The Tigers have hired Dylan Axelrod to the organization, per a report from Tigers Torkmoil on X. Axelrod will have the title of pitching performance and integration coordinator.
Axelrod, now 38, pitched in the majors for the White Sox and Reds from 2011 to 2015. For the last four years, he was working for the Angels as pitching coordinator. Last month, Sam Blum of The Athletic reported that Troy Percival had been invited to visit the club’s minor league instructional camp and expressed displeasure with how much the pitchers were using iPads. Blum adds that Percival’s opinions “played at least a factor” in Axelrod and Buddy Carlyle getting fired. Last month, Eno Sarris of The Athletic reported that Carlyle had landed a new gig with the Rays. Within the piece from Blum, pitchers like Reid Detmers and Chase Silseth spoke positively about working with Axelrod.
With the Tigers, Axelrod will be working with a pitching staff that has some uncertainty on it. Former first-rounders Casey Mize and Matt Manning are still looking to reach their potential after some injuries and middling results. Younger pitchers like Reese Olson, Sawyer Gipson-Long and Wilmer Flores will be looking to take steps forward. Jack Flaherty will be looking for a bounceback season after signing a one-year deal.
Were they using iPads for something related to the task at hand or were they fiddling around on electronics at every available opportunity rather than doing something constructive or socializing with their team? There’s a difference and that difference may shed more light on Percival’s displeasure.
He’s Amish. He shuns fancy things like electricity.
Percival wanted more “eye test” than ipad test. He’s old school.
iPads have their place if a delivery angle or batting stance change is detected. Big difference in using as video to show comparisons as compared to sabermetric or mathematical analysis.
Why reply to me. I was pointing out what Percival wanted. I think “old school” has it’s place as it questions the status quo and new fads, but outright tossing facts and evidence in favor of a gut feeling is short-sighted.
“old school” and ” new school” will always have their place because it’s a basic dichotomy of human existence. The older ways have wisdom developed over a long period of time but also unreflected bias that passes as wisdom. Sometimes when “new school” looks at “old school” it doesn’t understand why something is said to be important and they may be onto something or just shortsighted.
Sabermetric analysis is every bit as important as video analysis.
@RandorBierd
I believe they were throwing the iPads instead of baseballs. seems that in live games, the movement of the game baseballs would not resemble the pitch shape nor arm angle that Angel’s pitchers practiced with iPads learning. this is quite a scoop, we may now know why Ohtani’s arm needed the TJS or internal brace procedure.
Axelrod’s methods seem wreckless to me but I have to admit that I know little about coaching pitchers.
Isn’t he the villain from Cars 2?
Maybe playing Candy Crush or betting on non-MLB games using Draft Kings.
Hire the Superfife.
Let’s hope he advises that pitchers with options can start the season in the minors. Hire additional players to trade mid-season, then bring up all those guys with all that potential-fresh from the minors where they have been gearing up slowly, working on stuff -to finish off the WS season.
That’s what options are for. Why did they not use them? They push and injure pitchers because they are being too economical in not hiring the extra pitchers. Anybody care about all these injuries? Well?
Hire the extra guys, Christopher. Don’t be so thrifty. Put some cheese on that pizza please.
Can someone please tell me, “How many minor league options do the pitchers the writers keep mentioning in these articles have remaining?”?
Yes. They’ll have to work the 40. That’s the job.
This is hilarious. Sounds like my grumpy ass after I spend the day with my niece and nephew.
So what’s wrong with you that you become a grumpy ass after spending time with your niece and nephew?
He can’t stop yelling “Get off my lawn!”
Haha good point— I love spending time with them. They really are something, they learn so quickly. It’s amazing to witness.
I do think there’s a little too much YouTube and too little bike riding, but my dad thought that about me and my buddies too.
Thought a couple people might get a giggle outta that comparison though. Oh well!
I hear you man, love my nieces and nephews but they can be a handful and when they leave im not usually disappointed I am usually to busy enjoying the silence
Oh yeah, I am fully on Team Uncle and all the way off joining Team Dad!
Enjoy your nieces and nephews being young while you can. One day you ll look at them and wonder where did the time go. I have to look at my kids and wonder the same and many of my nieces and nephews as well.
Yes the silence can be great, but one day you ll long for that noise.
Maybe their names are Denise and Denephew?
I believe all minor leaguers have 3 option years with a maximum number of call ups per season.
I could be wrong, but that’s what I remember.
