Daily Archives: February 19, 2017

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Tigers outfielder Mikie Mahtook takes batting practice during spring training on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2017 at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla.(Photo: Kirthmon F. Dozier, DFP)Buy Photo

LAKELAND, Fla. Mikie Mahtook slid his wood bat abovehis locker in the Detroit Tigers clubhouse, into a small slot, barrel first, as if he were tucking away a family secret.

On the face of the barrel, near the end, the bat is engraved with the model number "54," the same number he scribbles on his cleats. It is a treasured number for his entire family, something thatappears almost daily, out of nowhere. It's a sight that prompts his twin sisters to proclaim: Today is going to be a good day!

That number reveals everything about Mahtook. It's pride and inspiration, and a way to carry his father, Michael, with him at all times.

It was my fathers football number, said Mahtook, who is competing with JaCoby Jones and Tyler Collins to be the Tigers starting centerfielder, the only real position battle on this team. I want to make him proud.

Michael, a former LSU linebacker, died of heart disease at age 32 while playing tennis when Mahtook was 4 years old.

I never felt like he was gone, if that makes any sense, said Mahtook, 27. Obviously, he was not there physically, but I feel like my mom and my uncles and friends and everybody who was close to me, kept him alive through stories.

To understand Mahtooks passion and why he plays baseball with such fierce determination and a linebacker's aggression and to appreciate how he ended up in this clubhouse after growing upwithout hisfather all you need is one story about his mother, Mary Ann Mahtook.

She's the strongest person he has ever met.

Michael Mahtook in 1992 with his son Mikie Mahtook, who is contending for the Tigers' starting centerfielder spot this season. Michael died of heart disease when Mikie was 4 years old.(Photo: Special to the DFP)

In 2010, Mary Ann was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer. It was Mahtook's sophomore season at LSU,when he played in the NCAA tournament and for Team USA atWorld University Championships in Tokyo. He wanted to stop playing to be with her, but she wouldnt let him.

Shell never forget the tears in his eyes.

I told him, Please play ball, give me something to look forward to, Mary Ann told him. Ill Skype you. Ill watch all your games on the computer. For me, what Im asking of you, my love, is to play baseball. Play it hard. Thats what is going to get me through.

Play baseball. Play it hard.

Thats the mantra the Mahtooks used to get through everything. The loss of Michael. The battle against cancer. And everything between.

After a mastectomy and chemotherapy, Mary Ann lost her hair.

We so protected Mikie, she said. We sheltered him. We still shelter him a little bit. He didnt see half of what my girls saw, and that was planned.

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Mahtooktalked to her on Skype, instead.

He wanted to see me, Mary Ann said. We were like, let me put my baseball cap on. Let me put some make-up on. Lets put the game face on. Lets put the game face on and we did it. We put the game face on. We were like, Woo hoo! We are great over here!

She laughs at the memory.

I just needed him to believe that I was going to be fine, she said. I dont know if I believed it, but I definitely made him believe it.

Put the game face on. Fight through it. Soldier on.

Almost seven years later, Mary Ann is cancer free.

The Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers went through drills on Feb. 17, 2017, in Lakeland, Flo., and fans of all ages got a chance to interact with their favorite players. Kirthmon F. Dozier/DFP

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Anthony Fenech narrates a trip from the batting cages to the bullpens and beyond as the Detroit Tigers work out Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, in Lakeland, Fla.

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The Tigers opened spring training Tuesday at newly-renovated Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Fla. Video by Kirthmon F. Dozier/DFP

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Check out the Detroit Tigers' renovated spring training complex during an extensive tour Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Lakeland, Fla. Video by Anthony Fenech / DFP

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Detroit Tigers beat writer Anthony Fenech narrates his way around Tiger Town on the first day of pitchers and catchers workouts Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017, in Lakeland, Fla.

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Take a peek at Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers getting in their first official workout of the 2017 season on Feb. 14 in Lakeland, Fla. Video by Jeff Seidel / DFP

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Detroit Tigers pitchers and catchers hit the field at Tiger Town in Lakeland, Fla., for their first official workout Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2017. Video by Anthony Fenech / DFP

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"Can you autograph?!' Highlights from Tigers spring training in Lakeland

Enjoy 20-plus minutes of Tigers workouts Friday

Sights, sounds from first day of 2017 Tigers spring training

Behind the scenes: Check out Tigers' renovated spring training complex

Take a tour of Tiger Town with Anthony Fenech

Watch: Tigers' first workouts on the mound

Tigers pitchers, catchers take field in Lakeland

And now, thisguy who plays baseball like his hair is on fire diving for balls, trying to run through walls is fighting for a job with the Tigers. He's outgoing, electric and confident. And he hasso many of the same mannerisms as his father.

Obviously, the opportunity is here, Mahtook said. To be able to go out here and compete, knowing Im fighting for a starting job, not just a roster spot or a bench role, thats huge. Its what everybody wants to do. Everybody dreams about.

