Leyland goes off

[racosun]

It didn't take all that long for new Tigers manager Jim Leyland to chew out his team. I haven't had a chance to listen to the soundbite, but it is available at mLive.com/tigers for those who are interested. Danny Knobler of mLive discusses a few thoughts regarding Leyland's rant to the team. Whatever was said, hopefully the team can understand what their leader was saying to them and take it out onto the field with them every game. I'm sure he's mentioned a thing or two about the sloppy defense and the uninspired plate disclipline that has been showcased the past week or so.

I've already said this many times, but Chris Shelton is the only batter worth a lick so far, and since nobody's getting on base in front of him, almost all of his homers are solo shots. After starting the season 5-0, mainly on the strength of our starting pitching, we have nothing to hang our hat on anymore. The starting pitching has been our downfall, digging huge holes early into games. So huge of holes, in fact, that the patience of our hitters to work counts and tire out the opponent's starters is completely absent. I'm getting tired of seeing pop-up after pop-up, mainly to shallow center or foul territory. Pardon my language, but Craig Monroe flat-out sucks and he needs to be benched for Marcus Thames. Magglio is our clean-up hitter, and he's too old to clean-up anymore. Granderson is a joke for a lead-off man, although the potential is there. I'm sick of potential, let's get to the pay-off.

I've probably covered many things Leyland said, and this probably could have gone into the rant thread, but since it's Leyland that blew up this time, he deserves his own thread. Good job, Jim. Don't let them get away with the things that have been our downfall for the past two decades. Crack the whip!

[racosun]

Okay, I listened to the Leyland soundbite, not much there, less than a minute long. He was obviously ticked off and fed up. He was pretty terse with the reporters, too, probably wanting to get back into the clubhouse and chew a few more behinds. He wouldn't get specific about what bothered him, or whom, but was pretty angry about missing out on a chance to take three of four from Cleveland. He said the team played like they were ready to get on the flight for Oakland, and didn't seem to care whether they won or lost. Leyland also mentioned that that type of stuff has been going on before he got here, and he's going to end it. He took responsibility for not having the team prepared to play today, something I'm sure he'll take up privately with certain individuals if this sloppy play continues.

Any suggestions as to whom peeved Leyland the most?

[skeletor]

he'll be doing a lot of arse chewing this season, until the club
starts to play like major leaguers..unless Jim 'burns' out like he
did with the Rockies in 1999...Glad to see him going off..and
letting the words fly...Tram on the other hand, couldn't do it

[KCGHOST]

Leyland might try to understand that the Tigers are what they are. They have several aging/declining players who are tying up large sums of dough and playing time. They are also in a fairly tough division (except for my woeful Royals) and it will be difficult for them to reach .500 even if they play well.

[racosun]

Leyland has been promised another big weapon or two if the Tigers are still in contention by the trading deadline, so I'm sure that's in the back of his mind while he's doing some stomping. If we can snag a quality player at the deadline, and add another during the off-season, we'll be serious contenders for Pudge's final year, and Leyland will get much respect when it happens. This team is very personal to him, and I don't think he'll be bolting like he did in Colorado.

I don't think the size of the player salaries are a problem with this club. The owner has stated he'll keep spending until we win, and we haven't won yet. With his Red Wings now capped out each and every year, he'll be able to toss some more of that pizza dough towards the Tigers. I can see us being a $90-100 million-per-year club two or three years down the road. By then we'll be more respectable around the league and won't have to overpay for FA's. I think the Tigers are right were Dombrowski envisioned they'd be at this stage of rebuilding.

[tigers527]

Pardon my language, but Craig Monroe flat-out sucks and he needs to be benched for Marcus Thames. Magglio is our clean-up hitter, and he's too old to clean-up anymore. Granderson is a joke for a lead-off man, although the potential is there. I'm sick of potential, let's get to the pay-off.

I love it, another Craig Monroe flat out sucks person. I have been saying that almost since the day he arrived. Have you seen more hollow RBIs? Magglio will be OK give him time (he doesnt touch a bat in the off season). You're right Granderson shouldnt bat leadoff. I dont know about Marcus Thames though. I feel we will end up missing Rondell White.

That being said maybe you should manage the team. I like your press release up there better then anything Leyland said. Everything Leyland said reminded me of the famous Bobby Ross bus ticket speech. The only difference is the Tigers have a regular bus down to Toledo. Maybe Larry Parrish can teach them to TAKE A FREAKING PITCH when down by 4 or more runs.

[skeletor]

gonna be a loooong season...still no proof, that this team can get
over the .500 hump...I hope so...there's talent ..much more than
the Royals..and compared to the sox,& the tribe..almost as good
if not even...but leyland and his staff, has got to get into their
heads..it's a puzzle..maybe all these seasons of losing, is the curse
of leaving the corner..pizza mike has got to be having acute heart burn
over this team...maybe he'll get the hint, and sell-sell-sell-...but who
would buy the club ? paul allen ? Bill gates ? comcast ?

so they lost 4-3...still a lost is that...doesn't matter if the game was
4-3. 0r 19-3....this team constantly under performs...why ?

[racosun]

That being said maybe you should manage the team. I like your press release up there better then anything Leyland said.

I'd rather do the ripping than being the one getting ripped on, as Leyland will be if the team doesn't buy into his system. It's a shame, too, because he's a good manager.

Craig Monroe, hmmm......we need to part ways. Yeah, we're missing Rondell already, but since he isn't here and won't be, I had to suggest some kind of replacement, and Thames could be the answer. One of the biggest reasons we traded Jeff Weaver was because of his attitute and off-field conduct. If we can ship him out for smoking doobies on the team plane, than we can ship Monroe out for stealing belts. It's about character. I'm sure Monroe was making well over a quarter-million when he snatched the belt, so why didn't he just buy it? Character. It'll haunt him not only off the field, but on the field as well. Can we trust this guy to knock in the tying run in the late innings? Probably not. I can see him turning into another Bobby Higginson: one decent year, a big contract, then nothing else. We made a huge mistake by not trading Bobby when he held some value. Craig does have some value to certain teams, let's ditch him and see what we can get. Probably not much, but it'll be better than what we got from Higgy.

I agree that there is much more hope for Maggs. But he seems so non-chalant when he's at the plate. He needs more of a killer instinct. Pitchers aren't exactly fearful of him anymore, and only Magglio can change that. We shouldn't be marveling about Chris Shelton, it should be all about Magglio and Pudge. That needs to change if we are to win, otherwise it's obvious that those guys are collecting paychecks and nothing more.

Where's the Tiger pride nowadays? Tram and Gibby wanted to re-instill that into the franchise so badly, but were doomed because of lazy attitudes. Leyland will be too, if he can't crack the whip hard enough, and on the right person. The young players want to win, they hunger for it. The vets need to step it up, like Kenny is doing. If he wins tonight, that'll make him 3-1. Very good start for the finesse master.

[Elysian Fields]

jim leyland is probably the best manager in baseball. it's a great thing he doesn't put up with jack. he's exactly the kind of manager detroit needs. trammell, god bless him, was too soft.