PART 1 OF AN INVESTIGATIVE REPORT
REVIEWING THE DISASTROUS 2008 DETROIT TIGERS SEASON
With 31 games left in the schedule, the Tigers are winding down what has been a season of bitter disappointment.
One can only wish to turn back the clock in hopes to re-analyze the prospects of this season. Perhaps we would have taken a good, hard look at some of the issues heading into this season. I’m sure someone would have been able to realize that this season was bound for disaster right from the get-go.
We had fantasies of how many runs we’d score, and how many games we cross double-digit runs across the plate. How many batters would hit over .300, bash in 30+ home runs and knock in 100+ RBI’s. But let’s be honest with ourselves folks, (and count me in with the guilty…) you can’t ignore the fact that the Tigers pitching staff was mediocre at best and certainly flawed. However, no one could have imagined that the wheels would’ve fallen off the way that they have.
For instance, Justin Verlander was supposed to take the next big step in his career. A step that would allow him to compete for the AL Cy Young Award, lead the team to the playoffs en route to post-season MVP status and be counted on each and every time he takes the mound. Instead, it has been a struggle with his control, concerns about his delivery and hints of tipping to hitters what pitch is being thrown. Apart from a stretch of about 12 starts from late May to July, Verlander has been a different pitcher than the consistent hurler displayed in his first two full seasons in the majors. With a 10-13 record and an ERA of 4.42 he hasn’t exactly been awful, but certainly not worth a sniff at a major award.
One of the most drastic differences from his previous seasons work is a lack of control over his stuff. Already walking more batters than in either full seasons total, Verlander is on pace to walk nearly 85 batters, an increase of his previous career high of 67 set last season.
While this isn’t drastic, nor alarming, consider the fact that his strikeout total is down as well. Put those two together and the fact that his hit totals are somewhat in line, the only explanation for his ballooned ERA (prior to this season J.V. had a career ERA of 3.68, nearly a full run lower than this seasons output) would be the fact that he isn’t getting the big strikeout when needed and not being able to strand runners on base. Some of those extra runs are a result of a walk. Meaning, that the runners that are on base are actually cashing in; whereas in previous seasons, Verlander would throw something nasty across the plate and he’d make the batter look foolish swatting wildly, or freeze’em still having a called 3rd strike to end an inning.
“STUPID BALL! Do what I tell you.” (insert sad face…)
It’s not all #35’s fault though. He doesn’t exactly get an overwhelming amount of run support, as it seems the Tigers bats lack a clutch hit to pull out a victory for him here and there. Perhaps the Tigers are guilty of looking to Justin to stop the bleeding of a tough streak, or pull them through a game on his own. Not one to shy away from the pressure, Verlander knows that he hasn’t been great and has embedded his own high level of expectations which have surely come up short.
With all this being said, should the Tigers assume one area to mend heading into the 2009 season, it should go without saying that their starting five is going to be critical if they plan on having any success. Consistency is a must, and if you starting arms aren’t giving more quality starts than duds which hasn’t exactly been the case this season, than you aren’t going to be too successful.
Hopefully 2009 will bare more happy moments for JV
Hopefully for Justin (as well as Tigers fans…) this season is only a slight blip in the progression of a Hall of Fame career.
Next, I’m going to take a look at Kenny Rogers.
