Tigers Take The Crown

Finally, let's take a look at the team that has been sitting atop the AL Central for the past couple of years.  The Detroit Tigers.  Of course I'm going to try and write an unbiased post, but that won't always be the case as I am a Tigers fan.  But then again, this is a personal blog sooooooo.....

Last year, the Tigers were never really in doubt of winning the AL Central.  By the time they had clinched the division at the end of the year, they had a ten game lead.  The division is weak compared to other divisions in baseball, but that is what happens when you group smaller market teams together.  After years and years of dealing with a horrible team, it feels great to have a team that is winning on a constant basis.  

Their pitching staff is one of the best in the league.  For some reason, Doug Fister was traded this offseason which hurt their profile, but I have faith in Drew Smyly who is suppose to be taking up the fifth spot in the rotation.  The success or failure of the rotation is going to hinge on one person:  Rick Porcello.  So how does Porcello do well?  It revolves around the defense.  He is known as a ground ball/contact pitcher.  He gets outs by getting the ball in play and having the defense help him out.  That sounds like a horrible idea, but he throws a sinker which is suppose to result in ground balls.  So, with the upgraded defense the Tigers now have, he should have a breakout season.  My opinion is that he has started to breakout, he is going to be a gradual breakout pitcher.  It is going to take place over last year and this year.  Most people won't notice because of the three guys that are in front of him in the rotation.  I have loved Porcello ever since he earned a spot in the rotation back in 2009, but I think this is the year everyone else jumps on the bandwagon.

The lineup is up near the top of the league as well.  Thanks to a couple of big bats in Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez.  Along with those bats there are a couple of professional hitters that can put the ball in play when it is needed.  It's a whole new team because there is going to be a focus on small ball.  Running the bases, getting steals, going first to third.  It is something new and different.  And it is exciting.  With Kinsler, Iglesias, and Rajai Davis on the team now, the Tigers are no longer going to be at or near the bottom of stolen bases.  Again, this makes me happy.  It is something different over what we have seen the past five years.

The farm system is in question, as it has been over the past four years.  The top prospect, Nick Castellanos, has been brought up for this season.  After Castellanos, there are no big names ready to make the leap up to the majors.  Even before the call up, Castellanos was ranked at number thrity two on ESPN's top one hundred prospects list (if you can put any money on that).  The next Tigers prospect is....no one.  Not one player on the top one hundred.  The Fister trade did bring over Ian Krol and Robbie Ray.  Ray is a prospect whereas Krol is going to be pitching this year. 

I don't always put a lot of stock in these lists, but everyone knows the Tigers' farm system is one of the worst in the league.  They are built to win now.  Brad Ausmus is going to bring a new view of the game to the team.  I love Jim Leyland and he helped bring the Tigers out of the basement of the major leagues and to the forefront and helped to make them contenders.  The money that was spent on free agents and some of the trades that have been made (same trades that emptied the farm system of prospects) also helped the team out.  This year, the Tigers are going to win the AL Central again.  They are a strong, solid team that many think they can win ninety games or more.  I'm always scared to make predictions for a team I follow, but I think right around ninety games sounds right.  It helps to play in a weak division.  The next two or three years in the AL Central are going to be interesting with the Royals players developing and the Twins (yes, Twins) prospects making their way to the majors.  Can the Tigers hold on three years from now?  Who knows.  I surely hope so. 

17/120