i am sure the infield single was accidental... after the sac bunt. But whatever

Leyland seems to know very little about the value of playing small ball. He's just as anxious and impatient as our hitters, thinking a gap shot or a homer is coming on the next swing. Its frustrating watching what seems to be his strategy. You almost think that he'd rather hit into a DP, hit a shallow fly ball or strike out instead of sacrificing a guy to 2nd or 3rd.

You mean he'd rather have his players trying to get hits rather than making outs on purpose? How can a supposedly professional baseball man take such a ridiculous position?

It's really not rocket science. How do people still not get this?

I'd take a productive out on purpose as opposed to an inning ending double play or 1 unproductive out anytime. The "trying to get hits" seems to be resulting in a lot of quick outs and double plays as of late. The opposing pitchers don't have to pitch under as much stress or throw as many pitches. Leyland isn't using his '06 motto "all 9 innings". He seems to think it will only take one big one this year, and it isn't working.

The answer is not to have poor hitters make outs on purpose. It is to have better hitters. The Tigers' front office has been woefully unsuccessful in that regard. Dombrowski has rewarded failure with undeserved contracts, and Ilitch has rewarded it by letting Dombrowski keep his job.

Going the Small Ball route to try to fix the problem is the equivalent of reacting to food that doesn't taste good by eating poison instead.