DETROIT -- The worst part about rooting for the Tigers -- even on a beautiful sunny Sunday with the stands packed at Comerica Park -- is that this team really isn't an ounce better than it was a year ago.

And that's sad.

Coming into this season, you would have been hard-pressed to find a fan who didn't believe that the Tigers would be much improved. Some even thought this team would compete for the American League Central.

After all, we were told they had the best-hitting team in the division, a quality bullpen and that their young starting pitchers were making steady progress.

If all of that was really true, Sunday's game would have meant something for the Tigers, not the Indians.

The Indians, building on last season, are still playing meaningful games. They are realistically in the wild-card hunt. That's all anyone wanted for the Tigers when August rolled around.

Instead, the Tigers have been a disappointment. Not just Sunday, but for the entire season.

Sure, there have been some good stretches, moments when you thought the Tigers were going to turn the corner and rejoin the American League as a viable candidate to do more than just play out the schedule.

Unfortunately, there have also been too many games such as Sunday's, when the Tigers should have won but didn't. The Indians erased a 5-0 deficit and won 6-5 to sweep the three-games series.

The Tigers are 52-58, having lost three in a row and nine of their last 12. They are one game better than a year ago at this time. Last season, the Tigers were 51-59 after 110 games. Let's not forget they went on to finish 72-90.

"No one would have expected this," designated hitter Rondell White said. "We have a good team, a bunch of good guys. It's tough times right now.

"If you asked me at the start of the season, I would have thought we would be 10 games over .500 by now. But it hasn't been that way."

That's why you have to look for someone to blame.

For sure, the Tigers should be better. This team has too much talent to be an also-ran. Coming into Sunday's game, the Tigers were seventh in the American League in pitching with a 4.16 earned-run average. They were fifth in the league in hitting with a .274 average.

The Tigers should be in contention, not on the way to their 12th straight losing season.

"I don't want to get into last year," manager Alan Trammell said. "It is what it is."

When Trammell was hired, he promised that the Tigers would play a better brand of baseball, that they would play sound fundamentals and better defense. It just hasn't been the case.

The Tigers, who led the AL in errors the previous two seasons, are still near the bottom this season.

If the Tigers don't finish strong and get to .500, Trammell will be sent packing. After all, Trammell would have had three years to make this team better. And since the roster has improved dramatically since he first took over, the only place to find blame is with Trammell himself.

"We're frustrated that we're losing these ballgames," Brandon Inge said. "We're giving 100 percent. It's just not working out for us."

In reality, it should be.

Maybe we can sign Lou Penialla(?) I'm sure he would rather manage us then Tampa Bay...