That’s the question that keeps turning in my head. Perhaps it really is just me, but I have noticed a number of other readers and commenters here weighing in with some degree of discomfort on the signing of Prince Fielder. And I’m forced to wonder why. Most concerns are well thought out and articulate, but some mirror my own in their vagueness. My own discomfort has little or nothing to do with the fact that I’m a stickler for solid defense in the major leagues. I’m not. Anyone who knows baseball knows that if a guy can hit, management will find a place for him in the field. And that goes for both leagues; the defensively-challenged run-producer can be found across the spectrum in many guises. Besides, the largest part of defense is great pitching, and we’ve got that. See, it’s just that something doesn’t sit right with me about this deal. Is it that I’m afraid Cabrera will no longer be as effective at the plate as he has been? No. Is it that I’m terribly afraid of what will happen to our lineup without the likes of Brandon Inge? A thousand times no. Is it that I’m wringing my hands about someone else’s money or that I believe this deal will hogtie the Tigers financially? Nope. So what is it that seems to have stuck in my craw about the situation?

I should, after all, be thrilled about this deal. I am, in large part, a Tigers fan today because of Prince’s dad. I adore the idea of watching my favorite player (Miggy) tee off on pitches because of the fact that in that dark warm wet place that pitchers don’t talk about, they’re honestly and rightfully afraid of the batter behind him in the lineup. Comerica Park’s right field line will be friendly to a powerhitting lefty that we’ve not had in our lineup. So what on earth is it that has me filled with trepidation? Why am I looking this particular gift horse so deeply in the mouth?

After much confused thought and after oscillating between elation and the unscratchable itch of my own doubt, I think I’ve come up with it. And the answer has to do with how I’ve seen myself as a fan and the Tigers as a baseball team throughout my life. It is this: I don’t want to be a fan of the New York Yankees.

I also don’t want to be so reductive here that I equate big spending with the Yankees. Heck, I don’t even really care how much a team spends and I recognize fully that funding plays a large role in any franchise’s ongoing success. My issue with the Yankees and their fans (at least some I know) has always had more to do with the attitude that I’ve always assumed annual big spending creates. You see, Yankees fans by and large live in a kind of bizarro baseball world where failure is not acknowledged as a possibility even in a sport where failure is most probable. Ours is a sport where a man is ensconced in the hall of fame if he only fails seven out of ten times. Ours is a sport where errors are counted and held against players. A sport where we count blown saves; where until recently a pitcher’s worth was measured primarily in how many runs he allowed, how many times he failed to stop the other team from scoring; a sport where Bill Buckner is more famous as a Red Sox player than Babe Ruth. The season itself is built into a series of series, acknowledging that even the best teams lose a lot of games. If a team wins ten three-game series in a row, they’re playing very good baseball even though they’re only winning two thirds of their games.

But some Yankee fans, because of their team’s spending (perhaps) and past success (perhaps), have been largely roped into a loveless, hopeless realm of baseball where it’s all or nothing, where there’s no such thing as a great non-World Series-winning season. Being a perennial favorite can do that to a team. There’s nothing left but to win it all without satisfaction because it’s what’s expected, or to fall dismally and abjectly short of everyone’s expectations. And this may be what the Fielder signing makes me fear for my team.

The joy of baseball has always been in its impossibility. The World Series has been won by 22 different teams in the 107 times it’s been played. That includes the 27 championships won by the Yankees. That kind of parity indicates that it’s mathematically possible for a team to win it all in any given year. But eight teams have never won it, and nine more have only won it once or twice. Yet we carry on, hoping for our next 1935, 1945, 1968, or 1984.

As a Tiger fan, I've always hoped (often against all odds) that “this year will be our year.” And yet, in my lifetime, it’s only been “our year” once. But I wouldn't trade last year, for instance, for anything—even, dare I say it, a World Series championship. If I had to trade the win over the Yankees in the ALDS, the win streak that clinched the Central, the year that Verlander had, or Valverde’s win streak for a title, I wouldn’t. Because that would be a joyless, empty win. A win of expectation rather than an overcoming of expectation.

I know this has been somewhat long-winded, but I guess the point I’m making is this: I love the Tigers for the same reason I love baseball. There is joy to be found in failure punctuated by success. Those terribly lean years in the too-recent past were a slump. That happens. Baseball teaches us this. Paradoxically, it’s only when we begin to assume success that we fail.

