00:00Hey Tigers family, let's talk about something that might fly under the radar, but is absolutely
00:05critical for this season, getting Matt Veerling back to 100%. So, picture this, right after last
00:12season ended, Tigers assistant pitching coach Robin Lund, who is basically, a biomechanics
00:17wizard, asked Veerling a very specific question. He wanted to know what Veerling's very first day
00:23of spring training looks like, what does he do, how many throws does he make. Now, Lund has done
00:29incredible work building up our pitcher's arms over the years, but for a position player
00:33like Veerling, coming off an injury-filled 2025, it was a simple question with a pretty complex
00:38answer. Veerling's role is all over the field, he plays all the frame for...
00:45Out, out, field, spots, third base, first base. So his answer was, it depends, I could be making
00:54anywhere from 40 to 70 throws, from distances between 200 and 250 feet depending on if I'm
01:00in the infield or the outfield. It's not just the volume, but the angles. A laser across the diamond
01:05is totally different from a long toss from the outfield grass. So using that information,
01:11Lund mapped out Veerling's entire offseason, they built a throwing progression so detailed,
01:16it reminded Veerling of his pitching days at Notre Dame. Fast forward four months, and the results are
01:21in, Veerling is working out at full strength, and that's huge for A.J. Hinch. Having that versatile
01:27weapon back gives our manager so much more flexibility with the roster. Hinch himself put
01:32it best saying, we'd be foolish not to use the pitching side of the staff to bridge the gap,
01:36and he's right. With Andy Ibanez gone, and while we have guys like Jemai Jones, and prospects Howyu Lee,
01:43and Max Anderson who mash lefties, a healthy Veerling is our best right-handed bat with that infield
01:47versatility. Veerling did most of his work back home in St. Louis, throwing, constantly, 6, 7, 8,
01:569 days in a row, to get his arm conditioned, he says his shoulder feels great. For now, he's focusing
02:03on outfield work to manage the throwing volume, but as camp goes on, he'll migrate back to the infield.
02:09It's a meticulous plan, but it's clearly working. So, with a fully healthy Matt Veerling ready to roam
02:14all over the field, how do you see him making the biggest impact for this team in 2026?
02:19Let me know what you think.
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