The Detroit Tigers

I feel a certain connection to the Tigers. I think that feeling goes back to a simple combination of events. I visited Comerica Park, the Tigers' magnificent home in the summer of 2005 and was very very impressed. Then, almost out of nowhere, the 2006 Tigers stormed out to a big lead in the AL Central, faltered down the stretch, limped into the playoffs as a wild card, then proceeded to upset the favored Yankees in the ALDS before eventually falling to the Cardinals in a very sloppy World Series. I rooted hard for the Tigers in the 2006 playoffs, right up until that final fatal whiff by Brandon Inge ended the Series and the Tigers' hopes for a title.

In short, I like the Tigers. They're not my favorite team, or, honestly, even my second favorite, but I've got absolutely nothing against them.

So it was with a certain amount of dismay and confusion that I initially observed the Tigers' offseason transaction following their second-place finish in 2009. In a three-team-swap the Tigers dealt away centerfielder Curtis Granderson, fresh off of a 30 homer season, and hard-throwing starter Edwin Jackson, who won 13 games and tossed 214 innings in 2009. In return, the Tigers received 2 young lefty relievers, a 2nd year starter, and a prized centerfield prospect. Trading Granderson before his contract expired and Jackson before he could ask for a raise and letting reliable second baseman Placido Polanco leave town, while obtaining mostly unproven talent in return signaled to me that Detroit was embarking on a rebuilding campaign. Let young talent develop while the team waits out or sells off its remaining big bucks contracts, and then, with a new nucleus ready to rock, make another charge at contention.

But then the Tigers management did some things that simply did not fit into my initial analysis. They inked Justin Verlander, their staff ace and probably best trading chip to a long term, mega-bucks extension. They signed closer Jose Valverde, and brought in aging Johnny Damon presumably to play left field. Basically, they aborted the sell-off and started buying.

I was confused.

Then, in reading in preparation to write this article, I realized very clearly that my initial assumption after the Granderson trade had been wrong. Sure, the modus operandi of teams looking to go cheap and young is usually to trade talent right before the time comes to renegotiate contracts. But that does not mean that every time a team opts not to resign a good player who is about to cash his first big check the team in question is thinning its payroll. Sometimes, and I think this is the case with the 2010 Tigers, a team trades a star (or two) because that trade will get them the pieces they feel they need to contend sooner rather than later.


Pitching

The recently re-signed Justin Verlander had a splendid 2009 season. 19 wins, a 1.18 WHIP, and 269 strikeouts, Verlander is a staff ace, a big game clutch pitcher, and one of the 5 or 6 best pitchers in the American League. And he's only 27. After Verlander the Tigers can feel confident sending Rick Porcello (14 wins, 3.96 ERA last season in his FIRST SEASON ABOVE A-BALL) and newly-acquired Max Scherzer (9 wins 174 K's and a 4.12 ERA in his first full big league season) to the mound as 2nd and 3rd starters. The Tigers are betting heavily on Verlander's ability to repeat his great 2009 and Scherzer and Porcello taking the next step up from transcendentally promising rookie campaigns. The 4th and 5th slots will be filled by two of the following: Dontrelle Willis, Nate Robertson, and Jeremy Bonderman. Willis used to be a star and is now a head case with a frail psyche and frailer body, Nate Robertson followed up a 6.35 ERA in 2008 with a 5.44 ERA in 2009. Bonderman hasn't been healthy since 2007. If one of those three somehow pulls it together this season, the Tigers will have a formidable rotation. If not, tune into Tigers games once in a while this summer, you may see an endless line of retreads that you haven't seen for year toeing the rubber.

Jose Valverde brings his portly pitching prowess to the Motor City in 2010. He should bring stability in the 9th inning. If somehow, flame-throwing Joel Zumaya can keep his arm attached to his body, he'll provide supperior 8th inning relief. Lefty relief ace Bobby Seay has an appointment with Dr. James Andrews. Other than Doctor Kavorkian or Doctor No, there is no doctor's name I dread hearing more in relation to any athlete. New arrivals Daniel Schlereth and Phil Coke will also see a lot of innings out of Jim Leyland's bullpen.


Motor City Mashing

Statistical Note: OPS= On Base Percentage + Slugging Percentage

1B) Miguel Cabrera .324 BA, 34 HR, 103 RBI, .943 OPS
2B) Scott Sizemore .308 BA, 17 HR, .889 OPS (Combined 2009 Stats in AA and AAA)
SS) Adam Everett .238 BA, .613 OPS
3B) Brandon Inge .230 BA, 27 HR, 170 SO, .720 OPS
LF) Johnny Damon .282 BA, 24 HR, .854 OPS
CF) Austin Jackson .300 BA, .759 OPS (2009 AAA Stats)
RF) Magglio Ordonez .310 BA, .804 OPS, 50 RBI
C) Gerald Laird .225 BA, .626 OPS
DH) Carlos Guillen .242 BA, .758 OPS

Likely bench

Clete Thomas .240 BA, .709 OPS
Ryan Rayburn 16 HR, .892 OPS
Ramon Santiago .267 BA, .703 OPS
Alex Avila .279 BA, .965 OPS

There is star power (Cabrera), former stars (Damon and Ordonez), serviceable major leaguers (Laird, Everett, and Guillen) two top prospects who have played a grand total of ZERO big league innings (Sizemore and Jackson) and a player whose statistics call into question the sanity of the men who sign his massive checks every two weeks (Inge). Miguel Cabrera had some personal troubles in 2009 but assures the public that his drinking and anger issues are behind him. He's a superstar when his head on on straight. Magglio Ordonez is in the final year of a huge contract and Tiger fans can only hope that now, at last, he delivers production commensurate to his wages. Carlos Guillen's offensive output was way above league average...when he was still a shortstop. As a DH, his batting prowess likely will not be as impressive. Despite hitting 27 homeruns last year, Brandon Inge managed an OPS barely above .700 and struck out 170 times. His .236 batting average in 2007 remains his highest in the last three years. Look for Alex Avila to steal more and more time behind the plate from Laird as the season rolls on. Avila hit very well in a late season cameo last season, his first action above Double-A.

Overall

Jim Leyland is a notorious chain-smoker. There is a good chance that this incarnation of the Tigers will have Leyland lighting up with great frequency. There is also a chance, however, that if the starting rotation meets expectations, bullpen health holds, and the offense functions without too many hiccups, the Tigers could challenge for the top spot in the AL Central. With Kansas City and Cleveland likely to lose prodigiously, Detroit would have to really stink up the joint to fall to the bottom of the AL Central. The above question marks will determine whether the Tigers settle into the middle of the standings or put up a winning record.