I see Detroit Tigers opening spring training with Honolulu blue optimism

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I see Detroit Tigers opening spring training with Honolulu blue optimism

Jeff Seidel, Detroit Free Press · Detroit Free Press

Wed, Feb 14, 2024 ·

6 min read

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LAKELAND, Fla. — Behind the Detroit Tigers facility, on a back field at TigerTown, Spencer Torkelson stood at first base and glanced my direction.

He raised his right hand and offered a quick salute.

"Good to see you," I shouted.

"Glad to be back," Torkelson said and broke into a smile.

Indeed.

Baseball is back. Practically all of the Tigers pitchers and catchers reported on Tuesday and will hold their first official workout on Wednesday. But most of the position players are already here, getting ready for the first full-squad practice on Monday.

Wait a second — baseball is already here? How is that possible? Didn't football just end? What happened to January?

OK, I admit it feels strange to go from covering the Detroit Lions in the playoffs, even at one point booking flights to Vegas for the Super Bowl — that didn't exactly work out — to canceling those flights, making new ones and rushing to Lakeland to cover the Tigers in spring training just a few weeks later.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal warms up during spring training at Tigertown in Lakeland, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

SPRING INTO ACTION: Javier Báez reports early, six starters for the rotation

I have to believe it's the same for fans.

But it's also exciting to make the quick transition, even if it's completely different and unusual.

Because the Lions represent hope. They have proved that an organization — yes, even one from Detroit — can turn it around if everything is aligned, from ownership to the front office to the coaching staff to the development staff to the players.

And when I look at the Tigers, I do see reasons for optimism.

Maybe not World Series level optimism. But optimism that this team could be competitive. This team should be interesting. This team could play meaningful games in September.

Yes, I know. There's always optimism in spring training.

But this spring already feels different.

Because I'm viewing this team through Honolulu Blue glasses, seeing what is possible, instead of what might go wrong.

Tigers have interesting pieces

So, let me relish what is possible: an experienced manager pushing all the right buttons and squeezing everything out of this roster; an improved offense, a strong and deep rotation paired with a strong bullpen; and a group of young players who continue to develop and improve, learning how to win together.

It's pretty dang exciting to think about.

I realize injuries could derail everything, as we know all too well in Detroit; and there's no guarantee young players will continue to improve or even duplicate last year's success — development never happens in a straight line. But I don't wanna go there right now.

Let's hold onto the hope and momentum we saw in the Lions.

"We're gonna have a lot of fun," Tigers catcher Jake Rogers said, standing outside the Tigers facility. "Actually, I had a really long conversation with A.J. (Hinch) about it (on Monday)."

Behind the scenes, the players are talking to each other about the potential of this team.

"I talked a lot with the guys," Rogers said. " Just the talent we brought in and plus a lot of the guys having the year they had last year and building off of that. I think we're gonna have a fun team. It's gonna be a tough lineup. We're a pesky, young team and we added a few bats with (Mark) Canha and with Colt."

That would be Colt Keith , a prospect who was working at second base on Tuesday.

I figure it's his position to lose. And there's no doubt in my mind — Keith is gonna hit. He doesn't strike me as a kid who will freak out on a bigger stage; and when he eventually struggles a bit, he won't crumble.

Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers throws the ball during spring training at Tigertown in Lakeland, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

"We're just kind of looking forward to getting going," Rogers said. "At this time, we're kind of itching and it's gonna be a fun year."

But it will also be a strange year, right from the start, because Miguel Cabrera has retired .

"It's gonna be weird," Rogers said. "You come in and you look at his locker and his name is not there. You know, it's sad. … It's definitely weird for us. We're gonna miss the life but we're not gonna miss a beat."

For the record, Javier Báez has been assigned Cabrera's locker near the entrance to the clubhouse; and if just a little bit of the magic in Cabrera's bat — I'm talking about those peak years — could rub off on Báez, I mean, just a teensy bit, this team will be even better.

This team is going to be fun to watch. Especially on TV.

The Tigers have brought in Jason Benetti , a supreme broadcast talent, but they will also have Dan Dickerson in the bullpen when he's not on the radio.

Now that's a heck of a starting rotation.

Real reason for hope

The real reason for optimism?

The American League Central Division is not exactly frightening.

Last year, the Minnesota Twins won it with 87 wins, and the Tigers finished in second place, nine games back at 78-84.

If the Tigers just win more than they lose, which is entirely possible, they could be right there with a shot to win the division and get to the playoffs.

And that is possible because the Tigers have a potentially strong group of starting pitchers, including Tarik Skubal , Kenta Maeda , Jack Flaherty , Casey Mize , Matt Manning , Reese Olson and Sawyer Gipson-Long.

Obviously, you can never have enough pitching.

But there's something else that I find intriguing. It's a welcoming clubhouse with a bunch of good dudes who all want to win. They all have the same competitive DNA.

Many of these players came up together. Heck, not too long ago many of them were together at Double-A Erie.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Andrew Chafin warms up during spring training at Tigertown in Lakeland, Fla. on Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024.

"I'm comfortable," Mize said. "It's just guys that we've been with forever. ... It's just good to have guys that you can look back on past experiences with and just go through challenges or successes. A lot of us are in the big leagues or are getting really close."

When they were in Double-A, they talked about this moment — dreamed of this moment — when they would all be in Detroit together.

"Now it's reality," Mize said. "So it's really cool."

Yes, it is cool. Everything about it.

How there is hope.

How there is excitement, just a few weeks after football ended in Detroit. It's just so different.

Detroit came alive with the Lions, as fans filled up Ford Field with ear-shattering excitement.

And this if the Tigers can tap into that momentum, if they can learn from the Lions, if they can win some games and be competitive — this will be a fun summer.

Forward down the field …

Lions fans: Celebrate a renaissance 2023 season with a new book from the Free Press .

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com . Follow him @seideljeff .

To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers 2024 season: If the Lions can make it, why not them?

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