Ron Gardenhire didn't need to say it.
But he did. A few times.
"I hope and pray that you guys don't think I'm walking out on you," Gardenhire told Detroit Tigers' players and coaches at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, just 90 minutes before first pitch.
Gardenhire drove to Comerica Park for Saturday's 6:10 p.m. game with the Cleveland Indians as a manager — the leader of a rebuild. He checked over the gobs of paperwork on his desk, set his starting lineup, spoke with reporters around 2 p.m. and prepared to survive another day in a playoff race.