Jeff Riger: Why All The Hate? I Can Tell You!
So there is a song by Aerosmith titled "Living On The Edge" and I think a line in that masterpiece (What? Masterpiece too strong of a word?) can be used to describe how Detroit Tiger fans are feeling today as the team gets ready to start the second half of their season. Yeah, I know Aerosmith is not as cool as they once were, considering Steven Tyler sold out and became an "American Idol" judge and all, but just hear me out will ya?
The line is: "There's something wrong with the world today and I don't know what it is!" Now read it again and replace the word "world" with the word "Tigers" and ask yourself if that new line doesn't pretty much represent how every Detroit fan is feeling as the team starts a 3 game series with the White Sox tomorrow?
On the surface things look great: Detroit is in 1st place in the AL Central by a half game over the Indians and they possibly have the best two players in baseball in Justin Verlander and Miguel Cabrera. Add to that 3 other All Stars in Jhonny Peralta, Jose Valverde and Alex Avila and a "should have been" All Star in Victor Martinez and there should be no doubt that this is the best team in the division.
So, what's the problem? Why do so many people want Skipper Jim Leyland and President and GM Dave Dombrowski fired? Why all the hate?
Well, I think I can tell you! People have no confidence in this team or Leyland or Dombrowski because they have seen this exact scenario play itself out in excruciating fashion before. 1st place at the break, things looking great, only to miss out on the playoffs ... sound familiar? Yeah, I thought so.
After an amazing, electric 2006 season when Detroit shocked the world and made it all the way to the World Series only to eventually lose in 5 games to the Cardinals. This team has been a disappointment, hell lets use a stronger word, it's been a DISASTER! In 2007 Detroit had the best record in the game at the break only to fade in the second half. In 2008, the Tigers assembled a team that many thought would score 1000 runs and run away with a title, they were the team to beat in all of baseball.
Yep, they, for lack of a better word, SUCKED as they never even sniffed contention. In 2009 (and this is my favorite) Detroit had a 3 game lead with 4 games to play only to see the Twins catch them in the last day of the season. If you remember the two teams had to play a one game playoff game in Minnesota and Detroit lost in agonizing fashion. And then there was last year, the team was a half game out of first place at the break, the second half started, they went 6 and 21 and found themselves a full 10 games out.
So, who in their right mind would give this team the benefit of the doubt heading into the second half of this year? The answer is NOBODY!
Sure, you will get a couple of callers that wonder where all the negativity is coming from? Yes, you will get people questioning the so-called "fandom" of all the people who think another collapse in inevitable. You will even get fans guaranteeing that this year is going to be different and if it wasn't for Leyland or Dombrowski then nobody would even care about this team. And I understand where all these people are coming from. If you think about it, before 2006 the Tigers were putrid. With the exception of "Opening Day" nobody cared about the team. The Tigers did their best to try to get people in the seats but for the most part the teams before 06 were always out of contention in June. So when Leyland came aboard in 2006 and blew a gasket early in the season after losing to the Indians before the team was due to fly out to the West Coast people started to take notice.
When the team caught fire and eventually grew their record to 35 games over the .500 mark fans started to get that "baseball fever" back again. And when Comerica Park witnessed an all out PARTY after beating the Yankees in the 1st round of the playoffs. Then watching Magglio Ordonez hit his "walk off" homer against the A's to send Detroit to the World Series on that vivid Saturday October night. That was it, baseball was alive again in Detroit, all of a sudden people CARED! But you only get a certain amount of time to deliver after all that excitement before those same people start to turn on you. That time is officially UP!
From Leyland being grumpy at the media (I can personally attest to that) to criticism of resting players to even being upset about not bunting in a certain situations, people are fed up. Leyland and Dombrowski know their butts are on the line and if they fail again this season then they more then likely will not be brought back for the 2012 season. Both men have contracts that expire after this year and it seems like owner Mike Illitch is making them pay up before he pays up.
There is a reason that all of Detroit is focusing on the struggles of Brandon Inge and Ryan Raburn instead of pointing out the fact that Detroit is a first place team. That reason is because fans refuse to allow themselves to believe that this year will be different. NO matter how many games the Tigers distance themselves from the Tribe, White Sox and even Twins it won't matter until a playoff birth is clinched, until a division is won!
To be honest, I started writing this blog with every intention of telling people to be positive. I wanted to bash on fans that feel the need to predict gloom and doom again. But after typing all these thoughts into my computer here, I too feel the negativity flowing through my body. I can't tell people to just wait and see what happens and in the meantime give this team the benefit of the doubt. The past collapses anger me just like they anger you. So I have officially changed my tune, I too expect the worst to come in the second half and all I want is to be proven WRONG!
Leyland often talks about what a great baseball town Detroit is and how we deserve a winner. Well Jim, you're right, we are and we do! So make it happen! Or else turn the keys over to someone who can! There are no more free passes, I say make the playoffs or it's officially time for a change! I can't wait to see what happens!
What do you think?
