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And so where do the Lions stand?
As the Lions open training camp this week, it is difficult to discern exactly what their goal is for the coming season. This is the sixth year of team president Matt Millen's five-year program. That should mean a reasonable expectation of not only making the playoffs, but of having a legitimate shot at a Super Bowl appearance. But a dreadful 21-59 record the last five seasons, along with the hiring of Rod Marinelli as head coach, indicates the Lions are in a rebuilding mode. Any goals mentioned so far are about a change of mindset, not about a tangible improvement in the team. So the players are going to work until they drop under Marinelli. It will not matter if the Lions do not win. It will not help the Lions that the NFC should be improved this season. Every team in the NFC East should be better. The NFC North, outside of the Bears who have retained every starter, is not formidable. But it is difficult to envision the Lions beating out the Bears for the division title, or finishing ahead of any number of NFC teams for a wild card spot. And if the season plays out that way, you will hear about how Marinelli needs time to implement his program and the need to be patient. It is an endless cycle, for sure. Seems like people ran out of patience with the Lions long ago.
Random thoughts
- I think the Tigers should call up Jordan Tata from Toledo to take Zach Miner's spot in the starting rotation. In my opinion, Tata would give the Tigers a better chance of winning than the struggling Miner at this point.
- Chris Shelton is not the only Tigers' hitter scuffling. Marcus Thames' batting average for July is more than 100 points less than what it was for June. His batting average has fallen from .310 on July 1 to .279. If it were not for a two-homer, five-RBI game against Kansas City recently, Thames' numbers would be even more alarming. Were the first couple months of this season just his 15 minutes of fame? Is this Thames coming back to reality? Those are questions worth pondering, especially as the Tigers consider a move at the trade deadline.
- I know the golf courses in Great Britain are not supposed to be lush, green tracks, but come on, the links at Royal Liverpool were embarrassing. Those were not fairways, they were dirt roads.
Random thoughts
- I think the Tigers should call up Jordan Tata from Toledo to take Zach Miner's spot in the starting rotation. In my opinion, Tata would give the Tigers a better chance of winning than the struggling Miner at this point.
- Chris Shelton is not the only Tigers' hitter scuffling. Marcus Thames' batting average for July is more than 100 points less than what it was for June. His batting average has fallen from .310 on July 1 to .279. If it were not for a two-homer, five-RBI game against Kansas City recently, Thames' numbers would be even more alarming. Were the first couple months of this season just his 15 minutes of fame? Is this Thames coming back to reality? Those are questions worth pondering, especially as the Tigers consider a move at the trade deadline.
- I know the golf courses in Great Britain are not supposed to be lush, green tracks, but come on, the links at Royal Liverpool were embarrassing. Those were not fairways, they were dirt roads.
posted by Pat Caputo at
1:43 PM
20 Comments:
daver,
i'm not neccessarily in to dealing miner, nor do i think there is a lot of interest him. my point is they shouldn't go long with him in the rotation when they have other options. he has to pitch well. tata is the obvious one. Sanchez has some injury issues right now. i'm in cleveland with the team right now and leyland did say miner will stay in the rotation
caputo
why not go with the hot hand and put in Tata. I like what those guys do in AAA to help players. If need be put him down there to work out the kinks then come september maybe he will have the early June feel once again. Heck same with Shelton. His and like you said thames struggles is why personally I feel they need to go add some debth or consistency at the deadline if they are ready to make a run. Because as we know in baseball the one year wonder happens a lot. Speaking of Sanchez if he is not dealt would it be worth giving him a couple starts up with the club?
THe Lions OH GOD that is right. with the tigers It is hard to believe training camp is only a week away. UGH what to look forward to there. I am so fed up with Millen right now. Yeah there is always optimism. Four question marks for me. Charles Rogers - can he put down the trees long enough to be a number 2 draft pick? Kevin Jones - which one second half of rookie year or the garbage we saw last year. Secondary we got just a couple of days before Bryant goes down who will step in? Attitude - can Marinelli work wonders in one year like Leyland?
Sorry, everybody, the latest entry was posted much later than usual today because of a techical glitch that has since been corrected.
maddog52,
Actually, Tata pitched poorly in his last start and sanchez is ailing with a tender elbow. So the tigers pitching depth has eroded a lot. I'm in cleveland with the team and leyland said before the game that Miner is staying in the rotation.
On the lions...i didn't think rogers was very good when i saw minicamp and williams was being disciplined and didn't even practice. does not seem like you can count on either one of those guys. one of their young corners, keith smith, looked good the day i saw their minicamp practice.
caputo
is there any guys that might be released during training camp to keep an eye on. Like Wilkinson a few years ago. where the ly-downs can go out and pick someone up for debth? Last year when the lions were on the clock I said to my co-worker that watch the lions draft WIlliams. He is like no way. 5 minutes later Lions select williams. I went through the roof. Grant it I didn't want the line backer johnson either. I would have prefered Merriman or Ware. I watched those cats in college and liked both. Oh well water unfortunately under the bridge. Lets just hope Millen has the system finally right with Marrinelli and crew if not can we please toss him over the bridge.
