MINNEAPOLIS — Steve Liddle had a question.
He asks many questions, delivered in a slow, Tennessee drawl, and before Saturday’s split doubleheader against the Twins, the Detroit Tigers’ bench coach wanted to know where Ronny Rodriguez’s orange cleats were.
Rodriguez, the eclectic Tiger infielder known for rapping in his free time, offered this response: “Papi, the gray ones are hot.”
“And he wasn’t lying,” Liddle said.
A few of the Tigers early recurring themes continued hours later, when Rodriguez hit a pair of tape-measure home runs, rookie right-hander Spencer Turnbull impressed again, and Liddle filled in for ejected manager Ron Gardenhire in the postgame media session.