Akil Baddoo is getting one more chance.
| DETROIT — Akil Baddoo has some of the best range of any Tigers outfielder, his speed allowing him to cover ground in the huge outfield of Comerica Park. But this past weekend showcased just how far he can go to get into the Tigers’ outfield. Baddoo has been making the commute from Detroit to Toledo for much of this season, enough to know the worst potholes on Interstate-75 by memory. He had just gotten back to Detroit from a Mud Hens walk-off win over Jacksonville Friday night when his phone rang around 1 a.m. Saturday. The Tigers were calling. “We want to get you on this first flight tomorrow at 8:30 a.m.,” Baddoo remembers being told. “I’m like, ‘All right, I’m ready.’” The flight was to San Francisco, where the Tigers had just lost Wenceel Pérez to a left oblique strain in a walk-off 3-2 loss to the Giants Friday night. “They said, ‘Also, be prepared to play.’ “I’m like, ‘All right, always.’” With Pérez headed to the injured list and Matt Vierling still battling lower back spasms, the Tigers needed outfield help, and they needed it now. Then came the catch. “And they said, ‘It’s a day game.’” It was a 1:05 p.m. PT game against the Giants … and Detroit would be facing All-Star Logan Webb. “I said, ‘Oh … ok. I better make sure to sleep on this five-hour flight I’ve got.’” Thus began a trek that left Baddoo with a story he can tell for the rest of his career and beyond. Normally, the close proximity of the Tigers’ Triple-A affiliate allows for a quick call and a short drive. This time, the only convenience was that Baddoo didn’t have to go far to get to Detroit Metro Airport, where he could get a direct flight to San Francisco. Mercifully, he didn’t have to go back to Toledo to pack his baseball gear; the Mud Hens’ clubhouse crew could handle that and drive it up to him. But he still had to pack his own things to be ready to grab an early morning car to the airport. From there, Baddoo’s ability to sleep on planes became a blessing. He told the passenger sitting next to him that he wouldn’t be awake for long, and he was right. |
| Once Baddoo’s flight landed around 10:30 a.m., he had another car waiting to take him to Oracle Park. He walked into the Tigers’ clubhouse around 11:45 a.m. to find his name in the lineup. He didn’t have to look far: He was leading off and playing left field. “It was true show-and-go,” Baddoo said. “We were going over the scouting report [on Webb] as I’m hitting in the cages.” Who would’ve figured after all of that, that Baddoo would have the first hit of Saturday’s game? His fourth-inning comebacker deflected off Webb’s glove and rolled towards third base as Baddoo bolted down the line at 29.1 feet per second, his second-fastest speed on a base hit this season and sixth-fastest speed overall. Not bad legs for somebody who had just been on a plane for four-plus hours. “I was kind of going on adrenaline,” Baddoo said. “A little jet-lagged, but other than that, I felt fine.” Baddoo finished 1-for-4, then got a good night’s sleep before starting Sunday’s series finale in right field. His stay in San Francisco lasted just over 24 hours before heading back to Detroit, but it demonstrated the lengths to which he’ll go to be in the big leagues. This marks his fourth stint in Detroit this year. “I’m always thinking positive, knowing everything happens for a reason,” Baddoo said. “Whatever situation they put me in, I’ll be prepared, no matter what. Don’t complain about it, just be ready and make the most of it.” |