MSU Red Cedar Message Board

2 whole games behind Cleveland with 129 to go

Yay titties.

Because Leyland is on a one year contract I think its plausable that they will replace Lloyd McClendon.

Rookmsu pointed out that McClendon is a Leyland coach/friend/cronie is one of the highest paid bench coaches. If Dombrowski was willing to cut Inge loose paying his $5.5M salary less the minimum Oakland is paying him replacing McClendon isn't beyond possibility.

Look at the numbers. Avila, Boesch, Cabrera, Young even newcomer Fielder are all batting 20 or more points lower than last season's averages. Miggy goes 0'fer Seattle (0-13). Fielder is 0'fer Oakland so far (0-13). Mr. Illitich doesn't have $41.5M per season wrapped up in 2 power hitters in their prime struggling without a change if it continues.

Rookmsu thinks Donbrowski will wait until the All Star break for this move if the poor hitting continues. I think it will be dictated by what is happening in the Central. When they pulled the plug on Rick Knapp last July 3rd they were 0.5 games behind Cleveland and they had allowed 19 runs against the SF Giants.

If they are more than 5-6 games back and hitting is still dismal I think it will be sooner. Maybe the first week in June. Primarily because last year other than Verlander the pitching staff was a bargain. This year they have way too much invested in hitters to wait and watch the season runaway.

Pitching coach is easier to replace, with the bullpen coach, who was Jones. He was basically the assistant, who knew all the players. Hitting coaches? You are bringing up a minor league coach. Is that an improvement?

Yes. He was out with other friends. No Tiger personnel were with him.

No, I obviously don't know for sure, it just seems like the body language. Leyland never shows emotion unless the media is questioning his moves. Pretty soon you are going to have JV tear into a reliever for blowing his lead, or a Fister telling the hitters to get him some effing runs.

Jennifer Aniston in Horrible Bosses is great.

That would probably be it, yes. For those wanting full regime change, you are likely to get it next year. Leyland will probably retire. DD may split as well, as he may be the next commissioner. Nuking the thing now is every bit as likely to fail than to work, if not moreso. Francona isn't coming. Any interim boss would likely be eaten alive.

He's passed out.

I wish it were as simple as the hitting, as bad as that's been. The bullpen has been equally as bad and inconsistent.

Leyland's wife (no pics) would accept the job before LaRussa. LaRussa is Leyland's best friend in baseball.