Detroit Tigers

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

The Detroit Tigers compiled a 72-90 record, a 29 win improvement over their abysmal 2003 campaign. Their lineup was surprisingly good, with Carlos Guillen having an MVP season, I-Rod hitting to form, and Brandon Inge showing hitting prowess that I never thought he had. This year, the Tigers have cleared some of the dead weight from their lineup. Bobby Higginson and his sub-.400 OBP have been relegated to the bench to make room for Magglio Ordonez. Eric Munson was kicked to the curb. And Curtis Granderson looks primed to take Alex Sanchez's job in center.

 

A quick word on Sanchez, if I may. Sanchez hit .322 last season. He was as bad a player as you can be while hitting .322. His seven walks brought his OBP to a measley .335, about league average. In 339 plate appearances, he hit 14 extra base hits. When Sanchez reached base, he stole 19 of 32 bases, for a 59% success rate. His caught stealing statistics completely negated any run scoring value he had. And Sanchez does not have the pedigree to show that this performance was an aberration.

 

The pitching remains a problem. The Tigers finished twelveth in runs allowed, and they acquired no significant pitchers outside of Troy Percival (and Kyle Farnsworth). The Tigers' bullpen was next to last in ERA in 2003, so these are improvements. The rotation, however, does not show as much promise. Mike Maroth is a heralded young pitcher, but he's 27, and his K rate of 4.47 per 9 does not indicate future stardom. Jeremy Bonderman, on the other hand, IS a legitimately exciting young pitcher. Mark this one down. Jeremy Bonderman is THE pitcher who will step up this season.

 

There is no quality in the farm system right now, so the Tigers will need to build through free agency. I don't know if they can build a pennant contender with this core, but they do play in a favorable division. Still, with the improvements that the White Sox and Indians made this offseason, the Tigers will struggle to climb out of fourth.

[Fökai]

There is no quality in the farm system right now, so the Tigers will need to build through free agency.

Is this a case of bad scouting (and drafting), or trades?

 

On that note, any prospects worth a damn in that system?

[EVIL~! alkeiper]

Is this a case of bad scouting (and drafting), or trades?

 

Bad scouting and drafting in the Randy Smith years. In remains to be seen whether Dombrowski can improve the system in the minors.

 

On that note, any prospects worth a damn in that system?

 

Justin Verlander shows promise out of college, but he has no professional experience yet. Chris Shelton is a good hitter, and should provide a solid option at first and an emergency backup at catcher. Otherwise, there is not much there.

[razazteca]

Did they test Dmitre Young and Rondell White for steroids yet?

[Mik]

Justin Verlander will be in the top half of BA's top 100 next year - I almost can guarantee it. I think you shouldn't write off Kyle Sleeth either.

[Styles]

The Tigers are going everything they need to do to improve lineup wise, and looking at their lineup, it looks as good as any in the bigs. This team will score runs. Their bullpen is good too with Troy Percival, Ugueth Urbina and Kyle Fanrsworth making a good nucleus. But their starting pitching still looks abysmal. I mean, O's back of the rotation washout Jason Johnson is still their ace? But everyone seems high on Bonderman so maybe he'll step it up. Anyway, I like the Tiger's chances in a weak division and will pick them to improve to 3rd palce. EDIT: I re-thought this, and while their lineup is stronger then Cleveland's, its not by much, and Cleveland has much more consistent pitching, so I'm going to reconsider and say 4th place but an improved record.

 

PROJECTED LINEUP

1. Alex Sanchez Craig Monroe CF

2. Carlos Guillen SS

3. Ivan Rodriguez C

4. Magglio Ordonez RF

5. Dmitri Young DH

6. Rondell White LF

7. Carlos Pena 1B

8. Brandon Inge 3B

9. Omar Infante 2B

 

Rotation

1. J. M. Johnson

2. M. Maroth

3. J. Bonderman

4. N. Robertson

5. W. Ledezma

[Kahran Ramsus]

It looks like Alex Sanchez was released.

[Styles]

Indeed:

 

With the Tigers' release of former starting CF Alex Sanchez on Tuesday, Nook Logan and Craig Monroe will get an opportunity to fight for the job this spring.

(Updated 03/15/2005).

 

So just fill in Sanchez's spot with either Monroe's or Logan's in the lineup for those of you keeping score.

(What kind of a name is NOOK anyway?!)