Tigers Destiny and their future

[ed mertz]

Like Leyland said on his retirement, " It was time".

[Denny]

I agree with your comments Brian. They could use a manager with more fire and passion than they have had lately but, I would also want a manager that is player friendly as well. To me you had two good ones with Sparky and most recently with Leyland. It will be interesting to see who the next manager will be. However, yeah I know that the Tigers once had Trammell and he was a player's coach and what happened? They lost more than 100 games with him and eventually he was fired. It's just too bad that they can't get Gibby from Arizona. Now, you talk about getting the players all fired up? There's a guy that can definitely do that one and all the fans would love Gibby as a manager. I also think that the Tigers could use some leaders in the clubhouse as well. During the ALCS and the Division Series with Oakland, I just didn't see any type of leadership roles within the players and to me that is what they need instead of egos like Cabrera and Fielder's seem to be along with Torii Hunter as well. It's time to put the chips and egos away and start playing real baseball and show the world and the fans how much you want to play in the D and how badly you want to be here and win in Detroit. I just didn't see that in the playoffs with the manager or the players. Both Dave and Mr. Illitch have got their work cut out for them this off-season and winter that is for certain. Their window of opportunity is shrinking and the talent they have is not getting any younger. In 2014 it will be 30 years already that they last won the World Series. Time is running out for this team and they had better get it together soon and find a way to win the thing like they did in 1984.

[Brian Ferguson]

I think a lot of it is lack of motivation. That I rest on Leyland's shoulders. His standard answer was "It'll sort itself out" well like when your car's service engine light comes on if you don't address the situation no matter how small it tends to become a bigger issue. The vibe I got from the coach was "Yeah we could go to the world series, or I could eat a bowl of tomato soup and take a nap." I think they need a coach that has some fire and isn't scared to challenge these 20 million dollar slackers. I swear when I was sailing I took untold grief from the Twins and Tribe fans on the ships and even though we are far better than we were 10 years ago we still haven't made it.

[ed mertz]

Denny - The Tigers list these 7 bull-pen pitchers --
Benoit, Veras, Smyly, Alburquerque, Alvarez, Coke, and Porcello. Putkonen has been up and down this season alternating with Coke.
I think I'd keep Smyly and Alburquerque with Porcello a 'maybe'. That should make room for new blood in the pen.

[Denny]

Well, I can think of two that need to go but I don't know if you all will agree with me. Surely you will agree though that Benoit has to go without question. I don't know about Phil Coke but, I would say he is another one that needs to get the pink slip. Also, I would say Rick Porcello could be another one but wasn't he a starter turned into a bullpen guy? I think that Drew Smyly might be okay in the pen but, I am not up on the bullpen guys and who should stay and go other than who I mentioned. Hey Ed, how about listing all seven of the bullpen guys and I can say in my view who should stay and who should go.

[ed mertz]

The Tigers list 7 Bull Pen pitchers. I think I'd let about 5 find new homes for next season.

[Randy S]

I cant blame the bullpen as much as the poor performance at the plate. Some of the relief pitchers were brought in to face just 1 batter. Leyland's move of the right fielder from the lead-off position to #8 in the order really helped. I think he should have taken Fielder and Cabrerra and done the same thing - it might have woken them up

[Denny]

Ed Mertz, you must be reading my mind buddy as that is exactly what I was thinking as well. When will the Tigers ever realize that you can't keep going for the power all the time? We tried that game in the past and it didn't work. Just think of this one Ed and many of you fans out there, we had two former relievers that were a bust and later went on to better days with other teams. Geez, don't forget when we had Fernando Rodney and look where he wound up in? If memory serves me correctly wasn't it in Tampa Bay with the Rays? Look what happened as he turned his pitching around down there and improved. Then along came Jose Valverde and he had a couple of good years and then last year he choked it up big time for us. Last you have Benoit who has had a few good games but, more bad ones especially in the playoffs. Oh yeah, I forgot about Joel Zumaya who threw like Verlander over 100 at times but he unfortunately threw it so hard that his arm just about fell off. Guess both Dave and Mr. Illitch had better open their eyes along with their wallets and start getting the right people in here soon. For Jim Leyland I say simply "Thank you Mr. Leyland for bringing back excitement to Tiger baseball, the Motor City and to the D and God Bless you Mr. Leyland!"

[ed mertz]

It's quite clear to me that the Tiger's 'bull-pen' and the lack of hitting lost the series. Nothing wrong with their starting pitchers but, Major changes need to be made with their relief pitchers - just like last year and Many years in the past ! Wake up Dave - we need a new bull-pen.

[Denny]

I heard on the local news and media as well that "Miggy" had a bad groin injury and was playing hurt for more than a month which included the playoffs. They even said along with Dave Dombrowski that "surgery and off-time would not have helped on Miggy's injury that is for certain." Another thing to consider and my brother has said this many times over "Alex Avila is only playing for the Tigers because his Dad is with the Tigers organization." If his Dad was somewhere else, the Tigers probably would have gotten rid of him (Alex Avila) along time back. What I found interesting in watching them play the Sox, "They said the Tigers starting five pitchers were all righties and no lefties." You would think that the Tigers would have had at least one lefty in the starting rotation as most every other team does. It will be interesting to see first who the new manager will be and what changes the Tigers make during the off-season. Surely with the new manager, coaches and player moves and changes are coming and I want to see who they get for coaches and players. The heat and pressure is on the Tigers now more than ever especially for GM/president Dave Dombrowski as he wants the new manager to win and to do it now and fast. Time will tell and I guess we will just have to be patient and wait.

[mcnearney]

I agree with you Denny and they should have taken that series if it wasn't for errors.

[Denny]

I know this is off topic and subject but, just curious what all of you think of today's "shocking announcement of Tigers manager Jim Leyland stepping down after eight seasons with the ballclub?" Anyone care to comment and predict who the next manager will be for the Tigers? Surely after getting embarrassed by the Sox in the ALCS that major changes will have to take place with lots of shakeups and player moves during the off-season. For one, I think it was a waste getting Prince Fielder here don't you think? They said Saturday night during the game, he hit an out to second base about 6-8 times and if you didn't notice that Miguel "Miggy" Cabrera was injured as well. They (the Tigers) definitely need help on both sides of the ball with the hitting and with the pitching. However, I think you got to do something with the bullpen as that is where part of the issue was in the ALCS. You can't have guys like Max and Justin always carrying the load for you. The bullpen has to do the job and the hitting has got to get better. Bottom line here folks, "The Tigers windows of opportunities are shrinking and the players and talent isn't getting any younger." I just don't want to see all the talent the Tigers have get wasted and they start going backward and lose 80-100 games again. Gosh only knows how bad those days were. Sorry for rambling on but, just my thoughts and opinions on this. Anyone have any comments?