  Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7811 Registered: 11-2004 |
Well put Ravine. That might very well be what's wrong with Bondo. I get the feeling in this day and age of over analyzing pitches, arm motion, pitch counts, and every other third stat about a player, they forget it's still a game. Just let him work his way out of it. As much as we kvetch about how he's under performing, I think it's obvious to him as well. I don't think anyone has questioned his desire to improve or his drive to succeed. Whether he accomplishes it or not will remain to be seen. We can only hope. | ||
7andkelly Member Username: 7andkelly Post Number: 449 Registered: 04-2008 |
I think he's just a head case. Hopefully veteran leadership will help him. Hernandez sure isn't adding value. Bring in a good shrink for him, Verlander, Robertson, and Inge (for hitting only). Jones and Shefield are head cases too, but they are beyond help. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2272 Registered: 01-2006 |
Another thing about the starters' troubles: You can't tell a guy to "just relax and throw strikes" if he doesn't have confidence in the seven guys playing behind him. Having the increasingly wooden Carlos Guillen to the right and Miguel Cabrera, learning a new position, to the left probably makes a guy feel like he would be better off if he could just strike the batter out. Edit for nit-picking grammatical adjustment (Message edited by ravine on May 13, 2008) | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 451 Registered: 11-2007 |
I heard on tv last week that Bonderman through an incredible major league leading 38% sliders last year. Robertson was actually 2nd in the league at 22%. I was complaining about Bonderman not using his slider in the 1st inning but that would only make it worse. Now I know why he needs a change up so badly. He can't seem to spot his fastball on the corners either. I don't know what the answer is but he sure won't be around too long throwing that many sliders. It's by far the hardest pitch on the arm. It's also the pitch that most often ends up in the seats when you make a mistake with it. | ||
Flanders_field Member Username: Flanders_field Post Number: 401 Registered: 01-2008 |
16-23 Yikes!! Tigers fans would have been scratching their heads trying to figure out what was wrong if they were even playing .500 ball so far this season. This can no longer be simply called an early season slump, with nearly a quarter of the season played, they now are proving that they are very capable of posting a 100 loss season. (Message edited by Flanders_field on May 13, 2008) | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7815 Registered: 11-2004 |
The one saving grace that I still hold close is that despite playing so lousy is that everyone else in our division is too. Who'd ever think that the team that's leading the Central is barely over .500? I'm not absolving the Tigers of anything at all but the overall league standings do still give us some hope if we ever catch fire. Being 4.5 games out still isn't bad for playing as lousy as they have. I just wish they could sustain something right now. It's just so darn inconsistent! One game they look like world beaters followed by a game where it looks as though any kids' sandlot team could school them. Maybe the boys will string a few wins together and actually realize how good they can be. Overall team confidence issues perhaps? Leyland can only tinker so much before that well runs dry too. I'm hoping that someone on the team steps up, goes five for five, scores a ton of runs, and carries the team for awhile. In the last two years, we've had that and it's since gone for whatever reason. I'm hoping they find it soon and the rest of the Central stays in its funk. At the rate the division is going, the lone leader could conceivably win the division with 80 games! Amazing! | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 453 Registered: 11-2007 |
At least we can be certain of one thing - all of our hitters are off the juice! | ||
Flanders_field Member Username: Flanders_field Post Number: 402 Registered: 01-2008 |
Looks like the Tigers have had some kind of bad karma invade the team's spirit over the off-season, the 2007 team at this point would easily beat this version in a 7 game series. I guess that this proves that sometimes a team can subtract by using addition. Al Ackerman said it best: Tigers are fat and slow. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 454 Registered: 11-2007 |
Maybe they should take their wallets out of their back pockets.  | ||
20043_stotter Member Username: 20043_stotter Post Number: 294 Registered: 03-2007 |
