Bradley Out

Yesterday, the US Soccer Federation fired Bob Bradley. For those that follow the team closely, this is a major shock. Not since 1988 has a coach been fired in the middle of a World Cup cycle. The USSF simply does not act rashly. Yet, this firing comes as a relief to many US fans, including yours truly.

I have nothing personally against Bob. I think he's a fine man and role model. He even accomplished some decent things as the coach of the US team. Under Bob's reign, the US won the hex for the first time ever. They beat Spain in the 2009 Confed Cup. And, in perhaps the most singular awesome moment in US Soccer history, they won their World Cup group on an injury time goal against Algeria.

Yet, the team failed the "eye test". In other words, Bob Bradley's team often got results, but they didn't look good doing so. The team hardly inspired confidence. They typically fell behind early and staged miraculous comebacks (Slovenia, every game in the Hex). Or they would gain an early 2-goal lead and then squander it (Brazil in Confed Cup, Mexico in Gold Cup).

Never during Bob's reign did the US have an identity. Bob came the closest during the Confed Cup, when he finally settled on Charlie Davies and the 4-4-2. With Davies and Altidore paired up top, the US had two complementary strikers and a decent midfield to provide service. That lineup destroyed Egypt, beat Spain, and narrowly lost to Brazil. That lineup also narrowly lost to Mexico in Mexico City in what was probably the US's best ever showing down there (save for perhaps a 0-0 draw in the 90s that never aired on TV). Then Davies had that horrific car crash in the Fall of '09. He's slowly working his way back to form, but his loss severely impacted Bob's plans. Without Davies, the US had no striker with the right combination of pace, skill, and tenacity. Bob tried out a slew of other strikers and eventually settled on nobody, instead opting for just one striker (Altidore) and five middies.

This dreadful formation only contributed to the team's lack of focus and ugly-looking play. Still, after the 2010 World Cup, Bob received an extension to take the team for another WC cycle. This is where most fans got up in arms. Bob seemingly brought the team as far as he could. And other coaches who were re-upped for a 2nd WC cycle typically crash-and-burned (Italy's Marcelo Lippi and Bruce Arena are prime examples). Bradley's results since the rehire further cemented that theory.

The US team lost to Brazil, then drew with Colombia, Poland, Chile, and Argentina. Then they lost to Paraguay and Spain, failing to score in either contest. I should also mention that every one of these games was played on US soil. Then came the Gold Cup where the US got a handful of decent results (Canada, Jamaica) partnered with embarrassing losses (Panama, Mexico).

It's likely that Mexico loss was the final nail in Bradley's coffin. The US was so outclassed and outmatched that Sunil Gulati, head of the USSF, could no longer ignore Bradley's shortcomings. The US was clearly surpassed by Mexico. The team was headed in the wrong direction.

While Bradley may be faulted for boring player formations, it's hard to say whether any other formation would work better. The US team may not have many options. Are there players out there who can provide a stable defense - something missing from this team since Eddie Pope retired? Are there strikers who can actually put the ball in the net? Is there a coach who can piece it all together to get the team actually moving in a positive direction again?

We'll soon find out. It may take a few games for players to settle in, but my guess is that the coaching change will light a fire for this team.

Update

They hired Klinsmann. That at least explains the odd timing. Sunil only moved because he had someone in place. Perhaps Joe Dumars should take note, and not hire somebody (Ben Gordon) until the other one (Rip) is fired.

Crack Pot strikes again

I went to bed last night with the score tied 4-4, and Andy Dirks on second with two outs in the 8th. The Sox were in the middle of a pitching change.

I thought to myself, "It's be the White Sox 'pen versus the Tigers' pen -- that's a loss."

Imagine my surprise when I wake up this morning to see the Tigers actually pulled it out. Jim Leyland's decision-making proved pivotal to the win, unlike the previous night. On Monday, Leyland opted to take out starter Duane Below with two outs and the bases loaded in the 5th. Despite loading the bases, Below seemed somewhat in control, but Leyland had no trust in his stuff. Instead, Leyland opted for Chance Ruffin, a dude making his first ever appearance in the majors.

Seriously, Leyland? You bring in a dude with exactly 0.0 innings to his credit into a key game against the Sox, with the bases jacked?! Oh, and to make matters worse, Ruffin was facing Carlos Quentin, a dude hitting a cool .342 against the Tigers. The White Sox fans must've thought the fix was in. Leyland was trying to lose the game. Tiger fans know better. We've become accustomed to Leyland's crack-pot hunches. To no one's surprise, Quentin laced a two-run double that gave the Sox the lead for good.

