Tigers Star Prospect Max Clark Claps Back at Critics Over Flashy Personality
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The Detroit Tigers are ripping their way through spring training, and the young prospects in camp have been the most popuar topics to this point.
Naturally, much of the talk has been about Kevin McGonigle as he tries to push for the Opening Day roster, but a prospect who is not really in a roster battle but has been highly discussed anyway is young outfielder Max Clark.
The former No. 3 pick in the draft is struggling at the plate and is still a ways away from his eventual debut while a couple of outfield mishaps have made headlines as well. What has drawn the most attention though is his flashy personality, chains around his neck, and general flare which has rubbed some people the wrong way.
Clark was asked about the critics and gave a very long and thoughtful answer as to why he does not worry about what others who do not know him say.
Clark is Not Worried About What Critics Think
"I don't care what they have to say, to be completely honest with you. People don't know me. There's a lot of people out there that will do anything for some monetary clicks. I've been dealing with this since I was 15. It's a part of this game," Clark said via Evan Petzold of the Detroit Free Press to start a very long address.
"It's a part of this game. It's a part of this process. And it's only going to get worse, obviously. People love to talk about things that they don't have a clue about. They don't know how I was raised. My mom was a special ed teacher. My dad drove semis. I grew up in a two-story house, loving God and serving Him. And just for people to go out there and say stuff like that – I'm sleeping just fine at night, I can promise you that. One day, they're going to have to look in the mirror and answer that question themselves."
Clark went on to talk about how much support he is receiving from his teammates after the fly ball drops and making his transition to his first big league spring training. Not being worried about critics is certainly the right way to approach things, even if it is a bit unconventional the way he operates as a minor leaguer.
The 21-year-old is a confident kid who all of his teammates and coaches seems to enjoy being around, which at the end of the day as for things beyond performance is really all that matters.
Tigers Do Not Need Clark to Debut Now
Clark has shown this spring that he still has some work to do in order to become a big league player, and there is nothing wrong with that. Detroit does not need him to be ready tomorrow, they just need him to keep developing and progressing as he does eventually hope to be an every day player.
Given the fact that he seems focused on the important things rather than what people think about him, the Tigers have an impressive young man in their organization with Clark. Watching him develop over the coming years and eventually reach the big leagues will be something fans continue to look forward to.
Michael Brauner is a 2022 graduate of the University of Alabama with a degree in Sports Media. He covers various MLB teams across the On SI network and you can also find his work on Yellowhammer News covering the Alabama Crimson Tide and Auburn Tigers as well as on the radio producing and co-hosting 'The Opening Kickoff' every weekday morning on 105.5 WNSP FM in Mobile, Alabama.