is the first time in even longer That Major League Baseball and its players are embroiled in a labor dispute that has led to a layoff.
Nobody knows how long the shutdown will last, but few expect it to cost real games in 2022.
However, it’s an unwelcome distraction for teams like the Tigers, who are eager to awaken a slumbering fan base with a playoff race.
What can we expect in 2022?
Initially, this was a list of five “bold predictions”. Let’s face it: This makes the headline more clickable.
Instead, I focus on things that actually Must It is happening. In some ways, this is more difficult. Being bold is an easy effort to give because it provides an internal excuse when everything ends up being wrong.
Everything is listed below Must It happens in 2022 – assuming the first one ends up right and we have an uninterrupted baseball game starting this spring.
The national anthem is played before the start of the Detroit Tigers’ exhibition game against the Philadelphia Phillies on February 28, 2021, at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida (Photo by Evan Woodbury, MLIve)
1. Spring training will be postponed – but only briefly – and the season will start on time.
As tempting as it is to ignore these shutdowns, the first league outage since 1994-95 has cast a shadow over what has been an exciting hot stove season.
There has been no tangible progress in negotiations – in fact, no real negotiations at all – since the lockdown began on 1 December.
There may not be much progress until there is a sense of urgency. Spring training will provide that urgency.
Bombers and hunting are scheduled to be announced in mid-February with the first demonstration games kicking off in late February.
Best Bet: The two sides work out a deal during some overnight sessions early in the month; The spring calendar is pushed back a few days; Most importantly, the regular season comes out unscathed.
2. The Tigers will compete for the playoffs for the first time since 2016.
It’s too early to predict that Detroit will play the playoffs for the first time since 2014, because we don’t know what the playoffs will look like just yet.
Currently 10 teams – five from each league – are cutting, which requires nearly 90 offside wins.
This isn’t unreasonable for tigers, but it would be a pretty steep jump.
As of today, a good base projection is that the Tigers will be 0.500. Their qualifier odds will jump dramatically if the qualifier field is expanded.
Chicago White Sox baseball player Carlos Rodon throws during the first half of a baseball game against the Detroit Tigers, Sunday, June 13, 2021, in Detroit. (AP Photo / Carlos Osorio) AP
3. Tigers never finished shopping.
Tigers have seriously crossed all the items off their to-do list before December 1st, which means they can be more picky as spring approaches.
Tigers will have the luxury of sitting back and waiting to see what deals fall into their lap.
The waiting part shouldn’t be too difficult, as teams are not allowed to do anything at the moment. But when the shutdown ends and a hectic week of deals begins, there could be more deals than usual.
Tigers will likely look for another starting pitcher and perhaps an arm or two, if the price is right.
But don’t assume they’ll shop exclusively in the low-cost market. The Tigers’ payroll flexibility may allow for another winter surprise.
As long as we’re thinking big, what about left-footed player Carlos Rodon? Health concerns have constrained his market to this point, and it is likely that he will have to settle for a shorter deal than expected before spring training.
Aside from the fact that tiger turnover is already quite heavy in the south, Rodon looks like an interesting fit.
Detroit Tiger manager AJ Hinch, left, argues with crew chief Hunter Wendelstedt in the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Los Angeles Angels in Detroit, Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021 (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) AP
4. AJ Hinch will be given plenty of players to mingle and match.
Hinch pressed the right buttons in his first year as captain in Detroit in 2021 and earned the right to make some tough people calls in 2022.
The Tigers are doing what they haven’t done in a while, which is to overstock the lockers and let the manager sort things out, whether it’s spring training, May, mid-season or playoffs.
There could be some interesting decisions.
They have offered contracts to players eligible to referee such as catcher Dustin Garneau, defensive player Victor Reyes and companion man Harold Castro, although none of them have an obvious place on the list.
On the field, young Willie Castro and Isaac Paredes play uncertain roles. On the field, Derek Hill and Daz Cameron are in the same boat.
Throw in rookies Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson, who may or may not make the team, and Hinch will have a chance to play with the lineup for a bit. But beyond the lineup card, the overall composition of the roster — and the swings between Detroit and Triple-A Toledo — will be an area where Hinch will have real input and real impact.
Willie Castro of the Detroit Tigers performs a single against the Chicago White Sox in the second half of a baseball game in Detroit, Monday, September 27, 2021 (AP Photo/Paul Sancya) AP
5. There will be Aqeel Badu who comes out of nowhere in 2022, along with Willy Castro who returns to Earth.
It wasn’t clear that Baddoo would make the team this past spring. Instead, the selection for Rule 5 became one of the league’s most exciting rookies and a huge part of the Tigers’ transformation.
On the other end of the spectrum, Willy Castro couldn’t build on an impressive short season in 2020, struggling both defensively and offensively.
Here’s a really safe prediction: There will To be another Akil Badu and another Willy Castro in 2022.
the in bold Prediction says who it will be. We’ll save that for later.
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