LAKELAND, Fla. — Detroit Tigers manager AJ Hinch already has the starting rotation for the first week of spring training games mapped out. Although, he isn't ready to spill those secrets.
Nor will he name an Opening Day starter. Don't expect to learn the closer anytime soon, either.
"I gotta save some later notebooks for you guys," Hinch said Wednesday from his office at the Tigers' spring training complex in Lakeland, where pitchers and catchers reported Wednesday for the first day of camp.
The jokes from Detroit's new manager signify two things: baseball is back and, on a more personal level, Hinch is back.