Detroit Tigers' Matt Vierling joins Days of Roar — Bonus: Who is Cris Rodriguez?

This episode of "Days of Roar" features two special guests: Detroit Tigers third baseman/outfielder Matt Vierling and Baseball America prospect insider Ben Badler. To start the show, Evan and Mark discuss Tigers legend Justin Verlander signing a one-year, $15 million contract with the San Francisco Giants. Interestingly, this is the same deal — in terms of years and money — that Alex Cobb secured from the Tigers. Should the Tigers have signed Verlander instead of Cobb? The answer depends on balancing business and baseball considerations. Ben Badler provides insight into 16-year-old Dominican outfielder Cris Rodriguez, who is signing with the Tigers as part of the international signing period. Rodriguez is the highest-ranked international prospect the Tigers have ever signed, at No. 4 on Baseball America's list. Meanwhile, Matt Vierling dives into a variety of topics, including team culture, personal leadership, developing pull-side power as a hitter, game planning for pitchers, and even his 2012 Ford Escape. To finish the show, Evan and Mark revisit the chances of Tarik Skubal signing a long-term extension after agreeing to a $10.15 million salary in his second of three arbitration-eligible years before free agency. Follow Evan on X/Twitter here. Read Evan's most recent work here