Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers report to Tigertown, on-field workouts … – The Ann Arbor News

LAKELAND, Fla. — Under cloudy skies and the threat of rain looming over Tigertown, a handful of players trickled into camp Sunday morning — the official reporting date for Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers.

No formal workouts were scheduled, but some players participated in light workouts and a few spent the morning in the weight room.

Pitchers Doug Fister and Duane Below threw long toss to each other — as did non-roster invites Rob Brantly and Patrick Leyland.

Tigers manager Jim Leyland arrived to camp Sunday morning following a Catholic mass at a nearby church. He then briefly met with general manager Dave Dombrowski and the rest of the coaching and baseball operations staff to discuss camp operations.

Tigers top position prospect Nick Castellanos and catcher James McCann, the club’s first draft pick in 2011, were among the non-roster invitees spotted in Joker Marchant Stadium’s clubhouse early Sunday.

Catchers Alex Avila and Gerald Laird arrived at the Tigers complex earlier in the week, but were no-shows Sunday.

That’s because the real work is expected to begin tomorrow.

Monday, the regular on-field workouts will begin for pitchers and catchers and position players who reported to camp early will take part in voluntary activities on the field.

Position players aren’t to report until Thursday, but most players are expected to beat that deadline. More than a dozen Tigers have already reported early, including a notably slimmer Miguel Cabrera, who participated in an informal workout Saturday.
The first full-squad workout is Friday.

Longtime clubhouse manager Jim Schmakel was still busy unloading nearly a dozen boxes that traveled from Comerica Park. The first truck, packed with clubhouse items, arrived to Joker Marchant Stadium Wednesday morning and the second arrived Thursday.

Asked whether any clubhouse items were accidently left behind in Detroit, Schmakel said he wouldn’t admit to forgetting something it even if he had.

“It went flawless,” he said. “Everything was on time and arrived without any problems.”