Comments on: Tigers Minor League Wrap 7/17/09 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/07/tigers-minor-league-wrap-71709/ News, views, and analysis on the Detroit Tigers and baseball Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:06:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: T Smith http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/07/tigers-minor-league-wrap-71709/#comment-123642 T Smith Sat, 18 Jul 2009 15:32:58 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/07/tigers-minor-league-wrap-71709/#comment-123642 This is all too predictable. I knew as soon as Teixiera hit his bomb that I'd be reading this very article in the morning. I'm tiring of the Tiger's habit of continually making excuses that serve somehow to exonerate the player/manager whenever a specific performance results in an embarrassing meltdown that costs a game. If Zumaya is truly injured (which he could be), then it was profoundly incompetent to use him (in a one-run game no less). Regardless, it was clear he wasn't right after the first pitch, which suggests to me this latest "physical ailment" was existent prior to the first meatball he threw. Or did he somehow get injured after he gave up 3 runs without recording a single out? And if so, why didn't Leyland or Knapp sprint out there to protect their guy and see if everything was okay and/or pull him after it was obvious something wasn't right? Rather, you ask an injured player to finish off the inning ?? I'm sorry, I'm not buying a single word of it. I know it's harsh, and I also know I'll take some shots here for not expressing sympathy, but it just doesn't add up. A) you don't ask a guy who is not 100% healthy to protect a one run lead against a potent lineup in one the most hostile venues on the planet, and B) you don't risk further injury if he's not 100% healthy by allowing him to continue to get knocked around. How convenient to cry injury AFTER they knock the cover off the ball. In any case, it's clear that protecting egos is just an important to the Tigers organization as winning games. If you can't just option Zumaya down to Toledo without fabricating an injury, seemingly to protect his ego, and if you can't just recall Perry because former player simply needs to work out his control in the club's AAA team, this organization is sending out the wrong message to its players and fans. That is, if you get hurt -- or if your hurt -- it's okay -- you get a pass. At least the Tigers had the courage to platoon Maggs instead of putting him on DL for tired bat speed. On the other hand, if there truly is a physical problem with Zumaya that cost the game, the manager should be held responsible for incompetence and pitcher abuse. Either way, I smell a goat. This is all too predictable. I knew as soon as Teixiera hit his bomb that I’d be reading this very article in the morning. I’m tiring of the Tiger’s habit of continually making excuses that serve somehow to exonerate the player/manager whenever a specific performance results in an embarrassing meltdown that costs a game. If Zumaya is truly injured (which he could be), then it was profoundly incompetent to use him (in a one-run game no less). Regardless, it was clear he wasn’t right after the first pitch, which suggests to me this latest “physical ailment” was existent prior to the first meatball he threw. Or did he somehow get injured after he gave up 3 runs without recording a single out? And if so, why didn’t Leyland or Knapp sprint out there to protect their guy and see if everything was okay and/or pull him after it was obvious something wasn’t right? Rather, you ask an injured player to finish off the inning ??

I’m sorry, I’m not buying a single word of it. I know it’s harsh, and I also know I’ll take some shots here for not expressing sympathy, but it just doesn’t add up. A) you don’t ask a guy who is not 100% healthy to protect a one run lead against a potent lineup in one the most hostile venues on the planet, and B) you don’t risk further injury if he’s not 100% healthy by allowing him to continue to get knocked around. How convenient to cry injury AFTER they knock the cover off the ball.

In any case, it’s clear that protecting egos is just an important to the Tigers organization as winning games. If you can’t just option Zumaya down to Toledo without fabricating an injury, seemingly to protect his ego, and if you can’t just recall Perry because former player simply needs to work out his control in the club’s AAA team, this organization is sending out the wrong message to its players and fans. That is, if you get hurt — or if your hurt — it’s okay — you get a pass. At least the Tigers had the courage to platoon Maggs instead of putting him on DL for tired bat speed.

On the other hand, if there truly is a physical problem with Zumaya that cost the game, the manager should be held responsible for incompetence and pitcher abuse. Either way, I smell a goat.

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