Sure, They're Extended, But...

So earlier today, Detroit Tigers President/GM Dave Dombrowski and Manager Jim Leyland were given contract extensions from the club, Dombrowski through 2015, and Leyland through 2012.  Like most fans, at least some of the fans I saw on Twitter today, were rather disgusted by the moves, myself included.  After all, I did post some dribble on here not too long ago about how Dombrowski and Leyland's time is up, and we need a new direction.

After digesting the news over the course of the day, I will admit that can come to terms with what we have with the Tigers, based on some chatter with common fans, and a journalist or two.  A few things come to mind though.

Leyland being extended is fine, mostly because you're not going to find an available manager out there who'll be a better replacement for this ball club.  I can accept that.  The problem is, most of the common fans don't see some of the successes but instead the errors in judgement, or just plain mismanagement.  The players like him, and he likes the players.  There's too much at stake to just swiftly make a change, though it wouldn't have happened until this offseason.

That said, same goes for Dombrowski.  And it's not just DD, it's the rest of the front office too.  There's a lot of potential still surrounding this team, along with a couple of expiring big contracts (Paging Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez).  DD, Al Avila, and the rest of the front office has the right hold on this team, and turning that over to someone different might be a little dangerous.  While it's not great to think of what happens IF the Tigers fail to make the postseason this year, the front office and its minions have a pitching rotation that is under club control through 2014, and the core of offensive threats are all around for at least that long too.  So in theory, there's no reason to turn all that over to another group.

So the Manager and the President are signed.  In the end, we don't have to like it, but that's what's out there.  The timing is strange, being that this could have taken place earlier this season, or at the end.  My theory is, take the stress and "lame duck" label away, and you're now focused for a stretch run.  But the common ground with this group is, that no one has won anything yet.  During the regime, the Tigers have won zero divisions, zero championships.  Sure, the wild card and pennant in 2006 was a great run, but it still came up short, and now were coming up on 5 years since that October run.  The common fan is impatient, and wants its winner now.