Mahtook is like his dad, in just about everything.

His dad was just a great guy, a big, awesome, good-looking guy with a gentle soul, Mary Ann said. He could captivate a room, easy to converse with. He made everyone comfortable and Mikie has a lot of that.

Mahtook was a star on the football field, just like his father. He was an all-state quarterback atSt. Thomas More High School in Lafayette, La., but a "shattered" armended his junior season. Surgery was required.

That was devastating, Mary Ann said. I saw what an injury does.

It was his first major injury, and he struggled to come back and start playing baseball.

That was the first lesson to me," Mary Ann said, "what injuries do to you mentally."

But Mahtook was back to normal by his senior baseball season

It just takes a while, Mary Ann said.

Tigers centerfielder Mikie Mahtook, right, poses for a picture with sisters, from left, Christina Mahtook, Catherine Mahtook Hollander and mother Mary Ann Mahtook.(Photo: Special to the DFP)

Now flash forward.

Mahtook didn't suffer a major injury at LSU, where he established himself as one of the best players in program history. A 2011 first-team All-American, Mahtook had a.344 career batting averageand ranks second in school history in triples (12) and fifth in stolen bases (60).

He plays good defense, can run, very athletic, Tigers general manager Al Avila said during last month's Winter Caravan We like him a lot. We feel he is a high-energy, toolsy guy, who still has some upside. I know (LSU coach) Paul Mainieri very well from LSU. He told us that he is probably one of the most electric players hes ever had in his program. Ever. And hes had a lot of real good ones.

Mahtook was taken in the first round of the 2011 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays. In 2015, he played in 41 games for the Rays and showed all kinds of power, batting .295 with nine home runs in just 115 plate appearances.

But last season, he had a batch of injuries. Hisoblique kept him out3 weeks early in the year.

That was probably my biggest one, Mahtook said. I came back for three weeks and broke my hand, so I was out for another two months. Im not making excuses. Its the reality of what happened.

He struggled, hitting .195, and started to do things he had never done.

I did a lot of things that were uncharacteristic of me," Mahtook said. "Just trying to do too much, like trying to get eight hits in one at-bat."

To his mother, it was like watching him his junior year of high school baseball, when he was coming back from that broken arm.

You could see he was just off, she said. When I saw him struggling, I knew it was just going to take a while to get it back. You have to rehab, but you have to rehab your psyche. Its just a process. I think thats what happened to Mikie last year.

For years, she would call him after games, wanting to break down his at-bats or his plays in the field.

Id say, Mikie, I dont know if you are overthinking.

And hed be like, Uh, mom!

The Tigers traded for him during the off-season, knowing the talent wasthere to play defense in Comerica Park. The hope is that Mahtook will realize his potential and come back strong from those injuries, just like he did in high school.

Traded from Tampa Bay, the new Tiger is ready to compete for centerfielder's job. Video by Perry A. Farrell.

He might even win the starting job, orplatoon with Collins.

Either way, he's a guy to watch this spring.

I think this year is going to be a really good year, Mahtook said. I love the vibe here. Ive only been here a few days. Just the week or so that Ive been around here, the vibe is unreal. Everybody is super close. Everybody wants everybody to do super well. Theres no bad blood. Its a really, really good vibe.

Mary Ann is making plans, getting some Tigers gear and hopes to see him play on Opening Day, although she doesnt want to jinx anything.

She never remarried, Mahtook said. I think thats a testament to my dad, to what they meant to each other. Shes the best. Shes the strongest person I know. I am who I am because of her, because of what she has helped us overcome.

A single mom who raised two girls and a son who plays baseball like a linebacker.

Just like 54.

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

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Father's death, mother's strength inspire Tigers CF Mikie Mahtook - Detroit Free Press

Fertilizer maker, CF Industries (CF - Free Report) swung to a loss of $320 million or $1.38 per share in the fourth quarter of 2016 from a profit of $27 million or 11 cents per share recorded a year ago. The results in the reported quarter include impairment charges of $134 million related to the companys investment in Point Lisas Nitrogen Limited.

Barring one-time items, adjusted loss came in at 39 cents per share for the quarter, versus earnings of 72 cents per share recorded a year ago. Loss per share was wider than the Zacks Consensus Estimate of a loss of 6 cents.

Sales slipped roughly 22% year over year to $867 million in the quarter, and missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $905.6 million. Sales were hurt by reduced average selling prices across all segments. Excess nitrogen supply continued to weigh on prices in the quarter.

Segment Review

Sales for the Ammonia segment plunged roughly 44% year over year to $211 million in the reported quarter. Ammonia sales volumes fell 7% year over year to 762,000 tons, affected by unfavorable weather conditions and certain economic factors. Average selling prices declined 40% to $277 per ton owing to excess global nitrogen supply.

