Vavra using delay to challenge Tigers hitters

DETROIT -- Tigers hitting coach Joe Vavra gave his players some parting messages when Spring Training was suspended six weeks ago.

“I went to a couple of players and said, ‘You are going to have some time to make some rather major adjustments to your mechanics and your swing,’” Vavra said on a Friday morning conference call with reporters. “And then the other guys we just sent long messages telling them to stay in shape. We don’t know how long we’re going to be out. Try to stay in as best of shape as you can.

“And on the analytics side, challenge yourself a little bit.”

The first part is to be expected. Though Vavra didn’t get into specific players, young hitters like Jake Rogers, Christin Stewart, Jeimer Candelario and JaCoby Jones spent part of camp either adjusting or refining their approaches at the plate. That doesn’t include Miguel Cabrera’s work to get back to his old swing, which went well on his own.

The second part -- the analytics part -- is a little more surprising. The 60-year-old Vavra has a grasp of advanced metrics that defies the stereotype of his generation, a skill he put to good use as manager Ron Gardenhire’s quality control coach the past couple seasons before moving to hitting coach last fall.

Like many teams, the Tigers have tried to give their hitters analytical information in digestible doses for fear of bogging them down with too much information. Now, with an influx of young hitters who have grown up around metrics, Vavra hopes to use the delay in the season to encourage his hitters to take a more active role in their use of it. It’s one aspect of their season prep that doesn’t require a batting cage or a pitching machine.

“It can be overwhelming, and it can be complicated,” Vavra said. “Just like with math: Unless you learn how to add and subtract, it’s really hard to multiply. You need to use baby steps with analytics, too. Our analytics department is doing a fantastic job. We’ve seemed to catch up to the rest of the industry. We’re developing programs as we speak. Programs are all well and good, but if the players can’t analyze it and apply it, then the programs can’t have the full impact. We are challenging them to come out of their comfort zone a little bit.

“Some guys get confused with it, and that’s my job to help them understand it. Others take off bits and pieces that can help them. This is a good time to figure some of that stuff out.”

Vavra said he reaches out to his hitters every other week or so to see how their work is going. All have routines they put in every day, and nearly all have somewhere they can hit, whether a facility or makeshift cage at their home.

None are facing live pitching as far as Vavra knows, but he isn’t concerned about that. As long as the swings are in their muscle memory, they can get their timing back in Spring Training, even if it’s an abbreviated version.

“Every year when you break out of spring camp, the pitchers always seem to be ahead. And I am not sure that’ll be different when we get going,” Vavra said. “But the players I’m talking to think the hitters will be ahead of the pitchers.”

One hitter Vavra has not been able to reach might be his most important one. But like in the offseason, Vavra has learned how to keep track of Cabrera through third-party contacts.

“I’ve reached out to him. I’m not sure what number he gave me,” Vavra said jokingly. “My sources say he’s doing well, but I can’t confirm that. He came in in such great shape and dedicated to getting himself back to great physical condition, and that was so good to see. I can’t see him deviating away from that. ...

“All winter long I called him and texted him and got no reply. I had to reach out to my sources that were near him and he would answer them. When I saw him this spring I said, ‘How come you didn’t answer my calls?’ He said, ‘Because I gave you somebody else’s number.’”