With Detroits new look, does this make them the most overrated team now??

Question

I hear all this talk about the Tigers, but they haven't done anything impressive yet. Cabrera was the only real upgrade they made and that will be negated by the aging players.

It looks great on paper just like the Cubs teams w/ Prior and Wood and Zambrano in the rotation. Here is a team w/ a bunch of aging players trying to infuse some youth. Mags had his career year and wont even come CLOSE to matching it at age 33+. Sheffield is going to decline (.260 avg 25 HR), Pudge isn't what he used to be, I wouldn't expect 10 wins out of Rogers, and Bonderman/Robinson are overrated. However, the defense up the middle is strong, Pudge will make his plays here and there, and Verlander will anchor that rotation. Willis is a HUGE question mark moving to the stronger AL (10-13 4.85 ERA I say) and Jones (near 6 ERA) doesn't exactly slam doors shut. Guillen will probably have 1-2 more decent years, but this club is teeter-tottering on the line of a huge sucess or a huge disaster.

I would temper expectations and hope for the best - just don't think World Series. An ALCS showing would be a sucess for this team. It's going to take a lot of things to go right and career years from Granderson, Verlander, and Cabrera to pull it off, with a complete 180 from Willis.

Bold prectiction: They start off hot, gain a lot of support and fade down the stretch. Limp into the playoffs, win the short series w/ their 1-2 punch (1 of the starters will step up), and lose in the ALCS to a much better Boston,LA, or Yankees team (if they make some more moves).

Record 93-69 1st place in AL Central. Cleveland has been too up and down the past 3 years. They need consistency, but will probably finish 2-3 games back of the Tigers.

So tell me... how is it w/ all those question marks in the air, can ANYONE think they win 100 games and are the favorites right now??

Moose: I'm sorry do the #'s 5.00 ERA++ in the weaker NL mean anything to you?? D-Train will be a bust. Bank on it.

And Renteria and "impressive" in the same sentence? You're not serious right? haha Sure if an average SS w/ .280 BA 10-15 HR and 70 RBI is impressive to you w/ no speed or defence anymore.

Here's the Tiger's stats for next year.
Granderson .305 24 HR 28 SB
Polanco .290 7 HR
Cabrera .335 38 HR 132 RBI
Mags .302 18 HR 105 RBI
Sheff .263 24 HR 85 RBI
Guillen .300 18 HR 80 RBI
Renteria .290 10 HR 73 RBI
Pudge .275 8 HR 65 RBI
Thames .250 22 HR 65 RBI

Verlander 19-7 3.25 ERA
Rogers 8-10 4.87 ERA
Willis 10-13 4.85 ERA
Bonderman 13-11 4.35 ERA
Robinson 13-11 4.35 ERA

Todd Jones 1-6 5.25 ERA 18/26 SV/BS and he is removed from closers job by All-Star break.

Anyone thinking this team looks great and everyone is going to knock in 100 RBIs should be committed to a looney barn. You only have 1 starter. This is NOT a championship team... hell its barely a playoff team.

Answer 1

Despite having somewhat the same feelings as to overrated status, I still think that so far Detroit was the big winner in Nashville. However, the best team on paper or the winner in the free agent market has not always run away with things the following year.

Detroit has upped their odds with the acquisition of Cabrera and Willis, but Willis needs to do a complete turnaround from last year in Florida where he was not happy. Could being happier in Detroit affect his performance? Possibly. But don't forget that harbinger that hangs over NL pitchers heads when they come to the AL. Willis is going to have to fine tune some pitches to get those wide outside calls that NL umps give away like peppermint candies at a restaurant.

Secondly, if Detroit was smart, due to Cabrera's expanding mid section, they should have put weight clauses in his contract --- and I'm not referring to extra portions of pancakes and sausages at breakfast.

Cabrera does bring power, but more importantly, Willis brings question marks. This not only makes them overrated, but it is also cause for great speculation especially when you talk about player aging in their ranks. Aging players is a saga that Yanks fans have known all too well. Hopefully, Tiger fans have gained some insight from that.

I'm still sticking to my guns that the Indians are going to give Detroit fits in that division. They're younger, quicker, and they've had that taste of getting as far as the ALCS.

Definition of "overrated":
to rate or appraise too highly

Taking that into consideration, Detroit qualifies.

Answer 2

$1.3 billion in 7 losing seasons.

The Yankees are by far the most overrated.
If age is a consideration than the fact that the collection of hitters on the Yankees roster are the oldest in all of baseball should be a factor.

You are simply a Yankee fan TROLL who burns with jealousy when another team makes a great move. Considering the best the Yankees could do was tie the TIGERS in the season series last year, when the Yankees were at their hottest by the way, I seriously doubt they will be able to compete with the new TIGERS line up. Since they are sending the same tired hitters out there again, only with weaker pitching.

Answer 3

Detroit has potenital to be a power next year. Remember, Florida had the worst offense in the NL last year. Willis should have a good year, 18-20 wins and an era of around 3.33. Also since he won't hit, he'll be stronger in the later innings.

