Dave Dombrowski Does Not Deserve Benefit Of The Doubt
By Rich Seroka
Feb 21, 2012; Lakeland, FL, USA; Detroit Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski during spring training at Joker Merchant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports
Every where I look these days to read or listen to Detroit Tiger talk, I am told that Dave Dombrowski has earned the benefit of the doubt. Those same pundits have also said to look at the big picture, so I am going to look at the big picture here today.
Mr. Dombrowski has been here since 2002 after replacing Randy Smith as General Manager. and firing Phil Gardner 6 games into that same season. For the next 4 years (2002-2005) they averaged 100 loses and successfully scapegoated the heros of the last World Series team.
In 2006 they brought in Jim Leyland and spent some money but still managed to lose the division by dropping the last 3 games of the season, However the Tigers turned it on in the playoffs and went to the World Series only to have 1 guy hit and only win just 1 game.
The next 4 years they spent a lot of money and still failed to make the playoffs each year.
Over the last three years,Mr. Dombrowski put together the best starting pitching staff since the Atlanta Braves of the 90’s. The result: the Detroit Tigers have won three consecutive Central Division titles while also having one of the best offenses in all of baseball.
That all changed with the Prince Fielder and Doug Fister trades.
With these 2 trades our infield defense may have gotten a lot better, but our offense and starting pitching have gotten a lot worse.
Here is the good and bad from those trades.
The good: improved defense.
As constituted the defense would look like this: Miguel Cabrera at first, Ian Kinsler at second, Jose Iglesias at shortstop, and Nick Castellanos at third base this should stop some runs from being scored and help out the pitching.
The bad: a decrease in offensive production.
The Tigers had 3 players hit .300 last year and now only 2 will probably hit .300. Ian Kinsler hit .271 in a hitter friendly ball park in Arlington, Texas, Jose Iglesias hit .250 as a Tiger, and Nick Castellanos in only 18 games hit .278 as a rookie so who knows what he will be.
The bullpen was horrible last year and there were free agents on the market they could have signed to fix it but instead they passed. The starting pitching rotation for 2014 is Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Rick Porcello, and Drew Smyly. Not nearly as good as last years with Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Anibal Sanchez, Doug Fister, and Rick Porcello.
What I am saying is that unlike Joe Dumars and Kenny Holland, Dave Dombrowski has not won a World Championship and as such does not deserve free pass for his roster moves. Until he brings a World Series Title to Detroit he should be questioned on each and every move especially when he has put together a 2014 team that is worse than last year.