Tigers outfielder Austin Meadows had a frustrating season in 2022, missing time due to vertigo-like symptoms, COVID-19, strains in each of his Achilles tendons and mental health struggles that he was open about. He was only able to get into 36 games on the year and had diminished results when on the field. However, he recently spoke with Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press and seems to be in a good place for 2023.
“I’m right where I want to be mentally, and I’m right where I want to be physically,” Meadows says. “This offseason has been amazing with having our daughter (Adelynne), being in a much better place mentally and being in a much better physical shape. Everything is starting to go in the right direction.” Meadows provides specifics of how he got into a better place with his anxiety by getting a therapy team in place, and also with his body, losing around 20 pounds this offseason. “For me, I didn’t play, so I gained weight towards the end of the season last year. To be able to lose fat and gain muscle but still lose weight is always a challenge, but I just got after it, put my head down and tried to put myself in the best spot I can be. That 225-230 is where I feel my best, and I’m ready to roll.”
The fact that Meadows has got himself into a better place both mentally and physically is surely great news to Tigers’ fans, both for Meadows as a human being and for the fortunes of the baseball team. In his brief time with the club last year, he hit .250/.347/.328 without a single home run in 147 plate appearances. His strong on-base percentage helped him nudge over the league average mark, as his wRC+ last year was 101. But that’s a noticeable drop from his 2019 peak, when he hit 33 homers and slashed .291/.364/.588 for a wRC+ of 144.
Various Detroit players suffered through injuries or swoons in performance in 2022 and the club suffered greatly. Though some predicted them to emerge from their rebuild with a young core and snag a postseason spot, they ended up falling down in the standings and finishing 66-96. Meadows will be one of a group of players looking for a rebound in 2023 to help the club get back on track. Despite the down year, Meadows has a strong enough track record that he’ll get plenty of opportunity in an unsettled outfield mix where he and Riley Greene should be the two locks for regular playing time, with Akil Baddoo, Kerry Carpenter, Matt Vierling and others battling for roles as well.
With Meadows seeming to be in a good place all around, it’s possible he can get back to being his old self, which will be good for him and the Tigers. “I do, I really do,” Meadows said, when asked if he thought he could get back to being an All-Star caliber player. “If I continue to take care of myself on and off the field and stay healthy, I think good things will happen.”
It should be Kerry carpenter not Matt carpenter
Dumb mistake. Thanks.
It’s okay Darragh
Its nice to read he is in a good place, hopefully he can get back on track and help get the tigers back to respectability
Kerry Carpenter
Great to hear he’s in a good place both mentally and physically
Glad he’s feeling better mentally, obviously want him on the field as a fan, but his health comes first.
Hoping for a nice rebound for him!
Good to read he’s in better shape and better place. The change in the Comerica park dimensions should help him too.
A career year in 2019? You don’t say!
27 HRs before we traded for him last year. One bad or lost year doesn’t make a bad player.
I never said he was bad but I think it’s unrealistic to think he’s a .900 ops guy when aside from 2019, he’s never posted an ops above .800.
Agreed. Cross our fingers.
I agree. Especially with the idea this guy hasn’t seen an MLB organized game in a year. My prediction is he’s gonna struggle for a while, and I’m hopeful he can return to somewhat of the caliber player he once was.
I know, drascoo36. 2019 was the year of the rabbit ball. Lots of players had career years.
I don’t see why he couldn’t come back and have a monster year. There will be no pressure on him to be a super star as this team will end up losing much more games than they’ll win. But hopefully with a GM that can actually walk and chew gum at the same time, the Tigers will be headed in the right direction!
Unless Harris completely screws he pooch, the Tigers were predicted to be near .500 and possibly compete for a wild card going into last year, so with health, have that same potential this year. In spite of him shuffling the bench, and trading the closer, its essentially the same team, but with more depth due to last years injuries. Don’t know if they will actually make .500, but that is a goal that shouldn’t be deemed beyond their reach.
That was before losing Mize and Skubal for at least half of 2023. Cant just carry pre-season 2022 into this year.
I don’t see the Tigers not losing 100 games. What am I missing?
@GaryHarris:
So you expect the Tigers getting worse this year, after their whole rotation had been missing a lot of games and the offense had a historical drought? I am not very optimistic either, but I cannot see the Tigers not win at least 63 games.
Gruß,
BSHH
A lot.
Hope he returns better than ever. Both on the field and in his head.
