I don't like it when a manager is blamed for the performance of highly paid baseball players who are seriously underachieving.
To me, ballplayers are responsible for getting themselves together before each game and performing up to their capabilities.
The players on the Detroit Tigers aren't getting the job done, they're not preparing themselves professionally to play baseball, and because we all know you can't fire ballplayers, the players on the Tigers are going to cost their manager, Brad Ausmus, his job.
I never want a manager, or a coach to lose their job, unfortunately, I think Tigers owner Mike Illitch may have no choice but to fire Ausmus, and his coaching staff.
If you think I'm assuming this will fix the Tigers, that bringing in Bud Black, Lloyd McClendonn,or whomever, will make a difference, well, you know what they say about assumptions.
The Tigers are listless, with little, or no offense, and mostly terrible pitching...both at the same time to often so far this year.
They have absolutely no energy at all.
Sunday, Mother's Day, the Tigers got a terrific performance by their star pitcher, Justin Verlander, who pitched 7 innings, allowing just 3 hits, allowing no runs while striking out 9 batters.
Verlander threw 111 pitches, and because this is 2016, and pitch counts are kept track of so closely, Ausmus told Verlander he was done for the day, and brought in the Tigers bullpen to start the 8th inning, leading 2-0.
I didn't like the move at the time because the Rangers had done nothing against Verlander in the game, with just 2 walks and 3 base hits.
For me, I want Ausmus to let Verlander go back out for the 8th inning, and if the first batter gets on base, then he can go get him and bring in a relief pitcher.
When the Tigers came to bat in the bottom of the 8th, the 2-0 lead had turned into a 7-2 Texas Rangers lead, and the Tigers were on their way to their six straight loss in a row.
The Tigers are 14-16, 7 games behind the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central Division.
The Tigers are headed to Washington, D.C., to play the Washington Nationals in a 3 game series that begins tomorrow night at Nationals Park, before moving on to Baltimore to play the Orioles next weekend.
The Tigers, to me, have to find that spark, that missing thing that's going to make them start playing like they should be.
Yes, I gave the team a break early on because of the individual injuries to Cameron Maybin, Daniel Norris, and some others.
That said, the team is just missing something, and I'm not sure the current staff can get it done.
It's not fair that they're to blame for the failures of players, but the coaching staff is responsible for not noticing those problems, and then making the required adjustments.
I think Brad Ausmus is a going to be a very good manager one day, but, unfortunately, I'm pretty sure that's not going to be in Detroit.
Play Ball!
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