Detroit Tigers News: Lance Parrish will manage the West Michigan Whitecaps in 2018

The Detroit Tigers have finally announced their choices to lead the farm system, and it’s a list of familiar names. Even the lone newcomer has some experience in Detroit, as well as deep ties to Ron Gardenhire and the Minnesota Twins’ organization.

The most familiar name on the list is Lance Parrish, who, after spending the last four seasons as manager for Double-A Erie, is being moved to manage Class A West Michigan.

West Michigan’s current manager, Mike Rabelo, is heading to High-A Lakeland. Lakeland’s manager, Andrew Graham, is being promoted to Double-A Erie. The moves allow continuity for both managers and players as they advance toward the upper levels of the minor leagues.

Everyone’s favorite backup catcher, Gerald Laird, will return to manage the Connecticut Tigers again, as he continues his inevitable trek toward a 2020 World Series win with the club.

And the last move, long rumored was finally confirmed on Tuesday: the hiring of Doug Mientkiewicz to manage Triple-A Toledo. Mientkiewicz played for three seasons under Gardenhire in Minnesota and has five seasons of minor league managerial experience with Class-A Fort Myers and Double-A Chattanooga. He is also a native of Toledo and should make for a good match both organizationally and for the team.

Totally

The Gold Glove Awards were announced on Tuesday. Inexplicably, Ian Kinsler did not win his second Gold Glove at second base. The winner? That would be Brian Dozier, an adequate fielding second baseman at best. Tigers’ second basemen, both past and present, aren’t having a good week on the awards circuit.

Your bat plays an inexplicable role in the Gold Glove Award and that is the only explanation for Dozier winning it over Kinsler. Kinsler was better in every defensive metric, not to mention the eye test.

Whatever, at least Justin Verlander got his ring.

R.I.P. Doc Holladay

The baseball world lost a great one on Wednesday when Roy Halladay was killed in a plane crash at the age of 40. Halladay, a two-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star, was one of the most decorated pitchers of the 2000s. He finished in the top five in the Cy Young voting five times and posted five consecutive seasons of seven or more complete games. I highly suggest you dig into his Baseball Reference page. The man was a monster on the mound.

Beyond baseball, he was one of the true good guys, funding multiple charity organizations and a regular nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. Oh yeah, and this:

He will be missed.

Around the horn

Lynn Henning on the Lou Whitaker kerfuffle. ... Matt Manning following in Michael Fulmer’s offseason footsteps, works in construction. ... The Giants have interest in Jason Heyward and the Cubs are interested in never signing that contract two years ago. ... Jon Heyman’s choices for the end of season awards. ... Shohei Otani is definitely happening and I am definitely excited.

Baseball is awesome