Flanders, It's a disease the tigers caught from the Lyin's. Symptom 1. The seasons over in the very beginning.  I'm not happy they caught it, but this season is over. No playoffs unless there is a big change. I don't see it happening. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 458 Registered: 11-2007 |
It's 9:45. I'll check back in a couple of weeks. Let me know if the Tigers have scored a run. | ||
Flanders_field Member Username: Flanders_field Post Number: 413 Registered: 01-2008 |
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Flanders_field Member Username: Flanders_field Post Number: 414 Registered: 01-2008 |
Sweep #2 by the Royals both home and away. 4-15 vs the CD, 16-25 overall, and facing the contending Diamondbacks with almost the opposite record of 25-15 in their next series. Shameful and embarrassing, this team is acting like they are playing out the string in September, and it is only the middle of May. Ordonez will likely be the Tigers' lone representative in this season's All-Star game as a reserve, and I will not vote online for any of them, unlike last season. Tigers' management will reap the rewards of the ticket sales this year because of the pre-season hype, but next year might be different, esp. if the team loses 90+ games. The state's economy is just as awful as the team is. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 460 Registered: 11-2007 |
The only way I would have believed this record at the start of the season was if the entire bullpen imploded and Jones blew 7-8 games. This may be the only yr we see Tiger payroll at this level. Ilitch took his shot and we certainly can't blame him for that. Next yr. expect the loss of Sheffield (buyout), Pudge, Rogers, Jones #2, etc. to return payroll to about $100 million. They will be replaced by a little more youth (Porcello, Joyce, Rayburn, Inge), one mid-level free agent and hopefully more energy. I don't see any of our guys under contract for next yr generating much trade interest. | ||
Ravine Member Username: Ravine Post Number: 2276 Registered: 01-2006 |
I still believe that my earlier statement is accurate. I think we will be seeing Guillen as the DH, and Inge back at 3B. I figure that Cabrera is not thrilled about being forced to play 1B, but at this point, I don't care. Sheffield is at the finish line of a long, Hall Of Fame-level career. It's too bad, but that's the way it is. He is very expensive, so it sucks to have to "buy him out," but the guy cannot help us anymore, at all. I think the moves I described will help to repair the team's "chemistry." I know Leyland doesn't put any real importance on that, but I think he is absolutely wrong. This team, vibrant & happy not so long ago, now looks joyless and dead. For Leyland to insist that "chemistry" is a bullshit issue underscores the now-obvious fact that he has no idea what he is talking about, or what to do. I am tired of hearing him use the phrase, "it's a no-brainer." Every time he says that, I think to myself, Yeah, it's a no-brainer, alright, but what you mean and what I mean are two different things. If Jim Leyland has no idea of what to do next, in this wretched and depressing situation, then it is time for him to go away, and take his coaching staff with him. The pitchers can't trust in the hitters and fielders, the hitters can't have confidence in the starting pitchers, and it looks like none of them can depend on Leyland and his staff for anything. Leyland sure seems like a nice guy, but we know what they say about nice guys, and it sure as hell looks like that's where this team is going. | ||
20043_stotter Member Username: 20043_stotter Post Number: 300 Registered: 03-2007 |
Your post is well taken and I agree with you. | ||
Zitro Member Username: Zitro Post Number: 442 Registered: 04-2008 |
I was at the game yesterday, and was embarrased to the point I felt like taking off my Tiger gear. Lifeless, unmotivated, listless, not a good way to go through life. | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 464 Registered: 11-2007 |
I agree that Guillen is going to be at DH next year. I'm confident Cabrera will learn to play a decent 1st base. I get the feeling he thinks 1st is easy compared to 3rd and doesn't realize the work he needs to put in to be above average. You hate to make a 25 yr old the full-time DH. We've been lucky with Maggs' knees the last 2 yrs. He's next in line to DH after Guillen. He already lets way too many balls drop. Joyce is the one positive this yr. He came out of nowhere. I would love to see him in right and Rayburn in left next yr. but there's only one DH spot. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7842 Registered: 11-2004 |
