Detroit Tigers: Stopping the centerfield revolving door

The Detroit Tigers have had a tough time deciding on which player to use as the everyday center fielder as of late. Here’s a look at the candidates.

Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus has created a revolving door effect in the middle of the outfield, using five different players over the course of the season.

Tyler Collins, JaCoby Jones, Mikie Mathook, Alex Presley, and Andrew Romine have all seen time in center this year. The question is, who should be in the lineup day in and day out?

Collins and Jones are playing in the minors now, so obviously they are not in the consideration. However between Mathook, Presley, and Romine, there needs to be an answer to who will protect the Chevrolet Fountain.

Since none of the three are going to light it up at the plate, the deciding factor is who will impress with the leather enough to pull away with the job.

Mikie Mathook

Through 27 games Mathook carries a .212 batting average. The 27-year-old outfielder is a career .228 hitter.

He has a fairly impressive exit velocity for his average of 90.76, per MLB.com. But as I said, it won’t be his bat that earns him time.

He plays a good center field, through 36 innings in center field this year over seven total games he has not committed an error. He has a centerfield range factor of 1.57.

To put that in perspective, last year’s American League Gold Glove award winner for centerfield, Kevin Kiermaier, had a range factor of 2.41.

Since breaking into the league in 2015, Mathook has played 822 innings in the outfield and has made only one error.

He did this in his first year playing right field for Tampa Bay.

Mathook is a reliable centerfielder for the Detroit Tigers. He will make all of the plays that need to be made.

Alex Presley

Spoiler alert: Presley is not going to win this competition.

It is not even based on errors, though he has seven during the course of his career. He has struggled at times defensively playing centerfield, something that is not desirable to see playing every day.

In a game against the Los Angeles Angels on June 6 he had two plays that led to a run scoring on defense.

The first was a misjudged fly ball that led to a double by Yunel Escobar, who was then driven in by a C.J. Cron homerun.

The second play he got charged with an error. Kole Calhoun singled up the middle and it kicked off of Presley’s glove, allowing Andrelton Simmons to score from first.

He only has 23 at-bats this year, but his .261 batting average leads all of the Detroit Tigers centerfield options.

Andrew Romine

Romine is just a tick under Presley with a .248 batting average through 123 at bats.

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He carries the lowest exit velocity at 85.14 MPH (according to MLB.com), but he will keep the line moving when he needs to.

His defensive versatility is his biggest asset to the team, as he is the true definition of a utility player.

He has even appeared in 1.2 total innings of pitching for the Detroit Tigers.

In his major league career he has 280 innings patrolling the outfield with no errors. Romine also has a career range factor of 1.75 in center field.

In the 2017 season, his range factor is 2.07.

Romine, much like Mathook, will make the plays that need to be made. He certainly trustworthy with the leather.

Conclusion

Aaand the winner is Andrew Romine. Both he an Mathook are solid fielders. However, Romine has more experience and will make the plays that are not routine.

That is the difference maker. It doesn’t hurt that Romine is a more consistent at the plate either.

Next: Trouble With The Bean Ball

The importance of choosing an everyday center fielder is getting one player at-bats. Without consistent playing time it is hard for hitters to create consistency at the plate. It is that consistency that will help the Detroit Tigers rise above the rest of the American League Central.