Tigers Take Knapp, Rehire Jones

After handing bullpen coach Jeff Jones his walking papers after the last botched White Sox series, the Detroit Tigers club along with new pitching coach Rick Knapp (formerly of the Minnesota Twins) decided to throw out the old, and replace it with....the same.

Jones was apparently the only interviewee for the position when team officials met for the second time. I can only imagine what the conversation was like...

Tigers Fail to Hire Apostle for Pitching Coach

The Detroit Tigers have hired Minnesota Twins Minor League pitching coordinator Rick Knapp as their new pitching coach (or scapegoat, depending on how next season progresses).

Knapp was selected from four candidates who endured a grueling interview including a single, flickering swinging light bulb hanging from a cord held by owner Mike Ilitch, skipper Jim Leyland blowing smoke rings across the room, and manager Dave Dombrowski eating Tums like M&Ms. In the end, each interviewee had to spend an hour talking politics with Gary Sheffield.

"I know I wasn’t the belle of the ball,” mentioned Knapp after the interview. “I know there were a lot of people out there with big-league experience. But I will work my tail off to try to make these guys (the pitchers) better.”

Bring on the Post Season!

Allow myself to introduce.. myself....

My name is Marea, and Sooze has graciously invited me to contribute to BLB during the post-season. As a fellow babe who loves baseball, I hope to make this little corner of the interwebs proud...

Anyway.

What is that Sucking Sound?

It was only a matter of time before Detroit Tigers skipper Jim Leyland flipped out on his sub-par ball team.

Sunday's 11-0 piss-pounding by the Chicago White Sox, which was highlighted by not one, but two grand slams -- at the hands of Joe Crede and Paul Konerko -- was the straw that broke the camel's back. Adding insult to injury is never easy to swallow.

This marks the fourth time the Motor City Kittens and their $138.7 million payroll have been shut out this season, the second consecutive, bringing them to a shoddy 2-10 record. Leyland is more than pissed, he's embarrassed.

"I know I suck. We know we suck. But I don’t see nobody in there hanging their head and feeling sorry for themselves. Yeah, we suck. But we’ll see who sucks at the end," said designated hitter Gary Sheffield.

Yes, it's April, there's plenty of time left, but what is their plan of action to switch the momentum into a winning direction? Miguel Cabrera has no idea.

"I feel like everybody’s laughing right now," the third baseman said.

Well, that's because they are. They're either laughing or so confused and shocked by this suckfest of a team that they don't know what to do other than laugh hysterically.

The Tigers head back home to Comerica Monday night to face the Minnesota Twins when Jeremy Bonderman (1-1, 3.97 ERA) takes the hill against Nick Blackburn (0-1, 2.25 ERA) at 7:10pm CST.

[Detroit Free Press]

2007 All-Star Starters Named

Jim Leyland chain-smoked all night and finally decided on a starter for the American League. Dan Haren - the smoking hot Oakland Athletics ace who boasts an AL-leading 2.30 ERA with a 10-3 record. Ah, let's not forget the Grizzly Adams neck beard.

After dropping his first two starts of the season, Haren knocked off ten straight victories before losing his last one against the Seattle Mariners Friday night.

Jim Leyland Shoots Back at Dmitri Young

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland fired back at former Tiger Dmitri Young on Tuesday, saying the first baseman was "totally out of line" for accusing the club of treating him unfairly by cutting him late last season. He had this to say:

I'm not looking to have a bone to pick with anybody, but knowing what went on last year, for Dmitri to criticize the organization for lack of support I think is totally out of line.

Ah, I may be alone on this one, but Sam Elliot Jim Leyland is the last man I want picking any bones with me.