Category Archives: 2008 Season

2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

More candid talk from the top, Leyland speaks

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Manager Jim Leyland was on Mitch Albom’s show and the Free Press has the transcript in 3 parts. The links to all follow, but here are some highlights and my comments.

If I was looking at the two major culprits and without pointing fingers and necessarily individuals, the two major culprits were the pitching and the defense there’s no question about that, it’s a no brainer for me. We didn’t catch the ball very good, we had mediocre pitching with a mediocre defense and that’s a brutal combination, and that’s basically what happened to us in my opinion.

Mediocre is being generous, but I think that is a matter of semantics. He gets it was bad.

Well, I don’t think it will be correct to discuss what Dave and I talked about. I’m sure Dave knows that I’m very disappointed, which I am. I make no bones about that because I want to manage this team. If you’re saying if I have any defense for this year, no I don’t, but I think the overall picture I think it’s pretty fair on my part. But I’m a big boy and I think Dave has tough decisions to make and for whatever reason he chose to go this direction and I respect that. I’m not afraid of anything. I think if I do a good job next year I think I’ll be extended. If I don’t I’ll be fired. If I would have been on the last year of my contract this year I would have been fired instead of the coaches because those guys were the scapegoats for people not doing their jobs, it’s that simple. There is no secret to this stuff. I’m not going to lie to anybody or beat around the bush. Chuck Hernandez and Jeff Jones were basically fired because the pitching was terrible.

This was in response to a question of why Leyland’s contract isn’t being extended. I actually don’t see the need for an extension. I hear it all the time about the lame duck coach/manager, but this isn’t some young manager. It’s a guy that’s been around forever and who the player’s respected the crap out of not that long ago. I can’t imagine players buying into him more with or without an extension. Plus keep in mind, Leyland was offered a longer contract after 2007 but didn’t want to extend it that far and go on a more year to year basis.

I think if you put us all on the dartboard, you know, you can put several people on a dart board and if you threw a dart you would probably hit the right guy with the dart because we were all guilty.

and

I would extend tomorrow — I would extend in June — I would extend in July — I would extend in August — I want to manage the Tigers. I can’t make it anymore simple than that to everybody and I think I deserve to manage the Tigers, but if you’re not wanted, you’re not wanted. I don’t want to be anywhere I’m not wanted.

I’m sensing tension between Leyland and Dombrowski, and not the good kind like between Sam and Diane.

Some guys I really believe can’t handle making the money. I don’t think they can live up to expectations of it. It all sounds good when the agent is talking and they want the contract and they get the money, but truthfully, I believe that there are some players that can’t handle that. They almost go into a little bit of a shell, you know – like ‘Oh my god, so much is expected of me.’ They’re better players probably when they’re not making quite as much.

He was later asked if the Tigers have anybody like that to which he responded “I think so.” Don’t really know how to fix this. It gets to be a point where players have reached the service time marks to get their paydays. Of course you can let them walk, but how do you know who can and can’t handle it prior to giving them the contract. And he has to be talking about Robertson and Inge (and maybe Willis) right?

I think the one thing and this is going to sound crazy, but the one thing that I might do different, looking back at it now and I’m not sure it would have made a difference — but the one thing I might have done different — I would have not started him opening day. I definitely think that he felt he had to be the horse. When Bonderman went down he felt he had to be an even bigger horse. I just don’t he think he was ready for that yet and in defense of him, he’s not supposed to be ready that yet. I mean he’s still a young kid, he’s a young pitcher and maybe I put a little undo pressure on him by naming him opening day and people talking about, well, he’ll have to step it up now.

This is in response to a question about Verlander’s struggles against the Central. Leyland went down this tangent. Leyland also had him start the first game of the World Series as a rookie which didn’t turn out that well. Maybe he’s not a big game pitcher, or maybe it is a part of the maturation process.
Leyland: ‘The two major culprits were the pitching and the defense’ | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press
Leyland: ‘I think I deserve to manage the Tigers, but if you’re not wanted, you’re not wanted’ | Freep.com | Detroit Free PressLeyland: ‘Maybe naming him the opening day pitcher was a mistake’ | Freep.com | Detroit Free Press

2008 Season, Free Agents, Front Office

Dombrowski speaks – a lot more than usual.

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Dave Dombrowski held court with reporters today and he revealed a glimpse into this winter’s agenda.

The main points:

  • Edgar Renteria’s option will not be picked up
  • The Tigers are looking outside the organization to fill the closer role
  • The Tigers don’t expect to be a major player in the free agent market
  • Detroit does not expect to cut payroll significantly
  • Dombrowski likes Cale Iorg thinking he’s going to be an All Star very soon.

