2012 Official Detroit Tigers Thread

[gladdyontherise]

With Spring Training a little over a month away, I think a thread can be made at this point.

I think the Tigers are a World Series contending team this year and should run away with the division (again).

The rotation as of right now looks like

1. Verlander
2. Fister
3. Scherzer
4. Porcello
5. Turner

I'd be ok with that.

Main pieces in the bullpen are Coke, Dotel, Benoit, and Valverde. The loss of Alburquerque really hurts the team. Seems like a Zumaya 2.0 thing is upon us.

The lineup prokects to

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 1B
4. Victor Martinez DH
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Alex Avila C
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Ryan Raburn/Ramon Santiago 2B
9. Brandon Inge 3B

Besides Raburn/Inge no objections from me. This could of course change if the Tigers get Cespedes. (Young would be gone most likely). Hopefully Leyland sticks to his thing and keeps Cabrera in the 3 spot. Like him hitting 3rd much more.

What do the other Tigers fans think? Quiet offseason for a change.

[gladdyontherise]

Just broke...Victor Martinez out for the season with a torn ACL...Awful

Story: http://fearingtheshadow.blogspot.com...kely-done.html

[BBonds25]

I just read this myself. Not a good way to start 2012.

[andrewhoya]

Not a good start to the year. Who do you think will DH?

[gladdyontherise]

Not a good start to the year. Who do you think will DH?

Who do I think? Probably several different players already on the roster. Like if Avila isn't catching a game he would DH, or if Leyland wants to give someone a day off in the field, he would move them to DH (Cabrera and Delmon Young the most likely in that scenario).

What would I like? Vlad Guerrero, had a decent year on a bad team, put him in front of Cabrera in the lineup and hope he has 1 year left in him. Could also see Damon being brought back to Detroit. Could hit leadoff and have a solid OBP perhaps.

Just deflating though, this was suppose to be the Tigers year and the one of the 4 guys the Tigers couldn't afford to lose (Avila, Verlander & Cabrera being the other 3), they lost.

[andrewhoya]

Giving up on WS hopes already?

[gladdyontherise]

Giving up on WS hopes already?

Sure am. Look at Cabrera's walk rate last year hitting in front of Martinez, and now imagine how many times teams will pitch around him. Unless whoever hits behind him steps up in a major way most hope is lost.

[sanfran22]

Maybe you could go out and get delmons bro back. He was always a great hitter and looks like he's in great shape.....He'd be a cheap 1 year deal as well and probably would put up victor like numbers if not too rusty...

[gladdyontherise]

Maybe you could go out and get delmons bro back. He was always a great hitter and looks like he's in great shape.....He'd be a cheap 1 year deal as well and probably would put up victor like numbers if not too rusty...

Trust me, Dmitri couldn't put up V-Mart numbers and hit behind Cabrera lol

[sanfran22]

Trust me, Dmitri couldn't put up V-Mart numbers and hit behind Cabrera lol

I never said bat him behind Cabrera....But Young could always hit. I bet he could go .290/15/75 on a decent team. Victor avg. .300/14/74 through his career.