A good year

Despite the fact that the Detroit Tigers did not make it to, and eventually win, the World Series (because I think that they could have beaten either National League team), it was a good year for the team.  Going into the season, they were seen by most professional analysts to finish either second or third within the division and not make much noise.  We all know how that turned out.  We'll hang our hats on that divisional banner, thank you very much.  It's funny that no one really started talking about the team until they overtook the Cleveland Indians and subsequently ran away with the division.

I will give Texas their due, I knew going in that it was going to be their bats that would keep them in the series and that if Detroit didn't take at least one of the first two games, it would have been hard for them to get to the Series, so hopefully they beat St. Louis and bring the championship back to the American League.  The one thing that surprised me was their bullpen.  I didn't pay much attention to the team because they play in the AL West so I didn't see them or hear about them that much.  If they can win one of the first two in St. Louis it'll be done in five, even if they don't win I still think they win, but it'll be in six. 

Back to the Tigers.  It was a good year and I can already hear the analysts next year forgetting about them again.  They'll talk up the White Sox again and their great acquisition of Adam Dunn *snicker snicker* and how Jake Peavy is going to bounce back.  Again.  *snicker snicker*  They cannot overlook the starting five that Detroit can potentially run out there.  Verlander, Fister, Scherzer, Porcello, Penny.  Yes, yes, yes, maybe, and not so much.  That, I think should be the rotation.  You could even switch Porcello and Penny, but how long can they hold back Jacob Turner?  I guess as long as Penny's contract is.  Brad Penny is next year's Phil Coke.  The guy that'll give me gray hairs because of his inconsistency. 

They need to get in Austin Jackson's ear and get him a better eye if he is going to stay at the top of the batting order.  The Tigers can't have a guy striking out that much at the top of the order.  I think with Magglio re-braking his ankle he'll be done in Detroit as a major player.  If he resigns, his play will be limited because players like Don Kelly and Andy Dirks and Brennan Boesch are ready to play full time and I don't want any of those players to go away just because Mags wants to play even though he's slowing down.  Once again, I love Magglio.  He's my Tiger, he'll be my Tiger until he's retired or moves on, but for a functional team, they can't keep rolling him out there just because of the past.

The young players are growing up and they are hungry.  Hungry and angry.  Just how they need to play next year.








And for years to come...