My thoughts:

  • Declining the Renteria option was pretty much a no brainer. The Tigers can try and sign him for less and offer him arbitration.  If he declines and is signed somewhere else the Tigers get two draft picks.  If he accepts it probably is a decent stopgap.  Renteria is a decent bet to bounce back somewhat and not be a void in the lineup.  While there is a desire to upgrade the defense at short, with Inge and mystery catcher in the fold the Tigers can’t afford to go with a total defensive specialist at short.  They have that at third already now.  Renteria sounds like he’d like to be back.
  • Dombrowski’s comments about Iorg were quite enthusiastic.  It could be he’s trying to up the trade value, or diminish the Tigers needs, but the remarks came on the same day that Iorg made the BA Top 20 list for the FSL. (Rick Porcello was number 1).  It makes one think the Tigers aren’t looking for a long term fix for 2009.
  • Rodney got a lukewarm treatment from Dombrowski saying that he’d be the leading candidate on the current club, but he wanted more consistency.  But with the Tigers not making a splash that probably means no K-Rod or Fuentes which is fine.  The new closer will likely be an established set-up man who can be had for a cheaper price.  It might not satisfy the fan base, but is probably the best and only way to go given the payroll constraints and ridiculous sum that closers get.

In the end Dombrowski is looking for answers like the rest of us…

“Most years, when we go into spring training, I have a good feel for where we’ll finish,” he said.

“I’m so far off on this,” he said, shaking his head, his voice trailing off.

2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

Position roulette, Inge and Guillen edition

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I was hoping to have a chance to run some numbers, but until I do I figured it was worth posting that Inge will play third and Guillen left field next season. I won’t completely pass judgment until I can do the math on this, but for the moment I’m thinking this doesn’t actually help much of anything except defense at third base. And why announce this news, at this point anyways? And of all players, why guarantee Brandon Inge a job going into next year (177/279/287 line since the Pudge trade!)? Odd. Very odd. Feel free to discuss.

2008 Season, Pitching

Chuck Hernandez fired

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The Tigers announced after today’s game that pitching coach Chuck Hernandez and bullpen coach Jeff Jones have been let go.

The Tigers pitching was dreadful this year and someone was going to take the hit. I don’t know that firing Hernandez is going to instantly make the staff better, but keeping him around this season certainly didn’t seem to help.

The coach relationship is always kind of a fuzzy thing to evaluate because as fans we really don’t know what goes on behind the scenes. So the best we can do is judge based on the results on the field, and outside of Armando Galarraga and to a lesser extent Bobby Seay, there wasn’t a lot of stuff to put in the positive column this year.

To be fair, Hernandez was the pitching coach over that wonderful 2006 staff that saw career years for Jeremy Bonderman and Nate Robertson and a dominant bullpen. But things have gone down hill, and rapidly so, ever since.

In addition to a 3rd worst league ERA, there were some other things that at the very least go into the questionable column. Chief among them was Justin Verlander dismal year. There was much tweaking of mechanics but it never led to results. Also, there was the matter of Jeremy Bonderman’s elbow last year. An injury he pitched poorly with, and yet managed to hide from the coaching and medical staffs.

To Hernandez’s credit, he didn’t seem to be a believer in abusing the young arms that he had and there wasn’t a clear case of injury due to abuse.

One thing I won’t miss however is when pitchers hold a runner on with that whole, snap the ball out of the glove and hold it over your head thing.

Jeff Jones presided over a bullpen that continually struggled. Jones was the pitching coach at Toledo before getting the promotion when Don Slaught left the staff after the 2006 season. He’s been up and down within the organization in the past, and I could see him continuing to be in the employ of the Tigers.

I’m sure we’ll hear quotes from the pitchers about how Hernandez was great, and how it wasn’t his fault. That’s all well and good, but it became clear that changes need to be made in the pitching staff, and with 5 starters with favorable club control contract status or under long term contracts, it is obvious that the change is going to come at the top.

2008 Season, Game Post

Game 161: Rays at Tigers

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PREGAME: It’s shirts off their backs day as the Tigers will disrobe at the completion of the game and give their uni’s to some lucky fans. They won’t really need them with this being the last home game and all (sad face).

It may be their last game period depending on the outcomes in Chicago and Minnesota. If the White Sox win, the Tigers will be playing in Chicago tomorrow. If the Twins win and the White Sox lose, they won’t be.

As for things in the D, it will be Zach Miner and James Shields. Shields has kind of owned Detroit. But he’s not the same pitcher at home as on the road. He allows more baserunners, more homers, and strikes out significantly less away from the Dome.

Zach Miner has been a little up and down since becoming a starter, but mostly up. In his last outing he allowed 10 baserunners and 4 runs in 6 innings.

