THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
S U N DAY, F E B RUA RY 1 2 , 2 0 17
B5
Cubs loaded, ready for more Jay Cohen The Associated Press
Former Seattle Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon is back in Detroit as the Tigers hitting coach. He also was a coach with the Tigers from 2006-13. MLive.com files
TIGERS
Time to talk hitting McClendon says focus will be on two-strike approach Evan Woodbery ewoodbery@mlive.com
Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has said the hitting coach is often the hardest-working man in baseball, arriving before everyone else to work with whoever needs help, whenever they need help. Told of this assessment, Lloyd McClendon nodded with smile. “It’s the worst job in all of baseball,” he said. “Other than managing.” McClendon, 58, is embarking on the first season of his second stint as Tigers hitting coach. He previously filled that role from 2007-13 under Jim Leyland between stints as a manager for the Pittsburgh Pirates (200105) and Seattle Mariners (2014-15). McClendon was manager of the Tigers Triple-A affiliate in Toledo last summer and joined the big-league staff for the final month of the season. He’ll be assisted by Leon “Bull” Durham, who was his hitting coach with the Mud Hens. McClendon spoke to reporters at the recent Tigers FanFest at Comerica Park. ON HIS PHILOSOPHY
“Hitting is a very individual thing. You can’t shape and mold guys. As an instructor, you have the responsibility to find out what makes a guy tick, what his strengths and weaknesses are, build on his strengths and shore up his weaknesses and find a routine for each guy. If you do that, you can sustain it throughout the year.” ON CUTTING DOWN ON STRIKEOUTS
“A two-strike approach is an important thing. If Miguel Cabrera can do it, then everybody can do it. I think it’s a mental state more than anything. With two strikes and runners in scoring position, you almost get in protective mode to put the ball in play — particularly if there’s a runner on third base.”
Tigers key dates Monday: Pitchers and catchers report Saturday: First full-squad workout Feb. 23: Exhibition vs. Florida Southern Feb. 24: Spring training opener vs. Baltimore Orioles
ON THE RISING HOME RUN AND STRIKEOUT RATES IN BASEBALL
“I like a three-run homer. And I don’t mind a strikeout with the bases loaded and nobody out, instead of a ground ball to short. It just depends on the situation.”
ON LEON DURHAM
“Bull and I have known each other. For seven or eight years, we’ve worked closely together. I was at Toledo last year and he was my hitting instructor. We believe in the same things. I’ll take Cabrera and Victor, and Kinsler and J.D., and he can have everyone else. I’m just joking. We both know the guys very well. I think it’s a perfect fit for him as well, and I couldn’t be happier.” ON HOW THE HITTING COACH JOB HAS CHANGED
“I think it’s become easier. I said about 10 years ago, the assistant hitting coach — there was a space and a spot for that type of guy. I could just see it coming because hitters are different in the sense that they need more attention, they need more time, they need more reps. If you’re in the field having extra batting practice, there’s no way you can be in the cage working with somebody that might be in a slump.”
ON JACOBY JONES
“I think he progressed quite well. He struggled initially at Triple-A, but he survived it and he showed some mental toughness. His skill level is such that he has a chance to be an impactful type of player at the Major League level. When that happens, I couldn’t tell you whether it’s going to be coming out of spring or sometime during the season or whenever. “I think it’s a maturation process. Obviously, the more you play at this level, the more you know the pitching at this level, the better you’re going to become. I liken him a lot to Curtis Granderson. When we first got Curtis, he had to make some adjustments and changes. The more he played, the better he became.” ON STEVEN MOYA
“That’s a tricky situation. At the Triple-A level, players are playing every day, getting five at-bats a night. I was a bench player, and I can attest to the fact that it is the toughest job in all of baseball. It is extremely tough for a young player to come to this level and get two, three at-bats a week. It’s just not productive. “Can he be a productive player if he’s in the lineup everyday? I think so. I think when he first came to the big leagues and we had the injuries, he was playing and he produced. “Like all big guys like him with long arms and long legs and a long stride, he’s going to strike out some. But he can also hit it out of the ballpark. And when he hits it, it goes. He’s shown the ability to hit the ball the other way. I think he’s got a chance to be an impactful player at this level.”
15 Tigers playing in World Baseball Classic Tournament runs March 6-22; championship round in Los Angeles Former Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland will manage the American team in the World Baseball Classic.
Evan Woodbery ewoodbery@mlive.com D E T RO I T — Fifteen players in the Detroit Tigers organization will be on World Baseball Classic rosters, including stars Miguel Cabrera (Venezuela) and Ian Kinsler (United States). Cabrera and teammate Francisco Rodriguez, the Tigers closer, will be competing in their fourth WBC. Pitchers Michael Fulmer and Alex Wilson will join Kinsler on the American team as part of the “designated pitcher pool” that will supplement the roster if the team advances. Former Tigers manager Jim Leyland is managing the American squad, while Tigers first base coach Omar Vizquel is manager of Venezuela.
