They have a pretty loaded pitching staff, and the line-up is stacked. Do you expect them to win it all? What if they don't?
I'm not saying they will or won't, just trying to get a feel for what you think. I, for one, am trying not to get my hopes too high, because too many times they've let me down. I do think they have a good solid shot of making the play-offs, but what if they fall out of the playoff picture? In a way they remind me of the 2005 White Sox (whiney sux). They won with god pitching and should have made the playoffs in 2006, but the pitching went south. Do you think the same thing will happen to The Tigers?
2007-03-20 10:29:07 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Sports ➔ Baseball
It is natural for every fan to set their expectations high. That is obvious reading the comments posted earlier and each fan has that right to believe that this is their year (I know i always believed over the last 19 years of bad Tiger baseball that they would turn it around each season....thats what a good fan does!). There are some very real differences between the Tigers and what happened to the White Sox. Buehrle is the best example....he pitched 240 innings and 230 innings the 2 previous years so there was bound to be a dropoff in his production. Garland was a 1 year wonder who slid back to his career numbers and Contreras has been an up and down producer for the last 7 or 8 years. That staff put it together perfectly for 1 season and everyone backslid to their career averages last season (which shouldnt shock anybody). Add a volatile manager who worried about picking fights with anyone he could and a rocky pen led to their demise. The Tigers have a consistant Rogers (okay his playoff performance was out of the ordinary but his regular season was along his career lines), Verlander may backslide a bit but with his stuff it shouldnt be a far slide (remember a panel of major league scouts rated his fastball as the hardest to hit in the entire major leagues this spring), Robertson has improved each season and should continue with slight improvement, Bonderman is a potential Cy Young candidate in the near future (hard to believe he is only 24) and Maroth is a control artist who wont ever dominate but likely will rarely ever beat himself (kind of a Rogers clone). Add the depth in the minors plus guys like Zack Minor, Ledezma etc. and they can overcome some injury problems if needed. Add the dominating pen (possibly the best in baseball) and the starters dont need to do more than get to the 6th inning....Chicago had no such luxury.
I would be surprised if they dont make the playoffs but no i wont be dissappointed if they dont win the World Series...the playoffs are a crapshoot and it takes good play and some luck so once you are there anything can happen. They addressed the one big need (Sheffield) and have one of the best skippers in the game....a White Sox style falloff doesnt seem likely.
2007-03-20 13:26:42 · answer #1 · answered by viphockey4 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Speaking as an Indians fan I will be completley unbiased.I think the Tigers have a very good team.There pitching staff do so well last year it's almost impossible to repeat that feat.There hitting has only improved with the addition of Sheffield.But can everything click like it did last year?I don't know.That division is very tough and it will be a vicious dogfight to the end.I expect Detroit to drop off of there season lat year somewhere between 85-90 wins.Of course they have the pontential to do as well as they did last year but I truly think they will drop off the pace a little.I had predicted a 3rd place finish but now I'm thinking they might move into 2nd or first because of Liriano.The loss of Lee for the first few weels will hurt the Tribe but only for a little while.As for the White Sox they just aren't as good as the other 3 teams(not counting the Royals)and I expect a record just over .500.At first I predicted a fight between the Twins and Indians with the Twins getting the division and the Tribe the wild card but now I think it will be Detriot and Cleveland because of the loss of Liriano.The race for the division title looks to be very exciting,I can hardly wait!
2007-03-20 12:04:25 · answer #2 · answered by red4tribe 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
After nearly two decades of frustration, it's alright to have high expectations. Pitching staff is deep (with still some good prospects in the minors) and there is some good hitters in the lineup.
If the Tigers avoid injuries, like they did most of the season last year, they should contend. Strange as this may sound, they may have a better team this year, and could still finish third in that division. That's how good I think the AL Central can be over the next three-four years.
2007-03-20 14:05:41 · answer #3 · answered by steve p 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the Tigers season is COMPLTELY up in the air-here is why---can these pitchers who did AN OUTSTANDING JOB last year repeat that performance? Nobody knows. Will the pressure of being the team that EVERYONE IN THE DIVISION IS GUNNING FOR AND RISES TO THE OCCASSION TO PLAY be too much to handle for the team? Nobody know that either. Will one of those hard throwers or an impact position player have an injury-it's a long season.Injuries can plague teams all year. Did the other teams get better? Some did,drastically. Will Sheffield defuse team moral and chemistry? Could happen. As far as the Indians being a sleeper-remember these names-Adam Miller (22 yr old pitcher 14 IP S.Training 0 runs-Bobby Cox yesterday calls him the best young pitcher he's seen in years). And Jeremy Sowers (came up last year toward end of year-dominated some monster lineups-very young-Glavine like style). Add Sabathia and Westbrook to the equasion with Cliff Lee--throw in the most brutal offense in the American League and if that bullpen (there only weakness last year) is improved since adding players---who knows...that's why they play the games---I do look for it to come down to Detroit,Cleveland and Chicago--Twins have some issues I think will show up once the season begins.It's gonna be fun!!!
2007-03-20 10:55:51 · answer #4 · answered by Shawn G 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I'm optimistic! I'll be happy with a winning season and a shot at the playoffs. I always have high expectations and hopefully I won't be disappointed. I think Rogers, Bonderman and Robertson have looked good this spring (I know it's early and it's a long season!). I'm hoping for no serious injuries, steady pitching, lots of offense and less fielding errors...piece of cake, eh?
Go Tigers!!! (Woohoo! Opening Day in less than two weeks!) :-)
2007-03-20 10:37:51 · answer #5 · answered by Sephra 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Well the reality of the problem is we are up two-zero over the Twins and another win in NY and that is it! Twins are His-tor-y as soon as once more! I'll take a further Yankee World Series championship over Bobby Cox's last season, over Ron G's one go back and forth to the World Series or something else, on account that the great group wins the arena sequence, and proper now, it is nonetheless the Yankees, except a group de-thrones them, and I do not see that taking place.
2016-09-05 09:43:55 · answer #6 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm just hoping for a winning season. Making the playoffs and winning the World Series would be great, but I just like to watch them play games and win. They really are a good team to watch when they are winning.
2007-03-20 13:05:10 · answer #7 · answered by TopSpin 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
U guys got lucky anyway.
I do the same thing with the Yankees. I don't get my hopes 2 high, but I know in the back of my mind I'll see them in October.
U made some good points. It's gonna be an interesting year.
2007-03-20 12:06:30 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the expectations are a little high due to the parity of the division.
If Cleveland turn out to be the sleeper that most have picked them to be than there could be a bunch of balanced records overall in that division.
Detroit would have to be something special to completely separate themselves from the rest of the pack.
2007-03-20 10:43:00 · answer #9 · answered by Cool Shoes 2 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I don't think so I'm hovering around 90 wins. Possible playoff appearance.
2007-03-20 11:29:12 · answer #10 · answered by Detfan 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