While there are a quite a few different reasons for the Detroit Tigers 1-8 start to the season, manager Jim Leyland knows what area of the team needs to improve the most if the Tigers are going to dig themselves out of an early grave. Sure, the lineup isn't producing much at all at the moment, but it's only a matter of time before the Tigers start to hit.The problem lies in the pitching staff, and it's not just the bullpen. As Leyland himself said on Thursday after the Tigers lost to Boston, "There isn't a bullpen in the history of baseball that could help a team when the starters can only muster five innings every night." Of course, this doesn't mean that the bullpen isn't a concern in and of itself, and Leyland has been intimating some changes being made in the near future.
Whether he intended to or not, Jim Leyland issued what amounts to a challenge to his Detroit Tigers relief corps on Thursday.The problem Leyland has, though, is who does he get rid of and who does he replace him with? There are plenty of pitchers in the Tigers bullpen right now that are worthy of a demotion (Zach Miner, Jason Grilli, Yorman Bazardo), but there aren't many lefties down on the farm worthy of getting called up. The Tigers have Aaron Fultz and Clay Rapada in the minors, but neither has been pitching well, and the recently signed Casey Fossum isn't anywhere near being ready yet either. It seems like the only option that would help would be going outside the organization, but I'm pretty sure there aren't many teams who are willing to start making deals this early in the season.
Changes are coming soon, Leyland said, because he wants to go back to a 12-man pitching staff (the Tigers currently have 13), and because he wants to add a second bullpen left-hander (the Tigers currently have just one).
"I'm going to give everyone a chance," Leyland said. "There it is. Somebody take charge. ... The reality is that the big leagues is about results, and all you can do is give people opportunities."
