Manager A.J. Hinch wanted to get the Meadows in the lineup as soon as possible. He wasted no time by putting them in the Grapefruit League opener. The results paid off quickly as Parker launched a shot into right field that went 110MPH off the bat as the Tigers win 4 to 2.
Parker’s eyes lit up when the pitch sat in the middle of the zone. He didn’t believe when his family said they would not make the trek down from Georgia to watch him and Austin play.
Missed the swing, but Parker Meadows jumped his first pitch of Spring Training and sent it deep to RF. Austin jumped out of dugout to hug him once he crossed home plate. pic.twitter.com/b9q3DCxc2m
— Jason Beck (@beckjason) February 25, 2023
Parker Meadows got a text from his mom last night: "Oh, I wish we could be there tomorrow."
He was unconvinced but played along. "I knew they were going to be here."
His parents left Georgia at 4 this morning to make it to Lakeland for the game. https://t.co/YAZXZ3vBRz
— Evan Woodbery (@evanwoodbery) February 25, 2023
Andre Lipcius’s two-run home run provided to be the game winner. Akil Baddoo got the first hit of the day for the Tigers, hitting a double in the right-center gap. Besides Parker making a good first impression, Rule 5 draft pick Mason Englert made a strong one. In two innings of work, Englert struck out four and generating seven swings and misses. He was able to pound the strike zone. 17 of the 20 pitches he threw were for strikes.
Garrett Hill, who started the game, was hitting 94-96 on the gun, and generated four swings and misses in two innings of work. He got Nick Castellanos on a slider, a pitch he has been working on in the off-season.
“Especially in the spring, just to learn like when I throw it and game comfortability with the pitch, I will keep throwing it in there.”
Tigers Odds and Ends.
- Double-A manager Gabe Alvarez will coach third for the next few weeks, Hinch said. Gary Jones will be on the bench, recovering from offseason knee surgery.
- Left-hander Zach Logue committed the first and only pitching violation of the game for the Tigers
- The Tigers pulled a triple-play in the 7th inning. It scored 6-5-3-2 on the scorecard.
- The time of the game was impressive, just two hours and 15 minutes. Welcome to efficient baseball.
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Photo Credit:Mike Watters-USA Today