Last night was a different story. Verlander was on the mound, and that seems to bring out the best in Leyland. For one, Raburn rarely plays when Verlander is pitching. Also, Leyland allows Verlander to pitch late into games, eschewing the dreaded pitch count. Last night was not the best of Justin Verlander, though. He gave up two separate two-run homers. The second was pretty painful. The Tigers had just taken a 4-2 lead, but Verlander gave it right back on Konerko's two-run bomb. The 4-4 score lasted until the 8th when I figured all hope was gone.

Yet, I was wrong. Victor Martinez earned a walk to lead off the 8th. This is when Leyland made his first good decision. He pulled Martinez in favor of pinch runner, Andy Dirks. Earlier in the game, Martinez couldn't score from 1st on a double from Wilson Betemit. Perhaps that was fresh in Leyland's mind. He needed more speed on the bases, as Martinez represented the winning run. Now, Dirks almost got picked off plenty of times, but the 1st base ump was feeling kind. Dirks eventually stole second. Peralta struck out. Then Guillen flied out. With two outs, the Sox brought in a new pitcher - Matt Thornton - to face Betemit. Betemit greeted Thornton with a single, scoring Dirks.

In the bottom of the 8th, Leyland did not go to the bullpen. Instead, he let Verlander pitch against the heart of the Sox order. He struck out Konerko and Adam Dunn to end the inning. Papa Grande pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, and the Tigers escaped with a 5-4 victory.

Afterward, Verlander said,

"A lot of guys shy away from saying how big of a series this is right now at this point of the season, but I think this is a big win for us."

He's right. The Tigers can't let the Sox gain too much momentum, especially against Verlander, the ace. Part of the credit for this victory should also go to Dombrowski. He brought in Betemit last week, and the dude already factored largely in a key win. Without that trade, we'd have Brandon Inge hitting in the 8th. Is there anyone who thinks Inge would've brought Andy Dirks home?

Clutch stuff from Betemit. Great recovery for Verlander. And solid decisions by Leyland... well, except for one. Leyland must've lost a bet. That's the only explanation I'll accept for Leyland's decision to use Ryan Raburn as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th. Yes, Ryan Raburn and his seven errors. Now, I can understand Raburn's role on the team. He's a streaky hitter. When he's hot, he can really smoke the ball. But fielding ain't what he's about. Must I again reference this:

Strange, crack-pot logic from the manager. Still, the Tigers won. This afternoon, it's Scherzer (4.35) verses Danks (3.92).

Adieu, Inge

When am I ever right? After I rattled off potential Inge replacements last week, Dombrowski actually acquired the first guy on the list! Wilson Betemit played his first game as a Tiger last night and almost immediately proved his worth. He got a hit.

Then in the 9th, Betemit fielded a ground ball and threw it so far off the mark that it allowed a player to score from 1st base. But ya know what? Tiger fans could care less. They finally have a 3rd baseman who actually gets on base from time to time. I don't expect Betemit's fielding to differ significantly from Inge either. It's not like Inge was putting up Gold Glove numbers. He had his share of gaffes as well.

Last night, Tiger fans finally got their wish - no Inge, no Raburn. Raburn, with his .214 average returned to his utility role. He'll fill in when players need a day off, likely at 2nd base spelling Guillen. Inge, however, was waived. He accepted a demotion to Toledo and wants to fix his swing. Technically, Inge has to clear waivers first, but what team is going to pay $5M/year for a player hitting .177?

It's sort of an end of an era. Inge was the last remaining member of the '03 team that lost 119 games. Technically, Ramon Santiago was on that team too, but Santiago was already sent away once to Seattle. He's on his second stint with the Tigers. Most of the players from that '03 team are actually out of baseball. Every single pitcher, except 1, played his final game in the majors. Most fizzled out quickly after that '03 season. The only remaining pitcher with an active MLB contract is Fernando Rodney. Who knew he'd be the ace of that staff?

With Inge gone, the Tigers can now focus on their pitching staff. They desperately need somebody to step up and help Verlander. At times, it looked like Scherzer was a solid #2. Then came a stretch of games in late May and June when he gave up 7, 7, and 5 runs in succession, and he's yet to regain any semblance of consistency. Porcello is equally puzzling. He had a dominant May with a 3.5 ERA, but he followed that with a 6.97 ERA in June. Recently, he held weak-hitting Oakland to 3 runs, but he also allowed 8 hits. That's a red flag. If the A's manage 8 hits, what are the much more powerful White Sox or Twins going to do?

