When you are a team that desperately needs to win right out of the post All Star Game gate and you take a 6 run lead before the other team even comes to bat... here's what you should do: WIN THE GAME!And if you blow that outrageous first inning lead but eventually take a lead into the 9th inning against a non contending team... here's what you should do: WIN THE GAME!
Alas the Tigers did not do that today and a lost to the mediocre Orioles 11-10 in 10.
When Luke Scott homered off of Freddy Dolsi, the Tigers did more than lose the game... they lost any chance of winning in 2008.
Can you imagine the condition of Jim Leyland's lungs?
Yeah I know there is more than 2 months of baseball to make up 8 games in the loss column and neither the first place White Sox nor the second place Twins are powerhouses... but teams that make up ground win games like today.
I admire the fact that the Tigers pushed all the chips to the center of the table with the Cabrera/Willis trade, but guess what? Not every team that pushes the chips to the center wins.
Ask the Mariners about that.
But the Tigers are a mess.
It's beyond the bad 0-7 start. It's beyond being 11 games under .500 in early June.
They've been a solid 24-13 since hitting the low point, yet are going into late July as a sub .500 third place team.
They aren't a playoff team. So take a page from the Billy Beane school of trading and SELL RIGHT NOW!!!!
Bite the bullet, be brave and wave the white flag.
I mean I know it is easy for me to sit in the Silicon Valley, rooting for the Red Sox, and say "Ah the season is done for the Tigers."
And I also know the refrain that will repeated ad nauseum will be "What about the Rockies last year?"
The Rockies run was a once in a lifetime fluke. There's a reason everyone remembers that... it's like the Kirk Gibson homer or the Red Sox beating the Yankees when down 3-0... or Richard Gere actually being good in Chicago.
You just can't count on it.
Take a look at this team.
I know Zumaya and Rodney are back... but can you count on their rotation? And their line up which in the off season looked like a Fantasy Team's dream isn't the consistent force everyone thought it was going to be.
So guess what? The trade deadline is looming and they have three veterans who could fit in with contending clubs.
Trade Edgar Renteria to the Dodgers.The Dodgers have been playing Nomar Garciaparra at shortstop.
No, that's not a different Nomar Garciaparra.
It's the same dude.
He was great once, but the last time he was an effective shortstop was 2 Red Sox World Championships ago.
I grant you that is a smaller unit of measurement than it used to be, but it smacks of desperation. Maybe the Dodgers will unearth Bill Russell to play short. Either one.
Renteria hasn't been lighting it up in Detroit. Then again he didn't in Boston either. Maybe he's a National League guy.
He's an upgrade at short for a team that despite being 3 games under .500 is only 1 game out.
Trade Gary Sheffield to the MetsYeah Sheffield is having a lousy season this year... but he is still an imposing figure in the batters box. The injury to Sheffield's former teammate Moises Alou has led to a revolving door in left. Basically at this point playing left field for the Mets is like Jury Duty. Everyone will be called to do it.
The Mets have righted their ship to a degree but having Sheffield protecting Wright, Beltran and DelGado could go a long way to making Omar Minaya look super smart for firing Willie Randolph.
Besides, it will be fun to see how Sheffield accuses Minaya of racism.
Trade Pudge Rodriguez to the MarlinsMaybe today isn't the best time to propose this since Marlins catcher John Baker homered in today's Marlins win over the Phillies. But catcher is a weak spot... and Pudge has won in Miami before.
And the Marlins have their usual pattern of
- Build up team
- Win out of the blue World Series title
- Tear down team
- Build up team
- Win out of the blue World Series title
- Team down team
Later. Rinse. Repeat.
Maybe with first place within reach they think this could be a "Win out of the blue World Series title" year.
Might be worth a shot for them.
The Dodgers and the Mets are desperate to make a splash and might be able to pry a better prospect than expected from them.
Either way, a good young player for each would help replenish a farm system that took a hit after the Cabrera trade.
But what do Tiger fans think?
How about Ian at Bless You Boys? Do you think the season is dead?
Hey Bilfer at The Detroit Tigers Weblog... are these Tigers really capable of making up more than a week of games?
How about Todd Jones' biggest fans at Roar of the Tigers? Are you thinking that the White Sox and Twins are bound to fall to Earth?
Do the folks at the Mickey Tettleton Memorial Overpass think I am out of line?
Or are you all, along with the Mack Avenue Tigers, already thinking about the Red Wings?
Let me know what you think Tiger fans...
One of these years I'll make it to Comerica Park.
I went to Tiger Stadium back in 1991... may it rest in peace
Hey Sully, this is the 1st time I've come across your blog...for the most part, I felt you extended very good observations and recommendations...thanks.
ReplyDeleteMost of my Tigger views (I want them to be Tiger views, but this isn't possible the way they're playing thus far this year...) are congruent with your outlook.
First, while I've had the utmost respect for Leyland, he needs an ego check--even if someone else has to do it for him. And, if this has to occur, then he needs to be ushered into retirement. I firmly believe that this is what's driving him to make (or better yet, not make...) obviously sound decisions rooted in common sense. Who needs his credentials to make/not make decisions that contribute to Tigger losses?
I'm no MLB manager, but I'll tell you what, if I had been making managerial decisions for the Tiggers this year they'd have a better record. There's no way that I'd have allowed the pitching staff to lose so many games. And, Gary would be on the pine with his suitcase packed and one way tickets in-hand for another city.
I think Pudge is finally coming around. While I don't know whether his current hot streak is made up of mostly meaningless hits that have come in a late inning loss or after the Tiggers are down considerably with no hope of coming back, he's still a very respectable player who gives his very best every day.
I'm with you completely on Nate. He's so incredibly over-rated that opposing batters probably know their batting averages are going up when they see he's going to be on the mound. Then there's the Tigger's pen (all can go except for Zumaya).
What a whitewash of a season. Again, there's one primary reason for Leyland not to have made considerable changes: His unbridled ego. Simply put, the expectations were so high for him to win with this roster that he just cannot throw in the white towel on any of the many players who are not producing this season.
Well, as I see it, given the way the Tiggers are playing we're effectively going into the 8th or 9th inning down some runs and in dire need of a comeback to tie or win the game. Unfortunately, I just don't see it happening with this current lot.
Digressing briefly, I was born & raised in Detroit, but I have been in Indianapolis since 1979. Thus, I've always been and always will be a HUGE Detroit sports fan. GREAT JOB RED WINGS!!
Sully, thanks for your comments. I'm hoping somehow, someway, that the Tiggers can again become Tigers--yes, even yet this year.
Take care.
I don't follow hockey so I wasn't really looking forward to the wings season.
ReplyDeleteThe problem for the Tigers is most of those guys you named for trade are pretty much untradable. Even to get minimum in return the Tigers would have to pick up a large chunk of salary. So I don't forsee any real garage sales going on. Pudge is probably the only one with value.
Sheffield to the Mets? Just what they need, a me-first, clubhouse cancer, aging slugger due to break down any day now.
ReplyDelete