Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland admitted tonight that he’s willing to accept criticism for his team’s sub-.500 start, as his Tigers are “not performing well” through the first six weeks of the season.

“I’m a grown man, and I’m a realist, and I think if you’ve seen me over the six years that I’ve been here, I get a little snippy once in a while when I think people are unfair,” Leyland told the Associated Press. “They’re not being unfair right now. I can take it. I’m a man. We have to take it. We’re not performing well.”

After winning the American League Central by 15 games and advancing to the AL Championship Series in 2011, the Tigers had even higher expectations this year, having added marquee free agent Prince Fielder among other key players. This year’s team, however, is 19-20. The Cleveland Indians have a solid grip on the division lead in 2012.

“When you have the expectations that we have, and you perform the way we have up to this point, you expect severe criticism, and if you don’t, you’re not very smart,” Leyland said.

Detroit Tigers skipper Jim Leyland believes the suspension on Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cole Hamels is too light, according to MLB.com.

“I don’t know the man,” Leyland said of Hamels. “I know he’s a very good pitcher, a very talented guy, but when you come out and admit [hitting Harper intentionally] like that — that ball could have missed, hit him in the head or something else like that — and you come out and admit that, I think five games is way too light, in my personal opinion. And I would expect that if that was my pitcher, if my pitcher went out and, almost in a braggadocios way, talked about hitting a guy and that, ‘I did it on purpose.’

“I felt the way I read it, and I don’t know if the kid meant it this way, but it was almost like a braggadocios thing. That’s not enough. There’s no way.”

Leyland also said that he would have suspended Hamels for 15 games.

Hamels was levied a five game suspension yesterday after admitting to intentionally throwing at Washington Nationals rookie Bryce Harper on Sunday. Hamels claimed that he threw at the 19-year-old because he’s old school.

Nationals pitcher Jordan Zimmermann later retaliated by hitting Hamels in the leg.

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland told MLB.com that Miguel Cabrera will not be substituted late in games for a defensive replacement.

“He’s the third baseman,” Leyland said. “That’s the way it is and I’m not ‘defensing’ for him. I’ve seen that too many times.”

The 28-year-old is considered by many to be one of the best sluggers in the game, however he was asked to move across the infield from first base after the Tigers signed Prince Fielder as a free-agent. Cabrera played third base for the Florida Marlins when he broke into the majors, but he has not played there since 2007. In total, he has played 387 games at third base, and committed 48 errors.

Last season Cabrera won the American League batting title, hitting.344/.447/.586. He also played 152 games at first base, committing 13 errors.

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander said Sunday that he believes pitchers deserve to be considered for the MVP award. Voting ended almost two months ago, but the winner won’t be announced until tomorrow afternoon.

“Pitchers are on the ballot. We are players,” Verlander said during his teleconference to discuss his Cy Young award. “I’ve talked about it.”

His manager agrees with him. Jim Leyland said last week that, if they are allowed, pitchers should win MVPs.

“He definitely deserves it,” Leyland said last week. “I hope he gets it. I hope (voters) adhere to the policy which they go by. And if they do, I think he’s going to get it.”

Verlander finished the season with 24 wins and 250 strikeouts. He carried a 2.40 ERA, and won the AL Cy Young award in a landslide.