Because I REALLY like Leyland. I think he did wonders for the Tigers. But when the manager is at a total loss, well, what’s he doing? Setting the lineup and guessing when to pull pitchers? If that’s all he’s doing, then he’s pretty replaceable. If he can’t motivate the team, what’s the point of being the manager? Maybe it’s time for someone more “Lou Pinella”-ish. Someone who will throw a temper tantrum on the field on a regular basis. Cause it sure doesn’t seem as though anyone else is getting very emotional right now.

I still think the majority of the changes need to be in the player domain. I guess I’d be open to a new pitching coach, in fact to me that job would be perfect for Pudge, though not till next year. I’m willing to give Leyland the benefit of the doubt for a couple seasons. I think they pulled the plug too early on Tram and I’d hate to see them do that again with Leyland. It is really tough for me to be objective in these types of discussions.

The primary topic will be Sheffield and what to do with him. I honestly don’t know, since no one but Gary can know what his shoulder feels like. Maybe a 30 day DL and a trip to Lakeland with Zoom and Rodney would do him good. It would also let us see if Joyce can play every day, or if he’s a two-week flash in the pan (also a possibility).

The other topic will be Galarraga and Willis. DD may insist on D-Train, but I get the sense that Skip will fight that tooth and heater.

I don’t think Leyland should go anywhere. My only issues with him are big ones-what in the world was going on at Spring Training and what is up with all of these push-button reactionary moves? The second one I can sort of understand, as desperate people do desperate things. But the big issue to me is that this team was obviously not ready to go on March 31st, and they hoped they could tread water until the jets kicked in on the offense. Oops.

Something’s gotta turn, and fast. But I don’t buy the nonsense that these guys aren’t trying. I was in AZ to watch this weekend, and if anything, I think they are trying too hard.

They say a change is as good as a rest, well I think that’s true here. In my view, the offense has been the problem.

Throw out the 3 games of pounding on the Rangers, and they’re scoring 3.75 runs a game, and have been shut out 7 times. Their pitching has a lousy ERA, but the biggest problem is that the Tigers are never comfortably ahead. That means every pitcher is pretty much always pitching in high leverage, no margin for error situations. Zack Miner is fine as a 2 inning guy when you’re up by 6. His shortcomings are exposed when you have to put him out there in the 7th during a close game, because EVERY game is a close game and the good bullpen arms, (Cruceta?, Jones?, Seay?) can’t pitch every day.

So like I said, I think the pitching, while it hasn’t been good, is the lesser problem. I think they should radically shake up the offense. Run some crazy lineup out there that shakes everyone up. Here’s what I propose:

Carlos Guillen
Placido Polanco
Magglio Ordonez
Miguel Cabrera
Matt Joyce
Pudge Rodriguez
Edgar Renteria
Gary Sheffield
Curtis Granderson

Guillen has got some quicks on the basepath, if not being a basestealer, so he’s fine at the top. Polly is a good #2. They say put your best hitter at #3, that’s probably Maggs. Cabrera hit cleanup in Florida, mayybe he’ll be more comfortable there. Joyce has been hot, move him up. The last 4 are kind of interchangeable, they’ve all struggled to varying degrees. Putting Sheff then Grandy at the bottom gives you the so called “second leadoff hitter” down at the bottom of the order.

The effect of batting order is small anyway, and a lineup this different might shake something loose on this offense.

Entering this season, we all knew what the Tigers were. A mediocre pitching rotation with an amazing offense that would score 1000 runs!!! (remember those talks?) Well, this utter lack of hitting is clearly not only getting into the players heads, but also into the minds of these pitchers.

Imagine starting a game, and KNOWING that you are expected to pitch 7 to 8 innings (due to a proclaimed weak bullpen) and give up no more then 2 runs. Thats enough pressure to get to any pitcher’s head, especially a bunch of 25 year old pitchers and an “its all on me” veteran like Kenny Rogers. And while none of our pitchers have pitched great (save for gallaraga) there have been at least a good 5+ games where the pitching was there and the hitting disappeared. This leads to circular negativity (sorry for the psycho babel) between the pitchers who can’t trust the hitters and the hitters who can’t trust the pitchers.

So with that precursor, here are my changes:

1) Put Sheffield on the 15-day DL (obvious move, that should’ve been done weeks ago).
2) Move Guillen to DH (easy to do when Sheff is moved)
3) Start Inge at 3rd and bring up Hessmen to spell him… the man deserves his shot at 3B.
4) Move Gallaraga to the bullpen (once willis comes back). He can’t stay in the starting rotation but he could also spell Rogers and Dontrele WIllis.
5) Change the lineup. I want to keep Granderson in that 1 spot, but move Cabrera to bat 3rd (keep polanco at 2nd), the rest of the lineup can stay the same.

My Problems with the Coaching:
1. Sheffield getting dragged out there still each game when he clearly is struggling. (nuff said)
2. What exactly is it that Chuck Hernandez and Lloyd McClendon do ? Cuz clearly they don’t have a clue as to how to coach these guys. and while I do believe partly it falls on the players, these coaches NEED to DO SOMETHING to get these guys out of the slump. Oh, and btw, check out Verlanders (and pretty much all the pitchers numbers) each year that Chuck has coached him… consistently getting worse.
3. Guillen can’t play the field, so either work harder with him, or move him to DH.
4. Leyland has ZERO passion of late. Anyone remember the last time he even came out to argue a call? And saying that you don’t know whats wrong with your team (for the past two weeks) is unacceptable, its your damn job to know whats wrong.
5. Give Inge EQUAL games at catcher as pudge (or close to it) if youre not gonna start him at 3rd. Hes our future catcher, treat him as such.

P.S. GO WINGS!!!!! GO PISTONS!!!! (gotta root for the playoff teams in Detroit ;) )

Clete Thomas did great while Grandy was on the DL, bringing him back up maybe be a good spark in the clubhouse. When it comes down to it though, we need to be a more fundmentally sound defensive club, and start swinging the bats, it isn’t out pitching. There wasn’t a game in Arizona that our starter didn’t pitch a jem.

In regard to the rotation, the Tigers made their bed in the past couple of off seasons when they gave long-term contracts to Bonderman, Robertson and Willis. For example, you don’t pay Nate Robertson $7 million a year, then move him to the bullpen. You just don’t do it. Middle relievers/set up guys just aren’t paid that kind of money.

Galarraga has pitched well, but his track record shows he’s an ordinary pitcher playing well over his head. He may continue to pitch extremely well, but his past performance says he’ll come back to earth. I want him on the roster, as you need to ride the hot hand as long as possible. i do like the idea of having him in the pen, available to spell the starters when needed. He’d essentially replace Miner, who has been awful.

Clete Thomas has struggled in Toledo. He’s hitting only .220, with 26 K’s in 26 games.

As for Hessman, he does have power to burn, but seems like a 4A player to me as well. Plus, he’s blocked by Guillen at 3rd, Caberra at 1st, and Sheff at DH.

I think we all agree Sheff needs to be placed on the DL. There’s no signs of it happening, unfortunately.