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Detroit Tigers: Ausmus situation not distracting, but embarrassing, Norris/Sanchez return

By Matt Pelc

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A representative of the Detroit Tigers allegedly leaked that the team would be parting ways with Brad Ausmus at the end of the season and then a bunch of spin doctors went into action.

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But players in the clubhouse don’t feel as if Ausmus has been the problem, or the only problem–thinking they have had something to do with the poor performances on the field this year. Ian Kinsler called this season “kind of a mess” on all areas, but the controversy surrounding Ausmus will not affect the play on the field.

It was troubling the way this franchise has started to slip back into their old, bad habits of the early years of Mike Ilitch ownership. The leaks to the press, the cold and uncaring attitude of ownership and executives. It seemed to begin with the way Dave Dombrowski was dismissed last month.

Whether you approved or disapproved of the way DD did his job recently, no one who is a fan of this team can be happy with the way he was treated. After 13 years of service, he’s fired by a phone call. Dombrowski turned around the mindset of this organization and made it a popular landing spot for free agents.

Now with that, the dugout fight, having a manager find out his fate through the press (even though it was denied) makes the Tigers’ look like amateur hour. This can be in the back of the minds of free agents and their agents this off-season.

I am not a fan of Brad Ausmus, but I don’t think he is entirely to blame for the team underacheiving in 2014 and falling off the map this year. A lot has to do with the roster put together and the players lack of effort, however Ausmus was never qualified for this job in the first place and is not a good game manager at this point in his career. Time to correct that error, whether that is fair or not.

With that said, telling a news reporter your plans, knowing full well it will be made public and then having to do spin work the next day, it just makes the Tigers look so bad, no matter who they plan to fire for whatever reason.

Finally, with the arm injuries that fell Daniel Norris and Anibal Sanchez last month, each looked like a long-shot to get back to the mound for the Detroit Tigers this season, however that is exactly what is going to happen. Sanchez is slated to start Wednesday’s game in Minnesota while Norris will follow him in the fourth or fifth inning and get some work in.

It’s good sign to see these guys pitching this season, however if they didn’t, I don’t think anyone would be too upset at this point. Nonetheless having two starters scheduled to throw in a major league game as a sort of “rehab” with the minor league regular season over, it does seem a little “Spring Training-esque.” But for a team almost certain to finish in last place, what else do you expect at this point?

Detroit Tigers players say Brad Ausmus situation will not be distraction: ‘It’s just noise’ – Chris Iott, MLive

"“It doesn’t change anything in here,” Kinsler said. “We’re still a losing team. We’re still at the bottom. It’s not significant right now. When a move’s made, whether he stays as manager or we find a new manager, then I think it will be significant. … But right now it’s really nothing.Avila agreed that the situation is not a distraction to players on the team.“I don’t think it would have any effect on what we do on a daily basis,” he said. “It’s just noise. We can’t control that. We can’t worry about that stuff. I don’t think it affects what you do on a daily basis in the clubhouse.”Kinsler and Avila were asked for their assessment of Ausmus.“He won a division in his first year as a manager,” Kinsler said. “I think there’s something to be said about that. This year has been kind of a mess. We were injured early. There’s been some injuries that we’ve had to fight through as a team throughout the year."

Ausmus fiasco only dims Tigers luster further – Bob Wojonowski, Detroit News

"Ausmus certainly isn’t a bad guy, maybe not even a bad manager. But the experiment of hiring a no-experience manager didn’t work and the change has to be made, and almost assuredly will. It’s unseemly to let a guy twist, and the Ilitches owe explanations going back to the Dombrowski dismissal. But this also is how awful seasons lurch to a close, and Ausmus appears to understand.There’s some notion the Tigers should fire him now as an act of mercy, but that doesn’t really make sense. Oh, so his coaches — who also likely will be let go — can be stuck with the final three weeks? Besides, Ausmus isn’t looking for a quick exit, and says he plans to manage the team until he’s no longer wanted."

Tigers’ starters Norris, Sanchez might return this week – George Sipple, Detroit Free Press

"Detroit Tigers manager Brad Ausmus said Daniel Norris and Anibal Sanchez could be ready to pitch as early as Wednesday, depending on how they feel today after each pitched three innings in a simulated game in the batting cages inside Progressive Field."

Next: Fantasy Baseball: Tigers picks and sticks

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