Sales for the Granular Urea segment dipped roughly 3% year over year to $189 million. Sales volumes jumped 25% year over year to 883,000 tons, driven by additional volume available for sale from the company's Donaldsonville Nitrogen Complex. Average selling prices for granular urea declined 22% to $214 per ton owing to elevated global nitrogen supply.

Sales in the UAN (urea ammonium nitrate solution) segment dropped 17% year over year to $305 million. UAN sales volume jumped 28% to 2,047,000 in the quarter due to additional volume available for sale from the Donaldsonville plant. Average selling prices went down 35% to $149 per ton, hurt by elevated global nitrogen supply.

Sales in the AN (ammonium nitrate) segment fell 19% year over year to $93 million. Sales volumes rose 9% to 541,000 tons on higher volumes across North America and the U.K. Average selling prices dropped 26% to $172 per ton on excess nitrogen supply.

The Other segments sales rose around 9% year over year to $69 million. Sales volumes were 24% higher in the reported quarter at 450,000 tons. Average selling price decreased 13% to $153 per ton due to high levels of global nitrogen supply.

Financials

CF Industries cash and cash equivalents were $1,164 million at the end of 2016, a four-fold year over year rise. Long-term debt was $5,778 million, up around 4% year over year. Outlook

CF Industries sees demand for nitrogen in North America to be relatively unchanged on a year over year basis in 2017. The company envisions 89.5 million acres of corn to be planted and less than 50 million acres of wheat to be planted in the U.S. this year. In Canada, reduced grain planting is expected to be more than offset by higher canola plantings. As such, the company sees total nitrogen fertilizer demand in North America to be roughly 16 million nutrient tons for 2017.

CF Industries anticipates nitrogen prices to continue to improve in North America during the first half of 2017. However, an uncertain pricing environment is expected during the second half as additional nitrogen capacity comes online globally including a considerable increase in North America.

For 2017, the company expects new capital expenditures in the band of around $400 to $450 million for sustaining and other operations.

Price Performance

CF Industries has outperformed the Zacks categorized Fertilizers industry in the past three months, aided by its efforts to boost production capacity. The companys shares have gained around 27.2% over this period, compared with roughly 16.4% gain recorded by the industry.

Zacks Rank & Key Picks

CF Industries currently carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Better-ranked companies in the basic materials space include Methanex Corporation (MEOH - Free Report) , Albemarle Corporation (ALB - Free Report) and The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company (SMG - Free Report) .

Methanex has an expected long-term growth of 15% and sports a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). You can see the complete list of todays Zacks #1 Rank stocks here. Albemarle holds a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy) and has an expected long-term growth of 10%.

Scotts Miracle-Gro holds a Zacks Rank #2 and has an expected long-term growth of 12.4%.

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CF Industries (CF) Q4 Loss Wider than Expected, Sales Miss - Zacks.com

Mar 2, 2016; Surprise, AZ, USA; Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon against the Texas Rangers during a Spring Training game at Surprise Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

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During the Royals first full-squad workout at their spring training facility in Surprise, AZ, Ned Yost informed reporters that the team was going tobe experimental and open minded with their outfield this spring.

The second overall pick in 2005, Alex Gordon has had an unusual career path. Gordon started his career as a third baseman, but was unable to hit well enough to stick at the position. In 2011 the Royals made him a full-time left fielder, a move that has paid enormous dividends. From 2011-2014, Gordon won 4 straight Gold Gloves. His 87 Defensive Runs Saved rankfirst among outfielders in that stretch, as do his 60.4 Ultimate Zone Rating and 35.9 Arm rating.

Most first round picks (that are position players) provide value with their bat. Gordon, on the other hand, has been stronger with the glove throughout his career. His career 110 wRC+ranks 87thsince his debut in 2007. On the flip side of things, Gordons 99 DRS (including his time at 3B) places 3rd in that span. While hes had some strong offensive seasons, Gordon has long been considered a glove-first player.

Now it appears the Royals will try and move Gordon around some more. The departure of Jarrod Dyson, alongwith the arrivals of Brandon Moss and Jorge Soler, leavestheRoyals defensively weakened. Dyson is regarded as a very good defender in the outfield, while both Moss and Soler are average at best. As Yost explained, the team is relying on Gordons versatility to save the Royals outfield defense:

This might have been a good idea if Gordon were still in his 20s, but players practicallynever shift to amore demanding position once they reach their 30s. Now 33 years old, Gordon haslost a step defensively in the past two seasons. His 15.7 UZR since2015 ranks 9th, which isnt so bad. However hisArm rating of 2.3 (22nd) and 11 DRS (18th) clearly display that Gordon isnt the same outfielder he used to be. In factGordons teammate, CF Lorenzo Cain, has rated as a better defender according to DRS and UZRsince becoming an everyday player. Therefore its highly unlikely that this will be anything more than a spring training experiment.

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Kansas City Royals: Yost Plans To Use Alex Gordon In CF - Call to the Pen