Detroit Tigers: Get Used to This

Last night was a pretty good microcosm of what the 2009 season has been for the Tigers. 

They had a few chances at padding an early lead and just couldn’t get the bats going enough to make it happen.  Finally, the pitching broke down a bit and the game was over.

I think we should just get used that sort of game as help does not appear to be on the way.

It’s starting to look like if the Tigers are going to make a trade it’s going to be for a backup catcher and/or bullpen help; neither of which would have made any difference in a game like the one we saw last night.

Dave Dombrowski just doesn’t want to part with young players or prospects to pick up an older and more expensive (and probably helpful) bat or pitcher.

If this is the plan that Dombrowski sticks to, and I think he will, then the Tigers' best chances for making the playoffs and making any noise when they get there is going to come from improved playing of guys already in the mix.

Placido Polanco, Magglio Ordonez, and Carlos Guillen are all way below where they usually are.  If they can play like their old selves for a month or so, the Tigers are a much better ball club. 

If a guy like Curtis Granderson can add 20 points to his batting average down the stretch, the Tigers scoring opportunities rise along with it. 

This is what Tigers fans will have to hope for.

So, while there is a pretty big list of things the Tigers need, and could probably trade for, they just don’t want to mortgage their future to make it happen.  Next year, it could be a different story, as the Tigers will have tens of millions coming off of their books in the fall, but not this year.