Detroit Tigers

Detroit Tigers: Bruce Rondon's leash growing shorter

Published Dec. 13, 2015 5:57 p.m. ET

foxsports

By Jeff Flannigan

Bruce Rondon hasn’t been much more than a disappointment for the Detroit Tigers over the past several seasons. Rondon bulldozed his way through the minor leagues after joining the Tigers organization at 17 years old. Since joining the Tigers major league roster, he has taken a turn for the worse – a lot worse. 2013 saw him put up decent numbers with a 1-2 record and a 3.45 ERA in 30 games. Then he missed the entire 2014 season following Tommy John surgery. 2015 saw the Bruce Rondon train go completely off the tracks. He missed the first half while still recovering from his arm injury and when he returned he was more detrimental than helpful to the bullpen. He tossed just 31 innings over 35 games and owned an ERA of 5.81 and walked 19 batters. To top it all off, Rondon was sent home by the Detroit Tigers two weeks early because of his poor work ethic.

When he was sent home, he was told that his attitude and his athleticism needed to improve drastically if he planned to be a part of the Detroit Tigers roster in 2016 and beyond. Those adjustments clearly have not happened as Rondon instigated a bench clearing brawl on Saturday in a Venezuelan Winter League game with baserunner Jose Osuna, who Rondon had hit with a pitch to start the inning. Rondon attempted a pickoff throw which led to a comment from Osuna. Rondon responded before charging from the mound towards Osuna at first base. When he was told he needed to hustle more, charging at a runner at first base was probably not what anyone had in mind. A full video of the brawl can be seen here.

Rondon clearly is too immature to handle being a major league baseball player. He may be able to throw the ball over 100 miles per hour, but he can’t locate his pitches with that velocity and he clearly doesn’t care to improve his location issues. He is still under the Detroit Tigers' control for the next two years so perhaps some time in AAA Toledo would benefit everyone involved. In baseball, emotions run high, but cooler heads are the ones that will prevail in the end and Rondon needs to learn to control his temper, and quickly. If he expects to pitch in the Major Leagues again, he will face situations with much more pressure and emotion than he faced on Saturday night. At the beginning of November, General Manager Al Avila said that Rondon looked good and was getting into better shape. Footage of video seems to show otherwise. If Rondon simply does not care to improve himself he will only be cancerous to the Detroit Tigers clubhouse in the future. Rondon needs to pitch better and care more if he wants to pitch for the Detroit Tigers in future seasons. At 25 years old, immaturity is no longer an excuse. It is time for Bruce Rondon to grow up and behave like a professional. He is not guaranteed a roster spot in Detroit in 2016, so perhaps a Toledo Mud Hens uniform would fit him better come April 2016.

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