Detroit Tigers general manager Al Avila began Thursday’s press conference in a serious tone.
He announced that the organization had to shut down right-handers Matt Manning and Alex Faedo over tensions in the forearm and commented on the postponement of matches resulting from the protest of groups and players against racial injustice.
And then Avila laughed.
“Torkelson, this year’s?” said with a smile. “Well, that would be . . . “
He has not finished his sentence on third base Spencer Torkelson, the selected No. 1 in the 2020 draft, because there is no chance that the organization’s most productive hope will be in the major leagues before at least 2021.
But it’s worth asking.
Especially after former Washington Nationals general manager and Torkelson defenseman Jim Bowden said Torkelson was “better hitter with more power” than Ryan Zimmerman, whom he selected at No. 4 overall in June 2005 and allowed her to make her debut in September as the 20-year-old.
[Al Avila supports the protests of the players: “The global wants much more love”]
However, the Tigers are on stage without the minor league season, which was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hopes do not have the possibility to provide much on Toledo’s educational site of choice, apart from adjustment opportunities within the team that last between two and five. innings, live batsman practices and simulated games.
“We are very pleased with your progress there,” Avila said, now back to her earnest tone, from Torkelson.
He said the same thing about gardener Riley Greene (hopeful No. 3) and the Dillon Dingler receiver (No. 8) . The Tigers decided on Greene with the fifth overall team in 2019, and took Dingler from Ohio State with his second round. (38th overall) by 2020.
[Spencer Torkelson, Dillon Dingler show progress after a year of wild draft]
“Everyone is doing very well in the cases we have,” Ávila said. “Right now, the games that we play infrequently are five innings, infrequently two innings. With (Casey) Mize and (Tarik) Skubal here, the innings both now, and especially Manning and Faedo don’t pitch the one games either. in this point.
“But, you know, they go through a lot of exercises, they do a lot of simulation games. They do it with the team we want to expand them with. “
Avila has given many updates, such as on the progression of some leads:
Utility Harold Castro: “Not Too Far Away” to return to the Tigers. He left a game on August 18 against the Chicago White Sox and placed himself on the 10-day injury list the next day with a left run tendon détente.
Ivan Nova Right: It’s “pretty close” to his return. He placed himself on the 10-day injury list on August 15 with right triceps tendinitis. His injury forced the organization to take Skubal to the majors with Mize.
Six-band rotation: When Nova returns, he will do so with a rotation that is already made up of five pitchers: Mize, Skubal, Matthew Boyd, Spencer Turnbull and Michael Fulmer. Avila said a six-man rotation had not been discussed, “but that doesn’t mean it can’t happen. “The team has 3 options: put Nova in the survey pen, load it into the initial rotation or make another move.
Adding to the list: Due to Manning and Faedo’s injuries at the end of the season, there is a chance that the team will move up to two clients to the 60-man list and take them to Toledo. Avila said: “We have a list of outdoor players from the organization who, if we need it in an emergency, (can just) faint and sign. “There may only be climbs until the end of the week.
Double billboard vs. Letters: The August 13 double billboard, which had already been postponed once due to COVID-19 disorders with the St. John’s Organization. Louis Cardinals, postponed amid other positive tests. Avila didn’t listen when those games will be invented, saying, “I’ll assume, and it’s just me, not an official statement, we’ll catch them at the end of the season if we have to. I haven’t heard anything official. “
CJCron Knee Surgery: First baseman, on a one-year contract, left a game on August 10 due to a knee injury and, reflecting, chose end-of-season knee surgery. Avila said he had undergone “successful surgery. “and start his rehabilitation program. He finished the season with an Array190/. 346/. 548 cup with 4 home runs in 42 at-bats. Avila added: “It will take several months to rehabilitate it, and it will start preparing for next year. He’ll be a loose agent. “
Department departures and cuts: The Chicago Cubs, New York Yankees, and Seattle Mariners are 3 groups that have reduced their home and player progression departments. For now, Avila said this wouldn’t happen to the Tigers: “Because we didn’t let go, because we didn’t have a license, we’re a bigger organization today. “He thanked the team owner, Christopher Ilitch.
To be more informed about Torkelson: “Frankly, if we had the opportunity to play in minor league matches and you see it in action opposed to other clubs and things of that nature, who knows?But to bring in a guy we just wrote from the Educational Camp of Choice where there are simulated games, live BP games and even games within the team, that’s what it is. It’s a difficult position to assess.
And I’m not saying we’re looking to compare Torkelson or Greene or any of those guys. What we’re looking to do is give them a lot of work, give them a lot of exercise and go through a progression procedure so they can as baseball players. But when you look at an overall assessment of the future, it’s completely different to move to a normal season and be able to spend and watch games for several months. It’s a completely different atmosphere. “
More: Torkelson’s dream comes true at a ‘great moment’ in Comerica Park
Avila about Daz Cameron: “Well, he wants more bats (because he missed summer camp because of an injury that hadn’t healed). Obviously, he’s a wonderful athlete. We love him very much. He was wasted a lot of time this season, unfortunately. But He’s healthy now. He plays matches (within the team). His rehabilitation process, in itself, is coming to an end now, probably until the end of this week, if not this week. You’ll be off the casualty list, already in games and get bats. He wants more bats, basically. That’s the baseline. We will have as many bats as imaginable in Toledo on the education site of choice for the rest of this year.
“If there’s an educational league to play this fall, you may just leave. If there is a winter championship opportunity, I hear that there is an option in the Dominican Republic, which may be an abbreviated type of winter league. be more difficult too because it will shorten, and you will probably have many more players, especially young players. So it’s probably a chime dream at this point, but we’re looking to get as much to – bats as we can this year, then prepare it for the next one. “
More: Cameron convinced that he has learned what should not change
Avila on Jake Rogers: “Jake does what everyone else does there. He works really hard. Unfortunately, we don’t have Triple-A games for him right now. And I don’t know if we’re going to raise him this year. ” depending on whether we are going to expand the lists or we are going to leave them to 28, as we do now. If it continues like this now, then it’s going to be tough, unless there’s an injury.
More facts about the Tigers: they’re still on receiver Jake Rogers.
Evan Petzold is an intern in sports reporting at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him on epetzold@freepress. com or stay with him on Twitter at EvanPetzold. Free Press has introduced a new virtual subscription model. That’s how our exclusive Detroit can max. Tiger content.