Incredibly, the closest the Tigers have to a #2 is Brad Penny. After a slow start, Penny had a strong May (3.24 ERA), average June (4.50), and solid July (3.60). In his last 15 starts, Penny's lasted 6 innings or longer in all but 3. Neither Porcello or Scherzer even come close to that. Time to give Penny his due - he's been good. Yet, is it enough?

I don't think so. Neither does Dombrowski, as he's apparently on the lookout for another starter. The one major problem is that every team wants another starter. The Tigers would likely have to overpay. Or they'd have to take on a significant salary, like Wandy Rodriguez (owed $36M the next three seasons). The Tigers may be better off just trotting out their Triple-A aces, like Duane Below. Is Duane any worse than the average middling starter on the trading block? It's not like these teams are offering Roy Halladay.

Pistons

Hard to get exciting about anything NBA-related these days, but the Pistons are set to hire Lawrence Frank. Pistonpowered, as usual, provides great perspective.

The article says Joe may have preferred Mike Woodson, but does it really matter? Joe D will have to offer any new coach much more support than he did Kuester. That embarrassing player behavior from last season can't last one more second. Fans would rather watch the former Detroit Shock than the Pistons. At least those girls cared about the game.

Long, but well-thought-out NBA solution

I have such mixed feelings about Bill Simmons, but if you have any interest in the NBA lockout situation, this is worth a read:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6749669/if-ruled-nba-world

Ex-Tigers

Yesterday was a tough day for Miguel Cabrera. And Tiger fans.

Not only did the Tiger representatives go a combined 0-5... and not only did the American League lose, but the parade of former Tigers at the All-star game was an ugly gut-punch.

Now, I'm a Dombrowski apologist. I remember the days before he arrived. The Tigers were mired in obscurity, not unlike the Lions. True, Dombrowski sacrificed the entire '03 season, trotting out a Triple-A squad at Comerica. But at least that dreadful '03 season allowed the opportunity to draft Verlander. Slowly, Dombrowski did bring the Tigers back to respectability. He overpaid to bring in Pudge and Maggs - two guys key to the rebound and the incredible run in '06. He also convinced Ilitch to open his checkbook to sign young draft picks that were too pricey for most other teams (Verlander, Porcello, Perry, Jacob Turner). He traded Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller for the best hitter in the American League. Yet, that trade also brought in Dontrelle Willis and his train-wreck of a Tiger career.

When most folks fault Dombrowski, it's usually due to his trade record. Dombrowski made a brilliant trade in '05 bringing Polanco to the Tigers for Uggie Urbina. Urbina finished the season with the Phillies and then found himself in a Venezuelan prison after an attempted murder. But Polanco flourished with Detroit. He was a premier 2nd baseman. Polanco wanted to stay with the Tigers. Yet, Dombrowski, inexplicably, opted not to sign Polanco after his Gold Glove '09 season. Does DD regret that decision? I would venture he does every time he hears the phrase: "Starting at second base... Ryan Raburn."

One of many painful images

Placido Polanco was perhaps the most painful player for Tiger fans to watch in the All-star game. Next on that list? Jair Jurrjens.

Now Jurrjens is usually Exhibit A in the case against Dombrowski. For many Tiger fans, Jurrjens may be the toughest player to watch succeed elsewhere. Yet, for me, I didn't loathe the Jurrjens trade at the time. The Tigers called Jurrjens mid-season in '07. He started 7 games, going 3-1 with a 4.70 ERA. That's not a sparkling ERA by any means, but he did show potential with a 1.1 WHIP. Atlanta thought enough of Jurrjens to take him in exchange for Edgar Renteria. That season, Renteria was one of the best hitters in all of baseball with a .332 average. The Tigers needed a short-stop to replace Carlos Guillen who's body was breaking down and no longer had short-stop range. Acquiring the professional hitter Renteria for Jurrjens seemed a no-brainer.

Renteria flamed out as a Tiger, hitting just .270, while Jurrjens rewarded the Braves with progressively awesome stuff, leading to his first All-star appearance this season. He's currently 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA. Those numbers surpass even Verlander. Once again, the Tigers gift the Braves an ace.

