Robbie Grossman only played one season for AJ Hinch in Houston in 2015, but the fielder has a lot of respect for the former Astros driver. When the new Tigers captain spoke to him about Detroit, Grossman listened. ‘I talked to him a few times. He leaves
‘I talked to him a few times. He let me know which direction you are going, ‘Grossman told reporters at a video conference Wednesday afternoon. “I have the utmost respect for him and what he did and how he goes about it and is just a tiger.”
Hinch’s involvement was a reflection of what Grossman called an “aggressive” recruitment of the free agent, which culminated in a $ 10 million two-year contract on Tuesday. This is the first multi-year deal the Tigers have concluded with a free agent since Justin Upton’s deal in January 2016. Hinch, according to Grossman, was a ‘big reason’ why he decided to sign.
“We caught up and talked a little bit about the team and our needs and going forward,” Grossman said. ‘And I’m all on board. I’m ready to get started and ready to get down to Lakeland. ”
It’s not just notoriety. In many ways, Grossman fits into the blueprint of how Hinch wants to improve a Tigers series that has led the league in regional beats over the past two years while struggling to pull runs. He brings the kind of stubborn bats that Hinch has referred to several times since his rental on October 30th.
Grossman’s .252 career batting average does not stand out, and his .241 average certainly did not. But his 21 runs in 51 games increased his base percentage to .344, while his eight home runs and 12 doubles in the shortened season resulted in a 130 OPS +.
“My ultimate goal is to have a good bat, whether it’s a hit, run, hit-for-the-field or a home run,” he said. “There are quality batting sheets in baseball and there are bad batting sheets, and the more quality batting sheets you have, the better you are at winning a game every night.”
He’s a different hit than many of his 2016-18 Minnesota years would remember. His power intake was a reflection of pulling the ball more frequently, something he helped A’s coach, Darren Bush, and former Astros teammate Jed Lowrie achieve.
“He came to me,” Grossman said of Bush, “and said, ‘Hey, we’ve seen how much you spend on this. We know what kind of player you want to be. Here’s what you need to do to become who you want to be. ‘
‘He really broke it down for me the simplest thing. I had to use my legs more. I had to stay more balanced on the board. I had to turn my hands linearly to midfield. And I just ran with it. I want to be the best Major Leaguer I can be, and I continue to grow and continue to learn as much as I can, as much as I can to become so. ‘
While the Tigers gave their priority in this market for free agencies, and signed José Ureña last month, they entered the outfield market early on. Grossman was one of the outside players at the top of their list, a 31-year-old switch with a record but also a lead of one of the best seasons in his career.
He did not face the Tigers last year, but he has had good success against them. He is 8-for-27 with two home runs and six RBIs from new teammate Matthew Boyd, who sent him a text message Tuesday night to welcome him to Detroit.
Grossman also played enough at Comerica Park to know what atmosphere it could be like if the team went well.
“My family has been to Detroit many times. I know what the team means for that city, ”he said.
Put it all together, and Grossman was sold.
“They were very aggressive in letting me know that I was a man they really wanted,” Grossman said, “and that meant a lot to me. … It’s a privilege to be a six-year-free agent, and that the Tigers had so much confidence in me, and they proved it. It is now my job to go there and earn it every day. ‘
Jason Beck has been covering the Tigers for MLB.com since 2002. Read Beck’s blog and follow him on Twitter @beckjason.