Detroit Tigers Links: Ausmus under pressure, Max Scherzer hasn’t changed, Schedule woes

Tigers’ final 40 games to put Brad Ausmus to the test – Kurt Mensching, Detroit News

"What are you going to do now, Brad Ausmus?Six months ago, under the blue skies of central Florida, describing the situation the Tigers have put themselves in today would have earned laughter and eye rolling.With 40 games remaining on the schedule, the Tigers are on the outside of the playoffs looking in. (Ha!)Their former ace pitcher, Justin Verlander, has a losing record. (Ha! Ha!)Their defending two-time AL MVP is on pace for his worst regular season at the plate since his first full year in the majorsin 2004. (Ha! Ha! Ha!)Their bullpen is awful. (OK, we saw that one coming.)The Tigers find themselves slumping. They’ve played sub-.500 ball since the All-Star break. When they hit they cannot pitch. When they pitch they cannot hit. Sometimes they can do neither. And they keep embarrassing themselves in the field.Well, Brad Ausmus, what do you say to that?"

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Max Scherzer Forgot To Change Anything –  Neil Weinberg, New English D

"Max Scherzer had his best season to date in 2013. After it was over, my basic message about Scherzer was that he will continue to be good but he had simply reached his peak and his career year was already behind him. In a way, I was sort of right. In another way, I was totally wrong. You see, Max Scherzer didn’t get better this year but he also didn’t get worse. Max Scherzer is exactly the same pitcher he was last year to the point where it is actually a little bit weird."

Tigers’ schedule doesn’t get any easier down the stretch – Rob Rogacki, Bless You Boys

"We knew this was coming. After the weather wreaked havoc on the Tigers‘ schedule in April and May, it was inevitable that an already difficult second half schedule was only going to get more treacherous.Today is the team’s first off day in the month of August, ending a stretch of 31 games played in 31 days. The Tigers went 13-18 during this last month and have been outscored 135-119. They are 8-9 in August so far with a run differential of -4.The Tigers have another off day scheduled for next Monday, but thanks to a pair of Saturday doubleheaders on the horizon, still have 14 games left to play in the month of August. Assuming they have no more rainouts during this span, they will have played 31 games in the month of August, and an incredible 45 games in 45 days since the All-Star break."