A Look at the Competition – The Detroit Tigers

The Detroit Tigers have the highest expectations by far in the AL Central. They are expected by about 100% of the “experts” to run away with the central crown. And while I think it’s definitely a good possibility that the Tigers could end up representing our division in the playoffs, I really do not see what all the hooplah is about. Sure, they acquired Prince Fielder…but they also lost Victor Martinez for the year. While at first those 2 events may seem like a net gain for Detroit, I actually think you could say it evens out or even hurts the Tigers a little bit. I know Prince has been one of the premiere hitters in baseball the last handful of years. However, Martinez is the Tigers’ catcher, as valuable a spot on a ball-club as any else. It’s the default captain of the squad, if you will. Plus, I do not expect Fielder to produce quite as much as we have seen him in the past. The American League is much more difficult to perform in than the National League, for one. And for two, Fielder is well, a big guy, and I don’t think getting a multi-year, multi-million dollar mega-deal is motivation to get in better shape…which is probably the only way a guy like Prince would go through the rest of his career injury-free.

My second main concern is the Tigers’ rotation. “But Grop, they’ve got the reigning AL Cy Young/MVP!” Yeah, I know they do. But Verlander had 24 wins last year. I’d expect 6-7 less wins from their ace this year. Not because I don’t think he is capable, but because 17-18 wins is still a great year, and 24 is simply something that is once in a lifetime in today’s game. While an ace that will almost certainly push for 20 wins is definitely something most teams wish they had, it’s the rest of their starters that concern me.
Doug Fister is their number two guy, and I’m not sold on him. I think he is a pretty solid pitcher, but that’s about it. Last season the Tigers acquired him because of the good year he was having for Seattle, where there was virtually no pressure upon him pitching for a Mariners squad that had no shot of going to the playoffs from a pretty early point in the year. It’s a lot easier pitching in ball games that don’t have much meaning than going out there as the number 2 for a team that is expected to dominate their division. And I know he was good when he came to the Tigers for the latter part of the year, but that was a very small sample size…one similar to a great run by a guy by the name of Phillip Humber, who is the White Sox number 5 starter. I don’t think Fister is a bad pitcher, but I am not sold on the fact that he can play a huge role on a 90-100 win team.

Max Scherzer is the guy in the middle of their rotation, and to be honest I don’t have much to complain about him. I think he is a very good pitcher with the potential to be an absolute stud this year. He posts strike out’s with the best of them, and I think having the number 3 spot in their staff is perfect for the fire-balling youngster, there will never be too much pressure put upon him. Porcello and Smyly round out their rotation and to put it simply, they don’t scare me.
So it would be easy to say that the Tigers’ will run away with the division like everyone else is saying, but if you look a little bit deeper, it’s hard to say that there aren’t doubts about this White Sox rival.