Tigers Today podcast: At West Michigan, Brayan Pena talks Whitecaps, 2013 Tigers
Tony PaulTony Paul talks to West Michigan Whitecaps manager and former Tigers catcher Brayan Pena as well as Whitecaps announcer Dan Hasty about the Tigers' High-A affiliate in Comstock Park.
The Whitecaps (18-11) are of the Tigers' four top minor-league affiliates (Triple-A Toledo, Double-A Erie, Low-A Lakeland) and feature three high-profile prospects in the Midwest League: infielders Jace Jung and Izaac Pacheco and outfielder Roberto Campos.
Pena and Hasty discuss those top three players and the early influence of Scott Harris, the Tigers' president of baseball operations.
Here are highlights from this special edition of The Detroit News/Tigers Today podcast:
3:15: Dan Hasty talks baseball behind home plate in Comstock Park
5:40: Hasty on new leadership for Whitecaps
8:30: On manager Brayan Pena
12:40: On second baseman Jace Jung
More:'Just keep doing it': Rodriguez tosses another gem in Tigers' 5-0 win
15:30: On third baseman Izaac Pacheco
18:10: On outfielder Roberto Campos
19:50: 30 years of baseball in West Michigan
24:00: Learning from Ernie Harwell
21:40: Brayan Pena on managing the Whitecaps
34:20: On working with Scott Harris
37:10: On Riley Greene, Spencer Torkelson
39:20: On Jace Jung
42:00: On Roberto Campos
45:20: On Izaac Pacheco
48:40: Developing leadership and great teammates
50:20: 2013 Tigers "had each other's backs"
53:10: Manager Jim Leyland's infleunce
57:00: Building trust with his players
Other Tigers Today podcasts
▶ Mets series a reminder of what Detroit baseball used to be
▶ Dan Petry pinch-hits, talks mini-surge, Báez situation
▶ Lynn Henning pinch-hits, 50 years after first Lakeland pilgrimage
