Ex-Tiger Jason Grilli: Tigers have bad chemistry; atmosphere is 'stale and stagnant'

[H1Man]

Ex-Tiger Jason Grilli: Tigers have bad chemistry; atmosphere is 'stale and stagnant'

Reliever Jason Grilli, traded last month after spending the previous three years in the organization, attributes the Tigers' struggles to a lack of cohesion and too many cliques.

The Tigers managed to show team unity one game last weekend when they took Edgar Renteria's suggestion and hiked up their socks, even playing music before the game. The Tigers won.

Yet instead of repeating the ritual the next day, Magglio Ordonez and left fielder Marcus Thames played with their pants low, and the music was off.

"It seems like they kind of broke up our team chemistry when they got rid of Sean Casey and good people like that," says Grilli, now with the Colorado Rockies. "You wanted guys like that around. You wanted a guy like Inge playing behind you, knowing he would go through a brick wall.

"Talent-wise on paper, that is one of the greatest teams assembled, but the atmosphere was stale and stagnant. You kept losing, losing and losing, and everybody became distant. I have good friends over there, and I feel badly for them."

Grilli has a 1.93 ERA in 9.1 innings with the Rockies. He was traded from the Tigers to Colorado Rockies for RHP Zach Simons on April 30.

http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/a.../80520007/1050

'Stale and stagnant' atmosphere

Sheffield looks around the clubhouse. It is two hours before game time against the Arizona Diamondbacks, and video is being shown of Dan Haren, the opposing pitcher.

No one is watching.

Cabrera, who had never faced Haren, is asleep in a chair. Magglio Ordonez has his back turned to the TV and is reading a magazine. A handful are playing cards.

Detroit lost 4-3, with Ordonez getting three of the six hits. The loss provided a snapshot of the year.

Cabrera, who moved to first base in April after struggling defensively at third, halfheartedly attempted to catch a foul pop-up. It caromed off his glove for an error. Shortstop Edgar Renteria and third baseman Carlos Guillen, who moved from first to make room for Cabrera, let a foul pop-up drop when no one communicated. And closer Todd Jones was left stranded in the bullpen, with one save opportunity since April 29.

"We used to pride ourselves on beating those high-dollar teams," says utility man Brandon Inge, who lost his starting third-base job after Cabrera's arrival. "We wanted it more. We played hard. We hustled. We ran everything out. We fought for nine innings.

"Now we're that team we used to beat. I don't want to get into it, but it's just different now."

http://freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic.../80520006/1048

I am personally not a big believer in chemistry but I do think that this team lacks a sense of urgency. Whether that's because they lack chemistry or whatever I don't know.

[Zekyl]

Easy fix?

[Vinny]

Once again, Whine and Cheese, an unbeatable combo.

[DrRay11]

It's one thing to not have "chemistry..."

It's another to not prepare for games.

[DrRay11]

Do we even have any of those good "clubhouse guys" like Casey around any more?

[WTFchris]

Leyland had a big meeting before last night's game and took exception to those comments. He said Grilli needs to worry about Colorado and if he had pitched decent he'd still be here.

[Glenn]

Some of these quotes and articles make it sound like this team is divided on racial lines.

[Wizzle]

with Sheff in the clubhouse I don't see how that would be possible

[Glenn]

with Sheff in the clubhouse I don't see how that would be possible

Not sure if you meant to use green text there or not.

In case you were serious, I'm thinking latino vs. non-latino.

[Wizzle]

if green equals sarcasitc as hell then yes I should have


I guess I could see that latino vs non-latino issue creeping up with the season getting this ugly.