Detroit Tigers Links: Gose speed, Krol leaves impression, Hanrahan needs surgery
It’s amazing what a few victories can do.
The Detroit Tigers haven’t exactly been the national media’s “darling” selection to win the American League Central again, but the club should be feeling good about themselves after three straight victories this week.
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Center fielder Anthony Gose‘s speed was on full display in the Tigers, 5-4, victory over the Orioles. Gose went from first to third on a single in the game and later took advantage of another opportunity to take an extra base.
It took all of one pitch for 23-year-old pitcher Ian Krol to impress skipper Brad Ausmus. Krol spun a curveball while behind in the count, and the Orioles hitter took it for a strike.
Unfortunately, it’s not all good news in Tigers camp. Former dynamite closer Joel Hanrahan will need to undergo the second Tommy John surgery in his career. The Tigers released Hanrahan on Wednesday. As he said his tearful goodbye to teammates, it hit fellow relief pitcher Joakim Soria particularly hard.
Anthony Gose flashes speed – Chris Iott, MLive.com
“I think I’ve always been that way,” Gose said. “I think it’s just in me to be aggressive. I’m not saying it doesn’t apply to me, but it was just something, I guess it reassured me what I like to do is OK.”Gose went from first to third on a single by Dixon Machado with one out in the fifth inning. When Machado found himself caught in no-man’s land between first and second, he wisely got into a rundown. Gose took advantage of the situation and bolted for home.Machado was eventually out on a play that was scored 9-6-3-4-6, but Gose was safe at home to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead.
With one pitch, Ian Krol makes impression on Tigers’ Ausmus – Anthony Fenech, Detroit Free Press
He was behind an Orioles hitter in the fifth inning of the Tigers’ 5-4 win on today, down two balls, one strike, and twirled a curveball to make the count 2-2.“He took it to heart,” Ausmus said.And although the young lefty is on the outside looking in at a bullpen role – the Tigers are looking for a long reliever in that spot – the breaking ball behind in the count was just another example of the strides that Krol has made in a year’s time.
Hanrahan’s hard luck a story Soria knows well – Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News
That’s how it ended for former star closer Joel Hanrahan, who never threw a competitive pitch with the Tigers, but couldn’t stop trying. Unfortunately, this is how it often ends in baseball, where the distance between playing on and moving on is short, sometimes the length of an elbow ligament.As Hanrahan departed Wednesday, released by the Tigers upon learning his Tommy John surgery had failed and another was needed, players offered hugs and back slaps. Joakim Soria was one of them, speaking briefly to Hanrahan before his short-term teammate was out the door by 9:30 a.m.“I know exactly how he’s feeling,” said Soria, who has overcome two Tommy John surgeries. “I know the percentage of coming back is tough. Even the first one, your career is in jeopardy, and everything you dreamed about can be done. I just hope he can come back.”