A loyal reader, John S., made the suggestion that we present an opportunity for fans to sound off on Tiger topics that concern them. So for once, we aren’t picking the topics. You are!
What’s on your mind? What are you concerned about? What do the Tigers need to do? What caught your attention? Please sound off! And we’re giving you the opportunity to do exactly that by increasing comment length to a maximum of 8 sentences for today only. So make it count.
And if you like the opportunity to hand-select your topic, please make sure to submit yours today. A significant response rate will ensure this column appears regularly.
Sooo, what’s on your mind?
Totally Tigers 
As I watch the World Series and try to determine what really impresses me, one word keeps coming to the fore: INTENSITY. Everyone involved from the brass to the manager to the coaches to, of course, the players are focused, enthused, and “into the games”. I, unfortunately, cannot say the same about our Tigers, who often appear lackadaisical and indifferent; they generally display no real excitement and enthusiasm.
Players stand in the batter’s box and watch their magnificent hits end up off the wall for a long single rather than the home run they expected. While on the bases, they must be watching the girls in the stands, for they often make clueless moves. Only about one out of five relays play from the outfield is executed well. And, unfortunately (except for Bruce Rondon–and look how well that did turn out), there are NO CONSEQUENCES. None for the GM, none for the Manager and his coaches, and none for almost all of the top 20 players on the rooster–where is Billy Martin when you really need him!
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A few things and thanks a million for expanding the comment space! First, why have Kirk Gibson down in ST assisting with fielding-base running-base stealing if the team still has base running gaffes and still no running game? What purpose does he really serve? Depending on who gets traded – franchise player or two or perhaps a fan favorite or two – attendance will probably shrink a tad more in 2017. Wouldn’t this be the perfect time to retire 1,3 and 47 in two separate games? These two would be guaranteed sellouts. Last, people text, Facebook, snap chat, surf the Net and anything else on their phones while at the game.Why go and put up with the crowd, traffic, expensive tickets, food, drinks and parking when you can do all that tech stuff from the comfort of your home? Is the game not good enough to sell itself anymore by increasingly catering to millenials?
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Why I cannot justify renewing my season tickets: 1) Why not stay at home rhetorical question like Chuck Terry? 2) Lackadaisical play of Bard Ausmus teams 3) Ownership showing more interest in stadium building than competing. 4)Pay roll cuts should excite me for 2017 because…? 5) Length of games in MLB 6) Lack of direction by management.
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If you like baseball, why are you bothered by the length of the games? Whenever I go, I hate to see the game end. Like Ernie Banks said, “Let’s play two!”. Just saying.
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I like college football too but the games are about four hours long with the tv time-outs and it drives me nuts in person. An MLB game absolutely crawls versus a minor league or college game. Liking the sport and hating the pace of MLB in the stadium are not mutually exclusive.
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As longtime baseball disciple, the Tigers have the appearance of a slopitch team. It almost seems that the Rob Deer/Pete Incaviglia/Mickey Tettleton days are back. Especially when looking at Miggy/Vmart/Upton. Although Miggy is an outstanding swinger of a bat, he lacks all else offensively. Talk of baseball instincts always make me chuckle, it’s just a reach. Look at the best teams in the game. Softball players are not welcomed there.
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Many, many people, some well educated misuse the word instinct. INSTINCT, an innate, typically fixed pattern of behavior in animals in response to certain stimuli. “birds have an instinct to build nests”
Humans, through evolution are just about void of any instinct.
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Survival is an instinct, and we all have it. In life and in baseball, and in any endeavor, we should all want to survive, not slow-trot to first base on a ground ball. Ha!
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Personally, I think the timing on the re-(insert fancy name for payroll cu here) is poor. Since you have a promising looking team at the moment, who may contend with a couple small additions, why not start the season with every effort to win? Cutting payroll and admitting defeat this early will cause a much larger drop in revenue then they will ever make up in salary reduction. I think you wait until the All Star break before salary reduction moves. If the team is rolling it will give you better then the 30 or so million you tried to save. If they fall on their face- trade away to teams who are desperate to win. Who knows, maybe Upton will actually start hot and improve his value.
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Honestly, is there real MLB potential down on the farm? Will AA use these guys in Detroit or will they be better as trade bait?
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First to sound off: Hitters “walk up” music and non baseball noise in general. Came for a BB game not a concert (and I love R&R!). Rain Delays- making fans linger 2-3 hours and deep into the night in order not to have to rechedule and sell more over priced concessions is “just wrong.” (1 hour max rule). Loving World Series and these managers demonstrating to BA that his “set order” (7-8-9) relief pitching is detrimental for maximum winning efficiency. Now my request: Kurt just did piece on DH which I too hate. Let’s now have a blog talk about the STRIKE ZONE and the lack there of (above the belt to arm pits) and more alarming and on the increase, the strike call perameters by individual umpires. Does MLB need an over haul on this? Also, balls glaringly ” off the plate” being called strikes. MLB goes to exceedingly maddening lengths ( replays) to correct umpire “out” calls. Balls and strikes needs similar emhphasis IMO, just no more replay thank you!
