The Starting Lineup To Start 2010

It looks like Jim Leyland has pretty much solidified his starting lineup to open the 2010 season:

1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Carlos Guillen, DH
6. Brandon Inge, 3B
7. Gerald Laird, C
8. Scott Sizemore, 2B
9. Adam Everett, SS

 In my opinion, there are no real surprises here.

Just sighs of relief.

Relieved that Austin Jackson appears poised to pan out as a solid center fielder with the potential to get on base more often than Curtis Granderson did. I'm already warming up to the nickname "A-Jax". That's a keeper.

This means more ducks on the pond for Damon, Ordonez, and Cabrera.

And if Damon does happen to be hampered by the larger outfield at Comerica – he has just as good a shot at his hits dropping in and being on base right after Jackson.

And if Maglio continues where he left off in the latter days of 2009, and Cabrera steps up his clutch hitting with runners in scoring position – we have a strong front loaded offense.

Toss in Carlos Guillen for good measure.

But that line up once we get past Guillen and down to Inge, well, it goes pretty limp.

Don't get me wrong. Inge has been known to step it up a notch in clutch situations. But a career .240 average always finds it's level.

The one potentially bright spot could be Sizemore. After all, he is still an unknown. A rookie. And who knows. We may look back one day to this line up and remark "Can you believe Sizmore started the season hitting eighth?".

Or not. Time and Scott Sizemore will have to play this one out.

Defensively I think we are not as weak up the middle as we thought we thought earlier that we would be.

Laird is an excellent catcher. Hate his bat all you want, but this guy is good at the plate, a very good receiver who can holds runners, and getting them when they go.

Everett at shortstop is not a weakness defensively. And again we have to wait and see how Sizemore matures in the two bag spot.

But Austin Jackson has impressed defensively in Lakeland. Perhaps not a Granderson … yet. But who's to say he won't be someday ... now that we have seen him.

Again time will tell.

Piching - it looks like the rotation is pretty much set too – except for that fifth spot.

1. Verlander
2. Porcello
3. Scherzer
4. Bonderman
5. Willis or Robertson

I caught a little heat from people last week about my putting Willis in the fifth spot of that rotation. Justifiably so. Both Willis and Robertson had good springs - but Robertson defintely has the edge when it comes to holding it together when the pitches count for something.



The wise old  manager sage in Jim Leyland seems to know how to milk a bull pen for all it's worth.

But what is that bullpen worth now?

Seay is out with a torn Rotator Cup. Miner also starts the season on the DL.

Zumaya can give you an inning, maybe two?  Fu Te Ne is pretty reliable. And the loser of the Willis / Robertson battle.

The Skip might need to keep his stool and bucket set up to massage the utters of this bullpen.

And now we have Valverde to close. This year our closer should be a welcome treat. Hopefully the ninth innings with a lead will not be the rollercoaster thrill ride of recent years under Jones and Rodney.

So as the boys of the old English D arrive back up North to open (Kansas City is still north of Lakeland) to open the 2010 campaign for the AL Central division – once again I feel comfortable with our offense, our defense and our starting pitching.

But the bottom of our order is weaker, and our bullpen is again in question.

There is a good side to this. We open against the Royals. And then we open at home against the Indians.

So we have a pretty good shot at starting the season on a winning roll.

But I don't want to invoke the hex of the 2008 seven game losing streak to open the year.

So lets just say it looks pretty good ... for now. Maybe a little weaker – but maybe not.

It's up to the Rookies Jackson and Sizemore and the bullpen.

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Tigers Starting Rotation Success Ends With Scherzer, Bonderman, and Somebody else

At the fifty thousand feet view – baseball is a simple game.

You throw the ball, you catch the ball, and you hit the ball.

If you're Justin Verlander – he has already cemented his status as the Tigers ace and first spot in the rotation holder.

Or Rick Porcello – who sure smells like the next Verlander – as he seems to be the easy second spot holder and ready to assume the title of ace should Verlander … falter.

Same for Max Scherzer – the new acquirement from Arizona – who threw great yesterday.

But once you drop down a little lower in the stratosphere – the game gets a bit more complicated.

At least that's how it must seem to a large contingent of pitchers vying for the Tigers remaining three starting rotation spots.

It's damned complicated if you're Dontrelle Willis – who seems to battle himself harder than the guy at the plate.

It's damned frustrating if you're Jeremy Bonderman – the man who was heralded as the Tiger's ace before Justin Verlander broke out with a no-hitter in early 2007, then succumbed to injury and the recovery to former form since.

It's a distant memory if you're Nate Robertson – who just seemed to fall off the cliff of great pitching hopefuls to rise through the Tigers bullpen back to the starting rotation.

It's a goal just out of reach of Zack Minor – who has only proved to date to be a marginal fifth spotter in the rotation.

Armando Galarraga was such a bright spot in a dismal 2008. The rookie who became our rotation rock of Gibraltar – but stumbled back down to mediocrity last season.

And Jarrod Washburn – who since arriving with the Tigers in mid-season last year – did little so far to endear fans to him.

So far, there is some encouragement glimmering from Jeremy Bonderman. A good outing yesterday should the hard throwing righty to have some real nasty making his slider snap at the plate.

That would be so great to have the Bonderman of past days back in the Tigers rotation. A great thing in deed.

And Dontrelle Willis also had a really good outing yesterday – seemingly in spite of how he says he felt out there on the mound. Stating even though he didn't feel good, and he couldn't find his rhythm – he still got the job done very well.

