What Tigers' Kevin McGonigle and Joe DiMaggio have in common right now

Cincinnati — Some stats are projective. Some stats are compilations. And there are others that simply reflect this moment in time. Stats that make no pretense about what they might mean tomorrow or down the road.

They are just a snapshot of where a team or a player is right now. And, if taken in proper context, they can be fun.

In his first 25 games with the Tigers, rookie Kevin McGonigle has as many walks (14) as strikeouts (14).

Like this one: Tigers’ 21-year-old rookie Kevin McGonigle, 25 games into his big-league career, has produced on a level equal to Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio and Ducky Medwick at the same age.

McGonigle, entering the game Friday night, has 30 hits, 10 doubles and just 14 strikeouts. Only five other players his age or younger have done that to start their careers: DiMaggio and Roy Weatherly in 1936, Medwick in 1932 and Joe Vosmik in 1930 and 1931.

Doesn’t mean McGonigle is going to end up in Cooperstown. It just means he’s off to a helluva start.

McGonigle also went into the game Friday with the same number of walks as strikeouts (14). Also very rare, at least in Tigers’ history, for players in their first 25 games. There are only three others on that list: Johnny Groth (1946-49), Benny McCoy (1938-39) and Topper Rigney (1922).

The at-bat quality is what Tigers’ president Scott Harris cited as a driving force in giving McGonigle an eight-year, $150 million extension earlier this month.

“It’s not just the slash line,” Harris said. “It’s not just the power. It’s the way he goes about his at-bats and the way he fights for every pitch. And the way he fights for every advantage on the field and the way he makes his teammates better.

“This is the type of player you want to be here for a long time.”

McGonigle took a 21-start on-base streak into the game Tuesday, as well, the longest active streak in the big leagues. The last Tigers’ rookie to do that was , who reached safely in 25 straight starts in 2010.