Detroit Tigers Fans Should Stay Patient

With a team loaded with All-Stars, the Detroit Tigers should be a significantly better team. During the month of May, the team has won only 4 of 15 games.

Despite these unusually low numbers, fans should not give up on the team just yet.

Since there are 162 games in the season, the current record of 17-21 could easily turn around, but the Detroit Tigers need to start playing better on a consistent basis.

Even though Detroit Tigers fans are rather tough on the team, their criticism is out of dedication and loyalty to their favorite team. It’s not that fans do not appreciate their team, they just expect them to perform to the standards that the players have set for themselves in the past.

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Of the four wins in May, none were knock-out wins. On May first, the Tigers defeated the Twins by one run. The wins against the Nationals and the Orioles were also only by one run. And to make matters worse, in yesterday’s game against the Twins, the Tigers gave up an eight-run lead, only to win by two runs.

On the flip-side, in May, the Tigers have been defeated by several runs in several games. Against the Indians, the Tigers scored 7 runs to the Indians’ 20. Against the Rangers, the Tigers scored 9 runs to 23. All of the games against the Nationals were one-run games, with the Tigers on the losing end of two of them. And, in the three games the Orioles won, the Tigers scored 8 runs to the Orioles’ 17 runs. Ouch. This cannot last.

The problems with the Tigers seem to run deep, but the first person the fans are looking to blame is Brad Ausmus. Many fans are complaining about his lack of emotion in the games and even though he blew up on Doug Eddings because of his oversized strike zone, some fans do not believe that his episode yesterday was really about balls and strikes. For his performance yesterday, the Skipper did earn a one-game suspension that was fulfilled today.

Despite the fact that Ausmus blew up and was ejected from the game, the Tigers still made errors and did not perform to their perceived capabilities. So, if the team is performing the same way when he is there or when he is not, are the flaws all on him? No.

Instead of calling for Ausmus to be fired, fans should recognize that his replacement could be worse!

The Tigers are a team that has proven to be a bit streaky over the years. The men on the team are very capable players who are making big bucks to deliver a good product. And, the historic numbers these player have shows they can and will. Even if Miguel Cabrera is not hitting at his normal numbers, he is the type of guy who will not give up and accept anything less than his personal best. Victor Martinez continues to hit like he is ten years younger than he really is. Justin Verlander keeps pushing himself to be the Ace again. The ageless Ian Kinsler is showing what a lead-off hitter should do. Francisco Rodriguez is closing games with ease. The return of homegrown Cameron Maybin could be a turning point for the team. Eventually, all of these men will get their game play under control and they should become better than they have been in the first half of the month of May.

They still need fans to be there for them. They are obviously trying to improve and there are signs that those improvements are on the way. I, for one, am hoping that patience pays off.

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Baseball is a game that relies on patience. Not just from the players, but from the fans, too. Don’t give up on the team just yet. Just enjoy the rollercoaster ride! They don’t want to use, just as much – if not more – than the fans.