But what does that really mean? It sounds good at first for Dontrelle – but his problem is really a lack of confidence – and that didn't sound very confident yesterday.

So to me, with three weeks left to go – so far the starting rotation to me looks likes like this:

1.Verlander
2. Porcello
3. Scherzer
4. Bonderman
5. Willis

Of course a lot can change over the next three weeks. And Willis is in there despite his own self.

So my list may very well change.

As for the bullpen, the old springtime distraction is back. Joel Zumaya is back and throwing nearly a hundred miles and hour again.

And this distraction is taking the spot light off of the other bullpen pitchers.

In my personal opinion, a Zumaya who is throwing fastballs a hundred miles an hour is a Joel Zumaya who isn't throwing anything else but fastballs. And if you're a hitter – a big league professional – and you know you're gonna get a hundred mile an hour fastball flying at you as the next pitch – I'll bet you're gonna hit that ball – and probably hit it hard.

So I don't want to waste a lot of time on Joel Zumaya this year – unless he is seriously looking to add some new dimensions to his pitching artillery.

The one pitcher I haven't had a chance to see yet that I am really anxious to see – is Jose Valverde – the closer we picked up this winter. He has pitched four innings – given up four hits four walks and four strike outs – and not yet given up a run.

So I think we have upgraded considerably our closing spot from Fernando Rodney to Jose Valverde.

Great pitching beats great hitting. It's a law of baseball physics that even the baseball gods can do little about.

And so far our starting rotation looks pretty darn good.

Especially if Bonderman comes back to his old form.

Watch out American League Central.

Seeing Old Friends Again

Given the transactions made this offseason, it was good to see some old friends this week.

From a fans perspective of course … and a thousand miles away from where the action is happening in Florida.

This week we saw Curtis Granderson – wearing the Yankees NY on his cap.

And we saw Placido Polanco wearing the fat-little Philadelphia P on his cap.

Both showed us some emotion in the reunions.

And both reminded us how much we should miss them – by their strong play.

Grandy made a game changing running grab against the fence - a great catch - to rob Cabrera from at least and RBI.

Deep sigh.

And Placido – well – he seems to be back at third after returning to Philadelphia – still the stalwart rock of consistently both defensively and at the plate.

The news broke today that had the Tigers offered Placido Polanco arbitration – he likely would have accepted it.

So this leads me to cement my belief that this Tigers organization – the powers that run the old English D we all cherish – had a different direction in mind. A direction that we still don't do see. A direction that we really are still assuming exists.

It wasn't just dollars. They already spent what they saved in acquiring Valverde and Damon.

As for Granderson's replacement – Austin Jackson – I am quite confident that he will get his footing quickly and prove himself to be an asset to the Tigers before the old Sparky Anderson "forty game" litmus test expires.

But Scott Sizemore – the AAA Toledo second baseman the Tigers have been eyeing for a couple of years as Placido's replacement is struggling. He is struggling because last season ended with a broken ankle – and ankle that he is trying to work around. An ankle that seems to be taking his attention away from stepping up in the big leagues.

I am rooting for both these guys.

And I am doing my best to not compare Jackson to Granderson – or Sizemore to Polanco. But it's so early yet. And those two positions were never a question mark.

Big cleat's to fill in deed.

Let's just hope Jackson doesn't feel a need to pull his sock straps up to his knees like Grandy did.

And for Sizemore – just keep it simple – and get the job done.

That's how Placido did it.

If nobody's talking about Scott Sizemore after forty games – then he's filling Placido's just fine.

Spring Training Season Ticket Sales Snow Jobs

originally published on February 25, 2010

I took a couple minutes at lunch today to read my personal email.

There in my inbox was another email from the Tigers enticing me to purchase season tickets. There were some really affordable deals for small packages of fifteen games in not so bad locations.

I am not a rich man. My money is wrapped up in my little girls needs, the roof over our head, the wheels we drive to get us from point A to point B, and the food that goes on our table.

Not much left over for Tiger season tickets.

But I like to dream.

Just for fun I took a look to see what it would cost to sit in my favorite Tiger Den seats – the ones with two chairs and a table – like sitting on your own private patio watching the game from behind home plate. We like to get Tiger Den seats once a year as a special treat when the Yankees or Red Sox come in. Last year we were there for the final game of the season against the rotten White Sox – the game after the Miggy ordeal, and the day before the single game playoff in Minnesota.

I choked on my quasidia when I saw the eight thousand dollar price tag for a full season.

I couldn't get eight thousand dollars for my Jeep on a trade in.

The next email in my inbox was a list of the latest Tiger news coming out of Lakeland Florida.

"Zumaya Looking Great – Throwing Hard" read one headline.

"Cabrera Wowed By Healthy Bonderman" read another.

"Leyland Says Turner Could Be Special" read the third.

"Rayburn and Kelly Could Be Tigers Next Supermen" read the last one in the list.

I spewed the pop in my mouth all over my monitor on the last one.

It's spring training rhetoric rising up from Lakeland like the warm air of Florida rising up across the states between to the arctic temperatures of Comerica Park.

Hot air in deed.

Season tickets have to be sold. Eight grand for two seats in the Tiger Den for a season I would imagine is a hard sell.

But it gets a lot easier if Zumaya – the rock star of bullpens can resume his voo-doo-child anthem old form – lighting up radar gun numbers over 100 mph..

And easier still if Bonderman – who almost all Tiger fans have written off – can return to the form he had in 2006 when he still held the title of Ace over Verlander.

And my goodness, let me get out my checkbook right now if young rookie Turner is being seen as a new Porcello or Verlander too.

