Detroit Tigers Clips Wednesday, November 2, 2016
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Detroit Tigers Clips Wednesday, November 2, 2016 Detroit Free Press Tigers fans represent at World Series in Cleveland (Fenech) American League Central teams becoming fixture in World Series (Fenech) Ex-Tigers ace Jack Morris sees Justin Verlander evolving with age (Fenech) The Detroit News Four Tigers prospects hit 100 mph in 2016 (Staff) MLB.com Tigers in AFL: Stewart wrapping exciting first full season (Mayo) Daily Transactions 1 Tigers fans represent at World Series in Cleveland November 2, 2016 By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press CLEVELAND – There was no decision to be made. When John and Ryan Torreson hopped in the car on Tuesday afternoon for the 3-hour trek from metro Detroit to Cleveland, they were wearing Tigers gear. John, a Tigers hat. Ryan, a fleece sweatshirt. And amongst a throng of Indians and Cubs fans filing into Progressive Field for Game 6 of the World Series, the father-son duo from the Macomb area stood out for their attire. “We always wear our Detroit stuff whenever we go out,” Ryan Torreson said. “Always,” John Torreson said. The two described their rooting interest as “indifferent,” but Ryan Torreson admitted, “I think we’re rooting for the Indians because they’re the American League and we want to help them out but either team deserves a win. It’s been so freaking long for either one.” Said John Torreson: “The fans have been razzing us. A lot of razzing, so my comment to the Indians fan was, ‘We came up to support you.’” After the Cubs blasted the Indians, 9-3, one of those waits will end in Game 7 tonight. The Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908, a mere 108 years ago. The Indians have not won since 1948, just 68 years ago. The droughts are the two longest active streaks in baseball. Ryan Torreson, who works in the marketing and advertising industry, received an opportunity to buy two tickets from an Ohio connection of his. The tickets were $250 a piece, so he invited his dad. “We said, ‘Let’s head on down and get going,’” he said. “We got the tickets and we drove on up because we love baseball.” 2 American League Central teams becoming fixture in World Series November 2, 2016 By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press CLEVELAND – It has always been this way. Never going to change. Those baseball teams on the East Coast, near the biggest media markets in the country? They’ll get more exposure on national television. The Dodgers, on the West Coast, they’ll get more attention on the Internet. The American League East division? What a gauntlet, pundits say. But for the third consecutive year, an AL Central team stood one win away from a World Series championship. For getting so overlooked throughout the season — perhaps partly because of the lowly Twins and White Sox — the Central division is enjoying quite the run of success in the postseason. Four of the past five seasons, they have a Central team has been the AL’s representative, starting in 2012, when the Tigers fell to the Giants in four games. In 2014, the Royals fell to the Giants in seven games. Last season, the Royals won the title. This year, the Indians were one win away from snapping a 68-year World Series drought entering Tuesday’s Game 6 versus the Cubs. Jack Morris, the longtime former Tiger who broadcast Detroit games for the Fox Sports Detroit and Twins games for Fox Sports North this season, said he sees a lot of similarities between this year’s Indians and last year’s Royals. “The bullpen,” Morris said. “Bullpen, bullpen, bullpen. They can shorten the game a lot.” Morris who won three World Series in his career — 1984 with the Tigers, 1991 with the Twins and 1992 with the Blue Jays — said it’s “night and day” different from his playing days, when starting pitchers were routinely expected to pitch until the end of the game. With a World Series win, the Indians would be the third AL Central team since the White Sox in 2005 to win it all. Morris started seven World Series games, completing three of them, two in 1984 and a 10-inning shutout of the Braves in Game 7 in 1991. He had a lifetime 2.96 ERA in the World Series. “It’s why you play,” Morris said. “It’s the excitement, the energy that’s in the crowd, the adrenaline rush. It’s everything you want it to be.” Watching the pregame hoopla from in front of the Indians’ dugout before going on camera, he said, “It’s a lot different, but even more so today. In the digital world, I call it ‘rock star’ now. These guys, the media demand and all of the attention nationally and worldwide, it’s just exploded compared to our generation.” 