Leyland: Healthy Players Wanted Only

If you're a Detroit Tiger and have something the matter with you, physically, you'd better tape an aspirin to the affected area and grab a bat and glove and give it a go.

Jimmy Leyland has made it clear in his first spring training as Tigers manager that he has no use for players who are injured. And those aren't my words, either.

"I don't want to sound cold here, but injured players -- guys on the disabled list -- I really have no use for. I mean, get better and get back as soon as possible," Leyland says.

The skipper has been cranky lately because as the Tigers prepare for the regular season opener in Kansas City, some bumps and bruises are coming to the surface. In sports, they're called "nagging injuries."

Carlos Guillen, the starting shortstop, has a back that stiffens like a board on occasion, and already has in Florida. Opening Day pitcher Kenny Rogers has a fever and missed yesterday's start. There are others who are nursing the nagging injury. And time was lost for some of the regulars due to their participation in the World Baseball Classic.

The entire squad hasn't been on the field at the same time all that much, and that makes Leyland crave another Marlboro.

One can only imagine how apoplectic Leyland would have been if he was the manager when Juan Gonzalez was here.

Like so many things about Jim Leyland that I like, it's refreshing to hear a manager tell his players to suck it up every once in awhile. Baseball has always been a game where some players come up with the darndest reasons not to put in a day's work. If your leg is dangling from its hip joint, then Leyland wouldn't have any qualms about you missing that game, I don't think. But anything less than that? I'm not so sure.

And there ain't nothing wrong with that, folks.

The more I read Leyland's gems, the more I get to know more about the man and his philosophy about managing a baseball team, the more I am convinced that he was the right guy at the right time for the Tigers. I don't think the team could have afforded another season of Milk of Magnesia Alan Trammell.

Leyland wants his players to come to play, and if that means doing so when the physical mojo isn't grooving at 100% capacity, then so be it. He wants a team that stays healthy, so you'd better damn well stay healthy -- or else. It may not be logical. It may not even be reasonable at times.

But it's still not a bad way to look at things.

After all, what has reason and logic gotten this baseball team over the last 13 years, anyway?