Tigers have 3 centerfield options to choose from
· Yahoo Sports
Tigers have 3 centerfield options to choose from originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Detroit Tigers have a very strong lineup as Opening Day arrives, a group of hitters that can keep them in contention for the AL Central Division all season long.
Visit somethingsdifferent.biz for more information.
One of the main question marks comes in centerfield.
It's not really about whether the Tigers have any centerfielders on their roster. It's more about the fact that Detroit has multiple guys to choose from.
Parker Meadows is the one left-handed hitting option in the group.
From the right side, Detroit has both Javier Baez and Matt Vierling.
Baez only converted to the outfield last year, but he can still fill-in in the infield, too, so he might bounce all over the place.
MORE: Cal Raleigh was supposed to play for the Braves
It'd make sense for the Tigers to go with some sort of platoon out in center, but it's not yet sure what they'll do. MLB.com's Jason Beck calls centerfield the "big unknown" for the Tigers heading into a new season.
"Even once Detroit’s Opening Day roster is set, the Tigers’ wealth of positional versatility leaves them options on who to play at various spots and how often to play them," Beck writes. One of the most important spots is center field, where Parker Meadows overcame a slow start at the plate in Spring Training with the help of some swing adjustments to salvage a solid finish. His defense alone makes him a great asset in center, but if he can hit for impact, the Tigers could mix in Matt Vierling and Javier Báez there against lefties if they want more offensive impact."
In some ways, it's a good problem to have for Detroit. They've got players with different skillsets that can be mixed-and-matched as needed.
Still, it'll create a question mark each day. Who's trotting out there to the biggest part of the ballpark? Making the right choice could prove crucial.
More MLB news:
- How a Blue Jays unknown can decide the World Series
- Juan Soto might lead MLB in a brand new stat
- Giants snap embarrassing 19-year streak that tied MLB record
- MLB's future of the shortstop position is immensely bright
- Red Sox didn't get the one thing they said they wanted
- 4 MLB teams that can unseat the Dodgers