Tigers have players-only meeting before game

Tigers have players-only meeting before game
Lynn Henning / The Detroit News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With a three-game losing streak and a 16-24 record causing concern in the Tigers' clubhouse, players held a half-hour meeting ahead of Thursday's game against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium.

There was no initial explanation as to who called the meeting, or what was said. But Tigers manager Jim Leyland said it had nothing to do with him.

"I didn't have a meeting," Leyland said, indicating he had no idea what had been discussed. "I don't know anything about it."

The Tigers have been in a terrible funk, offensively, for most of the spring. They lost the first two games of the Royals series despite receiving two solid pitching efforts from starters Nate Robertson and Justin Verlander.

The Tigers move to Arizona this weekend for their first interleague series of 2008.

Yeah, that worked out real well...

:haha:

MAYBE THEY ARE TRYING TO GET THE NERVE UP TO ASK FOR LEYLAND'S HEAD!

What could they possibly have talked about and then NOT win?!?!?

05/15/2008 3:30 PM ET
Players-only visit looks to stem pressure
After losing nine of 11, Tigers focusing on relaxing at the plate
By Jason Beck / MLB.com

KANSAS CITY -- After all the Tigers' struggles the last couple weeks, a team meeting was called on Thursday. This one, however, came from the players, not the manager.

Tigers players met on their own in the visiting clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium for a lengthy gathering Thursday morning prior to their series finale against the Royals. The get-together was supposedly called on the spur of the moment after back-to-back losses in the first two games of the series, including a 2-0 shutout Wednesday night.

The Tigers entered Thursday having lost nine of their last 11 games. Their 16-24 record put them in the American League Central cellar, five games back of the first-place Twins, and just one game out of the AL's worst record. Seattle entered Thursday with a 16-26 record. Only Colorado and San Diego had fewer wins in the Majors, with 15 each.

By all appearances, it was not a meeting high on tension. Players were generally in a good moods and smiling after the clubhouse was opened back up to the media.

That goes in line with part of the focus -- to get players and teammates to relax, especially at the plate, and not feel like they have to put the pressure of the team's struggles all on their shoulders. Manager Jim Leyland said earlier this week that he has talked with his hitters to make sure they aren't pressing or trying to do too much.

"We need to relax and play better," said infielder Ramon Santiago, who started at shortstop on Thursday. "We know we're capable of playing better than we've been playing. Don't feel like you have to do everything [yourself] and be a superhero. Everybody's a team. Everybody's got to do his part.

"We just need to be a group, together. We know we're capable of playing better, but we still have a long season to go. We can pick it up and do special things. It's not over yet. It's a long season, and we can turn this year around if we play together."

The veteran Tigers do not meet frequently, with or without the manager's involvement. Leyland had a postgame meeting with his players last month after a loss at Chicago, supposedly to focus on better at-bats. Aside from that, however, he has tried not to yell or scream at his club. If anything, he has tried to serve as a confidence booster over the last week and a half. One way or the other, he does not try to organize many meetings over the course of a season.

Jason Beck is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Looks like it did not work! Sadly, Ramon Santiago had a very bad day on trying to get to, or hold on to the ball.

This team needs a team leader! It seems whoever the glue was, that held the team together the last two years, is no longer there, or the one they look up to anymore. I would not be surprised if Casey was not more important, than they thought.

Casey was it, IMHO.

The meeting worked! Tigers scored more runs in today's game than they have in quite some time. They lost, but they scored!!





Careful tomorrow though - Haren'll pitch a no-hitter if they aren't careful.

catbox_9 wrote:

Careful tomorrow though - Haren'll pitch a no-hitter if they aren't careful.

Who's team are you on?

mrsrabelo wrote:

catbox_9 wrote:

Careful tomorrow though - Haren'll pitch a no-hitter if they aren't careful.

Who's team are you on?

I'm a Tigers fan and I proved it in my Phoenix trip thread (look at the hats!)

Still, our bats are dead, the Dbacks have the best record in baseball, and Haren is a hell of a pitcher. That spells trouble no matter how you slice it.

This will be a hard piece of work today against the Dbacks! Correct catbox, Haren is just sharp as hell and our bats still in hibernation.

I still have faith and believe in our team, but tonight could get nasty! Go TIGERS!!! Show us what you're capable of! This is the moment!

I'm scared of tonight. Thank goodness it's Miller time elsewhere

SoulRat wrote:

I'm scared of tonight. Thank goodness it's Miller time elsewhere

Acutally it's Miller time in my hands at the moment. No worries about my drinking.... it's friday and 7:15PM here. :lol:

Lucky Lucky you, its friday and 1 freakin 22 here, now im in keyboarding just chillin

it's Bud Light Lime time!

laprimamirala wrote:

it's Bud Light Lime time!

That sounds like a great idea. 4 more hours and its time for girls night!

geez, there's been no reason for girls night lately! Bats are dead!

laprimamirala wrote:

geez, there's been no reason for girls night lately! Bats are dead!

I've been kinda using that as the reason

I am going out dancing and with some girls I've known since High School tonight. I can watch the big screen from the dance floor and still cheer the on!

you go girl!

Tigers gonna knock Haren out of the game by the fifth inning!


Our bats will come alive in Arizona this weekend!


D-Backs Team ERA gonna be jacked after the Tigers leave town!


Sweep em Tigers!

Like this GS!

YES!


THE TIGERS WILL DO IT!

IT SHALL BE DONE!


GO TIGERS GO!

Another 1-3 performance.....GREAT!!

Thank God for Armando!!

tigersaint wrote:

Thank God for Armando!!

He is our best pitcher!