But then – the Tigers Marketing team had to take it a hair too far – proclaiming Rayburn and Kelly to have the potential to be rising supermen.

Supermen?

If Rayburn and Kelly can rise to be supermen – then what in the world would you classify Cabrera and Verlander as?

"Why Super-duper men of course" – would respond the Tigers marketing team.

This is a hard time of year for the normal working stiffs like me. It's Spring Training time in Lakeland, and it's been a long winter that our current snow flurries gives no hint of ending.

I for one am dying for the return of Tigers baseball.

And any news I can get of how spring training is going is like gold.

I am was in the minority earlier this off season in thinking the Tigers have a good shot at contending if not taking the AL Central this year. Signing Johnny Damon has made a lot of others jump on board my little bandwagon.

It's the AL Central. Hell, Cleveland has a shot.

Okay, not really.

I firmly believe Ordonez will not be in the same fog he was for the first three quarters of last season.

I firmly believe that Cabrera will take his game to the next level this year, having already developed into a skilled and proficient first baseman (which I didn't think possible a year ago), he will up his slugging average and will become a clutch player that he wasn't last season.

I am anxious and optimistic to see Austin Jackson assume centerfield – now that I am over my bitterness for losing Granderson to those rotten Yankees. And Johnny Damon in left field is an upgrade from Carlos Guillen – although I feel like a heel for saying so.

They have been waiting for Sizemore to come up from the minors to assume second base for over a year now – although I know he will completely fill the empty cleats that Polanco left behind.

And I am confident that Verlander and Porcello will step right back into the groove they left off in last year.

Watch this to be Porcello's breakout year. The dreaded "sophomore slump" will not infect Porcello this year.

Okay, I said it.

Adding a quality closer in Valverde is one of the most positive moves I have seen this year. Although I admit I was puzzled – hell I was frustrated to be honest – as to why that deal was made after failing to sign Polanco and trading Granderson.

I think we have tons of positive news to look forward to this season – coming out of Lakeland and carrying over into the first months of Spring and Summer.

And I think Season Ticket sales are going to do well, growing as the year goes on.

But telling me Rayburn and Kelly are rising superstars?

They both have decent bats – but they both are prone to fielding errors.

I'm glad we have both available for those situations when we can call upon them.

But don't try to snow me a week into Lakeland workouts declaring these two as potential "supermen".
I have enough snow already.

Johnny Damon … Uh … Welcome to Detroit

originally published on February 20, 2010

Johnny Damon signed a deal this afternoon with the Detroit Tigers.

Eight million dollars for one year – with no second year option – and pending a physical that he is to take tomorrow.

As you might surmise from my first post here, I was not exactly jumping up and down – urging Dave Dombrowski to make this deal.

I was against it.

As I stated before – we already have senior players with big names who have just passed their apex in the major league baseball career curve.

And we just got rid of a couple not long ago.

Remember Pudge and Sheff?

But now we have him.

We have a left fielder with a .282 bat. No arm but he can hit from the left side of the plate. He can lead off.

Apparently we also got a guy who is good in a dugout and great in a locker room for keeping his team on target.

Let's remember – Johnny will be getting a World Series ring shortly.

But that's about it.

Brandon Inge and Adam Everett will have to spend extra practice time determining who will run halfway out to left field to take Johnny's throw to the cut-off man.

So what happens now to Carlos Guillen? He was promised to be an everyday player this year. How can that happen now?

Does Guillen DH?

Does Guillen go elsewhere now?

It's not so bad really for Guillen, he wanted to play left field about as much as Inge wanted to catch in 2008.

And that year the Tigers landed in the basement of the AL Central. So any change is good for Carlos Guillen – and the Tigers.

I'd be putting Carlos at second base.

So now that we have Damon, we have a guy with a good chance for getting men on base – for Mags, Miggy and Carlos if he finds a spot or settles for DH.

I'm not so sure that this is the final setting of the Tigers roster.

Brandon Inge is still recovering from double knee surgery. And there's no guarantee that Mud Hen call-up

Scott Sizemore is supposedly not ready to play yet

The boys are now in Lakeland. Or they are on their way.

Johnny Damon sounds like he'll be heading down shortly – after passing his physical – and a locker has been waiting for him for a week or so.

So there is no more reason to root against the Tigers signing Johnny Damon.

They did it. Albeit only for a year. Albeit it for no second year option.

He will be a lame duck left fielder. Is there such a thing?

No doubt if he proves us all wrong – a second and likely third year deal would be offered on a silver platter.

That's the Illitch style.

So there's no upside for rooting against Johnny. He'll be wearing the English D. After the Boston B and the New York NY.

What's the harm in Johnny Damon succeeding in Detroit.

So I'm not rooting against him. No way.

Welcome to Detroit Johnny. And wear the old English D with pride. That's all we ask.

Tigers Offseason – What The Hell’s Going On?

originally published on headstuffing on February 12, 2010This has been a very confusing off season to say the least.
And it started that day in late September 2009 when once beloved Maglio Ordonez achieved enough at bats to trigger the option on a huge contract bonus of thirty three million of Tiger owner Mike Ilitch's hard earned dollars for the 2010 season.After a lackluster three quarters of the 2009 season.

And even though Mags finished 2009 with a flourish, the Tigers finished 2009 with a flop.I still shiver when I think of those last two games of the regular season. So I won't relive them for you. You remember them too.

Or that single game playoff against the Minnesota Twinkies in the dome from hell.Have they torn that damn thing down yet?

