pitching around McGonigle

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Tapu Shaikh

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Apr 7, 2026, 6:25:14 PM (5 days ago) Apr 7
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Some interesting stats about Kevin McGonigle:
https://www.blessyouboys.com/detroit-tigers-opinions-analysis/88151/detroit-tigers-analysis-kevin-mcgonigle

Briefly, pitchers aren't throwing him strikes, a trait reserved for the
best hitters and one of the worst hackers in MLB (noy Javy Baez).



Peter Welch

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Apr 7, 2026, 9:09:07 PM (5 days ago) Apr 7
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I've noticed McGonigle isn't getting fastballs anymore. 
McGonigle got the green light and swung at a 3-0 pitch with Baez in scoring position in the 5th tonight but hit a weak flyout.  Sigh.

Skubal has now allowed 4 runs in the 5th and counting.  Twins lead 4-0.  Skubal has been scuffling a bit all night.  I'm sure it's the cold weather.

Who the f—k schedules these April night games in Minnesota?

Peter
From: detroit...@googlegroups.com <detroit...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Tapu Shaikh <taput...@gmail.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 6:25 PM
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Subject: pitching around McGonigle
 
Some interesting stats about Kevin McGonigle:


Briefly, pitchers aren't throwing him strikes, a trait reserved for the
best hitters and one of the worst hackers in MLB (noy Javy Baez).



Roger King

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Apr 7, 2026, 9:14:00 PM (5 days ago) Apr 7
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But of course, the Twins pitcher Bradley is having no problem with the cold weather. 


Peter Welch

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Apr 7, 2026, 9:21:30 PM (5 days ago) Apr 7
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Twins’ hitters had a good approach against Skubal tonight.
 Tigers' hitters have no clue.

Peter

From: Roger King <pnag...@pnagency.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 9:13:47 PM
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Subject: Re: pitching around McGonigle
 

Peter Welch

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Apr 7, 2026, 11:00:46 PM (5 days ago) Apr 7
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Tigers put up their usual threat in the 9th but came up short.  Twins win 4-2.
Greene and McGonigle were left stranded as Dingler grounded out to end the game.

Hinch pinch hit Jones for Keith again against a lefty reliever, and Jones did nothing.   Jones stayed in the game and was 0-2.  Hinch's "platoon magic" is failing miserably.   Just let Keith play full-time.  If Jones isn't hitting lefties he has no value.  Might as well bring back Wenceel Perez from Toledo.  At least Perez is a switch hitter and can play a decent RF.

Carp didn't start because he's been sick, but he had a pinch-hit appearance and struck out.

Tigers' hitters continue to be shy about using ABS.  I counted 3 times tonight they didn't use ABS and would have won their challenge.

The 5th inning was rough for Skubal.  I think he had trouble getting a grip on the ball in the cold and his command was a bit off.  The Twins stopped chasing pitches and punished Skubal, who couldn't blow his fastball by them. 
At least the Tigers' bullpen kept them in the game.

Valdez is pitching tomorrow.  It's supposed to be a bit warmer in Minneapolis tomorrow, thank goodness.

Peter
From: Roger King <pnag...@pnagency.com>
Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 9:13 PM

To: Peter Welch <pw...@hotmail.com>
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Subject: Re: pitching around McGonigle

Michael W

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Apr 7, 2026, 11:44:09 PM (5 days ago) Apr 7
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I think it’s pretty normal progression for rookies.   They get mostly fastballs until they prove they can hit them.  McGonigle did that in a couple of games.  Then they get a steady diet of breaking stuff until they prove they can hit that.  Not sure he’s there yet.  Only after that will the pitchers make the effort to out smart them.

Michael

Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:52:25 AM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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Taj Bradley actually gave McGonigle a few fastballs last night but McGonigle hit flyouts on 2 of them and took a called 3rd strike on another one.  His second flyout was on a 96-mph fastball in the lower part of the zone on a 3-0 count.  It was a pitch to hit but he just didn't barrel it.  It was worth a shot giving him the green light since the Tigers needed to try creating some scoring opportunities.

In the 1st inning McGonigle took a called strike 3 on a 97-mph fastball that was below the zone.  He didn't challenge, but he would have won the challenge.  It would have made the count 3-2.

McGonigle's single to leftfield in the 7th inning was on a 91-mph "sinker" that didn't sink and hung up in the zone.  It was on the first pitch.
McGonigle's double in the 9th was on a splitter below the zone on a 1-2 count that he pulled to RF.  It was an amazing piece of hitting and bat control.  
The guy knows how to hit.



Peter
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Sent: Tuesday, April 7, 2026 11:44 PM
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Subject: Re: pitching around McGonigle
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Roger King

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Apr 8, 2026, 11:41:53 AM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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It’s funny how late last season and into the playoffs, many of us were screaming for Hinch to let Jones hit against RH because he had a hot bat at the time other guys were in slumps.  Of course he didn’t do it once then but now keeps bringing him into games early enough that he’s stuck using him against tough RH relievers in the late innings of close games.

