The Tigers Could Be Playing Baseball in October
These are the final days of May, and the Detroit Tigers have a 32-14 record that is the best in the major leagues. If the Tigers play .500 ball the rest of the way, they will win 90 games. If they are a little better than that, they will be in the hunt for their first playoff appearance since 1987. A lot will depend on a Detroit rotation that is led by 41-year-old Kenny Rogers (7-2, 3.32 ERA). The starting five also features top-flight rookie Justin Verlander (6-3, 2.70) and three young veterans who are showing signs of improvement: Mike Maroth (5-2. 2.45), Nate Robertson (4-2, 3.02) and Jeremy Bonderman (5-3, 4.57). This rotation leads all big league teams with 27 wins and a 3.27 ERA. In 2005, Detroit's rotation posted a 4.85 ERA that was among the worst in the game. Is this year's group really as good as it has been over the first two months? Will the Tigers reach the promised land and play baseball in October?
Comments
Nah. The pitching's too thin. And just look who they've played. They're 21-6 in games against the Twins, Royals, Rangers, Mariners, and Athletics, teams with a combined record of 91-112 (.448) against everybody but the Tigers, 97-133 (.422) overall.
Against their major division rivals, the White Sox and Indians, they've won 5 and lost 5.
The Tigers are certainly better, but their weak early schedule gives a misleading impression of their true strength.
Posted by: Madisonian | May 25, 2006 4:17 PM
Maroth went on the DL today.
It begins.
Posted by: Madisonian | May 26, 2006 4:06 PM
The Tigers' lineup probably is a close second to the White Sox's in the Central -- but they seem to have the kind of magic that blessed the Sox last year, who themselves didn't have the best lineup in the AL.
If they're close in July, Dombrowski will get a #2 or #3 type starter, and the Tigers will contend deep into the season.
Posted by: dalamander | May 30, 2006 12:47 PM