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Jerry – lots of ammo in here for future blog topics. Thanks for the contribution! Kurt
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Total agreement jerry !
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My wife and I were at the rain-delayed game years ago that started at 11 and went to 3:30 AM. I generally agree with your rain delay comment, but the memories from that night are priceless. We went in when the gates opened at 5 PM and were there for almost 11 hours. Never did find out why they opted to start that late, but it sure was fun.
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Gold mine here!
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Steve and Frank two things. Ever since Mr I bought tigers he’s shown a love of prince-delmon young type players. Chris seems a bean counter. Thier response to fans or employees when thier short sighted actions fail is inevitably we don’t understand. I fear another Bruce Norris. Thank you Holly for this space.
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I absolutely do not enjoy Gibby’s endless talking in the booth. I like his nuggets of info, but not the non-game related chatter. I Think Brad is not a good manager. I don’t understand why the youngsters down on the farm aren’t given more of a chance to show their stuff. I really don’t understand how Miggy is allowed to slow-trot to first base on a ground ball. His yukking it up with the opposing players also needs to stop. Isn’t it the manager’s job to get on the guys for these types of things? I can’t stand the loud music blaring at the stadium. Just have the organ and be done with it. The DH and inter-league play also need to go so the old charm to the WS and All-Star game can be enjoyed by the new generation of fans. Lastly, start the playoff games earlier so the kids can stay up to watch the entire game.
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Another comment I’m on board with – starting playoff and World Series games earlier! Recall when Larry Herndon caught the final out of the 84 series? It was 7:31 pm!
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Things I would fix if I were king: 1) A .300 hitting DH who can’t go opposite field to save his life. 2) The entire team’s love of their opponent. 3) I’d get a spark plug type leadoff hitter, Coco Crisp, while not a favorite or stud, has the right attitude. Someone in the Cameron Maybin mold. 4) A manger with some enthusiasm. 5) Get rid of Upton and VMartinez and their ridiculous salaries by packaging them with more attractive players. 6) Tell Gibby he does not have to fill every minute of the game with constant talk. 7) Go to DH-by-Committee, rotating position players who are not so one-dimensional. 8)Order TT to write a book. Something like “The DD Years” sounds good.
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The commercials drive me nuts. It’s why I barely watch TV anymore unless it’s commercial free movies and MLB Network. I think commercials have something to do with length of game. Francona doesn’t sit there with a bunch of papers in his hands telling him what to do. He can see and feel his players without numbers in front of him. Not many like him left. Front offices live in rarified air these days. They hire people to scout and crunch numbers and still get it wrong maybe because they hire the same people over and over. And the umpires have way too much power. They need to go to an electronic strike zone. I still cannot forgive MLB for letting Jim Joyce get away with the Armando G. perfect game ripoff. As manager, I would have made a scene no one would ever forget and that would have been declared a perfect game within 24 hours. Giving him a corvette like that was some sort of consolation prize while the franchise, fans and Armando were denied a place in the record books.
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I agree. You would think with a perfect game at stake they could have made an exception and watched a video. Especially after Jim Joyce broke down and cried like a baby after watching a video of his missed call. Without the commercials we wouldn’t be watching the games. Maybe they could bunch them up prior to the start of the game, and again during an extended 7th inning stretch, and at the end of the game, and cut down on the long time between innings.
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Sprocket, I don’t think any sponsor would buy advertising time at the end of the games, unless you mean after the top of the ninth. Otherwise, there is no incentive for viewers to stay tuned. Other than the stellar performances by C-Mo and Rod in the wrap up show. lol
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Sadly, I do not believe this organization is now focused on winning. The re-hiring of a horrible manager is just the first sign of this. We, as fans, are going to be ripped of majorly this season if my instincts are correct. They’ll trade off a few good players (J.D., possible JV), who knows who else. They’ll tell us that we’re going to become “leaner and faster”, but of course it will take some time. I believe this is the wrong approach. I believe this team is one good left-handed hitter and two good relievers away from being a true contender. Sure, they will have to change the offensive approach of waiting for that 3-run homer. It just doesn’t work anymore. But to tear down this team right now is a true mistake in my opinion. They could still contend next year with a couple of new parts and some tweaking.
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Just rememberd something. Back in the day the tigers had a good manager, buddy bell. Rumor has it he went to Mr I saying Randy Smith had it all wrong. Seems Randy was just doing what the boss wanted. So buddy bell and TERRY FRANCONA were gone. Time line may be off but FRANCONA also left for an equal or less position.
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The rain out rule needs to be changed. Any game, even if only one inning, should be official and all the stats should still be official. The game can be completed whenever, restarted at the point it was stopped. Al Kaline missed 400 home runs in his career due to losing three home runs over the years, wiped out due to rain outs without the games going 5 full innings.
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