In the bottom of the 11th, Hill was up to bat with a runner on second base. And what did our MLBbro do?
Well, he ripped a double to right-center to bring in the winning run. It was his first career walk-off.
When he was up to bat, he knew he had a job to do and though he faced some adversity during that at-bat, it didn’t phase him one bit.
“AJ said if I didn’t get the bunt down in the first couple pitches, just swing away,” Hill told The Detroit News after the game. “I’m glad it worked out. Thankful to how the boys battled the entire game. I just came in and did what I could to help the team.”
“I think we are built for the long haul and to compete from the first pitch to the last pitch,” Hill said. “That’s the culture that’s been instilled in this club and it’s exciting to watch.”
Hill has helped the Tigers become an exciting team to watch this season. Even though they won’t make the playoffs they are filled with talented, young players like Hill.
And Hill has battled numerous injuries throughout the season, but when he’s out there on that field, he makes his presence known.
Through 47 games, Hill is batting .261 with three home runs, 14 RBI, and six stolen bases.
Derek Hill has homered in back-to-back games.
Not sure what Hill he's on, but let's keep rolling down it.
The future’s looking bright for the Tigers with players like Hill on the team. At 25, he’s making a strong case to be a mainstay in the outfield.
Playing in a ballpark like Comerica Park, you have to have some range to roam that spacious outfield, and Hill can do just that.
He gets really good reads on balls and he’s not afraid to lay out for a ball. That is the kind of mentality that the Tigers need and that’s why Hill continues to be in the lineup.
The Detroit Tigers optioned outfielder Daz Camron to the Toledo Mud Hens on August 29th ‘to get his swing going,’ the organization explains.
The team is currently looking for another arm down the stretch, and with the way Cameron‘s batting average continues to plummet, the decision came swiftly.
Tigers manager AJ Hinch told the Detroit Free Press:
“We will take at least a 10-day period to get Daz’s rhythm, timing, and get his swing going in the right direction.” Hinch added, “He needs to play every day, something he is not doing right now. Hopefully, at some point between now and the end of the season, he gets more time up in the big leagues here.”
A minor setback makes for a significant comeback as Cameron lifted a two-run dinger to left field in his first game back in the minors.
He finished the day 1-for-5 with two RBI and one home run.
Through 136 at-bats, the 24-year-old is hitting .279 in Toledo with 14 RBI, seven walks, and a couple of blasts.
The demotion seems to be working out as it is essential for Daz to get consistent at bats for his swing to take shape.
“There are days he comes with different hand placements, different rhythm, different timing; That is hard to do at this level,” said Hinch. When we’ve seen the electrifying skills, and I think he’s going to be back in short order, but consistency can only come with playing.”
Cameron was hitting .177 with 14 hits, 11 RBI, four bases on balls, and three home runs in 25 MLB games.
One of his homers came on Father’s Day with his MLB Dad Mike in the stands.
Injuries have continued to plague his illustrious career. Toe strains and elbow problems have kept the rookie out of a potentially All-Black outfield featuring fellow MLBbros “Real Deal” AkilBaddoo and Derek “Thrill” Hill.
But the kid is not bereft of talent as big-time players make big-time plays.
Daz did that against the Toronto Blue Jays when he connected on a two-out RBI double in extras to put the Tigers ahead on the day Miguel Cabrera joined the exclusive 500-home run club.
All indications point to Cameron making a jump back to the show between now and mid-September due to the 10-day eligibility stint a player must complete after an organization options them to the minor league.
It seems the team has this one right. Taking one step back will make for a triumphant return for Daz in the long run. He’s got the pedigree and the skills to play a long time in the league.
Akil Baddoo’s rookie season is full of ebbs & flows as the Tigers rookie outfielder rejoins the team following a two-week injury reserve stint caused by a collision with fellow MLBbro Derek Hill.
After the IL designation, Baddoo played four games for the Toledo Mud Hens, where he received 14 at-bats with four walks two hits, two runs, two RBI, one stolen base, one double, and in Baddoo like fashion, one walk-off single in front of a packed house at Fifth Third Field.
While still shaking off the cobwebs this past week, Baddoo played five games where he accumulated two hits. The kid even had time to celebrate with and inspire Michigan’s’ Taylor North Little League World Series Champions ahead of the series opener against the visiting Oakland Athletics.
Coming out of Georgia, the 23-year-old took an unconditional route to the Majors. The Minnesota Twins were so impressed witht he Salem High School graduate that they selected him in the second round of the 2016 Amateurs Draft. Baddoo spent the next four years bouncing from rookie league and Low-A ball before being selected by the Tigers in the MLB 2020 Rule 5 Draft.
On April 4 of the 2021 season, Baddoo planted his flag in the Motor City after teeing off on the first pitch he ever saw as a big leaguer, not to mention, it was Easter Sunday. The feat chiseled his name in stone as the ninth player in Tigers history to have his first professional hit be a home run.
Akil Baddoo hit the ground running with two homers in his first two career starts, including a grand slam on Monday. The unknown prospect has become an overnight sensation for the Detroit Tigers. @carrpediem21 is in the Three Spot today with A Bro You Need To Know. pic.twitter.com/wvxYGkLltT
If some are good, then more is better, as the following day, the young lefty launched a two-out grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning. The four-run moon shot came against the team that drafted him, the Twins, as mentioned earlier.
His meteoric rise matched fellow MLBbro Jazz Chisholm as two of three rookies to reach double digits in home runs and stolen bases. His first step quickness from home to first base is rivalved by few players, Shohei Ohtani being one of them.
After Baddoo’s hot start with the bat pitchers started passing around the book on him. Baddoo combined to hit one home run in May and June. Baddoo was still an asset however, because he leaned on his glove and agility in the outfield while he readjusted to the pitchers.
That readjustement came follwing the All-Star break.
The Midsummer Classic came at the right time for Real Deal Akil as he launched four home runs in the 10 games that followed, putting everyone on notice that his rookie of the year campaign is still in full effect.
Real Deal Akil stopped by MLB Central Monday morning to discuss his rookie season and the organization’s outlook as he is steadily becoming the face of the franchise. Since exploding onto the scene, Baddoo prepared differently to stay on top of his game.
He said, “Now I know what I need in my routine each and every day, so I kind of like implement that while I’m on the field and let my abilities take over.”
He mentioned that all the players have bought into manager A.J. Hinch and his philosophies on how winning each game can turn into winning each series to winning each month.
“Baseball is a game of failure. There’s going to be a lot of ups & downs, so just stay even keel and ride the wave and always have fun and don’t lose sight of that.”
Look for Real Deal Akil and his Detroit Tigers to stay afloat in the American League Central down the stretch as they’ll travel to Cincinnati to take on the Reds inside Great American Ballpark Friday night with first pitch set for 7:07 p.m.
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