A lesser-but-still-painful player to watch in the All-star game was Curtis Granderson. The only consolation to the Granderson trade is that the jury is still out. Last season, most Tiger fans were content, as Granderson underperformed and Austin Jackson finished 2nd in rookie-of-the-year voting. Phil Coke, a throw-in for the deal, also seemed to have a bright future. Everything flip-flopped this year. Granderson put up MVP-level numbers, with 25 HR, 63 RBI, 15 SB. Austin Jackson spent most of the first half hovering around .200, and Phil Coke was demoted to the bullpen after a failed attempt at starting. At least the Tigers saved money. Granderson's take-home is 2,954% larger than Jackson's.

Unfortunately, we're still not done.

Another ex-Tiger in the All-star game -- and perhaps the biggest surprise of them all -- was Matt Joyce. Some Tiger fans fell in love with Joyce's big bat in the Summer of '08. Joyce stepped into the spot vacated by Greg Monroe and provided decent pop (12 HR) for a part-time player/rookie. And he was a lefty! But Dombrowski had other plans. He parlayed Matt Joyce - a moderately successful rookie - into a certified big league starting pitcher, Edwin Jackson. It seemed a brilliant stroke, and, in many ways, it was. Starters are tough to come by. Tougher, at least, than a power-hitting outfielder. Jackson dominated as a Tiger, making his first All-star team, but faded surprisingly late in the season. Jackson's issues in August and September of '09 were amplified due to the pressure-cooker of a pennant race. He simply didn't deliver in crunch time. Jackson was sent packing for Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth. The jury is still out on Scherzer. He's shown flashes of absolutely dominant stuff. Yet, he's also been lit up like a Christmas tree. Which Scherzer is the real Scherzer?

Matt Joyce, meanwhile, started slowly with the Marlins. This year, he finally put it together, hitting .290 with 12 HRs. Those aren't stellar All-star numbers, but he made it nonetheless. I admit, I was pretty surprised to see him walk up to the plate last night. It seemed a bit bizarre -- Matt Joyce, American League All-star. But he did well and notched a hit. He kills the Tigers every chance he gets, further angering Tiger fans. Yet, I bet every GM in the league trades Matt Joyce for Max Scherzer straight-up. Starters are that valuable. Even inconsistent ones.

Inge Replacements

The date is July 11th. Brandon Inge has 231 plate appearances in the 2011 season. His stats are as follows: .184 BA, 1 HR, 17 RBI, 57 K. As a 3rd baseman, Inge has 8 errors and a .957 fielding %.

If the Tigers are serious about making a run in the Central, they desperately need a replacement. I'm not entirely sure the answer is Don Kelly. While Kelly possesses a much stronger bat (if you can call a .248 BA "strong"), he's not a career 3rd baseman. Kelly's value is as a utility man. Let's not change that.

Now, the Tigers don't need an All-star. They just need an upgrade from Inge's .184 BA. They need somebody who's not going to kill every single rally. Someone who may bring value to the team. Someone, who, like RABURN, occasionally contributes to a win (see: July 7).

So what 3rd basemen are available? Typically, the players with expiring contracts are the most likely to be traded. Here are some 3rd basemen that fit that bill (and their relevant 2011 stats):

Wilson Betemit, KC (.285, 3 HR, 27 RBI)

Betemit is a utility player for the Royals, but he's been used mostly at 3rd base. Not much pop. His fielding ain't better than Inge, but he's solid. And, at $1M this season, he's cheap!

Eric Chavez, NYY (.303, 0 HR, 6 RBI)

Former gold glover that signed a $1.5M contract with the Yanks, after, gulp, 4 injury plagued seasons at Oakland (during which time he coolly pocketed $40M). If he could stay healthy, he'd be a cheap, easy Inge replacement. Right now, he's on the 60 day DL. So he's looking at late August for a return. Not likely the Tigers deal for him.

Greg Dobbs, FL (.293, 2 HR, 21 RBI)

Seldom used 3rd baseman who currently makes $600K. Obviously, his hitting would be a major upgrade over Inge. For his career (1300+ games), Dobbs is a .265 hitter. Defensively, he's statistically weaker than Inge. But his bat should make up the difference. And he's cheap.

Edwin Encarnacion, TOR (.255, 6 HR, 19 RBI)

Making $3.5M this season. He's providing offensive stats that the Tigers were hoping to get from Inge. He's not driving in many runs, but the home runs and average are about on par. The main problem with Encarnacion is his 8 errors and dreadful fielding% (.826). He might just have people clamoring to get Inge back!

