What the 2009 Detroit Tigers are Doing Wrong

1.  Relief Pitching

It is very unreliable.  I love Jim Leyland as a manager but he has too much confidence in those relievers who struggle and turn a game into a really close game.  Sure Rodney is near perfect in save opportunities, but how many times has he come out and gone 1-2-3 in the 9th inning?  Most of his outings either loads the bases and/or gives up a run or two, to bring the score even closer.  Zumaya needs to control his stuff a lot better.  He was good when he first started out a few years ago, but he’s trying to hard to be the hardest thrower.  That is not what this team needs, just let your defense win you the game. 

2.  Starting Pitching

Verlander and Jackson are atop the AL for starting pitchers and I do not have anything to criticize them on.  Galarraga needs to find his groove like he had last season or he will face the minor league in the upcoming years.  He was lights out when he came in for Willis last season, what happened?  And speaking of Willis, anxiety?  Anxiety is just an excuse for being scared.  He clearly does not have the mindset to be a major league pitcher if he is scared to take the mound.  Must be nice to make all that money and pretty much do little to nothing for it.  Porcello is up for candidacy for AL Rookie of the Year, congrats, you deserve it!  What 20 year old do you know of that can pitch as well as he does.  He will be just as good, if not better, than Justin Verlander in my opinion.  I am curious as to see how Washburn is going to perform in a Tigers jersey, if he pitches the way he has been the last month or two, the Tigers should easily clench the AL Central between him, Verlander, Jackson, and Porcello. 

This kind of goes to pitching in general.  I understand the run support is not always behind them in every game, but do not feel obligated to try harder.  This is where overstriding and overthrowing plagues pitchers and increases pitch count and base on balls.  Just keep playing your game and before the score racks up too high maybe the bats will come alive.  They have less of a chance of getting started if you’re down by 10 runs.

3.  Offense

Power is not everything.  Inge has gotten a lot more pop on his hits, but his average is only up on his career average by 16 points.  Not every hit has to be a homerun, string together some singles and a couple extra base hits too.  Cabrera is on his way to an average season so nothing too bad here, except for the fact that most of his homeruns are solo shots, do something with men on why don’t ya.  Also, I was kind of hoping Leylands idea of having him at first base would help his offensive presence but it hasn’t.  Granderson still hasn’t quite gotten the handle on lefties.  If he can work on this more in the offseason then he will be atop most all stats in the AL.  The pickup of Gerald Laird to replace Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez has proved beneficial.  He is much faster and is one of the best at throwing out runners.  As long as Guillen keeps producing the wya he has since he came of the DL (along with all the other batters) the Tigers could pummel the opposing pitchers out of the game early on.

4.  Defense

I love seeing Inge at the “hot corner” as he is one of the best to play that position.  Of course he is overshadowed by big names such as Alex “A-Rod” Rodriguez and Chone Figgins, but lets face it, he plays more balls in a game then they do!  Most of his errors were dives that he had to quickly get up and throw the ball, most other fielders would not have been able to field the ball. 

5.  Magglio/Thomas

I like Leylands approach to having these two alternate, but they both have to realize that he is simply having the two compete for that spot.  Bust your butt to make that spot yours!  Magglio better put up record stats in the final third of the season or he can forget about his contract for next season.