Three teams that need an overhaul
The Major League Baseball season is hitting the point where it goes from a marathon to a sprint. For months, teams have been jockeying for position, hoping to get into first place or stay within striking distance. With only a quarter of the season remaining, those teams are now cracking the whip with dreams dancing in their heads of October.
Then there are the teams that figured a dance in October was assured back in training camp. Every campaign, a handful of franchises are lauded as sure-fire contenders in a league where the only sure-fire thing is complete unpredictability.
Here are the three biggest failures, all of which are need of a massive overhaul.
3. Detroit Tigers
Detroit stinks, and it is not going to get better any day soon. General manager Dave Dombrowski went for broke over the past few seasons, signing Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez, Prince Fielder, and Justin Verlander to massive contracts. The goal was to win a World Series or two and then deal with being mediocre for a bit while the team rebuilt.
Instead, Dombrowski has already been fired and Detroit never won a ring. The Tigers are 56-61, third in the pitiful American League Central. Even worse, this is an old, expensive team. Dombrowski should have let Verlander walk, but instead signed him and Anibal Sanchez instead of Max Scherzer and Doug Fister. It’s time to blow this roster up and get younger.
2. Los Angeles Angels
The Angels have only had one leader this entire century. Manager Mike Scioscia has been at the head of the class in Los Angeles/Anaheim for quite some time and won a World Series in 2002, defeating the San Francisco Giants. Since then, the Angels have enjoyed plenty of success in the regular season but none at all in the playoffs. It has been maddening.
This is not a cheap franchise. Los Angeles has spent plenty to bring in the best players, only to watch their talents squandered. General manager Jerry Dipoto quit in the middle of this season, and Scioscia should be shown the door as well if this group can’t rally to win the American League West. Frankly, Scioscia should be relieved of his duties regardless.
1. Washington Nationals
This is a no-brainer. This team has a roster that includes Max Scherzer, Jordan Zimmermann, Gio Gonzalez, Stephen Strasburg, Doug Fister, Denard Span, Bryce Harper, Danny Espinosa, Ian Desmond, Drew Storen and Jonathan Papelbon. Somehow, this is a group that sits second in the National League East with an unfathomable record of 58-59.
Regardless of how this season plays out (short of a championship), manager Matt Williams needs to be fired. At that point, the Nationals should do whatever it takes to get Tony LaRussa out of retirement and into the nation’s capital. LaRussa might go 162-0 with this group. How Williams has managed this club to a losing record is mind-boggling.