Has Cabrera looked bad playing first? I don't think so. He seems to handle the fielding without too much of a problem and his footwork seems okay; he doesn't get twisted up on his way to the bag. And hustle? He seems to be doing it; last week during a Yankees game I saw him lay out for a screamer. He's got the guts for it. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4790 Registered: 02-2005 |
I'm pretty embarrased to be a Tigers fan right now. I've lost no interest, just a lot of faith in their ability to execute at a basic level. | ||
20043_stotter Member Username: 20043_stotter Post Number: 303 Registered: 03-2007 |
Just about anybody should be embarassed to be a tiger fan. | ||
7andkelly Member Username: 7andkelly Post Number: 548 Registered: 04-2008 |
I'm disappointed, but their still my Tigers. If I stayed with them hoping they wouldn't lose their 120th game to the Twins, I'm not going anywhere. Still, I'm disappointed. | ||
Flanders_field Member Username: Flanders_field Post Number: 424 Registered: 01-2008 |
Disgraceful, keep this up through the entire season and some records in futility will fall, guaranteed. | ||
Smogboy Member Username: Smogboy Post Number: 7859 Registered: 11-2004 |
If we really didn't care, we wouldn't be grousing about them here. That's what fans do. Yeah, it's disappointing considering all of the hope, hype & promise at the beginning of the year. It's still kind of mind boggling to think that we can't seem to hit for some reason. Matt Joyce- our most consistent power hitter as of late? Unheard of! I'm not so sure if the management can explain it any better than we fans can. That being said, I'm not so sure if the players can explain their lack of productivity either. Perplexing, very perplexing to say the least. | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4800 Registered: 02-2005 |
^^Sick of you. ---- Seven shutouts so far? That rate is far worse than the '03 Tigers, I believe. Pretty sure it's time for Legendary Lloyd to leave. | ||
20043_stotter Member Username: 20043_stotter Post Number: 305 Registered: 03-2007 |
Mack, They are sickening and Leyland will not be here very much longer. But that will not make the tigers any better. 97.1 FM, had a discussion that implied the tigers are not a team but 3 separate groups. Hispanics, Blacks and whites. they do not chum with each other in the locker room or elsewhere. The Hispanics speak their native tongue and nobody knows what they are saying and the other 2 groups do not chum. If true, this could present a major reason. Have you heard this before? | ||
Mackinaw Member Username: Mackinaw Post Number: 4803 Registered: 02-2005 |
Nope, and I don't know why that would apply to the Tigers more than any other MLB team, because they all are multi-ethnic like that. I would think the only reason they wouldn't have great chemistry like in '06 is because there are so many big names and good resumes that the egos might clash from time to time. Plus there was no stress in '06, and there's nothing but expectations now. I don't think its an excuse, but it certainly explains how on-edge they are. Only mental problems could explain a team having 20 fewer wins then they ought to have. | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 626 Registered: 10-2006 |
quote: quote: USA TODAY article Sure sounds like they're on edge. quote: Ahhh. Yeah. the Tigers are not 37-7 because they have mental problems. You really expected them to go 37-7 with all the parity in the league this year? Please explain. (Message edited by dds on May 20, 2008) | ||
401don Member Username: 401don Post Number: 467 Registered: 11-2007 |
If Cabrera didn't have those 4 yrs in Fla. behind him, I'd swear he was a talented rookie who might waste his obvious potential. He jokes around when he should be serious or angry at himself. He doen't work counts and swings at pitches a foot outside. He may put up some good numbers but he doesn't look like the kind of guy you build a franchise around. By no means, am I putting this horrible start all on his shoulders though. You just notice these things when the team is so bad. | ||
7andkelly Member Username: 7andkelly Post Number: 583 Registered: 04-2008 |
Grilli's view is telling, but if I'm him, I'm not. What team is going to want to bring a blabbermouth into their clubhouse...especially a player on the fringe like Grilli. That said, how do you have a team concept when they're all divided into these cliques? Leland knows what's happening, so what does he have to do? Appease everyone? No wonder it's a mess. Of course, if they were winning like they were supposed to, no one would be discussing this. |
