Detroit's got something cooking, but not many are feeling the heat.
Heat? Well, there's not much of it in Michigan in February. The Red Wings are skating all over the rest of the NHL. The snow won't melt for at least another two months.
The heat is radiating from what seems to me the most unlikely of places: Comerica Park.
That is not to say that the baseball world does not appreciate the Detroit Tigers, who suddenly appeared in the playoffs in 2006. But, honestly: the Tigers?
My idea of the Tigers has always been somewhat akin to that of the Devil Rays. A Tigers series added three to the win column. Season ticket holders gave their tickets for the Tigers game to the coworker they like the least. I don't think I've ever met a Tigers fan.
Yet the Tigers, for once, find themselves at the top of the baseball heap. They are the second-richest team in baseball, trailing only the New York Yankees. And with all this money to spare, they have signed and re-signed with exponentially more chips than ever before.
Not only do the Tigers retain key players from last season (Carlos Guillen, Placido Polanco, Magglio Ordonez, and Marcus Thames), they picked up the option on formidable catcher Ivan Rodriguez.
Perhaps the most crucial returner, Curtis Granderson, was re-signed yesterday. Most surprising to me is that, though Granderson became third all-time to achieve the 20-20-20-20 last year, just one year ago, no one knew his name.
The youth-to-veteran quotient on the Tigers is reminiscent of the re-emergent Boston Celtics. And we have all seen how well that works.
Added to the roster are names that should have caused far more of a stir.
Miguel Cabrera. Dontrelle "D-Train" Willis. Edgar Renteria. Jacque Jones.
The perfect marriage of money and silence this offseason has catapulted the Tigers into a prime position to take hold of the league.
Detriot's got something special this year. If the young guys can stay consistent and the veterans do not disappoint, the Tigers will no longer be able to hide their heat.
America, get ready: These Tigers are prepared to pounce on the MLB and leave us wondering why we ever gave away those tickets.
3 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Joseph Mazzara about 1 year ago
Well I don't disagree with you. The surreptitious rebuilding of the Tiger's is a shock to the other baseball cities in America (and Canada, didn't want to forget you Toronto). I am a life long fan of the Tigers. I have seen felt the disappointment and was one of the few who made it out to the park in 2003 (I still can't believe we lost 119 games!). So the meteoric reconstruction of the Tigers makes me happier then Barry Bonds at BALCO. However, I believe you missed a key component to the "Motor City Kitties" potential domination this year. The Detroit Dynamic Duo, Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski. Dombrowski came in 2002 and laid the ground work for 2006. In 2006 "Grandpa" Jim Leyland came aboard and we saw our first AL Championship in 22 years. (I still get chills when I hear the call of Maggs Homerun to clinch the pennant). The combination of these two has, no doubt, been the reason we are going to be playing in October. Dombrowski's Pattonesque strategy for acquiring talent and Leylan's ability to be a tough, fair skipper makes this Tiger's fan anxious for March 31.
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Michael Taylor about 1 year ago
Why does everyone assume the Indians disappeared? The Tigers bullpen needs work and have a few questions in the rotation. Granted they will score 900 runs, but isn't that what the old Rangers and current Yankees do, less pitching with potent offense? The Indians are returning everybody and are more potent in the 'pen with Kobayashi as a backup closer should Borowski fail. And there is no way the offense will struggle as much as last year with players such as Hafner in down seasons.
I want the Wild Card to come from the Central, it may be the Indians just making it and the Tigers winning the division. I'm just saying everyone can't disregard the Indians as a non-factor and assume the Tigers are division champs let alone world champs.
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Brian Bennett about 1 year ago
I completely agree with you, Michael. The Tigers have a lot of potential, but (as Jim Leyland has been quoted as saying), "they haven't won anything yet."
The Indians have to be considered the favorites in the Central Division unless, at the end of 2008, some other team is on top.
I expect the Tigers and Indians to be 1-2 or 2-1... we'll have to see if I'm right... or if the Sox or Twins surprise everyone and push either Detroit or Cleveland or both aside.
We won't know until October. :)
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