But the larger point remains that he’s denying Keith at least two at bats in every one of these close games. Who is the future here? The young top hitting prospect who was given a long-term contract before he even had one at bat in a Tiger uniform… Or the journeyman OF who is only on the team because he hits well against LH’s. 


Paul Meloche

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Apr 8, 2026, 11:53:47 AM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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Jones shouldn't be on the team (although Roger correctly remembers us complaining about his relative lack of use late last year), but if he has to be here then give him one start a week against lefties and PH only if it's likely the last AB of the game for the slot he's in. 

In general I like Hinch's strategy of how making a move in the 5th or 6th inning might be the crucial point in the game vs waiting for a possibility of another later on, but I don't think one of our better hitters (e.g. Keith at this stage of the season) should sit for half a close game because of it. Hit for Meadows or Baez in those situations (although I know that weakens the late inning defense significantly).

To view this discussion visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/detroit-tigers/CAG8ixx0x%2BtW0JXACVeoza%3DxkGGUh4uVf_B-%3Dt0jme03X7F3ptA%40mail.gmail.com.

Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 11:59:57 AM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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While I'd kind of like to see what Max Clark can do in the majors now, I think Wenceel Perez should at least replace Jones.  Perez is a switch hitter and can play a decent RF (and can play CF in an emergency).


Peter
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Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 11:53 AM
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Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 12:14:54 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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Top prospect Konnor Griffin, who just signed a 9-year contract extension with the Pirates,  has a .497 OPS vs. righties.  Are the Pirates going to bench him against righties?  Of course not.

That Hinch won't give Keith, his 2nd youngest hitter and a player who received an extended contract from the Tigers before he played a major league game because they considered him an excellent hitting prospect, a chance to hit against lefties is just ridiculous.  

Maybe Keith will never hit lefties, but at least give him a chance to improve against them.  He's still only 24.

(I also think Carpenter should get to play against lefties more often, but he's 28 so maybe he'll never improve against them.  He hit ok against lefties in the minors).

Riley Greene struggles against lefties, but he gets to play regularly against them.
Tork is much worse against righties than lefties, but he gets to play against righties.


Peter

From: Roger King <pnag...@pnagency.com>
Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 11:41 AM

Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:20:04 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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McGonigle had a 3-0 count with 2 men on an one out in the top of the 8th, but he swung at the 3-0 pitch and fouled out to 3B.  That's 2 straight games McGonigle has been out swinging at a 3-0 pitch.  Just take your walk, son.

Peter
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Subject: Re: pitching around McGonigle
 

Michael Borshuk

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:22:02 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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McGonigle with the greenlight on 3-0 has the stink of Hinch overmanaging if you ask me. 

Jeffers ends another inning with a 3rd strike ABS challenge. 

Man, we have had our chances here. 

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Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:23:51 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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I know McGonigle might be the team's best hitter but you don't greenlight him there.  I wonder if Hinch allows McGonigle to make the decision or Hinch calls it?

Peter
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Roger King

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:27:20 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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It feels like it would be Hinch to me.  

It’s not a desperate situation where you need to swing 3-0 to make something happen. Just two runs down and the go ahead run gets on with only one out.



Roger King
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Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:29:41 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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Maybe because Jahmai Jones was on deck Hinch gave McGonigle the green light?  Jones would have been batting against a righty and the Tigers have no more lefties on the bench.  

Peter
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Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 10:27 PM

Peter Welch

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:32:11 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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Once again, Carpenter was taken out of the game early for Jones and Jones goes 0-2.

Peter
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Roger King

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Apr 8, 2026, 10:32:42 PM (4 days ago) Apr 8
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Jones just had his second at bat of the game after pinch-hitting for Carpenter in the 7th. Again, this guy is up in close games against tough RH relievers.  Sigh. 


Mark Pattison

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Apr 9, 2026, 8:45:21 AM (3 days ago) Apr 9
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Michael,

Don't tell me he's not a prospect, tell the Tigers. He's been upgraded on their prospect rankings from #36 to #15.

Mark Pattison

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Peter Welch

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Apr 10, 2026, 8:57:44 PM (2 days ago) Apr 10
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McGonigle seems reluctant to tap his helmet.  He ended up being called out on strikes on a 1-2 count the 7th tonight but on the 1-1 pitch the ump called a low pitch a strike when it was a ball.  McGonigle didn't challenge.   He would have been ahead of the count 2-1 instead of down 1-2.
The strike 3 pitch was a big sweeper that totally froze McGonigle.  He was looking for something else.

Peter
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Sent: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 10:32 PM
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