Miguel Cabrera has undoubtedly put up numbers this season that put him on everyone’s short list of most valuable player candidates.
The problem is with the rest of the cast of characters. Johnny Damon and company have not met their end of the bargain. Therfore, it looks like Miguel Cabrera picked the wrong season to become sober.
Comerica Park is in range of Ford Field and the proximity of their inept neighbors has rubbed off on the Tigers during the last couple of months. Jim Carrey could relate to this series of unfortunate events.
By Patrick Herbert
Given that the field is spacious like Petco Park in San Diego, it is curious that their team is configured around power hitters like Miguel Cabrera, Magglio Ordonez, Carlos Guillen, and Brandon Inge.
Some additional Tigers observations/trends:
-Now it’s true that this squad has unquestionably been decimated recently by injuries. Joel Zumaya, Carlos Guillen, Magglio Ordonez and others have all missed some serious time. While every team experiences this unfortunate circumstance, few do to this crippling degree.
Many of the supposed stalwarts that remained in the line-up are not performing to their potential or expectations of the fans and management. Johnny Damon is a shadow of his former game-changing self. The loss of Curtis Granderson has been somewhat offset by the addition of Austin Jackson on the field, but the former has a reputation in the clubhouse that is second to none. He is educated and a worker in the community who inspires others and gives good PR for any organization.
-There is a lack of a strong catching presence this year. Gerald Laird and Alex Avila are posting anemic numbers offensively. Laird could actually use an abdominizer. Catching is the most physically taxing position on the field and his lack of dedication is noticeable in his subpar physique. He is the antithesis of Ivan Rodriguez for the Washington Nationals. His professionalism is evident because he looks better than ever and is still able to catch in a high number of games.
-Detroit and its blue collar workers are extremely hard hit by the recession and their fan consumers have many options for their sports dollar. The attendance numbers at Comerica are still strong, but some wins would keep that going with attention of the fans possibly turning to the Spartans, Wolverines, and Lions in the next few weeks.
-Brandon Inge’s failure to progress in terms of batting average is perplexing. He keeps his home run swing in counts with two strikes; when instead situational hitting and contact should be emphasized.
-While Verlander has been a stud in every way possible, Rick Porcello and Jeremy Bonderman have had their struggles. Porcello is 5-10 with an era around five and a half while Bonderman is 6-8 with an era also north of five at the time this was written.
-Cheer up Tiger fans.
The good news is your team is not in the American League East. They also signed their two top draft picks and they have a committed owner who cares about the franchise and the city. Jim Leyland is a no-nonsense taskmaster who will refuse to let the roster of players go through the motions the rest of the way. If he can deal with Barry Bonds, he can handle anybody!