CLEVELAND — The players are buying in.
A.J. Hinch has been participating chess matches with in-game matchups because the Detroit Tigers' roster doesn't contain a multitude of everyday players. He often makes the right moves. When it works, he receives praise from the fans. When it doesn't work, nobody is happy.
The players have come around to grasping the rationale behind Hinch's moves, one of the reasons why the Tigers (15-18) entered Monday winning 13 of their past 22 games and five of their past seven series.
"We're trying to put guys in a position to be successful as much as we can," Hinch said.