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Entry #2

Jim Leyland Is The Problem In Detroit, Not The Solution

Posted August 11, 2011, 7:40pm by Chris Fetterman

The NFL is about to kick off, the sun is still shining, the birds are still chirping, and the Tigers are actually playing with a small amount of emotion tonight...I honestly don't know what to think. But, I'm going to pull a Dennis Miller and go off on a rant for a moment.

I am a high school swim coach (and water polo) so I don't pretend (or maybe I do) to know what it takes to a) coach another sport and b) make the necessary decisions it takes to be successful in another sport. But is there anyone worse than Jim Leyland at decision making? Now, I am supporter of his (as a man), but his countless poor choices have put the Tigers in too many bad situations, and it seems the players don't want to get themselves out of them. I don't really want to blame "old smokey" but at the end of the day, its the coach that gets put in the firing line. Example: (I'll call it 1 of 10,000,000)

The Tigers are leading the Central Division by 4 games heading into Monday nights epic 14 inning battle against the Cleveland Indians. The time is nearing 1 a.m. EST, the inning is the 12th, and Brennan Boesche is on first base, with no outs. You don't have to know a lot about baseball to know that you want that run too score. You score that run, you throw out there your shut-down-closer in Valverde and you go up 5 games. Instead Andy Dirks, a rookie, a good rookie--a rookie that should be able to bunt at the Major League level, stands at the plate, swinging away, trying to win the ball game with a heroic home run. Well, if you want to win a game in the 1st inning or the 12th inning, you bunt Boesche over--putting him in scoring position, with one out. No. Not Jim Leyland. Leyland gives Dirks the go ahead, and he inevitably grounds into a fielders choice (Dirks not allowed a hit) and gets the go ahead run out at second. They eventually would lose the game in the bottom of the 14th inning by a HBP (which is another story all together).

I am a die-hard Tigers fan, and I like to give everyone the benefit of the doubt...but, are you kidding me? Boesche moves into scoring position, Cabrera (one of the top right-handed hitters in the game) comes up to the plate and has a chance to win the game. Instead, Leyland, Dirks, and the worst hitting coach in baseball blow yet another chance at taking control of the "worst division" in baseball (which I don't agree with). Forget that Leyland rests players every third game, when every other team in contention plays their best players the majority of the time. He also pitches and relies on Justin Verlander for way too many innings (he will ultimately throw his arm out), plays Ryan Rayburn, doesn't play Ramon Santiago or Wilson Betemit, and waits one batter too late to change his pitchers. Forget all of that. Instead you have a manager that refuses to advance his game and his players games.

Jim, you have to stop thinking everybody on your team is a hero and a homerun waiting to happen. I don't coach baseball, but I know baseball, and I know you bunt Boesche over to have a fighting chance to win probably the most important game of the season. Instead, you will lose the series, probably lose two of three in Baltimore, and lose your team, like you always do. Lazy players are one thing (and Detroit is FULL of them), but a lazy coach is another. I have a solution to this though...don't give him a contract extension...oh wait, they just did.

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