Disappointments Abound

Could it be new All-Star shortstop Edgar Renteria? What about legendary slugger Gary Sheffield or former 22-game winner Dontrelle Willis? Nate Robertson and Kenny Rogers posted impressive years in 2006, but bullpen stalwarts Todd Jones and Fernando Rodney are certainly strong candidates…

If you’re still oblivious to the topic du jour, or maybe more appropriately, de la saison, who most greatly deserves the designation “biggest disappointment” in Detroit this year? Here are your candidates:

Edgar Renteria

Jair Jurrjens showed promise last year in seven games with Detroit, but was made expendable after Tigers management realized Carlos “Holes in the Knees” Guillen could no longer man shortstop. The logical resolution to fill the gaping hole up the middle was to trade for the best available middle man. GM Dave Dombrowski plucked Edgar Renteria out of Atlanta in exchange for Jurrjens and outfield prospect Gorkys Hernandez. At the time it looked like a steroid injection, adding a .332 hitter to the AL’s second best hitting club. Two-thirds of a season later, Dombrowski regrets exporting The Great Dutch Hope to the Braves for the equivalent of a pallet of oranges.

Gary Sheffield

It’s surprising we don’t see smatterings of Gary Sheffield’s shoulder strewn about on the path from home to first, the only sector of the diamond he visits at work. His shoulder is clearly limiting–no, inhibiting, just as it was last year when he batted a paltry .178 in August and September. Who is more to blame for his severe decrease in production, him or Jim Leyland for trotting him out there game after game? .228, 9 HR, 32 RBI are what we expect from Mike Lamb, Paul Bako, and Donnie Murphy. Do you see them in the lineup everyday? Loyalty has it’s limits Mr. Leyland.

Dontrelle Willis

Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis for Andrew Miller, Cameron Maybin, and fluff? What a steal! Well, at least the Cabrera half of the deal has worked nicely for the Tigers. In just a handful of games, Willis has proven his 3-year, $29 million contract easily ranks among the worst signings not only of this year, but this decade. Yes, we are aware Chan Ho Park, Carl Pavano, Mike Hampton, and Barry Zito committed exorbitant acts of extortion, but at least they played more than five games before being banished to the minors. Speculators suggested the Florida Marlins would refuse any transaction involving Miguel Cabrera unless the suitor also took Willis off their hands. Left out of these reports, Florida management also coerced Dombrowski into a game of 52-card pickup.

Nate Robertson

Quick, name one pitcher who has given up more earned runs than Robertson this year. Having trouble? Keep working on it, you’ll get there. No pitcher has blown away the opposition less than “Nasty Nate”. His statistics are the only nasty thing about him (6-8, 6.11) and he last picked up a win for Detroit on June 21st. Playoff contenders typically don’t pack this weak of a link into the back end of their starting rotation, that’s why few consider the Tigers a post season candidate. With no potential replacement in sight, Robertson may shatter career worsts in ERA, WHIP, and batting average against. On August 7th, he sits just four earned runs short of last year’s total (2007- 94 ER, 2008- 90 ER). That’s what, an inning-and-a-third’s worth of work for Nate?

Kenny Rogers

Avoiding any predictable old man jokes, 43-year-old Kenny Rogers has flat out run out of gas. Despite an impressive five-game stretch from late-May to mid-June, the 2008 edition of Rogers is reminiscent of Steve Carlton, circa 1987-88. With decreased velocity and decreased command, he has hung on embarrassingly past his prime (8-8, 4.98). The opposition rakes at a .301 clip against him and this may be the first time in his 20 seasons he issues more free passes than punchouts (53 BB, 58 K). Rogers obviously knows his abilities have deteriorated, but Dombrowski gave him 8 million reasons to come back. As with Willis, perhaps the blame doesn’t lie within Rogers….

Todd Jones

And finally we reach the most polarizing performer on the Tigers. The “Roller Coaster” has been cursed for years by Detroit fans, and often not so rightfully. The all-time franchise saves leader (235) had closed 18 of 21 games successfully before Leyland’s demotion, then DL stint. Well, Jones actually deserved the flak this time. In only 16 of his 44 appearances has he escaped without allowing a base runner, and three of those outings were shorter than an inning. Back on June 22, Justin Verlander almost struck out as many San Diego Padres in 5.1 innings (10) as Jones has in 41 innings (14). Void of an electric fastball, this is almost certain to be Jones’ final year in a Tigers uniform. Emergency rooms be on high alert! Cardiac Jones will attempt return sometime this week.

Fernando Rodney

In the post-Jason Grilli Era, there may not be a more hated non-closer in Detroit’s bullpen than Rodney. His signature once spotted on a petition to change the official walk rule from four to five balls, Rodney’s struggles with the free pass have cost Detroit multiple games. The most notable blowup occurred in his season debut; Rodney lobbed a changeup to famed slugger John Bowker who launched it an incalculable distance. After not retiring a batter and picking up a loss his next outing, he calmed down for a few games before blowing a save. Since then, he has been as reliable out of the pen as Chuck Knoblauch at second base. His last five appearances have netted the opposition nine bonus base runners, eight of which came in a 4.1 inning span. Bravo Fernando, bravo.

Maybe the 2008 Detroit Tigers are setting us up for one of the most storied comebacks in history. Perhaps they are tanking it, only to engage in a Rockies-esque surge of a year ago, launching themselves into the playoffs. Until they stop losing six games in a row and blowing consecutive games in the later innings, we must assume this edition of the Tigers is unworthy of a playoff spot. When the season runs it’s course, the two teams predicted to battle it out for the AL Central (Tigers and Indians) will likely be identified most disappointing.

Recent Posts

• Beat L.A., Beat L.A.
• Disappointments Abound
• A Movement Towards Youth
• Ramirez, Sox End Volatile Relationship: Latest “Manny Being Manny” Antics Swelled Into Selfish Discontent, Forcing Boston To Make A Move
• Rangers Statistical Month in Review - July
• Teixeira for Kotchman? I Just Don’t Know.
• The Big Burning Question: Keep or Trade Slugger Mark Teixeira?
• When Bad Things Happen To Good People
• The First Domino To Fall
• Red Sox Roadkill: Inefficient Offense Away From The Friendly Confines of Fenway (Part 2 of 3)