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Jekyll-and-Hyde Tigers' inability to win on road is inexplicable, but nothing new
Blame it on Bill Brown. That's as good an explanation as any for the Tigers' continued inability to win on the road.
Brown is the Tigers' long-time, and long-suffering, traveling secretary. He sets up the team's charter flights, he reserves the hotel rooms, he books the buses, he handles the players' ticket requests, and he dispenses the daily $106 meal money allowance that each player receives at the start of each trip.
It is often a thankless job. Any time any of the above goes awry, the players invariably blame the bearded Brownie.
In the wake of their weekend wipeout that wasn't supposed to happen, the Tigers now own a wretched 16-29 record on the road. Only the Orioles and Mariners in the American League, and the Nationals, Pirates and Diamondbacks in the NL have won fewer games away from home this year. Not surprisingly, all five of those teams reside in last place, a combined 99 games removed from first place
However, thanks to their AL-best 32-13 record at Comerica Park going into Monday night's homestand opener against the Rangers, the Tigers remain very much in contention in the AL Central, tied with the Twins for second place, just 1 1/2 games behind the resurgent White Sox.
The contrast between the Tigers' performance at home and on the road is striking -- and inexplicable.
Of course, the Tigers' road woes are nothing new. They won 35 and lost 47 away from Comerica last season -- and still missed the post season by just one game. Imagine if they had won just one more game on the road during the regular season. Then that sudden-death eliminator in Minnesota would never have happened.
Since 1993, the Tigers have won more often than they lost on the road just twice -- in 2007, and in the pennant-winning summer of '06.
If the Tigers hope to extend their season significantly into October, they are going to have to continue their home magic and at the same time find a way to win more often on the road.
Their next 31 games will all be against teams that are currently playing winning baseball. No more "soft-touch" Cleveland Indians, not for quite a while.
Twenty-four of those next 31 games between now and Aug. 20 will be against the Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Yankees, and White Sox -- presently the five best teams in the AL.
The next five weeks will define this season.
Brown is the Tigers' long-time, and long-suffering, traveling secretary. He sets up the team's charter flights, he reserves the hotel rooms, he books the buses, he handles the players' ticket requests, and he dispenses the daily $106 meal money allowance that each player receives at the start of each trip.
It is often a thankless job. Any time any of the above goes awry, the players invariably blame the bearded Brownie.
In the wake of their weekend wipeout that wasn't supposed to happen, the Tigers now own a wretched 16-29 record on the road. Only the Orioles and Mariners in the American League, and the Nationals, Pirates and Diamondbacks in the NL have won fewer games away from home this year. Not surprisingly, all five of those teams reside in last place, a combined 99 games removed from first place
However, thanks to their AL-best 32-13 record at Comerica Park going into Monday night's homestand opener against the Rangers, the Tigers remain very much in contention in the AL Central, tied with the Twins for second place, just 1 1/2 games behind the resurgent White Sox.
The contrast between the Tigers' performance at home and on the road is striking -- and inexplicable.
Of course, the Tigers' road woes are nothing new. They won 35 and lost 47 away from Comerica last season -- and still missed the post season by just one game. Imagine if they had won just one more game on the road during the regular season. Then that sudden-death eliminator in Minnesota would never have happened.
Since 1993, the Tigers have won more often than they lost on the road just twice -- in 2007, and in the pennant-winning summer of '06.
If the Tigers hope to extend their season significantly into October, they are going to have to continue their home magic and at the same time find a way to win more often on the road.
Their next 31 games will all be against teams that are currently playing winning baseball. No more "soft-touch" Cleveland Indians, not for quite a while.
Twenty-four of those next 31 games between now and Aug. 20 will be against the Rangers, Rays, Red Sox, Yankees, and White Sox -- presently the five best teams in the AL.
The next five weeks will define this season.
posted by Jim Hawkins at
5:39 AM
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