And then the dominos – the repercussions of Mags contract option – started the dominos toppling.We bid farewell to Placido Polanco as the stalwart and steadfast rock of the infield and master of the clutch hit was refused arbitration and allowed to move on to Philadelphia.

And if that weren't unthinkable enough – Curtis Granderson – beloved star center fielder and all-around-good-guy destined to be the face of the franchise – is traded to the Yankees.A kick in the groin to Tiger fans.

"The money just wasn't there to keep those guys", we are told.Two new young minor leaguers are received for Granderson – Austin Jackson – a centerfielder that the Sporting News projected to be the rookie of the year in 2010, and Max Scherzer – a reasonable pitcher at best.

Scott Sizemore was decided to be brought up from AAA Toledo – only to break a bone in his ankle in an Arizona fall league game. He is still slated as I know it to be Placido's second base placebo replacement."Okay", we all thought, "This Mags contract option is costing us our big names and most beloved players … but we can carry on – there's no money and the team is moving into a younger state of mind."

That's when they signed Jose Valverde – a quality closer (to fill the vacancy of rollercoaster Tiger closer Fernando Rodney – who was also not offered arbitration) from Houston – for fourteen million dollars.I thought Ilitch was pinching pennies this year?

I thought that's why we lost Granderson … and Polanco?What the ….

Now, as I write this, the rumor mill is spewing the sour news that the Tigers are on the verge of signing Johnny "Curtis Granderson took my job" Damon to a two year fourteen million dollar contract also.What is it with two years and fourteen million dollars contracts?

This leaves us to question why then did we lose Granderson and Polanco?It couldn't have been the money?

It must have been a determination to go in a different direction. Not necessarily a young direction. Just in a direction without Granderson and Polanco?Yet still we have Carlos Guillen in left? He doesn't want to play left field any more than Inge wanted to catch?

And we still have Brandon Inge – easily tied with Granderson and ace Justin Verlander as the most favourite Tigers.And we still have Mags – without his head of curls – that once lopped off – reduced him to a mere shadow of his former power-hitting self – and the root of what we all thought the problem was.

We kept the weakest links on the roster – and we got rid of our stability leaders?Oh, I know – only the good players have trade value. But we got nothing for Placido, and we got unproven hopes in Austin Jackson for Curtis?

It just doesn't make sense. Not from the outside. Not from where I sit.But the good news is that the Tigers are still in the American League Central Division. The weakest division in all of Major League Baseball.

So the Tigers still have a shot.An outsider shot … but a shot.

No matter my confusion, or disappointment, or frustration in trying to understand the void in rationale of this offseason, I will still root for those who wear the old English D. I will still listen to and watch every pitch on the radio or TV. I will still pump my fist when we win a close one, or utter profanities should we fail to pull one out in the bottom of the ninth with two men on and no outs.Just like last year … when we led the AL Central from May 10^th to the single game playoff in that disgusting dome.

We still have a shot.And remember … we weren't supposed to be any good at all in 2006.

And for certain … the Tigers aren't supposed to be any good in 2010.So we got a pretty good shot.

Albeit an outside one.

The Mighty Caseys of Detroit

originally published on headstuffing on October 7, 2009

What a game.

The regular season playoffs against the Twins was one of the greatest games I ever watched.
One of them.

After twelve innings of play – the Twins squeaked in a run from second a short fly ball to right field – the throw to the plate was not even close.

A real battle.

But you can read a recap of the game on any news service. You don't need me to replay it over for you.

I just don't have the heart to relive it all right now.

Maybe in December.

But if the truth be told, the better team won.

I wish it wasn't true.

The Detroit Tigers went on a power slide of a losing streak just when they needed to win the most.

They split two with Minnesota at Comerica, and then lost two of three to the White Sox – all in their home yard – Comerica Park.

I was at the final home game against the White Sox – the one they won. My Lovely wife Darlene and I were thrilled as the Tigers handily took the White Sox in the 162^nd contest of the 2009 season.

The Tigers had to win that game, and the Twins had to lose – but watching the scoreboard in right-center field – the Twins were just pounding the Royals 7-0.

The following day, the day that was supposed to be the rest up day before the start of the playoffs against the Yankees, but instead became the limbo day before the single game playoff with the Twins, news broke that the Friday night before – superstar slugger and American League candidate for MVP Miguel Cabrera had been out drinking with friends from the White Sox – until five in the morning – and had an altercation with the missus as he drunkenly returned (somehow) to his house.

In Saturdays game – unquestionably still affected by the partying and the embarrassment of police intervention that forced Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski to pick Cabrera up at a suburban Detroit police station – during that ever critical game that if won, the Tigers would have made the playoffs, Miguel Cabrera – Superstar slugger and MVP candidate for 2009 went-oh- for four at the plate and looked like a wet rag.

But the Twins kept on pounding away. Chipping away at a lead that was once seven games with a onth left, and was 3 games up with four to play – to finally fdorce the single game elimination – at Minnesota's Metropolitan Dome – the dome from hell.

And of course after one of the most exciting twelve inning matches I ever witnessed – the Twins of Minnesota danced around the dome joyously as the AL Central Division pennant winners . On that night – for the first time since May 10, the Tigers were no longer in first place.

We've all heard the poem "Mighty Casey".

Oh! somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright;
The band is playing somewhere and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing and somewhere children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville -- mighty Casey has struck out.That about sums it up.

The Detroit Tigers – Start of the Payoffs or End of the Season?

I'm sitting in the parking lot of our local community center.

