Jim Schwartz: Reggie Bush is to Calvin Johnson what Prince Fielder is to Miguel Cabrera

Posted Mar 21, 2013

PHOENIX-- Spring is officially here and even Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz was in a baseball kind of mood, Wednesday, throwing out a baseball analogy to media members over breakfast at the NFL League Meetings.

The analogy was in reference to what new running back Reggie Bush’s addition to the offense could mean to the Lions -- but in baseball terms. Of course, Schwartz used the hometown Detroit Tigers in his analogy, and playing the role of triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera is all-world receiver Calvin Johnson.

WR Calvin Johnson

"If the Tigers had Cabrera and they had (Jim) Schwartz batting behind Cabrera, how many intentional walks would Cabrera get?" Schwartz said. "A lot. A lot. I might be able to move the runner across. I might be able to hit behind the runner. I might be able to foul one off. I might be able to bloop one over the first baseman's head. But I can't clean the bases. That's my skill-set.

"But Reggie Bush can clear the bases. When they choose to intentionally walk Calvin Johnson -- Calvin's the kid in little league that the other coach ... intentionally walks four times in a row. Well, along with the other guys, we need to make more explosive plays when teams choose to play us that way. I think Reggie will be a big part of that."

The Lions faced defenses with six or fewer players in the box on 855 of the team’s 1,160 plays, according to ESPN Stats and Information. To have only four runs of 20-plus yards against those looks is unacceptable, says the Lions.

The Lions need more home runs, and they think Reggie Bush will provide the pop in the lineup behind Megatron -- or so the analogy goes.