LAKELAND, Fla. — They showed grit.
They showed tenacity.
“Come on!” Detroit Tigers pitcher Alex Lange barked — in his best football player bark.
The Tigers brought some much-needed levity and fun, not to mention a little bit of the Detroit Lions to spring training on Tuesday morning.
Lange lined up at quarterback. He crouched over, looking out at the defense down the left-field line on a back-field at Tiger Town.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard a voice. Dan Campbell’s voice:
“We’re gonna kick you in the teeth … and when you knock us down we’re going to get up, and on the way, we’re going to bite a kneecap off.”
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Tigers pitcher Will Vest was playing wide receiver. He crouched. Getting ready to run his route.
“We are fricking starving … so the hyenas better get out of the way.”
Yes, everybody is starving.
Lions fans. Tigers fans. Wings and Pistons, too.
Starving doesn’t begin to explain it.
“We’ll tread water as long as it takes to … bury you.”
Yes, Tigers. More of that, please.
Akil Baddoo roamed the outfield — err, defensive secondary.
Can’t you see Baddoo playing shutdown corner? Or maybe, a physical safety? Well, yes, that’s exactly where he went. To defensive back.
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Lange was in full control and adjusted his running back. Altering the formation.
“Get over here!” Lange screamed, getting pitcher Jason Foley to line up as the left halfback.
Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal had the football and bent over, snapping the ball between his legs. The Lions gave the Tigers a few regulation balls last summer, one of which was put to good use on Tuesday morning before the pitchers went through an unofficial practice.
Lange was in shotgun. Dropped back, weaving between a group of Tigers pitchers who had gathered around him, waiting for the workout.
Lange stopped, planted and lofted a long pass to Vest down the left sideline. Vest dragged his feet in the outfield grass. Right on the edge of the warning track. Tip-toeing perfectly on that imaginary sideline.
They looked like kids, playing a game in the front yard. Playing just for the love of it.
Touchdown! Or first down! Or, well, something!
A welcomed dose of fun and levity
This was The morning after the tragic shooting at Michigan State.
After a long night watching coverage of the shooting and listening to a police scanner, following the twists and turns.
Agonizing for the entire MSU community. Agonizing for friends, posting updates about their children.
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Horrified. Angry. Sad. Mad. Frustrated. Feeling helpless. So many raw emotions.
But here, a moment of pure levity and joy.
Because it’s impossible not to smile a little when watching professionals in one sport mess around while playing a different one. Like little kids on a playground.
“This is my happy place,” Lange said.
Yes, this is a happy place. Lakeland in the spring. Even in the midst of everything else.
“It’s good to see everybody, see everyone is in shape and ready to go,” Lange said. “Just getting acclimated, meeting the new staff, meeting the new guys, it’s been fun.”
Tigers could use some ‘grit’ mentality
Entering his third season, Lange is a vital cog in the Tigers’ bullpen. Somebody who will be counted on to throw high-leverage situations.
Like when it’s third-and-long and they desperately need a touchdown.
OK, no. I tease.
“Just fill up the zone, attacking guys, go after it and trust your stuff,” Lange said. “You just gotta continue to believe in yourself and just attack, man, that’s the key to this thing. Just attack.”
Attack?
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Perhaps more than any other player, Lange has an aggressive, football-player mentality.
“Just fine tuning at this point,” Lange said. “Making sure the breaking ball is in the zone a little more, making sure the heater is in the zone a little more. It’s something I struggled with a little last year. The walks were a little high for me. I just want to attack.”
After the Tigers traded Gregory Soto, they suddenly need a closer.
And Lange is one of the candidates for that role.
“Yeah, there’s gonna be closer for sure,” Lange said, in a moment of deflection and pure diplomacy.
How teams are built
So why write about a silly moment before practice? Some guys messing around with a football?
I saw something more than that.
It’s the kind of moment that helps build a team. A moment that brings people together. A moment when players get to show a different side of themselves. When they start to feel comfortable with each other. A moment when friendships are built and individual players turn into a team.
Let’s just hope, the Tigers take on some of the Lions’ personality.
A moment that brings people together in a different way.
A moment that allows players to show a different side.
And that, is how a team is built.
Let’s just hope, the Tigers take on some of the Lions personality.
And make this rebuild go a wee bit faster.
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“I’m excited,” Lange said. “You know, we got a lot of guys here and we got a good bullpen. We lost some guys but I still think we have a really good core back, and we got some guys coming up. We signed some guys and I still think it’s gonna be strength for us.”
And they aren’t so bad at football, either.
Or while offering a wonderful distraction.
As we grieve from Florida.
As we ache and pray for those involved.
This was my small attempt to bring some levity and joy to all who are hurting.
The image of some Tigers having fun with a football.
A sky full of sunshine. Blue skies. And I hope for a better days to come for everybody back home.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff.
To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.