Answer 4

I believe the only thing here that is overrated is your extreme jealousy.
while this team does look good on paper. I truly think that Leyland wont have any of this "ME ME ME" crap that the yankees and red sox are so full of.

we'll have to see though, but i really do expect at least 98-100 wins and the division title.

after that a short 5 games series is a gamble and anything could happen.

Answer 5

People forget, Pudge is a great catcher for young pitchers, which Willis still is, in fact, they worked together once! Add that along with the fact, Kenny Rogers is still here, he can give some lefthander advice to Willis, and I believe he is the sole reason for the great team of 2006, he was able to teach the young pitchers a few things, with Pudge! Many pitchers on the Tigers the last few years, when in loss, were losing because of no run support, with the upcoming lineup this year, do not see many days of that happening!

Last I heard, was Ozzie Guillen saying, Miguel Cabrera is on a great workout regimen this off-season, and everyone better watch out for him. Remember Cecil Fielder, he was fat his whole career, and still managed to put up great offensive numbers in terms of HRs and RBIs! And I look forward to seeing Cabrera put on a show!

People think Sheffield faded last year, but keep in mind, he was awesome until a collision, in which he hurt his shoulder, he had surgery for it, and being in great shape that he is, I am sure he will be back 100%. Besides, .260, 25 HRs and probably 100 RBIs is not what I would call a bad season!

Last year, Mags played excellently, I do not think he had a slump or mini slump all year long. Last year was the first time in a few years, he was completely healthy. If you remember correctly, he is not a 40 year old has-been, he is still in his prime, and his past stats from the White Sox are not what I would categorize as shabby, in fact, I call them all-star caliber stats! I do not see him being a .360 hitter, but again, .330, 25-35 HRs and of course, 120 or so RBIs, again, not what I would call shabby!

Let's not forget too, Granderson is young, still learning with each at bat, last year was no fluke, I fully expect him to get better, maybe not so many triples, but all around stats will get better IMO, not to mention, he is a great defender, under the radar!

Polanco, probably the most underrated player in the league, he just finished his 3rd season here. In 2006, he got hurt with his shoulder, and his stats did not end where he would have been. But since he came here, he has been a .330 caliber hitter, a great team player, and without a doubt, the best defender at his position, of course, not too many noticed it, even with winning a Gold Glove!

I scoff at people who say Carlos Guillen is on the downward slope of his career. He had knee surgery a few years ago, and playing SS took it's toll on it through the course of a season, which is the major reasoning behind moving him to first base. He will only end up .300+, 20+ HRs, and about 100 RBIs too, and that is bad?

Let's also not forget Renteria, Bo-Sox fans may hate him, but he is a career .300 pretty much, and that is all we can ask of him, but with the players that will be on base when he comes up to bat, let's just say, 100 RBIs are not out of the question, he has hit that plateau before!

With this year's offense, who can you really pitch around now? If you walk a Cabrera, you run into a Mags, if you walk a Polanco, you run into a Cabrera, if you walk a Mags, you run into a Sheffield, and if you walk a Sheffield, you run into a Guillen! See my point, so it brings us to the last two in the lineup, Pudge and probably Thames. Pudge can still hit, sure, he may not be .300+ as he always was, but .280 as a catcher, not exactly a pushover. And with Thames, he may not be the greatest hitter, but he has shown what he can do when he gets playing time, big homers, big RBIs, the man can play when giving the opportunity! Surely, all the offense is there, if all stay healthy, sure, there may be an injury along the way, but there are Ryan Rayburn and Brent Clevelan who can fill in here and there, as they did well in recent years, not to mention, a Timo Perez and a Jacques Jones, not exactly, low on the totem pole in terms of major league abilities!

I expect Verlander to keep rolling along, hopefully getting a 20 win season. Bonderman is better than his stats show, regardless of what you think, look at his game by game stats over the last couple seasons, and tell me he sucks, keep in mind too, there is a game here and there, like all pitchers, who completely blow one! Rogers will be fine, he is older, yes, but he stays in great shape, and I expect 12-15 wins out of him, as is the norm it seems when he plays a full season! Nate Robertson is a bulldog, the most unlucky pitcher in the league perhaps, now with the offense, I expect to see him prove himself! And Willis was mentioned above, 15-18 wins is in store for him, just stay tuned!

Answer 6

Can't prove that they are or aren't in December. I'd rather have Willis playing when I'm in the field the if I'm at the plate, though. Don't sell him short based on a bad year.

Answer 7

Renteria hit .332 last year. He's hit over .300 3 times, and is a career .291 hitter.

It seems like you think every team other than the Yankees is overrated.
.

Answer 8

No as long as the Yankees payroll is 3 times larger than most teams in baseball they will always be the most overrated. Probably go down as most overrated team in history of baseball. I bet yanks dont get past first round again this year. LOL. Ha ha ha ha ha ha

Answer 9

How can they be overated when they haven't played a single game together. Wait until next year and we will see.

Answer 10

I have heard a lot of things about them they have I'mproved there team and have a good chance to contend but im not ready to say there the best they first have to prove it