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    • Jake Rogers is the secret cog in the machine that drives the Detroit Tigers forward
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    Jake Rogers is the secret cog in the machine that drives the Detroit Tigers forward

    Caradoc Wyn Posted on

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    CLEVELAND — There’s been a lot of talk lately about the Detroit Tigers’ pitchers and hitters, who come to the park every day not knowing when — or if — they would play. And for good reason – this is history.

    Not to mention radical.

    And while the Tigers aren’t the first team to run “bullpen games” or run lineups without traditional leadoff and cleanup hitters, no team has advanced to a playoff series in recent memory – an actual series, like the ALDS, what the Tigers have in front of them Play against the Cleveland Guardians – with a single starting player.

    So, yes, Story.

    But also: What about the catcher who makes all this possible?

    FOR OPENERS: The Tigers will start Tyler Holton as the offensive zone bully against the Guardians in ALDS Game 1

    What’s it like to come to the park and know you’re going to catch four, five, six, or even six? Seven “Starting” pitcher, as Jake Rogers noted Wednesday afternoon in Houston as the Tigers won their American League wild-card series against the Astros?

    “To me,” Rogers said, “that’s normal.”

    That says something, right? What felt so different two months ago is the new reality for the player who makes the bullpen games possible.

    “It’s not that difficult, you know, when you know all these (pitchers) now and you’ve caught them a few times,” Rogers said Friday from Progressive Field. “It’s just a matter of going after (batters) with (the pitcher’s) strengths, knowing the game plan beforehand and just trying to find holes, man. I think it’s harder for them not knowing when they’re coming in.”

    Rogers is being modest here. It’s true that the change was significant for the pitchers, as many of them were either starters or were trained as starters and are now being used as closers…regardless of the inning.

    But let’s think about what Rogers has to do here. From inning to inning, he must relate each hitter’s strengths and weaknesses to each pitcher’s strengths and weaknesses, while also thinking about how the hitter performed last time… against another pitcher.

    Now that can also be liberating, as manager AJ Hinch noted, because hitters don’t have the opportunity to see what a particular pitcher has inning by inning; Even the best pitchers have difficulty getting through the lineup a third time because hitters develop rhythms and sensory patterns.

    “As a catcher, you’re no longer held hostage to having to field a hitter, or not showing a hitter everything on the first at-bat, or worrying too much about your guys’ stuff being exposed,” he said. “You can attack (the batter) the way you do out of the bullpen and realize you can do anything you want and you’ll probably never see (the batter face the same pitcher) again.” If you Are I’ll see him again, maybe it’ll just be another time.”

    So while the catcher may lose the chance to gain feel, as would be the case with a starter throwing six or more innings, the freedom to throw everything at a batter every time has its advantages.

    The compromise clearly works.

    And now?

    “I’m just going to try to fit our stuff into the game plan and go from there.”

    THE CHILD: AJ Hinch can’t wait to get Jackson Jobe back on the mound against Cleveland in the ALDS

    Rogers is, less by nature than intended, the closest thing these young pitchers have to a leader. Tarik Skubal guides you through talent and routine and is happy to advise you. But Rogers, at 29, is the wise man and the encyclopedia and is critical of Hinch’s grand plan.

    “You love having that guy back there,” said Will Vest, another reliever who sprints happily when the bullpen phone rings. “You know he has a good game plan. He’s incredibly good at reading the game, recognizing early on what the batsmen have done and also balancing that with your strengths.”

    And?

    “He doesn’t have an ego if you disagree with him on a certain thing or want to shake it off,” Vest said, “and he’s always open to talking about things, right.” He’ll tell you why he makes certain decisions wanted to do things.”

    All of this is crucial to the relationship between a pitcher and a catcher. Rogers has it easy with every pitcher. Synergy is most important in high leverage moments.

    This is also a bit important:

    “The best thing about (Rogers) is just his ability to keep things light,” Vest said. “You know, with a team that young, I think you have to have that. I think that’s what keeps that energy going, not taking things too seriously or putting too much pressure on it, which once you get into those situations it could be easy.”

    Contact Shawn Windsor: [email protected]. Follow him @shawnwindsor.

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    Caradoc Wyn
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