Melvin Mora, Free Agent (.228, 0 HR, 16 RBI)

He's a free agent. So there's no gamble really. He's also 39. But just last season, the former all-star hit .285. He's a competent third baseman. He might be the best option.

Aramis Ramirez, CHC (.298, 15 HR, 51 RBI)

Former All-star having an all-star season again (though he didn't make the 2011 team). Tigers would have to part with some key prospects to make this deal happen. Doubtful.

Inconsistency Reigns Supreme

The Tigers up-and-down season took another downturn last night. Verlander had not lost a game since May. Yet, it's hard to win when the offense doesn't score a run. In fact, the offense mustered just two hits.

Last night was Justin Verlander vs Dan Haren - two of baseball's best. The final was a 1-0 victory for the Angels. It was a telling game for the Tigers. They possess one of the top aces in the game, but their bats are not elite. When the middle of the order struggles, the rest of the lineup never picks up the slack.

Compared to other major league teams, the Tigers' leadoff hitter ranks 29 of 30 in batting average, but earns 2nd place overall in terms of most strikeouts. The Tigers' 2nd hitter (a hodgepodge of people) ranks 20th for batting average. Then things pick up a bit. The 3rd hitter ranks 14th, thanks to Brennan Boesch. The 4th - 6th batters all rank in the top 3. The Tigers' lineup is clearly a case of the haves vs the have-nots. I suppose that's why they landed a couple All-stars, despite the team not being that great overall.

So the Tigers reach the midpoint of the season 1.5 games out of first. Chicago is just 3.5 games out. Minnesota is in 4th place, 7.0 games behind. Despite their favorable standing, I just can't see the Tigers finishing in 1st. Player-for-player, they are not as good as the White Sox or Twins. Every team in the Central has holes, but I honestly doubt a player like Ryan Raburn would even make the White Sox or Twins roster.

And speaking of Raburn, Mrs. Nofrownmotown wondered how many times he's ended an inning. I don't have that exact stat, but I did find that, with runners in scoring position and two outs, Raburn is hitting a scorching .139. Just so I'm not piling on Raburn, I should add the Boesch is hitting an identical .139 in that scenario. Cabrera, V. Mart, Maggs, and Peralta are all over .300. Interestingly, Casper Wells has 12 at-bats in that scenario and managed an impressive 5 hits. Perhaps Leyland should consider moving Wells deeper in the lineup as opposed to batting #2.

These stats, of course, don't really amount to much. Booting Raburn from the lineup or moving Wells to #8 won't win this team the pennant. It would just be rearranging the chairs on the Titanic. The Tigers are not a very good team. They're a .500 team. No more, no less.

Red Wings

Over the past week, Ken Holland opted to pass on signing a defenseman to a long-term, expensive contract. While other GMs handed out five, six year deals, Holland made just three conservative moves for the defense:

1. He re-signed Ericsson for 3 year/$10M

2. He signed Mike Commodore, formerly of the Blue Jackets, for just 1 year/$1M

3. He plucked Ian White away from the Sharks for 2 years/$5.75M

I'd say the Ericsson signing was a bit steep. There's no way he should be earning more money than Kronwall (who will make $3M next season). Yet, it was a players' market this year. Every team wanted to sign one of the top defensemen. Even aging d-men like Ed Jovanovski (35 years old) got a 4 year deal for $4.25M per season.

The forwards also made out well. Ville Leino, who scored all of 19 goals last year, signed a whopping 6 year/$27M contract with the Sabres. If Leino was still on the Wings, he'd be earning more than every single player except Pavel, Z, and Lidstrom.

Holland also opted to pass on every big name forward. He re-signed Patrick Eaves and Drew Miller, which we all expected. With such conservative moves, Holland kept the Wings $7M under the cap. This is somewhat amazing considering they did bring back the core of their team, plus Ian White and Commodore. White had an impressive run with the Sharks during the last playoffs. He was very effective against the Wings. He's a right-handed shot who could potentially replace Rafalski on the power play. Commodore was a more interesting signing. He and Babcock feuded when the were both with the Ducks. As a former Blue Jacket, we saw Commodore all the time. He was a gritty, effective d-man in the mold of Adam Foote. Last year, Commodore had a tough season, spending much of it in the minors. I have no doubt he'll rebound as a Red Wing. Will either new signing replace Rafalski? No. Rafalski was a rare talent and 2-time All-star. These guys are plug-ins, but they should definitely be able to replace the 2010-11 version of Rafalski.

With $7M still to spend, Holland can make a big splash at the trade deadline.