Matt Vierling Raking for Detroit
Matt Vierling has been swinging a hot bat with the Detroit Tigers. Over his last 11 games, the 27-year-old third baseman/outfielder is 16-for-41 with four doubles, a triple, four home runs, and 13 RBIs. His slash line over the span is .390/.435/.829 bringing his seasonal mark to a solid .292/.324/.509. While by no means an offensive force, he has nonetheless been an integral part of the lineup. Since being acquired by Detroit from Philadelphia prior to last season as part of the five-player Gregory Soto swap. Vierling has the second-most hits (175) on the team, and a respectable 106 wRC+. Defensive versatility adds to Vierling’s value — his big-league ledger includes games at 3B, 2B, CF, RF, and LF — and there is a chance that another non-DH position could eventually be added to the list. Given the right circumstances, he might even pitch. It would be familiar territory. Vierling thrived on the mound as a prep, then was a two-way player at the University of Notre Dame from 2016-2018. A Perfect Game showcase in Minneapolis is a standout memory for the St. Louis, Missouri native. Vierling recalls Carson Kelly’s brother, Parker, being one of his teammates, while Ke’Bryan Hayes and Josh Naylor — “I pitched against him if I remember correctly” — were among his notable opponents. Playing well against that type of talent garnered him attention from colleges and professional scouts alike, and while his bat showed promise, it was the arm that stood out the most.
“I was getting more looks to be a pitcher than a position player, so I guess that means I was a better a pitcher,” reasoned Vierling. “I had a big fastball — I was 94-95 [mph] — although I would only hold my velocity for a few innings, then it would drop down. I was also more of a thrower than a command guy, and the other stuff wasn’t really there. When I got to college, I started trying to refine that more.” The refinement yielded middling results. Vierling put up good offensive numbers over this three collegiate season — a .300 batting average, 25 home runs, and an .849 OPS — but his pitching numbers were nothing to write home about. Over 26 relief appearances comprising 26-and-a-third innings, he allowed 37 hits and logged an 8.89 ERA.
Which isn’t to say he didn’t have his moments. “I remember getting us out of a big jam against Florida State,” recalled Vierling, who had four wins, four losses, and two saves during his time with the Fighting Irish.”I struck out Cal Raleigh. That was a cool moment, even though I ended up going out for a second inning and giving up a walk-off hit. Another time I got us out of a big jam against Miami. It was cool to experience being a two-way guy, but to be honest, I don’t remember all that many fun pitching moments in college. It was a pretty clear that my future was as a position player.”
One who would enjoy taking the mound in pro ball? “I haven’t done that, but I’d love to go out there and see what I’ve still got,” said Vierling. “Actually, I’d probably just do the position-player mop-up thing and throw it over the plate. I think that would more effective than if I went out there and threw 85-86 right down the middle, or tried to gas it up. They’d be ready for that.” Any knuckleballs? “No knuckleballs,” Vierling said to my suggestion. “I’ve never been able to figure that one out.”
Random Hitter-Pitcher Matchups
Duffy Dyer went 6 for 13 against Gary Nolan. Thurman Munson went 9 for 13 against Dyar Miller. Stuffy McInnis went 10 for 14 against Eddie Dyer. Jermaine Dye went 11 for 17 against Steve Trachsel. Jimmy Dykes went 16 for 42 against Lil Stoner.
Yan Gomes Behind the Plate
Yan Gomes was on the receiving end of a blowout loss at Fenway Park earlier this season. Behind the dish for the Chicago Cubs, the 36-year-old backstop called 187 pitches over eight innings in a 17-0 drubbing by the Boston Red Sox. What is it like to squat behind the plate in such a debacle? I asked the veteran catcher that question the following day.
“It’s not what you come in expecting, but it’s one of the things that’s going to happen,” replied Gomes, who has caught close to 1,000 games since breaking into the big leagues with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2012. “You just try to make sure we attack the zone and get in and out of there healthy.”
Gomes was involved in a nearly identical shellacking in 2015, and as chance would have it, it was against his current club. Gomes started behind the plate for the Cleveland Indians in a 17-0 loss to the Cubs at Progressive Field on June 17 of that year. As was the case in Boston, a pair of position players took the mound for mop-up duty. What does a catcher do when a non-pitcher is handed the ball in those situations? “Tell him to throw strikes,” Gomes said with a laugh. “You’re not calling pitches, you’re just letting him throw.”
Quiz
The New York Yankees have hit the most home runs of any franchise in the modern era (since 1901). Which franchise has allowed the most home runs? The answer can be found below.
News Notes
Riley Feltner, the younger brother of Colorado Rockies right-hander Ryan Feltner is joining the Cleveland Guardians as a Baseball Operations and Development Analyst. He recently earned a masters in Business Analytics from Miami University where he served as an assistant baseball coach. Tony Scott, a speedy outfielder who played for the Montreal Expos, St. Louis Cardinals, and Houston Astros in a career that spanned the 1973-1984 seasons, died last Sunday at age 72. The Cincinnati native swiped 125 bases, including 37 with St. Louis in 1979. Danny Fife, a right-handed pitcher who appeared in 14 games for the Minnesota Twins across the 1973-1974 seasons, died this past week at age 74 (per Baseball Player Passings). Drafted out of the University of Michigan by the Detroit Tigers and subsequently traded to the Twins in exchange for Jim Perry, Fife went 3-2, 5.43 over his brief MLB career. SABR’s Jerry Malloy Negro League Conference will be held at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum, in Cooperstown, New York, this coming week, from June 6-9. Information on the event, which includes a virtual registration option, can be found here.
The answer to the quiz is the Detroit Tigers, with 14,450 home runs allowed. The Baltimore Orioles — formed as the Milwaukee Brewers in 1901 before becoming the St. Louis Browns from 1902-1953, and then the Orioles in 1954 — have allowed the second-most as a franchise, 14,390.
The Tigers faced Jared Jones and Paul Skenes in a double-header this past Wednesday, and not surprisingly A.J. Hinch came away impressed with both. I asked Detroit’s manager for his thoughts on Pittsburgh’s dynamic, rookie duo prior to Thursday’s game at Fenway Park.
“They’re elite arms, both in ingredients and their composure,” replied Hinch. “I was more impressed by their composure on the mound. We hit Jones pretty well. We did not hit Skenes. But for young pitchers at this level, they held it together, competitively, very well. Their stuff is off the charts. Jones has a chance to be really, really good. His pitch mix, his velocity, his athleticism. And then Skenes came as advertised with some of the more dominant combinations that you’ll face from a young pitcher. Fastball-split was good. Slider was solid. He doesn’t really change expression. He’s as even-keeled a competitor as you’ll find. They’re going to be a problem for the NL Central.
Four fun Lou Gehrig facts
Gehrig both drove in and scored 100 or more runs every year from 1926-1938. Gehrig batted .350 or higher in six seasons, yet one just one batting title. Gehrig had 102 stolen bases and was caught stealing 102 times. Gehrig started at four different positions during his consecutive games (2,130) streak. Along with
