Playing Pepper 2009: Detroit Tigers

As the players start getting themselves ready for another season, I thought it'd be a good idea to do the same.  I contacted a blogger for each major league team and posted them five questions.  This is the result.  You can find the tentative schedule of teams here, and today's main post is right here.

Somewhere along the way, the Cardinals picked up a new American League rival.

It's understandable why the Cardinals play the Royals every year.  The geographic proximity makes MLB think, "Hey, there's a rivalry here," and so the Cards go to KC and the Royals come to Busch every year.

But the Tigers?  The Cardinals have played the Tigers every year since 2006.  Even in years that the rest of the interleague schedule was with another division, the Cards and Tigers have matched up.

Of course, the matchup we all remember is 2006, which is the only one that counts, right?

I caught up with Mike of The Daily Fungo and asked about Tiger pitching and their chances in the coming year.

C70: Last year's offseason brought a lot of activity and hope to Detroit, which didn't really pan out.  What are the thoughts about this offseason?

DF: After the 2007 season, the Tigers made a huge splash in an all-out attempt to win a World Series in 2008. After that abysmal season, the Tigers took a more measured approach in looking toward 2009 and focused on three key soft spots: defense, pitching depth, and bullpen support.

The acquisition of catcher Gerald Laird in a trade from Texas, the signing of defensive specialist Adam Everett to man shortstop, and the trade for starter Edwin Jackson shored up the first two areas, and signing Brandon Lyon to compete for a closer finished the wish list. None of these deals have the sparkle of the Miguel Cabrera/Dontrelle Willis deal of late 2007, but they certainly set a sturdier foundation for the Tigers.

C70: Will Dontrelle Willis ever make it back to the majors?

DF: Willis returned to the majors near the end of last season and was, to put it mildly, unremarkable. From what we've read, Willis's offseason workout regimen has him in excellent condition and on track for a slot near the back end of the Tigers rotation. He doesn't have to be the ace of the staff—far from it. If he can assemble a fifth-starter level season of 10-12 wins, the Tigers will be in good shape.

Of course, if he shows that he has found his groove during Spring Training, don't be surprised if he's traded.

C70: How likely is it that Justin Verlander recovers his past form?

DF: Verlander will be fine.  Chalk up his ugly 2008 performance to the perfect storm of an off year, a porous defense, and bad mechanics. New pitching coach Rick Knapp should be able to tweak whatever mechanical issues the 2006 Rookie of the Year dealt with in '08 and get him back to Cy Young-caliber form.

C70: Can Curtis Granderson build on last year's strong season, or is that about the peak of his ability?

DF: Last year, Granderson was hurt at the end of Spring Training—a pitch broke a finger—and didn't return until late in April. The Tigers' 0-7 start, in addition to foreshadowing the dreadful season to come, showcased how valuable Granderson is to the Tigers' offense. He's the catalyst for the club and has merely scratched the proverbial surface of his talent. Look for him to improve further in 2009.

C70: Can the Tigers go from last to first and, if so, what has to happen?

DF: For the Tigers to return to the upper levels of the AL Central, they will need three things.

• Healthy starting pitchers. Last year Willis, Kenny Rogers, and Jeremy Bonderman all spent time on the disabled list. Bonderman's injury was the most serious—he needed surgery to remove a rib to increase circulation in his throwing arm—and Tigers fans realize no return to the postseason is possible without a healthy Bondo. If the starters can stay healthy, the Tigers will be primed for a division title.

• Airtight defense. With Brandon Inge back at third and Everett stationed at short, Tigers pitchers will likely see shorter innings of work as fewer balls get past the infield.

• Reliable bullpen. The Tigers' late-inning relief corps was nothing short of frightening last season. If Joel Zumaya can come back successfully from shoulder surgery, and Fernando Rodney can set up games for Lyon, Detroit figures to lock down leads in 2009 that all too often evaporated last season.

Pitching and defense. Seems like the same recipe the other 29 teams are working from this season. But with the talent the Tigers have on their roster, they have the ingredients to leapfrog the other Central teams and finish first.

Appreciate Mike taking the time to talk to us.  I don't think anyone really expects a repeat of last year's disaster out of the Tigers, and they should be pretty competitive in a wide-open AL Central.