My little girls are inside taking their weekly gymnastics class. They close the door on these sessions, so the parents can either sit in the lobby and wait, or go off to do their weekend chores while the kids are occupied.

I chose to sit in the jeep and listen to the radio.

And write. There's just not enough time to write anymore.

The talk on the sports radio station is spread across all the current happenings.

The University of Michigan is playing Michigan State University right now. A big deal across the river as both Big Ten conference teams are bitter rivals.

The Lions are playing tomorrow against the Chicago Bears. And some think the Lions have a chance to actually win.

But the big talk today is about the Tigers. My beloved Detroit Tigers are one game up in the AL Central over the Minnesota Twins. The Tigers are playing the Chicago White Sox. The Twins are playing the Kansas City Royals. And the American League Central pennant race is coming down to the wire, with tomorrow being the end of the regular season.

My lovely wife Darlene and I will be at that game tomorrow. We thought the game would be a mere formality – meaning nothing with the division already won by the Tigers. But it looks like it will be the make or break game of the season.

I know it's silly to care so much about a baseball team.

But I do.

Four weeks the Tigers had a seven game lead. But they failed miserably down this final stretch – most notably losing so many to the Twins both in the horrid Metropolitan Dome in Minneapolis – and in their own yard at Comerica Park.

I predicted in the first week of August that this scenario was not only possible – but likely. And now that prediction seems pathetically prophetic. You could see this scenario coming like a slow train on the prairies coming up to the depot. The land is so flat you can see the train coming the night befoe.

And flat is a great way to describe these Detroit Tigers.

These Tigers are playing almost as though they are scared to win. The pitching has been mediocre when it needs to be stellar. The hitting needs to be explosive but instead it's more of a fizzled out fuse. And the decisions made by Tiger's Manager Jim Leyland have been questionable to say the least.

While they have a one game lead with two to play, you can tell the fans have already determined the Twins will win this thing.

Of course I hope that's not true.

Darlene and I have not yet been to a game yet this year. Tomorrow is the game we chose, and we splurged on premium seats. The Tigers have held first place since May 10^th. To watch it slip away on this last game of the year, sitting in the expensive chairs, and having to drive home afterwards is unacceptable.

Today the Twins face Kansas City's ace Zack Greinke. This is the Royal's best opportunity to help the Tigers stave off the on-coming-like-a-freight-train Twins.

That's encouraging.

So who are the Tigers starting tonight against the White Sox?

A rookie named Figaro. Yes, like the operatic aria.

A rookie who has only pitched two games in the big leagues. They were both good outings, but hey – this game means something.

So this 2009 season seems to be closing down like a tragedy packed opera – staring who else but Figaro to sing what could be the final act.

I only hope the fat lady doesn't sing.

Could it be? The Detroit Tigers Are Six Games Up?

originally published on headstuffing on September 6, 2009

Could it be?

I seem to have to keep looking at my newspaper this morning.

The sports section. The Major League Baseball standings tucked in the top left corner of the second page of the sports section.

There, in black and white – with the authority of an official news organization behind – sits the standings of the American League Central.

My beloved Detroit Tigers are leading the American League Central division by six games.

Holy mackerel

I have watched every game on television or listened to every game on the radio. So I don't know why I am in such a state of disbelief. Joyous disbelief, but disbelief all the same.

Pat Caputo is on the radio again this morning urging people to finally believe in this team. With a team leading their division by six with twenty seven left to play. The magic number now set to twenty games – combinations of Tigers Wins – or losses of Minnesota and Chicago. Pat can't understand why Tiger fans have been hesitant to believe the Tigers will win the American League pennant and have a spot in the 2009 playoffs.

Well, to start with, the Tigers were supposed to be a poor team this year – chosen by the pundits of national sports to finish near the bottom of the division. But we Tiger fans knew the boys wearing the old English D were not as bad as they appeared to be last year – when they did finish in the basement after being picked by those same national media pundits to win the World Series.

We knew our starting pitching rotation would not stink this year like they did last year. We knew guys like Polanco, Inge, Guillen, and Thames would step up to fill the shoes of game-by-game heros when our superstars like Cabrera, Ordonez, Granderson, and Verlander faltered. And we knew that the Tigers farm system was deep enough to supply great temporary support by sending up newcomers like Raburn, Thomas, and Avila would step into roles and play significant parts – before we even knew their names.

But the problem was the Tigers couldn't win on the road.

Their road record was atrocious until the last two away game series. They hadn't won a road series since May, until taking the Angels in Anaheim last week and know their current series with the Tampa Bay Rays this weekend. The final game of that series about to start in a few minutes.

But while the Tigers played poorly on the road, the Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox played worse.

Nobody beats Tampa Bay at Tropicana field.

But the Tigers have. And came from behind to do so.

The bats that were quiet are now awake.

The players that were slumping in clutch situations are now getting key hits. The pitching – when failing – has received enough run support to surpass the opposition. The defense has been tighter – and the Tigers Catchers – Laird and Avila – have been surpising in their ability to handcuff base runners by throwing laser accurate ropes to second – to the perfect spots where the runners slide into waiting gloves of Polanco, Everette, and Santiago.

A new confidence has arisen from the Tigers when they sit in the visiting dugouts.

If they score first they taunt the opposition to catch them if they can. If they fall behind in the course of a game, they charge back with determination and conviction to take the lead in the eighth or ninth innings.