Game Time 1:05

TBR @ DET, Sunday, September 28, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: It was strange at the park today. The weather was gorgeous. The fans were more into the game than at any I’ve attended since July. They chanted Gary. They roared for Granderson’s homer. They marveled at Zach Miner retiring 12 straight to start the game, with only 2 balls leaving the infield. Even after a typical bullpen meltdown, Magglio Ordonez added some drama by tying the game in the 9th.

Even the loss didn’t necessarily seem to dampen spirits. It was odd, I don’t quite get it.

Maybe it was the fan appreciation or the weather, but people seemed really happy. And the fan appreciation, with was appreciated. My kids each scored autographed balls, my daughter got Magglio and my son got Inge. They promptly traded and were thrilled.

The organization thanked the fans, all 3.2 million with an announcement on the scoreboard late in the game. And when they did that a number of players went up on to the top steps of the dugout to say thank you.

There’s something about that last day of the season, where you don’t know which guys are going to be back and which you’re cheering for the last time. One of those guys in limbo, but most likely gone is Vance Wilson. My kids were just finishing running the bases when Wilson came out of the dugout with his kids. As he walked past, I didn’t really know what to say given his situation. So I just said “Good luck with everything Vance.” He then circled the bases with his kids, and everyone else’s, surprisingly without creating too much of a commotion.

2008 Season, Game Post

Game 160: Rays at Tigers

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PREGAME: The Rays were most likely up until the wee hours last night celebrating their AL East championship. I say congrats to those mohawked players. But working in the Tigers favor is that they are probably hung over and don’t give a damn.

Dontrelle Willis takes the bump for Detroit and Matt Garza does the same for the Rays.

Watch and see if Gary Sheffield gets 500 homers and Ramon Santiago gets number 11.

Game Time 7:05

2008 Season, Game Post

Game 159: Rays at Tigers

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PREGAME: NOT ON OUR FIELD! Maybe that’s the rallying cry as the Tigers try to prevent the Rays from clinching the AL East – at least as much as the Tigers can have a say in the matter.

Tonight it is Justin Verlander and Andy Sonnanstine. Sonnanstine shutdown the Tigers for 6 innings limiting them to 2 runs while fanning 6 back in early August.

Verlander tries to salvage something of this season in his last start.

Don’t forget to tune in to the Tigers Live pregame show, tonight with 100% fresh squeezed Todd Jones.

TBR @ DET, Friday, September 26, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

2008 Season

Todd Jones Notes

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Todd Jones made his official retirement announcement today. While the news broke yesterday, it was obscured by the long overdue Matt Millen firing. Today, we have some notes and links of interest:

Jason Beck covered the presser today, and it sounds like Jones got emotional, as he’s prone to doing. For all the complaints around the Tigers about effort, heart, pride, loyalty, etc. they were elements that could never be questioned with Jonesy. If you so desire, you can check out the presser for yourself.

The Tigers will honor Jones with a pregame ceremony on Saturday. The ceremony will take place at 6:50, so if you’re heading down try and get in a few minutes early and cheer Todd on. I’m a little bummed because I’m going to 2 of the 3 games this weekend and I’m missing that one.

Jones is going to be a big part of FSN’s telecast on Friday night. Jones will be on the Tigers Live Pregame show, and the whole show will be a Jones retrospective. It will take place in the Big Cat Court. He’ll also spend an extended stint in the booth with Rod and Mario.

On a slightly humorous note, the American Mustache Institute takes a look at the 2 Detroit mustache’s that stepped aside yesterday.

2008 Season, Managing & Strategy

Dombrowski says Leyland will be back

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Dave Dombrowski told Lynn Henning and the Detroit News that Jim Leyland will be managing the Tigers next year. Seeing as this wasn’t a sound bite, it’s tough to get a flavor for how ringing the endorsement was given this is the quote that Henning had:

“Yes, oh yeah,” Dombrowski said when asked if Leyland would absolutely return in 2009. “He’s under contract next year.”

No mention of his aptitude or qualifications, simply a statement that Leyland is under contract. Curious?

As for my take, I agree with Leyland in that he stunk this year. I’ve never been a fan of his in game management, but watching the 2006 team made me question my previously held belief that managers couldn’t really make that much of a difference. Maybe a capable leader could motivate professionals making millions of dollars to play better.

But then there was this year. A year when the team came out flat. When the team was making fundamental baserunning, fielding, and pitching mistakes. That’s all on Leyland’s watch. The good of 2006 and the bad of 2008.

Then there is the matter of the August-September swoons. I wasn’t worried the first 2 years, because a sample of two hardly marks a trend. But this year’s limp to the finish line is enough to make me concerned.

In short, I don’t know if I want him back.