Tigers Lose...Again here at Comerica Park. Next 13 Games Will Tell Them and Us What They Really Are!
Detroit, MI
Comerica Park
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The Tigers had the table set for a national announcement of a change. For the first time all season, their projected starting lineup and best pitcher were on the mound. A nationwide audience on ESPN and they were about to win a series against a team many consider a contender in the Angels from wherever they reside this week. Well someone forgot to tell the Angels.
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They were up 2-0 and erupted for four more in the sixth and took control. The Tigers were tentative at the plate and in the field. Perhaps the most embarrassing moment of the night however was leftfielder Jacque Jones. He fielded a ball and threw it back to the cutoff man. The problem with that? It went an estimated 25 feet and bounced twice to Renteria.
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The Tigers simply imploded and with a big chance to make a statement with a series win: flopped. The Tigers record for the season falls to 11-15 and worse than that, Verlander is getting lit up. OK, worse than even that? (Does this remind you of those series of jokes from sixth grade about what is grosser than gross?) They are headed to New York for a big three game series. OK, even worse than that? (I told you this was like those sixth grade jokes) The next 13 games are with New York (6), Boston (4), and Minnesota (3).Â
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These next thirteen games are where the Tigers will make a statement that they are either contenders or pretenders. I am in no way saying that they have to win all 13 or anything near it. I do think they have to win seven. That keeps them competitive and in the hunt. The dog days of summer will afford them many opportunities to catch up. These next 13 games will send a message to the rest of the AL or to Dombrowski that he has to perform an immediate and quick makeover on a team that has no excuses.Â
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Sure there are players struggling. Sure this is a loaded team. The next 13 games however will show the mastermind (and he is brilliant) Dombrowski what he has to do to fix it. The next 13 games will determine if the slow start was a fluke or that they flunked.
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Either way this team will learn a lot about itself. What that happens to be is anyone’s guess? We all think this team will respond. We all hope it. We just haven’t seen enough proof that it will. Call Dr. Phil or Dr. Laura or whomever can get in their heads. One look at the schedule and the upcoming 13 games should tell us all what we need to know.
Whether will like what we learn is another story.
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