5 Players That Must Contribute for Detroit Tigers

Now is their chance.  The Tigers are finally in position to bring home the AL Central title. 

We all know that players like Miguel Cabrera, Justin Verlander and Victor Martinez are going to contribute down the stretch. 

What about the other guys? 

Here are five players who must make an impact to help the Tigers win the division crown. 

5. Wilson Betemit

After the Tigers acquired Betemit, it was apparent that Jim Leyland did not have a great deal of trust in him, as Betemit sat the bench much more than necessary. 

He has been hitting well recently and has seen his average raise to .288 on the season. 

We all know his defense can be shaky, but if he continues to swing a hot bat, he needs to be on the field.

4. Joaquin Benoit

Benoit was one of the more exciting additions to the Tigers pitching staff before the season because of his stellar 2010 season.

It is obvious that Benoit did not deliver those statistics during the first of half of this season.  However, he is beginning to regain confidence and is pitching well recently.  In his last 10 appearances, he has only given up four runs. 

This is a good sign for the Tigers as they make their push for the postseason. 

3. Alex Avila

During the first half of the season, everyone in baseball was talking about Avila.  He saw his .228 from last season become a distant memory. 

He went through a small hitting slump during June and July but has come on very strong in August, hitting .424 over his last 10 games. 

His defense behind the plate will be just as important as his hot bat these next couple of months.

2. Brennan Boesch

Boesch is a going to be a key figure on this Tigers team for many years to come. 

However, his recent struggles at the plate are hard to ignore. 

In his lat 10 games, he is hitting an abysmal .171.  This is a far cry from the .300-plus average he boasted before the All-Star break.  Boesch has been publicly criticized for his dramatic drop-off in numbers during the 2010 season.

For the Tigers to be successful this season, history cannot repeat itself. 

1. Austin Jackson

Many people will argue that because of his defensive abilities, Jackson's struggles at the dish are not important. 

This cannot be true.

Jackson is the leadoff hitter.  He has one job: Get on base. 

Quite honestly, that job is not getting done. 

He is hitting .233 in his last 10 games and has no stolen bases.  For the Tigers to stay in first place and keep a firm grasp on the division lead, Jackson must improve offensively—immediately. 

The Tigers have a lineup that is great at getting runs in when they are on base.  Obviously, Jackson can't score runs if he can't get on base.