LAKELAND, Fla. – Jordan Zimmermann came off the mound.
“How’d you feel?” Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus asked.
“Great,” replied Zimmermann, the X-factor for the Tigers this season.
What? Ausmus wasn’t sure what to make of it. Zimmermann had such a strange tone that it made Ausmus nervous. Zimmermann did two stints on the disabled list last season with a pinched nerve and degenerative neck issues, and his health will be one of the main factors that will determine the success of this team.
“Are you being sarcastic?” Ausmus asked.
“No,” Zimmermann said. “It’s the best I’ve felt.