Tigers Fans: Careful What You Wish For

By: Eric Thomas

I want to start by saying that if Jim Leyland sits in the dugout to start next season, I will be surprised.  Watching this team pitch and roll and heave has been awful at times, as I have written many times on this website. The amount of talent the Tigers assembled was tantalizing and to see it all crash down the stairs is disappointing at least and tragic at worst. I'm not one of those 'Someone has to go.' people. I like continuity in coaching staffs. The Steinbrenner revolving door policy doesn't work for me. But there comes a point where I have to stop defending Jim Leyland. His constant excoriation of fans and media about their lack of baseball knowledge this year was the final straw.

The anger directed at Jim Leyland is an amazing sight to see. It towers in the air, twisting many times against the flat backdrop sky. I have heard Jim Leyland blamed for everything this season. Fans hold him responsible for not sending the runners on every single pitch, for not forcing Prince Fielder to bunt (HE'S A PRO! WHY NOT?!), to why they can't find their car keys, to the fact that Obama is President.

Fans' pulses collectively quickened and there is now a feeding frenzy whipping up. Blood in the water. They want to feed, and when Leyland is gone, they are going to hold his banner high. They are going to pound their chests like William Wallace, collecting credit for him being gone.

I can't fathom how this area and this fan base can't learn anything. It's like we have Teflon heads where no thought will stick. Sending away a coach with recent playoff appearances has never, NEVER worked for teams in this area with one exception. I can get to be a broken record on this, but take a poll at the Big House during the UMASS game this weekend and ask if running Lloyd Carr out of town was a mistake. Remember how much you hated Wayne-o? Did you miss him during the Millen era? Toward the end of Sparky Anderson's run, remember people saying that the game had passed the old man by?  Didn't the Tigers tap Sparky out the door? How did it work out after that?

I guarantee that Red Sox fans feel a little nauseated that they sent Terry Francona packing. Bobby Valentine has been a disaster in Boston; most baseball observers are surprised he made it a whole season. The Sawx are still struggling, and I am sure that more than a few wonder why they got rid of the only manager to win a championship for the Sox since Herbert Hoover was president.

Have your party. Dance on a pack of Marlboro Reds. If you watch the Tigers to satisfy a deep blood lust, this has been your season. Everyone was excited that the Tigers got rid of Brandon Inge, but then he beat you with a grand slam. Just because you get someone thrown out, that doesn't mean you win in the end. In the end, you aren't on the field.

So careful what you wish for, Tigers fans. Changing managers is a 50-50 proposition. So many fans are eager to take what's behind door number three. Just remember, this is on you. You asked, begged and demanded this change. If you wind up with a lump of coal next year, and the team implodes, you asked for it. Remember that.