Joe: Detroit is routinely at the top of the annual listing of the U.S. Most Dangerous Cities. While fear of the high murder, assault and petty crime rates keep many tourists away, until the last two years the Detroit Tigers were the most ironically unintimidating team in baseball (What could be more scary than Detroit and tigers). Visiting teams would hate to travel there because of the conditions of the city but they were consoled by the fact that it was basically a guaranteed victory. Over the past two years however, the Tigers have been moving in a completely different direction, turning their lineup into a group that reflects the image of the city, a squad that sports a murderous combination of offense and defense that is bringing the crowds out to Comerica Park in droves. If I were a Detroit fan however, I would be kind of pissed off that my team was so good. The way I see it, I can't be murdered or assaulted if the murderers and assaulters don't know where I am and with the Tigers beating everybody under the sun and being relevant again all interested parties know that 81 times throughout the year there is up to 41,070 people to bump-off and batter at Comerica Park.
But with my Detroit bashing quota all but filled up I'll move on to these Tigers and especially their incredibly potent lineup. There's something for everyone here, speed, power, steroid abuse, bigotry, eating disorders - anything and everything under the sun. You start off with Curtis Granderson, teeming with talent that flourished last year as he made strides in reducing his K Rate and was rewarded with the finest season of his career. He is a placesetter with ample pop and a magnetic personality that should continue his success if he keeps working on cutting down on his whiffs. Edgar Renteria joins the team to play a better shortstop than Carlos Guillen (who's bat hasn't left the lineup - it just has moved over to 1st base) and also provide the same dependable numbers he's been known to provide except for that brief stint in Boston. Then comes the meat and potatoes, literally. 
Miguel Cabrera, one of the most gifted players in the league joins a lineup that already included Gary Sheffield and resurgent 2007 MVP candidate Magglio Ordonez. This Cabrera signing is huge! Not everyday can you add a 24 year old phenom with the skills to hit .320 with 34 HRs and drive in 119 when for much of the season he was the only person teams game planned for within the Marlins lineup. The lineup that the Tigers have put together have them definitely in "win now mode" especially when you consider the ages of everyone else in the lineup including the ever-present team captain Pudge Rodriguez. However, if they can work out a deal to keep Cabrera in town after this season, and Cabrera can find a way to stay in shape and keep his weight from ballooning to the 260+ mark he was tiptoeing last season they have an absolute can't miss legendary players on their hands.
The Tigers pitching is not as spectacular as their bats, however there is demonstrated talent and potential there and it will surprise nobody either way if this group dominates or struggles. The pearl is obviously Justin Verlander, who after an impressive rookie season in 2006, threw a no-hitter in 2007 to solidify the fact that he had arrived. He should continue to thrive as his arm matures and he learns more about pitching rather than hurling his 100mph heat. Jeremy Bonderman has been inconsistent as a starter, but has streaks where he is absolutely dominant and he too is very young and must learn the finer nuances of pitching. The young core of the staff is rounded out by Dontrelle Willis who played the unlikely part of "throw in" in the Miguel Cabrera trade. While the D-Train has not pitched well over the past two seasons, I feel this can be explained by the fact that he has been the elder statesman of a young pitching staff for years when he himself has just turned 26. When this is the case you have nobody to mentor you on the game and the pressure of carrying a pitching staff at the age of 24 or 25 I could imagine isnt the easiest thing in the world to do. When I was 24 i threw a tantrum when Dhivy asked me to do something simple like, "Post the 2008 Colorado Rockies preview," so I could imagine if I was asked to anchor a pitching staff, i'd be an absolute mess. I think Dontrelle will strive in his new role, as he is no longer looked upon as the ace, and more importantly he will have the old lefty Gambler, Kenney Rogers to teach him old man moves like how to effectively change speeds and most importantly how to cheat.
Dhivy: Waiting for prospects to develop is part of the fun in being a baseball fan. I cheer for every free agent my team signs, but the homegrown talent has something extra special about them. The danger for many teams comes from knowing when is the right time to stand pat and when to roll the dice. This off-season, the Tigers shook their dice cup when they shipped off high-ceiling players in Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller for proven commodities in Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Cabrera is a mere 24 years old and is already a premier hitter in the league. With a lineup that includes Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez, Cabrera is sure to add even more explosiveness. 
The addition of Willis, however, is a puzzling one. His ERA has increased a full point each of the last two years and his 2007 WHIP was a cool 1.62. While the import of a future Hall of Famer in Cabrera has Tigers fans yelling "Yahtzee!", my concern is that Dontrelle could end up crapping out.
The Tigers' starting pitching is headlined by Justin Verlander, a youngster who is still learning to harness his talent. With a triple-digit fastball and a biting curve, Detroit is optimistic that his future will yield Cy Youngs. As for the rest of the rotation, there are many questions to be answered. Was Jeremy Bonderman's plummeting k-rate a one-year aberration? Can Nate Robinson recover from a year that saw his ERA balloon nearly a full point? Are there enough steroids in Detroit to keep Kenny Rogers chugging along? With limited depth, the Tigers may have to lean on their bullpen, and I don't know that closer Todd Jones can shoulder that burden. With Joel Zumaya out until midseason because of a falling box, look for Fernando Rodney to step in if/when Jones plays himself out of a job. Though it may affect how much time he's able to spend booby-trapping Zumaya's parents' house.
The biggest strength in Detroit's lineup is that they don't have a real weakness. Because he's surrounded by All-Stars, Curtis Granderson might be the most unheralded player in the league. Anyone with the versatility to hit 23 home runs, 23 triples, steal 26 bases, and write a top-notch blog deserves more credit than Curt McGirt gets. Placido Polanco and Edgar Renteria are a great duo up the middle, but Edgar struggled in his lone season in the AL. Hopefully he'll play better without the drunken shouts of "you suck, Edgah!" The emotional leader, Ivan the Terrible, enters his 18th season and although he's not the same hitter he once was, his ability to handle a pitching staff is unparalleled. Even their bench boasts plenty of promise, including Marcus "they call me Mr." Thames, Ryan Rayburn and Brandon Inge. The Detroit Tigers may have mortgaged their future to get here, but if I had the choice, I'd bet the pass line on this squad.
Unsung Hero
- dontrelle willis (j)
- fernando rodney (d)
- placido polanco (q)
- jaque jones (j)
- dontrelle willis (d)
- kenny rogers (q)
- The amounts of comedy provided by any Gary Sheffield interview. (j)
- Justin Verlander's hot girlfriend rushes the field after his no-hitter. (d)
- Marcus Thames hit a broken bat home run. (q)
- Feeling shown up by the Cleveland gnats, the wild birds that populate the outfield of Comerica in the summer months decide to attack opposing pitchers. (j)
- Kenny Rogers is replaced in the pitching rotation by Will Sasso's impression of Kenny Rogers. The results are not good. (d)
- Miguel Cabrera hits his weight in his first season in Detroit. He hits .450. (q)
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