I believe they recently changed it to 5 callups per year
who is troy percival?
Trolling? If not, just the greatest closer the Angels ever had.
Fransisco Rodriguez has entered the chat
Percival threw the iPad in the garbage, and the chat is over
no, i was serious. had heard of troy glaus…
Percival closed out the final game of the 2002 World Series for the Angels, so he will live forever in the hearts of Angels fans.
Before and up to K-Rod there was Troy Percival, a fiery closer that was a local kid turned Angel, leading them in saves for years through some lean years and eventually a surprise WS Championship. K-Rod turned in an all time debut in the playoffs & WS that year, setting up Percival, then eclipsing him in following years.
I’m not surprised Percival would be a go-to guy for the Halos, nor that he’d be old school & anti-technology given the era he played before smart devices. Their pitching was so dreadful that the owner/GM may have used his displeasure to launch their entire staff, but it’s more due to their complete lack of arm talent. It’s a shame they could never solve pitching during the Trout Ohtani years.
“Complete lack of arm talent”
They had the 6th best rotation ERA in 2022
That’s with Ohtani
In the American League, not MLB.
I never been in no cell that had a phone in it. Axel Foley
I never been in no bullpen that had an iPad in it. Troy Percival, former closer for the Angels, a long time ago.
Troy Percival: Bringing the Angels into the 1950s.
Best post on this site in awhile, Lord!
If it means starting pitchers regularly throwing 7 and 8 innings with occasional complete games (limiting the use of their horrific pen), then welcome back 1950s!
When will these analytic additions start paying off for the Tigers? Seems like the players are getting worse. The only improvement has been the occasional waiver wire pickup and guys going outside the organization (Carpenter and Skubal)
Have you looked at the Tigers minor league numbers??? Check out Troy Melton, Keider Montero and Jackson Jobe’s improvement on the pitching side or Malloy leading the minors in walks, Bigbie’s big season that is reminiscent of Carpenter, Leonard’s jump forward after being picked up or Keith’s big year. Can’t say I agree with you on that one. The Tigers were just listed in a recent article as one of the teams whose minor league systems took a jump forward.
Anyone know why MLBTR has ignored the Andrelton Simmons retiring announcement?
“Ignored”? Something “deep state” afoot perhaps, kellin?
Im not a subscriber to the deep state conspiracy nonsense, but it’s weird he announced a retirement two days ago and there’s no mention on this site. Usually pretty good about that sorta thing around here.
He’s not a subscriber.
Apparently you had to remind them. A couple of hours after your post an article on his retirement appeared!
I was a subscriber to deep state but it got canceled think because I tried to pay with confederate money and the bills bounced. I never got the sports illustrated football phone they promised
This hire doesn’t move the needle much for me, but guess Axelrod is happy to be out of such a backwards organization. Says more about the Angels dysfunction than anything. But have always hated the new school vs old school arguments. Both have their place in baseball. The best organizations don’t just have data, but know how to use it. They know what data is worthwhile and what data is crap. They also know where data isn’t helpful and when you need the eye ball test.
It surprises me. Of all the teams that you could poach from to improve your pitching, the Angels would have been well down the list. That he wasn’t good enough for the Angels is also a cause for concern. I know it’s just a title, but if it puts him over Fetters, that would not be a good thing. They need to spread Fetters way of doing things thru out the system, because it seems to be working. I don’t understand the need to go outside the organization.
He’s a coordinator so he’s working for Fetter organizing the analytics data.
Fetters is the star. Axlerod is nothing more than a servant.
Fetters rocks!
Next up for the Tigers: BELLI, Snell, etc. Extremely underrated organization and stadium.
I’ve got to admit, I’ve always liked my pizza with…..
No cheese
No sauce
And……
No toppings……
Uh-huh….thank you,
Thank you, very much….
Bet you’re gluten free, too.
No, actually…if I’ve paid for them, I want them. I won’t be cheated out of my glutens…….! Uh-uh, no way, no sirie!
Yes. Like the President, I believe all glutens should be free. In fact, I’m preparing a bill to send to the American people…err…I mean, Congress to do just that…..Free the glutens!….errr, I mean, a free gluten for everyone!
When my President tells me,”All glutens should be free”, I believe him. God bless America.
Coordinating how to get lit up
Percival…hmmmmm that’s the guy who came to the Tigers from the Angels and then suddenly Verlander became an elite pitcher… completely not from the sticky stuff Troy showed them….right? :/