Yes this is my team, and use I cover them for MTR Media.com, but I want to take a little time to try and explain the ins and outs of what is going on with this team. So what we have here is a very old owner, Mike Illitch who is 81 years old and he has owned this team since 1992. Team President and General Manger Dave Dombrowski’s contract is up after the 2011 season, and he has been on the job since 2002. Manger Jim Leyland’s deal is also up following the 2010 season, and he has been on the job since 2006.
Even though there are significant flaws on this team, they sit just 2.5 games out of first place in the American League Central. This is a bad division and no team has taken control of it. Now starting 3B Brandon Inge, whose contributions lay more on the defense than at the plate, is injured and will be out for 4-6 weeks. That means the Tigers need a suitable replacement for him, and if they really want to win this division they need a starting short stop, second baseman, and at least one if not two more starting pitchers.
That is a lot to try and add at the trade deadline, so the Tigers who are trying to win now look to be buyers at the trade deadline. The main problem with that is they are mortgaging the future by trading away prospects for an attempt to win now. Even as a life long Tigers fans I see no way they can win this division, and even if they do I see no way they can make a deep playoff run.
So The Tigers find themselves wanting to win now, and possible being able too but the cost is the future of this team. Through the 1990’s this was the worst team in baseball an entire generation of fans in this city have been lost. If the Tigers continue to operate in this manner, they risk losing another generation of fans and that would be tragic since my son counts among that generation.
Related Links:
• Detroit Tigers news and notes •MTR Baseball.com •MTR Michigan.com • The Business of Major League Baseball • The History of Detroit Sports
