Detroit – It legitimately felt, looking at the schedule back in April, that these last two series with the White Sox in September had a chance to be very meaningful. And they are.
For the White Sox, who came in three games behind Cleveland for the top spot in the Central Division.
“We should be jealous that they’re playing for something,” manager AJ Hinch said before the game Friday. “Our guys should feel the urgency that goes with playing meaningful September baseball. It’s a great competition regardless of what’s at stake for one team or another.
“But as a general concept, we should be jealous.”
Hinch gathered the team before the game and told them they were officially out of playoff contention. They had been mathematically eliminated on Tuesday. He had the same meeting last season when the Tigers were eliminated.
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The tone of his address Friday, as you might expect given the rapid deterioration this season, was darker, more pointed.
“I just wanted them to know, we have every excuse in the book,” he said. “Whether it comes to using 17 different starting pitchers and 51 players, having a bunch of (big-league) debuts, little bad luck here, little bad luck there. But we also didn’t play well. It’s all encompassing why we are where we are.
“But it doesn’t have to stay that way.”
Enough is enough. That was the essence of Hinch’s message. It’s time for real accountability and, he said, that starts at the top.
“We’ve got to figure out a better way of doing things and squeezing more out of our guys,” he said. “And it starts with me. I don’t feel very good about the season at all. I feel responsible. I’m in charge of everything that happens on the field and we haven’t been very good.
“It starts with me, looking at myself. It starts with the coaches and players. If we want it to be different, we’re going to have to do something different.”
On Sept. 16 last year, the Tigers were 70-77 and in the midst of the fourth winning month. They went into the game Friday 54-89, a season-low 35 games under .500. Wasn’t supposed to be this way.
“It’s going to be a busy October,” Hinch said. “With a lot of reflection. More importantly, it’s the takeaways on how to get it better. I won’t dwell too much on this season because I don’t want to relive this season. It’s not been all bad. But it’s been disappointing.
“We’re not good enough yet and it starts with me. I promised the players and I promise anybody I talk to, we’re going to figure out how to get this right.”
cmccosky@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @cmccosky