Jim Leyland Best Choice for Tigers
Tiger GM Dave Dombrowski Smart in Extending Leyland's Contract
Detroit Tigers needed to keep Jim Leyland and Ivan Rodriguez, but also need to find a new relief pitcher to replace the inept Todd Jones.
Manager Jim Leyland has had his contract extended with the Detroit Tigers. Rightfully so. In his two seasons with the Tigers, Leyland has led Detroit to winning records in consecutive seasons for the first time since 1987-88.
The Tigers had a slight letdown this season compared to 2006 when it won the American League pennant. Leyland has had problems with the Tigers both seasons in August and September. A poor performance by the team in those two months cost them a chance for the playoffs this year.
But still, Leyland has coached the team to a 183-141 record in two seasons. For the first time, fan attendance in Detroit went past three million for a season. The Tigers aren’t likely to find anyone better.
Jones not the answer
But they must find a better closer than Todd Jones. The Detroit Free Press and Detroit News are reporting that the Tigers would like Jones for one more year.
He’s not a closer for a team contending for a league championship. For a team interested in being around .500, Jones isn’t too bad. But the Tigers need to find someone better.
Some may think that Joel Zumaya could take Jones place. But Zumaya pulled off the biggest choke job of the season for a Tiger reliever when the team was fighting for its playoff lives in the first game of a three-game series with the Cleveland Indians in late September. The Tigers had a 5-2 lead going into the eighth and Zumaya immediately surrendered three runs. Detroit suffered a stunning loss.
A Tiger victory could have given the team new life in its bid for a playoff spot. Instead, Zumaya’s blown save cost the Tigers a decent shot at a comeback.
Jones has expressed interest in being a free agent. It’s his second stint with the team and he told the Associated Press that he extremely appreciates the fact that the franchise took a chance on him when no one else would.
The Tigers need to let Jones walk and look for a quality stopper. Jones has proven himself to be too unreliable for that position. At times he came through but at other times, he didn’t. He was maybe reliable 50 percent of the time. That’s hardly good enough.
Tigers need to keep Rogers
Detroit president David Dombrowski made a good move in keeping Leyland. But he’ll do the franchise another favor by dumping Todd Jones and doing everything it can to keep veteran pitcher Kenny Rogers and catcher Ivan Rodriguez. Dombrowski needs to sign a new reliever on the free agent scene.
Rogers, if he stays healthy, is still a valuable starter. Dombrowski, Leyland and the Tigers made a mistake of using too many rookies in August and September during the heat of a pennant race. They need to keep Rogers and hope he can give them good starts on a five-pitcher rotation.
Rodriguez is still a quality player with a decent bat. Teams contending for titles need that. It’s hard to find a quality player like that.
Jim Leyland is a good manager, but only as good as the talent he’s got. That’s why Dombrowski needs to keep players like Rogers and Rodriguez, dump Rogers and look for other veterans who can blend in with the available talent.
