LAKELAND, Fla. — The weekend rainstorm slipped away.

As Spencer Torkelson walked down a tunnel on Monday morning — his cleats click-clacking with every step — he turned and walked onto the field at Joker Marchant Stadium before the Detroit Tigers' first official full-squad practice of spring training.

I followed him and looked up, and it was like Mother Nature started smiling.

Because the cold gray skies broke apart; and the sun came out, burning off a harsh morning chill.

The ground was still wet — the grass so soggy the backfields were unplayable — but the sky turned the most beautiful blue.

Spring is almost here.

And baseball is back.

“It's always exciting to stand in front of your team for the first time as a whole,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “You can never replace the first day and the enthusiasm, excitement, optimism. I'm just glad that we get to the baseball now.”

Yes, there is excitement and optimism about this team.

This team is so young, with so much growing to do, that the coaches and members of the front office aren’t exactly sure what it will be.

But there is talent on this roster, no doubt.

“Young doesn't mean bad,” Hinch said. “Young doesn't mean you can't do it. Young doesn't mean that you don't have answers.”

WHAT TO WATCH: Roster battles to watch as Tigers open full-squad workouts in spring training

Strange without Miggy

Now, before we get going, let’s address the elephant in the room.

Or, at the very least, the smiling playful giant who is no longer here.

This spring training already feels different and strange because of the absence of Miguel Cabrera, who has retired after a brilliant 21-year career, the last 16 in Detroit.

His personality and childlike energy will never be replaced.

But Cabrera’s voice still hangs in the Tigers clubhouse — quite literally. On the far wall above a row of lockers, a banner reads: “Less Talk, More Work — Miggy.”

[ MUST LISTEN: Make "Days of Roar" your go-to Detroit Tigers podcast, available anywhere you listen to podcasts (Apple, Spotify) ]

It has been up for years and there is no reason to take it down now.

His impact on this organization, and this group of players, will be felt for years. But in the season-opening meeting, Hinch did not address Cabrera’s absence — this organization said goodbye to him countless times in 2023.

These are new days, with new budding stars and it's a new solar system that revolves around Riley Greene and Torkelson.

It’s their team now.

And it’s a team that already has a special bond.

“I was talking to Tork yesterday,” Greene said Monday morning. “He brought up, ‘Dude, were the vibes like this last year? Guys are in earlier, they are staying and chopping it up.’

“I was like, ‘They were good last year, but they are even better this year. The vibe around the clubhouse, guys showing up early and wanting to get their feet under them.' I mean, we are all just excited to be here.”

SHAWN WINDSOR: Tigers' brain trust is managing expectations, not spoiling your summer dreams

Sticking to the plan

The start of spring training always feels new but this is a year of continuation more than transition.

Continue to bring up youngsters.

Continue to develop.

Continue to follow the Harris and Hinch plan.

Scott Harris, the Tigers president of baseball operations, could have brought in several veteran bats to help this sagging offense. But he has been disciplined, wanting to give the young prospects a “runway” to reach the big leagues, leaving some spots open for youngsters like Jace Jung to land.

To me, that seems smart.

But the Tigers did sign Mark Canha, a 35-year-old, 10-year vet to play outfield.

“It’s a lot of name learning,” Canha said Monday morning. “Trying to get acclimated to the building and situation and it’s all new. It’s the first day of school.’

Learning from football

Do you remember during the Super Bowl when there was some confusion about the new overtime rules?

The Kansas City Chiefs knew about the new rules, but the San Francisco 49ers did not.

So, Hinch made a decision: My team is gonna know the rules.

MORE FROM SEIDEL: If Parker Meadows sticks in center and hits enough, everything fits for Tigers

And on the first morning of the first practice, Hinch went through some new rules with his team.

If nothing else, this team will be prepared.

“I know our guys are prepared,” Hinch said. “I know the work they've done. I want to thank them for that on the front end, and then I've challenged them about the work that needs to get done to talk the way that we want to talk.”

While Tigers followers debate whether this team can be a playoff team — or even if it is smart not to be talking that way — Hinch is far more focused on other things.

He wants his pitchers to throw more first-pitch strikes.

He wants Torkelson’s infield defense to improve a tick.

He wants to turn more double plays.

He wants Colt Keith to learn how to play second base. Keith doesn’t have to make spectacular plays. Just the routine ones.

And he wants to score more runs earlier in games, finding new ways to bolster the offense.

The list of what Hinch wants to improve during the next six weeks is long and detailed.

“I believe we can get where we want to get to, but we've got to pave the way there,” he said. “We can't just sort of get to the end without doing the work on the front end.”

So many new faces

Here’s an interesting tidbit: Now that Cabrera is gone, who is the longest-tenured Tiger?

I posed that question to Jake Rogers, the catcher who came in the Justin Verlander trade, and he paused for a second.

“Oh man,” he let out an uncertain sigh and then offered his guess. “Probably me?”

“Yep,” I said.

“That’s wild,” the 28-year-old said. “There’s definitely a lot of new faces around. It’s wild to think about that. I’m just excited to be back with the boys.”

Actually, there is one person who has been around far longer.

Alan Trammell, the Hall of Famer, was on the field on Monday, working with the Tigers infielders.

He wore white baseball pants and a blue top — the same outfit as the players, and he started working with Torkelson and then moved to the middle of the infield.

When you see Trammell working with players, as he has done for several years, it’s official: Spring training really has started.

“He really is a genius when it comes to the field,” Keith said. “He's out there just helping in any way he can. So he's out here all day. It just shows he loves it.”

As this first day came to an end, let’s recap:

Miggy is gone, but Tram is back.

This team is incredibly young, but there is talent and excitement.

And in one magical moment, a nasty sky seemed to break apart, and the sunshine was warm and wonderful.

Baseball is back, baby.

MORE FROM SEIDEL: Jace Jung's intense competitiveness is the superpower behind his rise with Tigers

Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com or follow him @seideljeff.

To read Seidel's recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers spring training in full swing: Many questions to answer