As far as Miner thanks for the update. I don't have a problem with it. Like I said. How can argue with a staff that has given up 30 runs less then the next club. I don't understand people. What do you think of some miner deals of like Mike Gonzalez from Pittsburgh or would Ryan Dempster be worth a gamble? D. Y. So far has looked good. What are some low cost players that we could be interested in? Any?
Pat,
Don't you think the Tigers should trade for Dontrelle Willis??
I'm almost hoping the White Sox deal Brandon McCarthy to the Nats for Soriano. Be nice to have to face the guys other then interleague play.
And yes, I'm joking about dealing for Willis. I listen to you enough to know this rattles your cage. Sorry if I got your blood pressure up.
Who are the Lions?
brian,
LOL on the willis thing. i did get a little chapped with that guy on the radio about it sunday, it was ridiculous.the tigers think the soriano trade rumor is a smoke screen. we'll see...and as bad as the lions have been, and as fantastic as the tigers have been this summer, i'm looking forward to training camp. it means football season- for both college and pros - isn't far away. i love it.
caputo
maddog52,
green bay drafted both a.j. hawk and abdul hodge and signed ben taylor as a free agent. hawk, in particular, are advanced. it could mean roy manning is cut. he is a pretty good player. or maybe taylor if they start hodge inside and move nick barnett to the outside. taylor is good player, but has little value as a special teams player because he has been hurt a lot in the past.
caputo
Leyland from what I hear is trying to teach Minor another pitch. Is he trying to get by with only 2? I think he has had a control problem the last few games. British Open -(pray for rain) Lions - sad situation for many years. It makes one wonder how the successful teams are able to rebuild in less than 50 years..V
hey Pat,
Wondering if you could do something quickly. I love following the tigers, but I dont know much about their farm system. Obviously with the soriano rumors flyin around, the farm system is having names thrown around like crazy. could you give your 60 second scouting report on maybin and sanchez?
thanks
v,
miner gets by almost solely on his sinking fastball. It was an exceptional pitch his first few starts, but he has struggled with it the last few, leaving it up in the zone and over the plate and has gotten hammered. then he doesn't have anything else to go to.
on the lions...i haven't been able to put finger on expectations about them this season. how good are they supposed to be? what is acceptable?
caputo
sorry,
previous post was in reply to anonymous...
caputo
daver,
I was one those thinking tata was the answer until maroth comes back, but he has not pitched well lately. good points on sanchez. what people fail to realize is that is he an actual pitcher, not some pawn in a fantasy game. he has some potential, but there are many pitching prospects with as much or more potential than him.
caputo
daver,
I was one those thinking tata was the answer until maroth comes back, but he has not pitched well lately. good points on sanchez. what people fail to realize is that is he an actual pitcher, not some pawn in a fantasy game. he has some potential, but there are many pitching prospects with as much or more potential than him.
caputo
nick p,
maybin is their best prospect. he has the ability to have gone no.1 overall in the draft, and he has had a terrific year. it's a great sign that has played that well at that level this season. he is a potential big-time star with five tools. sanchez throws in the mid-90s with a big breaking ball. when he struggles, it's because of command issues. sometimes his mechanics get out of whack because he is big. he is not zumaya, verlander or bonderman in terms of sure-fire potential, but he has a chance to be a top of the rotation starter.
caputo
thinkingman,
miner will remain in the rotation, but his next start will be an important one for him, to say the least. i agree about soriano. he is very good player, but they would have to move podsednik to center field and out of his comfort zone in left. they need their starting pitchers to get their act together or it doesn't matter what players they bring in.
caputo
daver,
your basic point is a good one, but the tigers spent a quarter of a century with a horrible farm system. it has some depth, sure, but isn't that deep. why just throw it away. i'm not saying they shouldn't make a trade, but they need to careful not to be too generous.
caputo
daver,
I agree with what you are saying. why stockpile if you aren't going to use the options. there are players to be had, but did you read what the orioles wanted for Tejada. Bonderman or Verlander. Give me a break. No way in hell would I trade your top two pitchers in the rotation in my mind. I would make some moves, but in fair or equal value. I think dombrowski will make a move. I just think right now Bowden and others are waiting for the tigers to be the same old dumb tigers and rip us off. Not going to happen now.
A.J. Hawk. Dude him and Urlacher working in the winds man. I tell you this year personally. I feel the lions really needed to make a move because I feel our chances are better then they have been. However, like I said very slim. Heck we might as well start fielding the Detroit Demolition. At least they win football games.
maddog52,
so far the buyers are getting ripped off badly in these trades because it is clearly a seller's market. i think the tigers will do something, but i don't believe they will dumb about it. hawk could have the same impact as urlacher did with the bears. green bay's defense could be a lot better, especially with their linebackers and the addition of charles woodson. it's the packers offense, i think, that might struggle.
caputo
doesn't it make you sick about the Lions. I know yo uhave covered them and been around them for a long time. don't you sometimes just want to go into that allen park facility or where ever ford is hiding. knock millen to the ground and grab ford by the coller and be like come on. 50 years dude you have sucked. lol...
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