And Tigers closer Fernando Rodney gives you tingles of fear comparable to a bungee jump made at a county fair – walking men or giving up hits to allow the tying run coming to the plate – only to get the poor bastard to swing at strike three and get out of the self-imposed jam. Rodney has scared us to death with every save opportunity appearance – but the statics show that in thirty something such opportunities – he has only let one slip through his split fingers.

But I am superstitious when it comes to baseball. I believe in jinxes.

And so that is why I still hesitate to declare decisively as Pat Caputo insists – that the Tigers will win the AL Central division.

Six game leads seem like a lot. Especially in September.

But there is a very scary road trip coming up – to visit both Minnesota and Chicago – at fields they don't typically do well in … so I reserve my right to hedge my complete and utter faith in the Tigers winning the pennant. Six games can dwindle quickly – especially if Minnesota and Chicago get hot too.

So I am still nervous. That's what makes a true pennant race like this one so exciting. I am hopeful – and trying desperately to be faithful. But I don't yet know for sure where things will sit when the fat lady sings in the first week of October.

I do know this. I will be at that final regular season game in October – against the White Sox. And whether it is a game of formality to simply cheer the Tigers into the post season – or whether it comes down to that final game to win our way into the post season – I don't know.

But it will be a great day that day.

Perhaps I will venture up to the press box to track down Caputo – and shake his hand – and share with him how truly great this season has been – pretending to be a pizza delivery guy – or a writer for the Schwartzville Times – Gazette – and simply point a thumbs up at him as he keys in his thoughts on the season.

Who knows.

But it has been a terrific ride that I hope continues strong for another twenty seven game days.

And I can honestly state that I am now a true believer – with only the fear that I am jinxing my beloved Detroit Tigers.

Could it be?

Yes it could.

Detroit Tigers – There’s A Big Storm Brewing

originally published on headstuffing on August 4, 2009

Hold on to your hats Tiger fans!

Or at least turn them inside out and wear them as rally caps.

There's a big storm brewing! It's already on the radar screen.

Last night the Tigers took the first game of a six game home stand with the Baltimore Orioles and Minnesota

Twins by coming from five runs back and tying the game in the fifth – then winning the game with a two out two strike blast by Clete Thomas into the bushes in center field.

It was a bomb.

As well, Tiger's ace Justin Verlander did not let a five run first inning phase him. He pitched lights out ball the next seven innings getting better with each pitch he threw. It was that beautiful Verlander poise and presence coming through yet again.

But this time the Tigers offense woke up.

Leading the way was superstar Miguel Cabrera – who while he has big numbers and hitting .334 – had been very quite in clutch situations with men in scoring position – knocked in three RBIs with a big clutch double and the game tying homerun.

To recap - the Tigers came back and caught the Orioles in the fifth. And won it with a walk off homer in the ninth.

That was an exciting game – and many things Tiger fans have been waiting to see finally appeared.

But it was a home game. In Comerica Park. The Tigers usually win at home.

I'm not trying to put a damper on last night's elation. Please hear me out. I'm just trying to be objective.

The Tigers have a chance in the next few weeks to widen the gap between them and the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins. They might expand their lead by as many as four games ahead of their Central Division rivals.

But, like I said already, there is a big storm brewing!

As I look at the Tigers long range weather forecast, I can see a tropical storm brewing over the American Midwest. And it looks like it could build into a category five hurricane. The conditions look like they could be just right for this monstrous storm to hit the Tigers right where they are weak – weak as a West New Orleans levy of sandbags – when the Tigers play away games.

The Tigers will need a lot more sandbags to weather this storm. Let me explain:

The Tigers record at home at Comerica Park is 32 wins and sixteen losses.

The Tigers record when they are away from Comerica Park is 23 wins and 33 losses.

The Tigers stink on the road.

But luckily so do most of the other teams in the American League.

So what is this storm brewing that has me so worried?

It's a ten game road trip – starting on the 18^th of September and ending on the 27^th of September. During that trip, the Tigers will play three games in Minnesota (a park where they have little luck), four games in Cleveland (who just took two out of three from Detroit in Cleveland last weekend), and then the final three against the Chicago White Sox at what should be called New Cominsky Park.

The Tigers record on the road stinks.

It is possible that the Tigers could lose six to eight of those games. Such a result would possibly be enough to sink the Tigers 2009 chances. Drowned by the lack of offense they are known for on the road this season.

As I look at the remaining schedule of the Tigers, White Sox and Twins in 2009 - if current trends continue - I see the Tigers being even with Chicago by the time the first pitch of that September 25^th weekend series begins. Games in that horrible dome in Minneapolis and Cleveland's Progressive field will erode at least two games of what I expect to be a three game lead.

Two of the three sandbags will be blown off the Tigers soft away game levy, leaving a single sandbag or two to ride out the three game hurricane of games at Chicago.

Chicago is the windy city.

And some would try to say that Detroit is No-Mo-Town now. This would be the worst possible outcome if the Tigers lose eight out of ten on that road trip.

Now there are some elements that entered into the radar that may slightly change this American League Central weather patterns development over the last week.

The Tigers have picked up some pitching to make their rotation even stronger, acquiring Jarrod Washburn from Seattle in return for Lucas French and a Minor League rising star Mauricio Robles.

Washburn was having an above average year with Seattle – with an 8 win 6 loss record – throwing 79 strikeouts and 33 walks in 133 innings. How will he do as a Tiger? Tonight will be his first outing clad in the old English D. And his first start will be in Comerica – after the elation of a great win last night. So fingers are crossed that Washburn starts off strong as a Tiger.

