The Lineup: Runner Up

October 31, 2012 by | 8 Comments

At Bat: Apparently getting swept in the World Series constitutes bringing back the manager who watched a power lineup score six runs in four games that included two shutouts.

I honestly don’t know how the Tigers bring back Jim Leyland who has a 1-8 record in the World Series for Detroit. He’s not a bad manager or playoff manager by any means. Managing a baseball club is not that hard, especially in the American League.

But something in Motown needs to change and it has to start with the coaching style as they did not have the team ready for the most crucial series of the season, for the second time after a long break in between series.

The answer is not a new hitting coach – though one would think that’d be the case after the offensive performance Detroit had – but learning to play a different style of ball altogether.

We saw in the postseason you can have all the sluggers you want in a lineup, but if a team relies too heavily on doubles and home runs for a majority of their offense they will run into trouble in a four-game series and that was the case for both the Yankees and Tigers. The world champion Giants knew how to do the small things right on offense and that is precisely why they had so much success and were able to sweep for their title.

On Deck: Also coming back with Leyland for 2013 will be relief pitcher Octavio Dotel and shortstop Jhonny Peralta. Smart moves by Detroit as the ones who won’t be coming back will be discussed below.

It is so important, if possible, to keep the core of your roster intact for the future when a team comes up so short. We see it every year with the Yankees and more recently with the Texas Rangers returning to the post-season with familiar names.

Dotel will keep depth and leadership in a bullpen that had some flaws during the regular season and more in the playoffs with his and Phil Coke’s arms being the only reliable ones Leyland could turn to.

As for Peralta, even though he didn’t have great numbers at the plate after the All-Star break, he seemed to wake up when the playoffs got underway going 13 for 50 with three home runs.

But the main reason he was resigned was his ability to make the plays at shortstop on a routine basis. I haven’t studied the free agent market on shortstops, but good ones are hard to come by and if you have a guy you can relay on and fits in in the clubhouse and won’t be a distraction it makes little sense to go in another direction when the Tigers will be a great spot to content for another World Series in 2013.

In the Hole: No surprise here that Jose Valverde will not being closing any more games for the Tigers. After a flawless 49 save season from a year ago and a 2.24 ERA, Valverde struggled all of 2012 with five blown saves and a 3.78 ERA.

But his two worst performances came in the playoffs when he blew a two-run lead in the ninth-inning of game four of the ALDS against the Oakland Athletics forcing a game five. He followed that by allowing two two-run home runs in the ninth against the Yankees to force extras. While the Tigers won in extras, that was the last time Papa Grande pitched for the Tigers.

He can still be a good relief pitcher, but after the postseason it’s safe to say he won’t be a teams closer at the start of 2013 and will come very cheap, not making near the $9-million he did this year in Detroit.

The other Tiger out the door is Delmon Young and that became evident after his ALCS performance in which he received MVP honors. Young filled the void that was left by Victor Martinez’s busted knee and with him likely to return back to full heath to start the 2013 campaign, Young’s usefulness is over in Detroit.

But leaving the Tigers is also in the best interest for Young as he will make a ton more money playing for another team.

 

Follow on Twitter: @midwayMars

 

  • bobbleheadguru

    You answered your own question… having a 1-8 record in the WS for Detroit means he has been to 2 World Series.

    How many active managers have even been to two World Series with their current team?

    I can think of Bruce Boche and Ron Washington. Who else?

    “Managing in the AL is not that hard”… Really? If you are in the AL you have to get through some combination of the Yankees, Rays, Tigers, Angels, As, and Rangers. Can you explain how that is “not that hard?”

    • Eric

      Two WS in six years is impressive. What’s not is the 1-8 record with the Tigers. At the end of the day it comes down to championships. No one remembers the runner-up.

      Tony La Russa and Charlie Manuel have done it, too.

      As compared to being an NL manager it is more difficult with figuring out situations with pinch-hitting for pitchers. The AL has a huge advantage with the DH. All it comes down to is knowing your pitchers inning count and strenghts in certain situations and that’s also why teams having pitching coaches. There is more strategy in running an NL team than sending out your starter every five days and sending the same lineup out everyday.

      And I don’t want to do this, but really? The Rays, Rangers and A’s? Five years ago these teams were not much of anything or seriously seen as contenders. The Yankees are the only hard team you have to worry about. Since 2006, the Tigers should’ve been in the playoffs every year because of how weak the AL Central is year in and year out.

      • T-Bag

        They should have been in the playoffs every year since 2006. The Indians were 96 – 66 in 2007. Not exactly a weak record. Other playoff teams that year were pretty decent and the Yankees who are ONLY team to worry about got second place that year behind the Red Sox who finished 96 – 66. FIVE years ago the Rays were in first place in the East winning 97 games. The Yankees were in third that year. The Angels won 100 games which seems like a decent competition. The Central was somewhat weak this year with the winner only winning 89 games and second with 88. Tigers were in last with 74 wins. It seems like they really should not have won the division that year because they did not have a good team. 2009 Yankees won 103 games and Red Sox won 95. Angels won 97 and the Central was pretty weak with the Twins winning 87 games and Tigers winning 86. But if I remember correctly the lost in the one game playoff to the Twins in Minnesota. Not exactly easy to win that game. 2010 Rays won the East with 96 wins and Yankees were second with 95. The Central was pretty decent that year with the Twins winning 94 and Sox winning 88. Tigers were in third with 81 wins. A very average team. Rangers won the West with 90 wins. 2011 Yankees won the East with 97 wins, Tampa second with 91 and even the Red Sox won 90 games but finished third. Tigers completely dominated the Central winning 95 games. Indians in a distant second with 80 wins. Texas won the West with 96 wins. Although the Central is not consistently good year in and year out they still have pretty good teams and you can not really make that statement that the Tigers should have made the playoffs every year since 2006 because they were not that good every year. Also, there has been plenty of other good teams besides the Yankees. The Red Sox are one and the Rays have been consistent the past five years. Twins were a good team in the Central until they fell off a couple of years ago. The Angels were another team that you may have overlooked as being a legitimate threat in the A.L.

  • T-Bag

    Valverde’s last game he pitched for the Tigers was October 24th against the Giants. He pitched an inning and a third. Also, Leyland still got them to the World Series. Leyland had nothing to do with the Tigers not being able to hit the Baseball. They hit .159 during the series. Also your statement about managing in the A.L. is not that hard is totally ridiculous. What team did you manage?

    • I t-bagged your mom

      Managing in the AL is easier compared to the NL. That’s the argument this guy is trying to make and it’s a valid one. What team did you manage? What a sean Salisbury thing to say.

      • T-Bagged You

        He should have stated his argument differently then. I understand what he was trying to say.

    • Eric

      Never managed a team in my life. Wouldn’t want to. How do you give credit to Leyland for getting them to two WS but he gets a pass for their offensive performance in 2012? He’s clearly not doing something right with those extra days off and he needs the blame.

      • T-Bag

        They tried to do things differently. They played some scrimmage games against some Triple A competition. Sometimes bats go ice cold which is what happened to the Tigers. I am not a Leyland supporter.