The Detroit Tigers shouldn’t be struggling. They brought in Edgar Renteria, Miguel Cabrera, Dontrell Willis, and even the former Tiger, Jacque Jones, to make their already strong lineup an even stronger powerhouse. Still, the Tigers are struggling to win against even the most mediocre of teams. I’ve spoken about the inconsistent pitching, but the problem is much bigger than that.
There are several things that could and should be fixed to make the Tigers more powerful and productive. It’s not just the pitching that has been showing lackluster performance value. Infield boggles, sad at bat performances and unproductive hitting with batters on base have led the Tigers down the road towards being at the bottom of the AL’s Central division, and second to last in the entire AL. Luckily, there is still hope for the Tigers and here is what I think Jim Leyland should do to get his team back in the game:
First, Jim needs to seriously sit down and look at his pitching staff. Most of his starters, with the exception of Jeremy Bonderman, have been consistently inconsistent. Kenny Rogers pitches well early on, but he must be taken out when he begins to show signs of fatigue. This will prevent 5th-7th inning scoring that Rogers has consistently been giving up. Verlander can handle it to the 7th or longer in most games, but he has inconsistent backup. Galarraga has amazing days and not so amazing days, but overall does well.
Leyland needs to pick up a new starter. He needs to drop Nate Robertson. The only wins he’s gotten this season have come from the bats coming alive and the fielders backing him up. I think they know he needs the extra boost of assistance, so they play extra hard. Robertson doesn’t have the ability to strike people out consistently (or at all). It’s time to say goodbye to the pitcher that most of Michigan is sick of seeing mess up.
Leyland needs to get rid of his inconsistent pitchers. Cruceta needs to go back to Toledo for a bit longer, to perfect his pitches. He has promise, but he’s not quite there yet. Zach Miner is rarely on, and he’s very inconsistent so it’s time for him to go. Bobby Seay should only be brought in when absolutely needed. One possible option for pitching is the Hen’s Casey Fossum, who has been showing off his pitching ability with 2 wins this season and just 18 hits in a little over 39 innings pitched, across ten different games.
Next, the lineup needs consistency. Leyland has been playing musical batters with his batting lineup as though he is unsure who needs to be in to win the game. This is what I propose. Cabrera and Polanco should stay at 1st and 2nd in nearly every game. Gary Sheffield is in a slump. He’s rarely ever on anymore. Carlos Guillen is struggling at 3rd. He made a much better SS. He needs to be taken out of the field and made the DH. Brandon Inge, who is the best 3rd baseman I’ve seen, has been hitting a lot more consistently. He needs to return to 3rd permanently.
Pudge Rodriguez shouldn’t take hiatuses from any game. He’s the best catcher in MLB. He’s pretty much the best catcher of all time. Instead, when the Tigers have a lead, if Pudge needs a break, then he should be taken out mid-game. He really does need to start each game because his starters need his guidance to pitch more accurately. I would say that Brandon can fill in and Ryan Rayburn can take over in third on these rare occasions, but it might be best to keep Brandon at third and find another catcher.
The SS position needs to be equally played by Ramon Santiago and Edgar Renteria. When Renteria is on he’s on and when he’s not, he’s terrible. Santiago is young, enthusiastic, and has shown some skill for the game and position every time he’s been put in to play. I would have the two play alternate days, but it might be better to start out with one and then change to another mid-game. Either way should work to make the team more productive.
The right field position should remain Magglio Ordonez’s place. They need to work with Mags on his hustle, but he does well, for the most part, in the field. He’s too good a hitter to remove from any game. Curtis Granderson is a brilliant center fielder. He doesn’t need to move anywhere.The main left fielders need to be Ryan Rayburn and Matt Joyce. They both can hit and Ryan is one of the most amazing fielders the Tigers have. On the rare occasions when Magglio or Granderson gets the night off, Ryan needs to fill their positions, especially the one in center field. One occasion, Marcus Thames and Gary Sheffield could also play left field, but not as much as the other two. They just need to come in when the Tigers need power hitters.
Finally, the pitchers need to be taken out before too much damage can be done. I know starters want to get their five innings, but if they suck and its clear they’re having a bad day its better to take them out and get the team a win instead of the starter a loss. I’d rather have a no win/nothing than a loss, but that’s just me.
These are the main issues that I feel would solve the main problems the Tigers are having. Of course, the rest is up to them. Without consistent hitting, the Tigers won’t improve so maybe they need some extra batting practice. Whatever they do, they need to become more consistent. While I doubt Jim Leyland is going to follow my advice, it would be nice to see most of it come true! Only then, do I think we can resume our reign at the top of the AL.
Technorati Tags: Detroit Tigers, Jim Leyland, Magglio Ordonez, pitchers, Justin Verlander, Pudge Rodriguez, Migel Cabrera, batting order, losing team, MLB, baseball
Written by Dominick Evans - Visit Website
No comments yet.