I’m not saying the Tigers are the Yankees. And for the record, I’m not trying to paint every Yankee fan with the same brush. Many I've met (including dear relatives) are knowledgeable baseball fans who see their team’s weaknesses clearly. I’m mostly discussing the huge number of Yankee fans for whom “you’re just jealous” is the go-to response to any critique of their team. Regardless, the point here is that I’m merely trying to put my finger on the foolish and niggling discomfort I have at seeing one of the finest hitters in the game added to our roster at such a great financial cost. I’m getting over it, though, because I remember those heady days before spring training in 2008. And I’m still filled with more hope than confidence, more “what-if” than “we’d-better…” Moreover, I’m starting to believe that no payroll of any size can change that. (Until we win our 27th World Series, of course.) For now, I’ve got my fingers crossed just as tightly as they should be in February of each and every year. Go Tigers.

In the spirit of yesterday's Cabrera trade post, my thoughts turned to Jim Leyland: how long does he want to manage?

More to the point, is his eventual successor in house? Gene Lamont had a near miss with Boston this year, and I wonder if he's the organization's safe pick when Leyland decides to hang it up.

Joe Maddon would be nice; so would Terry Francona. Last summer, when there was a lot of fan talk about firing Leyland, no one could ever come up with an apt replacement. Since I'm just spitballing here I haven't delved into Joe Maddon's contract status but knowing Francona's available, and the esteemed Lamont (tongue in cheek) is right here, it's fun to speculate.

Your thoughts?

Somewhere back in, oh, October and November I guess, I started the yearly Grading The Tigers series. Sometime about two or three weeks later, I got tired of writing the series and never returned to it. (Whoops).

With pitchers and catchers reporting in nine days, I guess I have to get those grades finished up soon, huh? So I'm going to do it in accelerated form rather than the up close and personal look I used before.

Today we'll do the starting pitchers: Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, Rick Porcello and (re-hashing) Brad Penny. Incompletes are issues to Phil Coke, Andy Oliver, Jacob Turner, Duane Below, Doug Fister and Charlie Furbush.

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Pitchers and catchers countdown: 9 days

Walkoff Wonders: Just How Slow Are the Tigers? -- Walkoff Woodward, Josh Worn
We all know the Tigers have some "husky" guys. At least that's what Lynn Henning tells us. But does that mean Detroit can't steal bases with the best of 'em? Well, yeah, it kinda does. But maybe it's not such a terrible thing.

Tigers tight-lipped on Yoenis Cespedes, but confirm he didn't visit Detroit -- The Detroit News, Tony Paul
The Yoenis Cespedes saga continues. Rumor has it that he could leave the U.S. by the weekend, which means the Miami Marlins will have most likely been the only team to have met with him.

Pressing Questions: The Detroit Tigers -- Yahoo! Sports, Scott Pianowski
Pianowski answers questions on Detroit's options in the infield and outfield, and whether Jose Valverde will have another "perfect" season.

Detroit Tigers rank No. 24 in MLB farm systems by ESPN.com -- MLive.com, James Schmehl
*Cue The Jeffersons theme song* The Detroit Tigers finished No. 24 on the list of top 30 MLB farm systems. Last year they ranked No. 25. The good news is, I'm not sure anyone should take this too seriously. And if you read the link below, you'll figure out why.

Detroit Tigers' roster leaves little reason to worry about farm system -- MLive.com, Justin Rogers
"The Tigers boast a roster of talented players under 30, which lessens the concern about depth in the farm system." Nicely said.

Position preview: catcher -- EAT EM UP TIGERS
A breakdown of catcher Alex Avila and what the Tigers have in store in 2012 in that position. The big question is: Can Avila have the same kind of season as last year? I think he can. But Jim Leyland needs to figure out a way to not run him quite as ragged as last season.

Platooning the DH Position Would Work Fine, as Long as the Tigers are Smart about it -- The Tigers Den, Matt Snyder
I like this notion a lot, actually. Though the idea of having Ryan Raburn and Delmon Young as regular DH alternates makes me a wee bit queasy.

If necessary, Tigers have ability to put good defensive team on field | The Detroit News -- detroitnews.com, Tom Gage
"The give-and-take for the Tigers is they're electing to put offense over defense -- but doing so with a safety-net awareness of having better defensive players they can turn to at several positions if needed." I, however, think Miguel Cabrera is going to turn a lot of heads at third base. No, seriously.

Detroit Tigers' Nick Castellanos, Jacob Turner named to ESPN.com's top 100 prospects -- MLive.com, James Schmehl
Who said we didn't have any good position players in the farm system? We have ... one.

The latest incarnation of Justin Verlander -- Roar of the Tigers, Samara Pearlstein
#JustinVerlander #Ninja #Awesome

Tigers statues getting cosmetic work -- Beck's Blog, Jason Beck
The Comerica Park ceramic tigers get a face-lift. About time.

Playing devil's advocate: Why each team in the AL Central could pose a threat to Detroit Tigers -- MLive.com, Justin Rogers
For all you optimists out there, Justin Rogers wants to bring you back down to reality for a quick sec. Here's a look at a few reasons why the Tigers maybe should be worrying about their competition.

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