(Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)
Central: Detroit Tigers (41-32)
Strengths: offense, infield defense, starting rotation, bullpen
Weaknesses: injuries, Magglio Ordonez, back end of rotation
Top competition: Minnesota Twins (38-38), 4.5 GB
Coming into the season, I was not alone in projecting the Detroit Tigers to finish near the bottom of the American League Central. I am now eating my words, as the Tigers have been playing great baseball, and currently sit atop the Central division.
Offense has not been a problem for this team, which is led by a triumvirate of sluggers. Brandon Inge and Curtis Granderson each have 17 home runs, and All-Star first baseman Miguel Cabrera has added 15 of his own.
Last year, abysmal defense was a major contributor to the lackluster performance of the Tigers. During the off-season, and during last year's regular season, that defense has been shored up by moving Cabrera to first base, and signing shortstop Adam Everett last winter.
Cabrera is continually improving his defense at first, and Everett is doing exactly what he was brought in to do, which is play great defense. Everett is also hitting .265, and the Tigers may talk to him about an extension before he hits free agency after the season.
Along with the defense, the pitching for this team has performed a complete 180-degree turn from 2008's performance. Justin Verlander has led the team, going 8-3 with a 3.31 ERA. Complimenting their ace, Edwin Jackson has won six games, compiling a 2.40 ERA.
Rounding out the dominant trio at the top of the Tigers rotation is rookie Rick Porcello, a contender for the Rookie of the Year award. Porcello has gone 8-4 with a 3.55 ERA.
Complimenting the efforts of the rotation has been a very solid bullpen, which, like the Red Sox, can bring the heat. Joel Zumaya has been hard to hit, and Fernando Rodney continues to emerge as a reliable closer.
Brandon Lyon and Bobby Seay have handled hitters as well, but swingmen Zach Miner and Nate Robertson have struggled.
Injuries have taken their toll on players that the Tigers could use contribution from, though, as Carlos Guillen, Jeremy Bonderman, and Dontrelle Willis are all currently on the shelf. However, these guys weren't producing before they were hurt, so the three could arguably count as addition by subtraction.
One weak spot of the offense has been Magglio Ordonez. While he is still hitting a respectable .274, Maggs hasn't been living up to his purpose as a run producer, as he only has three home runs and 24 RBI at this point.
Just a few years ago, Ordonez was a premier slugger, but he has now found himself benched indefinitely, much to the chagrin of Scott Boras.
The back end of the rotation has been a trainwreck for the Tigers, as last year's pleasant surprise Armando Galarraga has gone 4-7 with a 5.65 ERA this year. Unfortunately, it's been even worse for Detroit's fifth starter this year.
Dontrelle Willis and Jeremy Bonderman have shared the role, and they have both done terribly. Bonderman only got one start under his belt, notching a 13.50 ERA in a four-inning start. Willis looked to be launching a comeback from obscurity, but he eventually imploded.
Willis is currently on the DL with an anxiety problem, and has compiled a 1-4 record with a 7.49 ERA and a hideous 17/28 K/BB ratio.
The Tigers don't have a lot of competition to deal with, but if they don't watch out, they could be bitten in the behind by the Minnesota Twins, otherwise known as the piranhas if you ask Ozzie Guillen circa 2006.
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