But as well, Chicago has strengthened their pitching, picking up Jake Peavy from San Diego. Peavy is considered to around the same barometer readings with the Tigers Verlander, Anderson, and now Washburn. The white Sox already have perfect game pitcher Mark Burhle in their rotation.

Do the Tigers Verlander and Jackson combined outweigh the dominance of Mark Burhle? Are Washburn and Peavy simply going to cancel each other out? It will be very interesting and exciting to see.

But there is good news for us Tiger fans in all of this. After what promises to be the most exciting road trip of the season during that last half of September, the Tigers return home – to trusty and faithful Comerica Park.

The Tigers safe harbor from the storm.

And who is coming to play those final six games of the 2009 season in the Tigers safe harbor? Who else.

The Minnesota Twins and Chicago White Sox.

This is going to be one wild storm during the last four weeks of the American League Central Pennant race my friends. And if I were you, I would get tickets to all six of the final home stand games.

Because if the Tigers can ride out the hurricane brewing for the end of September, that first week in October will be the most amazing games played yet at Comerica park.

Can the Tigers ride that fast approaching storm? Will they have stashed away enough wins to survive the expected offensive power outage they seem to experience during road trips?

But I think - like 2006 - we need as big a lead built right now to survive that final onslaught.

In 2006 we had the luxury of being in the Wildcard division. We sat in August and September and helplessly watched the water rise high enough to erode the Tigers once ten game lead.

Is the 2009 version of the Tigers stronger than the 2006 version? It's certainly different. But this year I think the Tigers pitching is actually better than in 2006.

We got the pitching to slow down the storm - but we need these bats of this potentially explosive offense to get better on the road.

2009 has the potential to be one of the most exciting finishes of Tiger baseball history.

Hang onto your hats Tiger fans, because there is a big storm heading our way.

How Will The Detroit Tigers Do In the Second Half of 2009

originally published on headstuffing on July 13, 2009

It's the All Star break.

The halfway point. The 2009 Major League Baseball season is half over.

And this year – 2009 – just like 2006 and 2007 – my beloved Detroit Tigers are in first place. They a three and a half game lead over the Chicago White Sox, and a four game lead over the Minnesota Twins.

So for this brief break in the season play, it's nice to sit and cherish the moment – but not for too long, both Chicago and Minnesota could pass by the Tigers in a single week.

The Tigers have the schedule on their side for the second half of 2009, but unless the bullpen gets it done, and the bats wake up more often, it will be a very close race right up to the final game in October.

And baseball is a funny game. Any team can win on any given day.

The Tigers as a Team

Q: The Tigers are winning the American League Central, how good are they really doing?

It is true that the American League Central Division is the weakest division in baseball. The Tigers win / loss average right now is .552. If they were in the American League East, they would be in third place behind Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees. In the American League West they would be behind the L.A. Angels (of Anaheim) and tied in second place with the Texas Rangers.

So in the American League, the Tigers are tied with Texas as the fourth best team. If they were in the National League, they would be the fourth best team in the National League.

In all of the Major Leagues, the Tigers would be tied for seventh place – again with the Texas Rangers.

The good news is that if they hold on and win the Central Division, they go to the playoffs – and anything can happen in the playoffs.

The bad news is that if they slip even to second place – surpassed by with Chicago or Minnesota – they will likely be out of play offs – because most likely the wild card team will be from the AL Easter division – and New York and Tampa Bay are fighting it out for that spot at the moment.

So – the Tigers are first in the AL Central – but tied for fourth in the American league, and tied for seventh overall in the Major Leagues.

Q: Is that good?

Considering four teams from the American League, and four teams from the National League – eight teams in total – go to the playoffs – so far the Tigers are making the cut. But they are on the outer edge.

Q: Well, are the Tigers any good?

One of the Tiger's most famous managers, Sparky Anderson, used to say he couldn't judge how good his ball team was until they had played forty games. Give a season consists of one hundred and sixty two games, that's nearly the whole first quarter of the season. But here we sit at the half way point. The Tigers of played eighty seven – six games past the halfway mark.

So the second half of the season is actually already under way, and the Tigers have won five of those six games. But those games were played against Kansas City and Cleveland, the two bottom feeders of the AL Central.

So at the halfway mark, I still cannot tell if my Detroit Tigers, leaders of the American League Central, are any good.

Q: How the Tigers stack up against their American League Rivals?

To me, the proof of how good the Tigers have been is how they have played against the four teams ahead of them in the American League. The Red Sox, Yankees, Angels, and the Rangers (whom they are tied with). How did the Tigers fare against these teams?

• The Tigers were swept by Boston Red Sox – losing all three games. So that's not good.
  
• The Tigers won one game and lost to to the Yankees – so that's not so good either.
  
• The Tigers won three against the Angels (of Anaheim) and lost three – so that's not good or bad.
  
• The Tigers have won all six games they played against the Rangers – two sweeps. So that is very good. I would say that even though their record shows them tied with the Rangers, the Tigers can beat them.
  

So it sounds like the Tigers are clearly the fourth best team in the American League.

But what about against those other teams in their Division? The Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins? It's more important that they can beat those guys, right?

Well, kind of. Let's see.

Detroit has won four and lost two to the White Sox. And the Tigers have won two and lost four to the Twins. Yet the White Sox are in second place and the Twins are in third place.

The only conclusion I can make from these team win loss records is that it is more important how the schedule falls. Who you play more often and when?

Any team can beat any other team on any given night.

That's baseball.

So how do the Tigers schedule look for the next half of the season?

• The Tigers play better at home – at Comerica Park. Their winning percentage at home is quite high.
  
