Jeff Seidel

Detroit Free Press Columnist

LAKELAND, Fla. — Ground ball. Ground ball.

Jose Iglesias stepped away from home plate, looking slightly frustrated, and he walked over to Tigers hitting coach Lloyd McClendon.

It was Sunday afternoon at Tigertown, and McClendon offered a few minor adjustments.

“He told me to stay inside the ball,” Iglesias said.

A few minutes later, during the next round of batting practice, Iglesias started ripping the ball in the gaps. He stepped away from the plate with a decided spring in his step and smiled. McClendon put both hands on Iglesias’ shoulders, looked him in the eyes and whispered encouragement.

“Gracias Mac!” Iglesias said.

More than anything, McClendon wants to see shots in the gaps.

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“I’d like us to lead the league in doubles,” McClendon said.

In his eyes, a double is the perfect hit.

“I think when you are hitting doubles, you are doing everything right,” said McClendon, the Tigers’ hitting coach in 2007-13, who has returned to his old job, replacing the departed Wally Joyner. “You are shooting the gap. You are moving runners. Guys are scoring. Home runs take care of themselves.”

It is a sound approach, something that could work for this team of sluggers. Everybody in this lineup is capable of hitting doubles.

“That’s been my philosophy for a long time,” McClendon said. “Willie Stargell taught me that a long time ago. That was his approach. He wanted to hit doubles. Gap to gap. If you are hitting doubles, everything is going right. We just want to keep the line moving.”

A year ago, the Tigers hit 252 doubles, which ranked 25th in the league, a good 90 doubles behind the Boston Red Sox (343 total).

So they have some work to do to lead the league.

At the same time, the Tigers need to reduce their strikeouts. A year ago, the Tigers had 1,259 strikeouts, which ranked 16th in the MLB.

So there is a fine balance there. Focusing on hitting doubles, while striking out less.

That means the Tigers have to be smart and know the situation. Sometimes, putting the ball in play, moving a runner and taking a base hit is a good thing.

“I’m a big proponent of not striking out a lot,” McClendon said.

To a point. Sometimes, he feels it is acceptable. “If I’ve got the bases loaded with one out, I’ll take a strikeout over a ground ball to short,” he said. “It depends on when you are striking out.”

OK. So we’ll give him that.

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Everything is situational.

“I’m not in the business of changing anybody,” McClendon said. “I’m in the business of securing our strengths and shoring up our weaknesses. And from a mental standpoint, making sure our guys show up every day. I think our guys know me and know what I expect. How I want to go about our business.”

McClendon has another philosophy, and it stars with a KISS, an acronym for Keep It Simple Stupid.

See the ball, hit the ball.

Don't think. Trust your routine. Take what you learned in the cage and apply it to the game.

“He keeps it simple,” Tigers catcher Alex Avila said. “He’s very honest. The simplicity of his approach is the key. Nowadays, a lot of coaches can bring in all the metrics, incorporating that with the physical aspect and mental aspect, and it can be overwhelming. What he brings is more of a simplified approach, plus he’s legendary, Legendary Lloyd.”

After getting fired as the manager in Seattle, McClendon spent 2016 in Toledo, a trip back to the minors that rejuvenated him. “It kind of rekindled that spirit,” McClendon said. “We can be a little spoiled at the big league level. It rekindled things. It was pretty refreshing. We had so much talent.”

McClendon is just grateful to still be in baseball, thankful for Ausmus to offer him a job. “I am tickled to death,” McClendon said. “The game of baseball is such that you can get passed by or forgotten about real quick. I’m extremely grateful for this organization, for Brad, who wanted me to be a part of this. I count my lucky stars every day.”

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel/.