Houston — This was before the Tigers were swept in Tampa. Manager Ron Gardenhire was in his office at Comerica Park, and he was talking about the challenges of playing the final weekend before the All-Star break.
“Yeah, it’s tough,” he said, equating it to trying to teach the final class of the day before Christmas break. “Guys are talking about where they are going, their plane flights. Those things can come into play. That’s what my job is, and my coaches, to keep them focused.”
Given what happened in Tampa, given who they are playing this weekend and given the Tigers’ are suddenly in a freefall, focus should not be an issue.