As I write this, it feels like three degrees outside, and with the snow on the ground, it feels like the 2022 Major League Baseball season is still a long way away. But, in reality, we are one month away from the Detroit Tigers Spring Training matchup against the Washington Nationals.
After surprising quite a few people in 2021, the Tigers will look to take the next step in 2022 and a big part of their success will fall on the arm of Casey Mize, who is going into his second full season (third overall) in the Motor City.
During a recent interview with Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press, Mize was asked if he feels like the Tigers could be a playoff team in 2022. Mize's response will be music to the ears of Tigers fans.
“I think we should be aiming higher than the playoffs. I think we're at the point now where we should be aiming to win World Series. Some people might scoff at that. I go back to a quote I learned in college: ‘People don't fail because they aim high and miss, it's because they aim low and hit.' That's something that's defined my life. I'm going to aim as high as possible. I never would have got to the big leagues if I didn't aim as high as possible as a kid from a very small town in Springfield, Alabama. It's my mentality. I'm going to aim as high as possible in everything I do, and I think our team needs to think that way as well. To me, playoffs is too low of a goal. We're in a position now where we're a good enough team. We need to start aiming to win the World Series. And so, I definitely think we're in position to be a playoff team and more than that.”
Petzold then asked Mize if it is a “World Series or bust.”
“Yeah, I just don't understand why you would want to shoot for less. I really don't understand why you'd be happy with losing a wild card game. I don't get that.”
Buckle up, Nation! The future sure does seem bright for Casey Mize and the Detroit Tigers!
