COMSTOCK PARK, Mich -- Alan Trammell is in his first year as Special Assistant to the General Manager for the Tigers and one of his duties is to spend time with each of the teams minor league affiliates. This week, Trammell, was in West Michigan with the Whitecaps.
"I got a chance to go to spring training and be with the big club the whole time but while I was there I would pop across the road to the minor league complex and starting from the first day I started to get familiar with some of the kids down there and that is what I wanted to do is when I started to come to the cities the West Michigan or Erie or Toledo that it wasn't the first time they've seen me so there is a comfort level at least already started so that is really how I view myself, I love being on a baseball field that is where I am most comfortable and a beautiful day being on green grass, it's what I enjoy" Trammell said before the Whitecaps game Friday.
The last time the Tigers won a World Series was 1984, Trammell was the teams shortstop and the Most Valuable Player of that series against the Padres. Trammell is cautiously optimistic about this years team ability to bring a championship back to Detroit. "What I wanted to see in spring training from a veteran group for the most part, they have a little blend, but how hungry the veterans were and that is what I was very happy to relay back to the fans is that these guys want it and I was very impressed with Brad Ausmus and the way he conducted spring training and the effort and all the things that go along with getting ready for the Major League season so, happy to report that we're in good hands, obvously they have to go out there on the field and it won't be easy , never is easy but we got a darn good ballclub."
Trammell said he expects to be back in West Michigan at least one more time this season.
