It’s pretty clear that for the Detroit Tigers, 2022 was disappointing, frustrating and at times illogical. While injuries happen, it just never made any sense how seemingly every player regressed so much from 2021. The team felt like it had a hex on it.
For several Tigers fans, this is what they said about 2022. The comments come from the Tigers Discord channel. (You can join here)
“Biggest letdown Tigers year in at least 6 seasons. I’ve been closely following the Tigers since 2010 and this was the most turned off from baseball I’ve been in the middle of the season maybe ever. At least in like 2018/19 I knew they were awful so I kinda just ignored them. This year I was genuinely upset and just didn’t want to watch.”
“The Tigers being bad was everything everywhere all at once”
“Undying loyality can be a bitch sometimes”
“Does “Go Lions” count to be used? Had high expectations, but to be an optimist for the year? Only way to go from rock bottom is back up.”
But here we are, on the first day of 2023. This is the time when people put together their New Year’s resolutions. We have had several writers on staff make New Year resolutions for each Detroit sports team recently, but for the Tigers, that could be anything.
If there is one person who is already committing themselves to a “resolution,” that would be one Wilmer Flores. The Tigers number three prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, spoke a few weeks back on addressing fatigue and working on his changeup, which he wasn’t comfortable using in games. Now he looks like he has addressed what the issue was, and the pitch is showing some promise.
Wilmer’s CH is coming along nicely.
Early on this off-season we identified that he favors supination (two banger breaking balls & slight cut on the 4SFB). Despite this, he would force pronation on his CH (putting him behind the ball), causing it to flatten out.
(1/2) ⬇️ https://t.co/XN2sIV2nMz pic.twitter.com/Of3RHa9bjV
— Turner Givens (@TurnerGivens) December 29, 2022
The Detroit Tigers resolve to have a committee at third
On New Year Eve’s the Tigers announced they had traded for Tyler Nevin and designated Zach Logue, who they just picked up last week. Nevin will be on the 40-man roster. He is the son of former Tiger Phil Nevin, who played for Detroit from 1995 to 1997 and later managed both the Erie SeaWolves and the Toledo Mud Hens. Tyler has the ability to play both first and third, but he does not grade out well defensively at either position.
According to Wikipedia, New Year’s resolution is defined as a tradition in which a person resolves good practices, change an undesired trait or behavior, accomplish a personal goal or otherwise improve their behavior at the beginning of the year.
With Flores, it’s clear he wants to improve himself to become a more complete pitcher. How the Nevin trade changes things isn’t quite as obvious. Tigers fans are having a hard time understanding what category this move falls into.
For now, it appears Scott Harris is willing to have a committee at third base to start the season. Harris has checked the “to change an undesired trait” box by bringing in a new training staff and additional coaching help.
Tigers fans just have to hope the bats that went silent in 2022 will improve their behavior in 2023.
