Typically, I would lead this blog with a sarcastic depiction of last night's vanquished foe, who happen to be the hapless Pittsburgh Pirates. I've decided against it after losing consecutive series to the Royals and Sox, teams who are sixteen games below .500 combined. In case the Pirates are also reading this blog, I'd like to state my utmost admiration for your stored franchise and believe you are a team on the rise, to be reckoned with for decades to come. Willie Stargell would be proud.
The Tigers are two games above .500 and 4.5 games out of first place. They are 5-5 in their last ten games, as are every other Central Division team. Clearly, this is an average Division and the Tigers have as good a chance as any team to win it (as do the White Sox who are not out of this season yet). The Tigers are treading water, having made no serious run at first place in the last several weeks despite playing a very soft schedule. The Tigers are in the middle of a schedule that started with last place Seattle in late May and finishes with last place Arizona over thirty days. In that span, the Tigers do not have to face a team with a winning record. At the midpoint, they have only taken one series.
The Tigers must take the next three series with a sweep or two mixed in. They play the Pirates, Nationals and Diamondbacks in succession. The Pirates and D-Backs have the worst two records in baseball - they should be swept at home. The schedule really doesn't get difficult until mid-July when we start back through the AL East again. In essence, the season hinges on the next 30 days and Leland needs to find a way to inspire a listless team that can't put all three facets of the game together.
1. Keep the pressure on all non-performers. I commend Dumbrowski and Leland for releasing Willis and Everett for non-performance. Leland needs to keep the pressure on non-performing veterans as we seem to have a stable of young talent ready for the bigs. Scott Sizemore is hitting over .350 at Toledo and might be ready this time if called up. This could shuffle up our infield to add stroke to our lineup.
2. Manufacture some runs. Leland absolutely needs to get more aggressive on the base path and at the plate. The bottom of our lineup is lame which is where a manager needs to find a way to squeeze production. This is how an NL manager has to operate with his pitcher at the plate every three innings. Bunt, squeeze, hit and run, steal - take an aggressive approach knowing you don't have much to work with.
3. Keep Porcello on a short leash. Ricky is going to be great but he's still just a kid and a trip to Toledo might make sense if he continues to struggle. Everyone we send down to Toledo has come back with a vengeance which leads to point four.
4. Change up your coaching staff. Leland should realize that his tenure is not assured if we keep losing (he's been to playoffs exactly once in his five years with the club). I am not sure what Knapp and McClendon actually do. It's strikingly obvious that A.J. Sager has done more with our young arms in Toledo than Knapp could do. Sherzer could barely find the plate with the Tigers, spent three weeks in Toledo and struck out fourteen in his first appearance back in the bigs. Gallaraga looked altogether average over the last season until he spent enough time with Sager and damn neat threw a perfect game in his second start with the Tigers. It goes without saying that hitters are not progressing under McClendon. Make some difficult moves with your staff or the pink slip might be on your desk at the end of the season.
5. Lose your temper in a very public forum. This team does not look inspired and Leland has taken the fatherly approach the last three years. I miss the days when he would blast the team in his post game interviews. Call this team out for under-achieving no matter how many years of tenure they might have. They need a wake-up call as they have the talent to win the Division.
If Leland can pull off a strong thirty days, the Tigers will be in position to make a free agent move or two at the deadline for a push at the pennant. It goes without saying that we could use a bat or two but it's premature to talk about that if we are not even in the hunt after the All Star break.
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