Will the Sleeping Tigers Awaken in 2009?

by Ian Casselberry on Jan 22, 2009 12:00 PM EST in Detroit Tigers News

Ken Rosenthal seems to think the Detroit Tigers could be a sleeper team to watch out for in 2009. Or Dave Dombrowski is trying his best to convince him.

"We might be in a spot where all of a sudden our pitching is a lot better than people anticipate," Dombrowski says.

Rosenthal also quotes the agents for Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis, who both say - surprise, surprise! - that their respective clients are feeling good and throwing great.

Another interesting thought in Rosenthal's column is that the Tigers are a team that could face some major financial problems if they don't run off to a good start and generate excitement (and more importantly, attendance) among its fans.

So what do you say? Are the Tigers a sleeper? Are there too many "what-ifs" that need to come through on the pitching staff? Or is it a little bit early to be making predictions?

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Sleeping Tigers

To answer Ian’s questions:

Are the Tigers a sleeper? I think everyone in the division with the exception of Kansas City can win the AL Central. So I would say it depends on your definition of sleeper. To me, a sleeper is a team that comes out of nowhere to contend, such as Tampa Bay last season. I don’t think the Tigers are a team coming out of nowhere…

Are there too many what-ifs on the pitching staff? Absolutely… for starters (pardon the pun), nobody knows who the #5 starter will be. Edwin Jackson seems to have a strong arm and loads of potential, but his stats are high and his strikeout rate low. Gallaraga could suffer from the sophomore jinx as hitters get a better read on him. Can Bonderman bounce back from injury and will Verlander return to being the ace the Tigers so desperately need? Don’t even get me started on the bullpen…

Too early to be making predictions? Probably, but IMO the Tigers could finish anywhere from 1st to 4th in the division and it wouldn’t be a surprise.

by Todd1005fm on Jan 22, 2009 12:07 PM EST reply actions

Defense

Pitching is still a big question, obviously, but their infield defense is pretty good now, certainly better than Cleveland’s and probably better than Chicago’s with them losing Crede and Cabrera. That should improve the pitching enough to make it respectable, especially if Miner and his sinker are in the rotation.

And Granderson-Polanco-Cabrera-Ordonez are the best top of the order in the division. Its not even close.

One more dependable reliever would certainly be nice, but I don’t think it is a stretch to see the team run away with the division, either.

-- pH

by patrick_hayes on Jan 22, 2009 1:11 PM EST reply actions

No

Unless the quest for relief finds its ark of the covenant, Comerica might as well be called the Temple of Doom…

by ReichardZ on Jan 22, 2009 1:14 PM EST reply actions

No

Too many question marks, counting on guys too unreliable (Bonderman, Rodney, Willis). Everett and Inge will be the worst offensive left-side infield in the game, so bad it negates the great D. Outside of Verlander, who I think will win about 14 or 15 games, the pitching is terrible. And they don’t seem motivated to me, doesn’t seem like there’s a chip on their shoulder. They’ve put 2008 behind them yes, but I don’t think they’ve learned from it.

by BigDaddyJC on Jan 22, 2009 6:06 PM EST reply actions