Detroit Tigers on Precipice, But to What?

With all the scuffling the Tigers have been doing this season, I was startled to learn that as of this final weekend in June they sport the third best record in the majors, behind only Boston in the AL East and Los Angeles in the NL West.

As I write these words, Detroit holds a five-game lead over Minnesota in the Central, with the White Sox and Royals, each having spent some time at the top of the Central, not far behind. Only Cleveland, 12 games back, seems out of the hunt.

All in all, Detroit’s record in the Central is much improved over a year ago.

Last weekend the Tigers swept the Milwaukee Brewers, a team that came to town having scored thirty runs in a three-game sweep of the Indians. Detroit won the series largely on good pitching and timely hitting.

The Cubs came to town after the Brewers left and again the Tigers got out the brooms to take a three-game set in one of the more tightly contested series at Comerica all season, winning the first game on a walk-off homerun in the bottom of the ninth and coming from behind in game three.

Offensively the Tigers have run hot and cold. Only Cabrera, who hit .700 the first week of the season, has maintained any consistency, despite suffering a strained hamstring earlier this month. His batting average is currently among the leaders in the AL.

Carlos Guillen has yet to find his rhythm, a sore shoulder finally landing him on the DL in late May.

Magglio Ordonez struggled so much at the plate, that Manager Jim Leyland sat him for several games to get him away from the game. Prior to Wednesday’s game against the Cubs, his second game back, he cut his shoulder-length hair and promptly went two for four and hit the game-winning homerun Thursday afternoon.

Placido Polanco, the most underrated second baseman in the game, has yet to show his best stuff at the plate, while center fielder Curtis Granderson has alternated between the leadoff spot and deeper in the lineup. His average is down but he is hitting for more power.

Brandon Inge worked hard in the offseason to improve his hitting and it’s showed. His average is up, he leads the club in RBI production, and he is tied with Granderson for most homeruns.

Thames came off the DL to hit .300 for a time; but he isn’t expected to hit for average. All this guy continues to do is hit a homerun every twelve or fourteen trips to the plate─among the best in the majors.

Detroit has been getting great contributions from some of their role-players, kids up from AAA, like Don Kelly and Dusty Ryan. Josh Anderson, Adam Everett and Gerald Laird were fine acquisitions during the off season, and each has contributed, if not consistently. Anderson’s speed has given Leyland more options at playing small ball, and Laird has more than admirably filled Rodriquez’s spot behind the plate.

Guillen is expected back in mid-July, and if he can regain his hitting stride, along with Ordonez and Polanco, then Granderson, Cabrera and Thames will only become more dangerous.

Pitching has, at least for the last month, improved. Armando Galarraga, after starting the season 3-0, improved only today to 4-7.

Justin Verlander, who struggled most of last season, opened this year slowly, but after a chat with Royals’ right-hander Zack Greinke, Verlander has been lights out in all but one of his starts the last two months. With two more strong starts, he may make an appearance at the All Star game in St. Louis next month.

Edwin Jackson has been as good as Verlander. With more run support he could easily be 8-2 instead of 6-4.

The biggest surprise has been twenty-year-old Rick Porcello. His record at 8-4, this kid is the real deal. In a year or two, he could combine with Verlander and Jackson to become the best threesome in baseball.

Dontrelle Willis started the season on the DL but got a handful of starts in late May and early June, but was sporadic. Willis was placed on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to June 15 for what has been termed an anxiety disorder.

Zach Miner has been solid, pitching mostly long relief─he has a great sinker ball that induces a lot of groundballs─with an occasional spot start.

Brandon Lyon, acquired from Arizona primarily as the heir apparent to Todd Jones as closer, was suspect early, as many pitchers are coming from the NL; but he’s starting to show promise.

Ryan Perry, the twenty-year-old fire-baller, pitched his way onto the staff in spring training, but currently is pitching in AAA to get more seasoning. While up with the big club, he’s pitched well and I expect he will be back before season’s end.

Bobby Seay, sporting a 3.52 ERA in thirty-three appearances, has perhaps been the most consistent reliever to date.

Joel Zumaya finally returned to form after shoulder surgery more than a year ago and a series of other injuries. He touched 104 mph on the gun the other night, which seems to have put to rest any doubt that he’d ever regain his form from 2006

Fernando Rodney is a perfect 14-14 in save situations, 17-17 going back to last season. And yet it’s never easy for him. He’s as apt to send down the side 1-2-3 in the ninth as he is to walk the first two hitters before pitching out of a jam.

The season is still young and a lot can happen between now and October, but Detroit has at times looked to be the team to beat in the Central, while at other times they look the team that finished in the cellar last season.

It’s been an on and off season thus far for the Tigers, but most nights they play entertaining baseball, with Leyland managing like he did in 2006, having successfully called for the squeeze twice already and usually doing the unexpected, which is key to winning ballgames.

Still, on their worst nights, they’re a far better club than they were four years ago, when they were losing 100 games.