Few things infuriate Jim Leyland more than bases on balls. Throw strikes: That is the message the Tigers manager has preached to his pitchers over and over. That is the philosophy that helped get new pitching coach Rick Knapp hired.
        A year ago, Tiger pitchers walked 644 enemy batters, the second worst such figure in the American League. And it cost them.
        Going into Friday night’s game against Cleveland, only four teams in the A.L. -- the Twins, the Angels, the Orioles and the Mariners -- had walked fewer batters than the Tigers. Obviously, they are listening.
        But that will be something to keep an eye on as the season unfolds.
        “Pitchers talk about hitters ‘working the count,’ ” Leyland said. “But if you throw strikes, they can’t work the count. That  just seems like common sense to me.
        “People talk all the time about teams like the Yankees being ‘patient.’ Well, if you throw strike one, strike two, how patient can they be?
        “But there are too many pitchers in the big leagues who pitch away from contract,” Leyland declared. “That’s why there are so many walks. By every team. Big leagues hitters aren’t going to swing at pitches that are way low or way high. Big league hitters are too good.
        “If you’re afraid to pitch to contact, you cannot pitch in the big leagues. It’s as simple as that.”