After Yet Another Disappointing Ending Detroit Tigers Fans are left Wondering What Now

Oct 16, 2013; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland (10) watches batting practice prior to game four of the American League Championship Series baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

For the past 3 years the Detroit Tigers have won the Central Division only to fall flat on their faces in the playoffs.  Since 2002 under Dave Dombrowski but especially when they brought in Jim Leyland in 2006, the management of this team has said that winning the World Series is the goal.

This is reminiscent of when Marty Mornhinweg said “The Bar is High” after he was hired by the Detroit Lions. As Detroit Lions fans know all to well this did not work out.  This management team, Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland, have taken this team as far as they can go.

Most fans will blame the offense for not hitting and the bullpen for not being able to shut down the other team.  While that is a solid argument, you can make the same argument for the past 4 playoff appearances, especially after they have totally overhauled this team. When the common factor is management, you have to start questioning the men in charge.  While some of you may say I sound like a broken record, let me throw some facts at you and let you decide.

In 2006 they managed to do something no other team has done in the history of baseball. After getting swept by the Kansas City Royals the last 3 games of the season, they lost the Central Division after leading it with 10 games to play.  After getting the wild card, they did manage to get to the World Series. They then fell on their faces when they could not hit or throw the ball to first base after a 9 day layoff resulting from sweeping the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS.

From 2007 – 2010, after adding lots of high-priced players through trades and free agent signings, the best they managed was a second place finish.

In 2011 they won the Central Division for the first time ever, and won the first round playoff series only to get crushed by the Texas Rangers 4-2 in the ALCS. The lost the series for familiar reason, dried up offense and a bullpen implosion.

In 2012 after their second straight Central Division title, the Tigers blew through the first two round of the playoffs to earn a long layoff before the World Series. instead of being rejuvenated they failed again after another offensive slump, getting swept by the San Francisco Giants.

And now to this season. They won the Central Division for the third straight year.  The starting pitching dominated again only to once again not hit. With the exceptions being  Johnny Peralta and Victor Martinez. But once again it was the bullpen imploding that caused them to lose the ALCS to the Boston Red Sox 4-2.  The bullpen could have been fixed by the management this off-season they chose not to. The cost was a chance to end an unacceptable 30 year World Series Championship drought.

I believe based on the facts I have presented to you today that it is time to change the management of this team.  8 years of failures is too long for this city to wait especially when it is the management claiming that the World Series is the goal.  I believe they are no longer capable of pulling the right strings to win the World Series much to the dismay of Detroit fans everywhere.