C H IC AG O — Kris Bryant is back. Same for Anthony Rizzo and Jon Lester, too. Even 1908 is back in the picture. That was the last time the Chicago Cubs won the World Series before Bryant and company ended the drought in November, beating the Cleveland Indians in a Game 7 classic. Now, 1908 is the last time the franchise repeated as champions — and the goal beginning this week when the Cubs’ pitchers and catchers report to spring training. “I think we have the right group here that guys will just be able to realize what we did and how special it was, but just to realize how much better it would be to sustain that success and do it again the next year,” Bryant said. “I think we’re hungrier than ever and we would love to be that team that goes back to back and I think we all have the right mindset.” No major league team has won consecutive championships since the New York Yankees from 1998-2000. But the Cubs return a loaded lineup, led by sluggers Bryant and Rizzo, and solid pitching staff, with Lester fronting one of the majors’ best rotations. Kyle Schwarber and his compact lefty swing could put together a big year if he can stay healthy, and the refurbished bullpen includes Wade Davis and Koji Uehara after a pair of offseason moves. Perhaps most important, no more questions about famous curses, and the Cubs begin this year with the experience of a championship run. “I think you gain sort of an inner confidence,” president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said, “a default belief that you and your teammates know how to win, and through hard times, you just have a faith in getting back to what got you there, knowing that you’re good enough not only to compete, but to win, and to win the whole thing. That kind of confidence is hard to create.”
Hard-throwing relievers Bruce Rondon (Venezuela) and Joe Jimenez (Puerto Rico) also are on the WBC rosters. The Dominica n Republic won t he tournament in 2013. The Tigers have no players on the Dominican team, but they are represented on seven national teams, including the U.S. Three minor-league free agents signed by the Tigers this winter will play in the WBC: Left-handed pitcher Travis Blackley (Australia), right-handed pitcher William Cuevas (Colombia) and first baseman Efren Navarro (Mexico). Cuevas is Venezuelan and only recently visited Colombia for the first time, but he is eligible to play because of his mother’s heritage. The tournament runs March 6-22. First-round hosts are Tokyo; Seoul, South Korea; Miami; and Guadalajara, Mexico. Second-round games will be played in Tokyo and San Diego, with the championship round in Los Angeles. Games will be televised on MLB Network and ESPN Deportes.
Tigers in the World Baseball Classic Australia LHP Travis Blackley RHP Warwick Saupold Canada RHP Dustin Molleken SS Daniel Pinero Colombia RHP William Cuevas Mexico 1B/OF Efren Navarro Puerto Rico RHP Joe Jimenez USA *RHP Michael Fulmer 2B Ian Kinsler *RHP Alex Wilson Venezuela 1B Miguel Cabrera DH Victor Martinez *RHP Arcenio Leon RHP Francisco Rodriguez RHP Bruce Rondon *designated pitcher pool
Kris Bryant, last year’s National League MVP, returns to boost a loaded lineup for the reigning World Series champion Chicago Cubs. AP files
2017 TIGERS SPRING TRAINING SCHEDULE Feb. 23: Florida Southern at Tigers, 1:05 p.m.* Feb. 24: Baltimore at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. Feb. 25: Houston at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. Feb. 26: Tigers at N.Y. Mets, 1:10 p.m. Feb. 27: Atlanta at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. Feb. 28: Tigers at N.Y. Yankees, 1:05 p.m.* March 1: Washington at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 1: Tigers at Toronto, 1:07 p.m.* March 2: Pittsburgh at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 3: Tigers at Tampa Bay, 1:05 p.m.* March 4: N.Y. Yankees at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 5: Tigers at Philadelphia, 1:05 p.m. March 6: Baltimore at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 7: Philadelphia at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 9: Tigers at N.Y. Mets, 1:10 p.m.* March 10: Toronto at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 11: Tigers at Yankees, 1:05 p.m. (FSD) March 12: N.Y. Mets at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (FSD) March 13: Tigers at Washington, 1:05 p.m.* March 14: Tigers at Miami, 1:05 p.m.* March 15: Atlanta at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 16: Tigers at Atlanta, 1:05 p.m.* March 17: Yankees at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (FSD)* March 18: Miami at Tigers, 1:05 p.m.* March 18: Tigers at Atlanta, 1:05 p.m.* March 19: Tigers at Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.* March 20: N.Y. Mets at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. March 22: Tigers at Toronto, 1:07 p.m.* March 23: Tigers at Atlanta, 6:05 p.m. (FSD)* March 24: Atlanta at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (FSD) March 25: Tigers at Pittsburgh, 1:05 p.m. March 26: Toronto at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (FSD) March 27: Tigers at Atlanta, 6:05 p.m.* March 28: Tigers at N.Y. Yankees, 6:35 p.m. March 29: Philadelphia at Tigers, 1:05 p.m. (FSD) March 30: Tigers at Baltimore, 1:05 p.m.* March 31: Tigers at Miami, 7:05 p.m.* April 1: Tigers at Miami, 12:05 p.m. —Most games broadcast on Tigers radio network except * —Times, broadcasts subject to change