The Tigers have major decisions to make in the off-season:
1. Move Guillen to 1B and go after a shortstop?
2. Keep Guillen at SS and go after a 1B?
3. Renew Pudge’s option?
4. Who gets the majority of ABs in LF …. is Maybin really ready?
5. What to do about 3B?

My own preference would be to shift Carlos to 1B and get a new 3B. I’d be fine with Santiago at SS if we could get a stud for 3B. Santiago is leaps and bounds better than Guillen defensively. Personally, I’d rather invest the $$$ in 3B (can you say A-Rod?) than getting an over-priced slug like Jack Wilson.

How about this lineup:
Granderson LF
Polanco 2B
A-Rod 3B
Maggs RF
Sheffield DH
Guillen 1B
Pudge C
Maybin CF
Santiago SS

“there is more to the game than just hitting the ball”…well, there’s throwing the ball, catching the ball, bouncing the ball, rolling the ball, etc.

But in 138 years of professional baseball, a few trends have emerged:
* pitching is the most important factor in building a team; hitting is not important for a pitcher, particularly in the AL.
* defense is normally a priority and most important “up the middle”: SS, 2B, CF, C, although a player must be capable of both within certain boundaries
* offense is a priority in the corners; although a player must be capable of both within certain boundaries

Just because you love Brandon Inge doesn’t mean that the Tigers can sacrifice offensive production forever from 1B and 3B. By your rationale, we’d have a team composed of Neifi Perez’ at all positions. A MLB player can – and must – do both to some degree.

Stated another way: just imagine where this team would be without the season-long offense of Maggs, Polanco (who remains errorless, by the way and playing a more demanding defensive position) & Guillen (despite his suspect defense).

Yes, “defense wins championships” in most sports, but in baseball, “pitching wins championships” and you have to score to win anything.

The minor leagues are filled with “good field/no hit” players, but there’s plenty of good hitters who find a spot somewhere on an MLB roster.

That’s the issue with the Tigers heading into September. The intensity is there. The personnel might not be.

this is ultimate challenge for the best manager: to maintain enthusiasm when yer hurt

doing it is the true mark of a survivor and a winner

and ya can do it

Leyland can move folks around, here and there but most especially ya gotta maintain that enthuisiasm that Grandy and Pudge are so good at, especially Grandy. Casey too.

Santiago has looked great at SS. Guillen can be 1b or DH. There’s a lot of stuff that can work. I still like Thames in left.

but all of this is Jim’s job. My job is to watch the game and make a few commets here and there

perduction

is that all you guys think about

there is more to the game than just hitting the ball

He hit .400 in ST, only to watch Neifi make the team. He watched Casey hit under the Mendoza line for 6 weeks and still received no second shot.

It’s not an excuse, but I think it has been his reality after seeing his “dream” crushed last year after losing his stroke and confidence. Still, he was respectable overall, hitting .273 on the year.
He’s been a good egg and better-than-expected defensively, so I hope they don’t totally give up on him and give him a real shot to compete going forward.

http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....mp;t=t_ibp

Aside from that, as Mat said, Perez bats LH and doesn’t play 1B. If you want a RH batting 1B, Thames is your man, not Shelton.

I don’t know if this means they have given up on Shelton, but clearly he didn’t improve over last season.

What are the odds he is hitting better than Inge at the end of the year?

If anyone wants to donate me some money I’ll offer you even odds.

aside from that…another blow to post season chances although our sched is favorable to the indians. fingers crossed here.