• They play six games against the White Sox at home, and only three in Chicago.
  
• They play seven games at home against the Twins, and only three games in Minnesota.
  
• The last seven games of the Tigers schedule are against Minnesota and Chicago in Detroit at Comerica Park.
  

So that sounds very promising.

The Tigers Roster

Q: Let's talk about the Tigers players

Things can change very quickly. This is simply assuming the current trends will hold, and they likely will change a bit. Trades will be made in the next several weeks. Contending teams will try to bolters their rosters with pieces they are missing – trading with teams likely out of contention and that need to change direction or ease their payolls.

The Tigers need to make a couple of trades. Who knows if anything will be available though.

Maglio Ordonez

Tigers superstar Maglio Ordenez isnot play very well at all. Mags has a career average of .310. He is hitting .260 this year. He has ever been an outstanding right fielder. He has a strange contract that states if he reaches a certain amount of games played for the Tigers this year, he earns an automatic extension and another 33 million dollars.

The expectation is that Mags has to go. I'm sorry to say that. His quality is still in the upper echelon of baseball, but that damned contract paints the Tigers into a corner that they must … well .. get out of.

My own feeling about Maglio – for what little it's worth - is that a controversy he was caught in the middle of – where he publically supported an unpopular Venezuelan president caused his fellow Venezuelan fans to boo him harshly through this springs World Baseball Classic appearances. Mags batted around .220 in those exhibitions, and that slump carried well into this season. I think that hurt Maglio emotionally, and is a big part of the reason for his slump.

I would hate to see Mags traded to a team and have him come back to beat us, But I also appreciate the fact that his numbers this season do not warrant a 30 million dollar contract extension.

Tigers Pitching

Q: The Tigers have one of the best starting rotations in baseball?

As well, the Tigers pitching has been their strongest weapon. Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson have been spectacular so far. So has rookie phenom Rick Porcello. The fourth starter Armondo Gallarraga has had a bumpier start than his break out rookie season last year, but he could step it up in the second half.

The fifth starter, Dontrelle Willis has been a dud since joining the Tigers in 2008. His ERA is 7.49. And so the Tigers basically are stuck with a four man rotation. But now with the rising of Lucas French up from the minor league system – a no decision in his first start – a sixteen inning marathon in Minnesota loss, and a brilliant start in Kansas City that made people take notice - the Tigers might think they now have a five man rotation again.

Time will tell. But unlikely any trades will occur. Perhaps the dismissal of Dontrelle Willis.

Q: Fernando Rodney has never blown a save this year.

The Tigers bullpen has been as much to blame for Tiger losses as the often quiet bats of an explosive Tigers Offense. Fernando Rodney has stepped in to assume the role of closer – and has a perfect save record of 19 – 0, with an ERA of 3.92. That ERA is a bit high for a perfect save record. The news is that in Save situations – Rodney has given up less runs than the Tigers explosive runs have provided as a lead. Every outing is a roller coaster ride, and his record in non-save starts is rather abysmal.

In short, Rodney can get the job done to close a game out when the Tigers are leading into the ninth inning, but he is unlikely to hold the opposition off from scoring to give the Tigers a chance to catch up.

Solution? Only use Rodney in true save situations.

Q: How bad is the Tigers bullpen? That's what everyone nationally wants to know.

Our bullpen needs help.

The only problem is that every team hordes their quality bullpen staff. To acquire from another team means paying costly with talent you already have. The hope is that Joel Zumaya, Ryan Perry, and Fu – Te Ni can raise to the quality Tigers management expect of them.

Bobby Seay, Freddy Dolsi, and Brandon Lyon – on the other hand – have done well to hold up their end of the bullpen, and it is critical they maintain those levels.

So I do not expect to see any big trades for pitching coming, just some shuffling and perhaps a release or minor league repositioning or two.

Conclusion

Q: So Fred, sum this all up – what is your conclusion?

Well, if our quality starters – Cabrera, Laird and Inge can maintain their above normal paces this year, and Granderson, Anderson, Polanco, and Ordonez can raise their games to where they should be – the Tigers regular players will be competitive with any team in the Majors.

As well, if the players trying to stay in the majors from the minor leagues – Raburn, Thomas, Kelly (who might pop back up from Toledo) – can continue to contribute the way they have in the first half of the season, the Tigers chances grow even higher. These guys have played extremely well for the Tigers while regarded as 4A (AAAA) players – too god for the minor leagues but not quite major league material. And this has been a big reason (in my opinion) for the Tigers first half success.

As well, if Verlander and Jackson stay hot and healthy, and Luke French does not get found out, our starting rotation will be among baseballs very best.

But the starters can only be expected to get you six or seven innings in a game. The Tigers bullpen is the key to the second half. If Rodney continues getting saves – in his own roller coaster fashion that would make Todd Jones look dependable – then the Tigers can continue to win games with a lead into the ninth.

But if Joel Zumaya, Zach Minor, and Ryan Perry don't step upon the middle relief roles – the Tigers explosive bats get cancelled very quickly.

I think the key to the second half of the Detroit Tigers second half of the 2009 season is the bullpen, and the often quiet bats of the offense to wake up a bit. There will be something done with Maglio Ordonez, Dontrelle Willis, and most likely a couple of our super 4A contributors – but who and what that will bring to the Tigers is a crap shoot.

Who knows.

The Tigers have the schedule on their side for the second half of 2009, but unless the bullpen gets it done, and the bats wake up more often, it will be a very very close race right up to the final game in October.

And baseball is a funny game. Any team can win on any given day.