I have to say that with all of the talent that the Tigers have had, they really are underachieving. There are several reasons for this but Leyland seems to be the primary one.
Leyland has done a poor job of managing the rookies. When Boesch slumped late last season, he should have been sent down to the minors to regain his swing. The same thing is going on this season with Austin Jackson.
Leyland has done a less-than-stellar job of managing the pitching staff. He uses the wrong guys at the wrong times sometimes or pulls out guys doing well too soon.
These issues are not horrible. What is bad and in my opinion the main reason for his dismissal is Leyland's choice of coaches and loyalty to them. Chuck Hernandez was the worst pitching coach ever yet Leyland stood by him and hurt the team. Now the team is struggling with hitting and McLendon isn't getting the job done and never really impressed me. Until recently, all of the coaches were ex-pirates (staff or players) and we deserve better. The fact that players sent down to the minors returned as better players (Porcello, Scherzer, Rayburn, etc.) speaks volumes.
Your thoughts?
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