Detroit Tigers Links 1/3/14: Kinsler’s New Years Resolution is to steal more, Coke and Joba are reunited, and Mickey Lolich is 12th best

Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

New Detroit Tigers 2B Ian Kinsler aims to boost stolen bases – Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press

"It’s something that Ian Kinsler prides himself on, baserunning, and it’s something that, by looking at his statistics last year, has slipped. For only the third time in eight big league seasons, Kinsler failed to steal at least 20 bases. He stole 15 with the Rangers. “A lot of times that didn’t work out for the team and I got thrown out by two to three steps,” he said. “So those necessarily have to go down as a stolen base attempt but those necessarily in my mind aren’t a stolen base attempt. I’m moving because of the hit-and-run.” His career high is 31 stolen bases in 2009, and he stole 30 in 2011. Penciled in to the top of the Tigers’ 2014 lineup, Kinsler most likely won’t have to worry about being a dead duck between first and second anymore."

Reunited On Detroit Tigers, Joba Chamberlain And Phil Coke Look To Find Success – Spencer Impellizzeri, Rant Sports

"Chamberlain shifted back to the bullpen in 2010 and posted a very good season in 2011 with a 2.83 ERA and a career-low 2.2 walks per nine innings out of the bullpen. But he followed it up with two subpar seasons, and his worst was last year when he had career-highs in ERA, WHIP, home runs allowed per nine innings, walked batters per nine innings and a career-low in base on balls to strikeout ratio. Coke was traded to the Detroit Tigers after the 2009 season and had his best full season in the majors in 2010, going 7-5 with a 3.76 ERA.  After that Coke’s numbers were very inconsistent.  In 2011 he had a career-high nine losses, and last year his ERA was over five as he had career-highs in WHIP and walked batters per nine innings. Both players are now members of the Tigers’ bullpen after Chamberlain signed a one-year, $2.5-million contract this offseason. Back on the same team again, Chamberlain and Coke will look to find success they both enjoyed back in New York and improve a Tigers bullpen that has struggled in the last couple seasons."

Top Tigers Countdown #12: Mickey Lolich – Rob Rogacki, Bless You Boys

"One of the hallmarks of each of the “golden eras” of Tigers baseball has been great pitching. While Denny McLain was the best starter on the 1968 championship team’s roster, left-hander Mickey Lolich was the ace of the staff during the ’60s and ’70s. The club put together nine winning seasons in ten years from 1964 to 1973 with Lolich on the staff. He didn’t quite put up the same eye-popping numbers that Hal Newhouser or Justin Verlander did, but his sustained success earned him the #12 spot in our countdown."