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Three Big Money Players Mainly Responsible For Tigers Slump
A lot is made about the bottom of the Tigers’ lineup being at fault for their often alarming lack of production, but the Tigers really don’t get a lot out of other parts of their lineup.
Magglio Ordonez isn’t driving the ball like he was early in the season. Carlos Guillen has not provided the extra spark offensively that had been anticipated since he returned to the lineup. Johnny Damon has slumped. These three players are making $39 million combined for this season. The reasonable expectation would be more production. Lots more.
The Tigers are ninth in the American League in runs scored and 10th in home runs. Their standing in both areas is dropping quickly. There have been the anticipated struggles from youngsters Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch, but this is the time of the year when you’re big-money players are supposed to be your big-money producers. Sure, it’s disconcerting how little the Tigers are getting offensively at catcher and shortstop, but that’s not where their offensive issues will be decided. It will be from Ordonez, Damon and Guillen. Those three are not producing lately.
It’s no coincidence that neither is the team collectively.
Magglio Ordonez isn’t driving the ball like he was early in the season. Carlos Guillen has not provided the extra spark offensively that had been anticipated since he returned to the lineup. Johnny Damon has slumped. These three players are making $39 million combined for this season. The reasonable expectation would be more production. Lots more.
The Tigers are ninth in the American League in runs scored and 10th in home runs. Their standing in both areas is dropping quickly. There have been the anticipated struggles from youngsters Austin Jackson and Brennan Boesch, but this is the time of the year when you’re big-money players are supposed to be your big-money producers. Sure, it’s disconcerting how little the Tigers are getting offensively at catcher and shortstop, but that’s not where their offensive issues will be decided. It will be from Ordonez, Damon and Guillen. Those three are not producing lately.
It’s no coincidence that neither is the team collectively.
Labels: Magglio Ordonez Johnny Damon Carlos Guillen Brennan Boesch Austin Jackson
posted by Pat Caputo at
12:46 PM
4 Comments:
Well, I ain't paying these guys so I hate when we talk about the big money players like we are paying them. Illitch and Dombrowski put their dollars where they see fit.
Slumps are contageous - just as hitting is contageous. Just gotta ride this out and hope that we don't get buried in the standings while it's happening.
Maybe if they rubbed some dead chickens on their bats and sacraficed a virgin or two.
But it does feel like a Tigers September, don't it.
Fred Brill,
Thing is, when you overpay players, it comes back to haunt teams - and their fans - when they pass on other players, better players at the time, because of financial concerns.
Caputo
Ordonez is hitting .318 with a .997 OPS, and 40 RBI and had almost an identical April and May.
Say what you want about Damon and Guillen's struggles, but don't bring Maggs into this just because he is not Miguel Cabrera. This team is beyond lucky they didn't release Ordonez last summer.
Joe Nagy,
I think you make a fair point. It's just for $18 million, he should be hitting like Cabrera.
Caputo
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