3 Ex-Tigers ace Jack Morris sees Justin Verlander evolving with age November 2, 2016 By Anthony Fenech/ Detroit Free Press CLEVELAND – To Jack Morris, it’s simple. The Detroit Tigers’ former right-handed ace was asked what he saw differently out of current right-handed ace Justin Verlander this past season. Morris said, “He did a better job of pitching this year. He’s becoming more of a pitcher and less of a thrower.” Verlander reclaimed his fame of being one of the best pitchers in the major leagues this season, compiling a 16- 9 record, 3.04 ERA and 1.001 WHIP. Verlander led the American League with 254 strikeouts and finished second with 2272/3 innings pitched and in ERA. He should finish high in AL Cy Young Award balloting, which is scheduled to be released on Nov. 16. Morris spoke of a light-bulb going off, one that forces an evolution as pitchers age. Verlander will pitch next season at age 34. “I kind of knew it would,” Morris said. “You start losing a little bit, and you’re forced to adjust or you disappear. And when you’re forced to adjust, he started making adjustments and for the good. “Justin’s got a great change-up. He’s got a great curveball, and he started going to it early in the counts and he was pacing himself, so he still had that high velocity late in the game. All the things that you had hoped he’d do earlier when he didn’t have to think.” Verlander’s success was equal parts good health and great preparation. He was once again able to live off his four-seam fastball and anchored the Tigers’ rotation in earnest, advancing through the early stage of evolution just like Morris did in the late 1980s. 4 Four Tigers prospects hit 100 mph in 2016 November 2, 2016 By The Detroit News Staff/ The Detroit News If you suspect that major league pitchers are throwing harder than ever, you’re correct. According to Baseball America, using data from Fangraphs.com, average MLB fastball velocity has increased from 89.0 mph in 2002 to 92.3 mph in 2015. And indications are that the pace will continue to get faster. This season, 31 pitchers reached 100 mph on their fastballs, and in the minors, at least 60 hit that mark. Baseball America says that list will continue to grow as the site continues to report on prospects. Of the 60 on Baseball America’s current list, four are right-handers in the Detroit Tigers organization –Adam Ravenelle, Gerson Moreno, Sandy Baez and Wladimir Pinto. Ravenelle hit 102; the others reached 100. * Ravenelle, 24, taken by the Tigers in the fourth round in 2014 out of Vanderbilt, threw 58 innings for Class-A Lakeland and Double-A Erie in 2016. Combined he struck out 57 (33 walks) as opponents compiled a .220 batting average against. * Moreno, 21, was in Class A Lakeland and West Michigan in 2016 and struck out 54 (28 walks) in 49.2 innings. He had a 1.39 WHIP and .220 BA against. His is from the Dominican Republic. * Baez is a 22-year-old from the Dominican Republic. He went 7-9 for West Michigan this past season, striking out 88 (28 walks) in 113.1 innings. * Pinto, 18, from Venezuela, pitched for the Gulf Coast League Tigers in 2016 and struck out 32 (10 walks) in 23.2 innings of work. 5 Tigers in AFL: Stewart wrapping exciting first full season November 2, 2016 By Jonathan Mayo/ MLB.com Back in June, Tigers outfield prospect Christin Stewart was having a fine first full season as a pro after the Tigers took him the first round of the 2015 Draft when he got a phone call from the front office telling him to prepare for a trip to San Diego. He would be representing the organization in the Sirius XM All-Star Futures Game in July, but he couldn't share the news right away. "I was on the bus going to a road game, then [Tigers farm director] Dave Owen called me and told me," Stewart said. "I was ecstatic. I was so pumped, but it didn't come out publicly for a little while, so I had to keep it to myself." He didn't have to be as secretive when he found out he'd be playing in the Arizona Fall League. Even after 128 games and 443 at-bats, reaching Double-A in his first full season, the Tigers' No. 3 prospect was nearly as excited about being informed of that news as he was about the Futures Game.