Cleveland — It’s an almost impossible ask in a 162-game season. To try to do it 24 games into a 60-game season — well, things would have to be downright desperate.
This is where the Tigers are with shortstop Niko Goodrum right now. Desperate times. Desperate measures.
After going 0-for-5 Friday night, Goodrum is in a 3-for-35 tailspin in his last nine games, striking out 14 times. His at-bats are all starting to look the same — getting beat by fastballs up in the zone, chasing breaking balls out of the zone.
It’s pushed hitting coach Joe Vavra to the brink of doing something he’d rather not do.