Mike Henneman tries to groom next Detroit Tigers closer as West Michigan Whitecaps pitching coach

Mike Henneman, currently the West Michigan Whitecaps pitching coach, saved 154 games for Sparky Anderson and the Detroit Tigers from 1987 through 1995. (AP Photo | File)

MIDLAND, MI — Mike Henneman continually hears the question, moreso this season and probably more seriously this season.

"Are you going to come out of retirement?"

Henneman, second in Detroit Tigers history in saves, is the first-year pitching coach for the Single A West Michigan Whitecaps, a Tigers affiliate. The Whitecaps faced the Great Lakes Loons in a Midwest League game Thursday at Dow Diamond in Midland.

"There are Tigers fans everywhere we go ... here, Lansing, Dayton," Henneman said. "I hear it just about every place I go ... Are you going to come out of retirement? I'm a lot more popular now than when I pitched. The same guy who yelled at me when I pitched is asking me for my autograph and telling me how good I was.

"Now, I'm throwing batting practice from 45 feet, and that's enough. I know the questions aren't serious ... or at least I think they're not."

Henneman, 51, pitched for the Tigers from 1987 through 1995, retiring in 1996 after stints with the Houston Astros and Texas Rangers. He saved 154 games for the Tigers, second behind Todd Jones.

Still, Henneman said, the blown saves have a way of staying with a reliever longer than the saves. He knows what Jose Valverde and the other Detroit Tigers relievers are facing.

"I know what they're going through ... I saved a lot of games, but there were games where my little sister could have gotten a hit off of me," Henneman said. "(Detroit Tigers manager) Sparky Anderson would always put you right back out there the next game, and trust me there were games I didn't want to go back out there.

"It's mental thing, a confidence thing. You get blasted one night, and you start wondering what's wrong. The ninth inning has the toughest three outs of the game. There's no setting up pitches, there's no room for error. Your tail is on fire as soon as you're on the mound."

This is Henneman's first season as a pitching coach. After retiring, he started a baseball academy in McKinney, Texas for his children, then watched it expand to become the McKinney Marshals baseball camp, which features youth baseball instruction and travel teams for different ages, including a college all-star team that included current Great Lakes Loon Tyler Ogle.

"I loved doing it, but you miss this atmosphere," Henneman said. "It's different here. There's a different level of talent. They understand what you're talking about. And their parents aren't sitting a few feet away listening to everything you say."

Henneman has taken a special interest in one Whitecaps pitcher in particular. Jose Valdez, 23, has 16 after shutting down the Loons in order in the ninth in Thursday's 6-3 West Michigan win. He struck out two to give him 32 in 26 1/3 innings.

"We're working with him a lot," Henneman said. "He's throwing well. I'm giving him all the little things I learned when I was a closer, giving him tips that helped me.

"You could say we're grooming a closer, but you start with the physical abilities. Then you start working with their approach to it. We have the same attitude that Sparky had with me. Don't worry about the highs and lows. Worry about the next pitch, the next day because even if you blew this save, you're the closer and you're going to be out there the next day.

"It doesn't matter what the other 23 or so players think or what you think. You're going back out there the next day, so be ready."