Roster Rewind | 2013 Detroit Tigers

For this first installment, I'm going to take it back to when it first began. No, I don't mean when baseball first began, I mean when my journey into baseball fandom as an adult really got started: 2013. Short story short, nothing was on TV and my mom suggested we put it on Fox Sports Detroit. Fast forward a few innings and, there you have it, I was hooked. I had been to some games as a kid, mostly watching the Tigers' single-A affiliate, the West Michigan Whitecaps, and remember very vaguely taking a trip to Comerica Park many years ago. In 2013, though, I became a true fan of the game. This roster had some players that quickly became favorites of mine and, while some of them are still with the club, a lot have moved on. And, let's be real, this team was just plain good. I long for the days of being just plain good. Let's see what they are up to, shall we?

Andy Dirks
My first favorite Tiger, I was instantly drawn to Andy Dirks. Unfortunately, I really only got to claim him as a favorite for that 2013 season. In 2014, Dirks was sidelined with back surgery and he never made his way back from various rehab stints. Briefly signed by the Blue Jays in 2015, yet another surgery marked the end of Dirks' playing career. Where is he now? Well, not very far from his old stomping grounds of Comerica Park. Dirks has swiveled his focus to the game of real estate. That's right, my first favorite Tiger is selling homes in metro Detroit. According to the man himself, his clients become his teammates for life. If I ever find myself looking for a home, well, I might not go to Andy, but at least the option is there. (Not going to lie, browsing Google for a photo of Dirks made me realize that 2013 me liked a very different kind of man than 2018 me.)

Luke Putkonen
Since the beginning of my baseball fandom, I've always had a favorite bullpen guy. Currently, it's Shane Greene. In 2013, it was Luke Putkonen. Tall, lanky, and never smiling, when Putkonen kind of faded into oblivion, my heart was understandably broken. Released from the Tigers in 2015, Luke never signed with another team and, as far as I can tell, isn't playing professional baseball. I'd like to think that wherever he is and whatever he is doing, he is cracking a smile a little more often.

Don Kelly
The Tigers love a utility man. Five years ago, that man was Don Kelly. He could -- and did -- do it all. I admired him and his classic high socks. Oftentimes, once the final out in a victory was recorded, Kelly and Dirks would embrace in the outfield and jog in together. They were my favorite pair of buds and players and it was always a delight to see them on the field. After the Tigers, Don went to another favorite team of mine (well, former favorite because I'm a bitter, fickle fan), the Marlins. In 2017, as it should be, Don returned to the Tigers organization, albeit not as a player, and now works as a Major League scout. Even if he is done getting on the field as a player, I'm willing to bet that you still wouldn't be able to stop him.

The Ones That Stayed: V-Mart, Miggy, and Nick Castellanos
I'm not going to be depressing and focus this whole post on those who have left. These guys are the mainstays, the ones I've depended on to be there for the past four and a half seasons and who are still there going into this year's campaign. Let's be honest, V-Mart maybe should retire soon and Miggy has had his ups and downs and Nick very well may be traded. But they're here now, in the Tigers uniform, and they've made it through the first freezing week of the season. The pattern remains: I'm depending on you, boys. If nothing else, I count on these guys for their presence in the clubhouse, for the fun they have on the field, and for the fireworks that they are capable of bringing during the game.

Hernán Pérez
I have a lot of feelings about Hernán Pérez. I really miss him as a Tiger. I don't know why he became a favorite of mine (isn't that often the case, though?) but the day he was no longer part of my team was one of the sadder days of my Tigers fandom. I had a couple of seasons with Hernán, and I knew the end would come, but it really stung! Don't judge me! He might not have the flashiest glove or best stats, but he's just a good dude and his family is so cute and I get so proud every time I see his name come up on the Twitter account that tracks home runs. With the off-season addition of top-five-Allison-favorite Christian Yelich, I might actually care about the Brewers now.

Rick Porcello
I don't go to a lot of games - there's a money issue, and a driving distance issue, and you understand. In 2013, I went to one game and Rick Porcello was the starting pitcher. At first, I was upset. Really? Rick Porcello? Where's Verlander, huh?! Let me tell you, I left that game a Rick Porcello fan and I never looked back. Until, that is, he became a dreaded Red Sock. I don't know why I dislike the Red Sox so much (although it may very well be because of the 2013 ALCS), but I do, and it seems like players I like always end up there. Regardless, Porcello is a solid pitcher and an even better human. Like Putkonen, he can sometimes come off as blank-faced and mundane, so I guess I'm kind of into that. I begrudgingly wish him and his team well.

It's weird to look back on the 2013 season; I had a lot of favorites. This year, I'm finding it really hard to connect to some of the new and younger players on the roster for a variety of reasons. In writing this post, though, I remembered just how much I love finding these personal connections to some of the guys and, in effect, how much I love this team and sport overall. I needed this reminder more than I knew.

Until next time, please be kind and rewind.