I know it’s been almost a week since the Tigers were ousted from this years playoffs, but you’ve gotta give it up for them. Finishing the regular season 95-67 and only 2 games back from the best record in the AL is successful in any book. Aside from the game 6 drubbing in the ALCS, the Tigers put up a great fight in this year’s playoffs. Taking down the Yanks in the first round in 5 games is no easy task, especially taking on Sabathia and Nova twice, who both had great seasons. Looking more closely at game 6 against the Rangers, aside from the dreadful 3rd inning, the Tigers would’ve only lost that game 6-5, and God knows a 9 run inning will kill any team’s spirit. So, taking that inning out of play, who knows where that game or even the series could have gone.
However, in the interest of reality, all you can do is look back, learn, and move forward. Which brings us to the point, where do the Tigers go from here? The offense ranked in the top 4 in Runs, Batting Average, OBP and Slugging in the 2011 regular season. Clearly, the offense is there, it’s just a matter of finding it when it counts (i.e. playoffs). The Tigs have about $23 million coming off the books with just 2 contracts expiring in that of the oft-injured Carlos Guillen and fan favorite Magglio Ordonez. The other free agents-to-be include Brad Penny, Ramon Santiago, Wilson Betamit and Joel Zumaya. All those contracts added up total around $36 million. However, assuming the tiger pick up the $9 million option on Jose Valverde’s contract ($2 million increase from 2011), combined with Verlander’s contract increase to $20.1 million ($7.2 million increase from 2011), and arbitration increases with Phil Coke, Max Scherzer, and Delmon Young, the savings from this year to next can estimate around $6 million. With the 2012 commitments at around $100, look for the Tigers to jump towards their 2008 and 2010 payrolls, $137 million and $133 million respectively, if they want to sign a big name free agent.
So what does the team need? In my opinion, the biggest needs are a starter to fill out the rotation, a middle infeidler and some middle relief. The 1 and 2 spots in the rotation are clearly locked up with JV and Doug Fister. With Porcello and Scherzer shaky at times this year, they could fit anywhere in the 3, 4, or 5 spots depending on who, if anyone we pick up. If the plan is to bring up Jacob Turner, then he would fill the 5 spot and the rotation would assumably be set.
Beyond the starting rotation, I think the Tigs need to employ an every day middle infielder. Whether it be a big name like Jose Reyes at SS or maybe even trying to swing a deal for a 2B from another team, the Tigers simply can’t continue with a platoon in the middle of the infield for an entire year. True, we already have Jhonny Peralta at SS, but maybe moving him to 2B for a year until Inge’s contract is up may not be the worst option... after all, how many times does a Jose Reyes hit the open market when you have money to burn?
If possible, they’d love for that middle infielder to be able to hit lead off. Nothing against Jackson, but simply put, he’s not a lead off hitter. He may have the speed, but he doesn’t have the plate discipline or the base running ability to hit in that crucial spot in the line up. Lord knows I love his defense and what he brings to that vast plain in the outfield that is Comerica Park, but at the plate, he doesn’t have what you need in a leadoff hitter. As I was always taught, you want a leadoff hitter that is going to be able to let the rest of the lineup see close to, if not everything, that day’s starting pitcher is featuring. Swinging at the first 3 pitches is not gonna get that done.
Finally, the team needs to sure of the middle of the bullpen. Clearly the back end is as clutch as any in the league with Benoit, Albuquerque, and Valverde. I know Albuquerque struggled a bit in the post season, but in the words of Herb Brooks, “did you ever see him when his game was on”? However, questions were definitely raised in the postseason, deservedly so, about the middle relief. With Ryan Perry, Phil Coke, and Dan Schlereth having less than stellar years, something needs to be done. Either from within or on the market.
Other than those 3 key needs, the Tigers seem to be pretty set in my eyes. As of right now the defensive lineup and starting rotations stand as this:
Defensive Lineup
C: Alex Avila
1B: Miguel Cabrera
2B: ____________
3B: Brandon Inge
SS: Jhonny Peralta
LF: Delmon Young
CF: Austin Jackson
RF: Brennan Boesch
DH: Victor Martinez
Starting Rotation
Justin Verlander
Dough Fister
Max Scherzer
Rick Porcello
____________
Can’t take anything away from the boys this year. They gave the city of Detroit and the state of Michigan 7 moths of excitement and joy. So I leave you with this quote by Rogers Honesby, “People ask me what I do in winter when there's no baseball. I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring”.
For us Michiganders, we move to our winter tradition of following THE dynasty, the Detroit Red Wings. Speaking of which, the Wings return from their week long lay off tomorrow night against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Joe Louis Arena.
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