![Detroit Tigers baseball cap [Img via Flicker \ mecookie]](https://staticr1.blastingcdn.com/media/photogallery/2017/12/16/660x290/b_502x220x82/detroit-tigers-baseball-cap-img-via-flicker-mecookie_1736473.jpg "Detroit Tigers baseball cap [Img via Flicker \ mecookie]")
As I eagerly count down the crappy, cold, wet winter months to baseball’s Opening Day, I can not help but notice my team, the detroit tigers, disintegrate before my eyes. In addition to trading J.D. Martinez to the Diamondbacks, and Justin Verlander to the Astros earlier this year, the team announced this week that Ian Kinsler was traded to the Angels. In addition to saying goodbye to Ian, Al Alivia, general manager of the Tigers, noted that Shane Greene, Nicholas Castanellos, and Micheal Fulmer are all trade possibilities.
Guess the good news is, Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez are still at the top of the roster.
The bad news is that Miguel spends many days, if not weeks, on the disabled list every season, and Victor, at the age of 39, underwent a recent heart surgery. Not exactly a duo that gives me much hope at this point.
Player to be determined jersey
With all the shuffling and trading going on, I have to wonder who in their right mind would spend hundreds of dollars on a named jersey. There is nothing worse than grabbing the hottest player’s jersey only to quickly find out they no longer exist on your team. At least if you wear around a jersey with “player to be determined” on the back, you are covered for whatever player moves the organization makes.
The disappearance of dominance
If anything, baseball, especially Tigers baseball, has taught me to exercise some serious patience and restraint.
I remember, not too long ago, the Tigers dominated the Central Division. It seemed as if they were destined for greatness and a World Series. How wrong we all were. During the last few years, under the direction of manager Brad Ausmus, the Tigers have finished dead last two out of the four years he was in charge. The saying “We own the Central Division" turned into more like, “We are just renting the basement of the central.”
Money woes
If bad managing wasn’t enough to destroy my dreams of opening day bliss, the cries from the head office, about money, make my head spin.
This whining is coming from a team that shelled out a $214 million contract to nacho-stealing Prince Fielder. And although he no longer plays baseball due to an injury, the Tigers are on the hook for $24 million a year on his contract until 2020. Now, all the team can afford are teenage prospects in the farm system.
In addition to a few bad money moves for players, team owners, the Ilitch family, appear to be focusing the real money away from baseball.
I am convinced their money is being directed to their new hockey stadium and their other sports team, the Detroit Red Wings. It is almost as if the family considers the Tigers as the ugly stepchild that does not need any love.
Some hope
With everything on the planet seemingly against the Detroit Tigers and their baseball comeback, there is a slight bit of hope. The Tigers hired manager, Ron Gardenhire, who has not managed in the big leagues since 2014. Although he has not been at the helm for a while, his 13 years managing the Twins, is no joke. Unlike Ausmus, Gardenhire brings experience, age, and wisdom. Although I recognize that the team he is inheriting is more than dreadful, I know holidays are meant for miracles, and that is exactly what I am hoping for come March 29th.
