I can't figure out the Tigers. I know I've said and written this before, but Jim Leyland's reaction to a floundering two months of the season has been to make some very interesting moves. Let's platoon our ace/fifth starters! Leave Gary Sheffield in the three-spot as long as we can! Let Carlos Guillen play every position on the diamond!
Whatever he tries, Leyland just can't seem to get the Tigers going. Matt Joyce got a shot to play left field, hit some homers, then he was gone. It was announced that Marcus Thames would get run out there, and that lasted about three days. Now it's Guillen, who started at shortstop last year, first base in April, third base and designated hitter recently, and apparently, with little logic behind this, is now a left fielder. So what if the guy, by his own admission, has never played the outfield in 16 years as a professional. We need to get Brandon Inge and his .221 batting average into the lineup, at any cost!
Meanwhile, I thought it was a wise move to promote a healthy Dontrelle Willis and make him a relief pitcher, since he destroys left-handed hitters but doesn't have any luck against right-handers. Of course, that experiment lasted all of one outing. Willis walked a pair of Twins and allowed a hit and a run 10 days ago, hasn't pitched since, and now he's headed to the rotation in an odd time-share with the team's current top starter, Armando Galarraga. I'm not sure how this is going to work, with Willis sputtering through four or five innings on Tuesday and Galarraga set to relieve him. The next time their rotation spot comes up, it will be reversed. The problem is, Galarraga has been by far the best starter on the staff.
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Eric Karabell
