It happens each and every year. Some fan base gets either too high or too low after a couple of weeks of Spring Training baseball. Maybe their team has been lights out early on and everything seems to be clicking perfectly, or maybe a five or six game losing streak has caused some fans to think the season is over before it has even begun. This seems to be the case for a decent amount of Detroit Tigers fans as they have seen their team get off to a 3-10 start in Lakeland. But never fear, Justin Verlander has a message that may make you feel better.
Anyone who truly knows the game of baseball realizes that Spring Training play has absolutely nothing to do with what will happen when Opening Day rolls around.
On Tuesday, following the Tigers loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, Verlander took to Twitter to remind the fans exactly how worried they should be about the rough start.
Those of you freaking out about spring training. Don't. It sucks, and we need to do a better job. But… it's still ST and doesn't mean s***
— Justin Verlander (@JustinVerlander) March 7, 2017
Verlander is 100% spot on. Spring Training, especially for those locked into a roster spot, is a time to work out the cobwebs from the off-season. The goal is to progress little by little by little so that they are hitting full stride by the time Opening Day rolls around.
Just take a look at the Spring Training standings for the American League. The New York Yankees are 10-3, for a whopping .769 winning percentage. Raise you hand if you think they will win the AL East. How about the Texas Rangers, a team that some have predicted to make a run at the World Series this season? They sit in last place with a 2-8 record. Like J.V. said, Spring Training does not mean “s***”.
Sure, it would be great to see some of our key players getting off to a hot start, but in reality, it really doesn’t matter. If May 1st rolls around and the Tigers are sitting in last place, seven games under .500, give me a call. But until then, sit back and relax. Let Spring Training play itself out and get ready for one hell of a season!
