Leyland embarrassed as Tigers struggle

Leyland embarrassed as Tigers struggle: 'I really can't believe this is happening'
By Bob Nightengale • USA TODAY • May 20, 2008

Get the full article here http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080520/SPORTS02/80520006/1050/SPORTS02

Here is a part of it that really embarrassed me!

Sheffield looks around the clubhouse. It is two hours before game time against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and video is being shown of Dan Haren, the opposing pitcher.
No one is watching.
Cabrera, who had never faced Haren, is asleep in a chair. Magglio Ordonez has his back turned to the TV and is reading a magazine. A handful are playing cards.

Can you believe that?!!

Yes, I can believe it. They've tried all the tricks up their collective sleeves except the obvious.......they need new management.

Something or someone has to wake them up! It's obvious Leyland is not the "someone" here....

What is pissing me off about that article is how Guillen says "it wasn't fair to us" that the media hyped up their capabilities for the season.
Hmmm. Let's be really fair about this. Somebody in the Tigers franchise had to generate this to the media. The media is not going to go out looking for it, because there are 30 other teams trying to do the same thing! The Tiger franchise started the hype! Maybe the players should complain to the office and tell them not to build them up so much!

Free Press wrote:

"I'm so sick and tired of this," DH Gary Sheffield says. "Every single day. If we do one thing right, we do two things wrong.

"And when we don't play good defense, it turns ugly, which is happening now.

"We ain't done nothin' right."

The Tigers aren't pointing fingers toward one another, perhaps because the culpability is shared.

Miguel Cabrera, who signed an eight-year, $152.3 million contract extension this spring, is hitting .182 with runners in scoring position, going 12 days without an RBI until last weekend.

The pitching has been just as bad. Three starters have an ERA of at least
6.00. Ace Justin Verlander, who won 35 games the last two years, is
1-7. Jeremy Bonderman, the No. 2 pitcher, has two wins. Dontrelle Willis, acquired along with Cabrera from the Florida Marlins and given a three-year, $29 million extension, is having as many control problems on his rehab assignment as he did in his two starts (nine walks in five innings).

THEY STINK! AND SHEFF KNOWS IT

Free Press wrote:

But, oddly enough, eerily calm inside.

"It's so relaxed in here," says Sheffield, who is hitting .189 with two home runs and eight RBI as he struggles with right shoulder pain. "I don't know if that means that we don't have a killer instinct or we're just a real loose
team. I've never seen anything like it."

TOO CALM, NO KILLER INSTINCT IS THE TRUTH!

Free Press wrote:

"We used to pride ourselves on beating those high-dollar teams," says utility man Brandon Inge, who lost his starting third-base job after Cabrera's arrival. "We wanted it more. We played hard. We hustled. We ran everything out. We fought for nine innings.

"Now we're that team we used to beat. I don't want to get into it, but it's just different now."

THEY KNOW THERE IS A HUGE PROBLEM... MANAGEMENT IS NOT TRYING TO PUMP THEM UP, THEY ARE LULLING THEM TO SLEEP!

Free Press wrote:

He acknowledges his team could be more close-knit, but that's a byproduct of losing, he says.

"That's everybody's cop-out all the time," Leyland says, "that chemistry must not be good. No, the chemistry is not good right now because we're
getting … beat."

NO, THAT IS YOUR COP-OUT LEYLAND!

Free Press wrote:

Yet, Leyland says, with seven All-Stars in the starting lineup and virtually everyone having postseason experience, he insists they should have welcomed the expectations.

"We should be able to handle it," Leyland says. "But for whatever reason, we're not playing like we welcomed it. We're not playing relaxed."

There's still time.

The Tigers are reminded that the New York Yankees were counted out after
their 21-29 start last year and still reached the playoffs.

And no one has taken off in the AL Central, leaving the Tigers 6 1/2 games out of first place.

"If we were all flashes in the pan, it'd be different," Jones says. "But we all have long track records. I know we can do this.

"If we figure out what we're all about, we won't have to worry about anybody else in the league.

"And if we don't, we won't have to worry about anybody else, because we'll be buried."

YOU ARE PLAYING TOO RELAXED! YOU IDIOT!

And Todd is right in saying "And if we don't, we won't have to worry about anybody else, because we'll be buried."

I have to be gone for a short while this morning but I'll keep checking the sites too. Something has to go down, and soon!

"And closer Todd Jones was left stranded in the bullpen, with one save opportunity since April 29."

Pisses me off the most.

"That wasn't fair to us."

That is true.

Fire Leyland!

embarrassment over. We need some ACTION!!

Disgusting. Fire the whole damn coaching staff!

This is embarrassing! We have the 2nd highest payroll in all of baseball, and have the 2nd worse record in all of baseball! The pitching isn't getting it done, my 7 yr old Daughter can hit a ball harder and farther than some of these clowns, and Leyland isn't going on a rampage....what's wrong with this picture???

The players have held "players-only" meetings....but what is being said? Are they saying "Look...we just have to look like we're trying, it doesn't matter if we win."???? Well...I have news for them....they don't even look like they are trying!!!!! They look like a bunch of over-paid pansies that think they can go through their career collecting a paycheck and not do anything to earn it. This is Really pissing me off! It's time Dombrowski did something about it! Weather it's fire Leyland, or threaten the players to trade them...Something has to be done! This lineup is supposed to be one of the most feared in the league...instead, they look like a bunch of National League pitchers up there at the plate!

Go to my "Rants Go Here" thread in the Whatever section!

I really don't want to be a part of all of this 'Fire Leyland' 'Fire Jones' 'Fire *insert name of any person that is associated with the Tigers*' but something needs to change. I don't really think the problem is with the players because there is no reason we should be playing like this, I think the problem is in the managerial staff. I don't care what you do to fix it but it needs to be fixed soon.

The first step is to walk into the clubhouse with a needle and burst all of these huge egos.

mrsrabelo wrote:

I really don't want to be a part of all of this 'Fire Leyland' 'Fire Jones' 'Fire *insert name of any person that is associated with the Tigers*' but something needs to change. I don't really think the problem is with the players because there is no reason we should be playing like this, I think the problem is in the managerial staff. I don't care what you do to fix it but it needs to be fixed soon.

The first step is to walk into the clubhouse with a needle and burst all of these huge egos.

...and watch the money spill out!

mrsrabelo wrote:

I really don't want to be a part of all of this 'Fire Leyland' 'Fire Jones' 'Fire *insert name of any person that is associated with the Tigers*' but something needs to change. I don't really think the problem is with the players because there is no reason we should be playing like this, I think the problem is in the managerial staff. I don't care what you do to fix it but it needs to be fixed soon.

The first step is to walk into the clubhouse with a needle and burst all of these huge egos.

By no means am I suggesting firing anyone...but I do think something needs to be done...and done quickly! We got a big win tonight....I just hope it carries through and we can keep it going!

Leyland SHOULD be embarrased by his team, including his woeful managing.

Time to exit gracefully, old man!!

very well put Tigersaint!

tigersaint wrote:

Leyland SHOULD be embarrased by his team, including his woeful managing.

Time to exit gracefully, old man!!

My thoughts exactly.

tigersaint wrote:

Leyland SHOULD be embarrased by his team, including his woeful managing.

Time to exit gracefully, old man!!

I think he'll be done after the ASG.