“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
The Tigers bullpen has been its Achilles heal for the past four years. The genius Dave Dombrowski, has done nothing to remedy the issue.
Oh, I know he made a half hearted attempt with the acquisition of Soria. But he knew Soria didn’t work out almost immediately and did nothing.
The TBS broadcast showed a statistic of the Tigers bullpen ERA during the last three post seasons. It wasn’t pretty. If I’m not mistaken, the 2011 ERA was over eight. Dennis Eckersley made the comment that the pen has been the single reason the Tigers haven’t won the World Series. (No kidding.)
For some reason, Ausmus keeps sending out the same parade of idiots. I know, ‘what can he do? That’s all he’s got’. I thought you’d never ask. How about leaving Sanchez in for the 8th or how about Kyle Lobstein? How about Porcello? Anybody but Soria, Chamberlain, Coke, Nathan, et al.
Now JV wasn’t good. I thought the home plate umpire was a joke but JV wasn’t good. He got picked up by his offense and Anibal Sanchez who was brilliant.
Do you remember a few months ago when I said third base coach Dave Clark was the second worst third base coach in the history of baseball behind Tom Brookens? I was wrong. He’s worse than Tommy Brookens. His asinine send of Cabrera in the eight with nobody out proved to be a dagger in the heart.
Given the deficiencies this team has it is a wonder they have won four division titles.
I’m sick.
Flashin' Leather 
This loss should be the official closing the window of opportunity with this current roster. As I said with regard to the A’s, the Tigers don’t deserve to advance. They aren’t good enough and now I pray for you playoff ticket holders they lose on Sunday so you can get the rest of your money back…. in a few weeks. I hope they fire Ausmus and bring in Gardenhire, and then blow this roster up.. I’m soooooo tired of watching the same movie over and over again, all the while expecting a different ending…. Stick a fork in them please….
I puked I really did. The sad thing is we could see it coming and could not stop it. I hope the Royals roll and roll and win it all I really want to sit and see what this winter brings. I am going Sunday just ’cause I just gotta see. After that I am ready for the Wings blog…maybe watch Jai Alai….I puked I really did.
The sad part is WE could all see it coming. The fans in Baltimore could see it coming, and cheered at Joba being brought in.. Everyone could see the lunacy f it all, except the one idiot in charge of avoiding such lunacy.. But that was only one in a long list of blunders this manager and coaching staff pulled today.. Took JV out prematurely.. Took Sanchez out prematurely.. Coach sends runner of suspect speed home to make the first out of an inning.. Not only killed the potential for big inning but also put the player at risk of injury.. Manager brings in relief pitchers who only one night earlier showed what they are.. Guys who should be on the DL.. Job a throws 95 but won’t use it.. Sofia has nothing, hasn’t had anything since he’s been here, and the O’s hitters even said his pitches had no movement.. Everyone sees what we see yet the boy wonder manager can’t make the obvious decisions.. I can’t even blame the pitchers anymore because they know they suck,.. This manager and the coaches suck so bad they doesn’t deserve this job anymore.
Upon reflection, I have to cut DD some slack. He tried to shore up the bullpen in the off-season. He acquired Nathan and Chamberlain. And he tried to fix it in July when he got Soria, they haven’t worked out.
I guess the biggest problem I have is that DD, Ausmus and the entire organization doesn’t seem to know when to cut their losses. The window for this team to win is narrow and closing fast. Nathan has been bad from the beginning. Soria has been bad immediately upon acquisition. And Joba has been horrible since the all-star break. Perhaps he should have looked for help beginning in June? I don’t know, Hind sight is 20-20 but we’ve watched this horror story all season.
It is hard for me to believe there was no help internally. But when you look at who the Tigers have tried, Ian Krol, Robbie Ryan, Kyle Ryan, Blaine Hardy, Evan Reed, Buck Farmer, nobody has panned out except for Lobstein and the jury is still out on him. He’s looked serviceable but it has been a small sample.
I can’t totally blame DD either. He made moves that at the time seemed to be the best option available, including the Price trade. None of them have worked out for whatever reason. However, you’re right about them not being able to cut their losses…. Such as how the A’s cut Johnson, or how the O’s moved Hunter out of the closer role, or how KC cut Bruce Chen, or SF moving Lincecum to the pen – again.. DD must realize the manager he hired is not the right person for this job and move on.. He cut Tram and hired Leyland the first chance he had. I can’t even imagine the players trust this manager is capable of making the right decisions.. His explanations are in complete conflict with the current goal of this team – TO WIN NOW.. Why go easy on Sanchez if we’re trying to win now? Why do that with Scherzer or JV? Why pitch Soria since he has been hurt since he got here? This manager and coaching staff show they have a very low baseball IQ and should be shown the door, regardless of what happens the rest of this series.. Even I know not to send a slow runner from 3rd with no outs – even if he would be safe by a mile. Get them out of here please!!!
After a nights sleep and some thought it’s time (for me anyway) to realize what’s done is done and get ready for spring. So I will ask some questions we can’t answer today …but it’s gonna be a long winter. (1) With the contracts on the books who stays/goes? (2) With the contracts they have on the books can they build a team that can compete next year? (3) If not then how/when do you build a team that can compete? IF you believe Iggy comes back AOK do we have a set infield? IF you believe Dirks comes back AOK do we have set corner outfielders and so long Hunter & Davis and we need a center fielder? IF you believe in the Lobsterman and a healthy Sanche is our rotation set? Catcher? I will leave that blank. Which leaves us with the pen….and a long winter.
The only way to build a TEAM is to trade Miggy AND Price for boatloads of major league ready players. But we know Ilitch loves his superstars… Otherwise it will just be more of the same, and will require higher ticket prices and more TV revenue to fund said same. It won’t stop until we stop going and stop watching. I love baseball, but the casual fan is more prone to walk away and look for other forms of entertainment. We’re simply too top heavy and this model has rarely worked. And our minor league talent is not good enough, or have been traded away.
It is just impossible for me to believe that the Tigers don’t have any arms in the minors that can fill out the bullpen. Have we traded them all away? If so, DD fleeced a lot of clubs. The only former Tigers that I can think of that is any good is Andrew Miller.
Here’s what I’m thinking:
Iggy comes back and plays short.
Max is gone.
Sign Price
Sign Victor for no more than 2 years
If Torii will come back for a LOT less, bring him back as a guy off of the bench.
Now, they need two outfielders, defense first then on base % (I’m not sold on Dirks. Despite what Sabre Metrics say, he BLOWS in the outfield.)
Now we need 3 arms in the pen. Is Rondon coming back? I still like Lobstein. I like Kyle Ryan. I’d be skeptical to signing anymore relievers. Joba, Nathan and Soria have ruined the free-agent/trade market. For me at least.
This is a mess. I’m tempted to agree with you about Miggy but think of what this team would be without him. This is one exception. On one leg and a bad groin he should be in the MVP conversation. I really think he is a once in a generation talent.
BTW: Trout only hit .287 and struck out 184 times. And he only drove in two more runs than Miggy. Does that look like MVP numbers?