Kudos to him for being open about his mental health. Hope he has a great season.
dbacksrs. Nice comment. Lovely to see others applauding those being open about mental health.
You have my respect Sir.
He should be primed for a good season. Good to hear he is feeling better.
2022 is a year the Tigers want to put in the rear view mirror. Not likely to be a playoff team, but no reason can’t have a lot better year in 2023.
I disagree. 2022 was a strong year in our development as a team and showed extreme improvement as a team. Building from 2022’s setbacks is something we need to focus on, specifically the injuries and the slumps our hitters went through. I think all the roster moves was terrible for the team, and I see many reasons this year is gonna be much worse than that of 2022.
Austin Meadows has already prevailed against impossible odds.
It’s hard enough even for the most gifted to make it to the big leagues with their fully-intact and functional bodies and souls. Up until last year he somehow managed to conquer crippling doubt, stress and anxiety while immersed in a day-to-day pressure bubble.
To those who live that or know someone who does, that achievement is remarkable.
He has already overcome every imaginable hurdle, which apparently have all gotten higher for him. Here’s hoping that he can do it again.
Austin Meadows has and continues to defy these odds, but I think the major setback of his short 2022 season has an extreme negative impact on his development as a baseball player. His persistent and relentless mindset definitly has helped him to overcome these horrible hurdles he had to go through, but focusing on him as a baseball player I don’t expect development.
Gooo tiger
Hoping for huge season
Big year coming for this dude. Bank on it.
Imagine where the pirate’s would be if they never traded him, Tyler G, and Shane B for Archer….lol
Strap-They would have been the same team.None of those three guys played last year.
Mendoza, you’re right. We need to put to bed this tired “worst trade ever” trope. None of these players have really done anything of note since the trade.
21-It will be put to bed only when the trolls go away of they move to someone else.
These trolls are all over the Internet. Low lifers
Buuba-Some are worse than others.Some do not have anything better to say.Some are always negative.Some are just stupid.This guy was one of them.
But I hate the ones who are arrogant.
Before you call someone out, please make sure your comment has proper grammar in it.
Thank you for your valued opinion!..
Strap-If I knew my grammar was off I would have worded it definitely.
Here’s a hint for you,in case your last sentence was facetious.Your post was inane but not necessarily troll-like,but your lol pretty much said where you were coming from.
Years ago we all rooted for Jim Eisenreich to get better, and it was not a pretty sight to watch him bat, it was very painful to watch. Jimmy Piersall was another player too. Sometimes a player can’t continue, and we all hope Austin can not only for his, but for his brothers sake as well.
The trade made sense for Detroit having his brother in the system, but we do wonder how much Tampa knew if he had a problem before hand. On the surface the trade was strange. Sure he was owed 4 Million, but they’ve paid more than that in the past, so everyone wondered how Detroit got someone with his numbers. Sure the ball was dead last year, but 33 homers to none is pretty extreme.
All parties have moved on, but I still think the league should look into having Tampa compensate Detroit in some manner, perhaps with some money. Anxiety is no joke, we all hope he makes it through it alright. I don’t think the fans will do nothing but cheer for him.
The Tays needed an IF and Austin Meadows is a poor defender. I think that played more in the Tays motivation to trade Meadows along with the premise that Al Avila was a Brock for Broglie type trader.
iPhone is auto-in correcting my spelling upon send.
Chinese conspiracy
Tay it ain’t toe.
The Tigers should be compensated? That’s an absolutely ridiculous take. When you buy a home, you hire a home inspector; a car, a mechanic; a player, a doctor. Life isn’t fair, and contrary to popular opinion that we are all owed something, we are not. Sometimes things don’t work out; sometimes due to incompetence and sometimes due to bad luck. If the Tigers didn’t give him a mental evaluation, that’s on them. If his condition just came on suddenly, that’s bad luck. An outside source doesn’t owe the Tigers anything, but I believe the tigers are insured for injured players.
Society is crumbling because everyone is a victim and feels entitled to compensation Where do you think all this money comes from? We all pay it which causes inflation and massive debt. Let’s be a little more thoughtful with our comments.
Hire, not higher
It wasn’t just that “various Detroit players suffered through injuries or swoons in performance” it was that the entire roster including every player that came and went had career worst seasons which is almost unfathomable. Luckily for the Tigers that should be statistically impossible to duplicate
I think he should be great!
Dude, remember….Clinton didn’t inhale.