Detroit Tigers: Let’s talk about the base running in 2017

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MINNEAPOLIS, MN – JULY 22: Brian Dozier #2 of the Minnesota Twins tags out Jose Iglesias #1 of the Detroit Tigers at second base as umpire Jeff Kellogg #8 looks on during the ninth inning of the game on July 22, 2017 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Twins defeated the Tigers 6-5. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) /

Detroit Tigers fans have seen station-to-station, mashing teams in years past. While that was partly true in 2017, the base running didn’t improve much from a statistical standpoint.

Detroit Tigers players probably should have been better on the base paths in 2017, or at the very least an improvement on 2016.

Sure, Cameron Maybin and his speed were gone, but Detroit had the likes of Mikie Mahtook and Alex Presley on hand to replace the fleet-of-foot outfielder.

Another one of Maybin’s replacements, JaCoby Jones, was also on hand to make an impact on the bases.

Despite seeing just 28 plate appearances down the stretch in 2016, Jones ranked seventh on the team in BsR with a 0.7 stat.

In theory, it should have been better overall—and it was.

But only by the slightest of margins.

The Tigers finished 2016 ranked 23^rd in the league with 58 stolen bases. Detroit also checked in at an even-less inspiring 28^th in BsR with a collective -19.2 number.

Miguel Cabrera (-10.0 BsR in 2016) and Victor Martinez (-11.4 BsR in 2016) largely weighed the team down in that metric. The veteran sluggers were the only players in the league with a BsR that finished with a double digit number in the negatives.

ARLINGTON, TX – AUGUST 16: Elvis Andrus #1 of the Texas Rangers tags out Miguel Cabrera #24 of the Detroit Tigers at second base in the top of the seventh inning at Globe Life Park in Arlington on August 16, 2017 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

2017

Cabrera (-8.1 BsR in 2017) and Martinez (-6.6 BsR in 2017) actually improved on the base paths, but it didn’t help much in moving the needle.

Detroit finished 2017 once again ranked 23^rd in stolen bases with 65. The team dropped from 28^th to 30^th in collective BsR last season despite their output increasing.

Well, increasing in the smallest sense of the word. The Tigers ended 2017 with a -19.1 BsR.

Will it change in 2018?

Yes and no.

More Mikie Mahtook will certainly help. The outfielder led the team with a 3.2 BsR in 109 games played. The more plate appearances he logs, the more positive base running he’s likely to contribute.

Detroit will also enter 2018 without a few base runners who turned in negative BsR stats.

Alex Avila (-2.3) and J.D. Martinez (-1.1) have already been dealt, while the likes of Victor Martinez (-6.6), Presley (-1.3), Tyler Collins (-1.3), Andrew Romine (-1.1) and Bryan Holaday (-0.2) are far from locks to return to the team.

On the flipside, however, the Tigers could be bidding goodbye to some of the team’s best base runners from the last season.

Outside of Mahtook, the team’s best players on the base paths included Jose Iglesias (2.6), Justin Upton (2.1), Ian Kinsler (1.5), Efren Navarro (0.4) and Jim Adduci (0.3).

In fact, those players were the only Tigers with a positive BsR last season.

DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 2: Mikie Mahtook #15 of the Detroit Tigers dives into second base to beat the tag from second baseman Jose Ramirez #11 of the Cleveland Indians for a double during the seventh inning at Comerica Park on September 2, 2017 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) /

2018

Upton has already been dealt while Iglesias and Kinsler could conceivably follow him out the exit in door in trades this offseason.

What’s more, Navarro and Adduci aren’t exactly hand-in-glove fits for a rebuild considering both are on the other side of 30 at 31 and 32 respectively.

Internal reinforcements

As it stands, the Tigers don’t exactly have any speed merchants ready to step into the Major League roster.

Derek Hill, Jose King, Jose Azocar, Jacob Robson and Daz Cameron are among the organization’s fastest players, but none are close to being ready for the Majors.

Free agency

More of Mahtook and of Jones will help, but Detroit’s best bet of improving somewhat on the base paths next season may be via the free agent market.

If the team opts for veteran stop gaps to man the positions until the prospects are ready, the Tigers could find some quality base runners via that route.

Next: Tigers should make this trade with the Blue Jays

These include outfielders Jarrod Dyson, Maybin, Ben Revere and old friend Rajai Davis, who ranked 12^th, 24^th, 25^th and 33^rd respectively in BsR among Major League players last season.

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Detroit Tigers fans have seen station-to-station, mashing teams in years past. While that was partly true in 2017, the base running didn’t improve much from a statistical standpoint.

2017

2018

Internal reinforcements

Free agency

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