Detroit Tigers Spring Update and Analysis for 2008

The Detroit Tigers will rap up thier Grapefruit League games this week in Florida as anxious fans await the arrival of thier improved baseball team to return to Comerica Park for the season opener.

On Easter Sunday the Tigers battled the Cleveland Indians to a 3-3 tie in ten innings as Tiger manager Jim Leyland sent out some new prospects and some on the bubble roster wanna-bes.

Yorman Bazardo showed a lot of poise on the mound as he continues to fight for a spot on the club. With a solid outing like he had on Sunday, I think the management needs to find a spot for him as he can help the already ailing bullpen and could also be used as a starter when the rotation needs an extra day of rest.

Bazardo retired all nine batters he faced in three innings of work against the strong lineup of the Indians. This spring he has a 3.75 E.R.A. in six games with the Tigers.

Bazardo is battling for the spot with teammate Aquilino Lopez. Lopez has a 1.64 E.R.A. in eleven innings of work giving him a strong chance to take the spot also.

Fausto Carmona gave up a two run homer to Gary Sheffield, then scattered six hits over six innings for his longest start this spring for the Cleveland Indians.

Detroit smacked nine hits in Sunday's match-up, with Magglio Ordonez and Placido Polanco leading the way with two hits apiece.

Curtis Granderson was placed on the 15 day DL,  when he broke his finger on his right hand Saturday after being hit by a fastball thrown by Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Travis Blackley.

Brandon Inge will be the starting centerfielder for the Tigers until Curtis Granderson can return.

Miguel Cabrera the star third -baseman for the Tigers was signed to a 152.3 million dollar contract over eight years ensuring the slugger will be in Detroit for the future.

Tiger designated hitter Gary Sheffield said "It's a testament to what this organization is trying to do."  "It says we are trying to win right now,but in the future also." "He's a future- type player." "Anytime you can get a player for that amount of years on this team, you're looking at multiple championships."

LET"S MEET THE 2008 DETROIT TIGERS!

Thirdbaseman:Miguel Cabrera

He has been to the All Star game four times and he's not even 25 Years old. Look for this guy to have 200 hits , 36 homers and an average around .330. Even if Dontrelle Willis doesn't pan out , the trade was well worth it , as the Tigers can keep rebuilding around this slugger.

Firstbaseman: Carlos Guillen

The move from shortstop to third didn't hamper Carlos in the least as he will remain a positive force in the clubhouse this year.The two -time Allstar should see his average climb this year as pitchers will take him forgranted in this powerhouse line-up. Look for Guillen to hit around .320 with around 20 homers and over 100 RBI.

Secondbaseman:Placido Polanco

Placido can flat out hit. Coming off a career year at the plate and in the field,  look for Placido to bat around .330,  close in on 200 hits and around 80 to 90 RBI. Last year Placido Polanco became the first second baseman in history to play a full season without committing an error.He earned his first All Star selection in 2007.

Shortstop:Edgar Rentaria

A welcome addition to the Tigers this season as Edgar is coming off of a career high .332 batting AVG. in 2007.This 5 time All Star and two-time gold glove winner has replaced the ailing knees of Carlos Guillen. Look for him to get adjusted in the American League and bat around .300.

Shortstop:Ramon Santiago

Ramon will be a much needed utility man when the starters look to rest.Capable of playing second base as well. A switch-hitter with good speed on the basepaths.

Infielder/outfielder:Brandon Inge

Brandon will start in centerfield this year until Curtis Granderson comes off the DL. Another superb defensive player at third-base , Brandon will be utilized in many situations as he is capable of playing any position.His hitting needs to improve over last year.  Look for him to rebound and get some key hits as the Tigers begin thier journey back to the top of the American League Central.

Centerfielder:Curtis Granderson

One triple short of breaking Ty Cobbs' record as a Tiger, Curtis looks to get even better  than 2007.Now in his third full year as a Tiger,  Curtis has a work ethic like no other .Look for Curtis to hit around .300 and improve his on base percentage in 2008. Curtis Granderson will start in mid April due to an injury to his hand.

Leftfielder:Jaque Jones

A nice aquisition to this already potent line-up. Look for Jaque to improve his numbers over last year as he should bat around .270 with 25 homers and 80 RBI. A much needed left-handed hitter in the Detroit line-up.

Rightfielder:Magglio Ordonez

With his best season ever in 2007,  look for Maggs to pave the way to a championship for Detroit. Magglio was the American League batting champ for 2007 when he batted a whopping .363. Magglio is a mainstay in Detroit for years to come as he continues to set the standard for hitting in the major leagues.Look for him to bat around .340 with 30 homers and 130 RBI.

Outfielder:Marcus Thames

Marcus will be platooned in the outfield again this year and probably will DH from time to time. Marcus hit .310 against left-handed pitching in 2007.Look for more of the same as he will be utilized in that role. Everytime I look at Marcus I am reminded of the former Tiger Larry Herndon. Marcus is well-liked and respected in the clubhouse as his batting skills trickle down thru the team.I wouldn't be surprised to see Marcus Thames as a batting coach when his playing days are over.

Designated Hitter:Gary Sheffield

With his shoulder problems behind him,  we should see a vast improvement over 2007. Gary should raise his average up to around .300 and smash 40 homers and 100 RBI, thats the the least we should expect from this Hall of Fame caliber player.

