If you watched the game Friday, there's a good chance you felt flush with optimism when the Tigers took a 6-3 lead.
Then if you kept watching, chances are you were disgusted, angry, frustrated, hoping one of Saddam Hussein's offspring would come along and make the bullpen pitchers vanish before they made it back to Detroit for what could be the last game of the season.
We collect comments from Facebook and Detroit's daily papers.
Free Press
Jeff Sarnacki: Last time I heard Dickerson and Price rip on the Tigers this much was 2005.
Jay Shaft: I've always had my doubts about Ausmus as a manager; now I know why. Why in the world didn't he stick with Sanchez? If the Tigers are going to have any chance in this series, stick with the starters as long as you can; that's the best chance of winning. The bullpen sucks!!
Derek Deman: Ausmus has to be fired. He is incompetent and in WAY over his head. His decision to pull Sanchez was pure idiocy.
Mark Singerman: The only reason that Sanchez should not have started the eighth, was if he told Ausmus that he was out of gas. ANYTHING other than that should result in Ausmus being replaced next year as Tigers manager. If Sanchez said that he was done, then I hope people will not bag on Ausmus or Dave Clark (for waving Miggy home), and simply recognize that this team does not have a pitcher in their bullpen who is capable of getting major league hitters out. It really is that cut and dry.
Kevin Ransom: And how many years will it take Dombroski to assemble a bullpen that is not a train wreck? How many yrs has the bullpen been a disaster? How many yrs does he need to make that fix? 10? 20?
Joe Lapointe: 1. Davis should not have been playing. If anything, save him for pinch-hitting late. 2. Let Sanchez finish or at least try to finish. He'd ha've done no worse than the others. 3. Idiot third base coach waves in Cabrera, killing a rally.
Kevin Sherman: I cannot fathom how Brad Ausmus can let Joba Chamberlain cost us another game and I cannot fathom that some team will pay Joba 8 million dollars next year. I actually look forward to watching the Detroit Lions Sunday...If Joba Chamberlain gets into the next Tigers's game at Comerica Park there are going to be the loudest boos heard in Detroit since the Sheik threw fire at Bobo and got away with it
Glenn Hoffrichter: Rumor is Ausmus was called by Dave Brandon about a future job opening...
Kelly Don LeBaron: Damn Tigers!!! How about reconstructing the bullpen in the off season?
Detroit News
Kenneth MacLean: Its Gene Lamont-Jim Leyland baseball. Cosset the players even when it costs you games. I like Brad but sadly he's a coward, afraid to put his stamp on the team, even though he played 14 years in the bigs. This game was simply given away. For gawd's sake, take out Soria after he walked the bases loaded!
Herb Bittner: What Ausmus did in the 8th is criminal. No reason in the world to remove Sanchez - a proven starter who was just getting warmed up after two 3-up 3-down innings. Domborwski's rookie experiment just failed.
