Over the years, people have asked me why I'm not a manager. To answer that question, simply look at the situation facing Detroit Tigers manager Alan Trammell in his first year at the helm.

The Tigers are 31-87 and trail the division-leading Kansas City Royals by 32½ games in the AL Central. In the wild-card race, they're 37 games back. Detroit's .263 winning percentage is more than 100 points lower than the second-worst MLB team (San Diego Padres at .388).

	Tigers manager Alan Trammell must be close to wit's end.

That is why I've never managed. I don't have enough patience for the job -- and I couldn't tolerate the losing. I wouldn't have the patience that Trammell and most other managers have. In my opinion, there's no excuse for a team playing that poorly. There's no excuse for major-league players to play that poorly that consistently.

At their current pace, the Tigers would lose 120 games -- which would tie the 1962 New York Mets for losses in a season, a modern-day record for futility.

But it isn't right to compare the '03 Tigers and the '62 Mets. It's the proverbial comparison of apples and oranges. Remember, the '62 Mets were a first-year expansion team. The only players they had to build the roster that first year were other team's castoffs from the expansion draft.

To the contrary, the Tigers have existed since 1901. They should be a be able to reap the benefits of their farm system, trades and the free-agent market. But the Tigers haven't had a winning record since 1993. And I don't see an end to the losing in sight.

Trammell was a career Tiger (1977-96), a quality shortstop who played on a dozen teams with a plus-.500 record -- including the 1984 World Series champions.

As a manager, though, you must almost forget you were on a winning team. That has nothing to do with the present. What you did in the past might have helped you get the job, but when your team is losing, it doesn't make much of a difference.

Trammell's job now is to make sure every Tiger is giving 100 percent, regardless of the team's record. Such effort will help improve that record over time.

No question, Trammell has a difficult journey ahead. I don't know exactly how he can right the ship in Detroit. But I do know I wouldn't be the right guy for that situation.

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An analyst for ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, Hall of Fame second baseman Joe Morgan won back-to-back World Series and MVP awards with the Reds in 1975-76.