Infielder/Outfielder/Catcher:Ryan Raburn

Another great utility player as Ryan can play any position . He hit .302 while playing all outfield positions as well as second and third-base in 2007. Ryan Raburn will also back up Ivan Rodriguez at the catcher position in 2008. Look for Ryan to spray some key hits for the Tigers' contending team.

Catcher:Ivan"Pudge"Rodriguez

Looks like Pudge has his swing back as he continues to clout homers in spring training leading the Grapefruit League with 8 this year. Look for this Hall of Fame catcher to hit around .280 with 30 or more homers and over 100 RBI as he looks as strong as ever for the 2008 season. Batting eighth in the line-up should give him a lot more run production as the bases should be full of Tigers this year .

Pitchers:

RHP:Justin Verlander

The ace of the Tigers' pitching staff, Justin Verlander will have another stellar season for Detroit. Justin pitched his first career no-hitter on June 12 of last year. Look for Justin to have another great season, winning 18 to 20 games for the Tigers and keeping his ERA under 3.00. Can you say Cy Young?

LHP:Kenny Rogers

We will need Kenny to bounce back from injuries this year if the Tigers are to make a run for the pennant in the AL Central. This crafty veteran showed good form throughout spring training this year. At 44 years old I really do not know what to expect from Kenny in 2008. As long as he stays healthy we can hope he has flashes of the brilliance he had in 2006. Look to have him scratch out at least 10 wins this year, if not  the Tigers championship season could be  in jeopardy.

LHP:Nate Robertson

I can really see Nate winning 15 to 17 games for the Detroit Tigers this year, mainly because whenever he pitched , the run production was down and he would lose games 2 -1 or 3-2 having pitched great games. His ERA should remain under 4.00 as the powerhouse line-up should produce enough runs for him to win. This workhorse is a tough competitor and this year will prove to be one of his finest seasons in his career.

RHP:Jeremy Bonderman

Bondo is one pitcher I can't wait to see pitch this year. We all hope for a nice comeback for Jeremy this year. Although struggling through spring , Jeremy with the help of pitching coach Chuck Hernandez,  have been working on new pitches and mechanics, developing a nasty sinker ball to compliment an already wicked slider as well as a change-up. Thats a lot for a young 23 year old to sponge in. If Jeremy continues to harness these new pitches you will see a 20 game winner in no time. I expect Bondo to have 12 -15 wins this year as long as the control is there. We know the run support will be there. Lotsa luck Bondo.

LHP:Dontrelle Willis

Dontrelle Willis is another pitcher who struggled through spring, getting shelled in almost every outing this year. His problem? CONTROL! This guy has a fantastic movement on his fastball, but he is throwing it so it breaks right over the heart of the plate. I hope Coach Hernandez can get this guy straightened out for this season or it could spell doom for Detroit. Okay,calm down and take your blood pressure meds. Look for Dontrelle to get much of his old form back with 8-10 wins for 2008. But not really the quality starter the Tigers were looking for.

RHP:Yorman Bazardo

A nice surprise for the Tigers in 2007 having an ERA of 2.28 in 11 games. He will have a spot in the bullpen to start the season , but I expect Tiger Manager Jim Leyland to put him in the starting rotation as soon as one of the questionables falls flat. At 22 years old this kid can throw with the best of them. Keep your eye on this kid in 2008.

RHP:Denny Bautista

Had a really great spring at Tigertown, and will be used primarily in middle relief this year. I am hoping that he can put up the numbers like he did this spring. He has never had an ERA under 5.00 in his career , lets hope he can change that. I think he is going to be great out of the bullpen while we wait for Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya to come off of the disabled list.

LHP:Tim Byrdak

Had a good year in 2007 when used in long relief, But I think coach Leyland will go back to using him as a one out spot reliever, as Leyland showed a lot of disappointment in him this spring. Look for him to be just that in 2008.

RHP:Jason Grilli

The second half of 2007 was nothing short of brilliant for this Tiger reliever as he went 3-1 with a 3.27 ERA. He will be the workhorse for the bullpen in 2008. You could also see him start a game or two when the rotation needs a breather. Look for him to be solid for 2008.

RHP:Zach Miner

Miner shows a lot of poise in tough situations.He will primarily be used as a middle reliever and could also be used as a spot starter if needed.He also was great in the second half of 2007 posting a 1.45 ERA in his last 10 appearances.

LHP:Bobby Seay

A very promising arm out of the bullpen for the Tigers. Had a nice season in 2007 posting a 2.33 ERA. He will mainly be used in middle to late relief depending on situations.Don't be surprised to see him setting up for Todd Jones until Fernando Rodney comes back.

RHP:Todd Jones

The closer for the Tigers for 2008. Was shelled in the first half of spring training but seemed to have snapped out of it as of late. Nicknamed "The Rollercoaster" by fans and teammates because of his ability to bring out are emotions as he seems to put men on base right before he shuts them down for the save. I expect more of the same from the all time Detroit Tiger save leader. With the powerful hitters the Tigers have he may not be needed as much.

Your 2008 Detroit Tigers:OUTLOOK

The Tigers are going for a World title this year as the GM Dave Dombrowski has brought together an All Star line-up to Comerica Park. There are still a few questions about the pitching staff, but all in all I expect nothing short of a great season and a championship that is long overdue in Detroit. Next stop the Copa.